Summary
The fantasy genre certainly isn’t anything novel anymore, but where the games industry can always iterate is in subgenres and the tones within its take on fantasy. As of right now, Atlus’Metaphor: ReFantaziolooks to carve out its corner of the genre, which is an effort unlike the direction of the popularPersonaseries. Indeed,Personagameshave always been idiosyncratic in their approach to storytelling and while a lot is recycled from modern entry to modern entry it is far rarer of an IP, for better or worse.
Personataking on any singular genre might pigeonhole it too much and that’s understandable. Its niche social sim centered around Japanese high schoolers doesn’t necessarily lend itself well to a hard genre approach, and on the other handPersona 3 Reloadis a wonderful demonstration of how science-fiction elements excel in the franchise. There’s likely no way thatPersona 6adopts a dedicated science-fiction genre, for instance, but doing so could be a refreshing mirror when followingMetaphor: ReFantazio’s medieval fantasy.
Metaphor: ReFantazio Dives Headlong into Medieval Fantasy
Metaphor: ReFantaziois a new IP under Studio Zeroand it may be intimidating to now suddenly have a new universe and lore to experience. Its overall themes and genre may already be far more familiar or easier to grasp than that ofPersona, though, due to a landscape that encourages imagination without as much realism involved.
MetaphorforgoesPersona’s surreal yet campy atmosphere for one that is steeped in medieval fantasy. This could be much more immediately digestible due to how popular fantasy has recently, whether that’s due toGame of Thronesand its spin-off shows or how theyinspiredFinal Fantasy 16’s similarly explicit dive into medieval fantasy.
Metaphoris sure to push the fantasy envelope even further, though, and anyone hopping onto this new IP fromPersonawill already be familiar with features of its strategic combat and rich RPG systems. IfPersona 6wants to be as distinct now as possible apart fromMetaphorit probably doesn’t need to abandon the franchise’s formula at all, and yet embodying a genre on the other end of the fiction spectrum could punch its ticket to greatness, especially with how closePersona 3 Reloadalmost came to a haunting and deceptive science-fiction tone.
A few ofPersona 3 Reload’s tropes would’ve been wonderful in a full-fledged science-fictionPersonatitle. Tatsumi Port Island’s underground facility andPersona 3’s unique machine companion, Aigis the Anti-Shadow Suppression Weapon, were the game’s most distinctive elements and still they were not expanded further in ways that would have been highly rewarding.
The Dark Hour’s inception and the experimentations that were born from it are intriguing, but a hard science-fiction tone is never met, at least not in a way that could’ve leaned on more technological or scientific motifs.
Rather, what’s offered is a fairly bare-bones exposition that touches on the island’s history more than it actually affects the present. It would now be terrific to seePersona 6take the plunge and explicitly indulge in the science-fiction genre asMetaphor: ReFantaziois indulging in fantasy.
That said,Metaphorsubmerging into a particular genre doesn’t meanPersonawill be obligated to do the same, butPersona 3 Reloadtruly demonstrates how much a genre story in this franchise could thrive. Instead, thePersonaseries might be securely locked into its recycled formula of high school social simulation married with an otherworldly presence of tarot arcana and bizarre creatures.
Metaphor: ReFantazio
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.
