Metaphor: ReFantazio Review: Persona-like RPG with a HUGE Intro Problem

The gaming world is always excited when a new title comes out! Recently, Metaphor: ReFantazio arrived! This game takes inspiration from Persona and while there are lots of great elements to like, one of the most significant downsides seems familiar to longtime Persona fans.

A New RPG With Familiar Elements

If you haven't gotten a chance to play Metaphor: ReFantazio, it borrows quite a few elements from Persona. Fans will immediately recognize those key parts of Persona games. This makes Metaphor: ReFantazio feel like it really could be a part of the same world!

Archetypes take on the same role as Personas.
Bonds are the same concept as Social Links/Confidants from the Persona series.
Awakening moments in this game really show the unique elements of this game.

While it takes some inspiration from the series, what is so frustrating? Metaphor: ReFantazio makes a significant mistake. One that might frustrate Persona players.

Also Read: Metaphor: ReFantazio: Xbox Game Pass Release Date and More

A Long Intro

In the Persona series, long intros are sometimes a frustrating aspect for fans and Metaphor: ReFantazio suffers from that as well!

It appears that it can easily take over two hours to get through all of the initial gameplay!

Even when you reach that point. There's limited functionality. Gamers will not be able to unleash the full potential of the game. Archetypes, are even held back in this stage.

If this was the worst that was included. Metaphor: ReFantazio would already be struggling but here comes another problem. This slow, extended gameplay continues for several hours as there are extended dialogue sections, making this more of a story driven intro.

Even as everything opens up! Gamers will have around five hours, before reaching the part that looks a lot more like what everyone expects from these games! It's pretty similar to the length of the free demo available! What is so challenging about this early start? That's the fact that audiences need a great hook that helps them get interested.

Fans might feel as if these early phases, don't bring enough. These intros may be necessary though! These early scenes really establish many key elements that drive this awesome new fantasy role-playing game forward! What is different?

It needs a huge, complex setup to cover the basics for gameplay.
You need time to understand the Bond System.
You need some serious time to really work with Archetypes.
The calendar system itself brings some extra, important complexity as well! The time-limited elements help drive the storytelling, but need an introductory period. Players should be aware about time before it becomes a big factor.

It appears there might be some serious opportunities to change this! Instead of these huge storytelling sections, why not incorporate more opportunities for hands-on interactions?

Also Read: Persona 3 Reload Expansion Pass: Episode Aigis - The Answer -

Persona's Long Intros

Hulkenberg, Strohl, Eupha, and Junah in Metaphor ReFantazio. Image

It turns out Metaphor: ReFantazio is not the only RPG that makes this big mistake.

The most interesting element? This really seems to happen frequently but Persona games seem to take the top spots! It's super disappointing. It means Metaphor: ReFantazio takes this frustrating flaw and carries it through!

Persona 3 might have the shorter ones in this franchise! About three hours!
Persona 4 was a hit, too and lasted approximately three hours as well.
Persona 5 went in a more extensive direction! That lengthy intro, went up to six hours depending on how much exploration occurred.

Also Read: Baldur's Gate 3: Long Rests - How the Game Revolutionizes RPG Mechanics

Persona 5's Solution

Joker from Persona 5 holding his mask on the left and Will from Metaphor: ReFantazio on the right. Image

There's no real secret here, what Persona 5 did that seemed revolutionary! The initial launch threw players right into the climax! Gamers could enjoy battle scenes and an end-game that was very satisfying from the moment the game started!

What happened?

You could experience high-level abilities.
There was even a look at a dungeon exploration.
After those thrilling initial sequences the player learns some basics and gets introduced to stealth elements!
The sequence was abruptly cut short! What? A pretty familiar arrest!

Following these amazing events, there were the more narrative based parts, however! It gave the initial introduction in such an exciting way.

And the players are immediately hooked, ready to go back to the battle and practice!

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Metaphor: ReFantazio's Missed Opportunity

Strongest Personas featuring Orpheus Telos, Messiah (Judgement), and Helel (Star) from Persona 3 Reload Image

What is so similar in these? Both have around the same length of time to get gamers going. But what Metaphor: ReFantazio misses is the excitement. There wasn't even a real compelling hook. Players just walked forward! Even the initial combat elements don't let you get all that crazy in battle.

Players are essentially only able to flee until they get a stronger skill set!
The initial fight? If a gamer tries to fight they will surely lose. Before they even hit that awesome turn-based fighting.

This isn't all too different in what it offers! While there are some narrative moments, and they do get a limited battle experience, the frustration builds with how similar this intro is and is a missed chance. In Metaphor: ReFantazio, it’s really all about letting the gamers experience the most thrilling gameplay at its absolute peak right away to make up for this big misstep. That was something that Persona 5 nailed!

Even if Metaphor: ReFantazio improves, and these cutscenes that are long, it seems that many will point to it still not being enough, leaving these long openings in a way that's unnecessary! For anyone who is not totally hooked into the lore! That long opening might easily mean these players aren't invested, resulting in the big games losing some fans and making these games possibly fall short!