Summary
During the Tokyo Game Show, Atlus revealed a demo forMetaphor: ReFantazio, its next major release. The demo was initially only available in Asia and is now coming to the West, beginning to roll out today, September 25. By tomorrow, theMetaphor: ReFantaziodemo will be available globally on all PC, PlayStation, and Xbox consoles.
Metaphor: ReFantaziois Atlus' next large-scale RPG. The game is being developed by Studio Zero, a subsidiary helmed by Katsura Hashino, the creator and director of thePersonaseries. Because of this,comparisons betweenMetaphor: ReFantazioandPersonaseem inevitable, despite the themes of the two games being quite different. There are still undoubtedly many features drawn fromPersonato be found in this new JRPG, such as Social Links and a calendar system that limits the number of actions players can perform each day before advancing the main story.
TheMetaphor: ReFantaziodemo will allow players to experience the entire prologue of the game and will feature approximately five hours of gameplay. Atlus has confirmed that progress from the demo will carry over to the full game upon release. Five hours might seem like a lot for a demo, but according to the director,Metaphor: ReFantazio’sduration is similar toPersona 5, meaning the main story alone could offer around 100 hours of gameplay. The demo is nearly 60GB on Xbox and 23GB on PlayStation 5, according to players.
Metaphor: ReFantazio Demo Rolling Out Today, September 25
According to Atlus, the demo will include the first four dungeons and the ability to unlock seven of the more than 40 classes available in the game, called Archetypes. It will also give players the chance to interact with six of the game’s followers. While many have dubbed it a high-fantasyPersona, Hashino has stated thatMetaphor: ReFantaziowill feature its own unique mechanics, and those have made the gamemore challenging thanPersona, with its difficulty justified by the game’s overall concept.
One key difference fromPersonais the game’s Social Links system. WhilePersonaallows players to form emotional bonds with NPCs, it has already been confirmed thatMetaphor: ReFantaziowon’t feature romance. The director explained that since the protagonist’s dynamic with NPCs is one of a ruler and follower, given the game’s theme of an electoral race, there was no room for romantic relationships. However, according to Hashino, the Social Links interactions will still have some lighthearted moments, and the RPG won’t be entirely serious from start to finish.
Metaphor: ReFantazio
WHERE TO PLAY
From the creative minds behind Persona 3, 4, and 5 comes Metaphor: ReFantazio, a unique fantasy world, where your protagonist will journey alongside his fairy companion, Gallica, to lift the curse from the kingdom’s lost prince.Control your destiny, face your fears, and awaken magical Archetype powers that lie dormant in your heart. By awakening to an Archetype, you will unlock the power to channel and combine the abilities of unique job classes. Strengthen your bonds and build your party to take down powerful foes and discover the kingdom’s true nature.
