Metaphor Composer Shoji Meguro Talks Battle Themes & Orchestra Tour

Shoji Meguro opens up about crafting Metaphor: ReFantazio's battle music, re-orchestrating the soundtrack, and working with director Katsura Hashino ahead of the game's orchestra tour.

Ever wondered what goes into making a battle theme that has to work whether a fight lasts 30 seconds or five minutes? Metaphor: ReFantazio composer Shoji Meguro knows that struggle all too well.

Ahead of the game's upcoming orchestra tour, Meguro sat down to talk about his inspirations behind the soundtrack, the process of re-orchestrating the music for a live setting, and what it was like working alongside Persona director Katsura Hashino on the project.

One of the trickiest parts of composing for Metaphor, according to Meguro, was the unpredictable length of combat. As he put it, "One of the challenges with Metaphor was that the length of each battle could vary quite a bit." That variability means a battle theme can't just build to a single climax and call it a day — it has to stay engaging no matter how quickly or slowly a fight plays out.

Beyond the battle music, Meguro also opened up about his broader inspirations for the soundtrack and the careful work of re-orchestrating the game's music for a live orchestra. Translating a score written for a game into a concert hall experience is no small feat, and it's a process fans of his work will likely find fascinating.

The conversation also touched on his collaboration with Katsura Hashino, the director behind the Persona series. Working with Hashino again on Metaphor gave Meguro a chance to build on a creative partnership that's already produced some of the most beloved soundtracks in modern RPGs.

For fans, the orchestra tour is a chance to hear Metaphor's music in a whole new way — performed live and reworked specifically for the stage. If you've spent hours lost in the game's score, this is basically the ultimate encore.

What do you think — will you be catching the Metaphor orchestra tour, or are you just here for the battle themes? Let us know!