I still collect physical game guides and it's impossible to ignore this stunning Metaphor: ReFantazio official strategy guide

Image of Future Press's Metaphor: ReFantazio Official Strategy Guide with a purple background. — (Image credit: Future)

I regularly depend on online guides written by hard-working writers to get me to the finish line in games. Could I totally find my way myself eventually? Of course, but I don't have the free time I once did to be stuck in one section for weeks on end. Yet while being able to quickly whip up a guide on my smartphone is a lifesaver, nothing beats the feeling of holding a physical game guide in your hands.

Luckily, official game guides aren't a lost art, and you can currently pre-order the Metaphor: ReFantazio Official Strategy Guide for $54.99 at Amazon. It doesn't release until February 28, 2025, but pre-ordering will secure your copy with Amazon's pre-order guarantee. Better yet, it's an ideal pickup if Santa grabbed one of the best PS5 game deals and got you the game for the holidays. The hardback not only features a spoiler-free guide to the entire game but also a detailed look at every item, piece of equipment, and foe you'll come across in the Atlus RPG.

Should you buy the Metaphor: ReFantazio Official Strategy Guide?

I've been collecting guides since the late 90s, and I always recommend pre-ordering them when you can - especially where hardbacks are considered. If I never pre-ordered my The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Game of the Year guide, I'd be subject to the extortionate second-hand prices from cheeky re-sellers. Now it, and all the stunning artwork inside, sits amongst my game guide shelf, where I'm also saving a spot for the official Metaphor: ReFantazio book.

As an avid Atlus and Persona fan, I've eagerly saved a spot for the game amongst my back catalog. With all the PS5 sales floating around, I was planning on picking it up asap, but saving it until February when I could also have the official strategy guide at my disposal sounds like a better option.

Atlus RPGs are notorious for being an investment of your time. Just like Persona 5 Royal, Metaphor: ReFantazio is long, taking about 80 - 90 hours for an average playthrough. Having the official guide along for the ride will surely make it an easier ride, especially as it contains a walkthrough for every event and details on every single item and piece of collectible equipment.

There are also details about all the characters' skills and Synthesis attacks, so I can master the RPG and blast through it in no time. For those, like myself, who love picking up a physical guide for collection's sake, pre-ordering the Metaphor: ReFantazio Official Strategy Guide will mean you can get your hands on a bonus poster featuring a full map of the game's world of Euchronia - perfect for sprucing up your RPG-loving gaming setup.

If you picked up Metaphor: ReFantazio on the PS5, our best PS5 controllers guide is full of our favorite peripherals that you can pair with the Atlus RPG. We've also rounded up all the best PS5 SSDs and best PS5 headsets to complete your Sony gaming setup.

Ever since I first held a NES controller in my hand I've been obsessed with gaming, and the hardware it runs on. I could hook up a NES and SNES to a telly, without instructions, before I could walk. Even now, nothing is more exciting then taking a console, or handheld, out the box for the first time and setting it up. This obsession transformed into a love of games and game music, which lead to my music degree and dream of becoming the Scottish Nobuo Uematsu. After sharing my love of games through music, I began to share my love through words on sites like TechRadar and iMore. This lead to becoming a Hardware staff writer for PCGamesN, and later the Senior Tech Writer for Dexerto, covering all things Steam Deck, PlayStation and Nintendo. With that experience, I was able to level up as Hardware Editor for GamesRadar+, where I'm still just as Nintendo, PlayStation and gaming tech obsessed as ever.