The breakout success ofMetaphor: ReFantaziois almost to be expected given how the game deftly combines the classic high-fantasy setting of early JRPGs with the social systems and addictive combat of Atlus' ownPersonaseries. But the title’s gameplay prowess is just half of the package, asMetaphor: ReFantazioalso happens to feature an excellent story bursting with topical and relevant themes and some strong character development. Of course, that story would fall flat were it not for the game having a great villain to propel the player and their allies forward, and to that end, Louis Guiabern shines as one of the great modern JRPG villains.
Especially after the multiple-villain approach taken inPersona 5, the return of a singular main antagonist inMetaphor: ReFantaziofeels like both a return to form from what players saw inPersona 3and4and a callback to the classics in the genre. Louis Guiabern is so clearly evil, but the degree to which the player can find themselves empathizing with the villain as much as they might detest him speaks to his dimensionality as a character. Along with legendary foes like Kefka, Sephiroth, and Luca Blight, Louis Guiabern is aJRPG villainfor the ages.
Louis Guiabern is a Perfect Foil to Metaphor: ReFantazio’s Protagonist
Like the greatest hero and villain dynamics in fiction, Louis Guiabern andMetaphor: ReFantazio’s protagonistare two sides of the same coin. Both characters wish to see the land of Euchronia change for the better and have one’s tribe and social status not be the driving force behind prosperity. But the ways that each character aims to achieve this goal could not be more diametrically opposed. While the protagonist and his allies seek to create a world where equality reigns and people are judged by their merits rather than their social status or birth, Louis views power as the great equalizer.Metaphor’s heroes would see Euchronia change via an olive branch, whereas Louis would prefer to use a fist.
This difference of opinion toward a shared goal is part of what makes Louis such a relatable villain, but it’s also what cements him in the conversation of the greatest JRPG antagonists. It’s hard not to draw parallels toCloud and Sephiroth’s dynamic inFinal Fantasy 7, where both characters wish to save the planet but are approaching that goal from opposite angles. In less-skilled hands, Louis' characterization and the plot ofMetaphor: ReFantaziocould have come off as cheap, but the strength of the writing and the unwillingness to give players easy answers to any of the game’s moral dilemmas make Louis an intriguing character who, often, makes a frightening amount of sense despite his sociopathy.
Metaphor: ReFantazio Pulls Out All the Stops With Louis' Introduction and Design
For the most part, the best video game villains tend to make an entrance, andMetaphor: ReFantaziohas a strong startthat gets right to the heart of Louis Guiabern’s evil. The opening movie alone leaves no question as to the lengths Louis will go to in order to achieve his goals, and he remains an imposing figure throughout, thanks to some excellent character design and an ice-cold demeanor that only serves to underscore his singular focus. Regardless of how powerful the protagonist and his allies become, Louis never stops feeling like a genuine threat who can and will crush all opposition.
In fact, Louis' eye-catching design is arguably just as important to his place asMetaphor’s main villain as his characterization and dialogue, as almost all the greatest JRPG villains have an undeniable “cool” factor that makes them favorites among players. After all, there’s a reason that Sephiroth became one of the most iconic and recognizable characters in gaming despite actually appearing inFinal Fantasy 7for only a fraction of its runtime.Metaphor: ReFantazioleans into itsclassic JRPG influencesto deliver a bit of genre comfort food, and a large part of the game’s appeal in that regard comes through in its intriguing main villain.
