Metaphor: ReFantazio (Playstation 5) - Golden Joystick Nominee

Fantastic game.Atlas you did it again, another awesome game that'll stick with me for life. Really impressed with this new IP. The only complaint however minor it is - is the dungeon design. It's not curated as well like the ones in Persona but considering that's the only thing I can think of, it's a good problem. The English VA's were stellar, really appreciated all the different British Accents in this one and they were performed so well too. The music is beautiful as you can expect from Atlus games. The cast is lovely as well with some exceptions (really wished a certain someone was playable, I won't say it here for spoilers reasons)I clocked in at 94:14 playtime which is really good value for money I did spend extra time in dungeons for levels etc though so it may be shorter for those strictly there to enjoy the story. The world itself is beautiful, a good contrast to the other IP's behind Atlus whilst still retaining their flair on the genre.Thank you Atlus and everyone involved in the production of this game.

So about 7 hours in so far. A great story, told well, with a really interesting character development arch. Not graphically pushing the PS5 but is beautiful in its own way. Special mention for the great soundtrack. This is clearly a tremendous, enjoyable and meticulously crafted game. Not quite God of War / Cyberpunk / Ghost of Tsushima great, but very very close. 9/10.P.s. generally I am not a fan of JRPGs

The most highly anticipated game of the year for me, Metaphor: ReFantazio is a must play for any fan of Shin Megami Tensei, Persona or any other Atlas RPG. The DNA of all that has gone before is here, but it feels so fresh here.Turn based combat, with a Press Turn system similar to SMT5:V, with the addition of immediate action combat in the overworld. If you break an enemy outside of turn-based battles you can launch into Squad Battle with a huge advantage (the enemies can also turn the tables on you!)What really makes the combat stand out here, is if you attack a weak enemy in the overworld, you will destroy them in one or two hits, and reap instant rewards, without ever having to enter turn-based combat. This makes dungeons a joy to traverse, allowing you to blitz your way through trash enemies, whilst still getting your EXP etc.The world in which the story takes place is a fantasy world reminiscent of the renaissance era of our own history. Parallels are also drawn to our own society (albeit an idealised and utopian version). It's a fascinating world and sociopolitical landscape in which you'll find yourself. Many diverse races living together, and all the prejudices and discrimination that you might expect.The art style is beautiful, and character designs equally so, very Atlus. Yes, the graphics aren't hitting for the stratosphere, and the lack of antialiasing is prominent, but honestly you're not playing an Atlus RPG for the graphical fidelity. The PS5 performance is fantastic, I've experience no problems so far.The soundtrack is sublime, many believe this to be Shoji Meguro's best work to date. I purchased the Atlus 35th Digital Anniversary Upgrade, including the full soundtrack and all the other goodies! The soundtracks allow you to transfer the music to an external USB drive on the PS5!What Atlus has achieved here, is a truly outstanding, 100+ hour, RPG - one that I hope will see it launch a new "third pillar" IP to Atlus' portfolio; SMT, Persona and now Metaphor: ReFantasio.I can't recommend this game enough! Support developers that strive to give gamers something fresh and exciting.

I find it annoying that anytime an item is small enough to be pushed through the letter box it is shoved through even if it could be something delicate or easily damaged. my item game fine

This game is amazing, the story is brilliant the art style and direction is phenomenal. The traditional JRPG battle system is where the game really excels itself, it work similar to it's sister games Persona and just carries on what worked. I love the world, lore and the fantasy setting, the calendar system also works so much better for me in this game.

ATLUS have made another great RPG. They are known for the Persona and Shin Megami Tensei series and this game is like they have taken those games and refined the systems. Its a fast turn based combat system, similar to Persona 5 with a few tweaks.Story and characters are great with heavy emphasis on racial discrimination in the kingdom and a struggle for the throne, but it is done in such a good way that at no point do you think this is more modern day woke nonsense. Voice acting and music are also top notch.

At first I thought the game would just be fantasy persona and while I still vaguely describe the game this way, Metaphor feels like everything I’ve wanted from a Persona game. The characters and story are amazing and I find the timekeeping aspect a lot easier in this game as you don’t have to hang out with friends before ranking them up like in Persona games.The story is simple and captivating and ever expanding as you progress. You go from an outcasted race looking for a cure for a prince believed dead to being in a race for the throne unravelling the mystery behind the current state of the kingdom. The battle system is really fun and saves a lot of time as you can beat weak enemies in the over world and only enter turn based combat with enemies as strong or stronger than you. The characters are all intriguing and I loved all of the characters you get to spend time with which is a rarity for me.The game has no romance options like the Persona games present but I think this is probably for the best with the tone of the story and the fact I probably wouldn’t have been able to date Strohl anyways even if romance was an option.

Very original gameplay and story, graphics are a bit overwhelming at first but the game is fun! The scenarios seems receptive after a while but I enjoy the progression! Would recommend to a fan of the Persona style and gameplay.