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(Image credit: Studio Zero / Atlus)
As the curtains open onMetaphor: ReFantazio, one thing is immediately clear: we’re in for something very special. I was given one hour with Atlus' new JRPG at Gamescom 2024, and as a huge fan of the Persona games, perhaps it’s unsurprising that it was my favorite out of all the things I played – but I seriously can’t overstate just how fantastic it is so far.
These themes of prejudice and division aren’t exactly subtle, but they form the basis of a wider story. Our protagonist was childhood friends with Euchronia’s prince, who’s been afflicted with a curse that appears to have rendered him permanently unconscious, and the rest of the kingdom believes he’s dead. Before being bedridden, though, he’d shared his grand dream with our protagonist, based on the story of a fantasy world where everyone is born equal. I wasn’t able to get far enough in the demo to find out much more about this story, but I can’t help but wonder if perhaps its world might be a familiar one to us as players, especially given that you’re directly asked to input your own name (separately from the protagonist’s) at the start of the adventure. This, combined with the fact that the grotesque monsters of the world are called ‘humans’? It definitely seems like there’s a connection there.
To battle
(Image credit: Sega / Atlus)
Gamescom 2024(Image credit: Capcom)In just 30 minutes, Monster Hunter Wilds sold me on the action-RPG series I’ve never played.
Gamescom 2024
(Image credit: Capcom)In just 30 minutes, Monster Hunter Wilds sold me on the action-RPG series I’ve never played.
(Image credit: Capcom)
In just 30 minutes, Monster Hunter Wilds sold me on the action-RPG series I’ve never played.
No detail too small
(Image credit: Atlus)
Combat aside, attention to detail reigns supreme in Metaphor: ReFantazio. As well as itsutterly gorgeous UI and menus, the JRPG is also full of subtle niceties that contribute to an overall feel of polish and care. The NPCs walking on the streets of the city react when you run into them (I must have looked rather bizarre upon first spotting this and turning around to charge into as many citizens as possible), and the loading screen that pops up when you travel between different parts of the city shows our protagonist making his way through a crowd, taking in the sights as he goes. They’re small things, but really help pull you into the immersion of the world.
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GamesRadar+ was in Cologne playing the most anticipatednew games of 2024, and speaking to the developers bringing them to life. For more of our hands-on previews and exclusive interviews, visit theGamescom 2024coverage hub.
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