Given that Metaphor: ReFantazio has a lot in common with the Persona games — especially in terms of gameplay structure and mechanics — many had simply assumed that it would also feature a Persona-style romance system, letting you forge a more intimate relationship with a party member or supporting character of your choice.
However, when we started to learn more and more about Metaphor earlier this year, developer Atlus confirmed that the fantasy RPG would not be following in Persona's footsteps, and would avoid player-driven romance altogether. Back in April, the studio basically said that the game is more about establishing camaraderie amongst your allies.
But if you're looking for a more in-depth explanation, director Katsura Hashino delivers. Speaking to GamesRadar, the veteran developer acknowledges that romance is an important part of the Persona series for a lot of people, but with Metaphor, it's just a different vibe.
"For us, the reason we included romance in previous games is that a lot of our games are based around the idea of teenagers living their lives," he explains. "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 this game specifically, it's not about teenagers. It's about a person trying to become the ruler of the land. They are more focused on the relationships between a ruler and the people who support them," Hashino continues.
So, essentially, Hashino is saying that Metaphor has a more... mature tone, and that there are simply other elements that the team has chosen to prioritise. Hashino summarises things quite nicely: "You throw out what you think won't work and take what you think will."