After revealing the contenders for the throne, Atlus shared lots of new details about the story of Metaphor: ReFantazio, the upcoming RPG from Studio Zero.
While Atlus has shared plenty of info about the game over the months, this latest detail drop gives fans the best overview of what to expect story-wise. That’s because Atlus shared info on the game’s setting, main character, and the story behind what is essentially the game’s inciting incident.
All About the Kingdom of Euchronia
First up, Metaphor: ReFantazio is set in the Kingdom Euchronia that’s composed of various nations unified under a king.
To give you a better picture of the kingdom, Atlus describes it as:
Within one corner of this world exists the Kingdom of Euchronia.
The kingdom is an alliance of nations that began with its valiant first king and saw unification and governance over the ages by the powerful royal bloodline in its immense magical prowess. However, the kingdom began to decay over the long years, now deteriorating into a land without virtue divided by prejudice and disparity.
In addition to the vicious animals roaming its vast territory, the land is inundated with mysterious creatures known as “humans,” meaning not even the smallest of safe spaces remains outside of the cities.
Then, the kingdom’s prince and king are assassinated, bringing even further confusion and anxiety to its citizens who now have no ruler.
Prologue
Next is the protagonist who is accompanied by his fairy partner. While players will discover more about them as they play, here’s more info on the duo:
A young man embarks on a journey to lift a curse, with a fairy by his side
The Elda are a minority tribe shunned in the Kingdom of Euchronia.
The protagonist, a young Elda, is traveling alongside his fairy partner, Gallica, to lift the curse placed upon the kingdom’s prince.
There is only one way to lift the deadly curse that eats away at the prince: Take the life of its caster.
As the young man travels across the vast continent, he will have many chance meetings, form bonds, and eventually learn the truth of the kingdom.
The curtain unfolds after a terrible incident shakes the entire kingdom…
Metaphor: ReFantazio – Story Introduction
As for the story, this game will open with the assassination of Euchronia’s King. Because the crown prince has been killed ten years ago, the kingdom has been sent into turmoil given that there’s no proper heir to the throne.
Here’s a more detailed description of the events:
Just over ten years have passed since the Kingdom of Euchronia’s crown prince was assassinated. Then, the king himself is cut down, leaving the kingdom in chaos without any ruler or heir to the throne.
Who will be the next king? The sanctifex serving as head of the state religion, a lord or lady of a nearby nation, or perhaps a leader of the military…? As the royal funeral is carried out with various powerful parties all vying for the throne, a spell is unexpectedly cast at the funeral site.
Time is finite before my soul departs this benighted world… Come October, there shall be a reckoning. A Day of the Hero. Upon that day, whosoever hath truly earned the greatest faith of the citizenry… shall ascend to throne and crown by right of kings.
Ringing in the sky was the voice of the king who had been declared dead. He had a grand spell set to activate upon his death that would pit every one of his citizens against one another in a race for the throne, to be decided by popular vote.
The people descend into utter chaos at the thought of electing their own king for the very first time. However, our protagonist decides he must throw himself into the fray in order to accomplish his mission.
And so begins the great race for the throne, to be carried out all across the kingdom. Over the course of his journey, he finds various allies to join him. What awaits them is a grand journey that will change the world as they know it.
Metaphor: ReFantazio – The Story of the Tournament for the Throne
Finally, with the king dead, the royal magic is activated which brings forth a series of events. To be exact, the kingdom’s subjects must now vote for the next monarch who will rule the kingdom.
When the king is assassinated, the royal magic is activated: a spell that selects the kingdom’s next monarch based on who gains the most support by a set deadline. With the throne open to any and all, an unprecedent competition for the throne unfolds.
As the concept of an election is completely new to the people of the United Kingdom of Euchronia, garnering the support of the masses will not be an easy task. Sanctifex Forden, the leader of the kingdom’s state religion, declares the Tournament for the Throne as a means for candidates to demonstrate their qualities to the people.
In the tournament, those making a bid for the throne are charged with visiting all of the kingdom’s major cities. There, they will need to prove their worth by facing grueling challenges.
The first challenge, the Exhibition of the Brave, takes place at Port Brilehaven – where candidates compete to see who can bring in the biggest monster head. Candidates who clear the first challenge will then move on to a challenge at Altabury Heights, followed by a final challenge in Gran Trad.
Metaphor: ReFantazio will be released on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on October 11, 2024.