During the demo phase of Metaphor: ReFantazio the overall performance of the game wasn’t too great on Steam Deck but now that we have a patched version, there is definitely better performance here.

Developers have improved the game’s performance in different areas and with the right graphics settings you can really push frame rate and visuals of Metaphor: ReFantazio on Steam Deck.

Note: If you have an Asus ROG Ally then I have settings recommendations for that as well.

Best Metaphor: ReFantazio Graphics Settings on Steam Deck

SettingsValues
Graphics QualityHigh
Rendering Scale100%
Ambient OcclusionOn
Texture QualityHigh
Frame Rate LimitUncapped
Resolution1280×800
Screen ModeFullscreen
V-syncOff
VRAM4GM
The resolution, screen mode, and v-sync options are under the Display Settings tab while other options are in the Graphics Settings tab.
Metaphor: ReFantazio performance testing on Steam Deck

In areas with high NPC count the frame rates drop to late 30s but over I was able get 45-60 frames per second on average. If you want to improve visuals, you can push the render scale to 125% but the frame rate takes a hit.

You will end up with 30ish fps, which is actually fine to me, but it may not be for everyone, especially those who like high frame rates.

Metaphor: ReFantazio Excessive RAM usage Fix

One of the primary reasons for crashes reported by players is excessive RAM usage. It is recommended that you reduce RAM consumption or generate virtual RAM to fix this issue.

While Metaphor: ReFantazio is marked as “Playable” on Steam Deck, it is not “Verified” due to small text and manual graphics adjustments required for optimal performance. The game does not support the Steam Deck’s native aspect ratio fully, leading to potential display issues.

However, the settings I recommended will give youy the best possible experience on Steam Deck while playing Metaphor: ReFantazio.