Undefeated JPRG salesman Yoko Taro congratulates Metaphor: ReFantazio developer, immediately asks fans to buy Nier Automata too

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Yoko Taro has been very forthright in suggesting Metaphor fans' next game

Metaphor: ReFantazio anime cutscene screenshot shows Strohl, the protagonist, Gallica, and Hulkenberg looking ahead with shocked expressions.
(Image credit: Atlus / Sega)

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.

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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.

Catherine Lewis
Catherine Lewis
Deputy News Editor

I'm GamesRadar+'s Deputy News Editor, working alongside the rest of the news team to deliver cool gaming stories that we love. After spending more hours than I can count filling The University of Sheffield's student newspaper with Pokemon and indie game content, and picking up a degree in Journalism Studies, I started my career at GAMINGbible where I worked as a journalist for over a year and a half. I then became TechRadar Gaming's news writer, where I sourced stories and wrote about all sorts of intriguing topics. In my spare time, you're sure to find me on my Nintendo Switch or PS5 playing through story-driven RPGs like Xenoblade Chronicles and Persona 5 Royal, nuzlocking old Pokemon games, or going for a Victory Royale in Fortnite.