Summary
Metaphor: ReFantazio’s director, Katsura Hashino, has finally explained why the game isn’t going to have a romance system like the one seen in almost everyPersonagame.
Ever since Metaphor: ReFantazio was first revealed, one of the main takeaways that a lot of RPG fans have had about itis that it looks a hell of a lot like Persona. While it’s true that the UI, battle mechanics, and overall style of Metaphor are similar to Persona (which makes sense considering both are developed byAtlus),there’s quite a lot that Metaphor does differently.
I could highlight all the ways that Metaphor’s fantasy world differs from that of Persona or talk about the unique real-time action combat shenanigans, but thebiggest way that Metaphor sets itself apart from Persona is that it doesn’t have any romance options. This caused quite a stir when it was confirmed back in April, and the game’s director has finally commented on why.
Here’s Why Metaphor: ReFantazio Doesn’t Have Romances
Metaphor: ReFantazio was recently showcased as part of Summer Game Fest’s Play Days event, which included the chance to interview the game’s director, Katsura Hashino.GamesRadar+ spoke to Hashino at the event, where they asked him about Metaphor’s romance-less adventure.
In response, Hashino said that romance wasn’t included in Metaphor because it’s not the focus of the adventure. Our hero is focused solely on their relationship with people while they try to be the ruler of the land. In contrast, Persona was all about teenagers, so romance was added because it adds to the realism of the setting.
“A lot of our games are based around the idea of teenagers living their lives. What teenager doesn’t want to have romance in their life? It’s part of the realism of the setting. We know people really like this system and it’s really popular, but for [Metaphor] specifically, it’s not about teenagers. It’s about a person trying to become the ruler of the land.
Hashino also said that the development team (in this case Studio Zero and not P-Studio, the team responsible for Persona) starts by thinking about what it wants to achieve and what the game is trying to be, resulting in them throwing out “what you think won’t work”. It seems that romance was one of those features.
Considering the response to Metaphor not having any romances, though, it’s possible that any future game in the series could end up giving it a go. After all, doesn’t a ruler need someone to rule by their side?
