Games of the Year

RPGFan Games of the Year 2024: Best Localization

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth - Best Localization of 2024

Winner: Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

Writeup by Tim Rattray

This game’s localization aren’t sick.

When localization is clearly undercooked, we endlessly mock it (see above). In the original Final Fantasy VII’s case, this occurred because it was handled primarily by one man in a short timeframe. These mishaps are far less common now, thanks to large teams of seasoned localization vets with decades of the art form under their belt. Yet they don’t often receive adoration equal to past scorn because—by design—we aren’t thinking about their work.

Even among this crowd, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth was an especially hard ask of localizers. These characters and their world are nuance-driven, with a story that plays with very sensitive subject matter like trauma and mental illness. Additionally, scripts had to read in English as if they were completely native, with voice direction that understood every line’s tone.

The well keeps going deeper, but the point is Rebirth never made you think about any of this. It’s a true masterclass in localization that future games should learn from.


Runner-Up: Metaphor: ReFantazio

Writeup by Zek Lu

Despite having a gargantuan script to work with in an RPG that is both character- and plot-heavy, Metaphor: ReFantazio excels brilliantly in its localization efforts. Each character has their own unique, interesting turns of phrases, from the astute and proud Heismay to the somewhat aloof Hulkenberg, who has a prim and proper speaking style littered with older-sounding English. These smaller, finer details are apparent not only among the main cast, but among the diverse tribes throughout the game’s world as well, which helps to build immersion and better elucidate the cultural and class differences rife throughout Metaphor’s society. When coupled with an all-around excellent voice cast, these writing choices make the game feel alive and dynamic throughout the entire journey.


Readers’ Choice: Best Localization of 2024

Winner: Metaphor: ReFantazio (34.1% of votes)

Runner-Up: Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (31% of votes)

Tim Rattray

Tim Rattray

Tim has written about games, anime, and beyond since 2009. His love of JRPGs traces back to late-90s get-togethers with cul-de-sac kids to battle and trade Pokémon via link cables. In the early 2000s, this passion was solidified when Chrono Trigger changed his conception of what a game could be. A core focus of Tim’s work is mental health advocacy with a focus on how interactivity can be used to depict and teach about mental illness. He’s excited to share that insight with RPGFan’s readers, alongside a log full of side quests to explore the mutual passion we all share.