Though this year’s awards season is just around the corner, lately I’ve found myself reminiscing about my favorite game of 2024 and, coincidentally, GameSpot’s 2024 Game of the Year: Metaphor: ReFantazio. The fantasy RPG quickly captivated me upon its release late last year for myriad reasons, but perhaps what impressed me most about Metaphor was Atlus’ ability to make this high-stakes, fantastical adventure ultimately feel grounded and deeply human.
Perhaps this shouldn’t have been as surprising as it was considering Atlus’s catalog of games, many of which tactfully explore ideas like mortality, oppression, and self-actualization. But whereas the Persona titles and the studio’s one-off games like Catherine are still rooted in real-life, Metaphor offered a dramatic departure from our world. A large part of what grounds this, of course, is the game’s writing and overarching story, but another part of what truly makes this work are the Metaphor’s fantastic performances.
As such, I was delighted when the actor behind Metaphor’s protagonist, Caleb Yen, volunteered to answer some questions about his performance and time spent working on the game. Yen opened up to GameSpot about his favorite lines, how to inject humor into an earnest character, and that awkwardness that comes with playing a game he’s in.
