After finally picking it up for Christmas (and after sitting on it for a week in favor of playing through Sly 2: Band of Thieves again), I’ve finally gotten started with Atlus’ latest: Metaphor ReFantazio. I’ve got about 12 hours into the game so far and have just cleared the first dungeon. And, I have to say, I really like what I’ve seen so far. More than that, it looks like it’ll only get better.

Before I actually got around to playing it, I thought Metaphor ReFantazio was just going to be Persona by another name. I don’t think I was entirely wrong with that assessment, there are quite a few simularities, but there is enough here that’s different to prevent it from feeling like an empty retread. For one thing, I’ve yet to see any of the usual monsters/personas/apparitions that appear in practically every other Atlus game that’s even remotely connected to Shin Megami Tensei. The monsters and powers in this one are something different.

You don’t channel personas in Metaphor ReFantazio. Rather, you mantle “Archetypes,” that is, you embody legendary heroes of the past and take on their traits. Their function is similar to personas in that they’re what give the player’s party members their power, but the game treats them more like classes than anything else. Further, all party members can change between Archetypes, not just the main character. Combat also functions differently, asking players to manage their turns rather than simply going for “1 More’s.”

There’s still (unfortunately) an element of time management, but thankfully it seems to be less strict than in Persona 5 or its predecessors. This was perhaps my most disliked feature in P5, so I’m happy to see it diminished somewhat. I’m also happy there’s finally a way to replenish MP in dungeons besides using the still very limited MP restoring items. The means of doing can be a bit tedious, but at least its there.

I’m also enjoying this more serious story with a cast of characters that’s not just the usual bunch of teenagers trying to kill some sort otherworldly entity. It’s not that I’m all that against having to play as a high school student in an Atlus game, but the whole “drama” of school life gets less and less compelling the longer you’ve been out of it, you know. Like, yeah, they’re dealing with crazy things, but they’re also just kids, so that kinda just lets the air out of everything. Anyway, such is not the case in Metaphor ReFantazio, even if two members of the main party are pretty young.

What’s really grabbed me in Metaphor ReFantazio is the way it pulls you into its world. Grand Trast (the capital city) feels alive and bustling even though you can only visit a handful of places in it. Perhaps its the way people talk, or the sense of crowded streets seen in the transitions, but I dunno. The place just feels real somehow. Or, maybe, it’s just the music and artwork working overtime.

For this game, I’m convinced that Atlus let both the art and music departments completely off the leash. Every single track in Metaphor ReFantazio has a sense of scale and grandeur to it that’s usually only reserved for final bosses or end-game locations. Here though? Here you get that in standard battles and just walking down the street in the first city! Not only that, but everything, right down to the sub-menus, is just dripping in artistic flair and detail! The game is beautiful through and through, which is probably a big part of why it can draw you in so easily.

I’m sure that the game isn’t perfect, but I’m having a blast so far. If you’re at all curious about it, I highly recommend checking out the free demo available on most platforms. It’s definitely worth a free try if nothing else. As for me, it’s time to dive back in. I’ll check in with you all again once I’ve made some decent progress.

---

If you’ve played Metaphor ReFantazio, what’s your take on it? If you haven’t, what’s kept you from getting interested?

Image is Metaphor ReFantazio Steam Splash Art