At Gamescom 2024 in Cologne, Germany, I obtained an opportunity to play the primary hour of Metaphor ReFantazio, the upcoming RPG from Atlus with a number of DNA from the studio’s profitable Persona RPG sequence. It positive seemed and performed like a Persona sport, however with an epic fantasy story stuffed with political intrigue and never a bit weird physique horror.
Suffice it to say, gamers ought to count on one thing completely different than the highschool drama they’ve come to count on from the franchise. From the outset, Metaphor is a sport about altering the course of a nation’s historical past, with a extra easy story that is sure to get difficult as its fantasy world interweaves with our trendy one.
It is powerful to inform simply how a lot Metaphor deviates from the Persona mildew, particularly given the sequence’ tendency to slowly unfold over dozens of hours. However the brand new sport has loads of trappings from the fan-favorite sequence, from battle methods to fashionable menu artwork that may draw new gamers in.
The protagonist (proper) and his fairy companion, Gallica (left).
Metaphor ReFantazio opens with a bleak scene: The king is useless, and the fantasy confederacy of Euchronia, containing three smaller nations and eight races of fantasy beings, is in turmoil. To avoid wasting the dominion, gamers take the function of the rarest of these races — a normal-eared, no-horns Elba (a human by our requirements) — on a quest to free the king’s son from a horrible curse.
With him is Gallica, a fairy companion (from one other of the eight races) to assist him and drop lore for the participant. In his possession is a ebook adorned in gold leaf given to him by the royal prince, and in its pages are photos of an unimaginable land with metal buildings and one individuals. That ought to sound acquainted as a result of it is our world.
How the fantasy world is linked to our actuality is much from clear on the one-hour mark into the sport. That was very true towards the top of my demo, after I joined the Euchronia kingdom army in pursuit of my quest and rushed to assistance from a fort below assault from actually weird creatures, together with eggs with legs. Sure, you learn that proper.
The sport’s monster design intriguingly merges human and beast elements for some putting and repulsive enemies that look straight out of a Hieronymus Bosch portray, which appears tied to the sport’s overarching themes (barely seen within the demo) of horror at what’s (and is not) what we contemplate conventionally human. To wit, on the prime of a mound of useless troopers stood a colossal boss that defies description: humanoid, 4 legs dangling with swords spearing downward from every, feathered wings noticed with arms sprouting from the factor’s head. Because the protagonist stares up in horror on the colossus, somebody calls it a reputation: human.
That is when a voice requested if the protagonist would rise to fulfill destiny, and after agreeing, violently reworked him into an enormous swimsuit of armor. Which, if I will be frank, felt identical to piloting a super-size Persona. Simply as I used to be about to tackle the boss, my demo time ended.
The Royal Capital metropolis of Euchronia, Grand Trad, with the imposing and geometric Regalith Grand Cathedral, the middle of the state-sponsored faith. Apparently, my Metaphor demo began with a disclaimer that “the sport makers don’t condone violence to governments or non secular organizations.”
It is a promising begin to a sport with a giant world and many lore, which I discovered nestled in journal entries within the pause menu. However it’s unimaginable to inform whether or not the sport’s setting will likely be an satisfying place to spend dozens of hours. The fantasy world is offered as a powder keg, with a strained alliance of countries below Euchronia populated by mythological races pitted towards one another.
On prime of which might be clear class politics, which incorporates decrease castes which might be banned from and punished for utilizing magic objects (referred to as “igniters”). Within the quick intro, the protagonist befriends a nobleman volunteering within the armed forces to show not all gentry keep away from the entrance strains.
Metaphor’s setting is rife with drama, however of a distinct type than the highschool settings of latest Persona video games. The brand new sport appears set to deal with extra mature themes of nationwide, racial and sophistication politics, although that might alienate gamers who’ve develop into accustomed to the teenage antics, angst and relationship-building that is develop into synonymous with the franchise.
The beginning menu for Metaphor, exhibiting the signature stylized menus of the Persona sequence.
The fight feels advantageous sufficient, with standard fantasy magic rather than Persona expertise, and it follows the turn-based combating rhythm that gamers count on from Persona video games. One factor is lacking: the sneaky mechanics that allow you to ambush enemies. You’ll be able to assault them early to whittle down their well being (or get ambushed your self), however it lacks the stealth mechanics that dovetailed so properly with Persona 5 Royal’s heist theme, for example.
Whether or not or not the story lives as much as the promise is hard to inform from a single hour of playtime. However a variety of the trimmings of Persona video games are right here, together with some actually beautiful and stylized consumer interface touches like scene transitions (some elements of the menus are a bit extra bland this time round).
We’ll have to attend for the complete expertise to see whether or not Metaphor ReFantazio distinguishes itself from its Persona forebears — and if gamers take to the brand new path.
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