Metaphor: ReFantazio Has One Surprising Thing in Common With P5 Tactica

Summary

Metaphor: ReFantaziohas been rated Teen by the ESRB, unlike the vast majority of Atlus’s contemporary games.Metaphor: ReFantaziowill hence have the same classification as some of the company’s most age-accessible titles, such asPersona 5 Tactica.

Metaphor: ReFantaziowas officially unveiledat the June 2023 Xbox Games Showcase as the first original project from Atlus Creative Department 3rd Production. Also known as Studio Zero, this company branch consisting ofPersonaseries veterans has so far put out just one title, the 2019Catherine: Full Body, a definitive edition of the 2011 puzzlerCatherine. The ESRB and PEGI have attached a Mature and 18 rating to all editions ofCatherine, respectively. In light of that background and the information that Atlus has shared so far, many fans were expectingMetaphor: ReFantazioto be another Mature-rated title.

Metaphor ReFantazio Tag Page Cover Art

ESRB and PEGI Diverge on Metaphor: ReFantazio’s Age Rating

But it turns out that won’t be the case, at least as far as the ESRB classification is concerned. As recently spotted by well-known Sega leaker Midori, theMetaphor: ReFantaziowebsite states that the game had already received a Teen rating. That classification stands in stark contrast with most of Atlus’s recent releases; since 2019, the Japanese studio has made just two other Teen-rated games,Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE Encoreand thecritically acclaimedPersona 5 Tactica. At the same time, the game received a PEGI 16 rating, which is on par with the vast majority of other modern Atlus games.

The ESRB and PEGI have historically mostly been in agreement when it comes to rating Atlus games. The cause of this unusual classification mismatch is currently unclear. Although the European organization normally publishes brief product descriptions that help explain its rating decisions, the upcoming RPG has yet to appear in its game database.Metaphor: ReFantazio’s political themes, character designs, and lore tidbits that Atlus has shared to date have all pointed to this being another M-rated game.

Teen

Metaphor: ReFantaziodoes appear to have fewer depictions of realistic violence than a typicalPersonaentry, which might have contributed to its lower age rating, as the ESRB may have decided that its largely fantasy violence would be less impactful on younger audiences. At the same time, the PEGI system adheres to similar criteria, but has still yielded a classification consistent with the European organization’s recent Atlus ratings.

PEGI may shed more light on this rating difference once itsMetaphor: ReFantaziopage goes live. Based on the organization’s track record, that isn’t likely to happen before Atlus announces the RPG’s release date. Assuming no delays take place, the wait for its concrete availability information should be over in a matter of months, asMetaphor: ReFantaziois currently targeting a late 2024 launch.