The Persona devs just shattered their sales record with Metaphor: ReFantazio (and it's well deserved)

What you need to know

• Atlus and SEGA just released Metaphor: ReFantazio, a brand-new RPG franchise set in an all-new world.
• In less than 24 hours, Metaphor: ReFantazio has shattered Atlus' previous sales record, already achieving over one million copies sold.
• Persona 3 Reload held the previous record, achieving the same in one week, but Metaphor: ReFantazio is reaching new heights.
• Metaphor: ReFantazio has also already surpassed Persona 3 Reload's peak concurrent player record, even before the weekend.

It has been a busy period for the video games industry, and today a new record is being smashed, buried, and replaced. Atlus, the developers of the legendary Persona JRPG series, released a brand-new franchise in Metaphor: ReFantazio today, and in less than 24 hours the game has seen heights unreached by previous Atlus titles.

Metaphor: ReFantazio's life has just begun, and it has already sailed by one million copies sold, according to publisher SEGA.

This is a far cry from Atlus' previous milestone of one million copies sold in a single week, which was achieved by the release of Persona 3 Reload earlier this year. Not only has Metaphor: ReFantazio broken that, it already boasts a higher peak player count on Steam than Persona 3 Reload ever hit... And that's before the weekend has even come. I'm in the midst of reviewing Metaphor: ReFantazio, and it's already one of my favorite games of the year. I'm far from the only one drawing that conclusion, too.

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A momentous start for a brand-new video game franchise

I was uncertain going into my Metaphor: ReFantazio review, given my unfamiliary with the Persona franchise and everything else Atlus has done, but I'm so glad I pushed to review this game for Windows Central.

Set in the United Kingdom of Euchronia, Metaphor: ReFantazio follows the journey of a nameless protagonist who becomes caught up in a vicious battle for the kingdom's throne. This world is embroiled in political corruption, unchecked discrimination, rampant anxieties and fears, and the persistent threat of the horrific monstrosities known only as "humans." It's a stellar fantasy setting that Atlus clearly took time and passion to make believable and engaging.

More than that, the narrative writing and direction itself is wonderfully engrossing, and each character feels real. The combination of real-time overworld exploration and combat, endlessly tactical and strategic turn-based combat, the social simulation elements that see you develop your own virtues and develop bonds with your unlikely companions, and a clock that's constantly ticking forward toward the inevitable end of the game all adds up to what is easily one of the best Xbox games of the year.

I'm very happy to see Metaphor: ReFantazio discover newfound success for Atlus, with the title being critically acclaimed and wonderfully received by new players as a possible magnum opus for Atlus. It's an excellent debut for the Studio Zero team, and it was genuinely difficult to tear myself away from playing the game to write about it.

One million copies sold in less than 24 hours (across Xbox, Windows PC, and PlayStation) is already nothing to scoff at, and Metaphor: ReFantazio is holding on to its #2 position on the Steam Top Sellers list at the time of writing. It's also enjoying a climb up the Steam Most Played list, already achieving 50% more peak players than Atlus' previous record holder, Persona 3 Reload. That was an incredible game in its own right (you can read our Persona 3 Reload review to find out why), but Metaphor: ReFantazio is clearly resonating with players in a very special way.

Alright, that's enough work. I'm going to go back to playing Metaphor: ReFantazio.

Metaphor: ReFantazio | $69.99 at Best Buy

A brand-new, massive JRPG adventure from the creators of Persona, Metaphor: ReFantazio takes you on a magical journey through the United Kingdom of Euchronia to decide the next king, and it may be one of the best new games of the year.

👀See at: Best Buy or Amazon