It’s some of Shoji Meguro’s finest work.
I’ve been a Final Fantasy diehard for most of my life, but even I have to admit nobody does a JRPG soundtrack quite like Atlus. The Persona series has become as well known for its music as it has for its storyline, characters, and gigantic penis monsters—weaving modern sounds into dynamic dungeon themes and toned-down town hub tunes, while centering the identity of each game around music genres like J-Pop, jazz, and hip-hop.
But what about when Atlus makes a game that isn’t set in modern-day Japan? Metaphor: ReFantazio came out swinging almost a year ago and absolutely floored me in every possible way. A gripping high fantasy storyline set in a medieval kingdom, a cast of adult characters who feel like the natural evolution of Persona’s teenage ensembles, and a genuinely fantastic soundtrack to back up the entire thing.
I’ve become so used to composer Shoji Meguro—who worked in-house at Atlus for over 25 years—dealing in more contemporary beats that I hadn’t thought about what he would do when tasked with a far more antiquated setting. The result? Delicate pianos, epic orchestral moments, mystical choirs, and a freaking Buddhist priest chanting absolute bars in the middle of battle.
It’s a soundtrack that feels more classical JRPG but still very distinctly Atlus, something which Meguro was apparently surprised by.
