Summary
TheFire Emblemseries has now been around for nearly 25 years, although the first installment in the series was only released in Japan in 1990 and didn’t get a worldwide launch until 2020 on the Nintendo Switch. Despite its age, it continues to be one of the morepopular role-playing seriesin the industry, and its influence can be felt throughout. However, while it might not have been directly influenced byFire Emblem, Atlus' recently releasedMetaphor: ReFantaziononetheless feels likePersonaandFire Emblemhad a baby.
Fans of theFire Emblemseries are likely to enjoy whatMetaphor: ReFantaziohas to offer if they ever gave it a chance. With a setting, themes, combat mechanics, and companion system highly reminiscent ofFire Emblem,Metaphor ReFantaziomight be the perfect non-Fire Emblemgame for fans of the longstanding franchise.
Metaphor: ReFantazio and Fire Emblem Have a Lot in Common
Metaphor: ReFantazio and Fire Emblem Share a High Fantasy Setting
At the forefront ofMetaphor: ReFantazioandFire Emblem’s similarities is the high-fantasy setting the two of them share. BothMetaphor: ReFantazioandFire Emblemtake place in rich fantasy worlds with complex lore, where mythical creatures, magic, and massive kingdoms abound. Just asMetaphor: ReFantazio’s heroes possess strong connections to otherworldly beings known as Archetypes,Fire Emblem’s heroes are generally connected to ancient powers and magical bloodlines, making them similar toMetaphor’s playable characters.
Furthermore, at the center of almost everyFire Emblemgame is an ongoing political struggle, which also serves as the primary backdrop forMetaphor: ReFantazio’s story. The political landscape in both theFire Emblemseries and inMetaphor: ReFantazioinvolves power-hungry leaders at war, themes of royal dynasty and succession, the influence of religion on each world, and conflict between classes. This class conflict is especially noticeable inMetaphor: ReFantazio’s tribes, which are often distinguished by the level of prejudice employed against them.
SomeFire Emblemgames focus more on the social and political conflict at hand, whereas others simply lean more heavily into typical fantasy tropes.
The Combat in Metaphor: ReFantazio and Fire Emblem Requires Strategic Planning
Perhaps even more so than Atlus’Personaseries,Metaphor: ReFantaziorequires plenty of strategic planning from players, which makes for yet another similarity it shares with theFire Emblemseries.Metaphor: ReFantazio’s combatis all about learning through trial and error and then planning ahead using the vast number of Archetype combinations available among its party members. Many RPGs allow players to eventually overpower their enemies, regardless of their party setup.Metaphor: ReFantazio, on the other hand, all but requires players to consider its many mechanics that can influence the outcome of a battle before rushing in headlong.
Fire Emblemis the same, in that battles often require players to learn through trial and error and then employ what they’ve learned in a strategic and tactical way. Coincidentally, a major aspect ofFire Emblem’s combat revolves around the positioning of characters, andMetaphor: ReFantazio, unlike thePersonaseries, also places a significant emphasis on the positioning of each party member in battle. Furthermore, just like withMetaphor: ReFantazio’s Archetypes, efficient use ofFire Emblem’s character classes also contributes to a successful outcome.
Metaphor: ReFantazio and Fire Emblem Have Rewarding Companion Systems
Metaphor: ReFantazioandFire Emblemboth also have rewarding companion systems, which see players gradually building relationships with them over time to form worthwhile bonds and acquire useful gameplay benefits. Occasionally, throughoutMetaphor: ReFantazioandgames in theFire Emblemseries, players get the opportunity to interact with their companions in interesting conversations to get to know them better and complete quests for them. These relationships have always been a highlight of theFire Emblemseries, so fans would also likely enjoyMetaphor: ReFantazio’s Follower mechanics, as they function very similarly.
All in all,Metaphor: ReFantaziomay have aPersonaskin, but it hasFire Emblemwritten all over it. With its high-fantasy setting, its tense political and class struggle, its tactical combat, and its in-depth companion system,Metaphor: ReFantaziois more than worth a try for lovers ofFire Emblem.
Metaphor: ReFantazio
WHERE TO PLAY
From the creative minds behind Persona 3, 4, and 5 comes Metaphor: ReFantazio, a unique fantasy world, where your protagonist will journey alongside his fairy companion, Gallica, to lift the curse from the kingdom’s lost prince.Control your destiny, face your fears, and awaken magical Archetype powers that lie dormant in your heart. By awakening to an Archetype, you will unlock the power to channel and combine the abilities of unique job classes. Strengthen your bonds and build your party to take down powerful foes and discover the kingdom’s true nature.
