Metaphor: ReFantazio, a new RPG from the creators of the acclaimed Persona franchise, has shown the result of years of creative work: The archetype system.
These archetypes, or jobs, will be the game’s core gameplay system. The Atlus developers considered it so groundbreaking that it warranted a full dedicated SGF trailer. “We are pouring all of our acquired expertise into this game to make it as exciting as possible,” the game’s creative director Katsura Hashino said while commenting on the archetype system during the 2024 Summer Game Fest festival run.
These Metaphor: ReFantazio archetypes are jobs, or classes in the RPG sense, and will be the players’ gateway to combat and encounters. Several of the archetypes were shown in the trailer, which was Persona in all but name, with each seeming to be form of “hidden power” that various characters wield uniquely.
The trailer’s narrator alludes to the archetypes being “heroic virtues” unique to each and every person. Players will be able to “acquire more archetypes” and “bring them together” to build up the ideal party composition. This system seemingly aims to expand the traditional understanding of RPG classes and make them more unique, with each having its own set of flairs and character traits that make the archetype itself a character.
The trailer also implies the existence of strange and mysterious archetypes with incredible amounts of power, which may be the ultimate reward for the players’ troubles and tribulations. One of them reminds of the Exodia from the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise, colossal explosive blast and all.
Metaphor: ReFantazio is shaping up to be a genuine spiritual successor to Persona and an evolution of the formula that put Atlus on the map. Expect the game on Oct. 11, when it will land on Steam and current and last-gen consoles.
