Metaphor: ReFantazio is doing very well so far, and according to its director, this may be because it was not made by “profit-oriented executives”…

This October, a new RPG won the hearts of hundreds of thousands of players: this is Metaphor: ReFantazio. The latest game from Atlus and SEGA sold over a million copies in a few hours, and it also became the Japanese company’s best-performing game on Steam. This is a result for which the director is not only grateful but also thinks he knows the reason. For Katsura Hashino, a game made by managers is not exciting – it has to be done from the heart.

Katsura Hashino, the legendary creator of the Persona series, shared with us what makes Metaphor: ReFantazio so special. In an interview with IGN, Hashino noted that his approach to creating successful games is based on capturing the deep, emotional human essence. “I want something – even if it’s not complete, even if it’s really rough, even if it’s something really unfinished – to give me a glimpse of the humanity behind it,” Hashino said, hinting that he and his team bring their own personal touch to each project.

This contrasts with other types of projects that are done by “CEOs in a boardroom”.

They are only interested in profitability; they work based on numbers and statistics. According to him, these types of projects have no soul, they lose the human character, which he believes is crucial for an emotional connection with players. This design philosophy is also reflected in the game’s characters. As in Persona, Metaphor: ReFantazio’s characters face universal anxieties and challenges that resonate with players. Hashino explained that his goal is to create characters that, while fictional, feel deeply real and relatable.

As the Japanese developer puts it: “I feel like if you have these super highly polished games […], that doesn’t really excited me”. While Square Enix continues to invest heavily in hyper-realistic graphics, Atlus has opted for a more picturesque and vibrant visual style. For Hashino, what is essential is not technical perfection but the creative freedom and emotional impact that artists and developers can convey.

Was Metaphor: ReFantazio inspired by The Lord of the Rings?!

Interestingly, the medieval concept of Metaphor: ReFantazio was influenced by fantasy works such as The Lord of the Rings during the creative process, albeit without the intention of copying key elements. Katsura Hashino, the game’s director, took inspiration from various books in the genre to create a unique medieval world. This is a departure from the modern style of previous games such as Persona. Hashino further emphasized that their goal was to avoid imitation and develop a completely new experience that only they could create, thus giving this title its own identity.

Source: IGN