As both a big fantasy nerd and a lover of RPGs, it feels like Metaphor: ReFantazio was made specifically for me. It has the tasty Persona gameplay loop of dungeon-crawling, tactical turn-based battles, engaging narrative and life-sim elements—but with the added twist of being wrapped in a fantasy-inspired setting. There was no doubt I was going to be drawn in from day one.
After sinking more than 20 hours into the PS5 version (after blitzing The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom), I'm pleased to say that it isn't just a Persona reskin. It features some welcome improvements that make it more difficult to return to older Atlus titles. (For the record, I'm not measuring it against Persona 3: Reload since I've yet to play it).
Metaphor: ReFantazio respects your time
On the surface, Metaphor: ReFantazio is similar to past Persona games. You've still got strategic, turn-based battles and a large variety of things to do outside of combat dungeons—be they forging stronger friendships with allies, improving your social skills (known as "Royal Virtues"), or a variety of other tasks like reading books, cooking, and doing laundry.
The difference is that Metaphor is more respectful of your time thanks to quality-of-life enhancements baked into the game's core systems. For example, shortly after starting the game, you get the ability to quickly zip around towns and hubs with a skill called "Blade-riding" (literally surfing on a sword like a hoverboard), which you activate at the push of a button in designated zones.
Further examples include the "Memorandum" system—akin to Final Fantasy XVI's "Active Time Lore"—that ensures you've got a codex handy when you need a refresher on a character, place, race or anything else. There's also the ability to hot-swap Archetypes (your skill sets) from a menu option rather than heading to a specific place in the world to change your Personas. The addition of a retry button allows you to reset and return to the beginning of any battle without the hassle of reloading save files.
All these additions are designed to get you to the parts of the game you care about in a more streamlined fashion. This efficiency also applies to the game's story.
As a die-hard fantasy guy who plays D&D, has stacks of fantasy novels and made "House of the Dragon" season 2 appointment viewing each week, I was always going to be receptive to Metaphor's setting. But Studio Zero went above and beyond to craft a unique and beautiful world that completely enthralled me. Where Persona titles sometimes begin with smaller-scale stories, Metaphor sets up some serious stakes right from the jump.
Away from the grand narrative, I also feel like I have gotten to know the few party members I have connected with faster and deeper than I otherwise would. I've learned tragic backstories, had heart-to-hearts, and laughed along with the group already. It might not be my all-time favorite RPG cast (yet), but everyone I've linked up with has been a worthy and interesting addition to the crew.
Should you play Metaphor: ReFantazio?
Overall, I can't recommend Metaphor: ReFantazio enough. It's an early recommendation—with at least 60+ hours of playtime (according to howlongtobeat.com). Based on what I've played so far, it's a great blend of mechanical tweaks and genre trappings that make for a compelling, well-crafted RPG full of personality and intrigue.
There's a chance the story could fall flat or fully explore its central themes before I get to the ending credits. But the fact I'm yearning to play it even as I write this says a lot. Persona 6 could change my mind when it releases, but right now, Metaphor: ReFantazio is the RPG for me.
