The Secret Behind Persona 6: Decoding ReFantazio's Reveal

Atlus fans were in for a treat at the 2023 Xbox Games Showcase as the RPG-focused company unveiled a plethora of exciting developments. Alongside proper reveals for leaked titles Persona 3 Reload and Persona 5 Tactica, fans were given a first look at the highly-anticipated Project Re Fantasy, which has since been renamed as Metaphor: ReFantazio. The game boasts a release year and an extensive gameplay trailer, showcasing a unique high fantasy setting that retains the popular elements of Atlus' RPGs. Metaphor: ReFantazio incorporates Persona-style gameplay with summoned monsters and Social Links within an in-game calendar, and adds a dash of fantastical diversity by introducing a range of fantasy races. Although it is sure to satisfy fans eager for a new Persona-esque experience, it may also disappoint those hoping for a Persona 6 release in the near future.

Metaphor: ReFantazio Owes Its Life to Persona’s Success

Metaphor: ReFantazio's intriguing mix of peculiar creatures and outdated technology may catch the attention of gamers, but the story behind its creation is equally captivating. Developed by the same team responsible for the beloved Persona 3, 4, and 5 games, the game shares a director, character designer, and composer with its predecessors. Katsura Hashino, the director of Persona 3 through 5, left Atlus' P-Studio to establish Studio Zero, which has since been working on Metaphor: ReFantazio and the Catherine: Full Body remake. Despite losing Hashino, the Persona franchise continues to thrive with the help of Shigenori Soejima and Shoji Meguro, who respectively designed the characters and composed the music for both Metaphor and Persona. However, fans have noticed that the Persona series has been fixated on side games for Persona 5 and has yet to announce a Persona 6 after seven years.

Persona 6 May Be Farther Away Because Of Metaphor

It appears that Metaphor: ReFantazio is essentially a new Persona game with a different setting. Despite some differences in mechanics, there are many similarities between the two games, including shared staff members and familiar gameplay elements. It's possible that Atlus sees Metaphor as a placeholder for Persona 6 until it enters development. Unfortunately, this also means that Persona 6 is likely years away and fans will have to make do with spin-offs and remakes until then. However, Metaphor: ReFantazio seems to be a promising continuation of the Persona legacy and will hopefully satisfy fans in the meantime.

Metaphor: ReFantazio will be released in 2024 for PC and Xbox Series X/S.