Ahead of the launch ofMetaphor: ReFantazio, much of the discussion surrounding the title centered around how the game would differentiate itself from director Katsura Hashino’s previous work on thePersonafranchise. As the first original project from Hashino’s new development division, Studio Zero, most expected thatMetaphor: ReFantaziowould have at least some elements in common with thePersonafranchise, and those expectations ended up being founded in reality. Rather than rest on its laurels as a fantasy re-skin ofPersona, though,Metaphor: ReFantazioreimagines and reinvents many of that series' signature elements, including the Calendar system that’s been the franchise’s framework sincePersona 3.
Beginning withPersona 3, the core gameplay loop ofthePersonafranchisehas been guided by the Calendar system. Both a guide to help players manage their time and a driving element behind the day-to-day life of the protagonist and their allies, the Calendar system is a double-edged sword. While there are plenty of players who love the guidance and structure the system provides, there are some who find themselves turned off to the franchise based on the feelings of being under the gun or missing out on certain elements that the Calendar system enforces. While it’s still omnipresent inMetaphor: ReFantazio, the game smartly rebalances it in favor of the player.
The Calendar System Never Feels Oppressive in Metaphor: ReFantazio
In terms of howthe Calendar systemworks inMetaphor: ReFantazio, it should feel immediately familiar to fans of thePersonaseries. Most days begin with the protagonist and their allies discussing strategy before giving way to the first of two player-controlled segments in which they’re free to pursue any available activities. On special days with story-driven segments or predetermined deadlines, the player has specific, set destinations they must visit or quests that need to be completed, giving players a helpful guide for when major plot points will occur and providing some incentive to verify the party is sufficiently powered up by those dates.
WhereMetaphorbranches out from thePersonaseries, though, is in the generous amount of time it gives players to complete activities between major story missions, often weeks or even a full month. Further, major dungeons can be completed in phases and returned to at a later date just like inPersona, but smaller dungeons for Bounties and other side quests typically only take a single day to visit and explore. Similarly, if players are focusing on using a day to build Bonds with allies or strengthen the Kingly Virtues, they can make meaningful progress in a single day and still not feel that they’ve missed out on anything important thanks to how necessary both activities are towarddeveloping the Archetype tree.
The Return of Persona 4’s Weather Events Adds a Layer of Strategy to Metaphor’s Calendar
After their absence fromPersona 5, the weather events that factored intoPersona 4’s Calendar systemmake a return inMetaphor: ReFantazio. Not only do these different weather events add a welcome layer of strategy to the pre-dungeon planning that extends beyond devising party composition and Archetype selection, but they also balance out the additional timeMetaphorgives players by adding a risk/reward mechanic. During days with inclement weather, enemies deal more damage and players don’t earn extra turns for exploiting their weaknesses in battle. The trade-off is that the party earns significantly more experience.
With more time afforded to the player and the addition of weather events, players have more agency over where they choose to go and when they choose to do it. If characters aren’t quite up to snuff to face a particularly challenging set of enemies with extra health and no extra turns, the player can simply choose to spend the day strengthening Bonds and the Kingly Virtues, returning to adventure later when weather allows without feeling like they’re pressed to make a difficult sacrifice.Metaphorsomewhat eliminates the FOMO ofthePersonaserieswith its implementation of the Calendar system, and it’s a more accessible experience as a result.
