After receiving a Game of the Year nomination at The Game Awards 2024, and multiple accolades at numerous other award shows, it’s safe to say thatMetaphor: ReFantaziowas one of the most acclaimed games of last year.Metaphor: ReFantaziogained tons of traction even before its release, thanks to its relation to thePersonaseries. Now that the game is on a victory lap, it would do well to take another feather out ofPersona’s cap.
Personais associated with all sorts of common tropes between each game, with one of them being its large library of spin-off titles. Of course, these spin-off series aren’t all created equal. Some only have a single entry, while others boast several. Thanks to one of its best features,Metaphoris more than deserving to borrow from one of the most prolificPersonaspin-offsthere is.
Metaphor: ReFantazio and Persona Dancing Could be a Match Made in Heaven
Persona Dancing is the Franchise’s Premier Spin-Off
Some ofPersona’s newer spin-offs simply haven’t had the time to delve into every corner of the series yet. For example,Tacticastill hasn’t explored pastPersona 5, despite making its debut shortly before the release ofPersona 3 Reload. Ironically, thePersona Arenaseries still has yet to release a game featuringPersona 5characters, despite being around for much longer than titles likeTactica. In this regard, thePersona Dancingseries is seemingly unmatched.
Although the first two games have a cult following of their own, the modernPersonaseries is often defined fromPersona 3onward.Persona Dancingmade its debut withPersona 4: Dancing All Nightin 2015. Then,Persona 3: Dancing in MoonlightandPersona 5: Dancing in Starlightwere released simultaneously in 2018.
Metaphor: ReFantazio’s Soundtrack was a Major Hit
Although not officially a part of theShin Megami Tenseiseries,Metaphor: ReFantazio’s combat systemdoes borrow many mechanics from its predecessors. By the time award season rolled around, the game’s narrative was a major point of praise as well. However, in keeping withPersonaand other Atlus titles,Metaphor: ReFantazio’s soundtrack was one of the game’s most unforgettable features.
Metaphor: ReFantazioreceived a nomination forBest Score and Music at The Game Awards 2024, and only narrowly lost the award toFinal Fantasy VII: Rebirth. A solid soundtrack should already be reason enough to giveMetaphorits own rhythm game spin-off. Even ifMetaphor’s music does share a similar level of acclaim asPersonamusic, it is worth mentioning that the appeal of both soundtracks isn’t exactly the same.
Metaphor Dancing Would be a Risk Worth Taking
ThePersonaseries features plenty of traditionally “catchy” tunes, whileMetaphoroften takes a more operatic approach with its soundtrack.Music in thePersonaseriesis designed for a stylized modern setting, so hip-hop and jazz inspirations work perfectly. Meanwhile,Metaphor’s fantasy setting is served equally well by its more “grand” sound. Despite this challenge, aMetaphordancing game could still be worthwhile.
ThePersona Dancingseries has already adapted plenty of songs that one wouldn’t think lend themselves well to a rhythm game, with some of these arrangements being more infamous than others.Persona Dancinghas always worked, not only because of its music, but also because of the opportunity for character interaction. Characters feature unique duets with one another, and best of all, the story of each game is canon. Where its music may prove a challenge,Metaphor: ReFantazio’s characterscould knock it out of the park.
Metaphor’s aforementioned narrative received such acclaim because of its compelling cast of characters. As thevillain ofMetaphor: ReFantazio, a character like Louis may seem too self-serious for dancing. However, this irony only proves the game’s potential.Persona Dancinghas become iconic both because of the earworms in its soundtrack, and the hilarity of seeing Tohru Adachi bust it down on the dance floor.Metaphor: ReFantaziocan absolutely rise to the task, so Atlus may as well strike while the iron is hot.
