Not exactly. Director Katsura Hashino said the Metaphor: ReFantazio team researched traditional fantasy early in development and named The Lord of the Rings as one example. He did not say that he personally read Tolkien as a crash course. The team later abandoned its initial inspirations to pursue a world that felt original to them.
What Hashino said about The Lord of the Rings
In an interview on the Official Xbox Podcast, Hashino described the team’s early approach: “At the very beginning of the development of Metaphor: ReFantazio, we were locked into traditional fantasy culture.” He named The Lord of the Rings as an example of the tradition the team was exploring. The Xbox Wire transcript contains an apparent transcription error in that sentence, so it is safer not to quote its garbled wording around the title.
The account is about the development team’s research, not a documented personal reading assignment for Hashino. The interview does not give a reading list, say how many books the team studied, or describe a set duration for the research. “Crash course” is therefore an imprecise way to summarize what he said.
Why the team moved away from its early inspirations
Hashino said the team concluded it could not make a traditional fantasy game that felt original to them. They decided to abandon those inspirations and create something new. That creative pivot is the key point: Tolkien was among the early reference points, but Hashino did not present the finished game as an adaptation of The Lord of the Rings or say that Tolkien alone shaped it.
#1 Best Overall
What kind of fantasy world Metaphor: ReFantazio became
ATLUS describes Metaphor: ReFantazio as a fantasy RPG set in the United Kingdom of Euchronia. After the king is assassinated, unrest spreads and a royal tournament begins. The protagonist and fairy companion Gallica set out to lift a curse on the prince. ATLUS’s official game page also describes real-time action combined with turn-based combat, customizable Archetypes, exploration and quests, and a day-and-night schedule where time management matters.
The game’s own setting and premise are the result of the direction Hashino described: the team used traditional fantasy as an early point of reference, then sought a distinct world and identity rather than staying within that mode.
Rank #2
Release platforms and the announced Switch 2 version
ATLUS lists Xbox Series X|S, Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and Steam among the game’s platforms. Edition contents and availability can differ by territory and change over time; the official page describes a Collector’s Edition that includes a physical base game, steelbook, soundtrack, artbook, pins, map and digital bonuses.
SEGA announced on June 10, 2026 that a Nintendo Switch 2 version was scheduled for November 12, 2026. The announcement lists physical and digital standard editions, as well as a digital deluxe edition. Because that date is in the future as of October 8, 2026, it is a scheduled release, not an already available version. SEGA’s announcement also notes that the game received three awards at The Game Awards 2024 and the Grand Award at the Japan Game Awards 2025.
Recommended Free Tools
Quick Recap
Best Value
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
