Metaphor: ReFantazio undeniably draws inspiration from the Persona franchise, positioning itself as a spiritual successor. Although it is shorter in length compared to other Persona titles, it boasts numerous dungeons that enhance gameplay variety and engagement.
The dungeons in Metaphor: ReFantazio are notably concise, which accelerates the game’s pacing and ensures that players can fully appreciate each dungeon without experiencing monotony—though a few exceptions exist. However, the true test lies in the difficulty of these dungeons. With extensive experience in JRPGs, I will evaluate and rank the dungeons from easiest to hardest.
Warning: This article contains minor spoilers related to Metaphor: ReFantazio.
10 Northern Border Fort
The Very Beginning
Your initial encounter with a dungeon featuring Strohl is an iconic moment. This dungeon stands out as the easiest, mostly because death is nearly impossible unless one is deliberately reckless.
While not a traditional tutorial—since your Archetype is only unlocked at the dungeon’s conclusion—it effectively establishes the somber tone of Metaphor’s universe while introducing you to your first Human.
Players can bypass most enemies by sprinting toward the exit, which I recommend. If feelings of isolation ever arise, remember that Strohl has been an unwavering ally since the very start.
9 Skyrunner Charadrius
The Massive Gauntlet Runner Of Louis
This uniquely designed dungeon has a nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic Metal Gear Solid games. Skyrunner Charadrius requires players to engage in stealth takedowns and defeat mini-bosses at the end of each section while collecting keycards.
The boss encounters are reminiscent of the Okumura fight in Persona 5 Royal, as players must eliminate all enemies within three turns.
Prior to engaging, ensure you acquire intelligence from the informant and exploit the mini-bosses’ weaknesses, as this remains the most effective strategy.
8 Nord Mines
The First Challenge For Most Players
Following the Northern Border Fort, the Nord Mines are widely regarded as the true tutorial dungeon in Metaphor. Here, players will gain access to a full squad, complete with distinct Archetypes.
This dungeon helps familiarize players with the combat system, marking it as the game’s first genuine challenge, where effectively utilizing your MP bar is crucial.
Be cautious not to exhaust your MP on basic foes, especially if you aim to take down the optional dragon lurking at the dungeon’s finale.
7 Montario Opera House
Welcome To High Society
In this dungeon, you are limited to using only Will and Eupha, which means that the skills you’ve unlocked will largely dictate the difficulty level you encounter.
Having only the Seeker and Healer skills for Will and a Summoner Archetype for Eupha made it easy to handle enemies weak to these skills. However, those resistant to them turned into a significant hurdle.
The main challenge here is that all foes target Eupha, meaning her downfall results in failure for the team. Prepare with MP recovery items for Will, too, as you will face Louis in a boss fight at the dungeon’s end.
6 Giant Sandworm’s Belly And Nest
I Hate That Fish
As both the Giant Sandworm’s Belly and Nest are explored on the same gaming day, I will discuss them together.
The Belly dungeon itself is relatively straightforward, though the presence of Homo Fios (the fishman) adds an interesting twist.
The true challenge lies in the Giant Sandworm’s Nest, where the Heismay boss presents a frustrating battle, solidifying this section as one of the weakest dungeons in the game.
5 Regalith Grand Cathedral
Return To Form
The Regalith Grand Cathedral serves as the first significant dungeon that draws upon your experience from the Persona series.You can explore freely, receive objectives and deadlines, and even engage in side quests or upgrade your character’s attributes.
However, just because it is the first major dungeon doesn’t make it an easy feat. Players will encounter more formidable challenges here than in other essential dungeons of Metaphor.
The Cathedral is populated with typical enemies, but it also has powerful Human adversaries capable of swiftly incapacitating your team, assuming they catch you off guard.
4 Kriegante Castle
Dark, Mysterious, And Epic
Kriegante Castle stands out as my personal favorite dungeon in Metaphor: ReFantazio. Its ambiance is dark and mysterious, complemented by the sporadic presence of a Human intent on hunting you down, adding layers of intrigue.
The dungeon may be shorter than the Regalith Grand Cathedral, but it introduces particularly challenging foes. The pacing is skillfully managed, ensuring that exploring does not become tiresome.
With nearly perfect difficulty scaling and pacing, Kriegante Castle stands out as the best dungeon in the game, as it strikes the ideal balance between challenge and exploration.
3 Tyrant Star
The Best XP Farm Location
As the concluding dungeon of Metaphor, the Tyrant Star also offers the best opportunities for XP and A-XP farming, especially if you aim to unlock the Royal Archetype for each character.
This dungeon prioritizes experience gain, meaning difficulty is manageable through leveling up efficiently. Yet, if your focus rests solely on boss fights and game completion, this dungeon can prove to be exceptionally challenging.
The Tyrant Star houses previous bosses from both optional and mandatory dungeons.Engaging with these stronger variants prior to facing the final boss can significantly weaken the ultimate opponent.
2 Skybound Avatar
Is This The Final Dungeon?
If you thought Skybound Avatar marked the end of your adventure, you aren’t the only one. Although the buildup is strong, this dungeon tends to lose momentum due to its lack of originality.
Skybound Avatar comprises four targets that players must destroy, three of which demand navigating complex mazes and overcoming challenging enemies (including the infamous fishman).
Repetition in requiring players to perform similar tasks to destroy each target detracts from the overall pace of the dungeon.
Moreover, players will face numerous formidable fodder enemies, and Zorba’s boss battle can be quite steep in difficulty if your equipment or Archetype composition is lacking.
1 Dragon Temple
Unforgiving And Painstakingly Long
After the relative ease of the Skyrunner Charadrius dungeon, the Dragon Temple presents a significant difficulty spike. Despite its mid-game status, players will encounter substantial challenges here.
I would describe this dungeon as excessive in size and complexity; it took me four in-game days to complete it. I constantly faced issues with my party running low on MP.
Beyond the combat difficulty, the dungeon’s layout is its primary obstacle. Both the Dragon Temples and the adjoining Lost Ruins create vast mazes that will constantly test your survival instincts.
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