Metaphor: ReFantazio vs Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties
A 100-hour fantasy JRPG with turn-based archetypes versus a slick brawler remake you should only play after five other games.
Updated 16d ago
Surpasses most modern JRPGs — Metaphor takes Persona 5's social-sim-plus-turn-based formula into high fantasy with 46 archetypes and a tighter calendar.
For fans of Kiryu's saga — Kiwami 3 is the definitive Y3 remake, but newcomers should start with Y0 or Like a Dragon.
By the numbers
Prices checked Aug 7; they move faster than we refresh, so confirm on the store page.
Recent-review figures are Steam's own last-30-days window, read Aug 7.
| Measure | Metaphor: ReFantazio | Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties |
|---|---|---|
| Value Metaphor: ReFantazio wins on value | ||
| Price now | $25.54 −64% · Fanatical | $35.39 −41% · Fanatical |
| All-time low | $24.95 | $35.39 |
| Cost / hour | $0.39/hr $25.54 · 65 h main story | $2.44/hr $35.39 · 15 h main story |
| Off its low | +2% low was Jun 2026 | At its low low was Aug 2026 |
| Main story | 65 h | 15 h |
| Health Metaphor: ReFantazio wins on player health | ||
| Steam reviews | 90% 42k reviews | 62% 3k reviews |
| Recent reviews | 86% 445 votes · vs 90% lifetime | 72% 72 votes · vs 62% lifetime · improving |
| Peak players | 4,131 Jul 2026 · ↑ 24% MoM | 468 Jul 2026 · ↓ 20% MoM |
| Launch peak | 5% of Oct 2024 launch peak · as of Jul 2026 | 6% of Feb 2026 launch peak · as of Jul 2026 |
| All-time peak | 85,194 Oct 2024 | 8,263 Feb 2026 |
| Support | ||
| Last patch | 10 months ago | 5 months ago |
| Patch cadence | 0 in last 90 days | 0 in last 90 days |
| Steam Deck | Platinum | Platinum |
Shared scale — same months across the bottom, same player-count axis up the side, so the two lines are directly comparable. A shorter line means a younger game.
What players say
Patterns from long-haul reviewers, taken from each game's verdict. Not live sentiment — each side is dated below.
Metaphor: ReFantazio
The archetype system's flexible team-building and challenging turn-based combat are the loops 100-hour fans keep returning to.
Late-game grinding for types and abilities, alongside pacing that falls apart after a strong start, is the wall many long-time players hit.
from our May 2026 verdict
Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties
Combat updates feel incomplete and story changes frustrate long-time fans, while technical issues like poor performance and casting mar the experience.
from our May 2026 verdict
Key differences
Which one is for you?
Pick Metaphor: ReFantazio if
- You loved Persona 5 Royal and want a fantasy reskin with refined turn-based combat
- You enjoy 60-80 hour JRPGs with calendar-based time management
- You like class systems—Metaphor has 46 Archetypes across 14 lineages
Pick Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties if
- You're a Yakuza veteran who has finished Y0, K1, and K2
- You prefer real-time brawling over turn-based battles
- You want a 20-30 hour action game with no time management pressure
Bottom line
Play Metaphor if you want a grand new JRPG from the Persona team; choose Yakuza Kiwami 3 only if you're already invested in Kiryu's story.
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