Atlus and Studio Zero’sMetaphor: ReFantaziohas earned itself a place in what’s arguably a three-way race for Game of the Year, and for good reason. Beyond borrowing several elements that have made thePersonaandShin Megami Tenseiseries such beloved franchises among RPG fans,Metaphor: ReFantazioreimagines and rebalances many of the core mechanics of the series it borrows from to become one of Atlus' more accessible RPGs despite its mechanical depth and complexity. One area where the game arguably outpaces its inspirations, though, is in its varied and creative dungeon design.
While thePersonagames and their parentShin Megami Tenseiserieshave some excellent art direction in their dungeons (especially inPersona 5’s Palaces and the reimagined floors of Tartarus inPersona 3 Reloaded), their actual geometry leaves something to be desired. For the most part, dungeons in many of Atlus' other flagship RPG franchises boil down to a series of corridors comprised of right angles interspersed with branching hallways and doors to treasure rooms. In comparison,Metaphor: ReFantazio’s dungeon design feels like the logical evolution over the games that inspired it while also setting an example that future Atlus games should abide by.
Metaphor: ReFantazio’s Dungeons Share a Surprising Amount In Common With Classic Zelda
What truly setsMetaphor: ReFantazio’s dungeonsapart from previous Atlus RPGs are the creative features each space includes. More than just a series of corridors containing branching pathways,Metaphor’s interior spaces include all kinds of tricks up their sleeves to make them feel like actual dungeons, not unlike the intricately designed spaces in classicLegend of Zeldagames. There are secret passageways to crawl through leading to hidden treasure, ladders, trap doors, switches that alter the environment, and other interesting deviations from the standard Atlus-style dungeon design that makeMetaphor’s adventuring spaces feel like the highlight in the studio’s catalog.
To add more fuel to theZeldacomparisonfire, exploring each ofMetaphor’s dungeons is surprisingly intuitive. Dungeons contain multiple floors in most cases and, with just a few exceptions, require players to bounce back and forth between them to explore newly opened areas after flipping switches, destroying barriers, or otherwise changing the environment. But navigating these spaces is never confusing, instead imprinting on players' memory in creative ways through opening up shortcuts, rewarding exploration with valuable treasure, or granting players a brief respite to withdraw and return to later.
What Metaphor: ReFantazio’s Dungeons Could Mean for the Next Persona Game
Prior to the release ofMetaphor: ReFantazio, the best dungeons in the Atlus catalog arguably belonged to those inPersona 5. Even this year’sremake ofPersona 3,Persona 3 Reloaded, switched things up with its singular 226-floor dungeon Tartarus to give each section its own unique art style and spatial flow. In other words, Atlus RPGs keep improving one of the few weak elements in their design with each new entry, andMetaphor’s dungeons are perhaps the best-designed in the studio’s catalog. It stands to reason, then, that the upcomingPersona 6might take things a step further.
Beyond the well-written, emotionally affecting stories and interesting characters players can form social links with, Atlus' flagship RPG franchises are, at their core, dungeon-crawling RPGs.Personagameshave always nailed the art direction and atmosphere present in each game’s dungeons, but the layout and design of these spaces have traditionally been one of the franchise’s few weak points. Out of all the ways thatMetaphor: ReFantazioreinvents core elements of thePersonafranchise, its dungeon designs and creative layouts of adventuring spaces feel like some of the more important.
