Metaphor Refantazio is now available worldwide following its release on October 11, and ??despite a fantastic job done by Atlus, some ??players on PC have had to face issues related to the native resolution.

While you can still play the game without any issues, there have been a few incidents where players haven't been able to select th?eir preferred resolution. This usually takes place if you can't save the new scr??een resolution and the game reverts to the default settings. Thankfully, there are some potential solutions that you can try to ease your problem.

Metaphor Refantazio screen resolution fix

One of the main causes of Metaphor Refantazio (or any game, for that matter) not saving your desired screen resolution is due to the Graphics card it's using. If you have a system with both integrated and dedicated graphics cards, chances are that the game will automatically use the integrated option. Here's how you can change it to force Metaphor Refantazio to use your dedicated graphics card instead.

• Press Windows + S.
• Search for Graphics Settings.
• Choose Metaphor Refantazio from the list, or add it via browse if the executable game file is absent.
• Click on it and press Options.
• Choose "High Performance".

This will cause the game to override the default selection and use your dedicated graphics card. You should also be able to change and save your screen resolution after this tweak, and switch from borderless to full scr?een (the former is known to cause crashes on some occasions).

Another known issue so far is players getting a low-quality render that hardly matches the scree?n resolut?ion. This can also be fixed quite easily with a few tweaks.

• Go to the control panel of your graphics card.
• Select the game and go to settings.
• Turn on anti-aliasing.
• Turn on anisotropic filtering.

Turning on these two components should make the game look much better on your screen. Additionally, you can change more in-game settings to ensure that Metaphor Refantazio runs smoothly on your system. Keeping every requirement high could lead to sub-optimal performances or, in ??worse cases, even crash your game?? in some instances.

The post How to fix?? resolution issues in Met??aphor Refantazio appeared first on Destructoid.

The launch of critically acclaimed Atlus RPG Metaphor: ReFantazio is here, but a lot of players on PC are experiencing some audio issues when trying to play. Thankfully, some of these issues have some fixes you can try while we all await for Atlus to put out a patch for the problem. Here is how to fix audio issues in Metaphor ReFantazio on PC.

How to fix Low Audio and Echoing on PC

If you're experiencing low audio or buggy, echoing-sounding audio in Metaphor: ReFantazio, thankfully fellow player Claus on the Steam Discussions Board seems to have found a fix. Unfortunately, it requires a third party download to fix it. With so many players shaving this issue, I have to imagine Atlus will work on getting a hotfix out ASAP to fix it, but in the meantime, here's what you can do to fix low audio issues in Metaphor ReFantazio:

1. Completely close Metaphor: ReFantazio.
2. Visit the FxSound website and download it.
3. Launch FxSound and set your preferred output device (such as headphones, speakers, etc.)
4. Select a Sound Preset, and click save.
5. Open Metaphor: ReFantazio and go to System > Settings > Audio Settings > Audio Output.
6. Choose the same device that you picked in FxSound, which should be labeled as FxSound Speakers (FxSound Audio Enhancer) in Metaphor.

Feel free to try other Sound Presets to find one that works with your situation. Some other users have had success going into the sound software for their headphones (like Razer Synapse) and messed with increasing the audio output even further. Of course, if you do this, make sure you turn it back down when you quit playing Metaphor: ReFantazio so you d?on't blow out your ear drums when yo??u load up another game!

Atlus has not yet acknowledged confirmation of the bug's existence, but hopefully?? they do so as we head into the weekend. Once they do, we'll be sure to pos?t back here with any official feedback from Atlus in regards to a hotfix.

The post How to fix audio issues in Metaphor ReFantazio appeared first on Destructoid.

Atlus' most recent JRPG, Metaphor: ReFantazio, comes out today on October 11 and yet it still managed to sell so many copies that it broke an unexpected record for th?e company.

On both its official website and its social media accounts, Atlus revealed that Metaphor: ReFantazio has sold more than 1 million units worldwide. The company also thanked their fans for all their support and celebrated this huge milestone with a?n adorable new illustration of one of the main characters of the game, Gallica the fairy.

This is a monumental achievement, not only because of the speed in which Metaphor: ReFantazio reached these sales numbers, but also because it cemented it as the fastest selling video game in Atlus' history. This record was previously held by Persona 3 Reload, which sold the same amount of copies in one week back in February. That's right, Atlus ??broke its own record twice within the same year, meaning that 2024 has been extrem??ely successful for the company.

Metaphor ReFantazio is shaping up to be one of 2024's best JRPGs

In its official announcement, Atlus also boasted about the positive reviews that Metaphor: ReFantazio has been receiving, with its PlayStation 5 version and its Xbox Version currently sharing a score of 93 points on MetaCritic, while its PC version holds a score of 91 points in the same aggregator website. The company also reported that this game received the award for "Future Category" in both the 2023 and 2024 editions of the Japan Game Awards.

On the other hand, JRPG fans are excited about the release of Metaphor: ReFantazio, with many players who got early copies claiming that it's the closest thing to a hypothetical Persona 6 they have played in years. This is not surprising, considering that several key figures who are famous for their involvement on both the Shin Megami Tensei and the Persona series also worked on Metaphor: ReFantazio, l??ike director Katsura Hashino, character artist Shigenori Soejima and music composer Shoji Meguro.

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Get ready for some spooks and exciting gunplay, as there are some big October 2024 games to keep us entertained for the Halloween season. From Call of Duty to Silent Hill 2, here's what to watch from the month of October 2024 o??n PC and consoles.

Call of Duty Black Ops 6 (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC)

Publisher: Activision
Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software, Infinity Ward, Demonware, and more
Price: $69.99
Release Date: October 25
Trailer

Another year, another Call of Duty. H??owever, this time feels different. This entry includes omnidirectional movement for the first time, letting you move more fluidly throughout the map as you dodge and slide your way to victory. The game will take place in the 90's and Activision promises on the game's Steam page that it will have a "mind-bending narrative" as the United States approaches the end of the Cold War. The campaign will have varied levels, from stealth sections to blockbuster action. The multiplayer mode will launch with 12 6v6 maps and four Strike maps. Zombies multiplayer is returning as well.

Black Ops 6 will be the first in the series to launch day one on Xbox Game Pass after Microsoft purchased Activision for $68.7 billion. It launches on October 25.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC)

Publisher: EA
Developer: BioWare
Price: $59.99 (PC), $69.99 (Consoles)
Release Date: October 31
Trailer

After over a decade, the next Dragon Age fi??nally arrives in October. We'll return to Thedas and play as Rook, the new protagonist for the series. You'll lead a new?? team and become the Veilguard, the hero fighting the Elven gods blighting the world. As you'd expect from the series, you'll meet seven different companions, who, according to the Steam page, will have "rich lives and deep backstories."

"Lucanis is charismatic from the jump," said our preview, describing one of the characters in the game. "A suave assassin with a hint of magic and a darkness stirring within him? Sign me up." We'll get to meet him and six other characters when the game launches on October 31.

Life is Strange: Double Exposure

Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: Deck Nine
Price: $49.99
Release Date: October 29
Trailer

Another fan-favorite series returns with Life is Strange: Double Exposure, and ?the ?original protagonist, Max Caufield, returns as the hero. Instead of reversing time, however, she goes into an alternate ?dimension where her friend Safi is alive rather than murdered in the snow. You'll be switching between both timelines to solve the murder and save Safi in the parallel universe.

If you preorder the game's Ultimate Edition, you'll get the first two chapters two weeks early on October 15. Otherwise, you'll have to wait for its official October 29 launch for all of the game's chapters.

Metaphor ReFantazio (PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC)

Publisher: Atlus
Developer: Atlus, Studio Zero
Price: $69.99
Release Date: October 11
Trailer

If I had to give the award for the most ridiculous name of the year for a game, it would be Metaphor ReFantazio. Despite that, a lot is going for this RPG. Coming from the Persona team, this magic-themed RPG has a gorgeous art style and a combination of turn-based a??nd action combat.

"In a year where the high fantasy genre is well-served, Metaphor: ReFantazio could end up being a standard-bearer," said our preview. "Everything feels like it’s in place, and I left my preview feeling like Metaphor was now easily my most anticipated game of the fall season." We'll see if it deserves that moniker when it launches on October 11?. Y?ou can try a five-hour prologue demo now if you're interested.

Silent Hill 2 (PS5, PC)

Publisher: Konami
Developer: Bloober Team
Price: $69.99
Release Date: October 8
Trailer

Spooktober is finally upon us next month, and Konami's Silent Hill 2 will likely fill your quota for a horror game during the Halloween season. Remade by Layers of Fear developer Bloober Team, we'll be exploring the atmospheric, fog-filled town of Silent Hill. The main character receives a letter from his deceased wife and decides to revisit the town where they shared memories. The game supports ray tracing tech and will feature "cutting-edge technical enhancements," according to the Steam page. Konami says, "The world of Silent Hill and its unsettling ambiance is even realer ??than before."

Bloober Team doesn't have the best track record with average scores from critics (The Medium scored a 71 on Metacritic, and Blair Witch fared worse), but it does show shines of brilliance within the dark atmosphere of Observer: System Redux.

Indie Highlight: Europa (Switch, PC)

Publisher: Future Friends Games
Developer: Helder Pinto, Chozabu (Alex PB), Novadust Entertainment
Price: $14.99
Release Date: October 11
Trailer

In between the shooting of Call of Duty and the scary encounters of Silent Hill 2, it will be great to chill out and relax with the stunning anime-inspired scenery of Europa. Flying around in a jetpack, you'll explore this Ghiblian-like world and solve the mysteries of a fallen utopia. As you find new biomes, you'll discover secrets about this moon Europa, in a Breath of the Wild kind of fashion. There's a demo available now if you wa?nt to check out the game before ??buying it.

Honorable mentions

That isn't all to expect from the October 2024 games lineup. We'll also be getting a return to the Budokai Tenkaichi formula with Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero and many other highlights from the fall month. They i?nclud?e:

• Victory Heat Rally (PC) - October 3
• SpongeBob SquarePants: The Patrick Star Game (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC) - October 4
• Until Dawn (PS5, PC) - October 4
• Kind Words 2 (PC) - October 7
• Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC) - October 8
• Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC) - October 11
• Undisputed (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC) - October 11
• Neva (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC) - October 15
• Just Dance 2025 (Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X|S) - October 15
• Just Dance VR (Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest 3, Meta Quest Pro) - October 15
• New World: Aeternum (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC) - October 15
• Super Mario Party Jamboree (Switch) - October 17
• TMNT: Mutants Unleashed (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC) - October 18
• Unknown 9: Awakening (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC) - October 18
• Batman: Arkham Shadow (Meta Quest 3, Meta Quest 3S) - October 22
• Streets of Rogue 2 *Early Access* (PC) - October 22
• Date Everything (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC) - October 24
• Romancing Saga 2: Revenge of the Seven (PS4, PS5, Switch, PC) - October 24
• Slay the Princess: The Pristine Cut (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC) - October 24
• Sonic x Shadow Generations (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC) - October 25
• Ys X: Nordics (PS4, PS5, Switch, PC) - October 25
• Shadow of the Damned: Hella Remastered (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC) - October 31

The post Here are the most anticipated October 2024 games appeared first on Destructoid.

One of my most anticipated releases of the year, Metaphor: ReFantazio, is set to release in just over two weeks. Ahead of the upcoming launch, Atlus and SEGA have released a mass?ive roughly five-hour demo that covers the entire prologue of the RPG. The demo is available now for PS4 and PS5 on the PlayStation Store, Xbox Series X|S via the Microsoft Store, and on PC via Steam.

First thi??ngs first, don't worry. With a five-hour-long demo, surely you aren't going to want to play through those five hours again in about two weeks when the full game releases. Thankfully, your progress from the Prologue Demo will transfer to the full release of the game.

It appears the demo is pretty meaty?, featuring the RPG's first four dun??geons, seven of the over 40 classes, also known as Archetypes and six of the followers that accompany the Protagonist by joining your party.

If you're unfamiliar with Metaphor, think Shin Megami Tensei or Persona set in a new medieval fantasy world that mirrors the contemporary real world. With beautiful landscapes and stylish anime cutscenes, not to mention the same lengthy expansive story that At?lus fans have come to expect from their RPGs. I don't have the time, but screw it I'll find time for this one.

I normally don't bother with demos unless I'm really on the fence about a game, mostly just due to time constraints. But for Metaphor: ReFantazio where I alrea??dy know I'm going to get it, AND the demo progress carries ov?er to full launch, this is like an early Christmas.

Those interested in checking out the demo now can do so on your respective platform. Metaphor: ReFantazio is set to launch on October 11.

The post Metaphor: ReFantazio massive five hour? Prologue?? Demo out now appeared first on Destructoid.

Atlus' next big RPG Metaphor: ReFantazio looks to be a visual treat from its imaginative fantasy locations to its illustrious menu UI. Hopefully, you meet the Metaphor: ReFantazio PC system requi?rements to m?ake this game look glorious on your monitor or TV.

Metaphor: ReFantazio PC system requirements - minimum specs

To run Metaphor: Fantazio at 720p resolution with 30 frames per second (FPS), you'll need the following specs, according to the game's Steam listing:

• OS: Windows 10
• Processor: Intel Core i5-3470 or AMD FX-6300
• Memory: 6 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750 Ti, 4GB or AMD Radeon R7 360, 4GB or Intel Arc A310, 4GB
• DirectX: Version 11
• Storage: 93 GB available space

The game's developer Atlus and the publisher Sega also say that you require a CPU with AVX support. You can check if your Intel processor has this functionality by looking up the Instruction Set Extensions from the CPU Technologies tab in the Intel Processor Identification Utility app. Most modern c??omputers should have?? AVX support.

Metaphor: ReFantazio is fairly beefy with 93GB of storage being taken. However, it's smaller than other RPGs like Starfield or Final Fantasy XVI.

Recommended specs for Metaphor: ReFantazio

If you want this gorgeous Atlus g?ame to run with 1080p resolution at 60 FPS, you'll need the following:

• OS: Windows 10
• Processor: Intel Core i5-7600 or Ryzen 5 2600
• Memory: 8 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970, 4GB or AMD Radeon RX 480, 4GB or Intel Arc A380, 6GB
• DirectX: Version 11
• Storage: 93 GB available space

You'll want to at least match the recommended specs for this game because our preview said "It might be one of the most stylish games [..] in so??me time."

The post Metaphor: ReFantazio PC system requirements – minimum and recommended appeared first on Destructoid.

Metaphor: ReFantazio has a lot of legacy behind it. It’s a new franchise, sure, but it has Persona’s Katsura Hoshino in the director’s chair, with longtime collaborators Shigenori Soejim??a and Shoji Meguro on-board t??oo.

It feels inevitable for Metaphor: ReFantazio to draw comparisons to Persona, and by extent, Shin Megami Tensei. In some ways, it feels f??amiliar, like a new branch sprouting from the trunk of Atlus RPGs, but in others, it adds a distinct twist. For as often as Metaphor: Re:Fanta?zio felt like Persona's distant cousin, it spent just as much time delivering a fresh re-imagining of what this style of role-playing game could be.

We got an offer to fly out and check out a new demo of Metaphor: ReFantazio, as well as ask its creative leads some questions, ahead of its October 11 release date. My takeaway is that, even with trepidation in places, Metaphor looks like it could be a fascinating new br??anch of Atlus�RPG tree.

For the king

The first slice of my demo was pretty similar to the opening slice of Metaphor I’d already seen earlier this year at Summer Game Fest, albeit with some extra content on either end. The game opens by questioning what “fantasy�means, and whether fantasy can affect—maybe even become—reality. Then, it asks for your name. Not the protagonist’s, mind, but your name. Put a pin in that, I guess?

From there, it’s a bit of a drip-feed of info and details. You start in the middle of a journey, with a fairy companion named Gallica accompanying your hero. The hero has a voice in this game, which is a pleasant change of pace; hearing them talk to characters in dialogue adds a bit of ?life to the in-game avatar, and creates some textual distance between player and character in a way I dig.

Your convoy to t??he city of Grand Trad is soon brought to a halt, though, as bandits demanding “tribute�strike. After killing one passenger, Hulkenberg—the tall and stoic elven warrior who later joins the party—draws her weapon and coldly delivers the line: “You drew steel. I take it you are prepared to die by it?�Excellent.

I’m going beat-by-beat because, early on, Metaphor has some strange pacing. Its framing shifts pretty rapidly from the jump, between the meta-narrative introduction, the present time wi??th the story’s hero, and flashbacks that inform the hero’s past and current quest. You are trying to make contact with someone who can help you take down a foe in the shadows, and so you infiltrate the ranks of the guard to find your man.

Over the c?ourse of the opening hours, the plot stirs up slowly, maybe a little shakily,?? then comes into focus. It’s a compelling setup, though jumping around between flashbacks and the present can make it feel a little erratic.

What carries Metaphor early on is this brilliant fantasy world. In the year 785, the United Kingdom of Euchronia is sitting on the precipice of chaos; the king is dead, and tensions between different classes and races are boiling over. Anxiety, as director Hoshino told previewers in a pre-recorded video, is a core theme of Metaphor: ReFantazio. Where is it born from, how does it ferment, and what kind of cruel monsters does it bring to life? Embroiled in this is your hero, a candidate for the throne among many, as different leaders vie for pu?blic attention and causes in a competition fo??r the kingdom’s future.

It’s a magical, high fantasy world that feels so easy to get lost in. The first demo introduced me to the setup, but the second half opened up and put me in the midst of what feels like the bulk of Metaphor’s classic Atlus loop: deal with time constraints, navigate travel restrictions, and use the calendar to chart a course. Days and nights allow the same distractions as a Persona game might, and different NPCs populate the world during different hours. In the day, I pick up a new side quest from a character that’s likely to become a social link; at night, I spend time speaking with a devout member of a persecuted religio?n, gaining greater understanding of what matters to them.

Shades of Persona and Shin Megami Tensei are obvious to see here. The “royal virtues�are like perso??nality traits: Courage, Wisdom,? Tolerance, Eloquence, and Imagination open up conversation checks. In one case, I deduced the best course of action with a character thanks to my Wisdom. It was nice to see the check openly acknowledged by the game, rather than hidden until I’d picked my conversation choice.

Time after time

There are also ticking clocks. 11 days until an important story event, eight to a deadline, one month to complete a quest. Not everything is time-gated, but the tension of its constant advance as you do things, and erase time off the clock, is ever-present. It takes time to talk to people, to explore du??ngeons, even to travel from city to city on your quest to beco?me the next king.

I could see it easily leading to choice-paralysis, or a worry that you’re misspending your time. During a translated Q+A session with the leads behind Metaphor: ReFantazio, another press attendee asked about that stress, a?nd the answer from lead daily system plann?er Azusa Kido was interesting:

“So as you play through the game, I do understand that some people might be overwhelmed by the volume,�said Kido. “But I also think that is the fun and entertainment element as well, where we’re traveling to unknown cites and unknown territories, and we are on this journey with limited time, where we do have this mission in mind.�/p>

Deciding on what to do each day, and the next day, and the d?ay aft?er, is a style of decision making that can be fun. Each experience with the game can be different. Even at the preview event, I would walk away from the set-up and start talking with other press members, leading to conversations about everything they saw that I didn’t see, even within our allocated slice.

Personally, I think it works. It’s an interesting twist on Persona’s calendar system, with the added wrinkle of travel and physical distance. Planning and routing became really important; spending a day going to a small town for a rare ingredient wasn’t worth it, but if that town sat on the path to ??a dungeon I wanted to clear, now I’m hitting two birds with one stone.

Travel feels like a major part of Metaphor, another fresh layer to the formula. As a candidate for the throne, you have a gauntlet runner, a giant ship that literally uses mechanical limbs to “run�across the ground. Despite looking a bit strange, it’s quite a bit faster than walking, and it allows candidates to move freely and (mostly) safely betwe?en locales. Even while you’re traveling, you can still spend time with comrades, gaining extra points in your Royal Virtues. You can even cook for some bonuses, which leads to some really fun dialogues with characters like Hulkenberg and Strohl.

Take heart

When it comes to combat, a lot of what I said in my previous preview stands here. The nuts and bolts of it feel very Shin Megami Tensei, with characters identifying weaknesses and striking for a Press Turn-style system. Though some of the elements might be here or mis??sing, the basics will feel immediately familiar.

What really surprised me were the ways Atlus found new room to expand this combat set-up, especially in coordination with the Archetypes, which function as “jobs�for each character. In one fight, I was taking on a giant treasure-hoarding fiend, and I had learned th?rough an informant back in town that it’s distracted by gold. If I went in with the Merchant class, I could use one of its abilities to scatter cash and make the beast lose actions.

There’s a lot happening in concert there that’s interesting: an informant that provides hints about upcoming boss fights, for a price; jobs and abilities that don’t rely on just elemental advantages; and encounter-specific mechanics that, again, don’t rely on basic weaknesses and resistances. A front and back row system reminded me of Final Fantasy VI, and one bout even had me dancing my ??party members between rows to dodge certain attacks.

Metaphor showed some decent variety in the slice I saw. In one fight, I had to take out two boss enemies at the same time, or one could revive the other, forcing me to vary up my usual single-target tactics. In another, I noticed one of my characters had an ability specifically meant for dealing with type resistances, opening up new avenues of attack. In all these ways, it feels like Metaphor: ReFantazio is going to feel very familiar, but n?ot like a full-on repeat.

Real-life anxieties

Of course, the climate that Metaphor is launching in is hard to ignore. It’s a game about a heated election contest between candidates, amid a pretty eventful election year in the United States. This isn’t even me making a fresh observation; it’s something that the development team actively called attention to. In a pre-recorded video shown to previewers, Metaphor director Katsura Hashino said that when the team started, they didn’t realize it would overlap with real-life events like it has. “We continue to be surprised by the strange similarities between our real world and the world of Metaphor.�/p>

Still, Metaphor: ReFantazio does deal with issues of race, class, and more. It might be pure coincidence that the timing lined up as it did, but Metaphor’s story is certainly grappling?? with recognizable areas of historical conflict and friction between people. Anxieties, you might call them.

“One of the themes of this title is anxiety,�said Hashino. “As we considered ideas and themes, we realized we wanted to explore the idea of people realizing their inner strength, as well as finding their anxieties and fears by finding common ground with others.�/p>

Of course, Atlus grappling with these topics will surely draw real-world comparisons, same as any conflict where one could draw parallels to real-life. Producer Junichi Yoshizawa stressed that there “aren’t any specific re??al-life events�that impacted or inspired this game. But when looking at the anxieties of this world, lead scenario planner Yuichiro Tanaka said the team tried to dig into what brings about clashes in the world, and put the focus on people’s minds, hearts, and the anxiety surrounding it.

When addressing the themes of Metaphor, Hashino says you might call the game a “culmination�of the development team’s experience. It does certainly have a heart-changing vibe to it. You campaign for your cause, and help those in need. When you transform into your Archetype, the unlocking cutscene shows a charac?ter tearing their heart out of their chest and screaming into it like a microphone, amplifying their beliefs and principles. It owns.

To a new world

With this round of previews, it feels like I’ve gained a solid grasp on what Metaphor: ReFantazio will play like in the moment-to-moment gameplay. There are certainly obvious shades of its Atlus predecessors, and even hints of other franchises and broader high fantasy tropes. It all melts together in the big pot labeled Metaphor.

It would feel silly to start out saying this isn’t just a high fantasy Persona, only to end this piece still drawing comparisons. Hell, at one point I compared Metaphor's relationship to SMT with the Ivalice spin-offs of Final Fantasy. But what I’ve found is Metaphor: ReFantazio both draws on a lot of legacy, and forges its own design path forward. Time constraints are here, but with a fresh twist. Battles are still familiar but have their own flavor, with a set of mechanics that feels old and new, but all its own. Even having the?? main character form bonds, but not lock into any dating or romance, is a novel twist.

In a year where the high fantasy genre is well-served, Metaphor: ReFantazio could end up being a standard-bearer. Everything feels like it’s in place, and I left my preview feeling like Metaphor wa??s now easily?? my most anticipated game of the fall season.

There’s still a lot of this world left to see, but I’m certainly eager to hop in a Gauntlet Runner and go find it. Metaphor: ReFantazio will be out for Xbox, PlayS?tation, and PC on October 11, 2024.

_{[Travel and lodging for this preview were provided by the publisher.]}

The post Hands-on?: Metaphor: ReFantazio is a grand culmination of the RPGs that came before it appeared first on Destructoid.

The Metaphor: ReFantazio English voice cast will sweep you off your feet as these actors have featured in grand adventures like Honkai: Star Rail, the Like a Dragon series, and Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker. ??Atlus usually doesn't miss when? it comes to its casting decisions.

Who's included in the Metaphor: ReFantazio English voice cast?

Metaphor: ReFantazio features the voices of acclaimed actors inside the voice-over ?industry. They include the following:

• The Protagonist - Caleb Yen
• Strohl - Stewart Clarke
• Hulkenberg - Kristin Atherton
• Gallica - Alejandra Reynoso
• Heismay - Phillipe Spall
• Eupha - Emily Burnett
• Junah - Emma Ballantine
• Louis - Joseph Tweedale
• Neuras - David Monteith
• More - Greg Chun
• Grius - Gordon Cooper

What have some of these voice actors worked on before?

Caleb Yen, the voice behind the lead character, is no stranger to the protagonist role. He voiced The Trailblazer in Honkai: Star Rail. He's also voiced Taichi in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Genshin Impact's Gaming, and Karaku in the Demon Slayer anime series.

Stewart Clarke, who voices Strohl, was Final Fantasy XVI's Dion, Horizon: Forbidden West's Ethan Reed, and Eygon in Valkyrie Elysium. He also has experience as an actor on the West End theatre scene, with one example being Perchik in Fiddler on the Roof.

Alejandra Reynoso plays Gallica in Metaphor: ReFantazio. Reynoso has voiced Liko in the Pokemon Horizons: The Series, Neon in Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin, and Saryu in Nier: Re[in]carnation.

Lastly, Philippe Spall, who portrays Heismay, performed as Monsieur Courbet in Downton Abbey, Amnesia: The Bunker's Toussaint Beaufoy, and Hernet in the Netflix The Witcher series.

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Though the name may not be as immediately recognizable as its lineage, Metaphor: ReFantazio has quite the lineup of Persona talent working on it. That alone, plus a hefty helping of art and style, may have been reason enough to pay attention. But after going hands-on, I walked away impressed with another aspect: Metaphor is blending action and turn-based combat, ??and it works.

I got to play roughly an hour of Metaphor at Summer Game Fest in Los Angeles, running through three cordoned-off sections of the role-playing game. The first was fairly straightforward, introducing me to the main character and their fairy helper Gallica, as well as an early party member, Strohl. Then, I got to jump ahead to a dungeon and another party member, and one more jump-forward showed me what one of Metaphor's massive boss fights looks like.

To get it out of the way early, Metaphor: ReFantazio might be one of the most stylish games I've seen in some time. Having previous Persona leads like director Katsura Hashino and character designer Shigenori Soejima on board, it shouldn't have surprised me to see Metaphor look so distinct from every other big game at the show. But it does genuinely feel like the art?? team just got to run wi??ld with the game. Even the menus are gorgeous. And thankfully, the style doesn't get in the way of the usability, either.

A lot of this is also something I could've told you from just the trailers. It's nice to know that they look great, and still function well, when you're actually holding a controller. And when you're holding that controller, there are definitely moments where Metaphor feels like Persona: the way your party runs around dungeons, the dramatic cam??era angles, even the dialogue cut-ins and pacing feels warmly familiar.

It's all good news, for people who already love Persona and are into the idea of a fantasy adventure, Record of Lodoss War-esque take on it. What really surprised me while I was playing, though, was how w??ell its blend of action and turn-based combat actually works.

Squad strike

When you're running around the world of Metaphor, controlling the player character—Travelling Boy, in my case—you can scan the en?vironment with your fairy vision to spot enemies. These foes? will glow red, yellow, or blue. And then you can hit them.

Yes, in the running-around bits, Metaphor lets you attack and dodge-roll like an actual action game. Don't expect lengthy combos or in-depth strings, but you can indeed slice enemies with your sword. This is where the color-coding comes into play: if an enemy is red, you can?? "defeat" them without ever entering full-on combat. Just slash 'em a few times and collect you?r rewards. No post-battle results screen, no turn-based fighting.

If an enemy is yellow or blue, however, striking them will build up a bar. You can initiate a Squad assault at any time, which will launch you into the turn-based combat that, again, is fairly Persona in practice. Fill the bar with attacks before you launch the Squad strike, and you'll get a free openi?ng hit and turn.

Atlus has been slowly experimenting with ideas like this, including a Confidant skill in Persona 5 Royal that let you auto-wipe an enemy if it was weak enough. And of course, role-playing games have classically pit action and turn-based against each other, as opposing contrasts. The question of whether a game will be turn-based or not comes up pretty often, and can be a hot-button topic around certain series.

Metaphor: ReFantazio feels like the best of both worlds. Hack-and-slash through the ?small mobs like it's a musou, and then initiate a full-on team attack for the big guys. What's fun, too, is that enemies can also catch you off-guard. These m??oments make for surprising little instances of action and surprise in the middle of dungeons, where you might otherwise just auto-pilot through the corridors.

Synch up

As for other battle mechanics, the short three sections I played didn't give me a great sense for the breadth of what's available. Each character can take on an archetype, embodyi?ng a fighting style similar to a typical Job system. In one slice, I acquired a new archetype by completing a quest, earning my protagonist the ability to ??become a Brawler and fight with their fists.

These archetypes complement each team member's move set, adding some additional elemental attacks and physical attack types to your repertoire. Though ??you won't see a "Maragi" or "Zionga" here, it's still what you'd expect to see: different types of attacks can target weaknesses, and gain you additional moves before you have to cede your turn to the enemy.

A really nice touch, though, is that swapping these roles also changed my on-the-field attack. So rath??er than slashing my sword to hit enemies in the field, I was swinging my fists. Sabin would be proud. It's a nice bit of attention to detail, amid all the beauty and splendor of the World's Sickest Menus.

I'm definitely still curious to see what the broad strokes of Metaphor look like, because the framing is one of the most important ingredients in the Persona-inspired pie. Sure, style gets you pretty far, but the calendar system and social links bring it home, and I only ??saw hints a??nd glimpses of here in this demo.

That said, if the combat is intriguing me this much, that's a promising start. Persona combat has always been solid, but Metaphor could've easily felt like a retread. By building up new ideas around it, Metaphor's action already?? feels like a new step forward. Hopefully the rest of it sh?akes out that way, too.

Metaphor: ReFantazio is set to arrive on PlayStation 4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on October ?11,? 2024.

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Atlus has announced via its Japanese site that they are dropping veteran voice actor Toru Furuya from the cast of Metaphor: ReFantazio. While the statement only says that they’re dropping the actor for “various reasons,�it most likely has to do with reporting by Shūkan Bunshun that alleged the actor had a four-and-?a-half year affair with a much younger fan.

Toru Furuya posted a message on Twitter back in May to apologize to fans. In his statement, he confirmed the affair with the fan, w?ho was reportedly 37 years younger than him, as well as the fact that he, at one point, struck her. He also reportedly coerced the woman into getting an abortion after she became pregnant.

Following the reporting, many companies chose to distance from the actor, with the Showroom streaming service dropping his program and his appearance at Momocon 2024 being canceled.

Toru Furuya is a prolific voice actor, with roles going back to the �0s. He’s lent his voice to characters such as Yamcha from Dragon Ball, Amuro Ray in Mobile Suit Gundam, and Tuxedo Mask in Sailor Moon. He also, for a time, voiced Mario in the anime movie Super Mario Bros: The Great Mission to Rescue Princess Peach!, as well as various commercials.

Atlus has stated that they’ll announce who is filling the role in July. Metaphor: ReFantazio is slated to be released on October 11, 2024.

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The fantasy adventure Metaphor: ReFantazio has a launch date locked in. Atlus has confirmed that its? contest for the throne will kick off on October 11, 2024.

Shown off in today's showcase, Metaphor: ReFantazio might look and feel a bit familiar to fans of other Atlus RPGs like Shin Megami Tensei or its spin-off series, Persona. The team working on it includes SMT 3 and Persona 3 through 5 director Katsura Hoshino (Persona 3 and 5), composer Shoji Meguro, and character artist Shigenori Soejima. While it's a new IP, you can definitely see the SMT and Persona influences at play here.

Alongside the trailer, we got a big showcase, detailing just how ?this role-playing adv??enture will play out.

Competing for the kingdom

The story follows your name-able protagonist, who becomes a candidate in the race for the throne of this fantasy land??. With a fairy helper, a traveling base called the Gauntlet Runner, and a full party, you'll eventually build up both a strong force for fighting enemies and a loyal c??rew to bolster your campaign.

Travelling between towns links in some interesting time management concerns, and the player seems to have some freedom in how they approach various quests and challenges. Of course, there are also opportunities? to hang out with your allies while getting around the world. It? seems like there's definitely some room for socializing of some kind.

In a surprising departure from the norm, Metaphor: ReFantazio mixes action and turn-based role-playing mechanics. You can? strike and dodge on the overworld, then hit a button to leap into full-on turn-based combat. Getting a "Squad" strike without an enemy noticing you enables a first-strike round. It's an interesting mix, but one I'm? really keen to check out.

Each party member can confront their anxieties to gain Archetypes, which are essentially classic RPG jobs that also allow the fighter to transform for greater power. Like a Persona, essentially. Add in some flashy special moves, and the Metaphor team seems like it's go??t some interesting ideas on?? how to tackle an evolution of its spiritual predecessors' styles.

There's also an absolutely gorgeous UI and some great character art, plus plenty of bonds to form, this really does seem to be an interesting twist on a familiar foundation. Even if it ends up just being a dark fantasy setting for an SMT-like RPG, I'm pretty okay with that.

Metaphor: ReFantazio heads t?o Xbox Series X|S??, PC, and PlayStation 4 and 5 on October 11, 2024.

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Now that we've had time to look to the past with Persona 3 Reload, it's time to see what some of the folks responsible for that series are up to next. We have a lot to learn about the first RPG from the recently formed Studio Zero, and we now have a special Metaphor: ReFantazio livestream to loo?k forward to in less than a week. 

Atlus just revealed its late-month plans, lining it up for a 3:00 pm PT/6:00 pm ET kickoff on April 22, 2024. It's all set to go down on the official Atlus West YouTube channel and Steam with Studio Zero director Katsura Hashino. Accordin?g to the announcement, Hashino will ?show off "never-before-seen gameplay," in a stream with English subtitles and dubbed audio.

Shaping your destiny in style

Metaphor: ReFantazio was first announced during the Xbox Games Showcase in June 2023, with more platform confirmations following close behind. Studio Zero promises a full-scale fantasy RPG from the minds behind the Persona games. From the loo?ks of it so far, it also boasts the stylish designs �from the world to the characters, enemies, and user interface �we've come?? to expect from the team. That includes staples like character designs from Shigenori Soejima and the music of Shoji Meguro. 

For now, we'll have to wait and see what the stream reveals, and look ahead to Metaphor: ReFantazio dropping on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Windows, a??nd Steam thi?s fall. 

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So quit the nail-bitin'

Following on from yesterday's confirmation that Persona 3 Reload is also headed to PlayStation and Steam platforms alongside its Xbox and Windows brethren, publisher Atlus has now let fans know that the intriguing �and pretty rad looking �Metaphor: ReFantazio is coming to the same platforms.

The port announcement was spotted by the eagle eyes of Gematsu over on the Korean Twitter of publisher Sega, though it seems both the tweet and the accompanying trailer including the port revea?l have seemingly vanished.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=btHGCpUPjPk

Announced during the weekend's Xbox Games Showcase and developed by Studio Zero, Metaphor: ReFantazio is a brand-new fantasy franchise based around the concept of mirroring realities. While not all that much is known regarding the narrative and gameplay mechanics, the title coming from the producers of Persona 3, Persona 4, and Persona 5 suggests tha??t we'll get a wild, highly stylized adventur??e starring a cast of easily shippable and cosplay friend characters, and mucho dungeon crawling.

It's definitely one of the most surprising and exciting reveals of Summer Game Fest, and while its development probably means Persona 6 is on the back burner for the time being, Metaphor: ReFantazio is already turning heads with its dynamic, action-packed, and legitimately breathless trailer. I'm looking forward to Atlus lifting the curtain on thi??s cool-looking universe.

Metaphor: ReFantazio is?? scheduled to launch in 2024 on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox?? Series X.

Met??aphor: ReFantazio al?so coming to PS5, PS4, and Steam [Gematsu]

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Coming in 2024

The biggest Atlus announcements for the Xbox Games Showcase may have leaked early, but that doesn't mean there wasn't more in store we weren't expecting. Case in point, Metaphor: ReFantazio. From the creators of Persona 3, Persona 4, and Persona 5—duh!�em>ReFantazio looks like an outst??anding new RPG that features the "mirror of reality."

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=btHGCpUPjPk

I don't know if it was intended, but I got a lot of #FE vibes watching that trailer. Hopefully, Metaphor: ReFantazio manages to make a bigger impact than Soul Hackers 2 did. We'll find out next year when Metaphor: ReFantazio launches for Xbox Series X|S and PC.

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