# Metaphor: ReFantazio ‘ATLUS Exclusive’ introduces election candidates, followers

■ Introduction

Hello, everyone. I am Katsura Hashino, the director of Metaphor. My representative works include Shin Megami Tensei III, Persona 3, Persona 4, and Persona 5. In the previous showcases, we have introduced you to the story and the world in which the main characters will be competing in the royal tournament.

In this ATLUS Exclusive Metaphor: ReFantazio Character Edition Showcase, we’ll be looking at the campaign in its early stage, introduce the rival candidates and their believers, the fascinating supporters who help the protagonist win the election, and the bonds you will form with these characters. I will introduce them in more depth than what we have done in previous Exclusives

We will continue to introduce new information about Metaphor on the ATLUS YouTube channel, so please be sure to subscribe to our channel. Now, let’s begin the Character Edition Showcase.

■ Synopsis

First, here is a synopsis of the story. On a special mission to save the prince, the protagonist attends the king’s funeral to assassinate the mastermind, the great criminal Louis. Suddenly, the giant face of the supposedly dead king appears in the sky over the Royal Capital, and the “election magic” is triggered. “Whoever can win the most support from the people by the deadline will be the next king.” Thus began an unprecedented uprising for the throne, allowing the citizens to be a candidate to become the next king.

Gathering popular support is not an easy task for regular citizens who have no electoral experience. That is when Sanctifex Forden of the Sanctus Church, a leading figure in the country, declares the “Tournament for the Throne” as an opportunity for people to put their powers on display and gather support. In this “Tournament for the Throne,” those who have put themselves forward as candidates for king are tasked to visit the major cities in the kingdom, proving their worth to the public as they tackle tough challenges. The first destination, Port Brielhaven, will host the “Exhibition of the Brave,” in which candidates compete to see who can bring in the biggest monster head. Those who make it through will head to Altabury Heights to take on the next challenge.

It is Batlin, a Sanctus crier, who is responsible for informing the public about the Tournament for the Throne, which has become a truly national event. His lighthearted play-by-play keeps the public engaged in the tournament.

■ Candidates Vying for the Throne

Now, in this national election campaign, candidates with various agendas come forward. The two most powerful men leading the tournament from unassailable positions are Forden and the protagonist’s arch-nemesis, Louis.

Forden

Forden is the supreme authority of Sanctism, the state religion of the United Kingdom of Euchronia, and is also the head of the Crown Theocracy, the government ruled with Sanctism at its center. In the turmoil following the sudden death of the previous king, he has garnered wide support from the population, given his position as the leader of the moderate faction.

Louis

Louis, on the other hand, in contrast to the moderate Forden, is an army officer with military prowess who believes in true meritocracy, wielding overwhelming combat and magical skills that enable him to defeat the humans. His policy of valuing skill and rationality over birth or circumstance has garnered tremendous support, especially among radical youths.

Of course, these two are not the only ones who will be competing in the Royal Tournament campaign. Other candidates also put their names forward in the campaign, each with their own quirky platforms.

Gideaux

The first one I would like to introduce is Gideaux. He is Forden’s primary bodyguard, as well as the Captain of the Monk Army, the enforcement arm of the Crown Theocracy. He himself does not intend to be king, but he doesn’t seem to take kindly to the arrival of the “filthy” elda protagonist.

Godell

Next, Godell. Known as “Godell the Black Hound,” he is Louis’ subordinate, but is a rather ambitious man who is running for election on the platform of rising to power. He makes no effort to hide his open hostility, which may eventually become a thorny issue for you.

Milo

One of the oddballs is Milo of the ishkia tribe, who preaches an agenda where those of beauty will strip all the hideous of their titles. Wherever he goes, you’re bound to hear the high-pitched screams of his fans.

Loveless

Next, the third son of a tavern owner, with the slogan of “All you can drink all year round.” Without giving much thought to the future of the kingdom, some might be tempted to agree with Loveless’ pledge, which falls in line with his hedonistic paripus traits.

Rudolf

Rudolf, another bloodthirsty candidate .He pledges to establish a roussainte military dictatorship. His appeal for greater control of the roussainte tribe seems to have attracted the support of those who feel repressed by the rule of moderate clemars.

Lina

Lina, a eugief candidate and the only daughter of the family that runs the Kayden Workshop, is participating to promote the gauntlet runner family business.

Goddard

Goddard, a demolitionist of the rhoag tribe, is a representative of the elderly, with his pledge to give preferential treatment to the old and tax the young.

Roger

Roger, a young man of the clemar tribe, believes in his own righteousness and is pushing forward with his vision of a truly free country with no taxes, no laws, and no religion

Jin

Jin from the nidia tribe is intent on winning no matter what, changing his campaign pledge depending on where he goes and who he needs to please at the moment.

Julian

We also have Julian of the ishkia tribe who is very conscious about pro-animal rights even when it comes to monsters that threaten people.

Edeni

Edeni, an island chief of the mustari tribe, decides to participate in the tournament as a pagan advocate for religious freedom.

And others with various agendas and objectives will appear.

As you can see, the “Tournament for the Throne” has a festive aspect with a truly diverse field of rival candidates. But maybe Gallica is right. If one of these candidates become king, the country will face bigger problems.

The candidates we’ve introduced are all powerful people who have expensive gauntlet runners at their disposal. And I think you will find that there are many who want to represent the tribe they come from and increase their influence. However, some of these rivals are so impacted by the protagonist’s actions down the line that they later become his supporters. I won’t go into detail now, but I hope you will look forward to that as well. Posters highlighting the candidates’ pledges are posted in cities with influential power. You may want to listen to people’s opinions as you walk the streets to see what they think of the candidates’ promises and claims made in speeches.

During the election period, the protagonist’s popularity ranking in the race can be checked by pressing a specific button in the overworld. At the beginning, the protagonist’s support ranking starts in a rather low position, around 8,121st place as you see here. This is not a simulation game where the popularity ranking fluctuates in real time, so it is only a flavor element of the game. But these rankings will change significantly as the campaign progresses.

The protagonist is a nobody at the lowest level in the country. Of course, he is not the kind of person that anyone would expect to be king. You will feel the dynamics of this royal tournament campaign as you watch the ranking gradually change with the results of completing your missions and through your actions towards the people of the city!

■ Followers that Support the Protagonist

Now, while there are rivals in the tournament who stand in the protagonist’s way, there are also encouraging allies who will support your campaign. In the cities that the protagonist will stay at, there are many people with various kinds of problems. By listening to them and helping them, they will become strong supporters of the protagonist.

Of course, the allies who travel with him, such as Strohl and Hulkenberg, are also important supporters of the protagonist. But he will also meet unique supporters on his journey who do not directly participate in battle. The unique feature of interacting with supporters, or followers as we call them in this title, is that you can acquire powerful Archetypes that you can equip and use in battle.

Let us now introduce you to what kinds of followers we have.

Brigitta

First, there is a rhoag follower named Brigitta who owns an ignitor shop in the Royal Capital. She notices that the protagonist is an elda and asks him to take on a quest to test his strength. If you can complete said request and gain her trust, she will be a powerful follower. When she becomes a follower, the protagonist will not only be able to awaken to the Merchant Archetype, which offers more rewards in battle, but he will also be able to make purchases at the ignitor shop in the Royal Capital, which is usually not available to the elda.

Maria

Next is a girl named Maria who lives at the Hushed Honeybee Inn located in the Royal Capital. Separated from her parents and having no friends due to her rhoag and ishkia mixed background, she eagerly awaits the souvenir of stories that the protagonists bring back through encounters they have on their travels. If you can help her feel less lonely, she will also be a powerful follower. The bond with Maria awakens the Healer Archetype, which specializes in healing and purification.

Bardon

Next is Bardon, a roussainte who is the captain of the guard corps in Martira. He is a simple, clumsy, but likeable and earnest man who faces new problems after an incident that happens in his town is solved. By supporting him, he will become a strong follower. Your bond with him awakens the Commander Archetype, which can bend the flow of battles to your will.

Alonzo

Like Bardon, we meet Alonzo in Martira, an elusive and enigmatic young man of the nidia tribe. His smooth talk leads the protagonist to undertake a certain quest. Even though he swings the protagonist around with his words and actions that go back and forth, he ends up being a one-of-a-kind follower. If you can strengthen your bond with him, you will be able to awaken the Faker, that can be used as a trump card to tackle difficult enemies.

Catherina

Last but not least is Catherina, a bounty hunter. She is one of the protagonist’s followers, but she is also a candidate herself who stands up for her tribe—the paripus—which is often looked down upon, with the pledge to make them wealthier. From the bond you form with her, you can awaken the Brawler Archetype, which can deliver decisive blows. While they may be rivals in the campaign together, they do form a strong bond, allowing the protagonist and Catherina to create a unique relationship. We invite you to see for yourself how the competition between the candidates will play out.

Party Members

In addition to the followers introduced here, you can also bond with fellow party members such as Strohl and Hulkenberg, and build a follower relationship with them. Interacting with characters of all ages, tribes, and values, and from different perspectives, will give you a new experience unlike any you have had in previous titles.

Strengthening bonds with followers can lead to the evolution of Archetypes to higher levels and the unlocking of abilities that will give you a strategic advantage. So please be proactive and talk to your followers when you see them in town or in gauntlet runners. You can check the status of your interactions with your followers, as well as the Archetypes and abilities you have acquired through them, at any time in the main menu, which will help you strategize how to use your time during the operation periods.

In addition, the follower characters are also voiced by talented voice actors, which we believe will provide a deeper game experience.

■ Closing

How did you like it? We are pleased to announce that we have released new information on quite a few characters. Was there a character you liked among the unique candidates and followers? Let us know your favorite in the comments.

One of the most exciting aspects of this game system is the fact that the bonding process increases the number of very powerful Archetypes. Thinking about what battles you can fight with the Archetypes you acquire from the followers you meet will play a large role in your strategies. It is up to you, the player, to choose a follower in favor of strategy or choose a follower whose circumstances are of interest to you. It is well worth giving thought to, so I hope you look forward to it.

Up to this point, we have introduced the battle system, the dungeons, the story, and the characters. However, a new and different aspect of Metaphor is the element of enjoying daily activities on your journey. In the next Showcase, I will finally introduce the journey aspect in detail, so please stay tuned.

Once again, Metaphor is scheduled for release this fall on October 11, 2024. Both the physical and digital editions are available for pre-orders, so please pre-order your copy or add it to your wishlist. Along with the standard edition, a Digital Deluxe Edition commemorating the 35th anniversary of the ATLUS brand is also available. You can also get additional pre-order bonuses, so make sure to pre-order today. See you at the next ATLUS Exclusive Showcase! Thank you very much for your time today!