After Metaphor: ReFantazio, Atlus Needs To Leave The Calendar System Behind

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Whatever Atlus' next game after is going to be, it needs to leave the overused calendar system behind. First instituted in, an adapted version of the calendar system soon became a staple of the series. It works by dividing the game into days, each of which has its own weather, special events, and side activities. Days don't progress in real-time, like in most other RPGs — instead, each day is further subdivided into an afternoon and a night, and players may select activities to occupy each and advance the calendar another day.

The calendar system can be fascinating when applied correctly — it forces the player to consider a unique kind of strategy, in which what they do outside battle is as important as what they do in it. However, it makes a lot less sense in than it does in, and if Atlus continues developingoriginal games after 's success, it's time to leave the calendar system in the past.

It's easy to see why the calendar system has become such an integral part of the series, because it makes such perfect sense in those games. In, the protagonist is always a busy student, and there are lots of time-limited events that follow the natural course of the school year. With minimal flexibility, players must make the most of their time — they have to ensure that they study enough to boost their Knowledge before midterms, for example.

Metaphor: ReFantazio has four different endings, depending on the player’s pivotal decisions in its final chapters. Here’s what they all mean.

Missing out on this opportunity means losing access to certain benefits; if the player doesn't make top of the class, they won't gain the extra Charm rewarded for doing so, and won't have another opportunity to try again until their next playthrough. The Social Link/Confidant system, by which the protagonist grows closer to various NPCs, is also closely tied to the calendar. Spending time with another character almost always burns through an afternoon/evening time slot, and certain characters are