Nier creator Yoko Taro has congratulated the devs at Atlus on the launch of Metaphor: ReFantazio, while taking the opportunity to plug his own game in the process.
Taro – the director of the likes of Nier: Automata, Drakengard, and more – hasn't been shy about giving praise to Metaphor: ReFantazio, the new fantasy JRPG led by Persona 3, 4, and 5 mastermind Katsura Hashino. After playing the game before launch, he proclaimed that it was "so stylish" that he "almost wet myself" (looking at those gorgeous menus, you can see what he means), although he clarified that he "didn't get any money" to show up and say that. With that in mind, it's unsurprising to see him double down on his praise for the UI, as well as the JRPG's gameplay and music in a message shared during a launch livestream hosted by Atlus, but he didn't do it without slipping in some self-promo.
As spotted by Twitter user @Genki_JPN, Taro adds that he'd be happy if, once JRPG players have finished Metaphor: ReFantazio, they go out and buy Nier: Automata, too. Metaphor is a seriously long game to beat, with average playthroughs expected to take at least 80 hours, so he might be waiting a while for people to take him up on that suggestion.
Yoko Taro congratulates Atlus on the release of Metaphor ReFantazio!He compliments the game’s UI, music and fun gameplay elements.He says he would be happy if after clearing Metaphor ReFantazio people go to the shop and pick up NieR Automata! pic.twitter.com/hJfKR0enMdOctober 22, 2024
Clearly though, for Taro, the grind never stops – he's previously been quite candid about it being important for his games to actually sell, and just last month, the official Nier Twitter account reposted the announcement of Stellar Blade's upcoming Nier: Automata DLC, simply saying: "We will gladly say yes to anything for money." You've got to commend the honesty, I suppose.
The original version of this article used a pejorative term to describe Yoko Taro, as a result of a misunderstood definition. GamesRadar+ apologizes for the implication of the original wording.
Meanwhile, you can check out our Metaphor: ReFantazio review to find out why it's one of this year's best JRPGs.
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