According to Katsura Hashino, the director of the upcoming RPG Metaphor: ReFantazio, the romance system found in Atlus’ Persona series didn’t have a place in the new title. The upcoming game has been heavily compared to games in the Persona franchise, boasting a similar UI and gameplay elements – but it looks like romance is where the devs drew the line.
“A lot of our games are based around the idea of teenagers living their lives,” said Hashino in an interview with GamesRadar+. “What teenager doesn’t want to have romance in their life? It’s part of the realism of the setting. We know people really like this system and it’s really popular, but for Metaphor specifically, it’s not about teenagers. It’s about a person trying to become the ruler of the land.”
Metaphor: ReFantazio takes place in a medieval fantasy world that serves as a “mirror” of the contemporary real world. Players will set out on a journey to protect their kingdom while defeating enemies and getting closer to their companions, similar to the Persona series. Additionally, the battle system in the game will allow players to switch between front and back rows, similar to the gameplay found in classics like Shin Megami Tensei 2.
“You travel from place to place and you meet these new characters, you gain support from them, you learn things from them, they support you, they inspire you,” Hashino continues. “You gain these Archetypes that you bring into the game world. It’s more focused on those relationships rather than the back-and-forth of romance.”
Metaphor: ReFantazio is coming to PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via Steam and the Microsoft Store on October 11.
