If you haven't yet, follow us on X (Twitter) or Mastodon to know when we post new articles, and join our Reddit or Subscribe to us on YouTube to check out our content and interact with our awesome community. Thank you for supporting us!
Of all the appointments I had at Summer Game Fest, there were three or four I was looking forward to. At the top of that list was Metaphor Re:Fantazio. I have loved JRPGs since I started playing video games, and ATLUS has been one of my favorite developers since I played Persona 3. Since then, they have consistently released incredible titles like Persona 4 and 5 and Shin Megami Tensei, with Persona being extremely stylized, but all games have similar gameplay mechanics. Metaphor Re:Fantazio has some of these similarities, but at the same time, it feels like an evolution of what an ATLUS JRPG could be, and I loved every second of it.
In my demo, I played through three different scenarios in the game, two of which were where I spent most of my time. There was a prologue to introduce the story, an area where I could run around in a dungeon and fight monsters, and a much harder boss battle. I didn't have enough time for the boss battle, but I did get through the prologue and dungeon scenarios.
Metaphor feels like it was designed primarily by the ones in charge of art direction for the Persona series, and it is extremely stylish. While I had already seen the menu graphics from trailers. It was amazing seeing it in person. I spent a solid 5 minutes just navigating the menu to see each graphic when I looked at each party character detail. The UI in the gameplay and combat is glorious, and while it could feel like it's a little too much at times, I adored it.
While I could go on and on about the art and aesthetic, I want to highlight all the game's other features, starting with how interesting the story is. Most of ATLUS' JRPGs revolve around the real world and interacting with magical beings like demons or Personas, but you are a human high schooler. In Metaphor, the entire setting is in a medieval fantasy-esque world filled with different species, like elves and adorable bat-like creatures. At the same time, the large enemies you fight are called "Humans."
What makes it even more interesting for me is that the characters in this game often fantasize about a world with one race where everyone is on equal footing and is very technologically advanced. When it is described, it sounds just like the reality that we live in, and with bosses being called "Humans," I am curious if there is some deeper connection versus just being a nod to our world now.
In the game, you are a boy detested by most others on a quest to save the prince from a curse that has befallen him. You will find party members and discover that you can awaken archetypes, which give you different magical abilities based on different classes (fighter, warrior, knight, etc.) by facing your fears and anxiety to awaken your inner hero. Anxiety will be the core emotion that is explored in Metaphor, and I love how it is being handled so far.
The core combat gameplay is relatively the same as the Persona and Shin Megami Tensei games, but it feels like some combination of the two when it comes to the smaller mechanics that differ. It is turn-based combat, where you have a normal attack and the ability to use magic from your archetypes. Magic has different elemental or strike abilities, and if you attack an enemy weak to the element, you get an extra turn. The turns are handled similarly to Shin Megami Tensei 5, which continues to cycle through each character instead of giving you another immediate turn with the character that triggers the extra attack.
I also found that the magic used in Metaphor has a completely different naming scheme than the other series, which do use similar spell names.
It feels like a Persona or Shin Megami Tensei game, but a few key differences make it feel more unique. My favorite one is how it handles enemies that you eclipse in power. Instead of being forced to fight or run around those enemies, you can just attack them in the overworld and kill them. You still get EXP, but it's a cool concept to include that makes it feel quicker to get through places if you have been grinding.
I absolutely love the game and how it feels. It does feel like an evolution of what ATLUS' JRPGs could be, and I hope I see some of what I have experienced in future titles like Persona 6. The game is everything I was hoping it would be, and it could be stacked up as one of ATLUS' best! And with how Persona 3 Reload, Persona 5 Royal, and Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance all run on the Steam Deck, I have a lot of hope that it will run on the Deck decently well, and it will be awesome to play on the go!
Metaphor Re:Fantazio will be released on October 10th and can be pre-ordered for $69.99.
If you enjoyed this article, check out the rest of the content on SteamDeckHQ! We have a wide variety of game reviews and news that will help your gaming experience. Whether you're looking for news, tips and tutorials, game settings and reviews, or just want to stay up-to-date on the latest trends, we've got you covered!
RECENT NEWS
Categories
Recent Tips & GUIDES
recent reviews
