Metaphor: ReFantazio Review (PS5) | Push Square

pushsquare.com:

Spearheaded by a trio of veteran developers best known for their outstanding work on the Persona series, Metaphor: ReFantazio is the dawn of a brand new IP from Atlus. In its structure and mechanics, it feels comfortingly familiar, but in its fantastical setting and bold style — both in terms of visuals and audio — it breaks new ground in brilliantly memorable ways.

Right off the bat, Metaphor boasts one of the strongest overarching narratives that the Japanese developer has ever authored. Where the Persona games often let their deeply endearing characters all but carry the central plot, Metaphor crafts a tightly-knit tale that involves political machinations, racial tensions, religious corruption, and consistently creative worldbuilding.

In opting for a fantasy setting, it almost feels like Atlus is able to unleash a level of creativity that we haven't seen from the company in decades. While there's no doubt that the title borrows from established concepts and themes of existing works, it manages to meld something unique — a game that'll stay with you long after the credits roll. And in an era when so many modern RPGs either struggle to stand out, or are satisfied with simply riding the coattails of genre classics, that's incredibly high praise.

A cursed prince is the crux of Metaphor's story, and your wide-eyed protagonist is tasked with being the would-be king's saviour. The game opens as you approach the foreboding capital city of Grand Trad, your only goal being to meet up with a contact in the kingdom's military. Needless to say, proceedings don't necessarily go to plan, and before you know it, you're tangled up in the title's narrative hook: the royal tournament.

Essentially, the late king's final wish sees thousands of potential successors compete for the throne. Much like Persona, Metaphor operates on an in-game calendar system, which gives you several months to establish yourself as the leading candidate, all in the name of your curse-stricken prince. You