The protagonist in Sega and Atlus’ upcoming role-playing game, Metaphor: ReFantazio, will not be a “blank slate”.
Speaking during an interview with Famitsu (via), Metaphor: ReFantazio director Katsura Hashino shared some interesting information regarding the game’s protagonist. According to him, while there is a “player = protagonist” dynamic, the protagonist isn’t simply a blank slate.
Hashino mentioned that he designed the protagonist as an androgynous young man with a gentle yet intriguing aura, possessing a strong gaze. He added that the character has a clear mission, and aims to become king to fulfill that goal. However, he said that the protagonist isn’t the type to strategically aim for the throne with calculated moves. Rather, he is a young man with a charisma he’s unaware of, and with an innate heroism, with which he is eventually able to gather support from people. According to Hashimo, he’s someone that might revolutionize the world because of his purity.
In response to another question regarding Archetypes the protagonist awakens to, Hashino mentioned that, in Metaphor: ReFantazio’s world, such things lie dormant in people’s hearts and awaken as they confront their anxieties and fears, manifesting as an “Archetype”. He added that, in real life, we also sometimes receive strength from others or realize new ways of seeing things through interaction. The protagonist also meets such people on his journey and gains invaluable strength. In depicting the game’s “journey”, he determined that incorporating such “bonds” into the system would be natural.
As per Hashino, as the story progresses, the number of party members will increase to seven, and up to four members can participate in battles at once. He mentioned that, while the essence of Archetypes lies in their high degree of freedom, there is also strategic depth to it. Even when challenging the same enemy or dungeon, depending on the player, the party composition can be completely different, reflecting one’s preferred style of play.