Atlus has put the spotlight on Heismay Noctule, the eugief thief from Metaphor: ReFantazio, ahead of the game's Nintendo Switch 2 release tomorrow, November 12. Atlus West released the new Heismay trailer yesterday, the latest in a run of character videos promoting the Switch 2 version. Check out the official post down below:
Heismay follows Gallica, Strohl and Hulkenberg in the series. Atlus West posted the Gallica video on October 7, followed by Strohl on October 13 and Hulkenberg on October 21, each paired with a line from the character. Hulkenberg's was "My life is your shield and my blade is your strength," and Heismay's is "The only way to beat the darkness, is to confront it."
Who Heismay Noctule Is
Heismay is a member of the eugief, one of the tribes of the United Kingdom of Euchronia, and he joins the party with the Thief Archetype. The party first meets him during the opening task of the Tournament for the Throne, which calls for the head of a monster. The group targets a rogue knight accused of kidnapping children, and that knight turns out to be Heismay, who has been framed for the crimes.
His story is built around grief over the death of his son before the events of the game. When the game turned 2 last month, Atlus West celebrated "two years of pure fantasy, unforgettable adventures, and everyone's favorite bat dad."
Philippe Spall voices Heismay in English, part of a cast Atlus announced in August 2024 that includes Caleb Yen as the protagonist, Alejandra Reynoso as Gallica, Stewart Clarke as Strohl, Kristin Atherton as Hulkenberg, Emma Ballantine as Junah, Emily Burnett as Eupha, David Monteith as Neuras, Joseph Tweedale as Louis, Greg Chun as More and Gordon Cooper as Grius. Akio Otsuka voices Heismay in Japanese.
Check out Atlus West's full Heismay trailer below:
What Metaphor: ReFantazio Is
Metaphor: ReFantazio is a fantasy RPG from the team behind Persona 3, 4 and 5, directed by Katsura Hashino with characters and Archetypes mostly designed by Shigenori Soejima. It is set in the United Kingdom of Euchronia after the assassination of its king. Years earlier, an attack left the prince cursed and in a long slumber. The protagonist, an orphan from the magic-wielding elda tribe and the prince's childhood friend, enters the Royal Tournament to decide the next ruler while searching for a way to lift the curse, with the fairy Gallica as his guide.
Archetypes work as the game's job system. Each one has its own skills, can be ranked up and can evolve into stronger forms, and new ones become available as the protagonist forms bonds with followers. Combat mixes turn-based battles with real-time action. Days are split between dungeons, quests and treasure hunts in daylight, and building bonds and raising the 5 Royal Virtues of Courage, Wisdom, Tolerance, Eloquence and Imagination at night, with story deadlines on a calendar.
The game first launched on October 11, 2024 for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S and PC. It sold 1 million copies on its release day and won Best Art Direction, Best Narrative and Best RPG at The Game Awards 2024, along with the D.I.C.E. Award for Role-Playing Game of the Year. Nintendo's listing points to its Metascore of 94 and "over 50 prestigious awards."
The Switch 2 Version And Pre-Order Bonuses
SEGA publishes the Switch 2 version, with Atlus developing. The estimated download is 62.1 GB, and the game supports TV, tabletop and handheld modes along with Nintendo Account family-group lending. A free Prologue Demo has been available on Switch 2 since October 20, and save data from the demo carries over to the full game.
Pre-orders include 2 bonus item sets, available until 9:59 PM MST tonight:
- Archetype EXP Chest Set: 10 Hero's Incenses (100 Archetype EXP each) and 5 Hero's Fruits (500 Archetype EXP each)
- Currency and item pack: 30,000 Reeve, 5 Expensive Medicines, 5 Revival Medicines, 3 Magical Breads and 2 Stale Blackbreads
The bonuses are collected at Akademeia in the game. Four $4.99 costume packs also arrive on November 12, each with 7 outfits plus battle music and a battle jingle: the Shujin Academy and Jouin High School uniforms, the Gekkoukan High School uniforms and Etrian Odyssey class costumes. The Metaphor: ReFantazio Orchestral Album also comes out on November 12.
Atlus also posted a cryptic teaser of its own, as covered in Atlus Posts A Cryptic "Crown-Twined" Teaser With A Mysterious Book And A Throne Prophecy.
Is Heismay your favorite member of the Metaphor: ReFantazio party, and are you picking up the Switch 2 version tomorrow?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.