Summary
- Metaphor: ReFantazio's length will be comparable to Persona 5, offering nearly 100 hours of gameplay.
- The game will feature post-game content to keep players engaged after completing the main story.
- The decision to omit romance in Metaphor: ReFantazio aligns with its election premise but offers potential benefits.
Metaphor: ReFantazio's director, Katsura Hashino, confirmed the length of the upcoming JRPG, comparing it to other entries in Atlus' library like Persona 5. Metaphor: ReFantazio is a brand-new RPG by Studio Zero, a subsidiary of Atlus led by former Shin Megami Tensei and Persona developers. This includes the likes of Katsura Hashino, the director and producer of many modern Persona games, who is now the lead director on Metaphor: ReFantazio. Like the Persona series, Metaphor: ReFantazio is a turn-based RPG with social simulation elements.
It's likely not surprising that comparisons between Metaphor: ReFantazio and Persona have cropped up before the game's October launch. The most obvious parallel is Metaphor: ReFantazio's archetypes, which are essentially an RPG job system enhanced by the social simulation gameplay from Persona by building bonds with the protagonist's followers. The player can also engage in a variety of activities to boost their social stats, such as making speeches. Since games like Persona 5 are quite robust, having a nearly 100-hour playtime average, some players had been wondering if Metaphor will have the same amount of content, which Hashino recently addressed.
Why Metaphor: ReFantazio's Lack of Romance Could Be to its Benefit
Metaphor: ReFantazio will omit the ability to romance due to its election premise, though this decision could have positives beyond plot purposes.
In an interview with Vandal, Hashino confirmed that Metaphor: ReFantazio would be comparable to Persona 5's playtime. Based on the website HowLongToBeat.com, an average playthrough of Persona 5 takes about 100 hours or more to finish the main story. Any playthroughs spent on the extra content make the length go up to 110, and a completionist playthrough takes nearly 200 hours. "Persona 5 was a very bulky game, a very robust game, and Metaphor: ReFantazio will be able to match that and match [its length] as well," Hashino said, according to a rough translation. Based on Hashino's comment, players will likely spend the same amount of time on Metaphor: ReFantazio.
Metaphor: ReFantazio's Length Comparable to Persona 5, Will Have Post-Game Content
Hashino also confirmed an important feature of the upcoming JRPG, in that Metaphor: ReFantazio will have post-game content. Hashino states that there are a lot of "fun things" added to the game after the credits roll, hoping that after fans have beaten the game, they will come back to enjoy what offerings are left. He also notes that he hopes that the developers managed to create a well-paced game by including action elements into Metaphor: ReFantazio's gameplay.
Hashino notes that the studio considered making the game a little shorter, but due to the amount of content that was ultimately added, the game feels comparable to Persona 5's own playtime. Hashino also confirmed that there will be several 2D-animated cinematics, with Metaphor: ReFantazio having roughly the same number of animated cutscenes as Persona 5 did. Metaphor: ReFantazio will be launching October 11, 2024, and has impressed a lot of gamers with its style of gameplay.
Metaphor: ReFantazio
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 93 /100 Critics Rec: 98%
- Released
- October 11, 2024
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Blood, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Studio Zero
- Publisher(s)
- Atlus
- Engine
- GFD
- Number of Players
- 1
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Playable
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.
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
