The very first question players ofMetaphor: ReFantaziowill ask themselves before jumping into the epic adventure is: Should I play the game in English or in Japanese? After all, the game was developed by Japanese developers, produced locally in Japan, and employs some of the most notable Japanese voice actors. Is Japanese narration the right answer, or is English still the best way to go for English-speaking audiences?
Players who have experience with the previousAtlus games likePersonaandShin Megami Tenseiwill already have a good idea going intoMetaphor: ReFantazioof what the difference between English and Japanese audio in Atlus games is typically like, but for those who’ve never played one of these games before and don’t know which option is the most immersive, here’s a breakdown.
English vs. Japanese Audio in Metaphor: ReFantazio
PlayingMetaphor: Refantaziowith Japanese voice acting is the most authentic way to experience the game, but it can quickly turn into a problem for non-native speakers, as constantly having to stop and read the subtitles can quickly get extremely tiresome if they are not used to it.
If the idea of reading dozens of hours worth of dialogue is unappealing, English is the way to go.
Even playersused to reading subtitles from anime or movieswill find this a different sort of experience. Unlike a subbed anime episode, games are not designed with only the single viewer’s perspective in mind. There is a lot of ambient dialogue in the overworld, during cutscenes, and during conversations, not all of which is subtitled. During walks through the city, for example, the ambient noise of the crowd will not make any sense to someone who doesn’t speak Japanese if they opt for Japanese audio.
Additionally,Metaphor: ReFantaziois a huge game, easily taking up80 hours of playtimefrom start to finish. While players may initially have the energy and patience to read through subtitles, as time goes on, they might start skipping dialogue, potentially missing important information because reading everything becomes a chore. If played in English, however, players have the option to set the dialogue on Auto, lean back, and enjoy it like an anime with an English dub.
Another point in favor of playing the game in English is that unlike some of the low-budget anime dubs that might’ve put players off of the concept beforehand,Metaphor: Refantaziohas absolutely fantastic English voice acting. Other than a few strange accent choices for certain characters like Catherina, it is, by and large, a great way to experience the game.
On the flip side,a lot of content in the game is unvoiced, which means players will only get to hear the VAs—English or Japanese—during story-related cutscenes and major dialogue events after the introductory section ofMetaphoris over. This is a point in favor of picking Japanese audio because if you’re going to have to read a large majority of content anyway, why not go the extra mile and experience the game in its most authentic format? Regardless of whether a player chooses Japanese or English voice lines, they’ll have to get used to reading the dialogue and subtitles to understand much of what’s going on.
In conclusion, which audio language you choose is up to preference and a matter of trade-offs. If you’re not bothered by having to read every single line of dialogue in an 80-hour game, and want to get the most authentic experience, Japanese is for you.
