Summary
- Metaphor: ReFantazio's Archetypes reflect characters' insecurities, showing them confronting anxiety head-on.
- Metaphor: ReFantazio's Archetype awakening scenes violently demonstrate characters choosing to separate themselves from anxiety.
- Metaphor: ReFantazio's Anxiety combat mechanic inhibits characters in battle, paralleling real-life struggles.
For quite some time now, it has been known that one of Metaphor: ReFantazio's overarching themes is anxiety. More recently, however, director Katsura Hashino has been open about how that theme would be reflected in some of Metaphor: ReFantazio's core elements. Now that the game has finally been released, it becomes increasingly clear as its story progresses how much weight that theme of anxiety carries.
Each game by Atlus has some kind of overarching theme that not only directly affects its narrative but also the characters in its world. Persona 5, for instance, revolved around the idea of breaching the limitations of modern society and, therefore, featured outlaws as its Personas. Metaphor: ReFantazio has now done something similar with its theme of overcoming anxiety, which is made manifest in its Persona-like Archetypes and combat mechanics.
Metaphor: ReFantazio Review - The Next Great RPG
Metaphor: ReFantazio leverages its Persona influence along with more classic RPG inspiration to deliver an unmissable role-playing experience.
Metaphor: ReFantazio's Overarching Theme Is Anxiety
Archetypes Are the Result of Metaphor: ReFantazio's Characters Confronting Their Insecurities and Fears
Metaphor: ReFantazio's Archetypes are essentially the Persona franchise's Personas in that they are an otherworldly manifestation of a character's inner self and generally represent that character's internal struggles. In Metaphor: ReFantazio, its characters awaken to their Archetypes upon confronting insecurities that have long gone unaddressed, after which the strength derived from that conflict is personified as a giant figure reminiscent of a hero. Just as it is with Persona's Personas, the manifestation of each of Metaphor: ReFantazio's Archetypes is generally tied to dire plot points that almost force the game's characters to face their fears, so they serve as a method of character development alongside the narrative itself.
Metaphor: ReFantazio's Archetype awakening scenes are unabashedly representative of anxiety as well, depicting each character violently ripping their heart out before assuming their new form. This was an intentional move made by the developer to show the lasting impact that anxiety has on the heart and the human condition and how each of the game's main characters falls prey to the same vice. As Metaphor: ReFantazio's characters rip out their hearts, they are choosing to separate themselves from anxiety and to remain in full control of the seat of their emotions and desires.
The Persona series is famous for its gruesome awakening scenes, with games like Persona 5 that see characters brutally ripping masks off of their faces.
Metaphor: ReFantazio Includes an Anxiety Combat Mechanic That Can Inhibit Characters
In addition to Metaphor: ReFantazio's core Archetype mechanic is a status ailment called "Anxiety" that can severely inhibit characters in combat. While it's not guaranteed to happen every time, when Metaphor: ReFantazio's characters are ambushed or struck by a critical hit in battle, they have a chance to become afflicted with Anxiety. While a character is afflicted with the debuff, players have no control over their Archetype skills, meaning that the character will perform a random action when players select "Archetype" from the combat menu. This effectively shows how anxiety can cause a person to lose control of their senses and behave erratically, depending on the situation.
To make matters worse, once a character has been afflicted with the Anxiety status effect in Metaphor: ReFantazio, any attacks made against that character will not consume enemy Turn Icons. This translates to real-life anxiety in that it shows how easy it is for a deeply anxious person to unknowingly submit to the control of others, whether it be out of fear of what they might think or in an effort to impress.
Metaphor: ReFantazio's themes of anxiety and how they manifest in the game differ from Persona's themes in that, while Persona's Personas generally represent a character's true self, Metaphor's Archetypes represent a weakness that the character has chosen to overcome. This, as well as the Anxiety combat mechanic in Metaphor: ReFantazio, helps to drive home the game's overarching themes of anxiety and provide any gamers who might struggle with the increasingly common emotion with something they can relate to.
Metaphor: ReFantazio
-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 93 /100 Critics Rec: 98%
- Released
- October 11, 2024
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Blood, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Studio Zero
- Publisher(s)
- Atlus
- Engine
- GFD
- Number of Players
- 1
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Playable
WHERE TO PLAY
From the creative minds behind Persona 3, 4, and 5 comes Metaphor: ReFantazio, a unique fantasy world, where your protagonist will journey alongside his fairy companion, Gallica, to lift the curse from the kingdom’s lost prince.
Control your destiny, face your fears, and awaken magical Archetype powers that lie dormant in your heart. By awakening to an Archetype, you will unlock the power to channel and combine the abilities of unique job classes. Strengthen your bonds and build your party to take down powerful foes and discover the kingdom’s true nature.
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
