The release of the highly anticipatedMetaphor ReFantaziois imminent, which is a naturally compelling prospect for long-time fans of thePersonaseries. ThoughMetaphor ReFantaziosteps away from thePersonagamesin key ways, elements such as its art style, focus on social bonds with NPCs, and turn-based combat all seem influenced by Atlus' other leading JRPG franchise, for better or worse.
It would be reductive to think ofMetaphor ReFantazioas little more than “medieval fantasyPersona,” despite the obvious similarities between the two IP. Indeed,Metaphoris shaping up to be more of a spiritual successor to thePersonagames, similar to howPersonaitself started as an offshoot ofShin Megami Tenseibefore growing into its own distinct identity. That said, structural elements of thePersonaseries, namely the at-times overwhelming length of each release, are expected to return inMetaphor, which could be good or bad, depending on perspective.
Metaphor Refantazio Will Follow Persona’s Playtime Lead
Metaphor Refantazio Will Be Extremely Long
Katsura Hashino, creative lead forMetaphor Refantazio, recently spoke about the upcoming game’s length, stating that it will be comparable to that ofPersona 5. That is, the base game will take roughly 100 hours to complete. Considering that, likePersona 5,Metaphorwill be a choice-based RPG with different permutations based on player decisions and designed to be replayed, it could potentially offer hundreds of hours of gameplay in the long run.
Now, for many players, this is nothing short of great news; there’s a common notion that the longer a game is, the better, as it can be hard for some to justify spending $60 or $70 on an experience that can only provide a dozen or so hours of entertainment. But others feel the exact opposite:some games can simply feel too long, wearing out their welcome and ultimately losing their allure after several weeks of playing. Mammoth-sized games can also feel like quite an undertaking, especially for those who enjoy playing a wide variety of different titles: a 100-hour RPG may not be worth getting invested in, if it means monopolizing the player’s limited free time.
This is something that has turned many off from thePersonaseries. Players that may otherwise be interested inPersona’s dense social-sim mechanics, striking art style, or satisfying combat and progression may find themselves intimidated by the series' tendency toward long runtimes. WithMetaphorseemingly doubling-down on this approach to structure and length, it’s not unreasonable to assume that futurePersonagames will adhere to the same trend, further alienating audiences that are partial to more condensed, digestible gaming experiences.
Metaphor Refantaziois being developed by Atlus subsidiary Studio Zero, a developer previously known for theexcellentCatherine: Full Body, which only takes about 10 hours to beat—a surprising difference in scope compared to its upcoming JRPG.
There are many games stuffed with unnecessary padding that waters down the experience and could have been left on the cutting room floor. But Atlus games like thePersonaseries and don’t quite fit this definition.Personagames can be incredibly long, yes, but they justify their length with strong, multifaceted storytelling and variable gameplay that rarely feels like filler content. Hopefully, the same praise can be applied toMetaphor ReFantaziowhen it releases.
There will certainly still be players that turn downMetaphorand futurePersonagames on the basis of their dizzying size, but that’s okay. After all, no game can be for everyone. The important thing is that Atlus doesn’t learn the wrong lessons from these successful games, pushing out 100-hour RPGs simply because that’s what’s expected. Instead, the developer ought to just take the appropriate amount of time to tell each game’s story.
Metaphor: ReFantazio
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.
