From the moment you start Metaphor: ReFantazio you're up against a clock. Just like in any of the Persona games, every major action you take is slowly ticking you closer to the next major plot point. It's important to know just how much time you have left if you're interested in leveling up your relationships with Followers, completing a few spare side-quests, or working on your own royal traits.
While there are moments where the game is linear, like when major story events are occurring or when travelling between towns for the first time there's also plenty of downtime where you will get to decide your own schedule.
Each day during free time is broken up into two segments, Afternoon and Evening, you can choose to do one event in each time frame before the day will progress. Anytime you're going to do something that will progress time you'll see a white clock icon next to it.
If you go to a location where combat will occur like a dungeon that will take up your whole day. You'll know when you're going to spend a whole day performing an activity when there is a red clock next to it.
Noting The Last playable day in Metaphor: ReFantazio
One of the most important questions, before we get to the full calendar, is what is the final playable day in-game. By playable day I mean the one where you have free time to finish off the last of the tasks you wish to accomplish. The final playable day in Metaphor: ReFantazio is 10/24, after that you're in the end-game and won't have a chance to work on any other stats.
Metaphor: ReFantazio Free Time Calendar
Below you'll find a complete account of all of the free time you'll have in the game. We'll keep this calendar as spoiler-free as possible so that you know when your last chance for something is but that no major story events will be spoiled along the way. This guide will only list information about Archetype unlocks that are missable, for the rank-up requirements and approximate timeframe, unlocked skills, and recorded conversation options be sure to check out our Archetype guides.
You won't miss anything in the game as long as you interact with all quests, side quests, and hunts as they appear. There is only one truly missable Archetype and it is the Commander.
Prologue - 6/02 -> 6/11 [No Free Time]
From the second of June until the eleventh you'll be taking part in the intro/tutorial stages of Metaphor: ReFantazio. Once you reach 6/12 is when you encounter your first free time.
Chapter 1: Grand Trad - 6/12-6/21 [Free Time]
The first chapter of the game sees the protagonist in Grand Trad, the capital city. You will have free time available to you until the 21st when the story will progress. During that time the following opportunities will unlock for you:
- Story Quests
- Necromancer Takedown
- Thwart Zorba's Plan
- Promising Returns
- The Old Castle Town Kidnapper
- Side-Quests
- Help The Hushed Honeybee - Started by talking to the young Nidia Man at Sunlumeo Street in Grand Trad
- Pagan's Dilemma - Started by talking to the Mustari Man on Sunshare Row in Grand Trad
- A Friend in Need - Talk to Catherina/Paripus Girl at the start of the "Necromancer Takedown" quest
- Archetype Quests
- Help The Hushed Honeybee (Required Wisdom 2) - Talk to Brigitta at Sunlumeo Street in Grand Trad
- Hunts
- Man's Not-So Best Friend
Post Chapter 1: Grand Trad to Martira - 6/22 -> 6/27 [Gauntlet Runner/No Free Time]
During this time you are travelling from Grand Trad to Martira. While you wont have free roam to complete side-quests you can still work to improve ranks with your Followers. The ranks that you need to be on the Gauntlet Runner for are:
- Archetype Quests
- Providing a Spark - Automatically unlocks on 6/26 and rewards you with the Gunner Archetype
Chapter 2: Martira - 6/28 -> 7/16 [Free Time]
After making it to Martira there are a few days of setting up the context of the story before giving you free roam once more.
- Story Quests
- Apprehend the Real Kidnapper
- Side-Quests
- Hatching a Plan - Talk to the Gloomy Youth near the fountain
- A Haunted Heirloom (Must complete the "The New King of the Imps" hunt) - Talk to the Noble on Sunlumeo Street in Grand Trad
- Skullduggery - Talk to the man in front of the Mausoleum entrance after accepting 'A Haunted Heirloom'
- Archetype Quests
- A Dagger, a Ring, and a Rake (Requires Imagination 2) - Talk to the Pompous Man after being mugged by the fountain
- Hunts - Obtain these by visiting Recruitment Centers
- The New King of the Imps
- The Man-Eater in the Mine
Post Chapter 2: Martira to Port Brilehaven - 7/17 -> 7/22 [Gauntlet Runner/No Free Time]
This period of time covers travel and initial events in Port Brilehaven.
Chapter 3: Port Brilehaven - 7/23 -> 8/12 [Free Time]
- Story Quests
- Infiltrate the Charadrius
- Obtain Sergeant Xanth's Key - This is a sub-quest of the above story quest
- Obtain Maintenance Chief Ceiba's Key - This is a sub-quest of the above story quest
- Infiltrate the Charadrius
- Side-Quests
- Soldier's Solace - Talk to the Exhausted Woman near the Inn at Port Brilehaven
- Deeds and Diversions - Talk to the Overfamiliar Man at the Nightprowler entrance
- Superior Scrimshaw - Talk to the Craftsman in Port Brilehaven at the Merchants Bazaar
- Efflorescent Youth - Talk to the Kindly Boy in Port Brilehaven on Seabreeze Street
- Dental Distress - Talk to the Sullen Man in Port Brilehaven on Seabreeze Street
- The Chalice vs. The Brew - Talk to the Brewer in Port Brilehaven at the Arenaside Wharf
- Archetype Quests
- Make time to return to Martira and talk to Bardon near the fountain to begin the Commander Archetype, you'll know when it's ready to begin because he will have a Handshake Icon appear on the Martira map
- Hunts - Obtain these by visiting Recruitment Centers
- Grieving Ghost of the Goblet
Post Chapter 3: Port Brilehaven to Virga Island - 8/13 -> 8/17 [Gauntlet Runner/No Free Time]
This period of time covers travel and initial events in the Village of Pagans.
Chapter 4: Virga Island - 8/18 -> 9/05 [Free Time]
- Story Quests
- Ancestral Solution
- Obtain Drakodios
- Eliminate Virga Island's Threat
- Side-Quests
- Peak Curiosity - Talk to the Dejected Man in the Village of Pagans
- The Price of Hope - Talk to the Enthusiastic Woman in the Village of Pagans
- A Guiding Gift - Talk to the Hoarse Fisher-Crone in the Village of Pagans
- Defeat the Coliseum Monster - You will be prompted on 8/20 to visit the Coliseum in Port Brilehaven which will lead to a series of challenges that offer useful rewards
- Become Champion of the Coliseum - This is unlocked after becoming Gold I Rank at the Coliseum
- Archetype Quests
- Save the Mourning Snakes - Talk to Junah in the Village of Pagans after completing the "Ancestral Solution" quest
- The Trial of Malnova - Talk to Eupha at the well in front of the Inn after completing "Eliminate Virga Island's Threat"
- Hunts - Obtain these by visiting Recruitment Centers
- The Greater One-Eyed Scoundrel
Post Chapter 4: Virga Island to Altabury Heights - 9/06 -> 9/12 [Gauntlet Runner/No Free Time]
This includes a few days of travel on the Gauntlet Runner and a number of days dedicated to plot once you reach Altabury Heights.
Chapter 5: Altabury Heights - 9/13 -> 9/22 [Free Time]
- Story Quests
- Prepare for the Final Battle
- Side-Quests
- Warmth in Winter - Talk to the Portly Man
- Defeat Milo - Talk to Loveless, the Paripus man, in front of the Inn with a thought cloud above his head
- Archetype Quests
- Hunts - Obtain these by visiting Recruitment Centers
- The Fiend in the Frozen Forest
Post Chapter 5: Altabury Heights -> Grand Trad - 9/23 -> 9/25 [Gauntlet Runner/No Free Time]
This is a short number of days that covers the return to Grand Trad and a story event before being given free time until the conclusion of the game.
Chapter 6: Grand Trad Again - 9/26 -> 10/24 [Free Time]
- Story Quests
- Skybound Avatar Conquest
- Save the Country
- Super-Boss Quest
- Trial of the Dragon - Talk to Edeni in the Village of Pagans to start the most difficult quests in the game to face the Trial of the Dragon. This will lead to a number of other quests but we'll talk about them more in our Trial of the Dragon Quest Guide.
- Side-Quests
- The Edge of Glory - Talk to the Ornamented Man on Sunshade Row in Grand Trad
- Hot Spring Water - Talk to the Gentle Merchant in Blue Sky Bridge in Altabury Heights
- Proof of Power - Obtained after talking to the Obsessed Soldier in the Opera House Square in Altabury Heights (May need to have begun the Trial of the Dragon)
- Archetype Quests
- Hunts - Obtain these by visiting Recruitment Centers
- The Incarnate in the Woods
- The Cockatrice in the Clouds
- The Apostles of the Apocalypse
Finale and Epilogue - 10/25 and onwards [Gauntlet Runner/No Free Time]
From 10/25 onward you'll just have the conclusion of Metaphor: ReFantazio to look forward to.