The question of how similar Metaphor: ReFantazio would be to SMT and the modern Persona games loomed long before its release. With the creative talent of Atlus' past working to define Metaphor's identity, it was a given that some aspects of the company's repertoire would be present in the game. After the title's critical acclaim and Game Award nominations, however, it has become ever clearer that Metaphor, much like its protagonist, manages to chart its own path, striking the proper balance between establishing itself and paying homage to the greats that came before it. Aside from its mechanical inspirations in its iteration of the modern Persona calendar system and SMT's press-turn combat, there lies a number of small, clever references that contribute to this, serving as clever nods that Atlus fans will appreciate.