Topic: Metaphor: ReFantazio Thread

@Th3solution I don't really have any frame of reference as to the writing in the Persona games, but I'd definitely say it's above average compared to the wider gaming landscape. I'm not sure I was quite as enamored with the narrative as some, but I did really enjoy myself throughout. I think it has some very high highs, but there's also times I wished it would speed up a bit. The game also has the tendency to lock you into what are essentially hours of cutscenes, which I do think negatively affected the pacing. The effect of which is especially worsened by the fact that they would often deliver the necessary information in long, drawn-out conversations which could've easily been cut down into more biteable chunks.

I do think the character work in this game is the star way more so than the overall narrative, which I doubt is surprising or unusual based on what I've heard about other Atlus RPGs. I did genuinely enjoy being with each of the party characters and I would be hard-pressed to name a weak link within them. I do think their follower bond stories are mostly pretty... hamfistedly written. There's really not a lot of nuance or thematic subtlety they employ, but I think the positive themes and strength of the charcters overcome that and most of the time make it come across more charming than anything. If you don't mind that type of writing, then I don't think there'll be an issue for you there.

As for the schedule, yeah, I didn't really have any problems with time management throughout the game. And as much as I tried to play optimally anf min-max my time, I definitely wasn't incredibly efficient or anything. In the end, I believe I had about a week left where I could finish up some non-essential stuff or just kill time waiting for the final day to approach. If you're already coming into this game knowing the system and how to approach it from Persona, I imagine the scheduling will be a walk in the park for you on this one. I did one-day every dungeon which I'm sure helped, but I've found it to not be that hard to do. I'd say the first major dungeon is the hardest to do in one and the only one that really required a bit of grinding, as you're simply not well-equipped at that point to deal with a battle of attrition versus your MP.

I do hope you'll give it a shot and let us know how you get on with it! Just make sure you have a good block of time available to dedicate yourself to it. I finished at about 110 hourd on the in-game timer, but that includes a lot of my pausing the game while I had to look away for a bit to perform home office duties. Having a home office job where I'm mostly not actually working and can focus on other things has been essential to me in finishing it in the — by my standards — short two months I did, haha.

@Jimmer-jammer @JohnnyShoulder How are you peeps' journeys getting along? Glad to see you join us on the path, Mr. Shoulder. Like I said earlier, I've finished the game at this point. If you at any point have the need for some spoiler-free advice or tips, just give me a shout and I'll do my best to help out. Not that I'm the best gamer, mind you, but I've managed my way through this one alright.

And to maybe assuage some of my own fears for you once you get to the later points of the game, don't stress the level or Archetype grind. You'll be fine. I was too, and I'm not the type to grind anything at all. As long as you just kill every monster in your way going through the dungeons, you'll rack up the necessary XP soon enough. I would advise prioritising Maria's bond as much as you can, as she gives you certain bonuses that help out in leveling both. The sooner you get her to a specific level, the more beneficial it'll be to you in the long run. I think it definitely helped in my lack of need to grind.

@Tjuz Thanks for the tips! It's good to know there is not an over reliance on grinding in the game.

I'm currently facing Zorba and did a sort of a trial run against him, as I didn't have a great deal of MP so will need to go back into town and get some rest. I think this will be my third day in the dungeon and fourth for this section. Seems to be doable though.

@Tjuz Okay, that sounds about right, regarding the story and writing that is. As much as I enjoyed the Persona games, the stories I’ve largely forgotten but the characters were quite memorable, even though their arcs and dialogue were sometimes… hamfisted, as you eloquently put it. I’m not really an anime fan and the manner of storytelling is more in that style. Still, they’re doing something right to make us care about the characters despite it all.

@Tjuz Congrats on finishing the game! With the busyness of the holidays, I’ve slowed down a bit but am currently moving through the dragon temple and the various side quests surrounding this area of the game. Still thoroughly enjoying it! I can’t say I’ve felt the pressure of the schedule at all and feel the game gives plenty of time to do quests and level up the various virtues and bonds.

My only real complaint thus far is exactly what you mentioned in regards to being (without any real warning) locked into lengthy story dumps. Pacing wise, I find it a bit Kojima-esque. For someone who can often only play for an hour at a time, I’ve had entire play sessions where it doesn’t really feel like I’ve ‘played’ anything at all. The strength of the writing in general has kept this far from being a deal breaker for me though.

Did the game wrap up in a satisfying way for you?