Though fantasy RPGs have never been hard to find by any stretch of the imagination, Atlus’ own RPGs have always adopted a very different approach, with the likes of Shin Megami Tensei and Persona preferring more modern and contemporary settings. With the upcoming Metaphor: ReFantazio, however, Atlus is taking its first crack at the fantasy genre- though as you’d expect, the developer is going about it in a rather unconventional way.
Speaking in a recent developer interview uploaded by Atlus, director Katsura Hashino revealed that though Metaphor: ReFantazio was originally envisioned to have a more conventional Western medieval fantasy setting, the development team at Studio Zero decided to pivot to a fantasy setting that would instead incorporate modern and contemporary elements in order to give it a “unique twist”. That’s something that applies not only to the game’s aesthetic, but also its story and gameplay mechanics, according to Hashino.
“We originally developed the game in a more Western, medieval setting, but quickly realized it was turning into a rather conventional fantasy game,” he said (transcription via Gematsu). “To give it a more unique twist, we thought about the modern world, and elements that we could bring into this fantasy setting, so that there’s an underlying feeling of connection between the two worlds. Whether it’s in the narrative structure, or some of the game’s gimmicks, we tried to incorporate this concept as a key essence and characteristic of the game’s universe.”
Interestingly enough, players will see hints of this relatively more contemporary aesthetic in the game’s fantasy world not just with the characters and the way they have been designed, but even with what they’ll be wearing.
Character designer Shigenori Soejima said, “Even when it comes to what a character is wearing, ‘Rather than recreating a traditional, medieval look, maybe we could incorporate modern elements?’ ‘Perhaps there are some fashion trends from the 60s that could actually blend well into this fantasy world, too?’ ‘And help give it its unique style?’ Those were some of the ideas we experimented with.”
During the interview, Hashino also said that Atlus intends to position Metaphor: ReFantazio as a major flagship property alongside Persona and Shin Megami Tensei. Meanwhile, more details have also been revealed on the game’s story and setting.
Metaphor: ReFantazio is set to launch sometime in 2024 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, and PC. The game is currently in the polishing stages of development.
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