Atlus: Metaphor ReFantazio ‘difficulty is intentionally high’

But you can cheese some encounters

Sega/Atlus

Atlus shed some light on Metaphor ReFantazio’s combat system following the publisher’s earlier deep-dive into the RPG’s story, and apparently, it’s pretty tough. That’s on purpose, though, as Atlus wants to emphasize the sense of being on a difficult and dangerous adventure.

They also want you to feel rather smart when you finish a battle. Well, assuming you win.

“The difficulty level of battles in this game is intentionally made to be high, designed to emphasize the tension of deliberating and selecting commands to earn a great sense of accomplishment that comes with victory,” Atlus said in a press release.

It sounds like there’s plenty of choices to deliberate over as well. Atlus re-summarized the Archetype system, which is essentially Personas you can equip everyone with. Archetypes correspond with job classes, including mage, thief, and so on, and once you unlock it, everyone can equip it. Figuring out the right party combinations is, Atlus said, vital in overcoming some of Metaphor’s tougher challenges.

You won’t need to think deeply about every battle, though. Atlus said you can use the real-time “Fast” system to pummel weaker foes without entering turn-based, menu-driven “Squad” battles, which are your usual RPG fights. Gallica, the fairy companion who plays music in your head, will scout foes and color-codes them so you know which battle style will work.

Sound planning plays an important role, and it starts before you even enter a dungeon. Atlus said you can purchase information from info dealers in towns and cities to get some advance insight on the monsters that await you in nearby dungeons. Some of those dungeons are mandatory for progressing the story, while others are there just to challenge you or as part of a region’s side quests.

Metaphor ReFantazio launches for PS5, PC via Steam, and Xbox Series X|S on Oct. 11, 2024. Don't expect any Metaphor romance, though.