How to Unlock All Books and Maximize Royal Virtue in Metaphor: ReFantazio

If you’re diving into the world of Metaphor: ReFantazio and aiming to unlock every piece of hidden lore, mastering the art of collecting all books is essential. These aren’t just random collectibles but a key aspect of character progression through Royal Virtue points. This guide will walk you through how to unlock every book in the game, including the missable Magical Future, and will offer the best dialogue options to help you get the maximum points for each Royal Virtue.

Understanding Books and Royal Virtue in Metaphor: ReFantazio

Books in Metaphor: ReFantazio are more than just simple reads. They are an integral part of gaining Royal Virtue, which determines your ability to unlock side quests, interact more deeply with Followers, and make key story decisions. Every book has a specific number of reads, and the choices you make while reading them can give you bonuses for different virtues such as Wisdom, Eloquence, Tolerance, Courage, and Imagination.

There are seven books scattered throughout the game, but only six are tied directly to the main story. The seventh book, The Magical Future, is missable, and failing to collect it before a specific point in the game means missing out on a Bookworm Trophy/Achievement during that playthrough.

Let’s explore how to unlock each book, when to grab them, and what dialogue options will give you the highest Royal Virtue scores.

How to Unlock and Read Books in Metaphor: ReFantazio

Before you start collecting books, it’s important to understand how the reading system works in Metaphor: ReFantazio. Once you’ve unlocked the Gauntlet Runner in the main story (available after 6/24), you’ll have access to a bookshelf located in the Lounge area of the Runner. Here, you’ll be able to interact with any books you’ve unlocked.

Most books unlock automatically as you progress through the game, but The Magical Future requires special attention. The game progresses in dates, and you can only access certain books during specific windows of time. Miss those windows, and the book might be gone forever, at least for that playthrough.

All Books and Dialogue Choices for Maximum Royal Virtue

Now, let’s dive into the details of each book, how to unlock them, and the best dialogue choices to make.

1. New World Travel Diary

• How to Unlock: Unlocked via the main story after accessing the Gauntlet Runner.
• Royal Virtue: Imagination
• Best Dialogue Options:
  • Read #1:
    • “You’ve matured.”
    • “Maybe I’ll write a book about it.”
    • “Teach me more.”
    • +4 Imagination
  • Read #2:
    • “The pavilion.”
    • +4 Imagination
  • Read #3:
    • “Sounds pretty.”
    • +8 Imagination

This book is the first one you’ll likely encounter, and it’s fairly easy to unlock. As long as you follow the main story and choose the correct dialogue, you’ll gain Imagination points, helping your character’s creativity and ability to interact with more imaginative side quests.

2. Pride and Persuasion

• How to Unlock: Unlocked via the main story after accessing the Gauntlet Runner.
• Royal Virtue: Eloquence
• Best Dialogue Options:
  • Read #1:
    • “To gain the upper hand.”
    • +4 Eloquence
  • Read #2:
    • “Scare them.”
    • +4 Eloquence
  • Read #3:
    • “Plead with them.”
    • +8 Eloquence

Eloquence is important for persuading characters and gaining influence. By focusing on the correct dialogue options, you’ll be better positioned for key conversations later in the game, especially when negotiating or dealing with difficult personalities.

3. Bygone Days

• How to Unlock: Interact with the Gauntlet Runner bookshelf after 07/17.
• Royal Virtue: Tolerance
• Best Dialogue Options:
  • Read #1:
    • None
    • +4 Tolerance
  • Read #2:
    • None
    • +4 Tolerance
  • Read #3:
    • None
    • +8 Tolerance

Unlike other books, Bygone Days doesn’t have dialogue options, but it offers a significant amount of Tolerance points. This virtue is key for making decisions that involve understanding and accepting different viewpoints and situations, making it a crucial aspect of story development.

4. The Magical Future (Missable!)

• How to Unlock: Speak to Julian in Angler’s Inn Square in Port Brilehaven after 7/23 but BEFORE 8/13.
• Royal Virtue: Wisdom
• Best Dialogue Options:
  • Read #1:
    • “It won’t work for everyone.”
    • +4 Wisdom
  • Read #2:
    • “Immediately is too rash.”
    • +4 Wisdom
  • Read #3:
    • “We have to live and fight on.”
    • +8 Wisdom

This book is crucial not only because it gives Wisdom, but also because it’s easy to miss. If you don’t speak to Julian before 8/13, he will disappear from Port Brilehaven, and you won’t be able to obtain The Magical Future. Make sure to keep track of the game’s date system to avoid missing this key item.

5. Top Secret Poetry! Do Not Read!

• How to Unlock: Interact with the Gauntlet Runner bookshelf after 8/13.
• Royal Virtue: Courage
• Best Dialogue Options:
  • Read #1:
    • None
    • +5 Courage
  • Read #2:
    • None
    • +5 Courage
  • Read #3:
    • None
    • +10 Courage

Courage is vital for difficult situations in the game, whether you’re facing combat or moral decisions. This book is straightforward but provides a large amount of Courage points, making it essential for strengthening your resolve.

6. How to Walk Outside the Island

• How to Unlock: Interact with the Gauntlet Runner bookshelf after 9/7.
• Royal Virtue: Tolerance
• Best Dialogue Options:
  • Read #1:
    • None
    • +6 Tolerance
  • Read #2:
    • None
    • +6 Tolerance
  • Read #3:
    • None
    • +12 Tolerance

This book is another boost to your Tolerance virtue, helping you navigate difficult social or cultural situations in the game. Like Bygone Days, this one doesn’t offer dialogue choices but provides a solid increase in Tolerance points.

7. Literacy Workbook

• How to Unlock: Interact with the Gauntlet Runner bookshelf after 9/17.
• Royal Virtue: Imagination
• Best Dialogue Options:
  • Read #1:
    • None
    • +6 Imagination
  • Read #2:
    • None
    • +6 Imagination
  • Read #3:
    • None
    • +12 Imagination

Like New World Travel Diary, this book focuses on boosting your character’s creativity. By maxing out Imagination, you’ll have access to more inventive quests and creative dialogue options throughout the game.

FAQ Section

Q: Can I read books at any time in Metaphor: ReFantazio?
A: No. You need to unlock the Gauntlet Runner first (on 6/24). After that, you can access the bookshelf in the Runner’s Lounge to read the books you’ve collected.

Q: What happens if I miss The Magical Future book?
A: If you don’t speak to Julian before 8/13 in Port Brilehaven, he’ll disappear, and you’ll miss the book, meaning you won’t be able to complete the Bookworm Trophy/Achievement for that playthrough.

Q: Do all books require dialogue choices?
A: Not all books have dialogue options. Some, like Bygone Days, only require you to read them to gain Royal Virtue points.

Q: How many times do I need to read each book?
A: Each book requires three reads to be fully completed.

Q: Do I get different rewards for different books?
A: Yes, each book boosts specific Royal Virtues. Depending on the book, you can increase virtues like Wisdom, Courage, Eloquence, Tolerance, and Imagination.

Q: Can I replay books in future playthroughs?
A: Yes, in subsequent playthroughs, you can collect and read the books again to continue earning Royal Virtue points.