👑

Metaphor: ReFantazio

9.2
Developer: Studio Zero (Atlus)
Publisher: SEGA
Released: 2024
Metacritic: 94
70-100h
Avg. Playtime
No DLC
Expansions
Solo Only
Multiplayer
$49.99
Best Price
PCPS5PS4Xbox
⭐ Read Review 📖 Beginner Guide 💸 Best Price

About Metaphor: ReFantazio

Metaphor: ReFantazio is a fantasy RPG from the core team behind Persona 5 — director Katsura Hashino, artist Shigenori Soejima, and composer Shoji Meguro. Set in the United Kingdom of Euchronia, it follows a young protagonist racing to break a curse on the rightful prince while a kingdom-wide tournament-election decides the next ruler after the king's assassination.

The combat fuses turn-based strategy with real-time field action: you stagger weaker foes in real time to skip or soften battles, then drop into a refined turn-based system built on Archetypes — a deep job/class framework where party members unlock and master fantastical roles, inheriting skills across them. Exploiting weaknesses grants extra turns in the series' signature Press Turn lineage, while the new Synthesis skills let allies combine for devastating combos.

Wrapped around the combat is a calendar-driven life sim: you manage your time between dungeons, deepening bonds with followers, and developing virtues that unlock new Archetypes. It is Atlus at the peak of its powers — stylish, thematically ambitious, and one of the best RPGs of its generation.

Why Players Love It

🎭
Archetype Class System

A deep job framework — party members unlock and master fantastical Archetypes, inheriting skills and combining roles for huge build variety.

⚔️
Real-Time + Turn-Based

Stagger weak enemies in real time to skip fights, or drop into refined turn-based combat that rewards exploiting weaknesses for extra turns.

🗓️
Calendar Life Sim

Manage limited days between travel, dungeons, and deepening follower bonds that develop virtues and unlock new Archetypes.

🎨
Atlus Style

From the Persona 5 team — striking UI, Shigenori Soejima art, and a Shoji Meguro score that defines the genre's presentation.

Overview Video

Watch trailer on YouTube
9.2Outstanding

Our Verdict

Metaphor: ReFantazio is Atlus at its peak — a stylish, thematically bold fantasy RPG with a brilliant Archetype combat system and one of the best presentations in the genre.

Gameplay
9.0
Combat
9.5
Story
9.0
Style
10
Music
9.5
Value
9.5
Read Full Review (1,500+ words)
Complete Beginner's Guide
⏱ 15 min · 📊 Medium · ✅ Progress tracking
Start Guide
Best Builds & Character Tips
⏱ 10 min · 📊 Easy · 🔧 Build Guide
View Guide
First Boss Guide & Strategies
⏱ 8 min · 📊 Hard · ⚔️ Boss Guide
View Guide
Tips & Tricks for New Players
⏱ 6 min · 📊 Easy · 💡 Tips
View Guide
Patch 1.03 — Balance & QoL
2025
  • Adjusted difficulty tuning on Hard and Regicide
  • Quality-of-life menu and fast-travel improvements
  • Fixed rare follower-event progression issues
  • Localization and subtitle corrections
Patch 1.01 — Launch Fixes
Oct 2024
  • Resolved several softlocks in late-game dungeons
  • Performance optimization on PC and base consoles
  • Audio mix fixes
  • Save stability improvements

Community Tips

“Don't neglect the calendar. Plan each day — bond events, virtue gains, and shop restocks are time-gated, and wasted days cost you Archetype unlocks.”
— EuchroniaTraveler · 690 upvotes
“Always exploit elemental weaknesses for extra turns, and equip an Archetype that covers what your party lacks. A balanced lineup beats raw stats.”
— ArchetypeMaster · 577 upvotes
“Use the real-time stagger to clear weak enemies without entering full battles. It saves enormous time grinding dungeons.”
— PressTurnPro · 431 upvotes
+ Submit a Tip