ReFantazio Dev Reveals What Makes a Good Turn-Based Battle System

Metaphor: ReFantazio Lead Battle Planner Kenichi Goto has outlined the core components of what he thinks makes a good turn-based battle system. Chief among them is a healthy level of difficulty—something Metaphor: ReFantazio has in spades.

Turn-based combat has generally seen a decline in mainstream AAA games since the early 2010s. However, JRPGs have largely resisted this trend, with Atlus emerging as a leading developer whose success proves that turn-based systems still resonate with modern audiences.

Related

Metaphor: ReFantazio is a Good Omen for Persona 6’s Rumored Action Elements

The prevailing overworld combat system of Metaphor: ReFantazio may find itself repurposed in the long-awaited Persona sequel.

In a recent interview with GamesRadar+, Atlus veteran Kenichi Goto shed some light on how the company keeps delivering compelling turn-based combat, outlining what he considers to be the key elements of such systems. The lead battle planner for Metaphor: ReFantazio identified a healthy level of difficulty as an integral part of the overall formula. “Making turn-based games at least a little tough is so important to preserve the feeling that [players] can’t get careless,” Goto explained.

Turn-Based Combat Offers Unique Advantages

Offering enough difficulty to keep players on their toes is especially crucial for turn-based combat because players can otherwise easily tune out of such systems, Goto opined. The Metaphor: ReFantazio dev noted that turn-based battle systems also offer unique advantages, like allowing developers to focus on conveying the impact of player actions through deliberate visual flair and camera work. Metaphor: ReFantazio‘s combat system is a textbook example of this showcase potential.

Goto acknowledged that RPGs with turn-based battles can sometimes feel grindy, but pointed out that there are ways to mitigate this phenomenon. Allowing players to easily retry and speed up battles are some of the ways to do so. While Metaphor: ReFantazio made restarting battles easier than ever, Atlus has long experimented with methods to streamline combat. E.g., Persona games have offered a fast-forward option for years, allowing players to skip encounters where enemies don’t pose a big threat and hence require little in the way of strategizing.

Over the course of 2024, Atlus broke the record for its own fastest-selling title twice—first with Persona 3 Reload, then again with Metaphor: ReFantazio. With both of those games featuring turn-based battles, their success is a clear indicator that modern audiences are still extremely responsive to such combat systems. As for what the company will tackle next, Persona 6 has been in development since at least 2021, when its existence was indirectly confirmed via one job listing. However, the next Atlus title to hit the market might actually be a remake of Persona 4, which some recent rumors claim will be announced during the upcoming Xbox Games Showcase on June 8.

Metaphor: ReFantazio

10/10

Released

October 11, 2024

ESRB

T For Teen // Blood, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol, Violence

Developer(s)

Studio Zero

Engine

GFD