Those familiar with the Persona franchise may take a bit to adjust to the combat in Metaphor: ReFantazio. While it features a lot of similar mechanics, there are some key differences that separate it from other entries in the genre. Here’s an overview of how gameplay works within Metaphor: ReFantazio.
Dungeon Traversal
Once you get past the first few hours of Metaphor: ReFantazio, you’ll be sent to your first major dungeon: the catacombs within the Grand Trad. You’ll have a ten day time limit to clear it, and it’s through that where you will begin to understand the combat basics of Metaphor.
Like Persona, there are checkpoints throughout the dungeon that you can travel to and from. Additionally, before you enter the dungeon, you can meet up with More. Meeting with More allows you to learn new archetypes that expand your combat capabilities. You can also meetup with More’s cat throughout the dungeon to both save your progress and meet with More to create more archetypes.
Basic Combat
Metaphor: ReFantazio walks the fine line between a traditional turn-based RPG and an action-based one. When you see an enemy, you can quickly slash at them a few times in order to ambush them. Once you do, it transitions into normal turn-based combat. The enemies you attacked will have substantially less health, and you get to do your turn first.
Like any other RPG, each enemy has elements they are weak to, immune to, resistant to, and those that they will repel upon contact. One of the options in combat is to hit an enemy with a melee attack. However, you can also use a wide variety of different magic attacks through the game’s main mechanic: Archetypes.
Archetypes
Archetypes are how unique attacks are cast. Each Archetype is based on the concept of a famous hero throughout history. There are knights, brawlers, seekers, gunners, and more that you will discover as you build more connections with the game’s many characters. These are somewhat similar to Personas, save for a few key differences.
The main difference is that you cannot change archetypes halfway through combat. Archetypes don’t just determine your magical capabilities, but they also determine what melee weapons you wield. However, you can give one Archetype skills from another Archetype. For example, you can give the Brawler Archetype an attack that the Mage Archetype has in their repertoire.
There are also synergy attacks that you can use with other party members. These combine the skills of two archetypes to create one devastating attack that will tear enemies to shreds. They also can be used to support other party members. Every synergy attack costs a significant amount of magic points. Further, they require the turns of both characters in the attack to have not been spent.
That said, Archetypes are still the main way you deal damage to opponents. You can use elemental attacks to exploit the weaknesses of the different enemies you encounter. These elements include ice, light, fire, wind, and more. Archetypes are key to understanding how combat works in Metaphor: ReFantazio. If you don’t use Archetypes, you are under a significant disadvantage.
EXP
At the end of every battle, players get EXP, Archetype EXP, Money, and select items. Archetype EXP will advance the Archetype currently equipped, giving it access to new moves as it becomes more and more experienced. Additionally, if you pass through an enemy encounter unscathed, you get extra EXP, A-EXP, money, and more.
These are the basics of how gameplay works within Metaphor: ReFantazio. As the game continues, you’ll learn more about traversal, different Archetypes, advancing Archetypes, and countless other skills.
Metaphor: ReFantazio is available now PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam and Windows (Microsoft Store). Final Weapon had the opportunity to play and preview Metaphor: ReFantazio at Summer Game Fest 2024, with exclusive footage on our official YouTube channel.
