Metaphor: ReFantazio's Catherina Should Appear in Another Atlus Franchise

An expected part of any Atlus game is a diverse cast of characters that players will grow to know over the course of the game, andMetaphor: ReFantaziois no different. Building bonds with the protagonist’s Followers is a core part ofMetaphor: ReFantazio—much like the Social Link mechanic of thePersonaseries before it—allowing players to get to know the game’s cast on a deeper level. WhileMetaphordoes a great job of fleshing out these Followers, one in particular feels strangely reminiscent of another Atlus IP.

Catherina Grann is the heritor of the Brawler Archetypeand a fellow contestant for the crown that players will meet early inMetaphor: ReFantazio. While she has a penchant for challenging the player’s party to battle whenever their gauntlet runners cross paths, she is ultimately an ally of the protagonist and aligns with his vision of a better world. However, longtime Atlus fans may notice the similarities between Catherina’s design and that of Rin inCatherine: Full Body, another Atlus title that Catherina would be perfect for a crossover with.

Metaphor ReFantazio Tag Page Cover Art

Metaphor: ReFantazio’s Catherina Should Appear in a Future Catherine Game

Catherina Appears to Draw Inspiration from Full Body’s Rin

A pink-haired character with a variant of the name “Catherine” is not a new concept for Atlus, as the developerprominently featured the character Rin inCatherine: Full Body, the definitive version of the puzzle-meets-visual-novel titleCatherine. Rin’s addition toFull Bodygives the protagonist, Vincent, a third love interest and potential story route to follow. WhileFull Bodygives players the choice to pursue three different “Catherines” —Katherine, Catherine, and Qatherine (Rin)—it seems that Atlus still had room for one more namesake to appear outside this franchise.

Atlus' Studio Zero, which developedCatherine: Full Body, also developedMetaphor: ReFantazio.

Rin’s signature look inCatherine: Full Bodyincludes a bright pink bob cut and a light blue dress. These design elements bear a striking resemblance to Catherina inMetaphor: ReFantazio, who also has a bright pink bob cut underneath her paripus ears, and wears a similarly silver-blue set of armor. While it’s clear elements of Catherina’s design were influenced byFull Body’s Rin, theMetaphor: ReFanatziocharacterdeserves to return the favor and appear in a potentialCatherinesequel, whether as a simple cameo or a full love interest for players to pursue.

Atlus Has a History of Referencing Its Franchises within One Another

This wouldn’t be the first instance of Atlus hiding Easter eggs for its franchises within one another, asCatherineis full of nods to series likePersonaandShin Megami Tensei. Players can find things like plushes ofPersona’s Koromaru, Teddie, and Morgana withinCatherine’s Stray Sheep bar, references toPersona 3’s Gekkoukan High School, and music from theShin Megami Tenseiseries in the Stray Sheep’s jukebox. However, a sequel toCatherinecould take these Easter eggs a step further afterMetaphor: ReFantaziogives the developer the perfect excuse to feature Catherina as a crossover character.

Whether as the exact character herself or a lookalike, including Catherina as a new patron of the Stray Sheep in aCatherinesequel would be the perfect way for these games to cross over. Each of thethree romantic interests inCatherine: Full Bodyhas their pros and cons that Vincent must grapple with as he decides which option to pursue, so perhaps Catherina could appear as a new love interest that becomes involved with the protagonist because she is using them as a mark for her life as a thief. This type of arc would make sense given that Catherina first appears inMetaphor: ReFantazioas a thief who steals from the rich to support her fellow poor paripus followers.