It’s back! After putting together a list of my top 25 moments from Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth back in March, I have decided to do the same thing for Metaphor: ReFantazio. While I’m not sure if Metaphor’s moments quite live up to Rebirth’s, this is still a huge story heavy game with tons of amazing moments that deserve to be remembered and celebrated.
Much like Rebirth, before even starting this game, I had a notebook out, and I was ready to chronicle any moments that I viewed as potentially worthy of the list. Sure enough, I was correct to assume that there would be enough memorable moments for a list like this.
I did my best to find YouTube clips of everything, but I couldn’t easily find one for every single one. Either way, please enjoy the list, and have fun remembering some awesome memories from this incredible video game.
If you liked reading this, retweets/reposts are always appreciated on your social media platform of choice!
25. The First Council Meeting
This was a random moment, but one that really stuck with me. Early on in the game, you get a glimpse at some of the behind the scenes politics going on with the biggest players in Euchronia.
You get a lot of insight into the scheming going on with Forden and crew. And there is some incredible writing throughout. I love big-time politics in games like this, and this scene was all about that.
24. Heismay’s Intro
Heismay gets hyped up quite a bit as the crew goes after him for a bounty that is on his head.
So it’s a bit shocking when you finally get to him, and he’s a little guy. This is a great cutscene that quickly establishes Heismay as a small and fierce badass, and it becomes obvious pretty quickly that he is not the culprit you are really looking for, which leads to many more questions. This is just an enjoyable little cutscene.
23. The Prince Archetype Awakens
This is kind of a two part moment. This is the part of the game where there is a crazy string of revelations about the world that you are in. The first part involves a lot of answers about the history of the world, the ruins that you found in Virga, as well as what the Elda tribe is. This is all pretty cool.
From there, the prince awakens again, this time to the very powerful Prince archetype. It’s one of many very cool power-up type moments in the game. I think if this was fully voiced, it could have been even better. Either way, this was a fun moment and very significant to the story.
22. Alonzo’s Social Link- He Still Lives
They really got me here.
Earlier in the social links for Alonzo, he gets executed right in front of you in an attempt to win more support for the Prince’s cause.
Of course, knowing that Alonzo is a total schemer, I didn’t believe he was dead for a second. But then, there is no magical resurrection or trick after. From there, Alonzo leaves a note that totally pulls at your heart strings and once again indicates what his plan was and why he allowed himself to be killed.
Finally, I accepted it, Alonzo was dead.
Of course, as the social link reaches its conclusion, Alonzo reveals himself. He is still alive. I’d like to say it was predictable, but damn they sold his death well. The social link ends with a cool conversation about the future. I’d say this was probably my second favorite social link story out of all of them, and this ending is a big reason why.
21. Junah Sees The Captain On The Runner And Awakens
Phew. A lot of cool stuff happens here. First off, while sneaking around Louis’s room, the crew runs into Junah, who is also looking to snoop. This leads to a very interesting encounter that asks a lot of questions about who Junah really is. This also leads to the image of Junah kind of pinning the main character up against a wall, which is the closest this game ever gets to being mildly sexual. After this, Glodell realizes what is going on, and the tension rises big time as you realize that he is going to expose them to Louis.
But it’s not over! The main character pursues Junah in order to protect her. After a brief battle, Junah awakens and gives a great speech about the power of music as well. This was probably one of the weaker awakenings overall, but it was still pretty cool.
20. Heismay Reveals How His Son Died/Extends Grace To Joanna
Spoiler alert: There are still more Heismay related moments to come on this list. I think he is the best character in the game, and the best acted.
After defeating Joanna’s “child,” which is really just a “human,” Heismay uses the opportunity to open up to her about losing his own child. He relates to Joanna about how he ran away after it happened. The revelations Heismay gives about his child are so heartbreaking, and they help Joanna realize what must be done. This is a great moment in so many ways, and one of Heismay’s best moments in a game where he has many amazing scenes.
19. Louis Kills The King
This is one hell of a way to open up a game. There is never any mystery as to who killed the king, as Louis is clearly shown murdering him. It’s a brutal cutscene and captures your attention fast.
Even better is the immediate aftermath. As a bunch of powerful people speculate on what happens next, Louis arrives and essentially declares that he should be the next king. The fact that he is so bold and forthcoming shows exactly what kind of villain he is going to be. This was an incredible way to introduce him.
18. Joanna Is Executed
This is the big moment where the main character and crew start to really make a name for themselves.
After defeating Joanna’s monster, she offers to turn herself in and be their “head” that they needed to turn in at this point in the competition.
Sure enough, she lives up to her word and confesses her sins to an audience. Then, she gets executed on the spot. This was what was “expected” to happen, but I was kind of shocked at how quick and unceremonious this was in the moment. Now that I look back and think about the many people that this game kills off, it’s not quite as shocking. But this moment really set the tone somewhat early on for how things would go in this game.
Despite the awful things she did, it was tough not to feel a bit sad for Joanna’s death in this moment. This was really well done.
17. Louis is “Killed” And Falls Onto The Stage
After a tough fight with Louis, a cutscene ensues where the main character cuts down Louis. It’s high drama as Louis falls from the roof directly onto the stage in a pool of blood.
Afterward, the crew reflects on beating Louis. I had a feeling that he wasn’t dead yet because he was such a good villain. It seemed crazy to kill him off already. But the game sells it pretty well, and the drama makes this a great moment, even if he ends up being alive at the end.
16. The Mysterious Voice Is Revealed
I could have thrown this in with another moment, but I feel like this was enough to be able to stand on its own.
After a whole lot of revelations with the identity of “More” and the “utopia” that the prince had sought, it is revealed without explicitly saying it that the mysterious voice that has been present throughout the game is actually the prince’s mother.
Metaphor really takes care to explain everything that happens in the game. They even explain why music is playing in the background throughout the game. I just love the attention to detail. And amidst a lot of cool and emotional reveals, this was a really neat cherry on top that I greatly enjoyed.
15. Eupha Awakens
The buildup to this awakening is so fantastic. Eupha’s only goal in the game is to die. From the moment you meet her, her heart is set on sacrificing herself in order to save her village.
But as time goes on, it becomes clear that a sacrifice will not help her people. Finally, a moment of reckoning happens. With encouragement from Hulkenberg in particular, Eupha finds her way and awakens to her power. The awakening itself is cool, but the way we got there made it even more awesome.
14. Fidelio’s Funeral/Basilio Awakens
This all happens almost immediately after Fidelio’s death. While we don’t get to see the funeral itself, a whole lot happens here.
First off, Basilio gets to “talk” to Fidelio one last time. This sets Bas on the path to fighting with the prince and the rest of the crew. There’s an emotional fist bump as Basilio then awakens to his power.
Finally, some members of the Sanctist church who Fidelio protected show up to pay their respects, which is a very unexpected moment when you understand how this world works. Coming fresh off of a major death, there are a lot of big emotions here, and all of these scenes wrap everything up from that really well.
13. Louis Kills Forden
This is just excellent high drama. First off, you have Forden basically trying to end the competition for King on the spot while holding onto the Drakodios lance that the crew is desperate to get ahold of.
From there, Louis shows up and reveals that he is still alive. To top it off, he was somehow also able to obtain the real Drakodios lance, while Forden has a counterfeit. Thus, he is able to easily kill him and end his bid for the throne. This wasn’t a death that left you emotional (that would come right after this), but all the plot twists and drama here were absolutely fantastic.
12. Opening Conversation With The Scheming Man
This conversation is so cool and kind of trippy. Metaphor kicks off with a character talking to YOU, the player. This goes full fourth wall breaking. He asks what your actual name is. And he talks about the power of fantasy. I love the writing, too, with lines like “the one who meets my eye across a strange threshold.”
The moment really excited me because I also wondered how it would pay off in the story. In the end, it didn’t end up being as major of a moment as I hoped. I think it alluded to a moment that I will discuss later on, but I didn’t view it as a direct payoff to this. Eitherway, I still thought it was a really neat way to kick off the game.
11. Rella Dies And Puts Her Support Behind The Prince
Phew, we got the rare DOUBLE TWIST here. Rella goes from seemingly an ally to a major evil enemy, but then it turns out she was actually on your side the whole time.
After defeating Rella, you get tons of revelations about how the prince was cursed. You get an emotional conversation between Junah and Rella, where Rella tells Junah how she has always felt about her. And then you get Rella throwing her support fully behind the prince before she dies. There is just a lot here, and it is all great.
10. Fidelio Dies
Fidelio is pretty antagonistic towards the crew for his entire time in the game. But Metaphor does a great job of writing in some nuance to him. You can see small hints that he might doubt Louis as you go along.
Finally, the moment comes, and Fidelio opposes Louis, leading to his death. The reactions from Junah and Basilio are so devastating. Fidelo’s last speech hits hard (even though I do cringe a little bit at extended speeches immediately before death). This death was set up and executed nearly perfectly.
9. The Prince Defeats Louis
I don’t care if it’s a trope or stereotype or whatever. I absolutely love this shit. After a brutally tough final boss fight, a badass cutscene where the main character powers up with the encouragement of their friends and defeats the final foe. If I’m playing a big ass JRPG, that is almost always the ideal way to end the last battle.
And Metaphor delivers exactly that. It has the ultimate fun, inspirational, and slightly cheesy dialogue moment. It also has a fantastic killing animation with epic music playing and a cool disintegration animation, too. This wasn’t some deep moment, but it ruled.
8. Hulkenberg Awakens
Kristin Atherton, as Hulkenberg, has many incredible voice acting moments throughout this game. This one, in particular, is up there for her finest work. The mix of desperation, to sadness, to hope, to BADASS. I love the range here.
Obviously, it’s a well written moment, too. The main character telling her that the prince lives and her whole demeanor changing is so great. I love the way she recites her full name, which is perfectly long and dramatic. So damn good. This was perfect badassery.
“I choose LIFE of my own WILL!!!”
7. Strohl Awakens
This is the peak awakening. Which is great because the awakenings are all so good.
Stewart Clarke is so fantastic as Strohl. And this is easily my favorite work from him. I just love his delivery of “I am the LAST of my house! I am the last of my noble bloodline. And in the NAME of my people. I WILL STRIKE YOU DOWN WHERE YOU STAND. ” That is SO FUCKING GOOD.
The added touch of him speaking to a cheering audience for that was so fun, too. They do such a good job with Strohl’s writing throughout the game. He could easily be mocked for being so obsessed with being a noble. But he is so earnest about it and has truly good intentions that it just ends up being awesome. And this is the moment that truly personifies him.
6. Heismay’s Social Link
As I was making notes for this list, I kept writing Heismay social link moments down. After I finished the social link and realized I had written five down, I thought it’d be a lot easier to just combine them all into one moment.
This is easily the defining social link for me. Perhaps because I am a father myself. The social link involves Heismay dealing with the grief of losing his son. Specifically, trying to find a place to bury his ashes, which is his people’s custom. He needs to find the perfect place, which ends up being hard to come by. It’s a beautiful story.
After a lot of emotional moments, the ending features a great conversation between Heismay and the Prince. In that moment, Heismay tells the prince that he views him as a son now, too. Considering that the prince is still young and has no parents, that makes it hit even harder. This social link is a must play.
5. The Main Character Claims He Is The Prince, Rella’s Betrayal
This was an absolutely shocking moment. After spending the whole game being quiet, meek, and pretty “pure.” Rella suddenly reveals herself to be almost completely evil, and as the killer that they were looking for all along. This all happens when the main character decides to lie and announce to the people that he is the prince, which is a somewhat dramatic moment in its own right.
This is one of the hardest hitting plot twists of the year. I wonder if some will view this moment as less intense since there was that aforementioned double twist, and she actually had good intentions all along. But I still can’t forget how shocking this was, and it just made the second twist hit even harder since they sold it so well here.
4. “More” Is Actually The King/The Prince’s Father, And Utopia Is Revealed
There is a whole lot going on with this one.
After nearly dying, More gets the prince out of danger. He then tells the prince that his world is hopeless and that the world from the novels he loves is actually reality. That world, of course, ends up being our own world here in what I assume is 2024.
In the end, the prince decides to go back to this own reality. He also says that the 2024 world is not actually a utopia.
And then More reveals himself to be another form of the now dead king. Much like the main character was, he is revealed to be the “idealized soul” of the king. But with no body to go back to, he will die soon. He can’t fuse back into it now the way the main character was able to. There are just a lot of big reveals and emotional moments here.
The moment is there to also depict how real and impactful fiction can be. Because we also know that the other world is real. So both worlds are kind of declared as real in this game. That fits well with the themes about the power of fiction that are present throughout Metaphor.
3. Hulkenberg Realizes That Her Mission Succeeded
This happens immediately after my #1 moment. But this has to be its own thing for me. Because the emotional impact is so much different.
After the prince comes back to life, Hulkenberg realizes that the main character has technically been the prince the whole time. She is filled with regret throughout the game in regards to not being able to protect the prince. Her realizing that her long mission to bring him back was now a success is so lovely. The voice acting is excellent here, too. I got close to tearing up as I felt Hulkenberg’s emotion. This was the perfect cap to the fusion.
2. Louis At The Funeral
What more can you ask for here? This is peak ass cinema. I was already all in on this game by this point, but I can’t imagine not feeling all in after this.
So much happens here. Louis crashes the king’s funeral and states that it is a good thing that the king is dead and that he should be king now. He has a giant audience captivated by every word.
Then you get the appearance of the king’s rock, declaring how the next king will come to be. Then you have the tension of Grius attempting to assassinate Louis and then being stopped and killed. This is so freaking dramatic. This was an incredible way to set up the rest of the game. And the death of Grius was a tough blow early on, as they had already set him up to be an awesome character. Just top-tier stuff all around.
1. The Fusion: The Captain Becomes The Prince
Wow. WOW. What a freaking moment. I felt like pumping my fists after watching this because I was so fired up. It is finally revealed that the main character is actually another form of the prince. A form of who he wanted to be, created with magla.
The cutscene reveals everything in a great way. It truly starts to sink in that you are actually the prince. You feel an odd mix of emotions because the main character that you know is about to die and yet still continue to live in an odd way.
Perfect music plays as the two forms combine. The character is revealed and now looks almost entirely like the prince, but with slightly shorter hair. The realization that one of the main goals of the game has been accomplished hits nicely. I loved it so much. It’s the best moment for me in a game packed with them.
Thank you so much for reading! If you enjoyed this, I will have a top 30 moments of 2024 list coming around the end of the year. There will obviously be several Metaphor moments in there. See you then!
Big Nerd Gaming 
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