How long does it take to beat Metaphor: ReFantazio?

Metaphor: ReFantazio is from the creators behind Persona 3, 4 and 5. Given those Japanese high school RPGs were all epic affairs, you might be wondering how long it takes to beat this new original fantasy RPG, which shares a similar structure and other gameplay elements. The answer is that it is a pretty long game, although not quite as long as Persona 5, given its calendar timeline covering the story’s Royal Tournament isn’t as long as two school semesters.

Below, see how long it took to beat Metaphor: ReFantazio, which will also include much of the optional content that will take up your schedule alongside the story quests.

How long to beat Metaphor: ReFantazio

It took me around 80 hours to clear the whole story for Metaphor. This time will likely vary for you, depending on if you’re struggling with some of the tricky bosses and whether or not you opt to lower the difficulty. But 80 hours is representative of a typical playthrough of Metaphor, which accounts for side content, as well as watching all dialogue and cutscenes.

Due to the game’s calendar structure, you will always have time to spare between completing a story dungeon to engage with side content that can improve your Royal Virtues (like Eloquence), rank up your relationship with Followers, or complete optional dungeons and side quests to gain more experience and rewards. I was able to complete the game maxing out my Royal Virtues, Followers, and with all but a few optional challenges finished.

What happens after beating Metaphor: ReFantazio?

There’s no post-game once you finally complete Metaphor but you will be able to save your cleared data, which will allow you to start New Game Plus, which carries over certain progress from your previous playthrough. These include equipment, money, MAG, and Archetype ranks, but party member levels and Follower ranks will reset. While you should have enough time to complete all side content on your first playthrough, New Game Plus is recommended if you wish to unlock and master every single Archetype.

If you’re in it for the long haul, see our guides on how to increase Eloquence, how to see all endings, and how to unlock all Followers and Archetypes.