As Persona devs dove into fantasy with Metaphor: ReFantazio, the JRPG's director got advice from Neon Genesis Evangelion's designer: "Don't let yourself be hemmed in"

GamesJRPGMetaphor: ReFantazioAs Persona devs dove into fantasy with Metaphor: ReFantazio, the JRPG’s director got advice from Neon Genesis Evangelion’s designer: “Don’t let yourself be hemmed in"When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. GamesJRPGMetaphor: ReFantazioAs Persona devs dove into fantasy with Metaphor: ReFantazio, the JRPG’s director got advice from Neon Genesis Evangelion’s designer: “Don’t let yourself be hemmed in"When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Sega / Atlus) Neon Genesis Evangelion’s Ikuto Yamashita (the guy who designs all those kickass mechs) apparently gave Persona’s director the push he needed when pursuing a new fantasy world inMetaphor: ReFantazio. Speaking toPolygon, Katsura Hashino, director and producer of the Persona series, touched on the team’s early struggles when developing an all-new fantasy setting. Persona and the Shin Megami Tensei series brilliantly inject supernatural ongoings into our everyday modern worlds, but Hashino “didn’t really know much about fantasy” and thus had to ask for some world-class help. One person who imparted such advice was iconic mech drawer Ikuto Yamashita, who apparently told Hashino, “Don’t let yourself be hemmed in.” Those words “really helped” the director take Metaphor down its own lane. While Metaphor’s fantasy setting opens the door to, well, everything, Hashino explains that it’s still pulling inspiration from real life. Metaphor: ReFantazio touches on racial tensions, the search for another ruler, and political elections, alongside the inevitable struggles to kill otherworldly beasts. So, Hashino modeled the various tribes on personality types. Metaphor: ReFantazio is coming to PC, Xbox Series X|S, Game Pass, and PS5 on October 11. Afree Prologue demo that carries progress over into the main game is available now, in case you want a little head start ahead of what’s set to be another gargantuan RPG. Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more Metaphor: ReFantazio devs say the JRPG’s high-stakes elections are just like driving a race car, which is why they’re sponsoring F1’s most lovable loser. 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