This article contains spoilers forMetaphor: ReFantazio.
Metaphor: ReFantazio’s world is built on the diversity of its people, both in its tribes and ideologies. This diversity and the incongruous way that Euchronia’s people are treated plays a crucial hand inMetaphor’s Tournament for the Throne, tying into the party’s very foundations. As the protagonist allies with members of the seven tribes beyond his own, the understanding of their different backgrounds helps pave the way for his role as king. This conceit extends to his immediate followers, who fulfill social link-esque roles along his journey while further demonstrating the societal disparities of the Kingdom’s hierarchies. Beyond the purview of the protagonist’s direct allies, however, lies a host of other side characters that make Euchronia feel lived in, flaws and all.
The Tournament for the Throne inMetaphor: ReFantaziosees both commoners and nobles vying for the crown, with interests among its candidates varying as much as the tribes they hail from. Though its minor candidates hold no candle to the influence ofMetaphor’s Louis or Sanctifex Forden, they each have distinct personalities nonetheless. Milo, for example, campaigns on the idea of beauty reigning supreme, making him infuriatingly superficial in his worldview. By contrast, the paripus Loveless coasts on bare-bone policies like free booze for the people, later admitting just how out of his element the political scene is. The way that candidates are presented, some good-natured while others authoritative, makes the deception and ‘playing dirty’ aspect of the tournament even more interesting, tying its way into the game’s combat.
How Metaphor: ReFantazio Takes Care to Make its World Feel Lived In
NPCs with Distinct Motives
As the candidates advance through the struggles ofMetaphor’s political race, it becomes ever clearer that not everyone is on the protagonist’s side. This hostility is paved into every facet ofMetaphor: ReFantazio’s exploration, from NPCs lashing out at the player’s status as an elda to direct threats from Louis' supporters and the devout people of Altabury, showing just how deep-rooted Euchronia’s prejudice is. Not every side character is swayed by the protagonist’s noble path, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t receive character development of their own. NPCs like Monk Captain Gideaux strive to do better after the corruption of the Sanctifex Church is revealed, while even Louis' armoured henchmen, who operate on the same ‘power above all’ wavelength, come to grips with the consequences of their ideology when Louis takes things too far.
Batlin, the Crier
One of the most compelling NPCs alongMetaphor’s journey ends up turning to the protagonist’s side, not out of fanaticism, but out of respect for the truth. Batlin, who acts as Grand Trad’s crier, winds up following the protagonist’s pursuits during the Royal Tournament, striving to report on the candidates' results. Though he is a Sanctist crier, the revelations he experiences as the political race progresses help attune him to the misfortunes of Euchronia’s world, like the pillaging of holy relics fromthe Mustari peopleat the church’s behest. After the events of Virga Island, he sees the merits of the protagonist’s path, helping to support him from afar through delivering the truth to the masses, no matter how far-fetched it may sound.
Fabienne and Grius
Of Grand Trad’s other supportive NPCs, Fabienne makes for a compelling character who manages to hold her presence despite not being a direct social link/bond. As proprietor of the Hushed Honeybee Inn, she fulfills her role as a mother figure to Maria while doing what she can to keep the party comfortable. The Honeybee Inn acts as a refuge during the more tumultuous moments inGrand Trad, with her hospitality being a reminder of the kindness present even in the capital’s more ‘unsavory’ places. The trust she holds in the party helps her customers, hailing from many tribes themselves, feel supportive of the party’s efforts, strengthened by their connection to Grius, whoMetaphortakes care not to forget about through references from the team.
FollowingMetaphor’s ending, the ability for the protagonist to converse with the people of Grand Trad a year into his regency is a great way thatthe title’s NPCs are further accentuated. It is here where players can speak not just with the party and the protagonist’s direct followers, but the former candidates, the bosses from the Charadrius, merchants, and other familiar townspeople as well. Getting clarity on what’s changed in the past year and what’s stayed the same, from Lina’s love forgauntlet runnersto the unfortunate discrimination that continues, albeit on a lower scale, on the capital’s streets showsMetaphor’s emphasis on change being a gradual process. Its NPCs are a varied bunch, adding to Euchronia’s status as a Kingdom lived in by many, capable of being more accepting than it once was.
