"One wrong move and everything's lost": Metaphor: ReFantazio battle lead explains why turn-based JRPGs rule and why they absolutely have to be hard

Metaphor: ReFantazio's combat is another feather in Atlus' already impressive cap, but the game's lead battle planner reckons difficulty is a huge reason why turn-based fights can be so, so good.

Kenichi Goto is no stranger to the formula either, having led the combat systems for Persona 5 Royal, Persona 4 Golden, and other beloved games before working on Metaphor: ReFantazio.

With so much good work behind him, GamesRadar+ asked him about the ideal difficulty for a turn-based game in an interview at the Game Developer's Conference 2025, and he said he prefers the ones where you make "one wrong move and everything's lost." Making turn-based games at least a little tough is so important, according to Goto, "to preserve the feeling that [players] can’t get careless otherwise risk total game over," especially since it's easier to mentally tune out of a simple turn-based battle than it is an action one.

"One of the main selling points of a turned based battle system is the fact that players can take their time to think about the action they should take, and then in turn receive appropriate feedback based on those choices," he continued. "This allows for even the people that aren't the best at fast paced action games to be able to enjoy the experience. Finally, 'impact' conveyed through skills through meticulous camera work and visuals are some things that can only be accomplished through this style of game."

Goto was still hyper-aware of the common gripes people would have with the genre when making Metaphor, though, specifically in regards to how many turn-based JRPGs feel like they're wasting your time with filler battles. To, ahem, combat this, Goto emphasized the importance of letting players "more easily retry battles" and "control the pace at which they play" with features like adjustable difficulty levels and "shortcut controls."

Metaphor: ReFantazio dev once thought turn-based JRPG combat "was starting to get outdated," but now thinks the format has a "long future ahead"