Metaphor Re:Fantazio has had an interesting development cycle. It was originally announced as Project Re: Fantasy in 2016, with updates about the game having gone dark until 2023. It’s announcement trailer was filled to the brim with lush graphics, a hyper-stylized user interface, and a glimpse into various gameplay systems anyone familiar with the Persona series would recognize. MMORPG was given the opportunity to play a small slice of Metaphor Re:Fantazio, and after having just a small bit of time with the game, I can say that I’m feeling positive about whatever this game is shaping up to be.
The slice of gameplay I checked out focused on the traversal and time management mechanics. Traversal and how the player chooses to allocate their time in Metaphor Re:Fantazio is different from the Persona series — I feel like this is significant to mention, as the same team of developers behind the original Persona 3 are attempting to bring a similar formula to a more fantastical setting. Players can pick the location they would like to travel to from within their airship, which also functions as a hub of sorts.
This is where you can select quests, interact with other characters to raise your “social link,” and increase your stats. In that way, everything feels relatively condensed, but strangely enough not restrictive. I wandered around the vessel for a bit, perusing what I could do while en route to a nearby forest. I could spend time reading books or cooking to increase specific stats, or spend time with companions to raise my affinity with them. Yes, this all very much sounds like Persona, and for the most part it is. Except some of these systems have been retooled in a way that feels more organic.
After I decided to cook after rummaging around for ingredients I was joined by Strohl, one of several companion characters in Metaphor Re:Fantazio, who proceeded to teach me how to properly cook the dish I had selected. It was more or less an opportunity for him to impart personal advice, which we bonded over before our ship was assailed by a handful of enemies. Because while you do have these instances of being able to bond with your companions or increase your stats, there is a chance you will encounter some kind of enemy on the way to your destination. In this case I crossed paths with a few flying enemies. Nothing too remarkable, just a pair of oversized eagles that I made quick work of.
Combat in Metaphor Re:Fantazio is more or less just like Persona. Specific characters can use specific elemental or physical attacks that enemies are weak to, with elemental attacks more or less tied to their “Archetype.” Archetypes are classes you can assign each character, and so far ATLUS has revealed that over 40 will be available when the game releases. For this short demo I only had access to a few, and wasn’t given the opportunity to swap them out, as this seemed to be set in the early hours of the game. Overall, combat feels simple but is incredibly stylish. It’s a turn-based RPG through and through, but the striking designs of each Archetype and the fluid action keep me engaged.
After the fight we were given a short break. I took this time to talk to Hulkenberg, an elvish woman who had once pledged herself to protect a prince and seemingly failed. There wasn’t enough time to really dig into that, as it was something she mentioned in passing before deciding that Strohl and I weren’t in good enough form to be fighting. This small interaction gave me a decent enough idea of what kind of character Hulkenberg will be — the stoic knight on a path of redemption, who also likes to eat bugs.
Everyone kind of seems quirky like that, with some kind of interesting personality quirk to even out the severity of their backstories. What I found interesting was that the conversation did reward me for leaning into specific dialogue choices, which immediately made me think of min-maxing dialogue options with companions in Dragon Age. Since bonds are an important part of Metaphor Re:Fantazio, I can definitely see people trying to figure out what conversation options are the best outside of just exploring what the game might have to offer, which is a shame because what I tasted of the localization is great.
Characters have unique accents and ways of speaking, which is translated well across the board. I asked a SEGA ATLUS representative at the event if the translation was outsourced or done in house, and learned that it was handled internally. For the most part, SEGA ATLUS’ in-house translations for the Persona and Shin Megami Tensei games have been pretty good, so this leaves me hopeful for Metaphor Re: Fantazio. But I can honestly say that’s more or less my general feelings walking away from playing this short snippet of the game. Even my reservations about its highly stylized user interface have shifted towards the positive.
I wasn’t sure what to make about Metaphor Re:Fantazio when it was announced, and I’ve never particularly been a fan of Director Katsura Hashino. Despite this, a part of me is actually excited for whatever this game turns out to be. While it might seem like Persona with a high fantasy skin slapped on, it genuinely feels more than that and like a step in a new direction for ATLUS’ tried and true formula. And at the very least, it’s shaping up to be something fun.
