Metaphor: ReFantazio Composer Shoji Meguro on Scoring Games to Shock First, Hook Later

Japanese game composer Shoji Meguro, the longtime sound architect behind Atlus's Persona series, sat down with NME to discuss how he built a distinct musical identity for 2024's Metaphor: ReFantazio — including an unexpected decision to record Buddhist chanting for one of the game's battle themes.

A new sound for a new IP

Since 1996's Revelations: Persona, Meguro has given each entry in the series its own musical vocabulary: pop vocals mixed with rock and hip-hop on Persona 3, a J-pop turn on its sequel, and acid jazz influenced by Jamiroquai on Persona 5. For Metaphor: ReFantazio, Atlus's new original fantasy IP, he set out from the start to write an orchestral epic — but producer Katsura Hashino pushed him to keep the