Play on: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows (Steam Deck YMMV)
Current goal: Start over!
I’ve come quite far in 2015 The Witcher 3only to discover that I was capital L Lost. I didn’t know what was happening. I barely understood the universe, let alone my sloppy knowledge of mechanics. So I started the game over with the intention of playing through it nice and ponderous, and lo and behold, it became one of my favorite games of 2010.
Now, on the cusp of 2025, I find myself in a similar situation with a GOTY-nominated RPG Metaphor: ReFantasia. Whether it was my immersion in a… um… high state of mind, or just the fact that the game is so difficult – a bit too weighty in my opinion – as far as fantastic political knowledge goes, I’m a little too lost at this point to figure out what’s going on. But I know I’ve been intrigued by this game since I decided to temporarily shelve it in favor of Forbidden West and I knew I would have to come back to it.
So my goal for this weekend is a fresh start! I’m very excited to start unpacking the themes of Metaphor, well, metaphors. I’m particularly intrigued by the way the game interacts with the way fiction serves as essential inspiration, offering a way to imagine a better world. And I don’t mind turn-based combat. The game is also visually stunning, so if I’m still having trouble keeping up with the story, well, at least I have something to look at. -Claire Jackson
