Metaphor: ReFantazio is a triumphant evolution of Atlus' best, and offers a gripping new story supplemented by a lovable cast, dungeons begging to be explored, and a gorgeous art direction that makes you feel like you're wandering the pages of a fairytale book, although it takes a while to reach its greatest heights.
00:00In all of my years of playing JRPGs, Metaphor Re-Fantasio is the first that's made me shed a tear for the pure simple reason that it's so good.
00:08There's little I love more than spending arguably far too many hours getting lost in the world of enormous games like Xenoblade Chronicles or Persona 5 Royal,
00:16and developer Studio Zero has delivered everything I could have asked for with its debut fantasy epic, even if it does take a while to grow into its full splendor.
00:24From the moment it fills the screen, Metaphor Re-Fantasio is a spectacle to behold.
00:28Beyond the delightful anime-style cutscenes, the in-game world is beautifully illustrated.
00:33It's as if the landscapes have been pulled straight out of a classic fairy tale book, and the sky is delicately painted, adorned with fluffy clouds.
00:40If you look closely, even the character models have been etched with blotchy markings to match the art style,
00:46and this is further enhanced by the painted appearance of the ridiculously pretty menus and character portraits that populate them.
00:52Our tale takes place in the United Kingdom of Ukronia, a land home to a diverse population of people from various tribes.
00:58From the powerful Roussants with their long, elf-like ears, to the mysterious Mustari with magic-sensing third eyes.
01:05Sadly though, the world itself is one full of discrimination and division, and arguably no one feels that more than our protagonist,
01:12an extremely rare elder whose tribe is totally shunned by the state religion and most of the country as a result.
01:19Mercifully, not everyone is a fan of this prejudice-filled society, and that includes the Prince of Ukronia himself.
01:25His ideals of creating a united, equal land were inspired by a fantasy story, but he was tragically cursed and left in a comatose state as a child,
01:33and the land now assumes he's dead.
01:35After the fall of the king, and start of what's essentially a magic-fueled popularity contest to determine the next ruler,
01:42it's more important than ever to break the Prince's curse, stop the growing threat of the nation being led by a regicidal murderer,
01:48and ultimately strive towards the society the Prince dreamed of.
01:51This is exactly what our dear blue-haired protagonist sets out to do, entering the tournament for the throne himself in the process.
01:58I do believe we have one final candidate!
02:02Metaphor-y Fantasio isn't just a pretty face though.
02:05Look beyond that breathtaking backdrop, and you'll find a complex story, impressive world-building, and vast, expansive dungeons begging to be explored.
02:12Throughout my journey, I wandered around forests, caves, and castles.
02:16The appearance of stealth sections and hidden passages helped keep exploration interesting,
02:21although a handful of the simpler dungeons found in sidequests end up looking very similar.
02:26Whether I was hunting for a bounty or investigating the next main labyrinth,
02:29I could always expect to find plenty of treasure, as well as monsters,
02:33including particularly powerful twisted amalgamations of limbs called humans lurking within.
02:38Weaker foes can be swiftly struck down in the overworld with a satisfying swing of a weapon,
02:43while beefier enemies will put you into proper battles, which Shin Megami Tensei fans are sure to recognise.
02:49Metaphor-y Fantasio uses a pressed-turn combat system, like that seen in SMT 3-5.
02:54Combatants are each assigned a set number of turn icons for each round of combat,
02:58and once you've used all of yours up, it switches to the opposing side.
03:02Generally speaking, you can expect your team to have one icon for each member of your active party,
03:06but things like the powerful synthesis team-up moves will use up two icons, so you have to strategise carefully.
03:12Real dynamics are introduced to combat through archetypes.
03:15This is Metaphor-y Fantasio's twist on the traditional class or job systems that you may find in other JRPGs,
03:21and there are loads of them to pick between, too.
03:23From generic sword swingers to mages and buff-slinging commanders,
03:26each archetype has access to their own unique weapons and abilities to ensure there's plenty of scope for experimentation.
03:32Archetypes are unlocked throughout the adventure as you develop your relationships with various characters.
03:38Experimentation is thoroughly encouraged, as all party members can give any archetype they want a whirl,
03:43and thanks to the option to inherit skills, equipping a few from any mix of the classes even when you're not using them,
03:49you can whip up some unique character builds to wreak havoc on the battlefield.
03:53What's more, archetypes can eventually be changed on the fly outside of battles
03:56to suit whatever boss or dungeon you're about to take on, or just for a change of pace,
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