Metaphor: ReFantazio is an upcoming new RPG from Atlus, which developed other influential series such as Persona and Shin Megami Tensei. The game's connection to this acclaimed franchise is cause for excitement, but its status as an entirely new IP is that much more thrilling. Metaphor: ReFantazio will hopefully break new ground in that regard, although a few factors still invite comparison.

While Metaphor: ReFantazio does share some clear DNA with its predecessors, it makes plenty of cuts to the Persona formula as well. Persona games are known for taking a long time to complete, so many may wonder how Metaphor's similarities and differences could affect its own runtime. Thankfully, Atlus recently released the answer to this burning question.

Metaphor ReFantazio Protagonist Gallica Vs Monster
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Atlus Reveals How Long Metaphor: ReFantazio Is Compared to Persona 5

Metaphor: ReFantazio director reveals how long the upcoming JRPG will be in comparison to other entries in Atlus' Persona series.

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Metaphor: ReFantazio Runtime Compares and Contrasts with the Persona Series

Metaphor: ReFantazio Is Deceptively Different from Persona

On its face, Metaphor seems rather similar to its peers. After all, its sense of style and combat system initially present Metaphor: ReFantazio as a genre-swapped Persona game. However, a few key distinctions show that the game has vastly different priorities. These changes are much more than skin deep, and could lead one to believe that Metaphor could have a shorter runtime compared to Persona.

While the fantasy genre remains the first difference that fans are likely to notice, this immediately calls other aspects to attention. For example, Metaphor: ReFantazio lacks significant romance options or plot lines. This is in service of the game's tone, and vastly different from Persona, where romance is a high priority. Considering romance can contribute several hours to any given Persona game, Metaphor would have to work overtime in order to make up the difference.

Persona Leaves Big Shoes for Metaphor: ReFantazio to Fill

Almost every Persona game has a lengthy runtime, nearly making it a subject of infamy at this point. In fact, the games have only gotten longer as time has gone on, and as its developers have become more ambitious. For example, the original release of Persona 3 takes most players between 80 and 90 hours to complete, while The Answer epilogue tacks on an additional 30 hours. By contrast, beating Persona 5 Royal can take anywhere between 100 and 140 hours.

This has set a clear expectation for fans, a defined series tradition that Persona 6 will likely follow. However, fans should keep in mind that Metaphor is by no means a spin-off. Despite its obvious differences, it's almost impossible to avoid whether Metaphor: ReFantazio can live up to the expectations set by other Atlus games. Likewise, Metaphor ridding itself of certain core features has made this conversation that much more pressing.

Metaphor: ReFantazio Sports a Similar Playtime to Persona 5

Looks can be deceiving, and Atlus recently revealed that Metaphor: ReFantazio will be similar in length to recent Persona games after all. Katsura Hashino, the lead developer behind Metaphor: ReFantazio, recently confirmed that Metaphor will compare directly to Persona 5 in both ambition and runtime. Although this is far from an exact number, players can look back to Persona 5 and see the intention of Hashino's statement.

Persona 5 takes most players around 100 hours to complete, meaning Metaphor: ReFantazio will likely match this length. Apparently, certain exclusions haven't negatively affected this aspect of the game, as Metaphor has more than enough additions to make up for it. Most prominently in Hashino's statement, Metaphor: ReFantazio will feature an extensive post-game, which is a far cry from the definitive endings of most Persona games.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Metaphor: ReFantazio breaks rank from other Atlus franchises, but still keeps some important features in line. Fans of lengthy Persona games won't have to worry about Metaphor selling them short, as the fantasy RPG appears to more than make up for noticeable exclusions.