I greatly enjoyed my play through of Metaphor: ReFantazio. It’s such a fun game and features many characters who awaken to their powers in glorious fashion. By confronting their inner turmoil they give life to an archetype that grants them the power to face their enemies, and they are all amazing. However, some are more amazing than others, and so I thought I’d make a list of them. Also, note this is my own opinion, and will contain spoilers.

The Protagonist

This may be a debated choice, but the protagonist’s awakening was my least favorite. It’s beautifully animated, sets the tone for the game, and I greatly enjoyed it. The problem is that the protagonist only says Awaken. As great as this awakening scene is, everyone else had much more emotional depth.

Eupha

Another great scene that showed a character struggling with her fate. She walked the path of a sacrifice for the lives of her people. With a powerful speech from another character, we’ll see her strive to fight a system where she can fight for her own life and the lives of her people. It’s another amazing scene, but to me it ends up a bit lower than the rest because it feels like the result of a pep talk.

Junah

Junah’s awakening is quite a standout among all the rest. Junah effectively summons the power herself by her own will. Her awakening reflects her background as an artist, as it is graceful and fun to watch. In many ways, it is ranked lower on the list for the same reason as the protagonist. As good as it is, the others simply evoked more of an emotional response from me as I watched them.

Heismay

I love this awakening so much. Heismay is a character who originally ran from his pain and finally found the will to confront it head-on. As he speaks, he has this growl in his voice that makes the lines he says hit hard. He has an incredible speech and makes a memorable impression. I actually wish it were just a bit longer. It’s a rather quick scene that I would have loved to see more of.

Strohl

Strohl is a man who bears the loss of his home and his people. He strives to make things right and avenge them, and in a passionate speech, he awakens to his power to stand and fight. Like Heismay this scene is rather short, but much more powerful in execution. I get literal chills watching this scene as he introduces himself and follows up with, “I will strike you down where you stand.” Having that scene with the souls of his lost people cheering him on packs a ridiculously emotional punch.

Hulkenburg

This is a scene where emotions are quite literally all over the place. You’re faced against the reanimated corpse of a fallen ally, which is already making the scene tense. As Hulkenburg finds a renewed will to fight as she learns the prince she thought she failed to save is still alive. It starts off incredibly sad, then tonally makes a drastic change. It then ends in a way similar to Strohl, with an introduction in the most spectacular way imaginable as she expresses her new desire to fight. So like his I got chills watching this scene.

Basilio

Basilio was a former enemy of the heroes who turned on the enemy, but lost his brother in the process. This loss weighs heavily on him as his grief gives rise to his awakening. Though it’s tonally different than all of the others. Where the ones before his were all roars of passionate speeches, his awakening comes with one simple sentence. “See you round Del.” As simple as that sentence is, it comes with just as much emotion as the awakenings that came before it. I quite literally teared up watching it, and that is why it was the clear choice for my favorite.