Metaphor: ReFantazio is the latest turn-based role-playing game from Atlus. Developed by Atlus' Studio Zero, it shares many similarities with the Persona series, while featuring some key differences, such as a more action-oriented gameplay and a switch to a fantasy setting. The end result is one of the developer's coolest and most customizable RPGs to date.

While still a turn-based RPG at its core, there are much more fluid action elements. Your character can roll out of the way of attacks, outright defeat weaker enemies with sword slashes, and perform combos to stun stronger enemies before transitioning into turn-based combat. This ultimately works very well, as it allows for dungeons to be filled with a variety of enemies, big and small, and gives the player some additional choice in how they explore.

The main battle will sound familiar to Persona fans, as you essentially have the same options, ranging from team-up attacks to standard melee bashes. The big difference is that instead of a Persona, characters awaken an “archetype” in battle. What’s cool about this format is that you can change each party member’s archetype to a different class, leveling them up however you want, and deciding which skills carry over. It’s a fun way to really shake up an existing formula and rewards experimentation, as players can come up with awesome strategies that can then be executed in battle.

Metaphor: ReFantazio also makes the most of its fantasy world, introducing a number of different races and crafting a story that plays on the inherent problems of its class and race based society. The story picks up after the king is assassinated and a series of events lead up to a popular election being held for the first time. The story is compelling from start to finish, with Atlus once again delivering a fantastic script filled with great characters. Some parts are devastatingly written, especially when they play on our expectations, such as calling the big boss monsters "humans" and seeing the characters dream of a utopia that looks a lot like our current society, underscoring just how much we've dropped the ball.