LogInComposer Shoji Meguro discussed the creation of the game's music.
Metaphor: ReFantanzio's battle music gained widespread popularity for being captivating and unique. In a recent interview, Composer Shoji Meguro discussed his work on the game's soundtrack and what made it so memorable.
Meguro shared that after working on a soundtrack for Persona, he had to relearn classical musical theory. "But that’s what makes creating this score so exciting,” the composer said (via The Verge). "When I was first told about Metaphor: ReFantazio, I was told it would be an epic, high-fantasy RPG. And immediately, I heard the sound of great orchestras playing and thought this might be an opportunity to write songs I've never really written before, which excited me greatly."
The composer said that he strived to create a classical fantasy impression with a unique twist, which became what he called a "spiritual musical style," which more distinctly manifested in the battle music.
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What makes the battle music performed by the orchestra unusual is that it's accompanied by the fast-paced chanting of a Japanese monk. The lyrics were written in an original language inspired by Esperanto. "I was looking for a specific type of voice that could sustain a fast rhythm while reading Esperanto-inspired scripture," Meguro said.
After searching on YouTube, the composer found Keisuke Honryo, a monk who participated in a band that combines jazz with the recitation of traditional Buddhist sutras, called Nam Jazz Experiment. He shared that it was the voice that he wanted to hear in the game soundtrack: "It was so great, I immediately made [Honryo] an offer and luckily he accepted and was happy to be a part of this game."
Another reason for the game's music being so captivating is that the composer specifically aimed to connect it to what happens in the game at the moment. He compared the soundtrack to interface elements:
"I've always considered game scores to be similar to UI elements, constructs that exist solely to service the player." He added: "Although the score has to capture the atmosphere of the story for the user, it's worth reminding ourselves that this music is not actually playing directly within the world the characters are in."
Metaphor: ReFantanzio was nominated in multiple categories at this year's The Game Awards and became the winner in Best Narrative, Best Art Direction, and Best RPG.
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