‘Metaphor: ReFantazio’ composer Shoji Meguro wants to keep surprising you

B eloved Japanese role-playing game series Persona typically sees you dealing with everyday teenage issues by day, before battling supernatural monsters by night.

It’s a full-on existence but luckily the game soundtracks are packed with the sort of urgent, high-tempo bangers that’ll keep you going regardless of what comes your way – whether that’s a tricky piece of homework or a snarling hell beast.

READ MORE: How ‘Final Fantasy’, ‘Zelda’ ‘Metaphor: ReFantazio’ inspired Purity Ring’s most ambitious album yet Since working on the original 1996 game Revelations: Persona (including what would become the series’ haunted unofficial anthem ‘Aria Of The Soul’), frequent composer Shoji Meguro has given each entry an individual sonic identity.

Persona 3 used sugary pop vocals and a blend of rock and hip-hop to give the dark coming-of-age tale a modern flavour, while its 2008 follow-up turned to J-pop for its peaceful, rural setting and Persona 5 ’s soundtrack was full of Jamiroquai -inspired acid jazz.

“From the PlayStation era through the early days of the PlayStation 2, there were hardware limitations so I wasn’t completely free in terms of what I could express [with my music],” Meguro tells NME via translator.

“But since then, I haven’t really felt constrained.” “When players hear a song in the game, I want them to think, ‘Wait, they can actually have a song like this!?’ and be genuinely surprised,” the composer says of his approach to music creation.

“Then, over time, I want that reaction to become something like, ‘It really surprised me at first, but it actually fits the scene so well, and now I’m hooked on it…’.

That’s the kind of music I try to create.” Persona is grounded in our everyday reality but Metaphor: ReFantazio , the latest creation from game developers Atlus, is pure otherworld fantasy.

Players take control of an orphan from the magic-wielding Elda tribe and, with the help of fairy companion Gallica, head out across the United Kingdom Of Euchronia to uncover who murdered the king and find out why the prince is in a cursed sleep.

Early on its creation, Meguro knew the game’s soundtrack needed to be an orchestral epic but Metaphor: ReFantazio boss Katsura Hashino encouraged him to create something with the “distinctive, edgy quality associated with Atlus”.

It’s why there are moments of electronic euphoria throughout the traditional orchestral score that add to the “drama” of the adventure.

It’s also why he recruited Chief priest Of Myojoji Temple, Keisuke Honryo, to record religious chanting for the game’s gloriously overblown battle themes.