Metaphor: ReFantazio, the fantasy role-playing game from Japanese developer Atlus, was one of the biggest surprise hits of 2024. Despite launching in a year filled with great JRPGs like Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, Persona 3 Reload, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, and Granblue Fantasy: Relink, the game was still able to stand out from the pack and make a name for itself among all the heated competition. Admittedly, there weren't a lot of people who were skeptical of Metaphor: ReFantazio's quality prior to its release, considering it came from the same developers behind the critically-acclaimed Persona 5, but it still managed to exceed many fans' expectations.
After it was launched in October 2024, Metaphor: ReFantazio quickly garnered accolades from across the gaming industry. The game received 90+ scores on review aggregator websites like OpenCritic and Metacritic, and it even earned a nomination for the Game of the Year award at The Game Awards 2024. Metaphor did well from a commercial standpoint, too. It sold a total of 1 million copies worldwide on the same day it came out, thus making it the fastest-selling Atlus game of all time. With how successful Metaphor: ReFantazio has been for Atlus, it seems only inevitable that the company will want to capitalize on its popularity by turning it into a tentpole franchise, up there with Shin Megami Tensei and Persona.
Metaphor: ReFantazio Could Join Persona and Shin Megami Tensei on the Atlus Throne
Even though Atlus has been around for nearly 40 years, most of the company's works haven't reached mainstream audiences. Games such as Trauma Center, Etrian Odyssey, and Growlanser never really became household names in the same way that Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest did. In fact, the only Atlus franchises that have cultivated large fanbases are the aforementioned Shin Megami Tensei and Persona series. There are a total of nearly 100 games in the two franchises, both of which have received new installments at a near-annual cadence since the 80s.
Persona is actually a spin-off of the Shin Megami Tensei series, so all Persona games are technically Shin Megami Tensei games.
Metaphor: ReFantazio's Director Wants to Turn the Game Into a Major Franchise
While it's hard to imagine Atlus making dozens upon dozens of Metaphor games, it's reasonable to expect that the company will expand the IP at some point with new installments. The director of Metaphor: ReFantazio, Katsura Hashino, even alluded to this in a recent interview with Famitsu (translated by MP1st), in which he revealed that he already had "a lot of ideas" for a sequel to his latest game. He, however, also admitted that he didn't have any concrete plans at the moment. Hashino nonetheless added that he'd like to develop Metaphor: ReFantazio into a flagship IP for Atlus.
If Katsura Hashino's wishes do get granted, then Atlus may one day start alternating between new Persona, Shin Megami Tensei, and Metaphor games on a regular basis. This would make a lot of sense, given that the world of Metaphor: ReFantazio is already fleshed-out enough to warrant a follow-up, either one that has the same cast as the original game or an entirely new set of characters. Atlus can even make Metaphor: ReFantazio spin-offs in different genres if it wants to. A Metaphor tactical strategy game inspired by Tactics Ogre and Persona 5 Tactica could, for instance, be a great way to expand the franchise.
Atlus Fans Will Probably Have Many Persona, SMT, and Metaphor Fans to Look Forward To
Although there hasn't been any word yet, from official sources or otherwise, on a Metaphor: ReFantazio sequel being greenlit, rumors do suggest that a Metaphor spin-off is in development for mobile phones, which is apparently being created in partnership with Netflix Games. Assuming this game actually exists, it'll probably take a while for Atlus to officially announce it. Fortunately, players are likely going to have a bunch of new Shin Megami Tensei and Persona games to look forward to in the meantime, some of which may finally be unveiled in the coming months.
Metaphor: ReFantazio
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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.
- PC Release Date
- October 11, 2024
- Xbox Series X|S Release Date
- October 11, 2024
- PS5 Release Date
- October 11, 2024
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- How Long To Beat
- 65 Hours
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
- File Size Xbox Series
- 81.15 GB
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
