For me, it’s easily Metaphor: ReFantazio…
To be frank, I was not particularly excited for Metaphor: ReFantazio even when it emerged from the ether after many quiet years following its announcement. I didn’t follow the pre-release cycle closely and only maintained the faintest interest because my friend, a hardcore Atlus fan, kept the game’s release date relevant in my mind.
That all changed when I tried the demo, and it became clear what the game was going for. In many senses, it is more Persona, and I was aching for more Persona. The fact that it wears the skin of a fantasy game doesn’t make that untrue. Even better, it uses the Press Turn system from Shin Megami Tensei, meaning that combat is far more dynamic and challenging. When the Etrian Odyssey influences emerge, it becomes clear that Metaphor is a love letter to Atlus’ most storied RPG franchises.
But it isn’t content to merely rest on nostalgia or its artistic and literary references. The synergy of all these elements produced something truly unique and special. And its representation of — and commentary on — prejudice manages to be relevant and say meaningful things about equality and how best to achieve it, which I find fascinating. All of this is before even mentioning the — in true Atlus fashion — utterly immaculate music and graphic design. It’s hard for me to hold back in ways to praise it.
…But Ys X: Nordics is a very close second.
Ys X: Nordics surprised me. I enjoy the modern Ys games well enough, but Nordics is the first one that resonated with me across story and gameplay, which I found improved compared to its predecessors and strongly attuned to my tastes. Maybe that means I’m giving it too much credit, but I can only speak to how much fun I had playing it, and I had a lot of fun.
Ys has always had some of the fastest, most exhilarating combat of any action RPG series. Despite the slower Duo Mode being Nordics’ big new combat feature, it feels as quick as ever while encouraging you to choose gear and skills carefully to beat the game’s incredible bosses.
And all of this is before mentioning the story, which shines due to Adol and Karja’s wonderful sibling dynamic. Even its weakest link, the ship combat, is still a worthy addition. Ys X may not have the polish of Metaphor or the sheer scale of Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth, but you would be doing yourself a disservice to pass it up if you’re a fan of RPGs or action games.
