Gamescom 2024 recently hosted a showcase for the upcoming Metaphor: ReFantazio, which features Studio Zero director Katsura Hashino and the English voice actors of Strohl and Hulkenberg, Stewart Clarke and Kristin Atherton.
Hashino shared a pre-recorded message to fans at the event, informing prospective players of the highly anticipated title’s already-introduced premise. Additionally, he delved into the creation of the protagonist.
Hashino stated that the team gave the protagonist his own voice because he wanted to give him more personality than the protagonists of his previous works, with Persona 5 mentioned explicitly. The director wants players to feel a sense of familiarity and attachment to the main character throughout progression. In fact, he “would be grateful” if players loved the new main character.
You can view the Gamescom stream VOD for more comments on Metaphor: ReFantazio, which is shown at around 56 minutes in.
Metaphor: ReFantazio takes place in the United Kingdom of Euchronia, a land plunged into turmoil following the assassination of its king. The story takes a dramatic turn when the Royal Magic, a mystical power previously known only to the king, is unexpectedly invoked, sparking a grand royal tournament to determine the next ruler.
Amidst this tumultuous backdrop, the protagonist, alongside their partner, the fairy Galica, embarks on a quest to lift a curse cast upon the prince, believed by the kingdom to be deceased. Their journey spans the expansive lands of Euchronia, revealing that their mission is intricately tied to the ongoing tournament for the throne. To succeed, they must forge alliances with a diverse array of friends and followers from the various tribes that inhabit this world, each with their own unique contributions to the unfolding narrative.
A newly highlighted technique is Synthesis, which combines party members’ archetypes, performing powerful attacks at the cost of both you and the cooperating ally’s turns. All three characters in the active party can even use Synthesis for devastating attacks. The development team has worked hard to ensure that players will alter their strategies the further they progress instead of keeping to the same party configuration the whole game.
- Check out the previous gameplay information deep-dive.
- Check out our previous coverage detailing the tribes.
- Check out our preview.
Metaphor: ReFantazio will launch for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Steam, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on October 11, 2024.
Please tell me this means it’s an actual character rather than a blank slate.