Metaphor: ReFantanzio is one of the best games of 2024 and has racked up a slew of Game Awards, including Best Role-Playing Game, Best Art Direction, and Best Narrative. But one category in which Metáfora particularly stood out was its music. The soundtrack, produced by Shoji Meguro, the veteran musical director of the Person The series is one of the standout achievements in video game music this year, particularly its battle theme that became a viral hit. In an interview with The edgeMeguro spoke about his work in the Metaphor soundtrack featuring what is included in perhaps the greatest piece of video game battle music ever created.
Meguro, known for his work producing the pop-and-jazz vibes of Person soundtracks, recognized that MetaphorThe heavy orchestral/choral sound of is not something Person fans would expect from him and definitely out of his own wheelhouse. He said that to shift gears effectively Person to Metaphorhe had to relearn classical music theory.
“But that's what makes creating this score so exciting,” he said. “When they first told me about Metaphor: ReFantasiaI was told it would be an epic, high fantasy RPG. And I immediately heard the sound of big orchestras playing and I thought this could be an opportunity to write songs I've never written before, which made me really excited.”
In the development of music for MetaphorMeguro said he wanted to evoke a classic fantasy experience but with a unique twist that he said fans have come to expect from Atlus games. That twist became what Meguro called a “spiritual musical style” that defined the soundtrack, particularly the battle music.
Since it was nominated for Game of the Year, MetaphorThe music made an appearance during this year's Game Awards.
If you've spent any time on gaming social media this year, you've probably seen tons of posts talking about MetaphorBattle music. For a battle theme it is extremely hard, with a version that begins with a choir backed by an orchestra singing with the kind of enthusiasm you'd expect from an encounter with Sephiroth, not something that plays during every minor encounter in the game. Then somehow the song becomes even more difficult with the addition of a Japanese monk singing in a fast cadence that could go toe-to-toe with Eminem. To further elevate the songs, the chants were written in an original language inspired by Esperanto, a language invented in 1887 and designed to be used as a universal secondary language internationally.
But finding the right voice for the job wasn't easy. “I was looking for a specific type of voice that could maintain a fast pace while reading Esperanto-inspired writing,” Meguro said.
His search led him to YouTube, where scrolling through performances found a monk named Keisuke Honryo performing in Nam Jazz Experiment, a musical group that combines jazz with the recitation of traditional Buddhist sutras. “It was great, I immediately made (Honryo) an offer and luckily he accepted and was happy to be a part of this game.”
But there's a reason why MetaphorThe battle music of is so dazzling, and it's not just due to the musical style of a Japanese monk chanting in a made-up language inspired by another made-up language. Meguro had to rethink their thinking when developing the soundtrack, which led to the creation of something truly unique that changes the way players perceive the game.
“I've always considered game scores to be akin to user interface elements, constructs that exist solely to serve the player,” Meguro said. “While the score has to capture the atmosphere of the story for the user, it's worth remembering that this music doesn't actually play directly within the world the characters are in.”
Meguro explained that in conversations with the game's director, Katsura Hashino, the two discussed ways to connect what players hear with what the characters also hear.
He said the thought experiment allowed them to “approach musical composition through a different lens.” The idea ended up implemented in the game itself. In 'Metaphor'During opening hours, the player's partner casts a spell that allows them to listen to music as they wander the world and inevitably get into fights.
That moment dramatically changes everyone's context. 'Metaphor's music, especially its battle themes. Taking those songs from fun, player-only environments and turning them into something the characters also experience explains why the songs are so difficult. Each fight for us is another event on the way to the credits, for the characters it is life or death and it makes sense that the music they listen to as they fight for their lives reflects that gravity.
meguro used Metaphor's music to bring players closer to the game and is delighted with the good reception his work has had. The two battle songs, called “Warriors in arms” and “Warriors with courage” instantly resonated among the players, <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/TheBlackViking3/status/1842293436268916867″>inspirational memes and even animated shorts.
“I'm so happy that fans respond with enthusiasm to the music of Metaphor”Meguro said. “It's an honor to get that kind of reaction.”
