From Persona to Fantasy: Metaphor ReFantazio’s Epic RPG Journey

From Persona to Fantasy: Metaphor ReFantazio’s Epic RPG Journey

Metaphor ReFantazio, the latest RPG from Atlus, marks a significant departure from the Persona series. After Persona 5’s mainstream success, director Katsura Hashino asked his team what they wanted to do next, and the answer was unanimous: fantasy. This new game, launching on October 11th for PlayStation, Xbox, and PC, is reminiscent of Persona but with a high-fantasy twist.

A New World, New Challenges

Hashino wanted to explore ideas that weren’t possible in Persona’s modern-day setting. He wanted a game that emphasized a long journey, a common fantasy trope. Metaphor ReFantazio has players traveling across a vast fantasy realm, with a vehicle to help reach faraway towns and dungeons.

The game also explores real-world issues, such as anxiety, but in a different way. Hashino uses the fantasy setting to broach these topics, making anxiety a physical particle in the air that can be seen. This abstract approach allows for a more nuanced exploration of anxiety.

Creating a Unique World

The shift to fantasy had its own challenges, particularly creating a world from scratch. Hashino gave himself a crash course in fantasy, reading books like The Lord of the Rings. However, he soon realized that simply imitating existing fantasy canon wouldn’t work. Instead, he aimed to create a fantasy game that only his team could make.

The result is a game that has given Hashino and his team a new experience. It forced the director to create a unique world and imagine how people would act and live in it. This fresh perspective has led to a game that is both epic and personal.