Metaphor: ReFantazio

Persona veteran Atlus flexes its expertise with a fresh take on high fantasy. What it lacks in subtlety, it makes up for in grandeur and heart.

Metaphor: ReFantazio combines Atlus' skill in crafting emotionally charged RPGs with brilliant plot twists, a keen sense of adventure, and fantastical idealism to create one of its greatest games yet.

Metaphor: ReFantazio could have so easily been Persona with the names filed off, but it's so, so much more than that. It matches fun, expansive combat with an excellent cast of characters that make the near 100-hour journey an unforgettable one.

At the end of its massive runtime, Metaphor: ReFantazio never suffers from pacing issues and tells a captivating story that stirs your imagination. With fantastic additions to the familiar Press Turn battle system and one of my favorite casts in a long time, this is one fantasy you won’t want to miss.

Atlus has leveled up the Persona formula in every way. The world spanning adventure of Metaphor: ReFantazio offers a diverse world to explore, deep and relatable stories to share with your party, an incredible combat system with unlimited possibilities of Archetype powers, and plenty of Quality of Life improvements to make sure you're spending more time playing the game and not wondering what to do next.

Atlus Persona-lly reimagines its perfect RPG.

Metaphor: ReFantazio is a deep, stylish, and rewarding adventure, but it's not for the faint of heart.

“Even though it sticks a little too close to Persona, Metaphor: ReFantazio turned me into a loyal follower.”

A wonderful RPG that builds on many of Persona's foundations, with a strong sense of exploration and a lovely suite of pals. But its heavy combat focus may mean it remains in the memory less than its high school predecessors.

ATLUS and Studio Zero have crafted a rare gem of an RPG, much like years before. Outside of a few dings here and there, Metaphor: ReFantazio is a near-perfect game that rivals that of Persona 5. The rich fantasy elements are matched with spectacular gameplay, gorgeous designs and captivating storytelling. It’s been a fantastic year for RPGs with Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth leading the way. But now, Metaphor: ReFantazio proves there’s a new king on top and one that will hopefully reign supreme for years to come.

A sidestep from a beloved franchise, Atlus’ new RPG isn’t afraid to take old elements to new heights.

Obviously I’ve spent a lot of this review talking about Metaphor: ReFantazio in terms of Persona. While that franchise set a high bar, and I think its audience is primed to like this game, Metaphor’s biggest achievement is just how different it is, both from the Persona franchise and from many fantasy RPGs that have come before. The way I see it is, Persona walked so Metaphor: ReFantazio could extend its gorgeously feathered wings and fly into the sunset.