Metaphor Refantazio Post-Game

So yeah, overall I enjoyed the game. I think it's good, though there wasn't anything that totally blew me away or resonated with me so much that it would feel a travesty for it not to win "Game of the Year" awards (as has been the case the last couple years with BG3 and ER). If this is comparable to Persona games, I might keep an eye on them going forward, but don't feel the need to consume the back catalog.

The gameplay itself is fine - competently done, but a little heavy on menus. I still dislike the time slot management aspect because of how it taps parts of my psyche that feel a need to optimize everything, but I found there was ultimately more than enough time to do all the bond quests, raising traits, monster hunts, side missions, and arena fights.

The story and characters were really the strength for me, engaging me for the lengthy run time. I liked almost all the friendly NPCs and most of the hostile ones were understandable. Several of the plot twists along the way were predictable before the reveal, which is arguably a good thing as it means there was some foundation for them. I probably could have done with one less fight at the end and I'm a little lukewarm on some of the tropes, but it's still good. The political competition for the throne strikes a little close to home during election time, and I wonder how much of that was planned versus coincidence.

I suppose the strongest thematic takeaway is probably the value of fantasy as inspiration for making a better world and how succumbing to anxieties and fears can drag people away from that. That seems a worthwhile point to try to make.


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