Metaphor: ReFantazio is a Fantastic New Direction for ATLUS (it blew me away)

[@MarcoMeatball]

Oops I was so excited that I listened to the battle theme twice

[@ildyil1748]

Clearly once was not enough lol. So excited for this game, from the art design and the music alone

[@yootuub3869]

You forgot to mention by twice, it was the 1 hour version.

[@Ztsakkeus]

Only twice :D

[@NX_TV]

You could have put it a third time, I wouldn't have complained whatsoever.

[@esideras]

Wait till you hear the main battle theme xD

[@abadidea5984]

The moment I first heard that battle theme and the vocalist started popping off, I KNEW Marco would be all over this.

[@mark-gj4mb]

it's fascinating that this is from the same composer as the other games. Shoji Meguro showing that he can do hip hop, pop, rock, jazz, and now this is insane. Dude is a genius

[@abdieljove2011]

Strange Journey.

[@Tom-gp2uo]

He really is amazing. If you wanna hear the closest to this that he's done before, though, check out Strange Journey's music.

[@ActualBlueBlu]

Like other people said , he did Strange Journey aswell , which was filled with orchestral soundtrack But Metaphor is like that but on crack , you can see that this was very much a beloved project for Atlus and wanted theteam to go all in

[@dungeonmaster16]

Mostly shin megami tensei games, for persona games primarily lotus juice got history doing most of the tracks.

[@Gonzora]

​@@ActualBlueBlu I mean, this game is Atlus' 35th anniversary game and the first project directed by Katsura Hashiro (the director of Persona 3, 4, and 4, but not only) after he left P-Studio to start a new internal studio so it's expected that they will give their all to make it a great game. The real surprise is that the game is selling so well despite being a new project. With 1 million sales day one we can only thank Persona 5 (and other games from different studios) for making turn-based games popular again outside of the Pokémon franchise.

[@gluttonyfang6674]

What's more awesome is that the in-game music is integrated in the lore. The MC is listening to the music because of Gallica's magic and it switches depending on his mood and situation.

[@jkreincarnation]

The language being Esperanto is part of the uhh "metaphor" lol for the plot and lore of this game. A fantasy setting where they see our world as a fantasy where we are all one, equal, and prosperous. Truly a metaphorical fantasy

[@SomeCallMeAku]

It even fits the theme of the game as well. Part of the reason Esperanto was created was to be a true international language not tied to any one specific culture, which fits in nicely with the game's theme of uniting all the different races in the game in a society of equality.

[@eyalamit5120]

Oh it's Esperanto!?

[@Gato-be2jr]

@@eyalamit5120 Yeah its Esperanto they even got a Buddhist monk as the singer (this is not a joker look it up)

[@eyalamit5120]

@@Gato-be2jr Yeah I know that part by now lol. Still really cool

[@thebacklashwaveV]

Finally esperanto gets used

[@IvoryMadness.]

Finally! :)

[@HollowGolem]

Go back in time, tell Zamenhof "They'll use Esperanto for the lyrics in a really cool video game." "The hell is a video game?"

[@warbaby32]

Very fitting... it totally could be what a fiction version of our world would use as a universal language.

[@azurenh2]

5:09 Music is the first form of magic.

[@thesunthrone]

The drums go absolutely INSANE, they feel so terribly violent and the vocals give them direction and purpose, making them sound almost graceful and noble - but there's this undercurrent of ruthlessness to them that doesn't go away. This feels like a very dark universe just from its sound.

[@ImRoosevelt]

Can't wait for Friday! This will be my GOTY in this stacked year...2024 been blessing us

[@zikarisg9025]

Downloaded the demo, title menu theme starts playing, first thought: Marco will be drooling all over his keyboard talking about this!

[@MarcoMeatball]

And you were right lol

[@jipsid1694]

Played the demo and got to the fort and started fighting. The music left me speechless, it scratches an itch.

[@NGEvangeliman]

i went into the demo pretty much completely blind and the twist at the kingdom sent me into hype mode

[@morganjary]

"Thats a.... human" got me so HOOKED the second it was delivered.

[@UserEros]

Literally my brain was like: WHAT⁉️⁉️⁉️⁉️

[@justaslimsa3258]

I just realised, we REALLY need a Strange Journey OST reaction. It's probably some of the best orchestral video game music, imo.

[@naveriru6982]

And to think Strange Journey is DS title too with that orchestral OST.

[@MarcoMeatball]

Oh? What’s that

[@YozoraKuroboshi]

The full title of the game is Shin Megami Tensei Strange Journey (which got a remaster(?) with 3 new endings). The ost was composed by Shoji Meguro and I believe it was his first time doing orchestral music for Atlus. On KZbin there is a channel called Megaten Music which should have a playlist with all the tracks from the game in there.

[@arendking]

@@MarcoMeatball Yes!!!! it is an older atlus game (2008?09?) and its composer is Shoji Meguro, the same composer for Metaphor!! Just from the early music shown off in the demo it immediately calls back to the OST for strange journey and the feel and tone of the music from it. You def need to check it out

[@KaoRYuusha]

​@@MarcoMeatballit's a SMT game that was released on NDS & 3DS as its enhanced port. The setting & story of this game is heavily inspired by sci-fi films such as John Carpenter's The Thing. It was the 1st game composed by Meguro to utilize a full orchestral soundtrack with synthesized choir & chants, and to think that he was able to pull that off on a portable console with limitations is such an incredible feat.

[@rotonek2887]

The evolution from smt strange journey is truly great. The singer is an actual monk from what i have heard

[@karaiyamoon237]

It invokes a primal sense of anxiety and uncertainty for sure This may sound strange but I hope it makes sense I was in the military for 20 years and the chanting connected to the anxiety of embarking on the mission in a sense that there is a fear that even though you've prepared and planned and assessed all the risk for all of the of the confounding variables that can possible bring you harm or someone else. That the stakes are high and the transition to the choir comes in and tells you that you were trained for this and that you are with other people that you trust with your life that are trained and on the same page. You're not alone. I hope this makes sense. It sat still when I heard this theme and the advantage battle theme and it just seemed to bring me back to being young and afraid. It's also maybe something of a small PTSD response. This music is immensely potent.

[@rokkraljkolesa9317]

I think I get it in contrast to the advantage theme, the non-advantage battle theme (Warriors in Arms) has the chanting sound more stressed, almost like a priest trying to banish a demon while panicked the advantage theme (Warriors in Valor), on the other hand, feels more composed with its almost rap-like chanting, and has more of a "you've got this, champ!" vibe, like a hypeman

[@dafire9634]

marco: "i never was interested in persona or SMT" Atlus: "but what if we made it orchestral" i just discovered that the song vocals are in a language called "Esperanto" which was created in the end of the 1800's as a "universal language", which fits with the game's themes

[@MarcoMeatball]

Ya I have WOKEN UP lol

[@Pokemark17]

was bopping SO hard to the music playing the demo

[@DasTechnomancer]

My most excited game of the year, Friday cannot get here soon enough.

[@WavesWatershine]

Can’t wait for the Full game and soundtrack.😊

[@chrisonewiththesalt]

This is something NO-ONE will have requested, but I genuinely think is orchestral pieces you'd appreciate. The Sonny mobile remake from 2017 has some incredible tracks, namely Outnumbered which lives rent-free since my childhood. Heroic Intervention and Close Combat are excellent too.

[@kakugowaii5854]

SONNY MENTIONED 🗣️🗣️🗣️🔥🔥🔥

[@theshellderinslowbrostail5422]

heck yeah, Sonny mentioned

[@SMBeech]

I don't know if this is true, but I've been hearing they got a chief Buddhist monk to do the chanting for the music.

[@crowolf3862]

It does sound like the sutra chant style. There’s a few anime that use it for battle themes like Jujutsu kaisen and Kyousougiga I think there might be some video game examples too, but I can’t think of any off the top of my head. It being a monk is interesting in lore since you have the unified church-state.

[@bryguy062485]

Yup! It's Keisuke Honryo, the Chief at the Myojoji temple in Hakui according to the soundtrack credits!

[@tengo5291]

THANK YOU. This ost is SoTY for me already and we don't even have full access yet. 😭

[@brunorochaleao]

The battle theme playing on a loop in the background of my every thought since the game's reveal in June, and finally everyone is going to be in synch with me

[@Kmtwoseas]

Was on the fence about getting this on release. Yeah I'm convinced. Sorry Wukong, back to your slumber again for now.

[@cornyboi932]

Metaphors OST feels like Meguro going back to his Strange Journey self with how experimental and orchestral everything feels, tho Strange Journey is more dark and oppressive and this is more triumphant and epic, I love it.

[@retro6332]

Its great they used esperanto because this language is suposed to be a worldwide language, so even the music language is about bond people together

[@blivveries]

It's kind of fascinating how the "advantage" battle theme is very much a modern-Persona-esque battle theme! Replace the chanting with rapping (you don't even really need to change the tones being sung), swap the chorus with a solo vocalist, replace the orchestral backing with a band, and it's got the exact structure and mood you need to fill the rest. Really drives home the point that in spite of the vastly different style, it's still definitely Shoji Meguro at the helm. Definitely give it a listen if you (general "you", not just Marco) haven't!

[@rokkraljkolesa9317]

Warriors in Valor is the name, for the record Warriors in Arms was the battle theme at the end of the video

[@swienke1]

I think I remember reading somewhere that the chanting was supposed to be inspired by the traditional chanting of Buddhist sutras, which is usually not done to music.

[@pablotomasllodra4423]

By the chief monk of a Buddhist temple, nonetheless!!!

[@Hurricayne92]

I've been waiting for you to discover this music

[@empanadanguwak]

Ah yes, I was waiting for this channel to react to these pieces. This is gonna be fun to watch, heh.

[@sapphiefuzineko8693]

I've been waiting for this! XD Knew you would enjoy it :P

[@corruptedteka]

You listened to the same one twice at the end there, so that was odd ! Well either way i jumped for joy when i saw this in my feed ! Yes ! Of course you're a Metaphor music appreciator ! I could not be happier !

[@MarcoMeatball]

Dang I got confused

[@corruptedteka]

@@MarcoMeatball It happens, no worries xD

[@ansurarks]

I've heard a bunch of Japanese Buddhist chanting and sutras that I initially thought it was a fictional sutra that was being sung. Turns out it wasn't but it was indeed a Buddhist monk as the vocalist, at least as far as comments in other videos say.

[@IrishVideoGameOrchestra]

The main theme ALONE is fire. Can't wait to get very familiar with this OST. Shoji Meguro ♥

[@leroyjenkins2030]

The OST is so different from everything else. If I didn't know about Strange Journey I wouldn't believe that Shoji Meguro was behind all this. I really hope you cover the advantage battle theme too.

[@Dragonlover2013]

I'm so happy to see that I'm NOT THE ONLY ONE LOSING MY MIND to this incredible soundtrack!

[@yurimegazord]

Warriors in Arms give me sooo many goosebumps that I literally forgot how to breathe for a few seconds! jawdropping OST

[@HollowGolem]

Most of the chanting I did was church choir stuff. Some of this feels like that, but more high-tempo, more energetic. It's so wild hearing something like this from Meguro. Last time he did really orchestral stuff was Strange Journey, and I think he only did about half of that soundtrack.

[@SolidSnake240]

Man I cant wait to pick this game up. The demo sold me nearly instantly. Looks like Atlus might have another hit on their hands.

[@Tyo12552]

I’m so hyped for Friday! It can’t come soon enough. The music is so epic!! Your comment about the left hand meeting the right in the middle hit the nail on the head. I think that’s a big theme of the game :D

[@Tyberes]

Shoji Meguro's like a demon he's back the zaza's got him speaking Esperanto

[@Tomiply]

Ahh, I thought he would react to THAT battle theme as well. You guys know which one I'm talking about, in standard battles. Even that one is insane.

[@MoonGoblin]

I watched someone stream this game and I had to check to see if Marco had heard it lol. It's so good, and it's super operatic

[@Godspeed19961]

the akademia theme is really good

[@werewolf4925]

If you enjoy thie soundtrack, you really should give Shin Megami Tensei Strange Journey a listen. Specially it's main theme and battle themes. That soundtrack was made by the same composer as Metaphor's, and it's inspiration shows really hard!

[@DrNR-jp6lz]

Great comment

[@bluemori2822]

Someone made an mix edit with “fear of god” inserted into Metaphors battle theme and it’s insane how well it fits

[@werewolf4925]

@@bluemori2822 Ohh I'll try to find it, that sounds like a great idea owo

[@MarcoMeatball]

I really should

[@killaknight12]

I just played a bit of the demo and the OST is so nutty all the way through! I'm so excited for the full game.

[@kykoa]

Every day we get closer and closer till marco reacts to SMT Strange Journey's OST

[@Le_Dave]

I was waiting for you to do a video about metaphor refantazio

[@schlafN]

I've been giddy for you to go over the battle theme. This made my day. ATLUS killing it again. The 3-4h demo got me hooked, and I just can't wait to play the whole game. RIP 300h of my life.

[@aww_yeah2]

Today I listened to the track “Warriors in Valour” about 20 times. It’s really something else.

[@mercurymachines4311]

This shit really is phenomenal 🤯 after the demo I just can’t wait to play the full game.

[@makesomething4093]

First person I thought of I heard the battle themes in-game and of course, you already have a video on it haha! Would love to see the Advantage-Battle Theme reaction

[@Dolosify]

Something I think is super cool is that they give the in Game reason why you here music, it's an enchantment!

[@kuniohung8914]

I mean the guy that made Nier, which is a Square Enix property, is literally out batting for ATLUS

[@Hurricayne92]

The Yoko Taro interviews are amazing

[@xSoulEater23]

Marco I’ve been waiting for this video! Let’s go!

[@RollingTheOC]

I believe the choice to use Esperanto as the language instead of Latin was really fitting for the game's theme of uniting a nation under one banner, like how Esperanto wants to be the international language. Also the blending of different genres fits the setting of a reimagining of fantasy

[@valk5041]

We need more. Ambush battle theme, Fulquilo boss theme, library theme. Please

[@SMBeech]

I was waiting for this!

[@Soulsworth69]

I've been so addicted to this game ever since it came out! I think it's the best game Atlus have ever put out, not sure how they're going to top this experience.

[@sirmcdust5572]

I was already excited for the game beforehand but after playing the demo I immediately made sure to get off work for the weekend. Everything just slaps so hard.

[@SuperPaperPokemon]

The fandom is affectionally calling the dude who's chanting in Esperanto "Lotus Juice's grandpa" Lotus Juice being the guy who Atlus usually gets to rap in Persona games.

[@emilymitchell6823]

Can't wait to play this for 80+ hours

[@CelsiusTears]

Halfway through the game and I'm loving it! Definitely a new twist from Atlus!

[@kravers7919]

You would also love SMT Strange Journey Ost’s

[@ErisPrime]

At 5:55, that's just the average livestock auctioneer lol

[@theadmiral4157]

Now we only need to hear the theme of Oceana and theme of Montaro in the full game

[@mokvinsamv921]

Just beat the game, and I LOVE the music from this game T_T if you ever do play it Marco, I hope you love it as much or more than I do!

[@ashexiv]

Every time, when i listen to the Metaphor songs, they always reminds me of the Ar Tonelico songs, in particular the battle theme that reminds me so much METHOD_REPLEKIA from Ar Tonelico 2, both soundtracks is so wild and so unique

[@lurrrsss]

cant wait for this game

[@Mako0123]

In Gallica's own words: “Music was the first magic this world ever knew, after all. Makes the road a little easier.” She directly plays the music in the protagonist head so the music in this game is diegetic! (And it just goes with the game main theme). You should play this game if you liked the original final fantasies not for the turn-based combat but for all the soul the developers put into the game, character and world design ❤

[@dgkingmusic]

Hands down my favorite game of the year. I can’t get enough

[@zoray5143]

The Soundtrack for Metaphor is so good man

[@franuwu6840]

the intense vocals and chanting make me go monkey mode and I can't be any happier

[@BreadStapledToTrees]

This got a 94 average. I can't wait for friday Atlus.

[@ThreeKingdomsSeshBox]

This sound track blew me away, a few of the tracks are inspired directly by the sound track for their game SMT Strange Journey. I highly recommend checking out the sound track for that game.

[@bokeronenjoyer]

Have you listened to the smt strange journey ost? Same composer of course, it has a lot of similitude to this ost

[@VykoSss84]

It's Instaled ... can't wait !!!

[@blakeandcamp]

Battle theme is so damn good. Absolute fire.

[@ricardoorozco9757]

I battled like a million monsters and i Never get tired of this battle theme 😂👌✨

[@hasuotaku]

It's interesting. We see the same situation from 3:20-3:54 happen in "It's a Golden Show" from Catherine OST, again done by Shoji Meguro. Literally similar or same audio used.

[@chillax319]

Battle theme bought me like a pack of cheap jellies. I really enjoyed how pumped up that soundtrack made you! Other game with great OST that you most likely never heard before is Limbus Company. Check out one of their songs from Mili- Between Two Worlds.

[@Terribly_Grimm]

Easily my most anticipated game of 2024, the art direction is so good

[@yootuub3869]

I personally thought Soken’s Dawntrail soundtrack was going to walk with soundtrack of the year personally but dam Shoji Meguro came in swinging and might just take it for me. Can’t wait for both of these to be on sale so i can put both in my personal collection.

[@Shingojikung]

So i'm not the only one who lose my mind Listen to this like seriously.How can anybody or any group of people make a whole album that 99% of tracks are all ear catching and good... Its a masterpiece

[@aniyo5287]

Hell yeah now THAT is what I wanted to see

[@eyalamit5120]

The vocalist is an actual priest of a Buddhist temple in Japan btw

[@Rennnix]

Fire Emblem 3 Houses vibes

[@mauricemori]

I'm so excited!!!!

[@slayeroffurries1115]

I shall play the demo now, and return here to finish watching the video

[@finalphalax]

Its very nice they used esperanto. The purpose for the language was to unite everyone to have an equal language. After they mentioned the utopia of everyone being equal, esperanto fitted in perfecrly

[@burnedpotato1895]

I knew the ost was goated just needed Marco to feed into my bias

[@mkloven101]

Meguro ONLY MAKES BANGERSSSSS

[@Skips531]

You should definitely check out the Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 trailer music and the tracks they’ve put out on their official Sandfall Interactive KZbin page. Such a beautiful soundtrack so far, especially Alicia.

[@sirmcdust5572]

I think you mixed up some batte OSTs, the normal battle OST wasn't in there and that one is also simply amazing

[@JothNny]

Only started playing the game 2 days ago and I've already listened to the soundtrack twice...

[@quiotu]

That chant is very, VERY Native American sounding. If that's where he got inspiration from, then props to any Japanese composer that scoured the Earth for chanting and grabbed that. Extremely rare.

[@finalphalax]

They actually had a Buddhist chant a mantra

[@blakefenslerjr4858]

I have a copy of this game now it is a blast! It wont disappoint you guys at all! 😊

[@Fissiccisst1]

The absolute nerd gushing here was hilarious. Loved it

[@kolosmenus]

This is the first time in my life that the game's soundtrack almost convinced me to buy it lol

[@lukelmaooooo]

Since the music is diegetic that means that Esperanto is a canon language in the world of metaphor