As much as I love ATLUS and their wide catalogue of RPGs (Megaten is one of my personal favourite series ever), I went into Metaphor: ReFantazio with a clear, unbiased mind. While I had heard of the many accolades the game had received, I had kept myself entirely in the dark prior to playing so I could get an optimal first playthrough, free from the thoughts of anyone else. I am happy to report that Metaphor may be one of the best RPGs I've ever laid my grubby little hands upon. I think the full price is justified, as this game was made with such love that it deserves to be rewarded for how amazingly put together it is.
The basic combat is your classic bread-and-butter, and dear god is it a great combat system. Like many other SMTs in a post-Nocturne world, combat works on the "Press Turn" system. You get as many moves as you do active party members, and hitting weaknesses grant extra moves while missing attacks or hitting immunities make you lose moves. I could go on and on about how it may be one of the best systems for an RPG ever, especially since the enemies are wholly capable of using and abusing this style of combat against the player party if you let them. Bonus points if you are playing Hard difficulty or above, where every encounter is granted +1 Press Turn icon as a difficulty modifier. It doesn't let you play stupid. You must also abide by the rules of combat, lest you get sweeped within an instant. One of the first major bosses required me to switch up a lot of my character's gear and abilities so they could resist attacks, as weakness exploits were leading to me getting wiped out swiftly. Even with that in mind, the game is not unfair by any stretch of the imagination. If you take the time to learn the tricks of the trade, you will have loads of fun. Of course, the basic system is only part of combat, as you can mess with things such as the tactics menu to direct your party members strategically. Or you can hop between the front and back lines, swapping damage for defense. It all comes together into one perfect package, and you will absolutely enjoy it
It might be one of the most gorgeous games I've ever had the pleasure of laying my eyes upon. Just something about the grittiness of the character portraits and the world they live in tickle my brain in all the right ways. The environments make me want to scream because I can't handle how beautifully put together they. The Tradia Desert, as desolate and death-ridden as it is, still has a macabre beauty to it. Or Akademia, for being just a small section of disconnected library, takes my breath away with its ethereal yet simple charm. All these places look amazing. Same with the characters designs. The main cast all pop, and really stand out against the more drab, dark fantasy background. The luscious locks of Louis, or the plaid jacket of the MC, stick out loudly and proudly without looking strange in context of the setting. Since Metaphor is its own entity, separate from a beast like Megaten, it gets to experiment with more fun, radical designs that could not exist within those worlds.
One benefit of the beautiful graphics of Metaphor is that they helps sell and reinforce the narratives that exist within the world. For example, the hub city of Grand Trad, even if it is only a few streets and shops, feels lively. The infrastructure looks extravagant, yet at the same time not over-designed. The hustle and bustle is real within the city. Business is always booming, and the streets are littered with many different colorful characters. On the other side of the coin, the oppression felt by the shunned clans of peoples is palpable. There is a very clear presence of some species in the nicer areas of the city, while the ones that are frowned upon through no fault of their own are relegated to back-alleys and the such. These areas are darker, with grime and decaying carcasses strung about. Both these elements, of the ideal fantasy world mixed with the crushing reality of disparity between groups, work hand-in-hand to build a living, breathing environment.
While discussing the story isn't really an option, as a good story is the backbone of any RPG worth its salt, Metaphor knocks it out of the park. I do appreciate its eagerness to tackle very real social problems (it even opens with a disclaimer to not actually attack authority or religious figures, which made me laugh in surprise). Metaphor does not shy away from showing the problematic parts of society, such as blatant racism, instead hoisting them forward and forcing the player to engage with these elements through story and gameplay alike. I also love the final objective being so concrete right from the get-go. Having such a clear goal instantly is a real boon, where some games love to meander or let the story slow burn until a real end-goal appears at some point into the future. It's not that one way of writing is better than the other, but it is something to keep in mind if you have a preference! I also love the writing surrounding these characters, it is simply to die for! Even within the first few hours, I can get a good idea of the characters, what their struggles are, and I can relate to them. They feel... real, in a way. Even within the complete fiction of Metaphor, I think the characters feel real and relatable. That is, apart from their high degree of eloquence, which could only exist in fantasy or within the far past (even if the characters are mesmerizing to listen to, the English voice work was excellent). I'm only about 10 hours in, and have only cleared the first major dungeon, but I have nothing but praise for this part. Hopefully, as my thoughts and feelings on Metaphor develop in the future, this point still rings true! (I have played a lot more. Haven't finished the game, but gotten pretty far. This point still rings true.)
And of course, it wouldn't be an ATLUS RPG without a killer soundtrack, spearheaded by the legendary Shoji Meguro. It seems that no matter what he touches, he is able to will up a cornucopia of bangers from start to finish. Any mood, for any occasion, has an associated song attached to it. My personal favourites, besides the god-tier boss themes, are the Akademia theme and the battle theme for an advantageous battle. They get the blood pumping real quick
I understand why Metaphor was nominated for GOTY now. I could honestly argue it deserved it. It is... incredible. Don't hesitate, just get it (even full price is worth it I fear)
