Operation Backlog Completion 2026

New Details Revealed About Metaphor: ReFantazio

 Video games  2 Responses »  Tagged with: ,
Dec 112023
 

We were just talking about Metaphor: ReFantazio because of the Game Awards, and now we have even more to discuss.

Atlus shared a bunch of details during an end-of-year broadcast, and Gematsu translated the information here.

The setting, already showcased during the Game Awards trailer, is a kingdom thrown into chaos when the king is assassinated (and the prince is cursed). The world has eight tribes, each with unique physical characteristics like wings or beast ears.

There are also twisted monsters that Gematsu has translated as “humans,” which at first made me wonder if a different translation would be used in the game, but I looked back at the E3 reveal trailer and there’s a point in there where the characters react to seeing a “human,” so it seems like that’s what it is.

I found the story details a little difficult to follow, because the protagonist sets out on a quest to break the death curse on the prince, but then it says he joins the magical race for the throne, so I’m not entirely sure if the protagonist is actually trying to get the throne or if he just gets mixed up in it while trying to save the prince.

Anyway, the new information also covers the combat we saw in the trailer. The core combat system is turn-based, but you’ll be able to defeat weak enemies on the field with action gameplay.

(Which sounds similar to what Trails Through Daybreak did, so expect to see that comparison a lot.)

Metaphor: ReFantazio will include daily life mechanics that are said to be evolved compared to those in Persona and will create a “realistic daily life experience as if you were actually planning a journey,” as well as multiple bases across the world to travel between. I’m not quite sure what that first part means, but I’m curious.

I have to admit, when they showed this game at E3, I thought it was a lot closer to Persona than it is. I’m really intrigued by the world and story now! It still seems like the real world has some connection – maybe with the “humans”? – but the fantasy setting is a lot more pronounced.

Anyway, it’s still a fair way off, set for a fall 2024 release, but I’m looking forward to Metaphor Re:Fantazio. What do you think about the latest details?

Highlights From The Game Awards 2023

 Video games  5 Responses »  Tagged with: , , , ,
Dec 082023
 

The Game Awards took place last night, and that meant we got plenty of new game announcements and trailers alongside the awards.

There wasn’t anything Earth-shattering for me (which is probably good, since 2024 already looks so stacked my backlog is shuddering in fear), but there were still some great announcements.

The following games were the highlights for me.

First, a really big surprise was Pony Island 2: Panda Circus. We talked about the first Pony Island a couple years ago, as part of 2021’s spooky games celebration. It was a puzzle game that was bizarre, funny, and creepy, with some fantastic tricks for the player. I enjoyed it a lot, so I’ll definitely play the sequel when it comes out.

The next big highlight for me was the new trailer for Metaphor: ReFantazio. It was announced ahead of time that it would be shown, so I wasn’t surprised, but I was excited to get another look!

Its fantasy setting comes across more clearly in this trailer, and it looks like it will be a great game to play. It’s now set for fall 2024 (fortunately distanced from the crush of games at the start of the year).

Now, what should have a been a huge, exciting surprise for me was the announcement that God of War: Ragnarok has DLC comeing out on December 12 for free, especially since it’s an epilogue to the story.

But my enthusiasm diminished when they said it will involve roguelike elements. Hearing the term “roguelike” doesn’t immediately turn me away anymore after I enjoyed Hades so much, but it did change my initial reaction from “I need to get back to Ragnarok and hurry up and finish it!” to “Sure, I’ll get back to Ragnarok eventually.”

How about another exciting surprise, then? The Mana series is getting a new mainline entry next year with Visions of Mana. It looks beautiful! I’m disappointed that there’s no Switch version, but maybe they’re assuming the Switch’s successor will be out by then.

(I probably should play some more Mana games before then, though.)

Getting back to DLC, another big announcement of the night was the reveal of two DLCs for Final Fantasy XVI, the first of which is already out while the second will be coming next spring. I’ll get around to playing Final Fantasy XVI one of these days, once I finally pick up a PS5.

The Game Awards was one big long reminder of games I want to play. Don’t forget the epic performance by Poets of the Fall as the Old Gods of Asgard, which I watched even though I haven’t played Alan Wake 2 yet. It just got me even more excited to finally play. Rise of the Ronin also looks pretty cool, and so does the new game from the developers of Ori and the Blind Forest, No Rest for the Wicked.

These are the announcements that stood out the most to me from this year’s Game Awards! What games are you most excited for?

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