Metaphor: ReFantazio arrived from the creators of Persona 3, 4, and 5 as a twisted take on a medieval fantasy, but it was originally planned as a more traditional role-playing game akin to Lord of the Rings.
In an interview with Famitsu translated by Automaton, director Hashino Katsura said the development team went as far as creating concept art for the more traditional fantasy version of Metaphor but found it a bit boring.
"In the early stages we were considering a high fantasy setting with elves, dwarves, and the like," Katsura said, adding that the team rewatched The Lord of the Rings trilogy for inspiration. "We had [Persona series’ artist Shigenori Soejima] come up with a bunch of sketches, but it kind of felt ordinary. It didn’t look like something that was unique to us."
The team is known for blending ordinary worlds with bizarre and supernatural elements. Persona 5, for example, is about attending school and making friends and becoming a thief who steals the evil desires of criminals by infiltrating their minds and defeating horrific monsters.
The more traditional high fantasy route therefore just didn't work. "As we discussed how to make the characters stand out and what to be more flexible about, things gradually started changing, shaping up to our liking," Katsura said.
"However, I wouldn’t say that we strayed on to an unexpected path. Rather, I feel like we settled on the current style just by pursuing what we wanted to do."
The traditional high fantasy approach "didn’t last long, and the staff couldn’t get into it either," Katsura added. "There are already so many great fantasy works out there. Rather than a traditional approach, we decided to focus on our unique take on fantasy, and were careful not to stray from that."
Metaphor is still set within a fantasy world, putting players "in the United Kingdom of Euchronia, where the assassination of the king brings chaos and unrest to the land," per its story synopsis. Fans of Persona will immediately recognise its familiar slick style and gameplay, however, and see the team hasn't strayed too far from its roots despite the different setting.
It arrived October 11 and sold a million copies in the same day, likely helped along by its glowing critical reception. "Refining the Atlus RPG formula of weaving tough turn-based combat into compelling social sim mechanics, Metaphor: ReFantazio doesn’t just send a powerful message across its political drama, it becomes a beautiful expression of the real impact storytelling can have on all of us," IGN said in our 9/10 Metaphor: ReFantazio review.
Those still on the fence can download a free demo on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC, which includes the first four dungeons; the ability to unlock seven of the more than 40 classes, called Archetypes; an introduction to six followers including party members that supports the player; and more.
Publisher Sega has otherwise celebrated its launch by giving the chance to become a member of the royal family of the world's smallest (but unofficially recognized) country: Sealand.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.
