Metaphor: ReFantazio, Persona devs’ next game, headed to PlayStation and Xbox

The creative team behind the Persona games revealed its next project at Sunday’s Xbox Game Showcase, Metaphor: ReFantazio, the first game from Atlus’ Studio Zero. On Thursday, Atlus confirmed that, in addition to Windows PC and Xbox Series X versions of Metaphor: ReFantazio, the fantasy role-playing game is also bound for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.

Confirmation of Metaphor: ReFantazio appears to have come earlier than Atlus (or Microsoft) expected. Atlus has since deleted a tweet, spotted by Gematsu, that outed the PS4 and PS5 versions of the game.

Metaphor: ReFantazio is pitched as Atlus’ “first ever, full-scale fantasy RPG” and it was first teased more than six years ago under the name Project Re Fantasy. That project was originally announced in 2016 as “a complete departure from the [Shin Megami Tensei] and Persona series, and a return to the roots of where the Japanese games industry began with fantasy role-playing games.” Atlus and Studio Zero said they were developing a “traditional fantasy RPG with distinctively Atlus flavor.”

Game director Katsura Hashino, character designer Shigenori Soejima, and composer Shoji Meguro are leading development of Metaphor: ReFantazio.

Based on Metaphor: ReFantazio’s first trailer, that “Atlus flavor” is certainly evident, but whether it’s a “complete departure” from SMT and Persona seems arguable. Metaphor looks like a Persona game, at least in terms of its stylish playable characters, bizarre-looking creatures, and ornate user interface.

Grid View

Metaphor: ReFantazio appears to put players in control of a blue-haired character named Travelling Boy, who leads a party that includes characters like Strohl, Hulkenberg, the fennec fox-like creature Heismay, and the fairy Gallica. Each character seems to have a role — or Archetype — like knight, fighter, thief, or seeker. Like Persona, it appears the main character will form bonds with others, perhaps to progress story elements and level up teammates.

Here’s Atlus’ rather vague official description of what players can expect in Metaphor: ReFantazio:

Write your destiny and rise above fear as you step into a fantasy world unlike anything you’ve seen before. Fraught with unsettling mystery, the kingdom stands on a precipice. Now, you must embark on a journey, overcoming obstacles and forging bonds with friends.

In a separate video, game director Katsura Hashino said, “Taking on high fantasy will be a fresh new challenge for Atlus. We’re excited to share our unique vision for the genre, crafting a fantasy experience unlike any other.”

Metaphor: ReFantazio is slated for release in 2024.