For all those 360 owners who want a great Japanese RPG for the system, Eternal Sonata is a must have.
The entire world of Eternal Sonata takes place in the mind of Polish composer Frederick Chopin. Chopin is on his deathbed, but in his final minutes, he slips into a vivid dream. This is where the story begins. Polka is a young girl living in the small village of Tenuto. To her misfortune, she can use magic. All magic users have a terminal illness, and most people believe it’s contagious. Due to this, Polka is shunned by people in the nearby city of Ritardando, but she soon makes a friend in Frederick Chopin. Eventually the two meet up with a colorful cast of characters in an attempt to stop Count Waltz, who is using a special powder to turn civilians into mindless soldiers.
The story is fairly basic and lacks the epic grandeur of a Final Fantasy, but it’s more character driven. Polka must face the fact that she is going to die soon, Chopin struggles to differentiate his dreams from reality, and some characters reveal themselves as traitors. Eternal Sonata does a good job of making us care about what happens to each of these characters. Another aspect of the story is how it ties to real world issues; themes such as greed and false rumors creep their way into the plot. It seems like the game’s trying to send a message, and sometimes it comes on a bit strong, but it’s an interesting perspective for an RPG. All of this is great, but slide shows about Frederick Chopin break up the pace of the game. Although these brief history lessons provide an interesting insight into the life and music of the great composer, they take away from the experience. One unique aspect of the game is the theme of music. It seems that Chopin had music on his mind even in his dreams, because characters and towns are named after musical terms. Whether it be one of the main characters, Polka, or the city of Baroque, music is involved in most things. It would have been great if this idea was taken a step further and implemented into the gameplay somehow, but the interesting premise alone fits in perfectly.
The plot of an RPG is always a key factor, but Eternal Sonata’s gameplay is the main attraction. Following in the footsteps of games like Final Fantasy XII, random encounters are non-existent. You see your enemies on the screen, allowing you to pick and choose your battles. You may want to face every enemy though, considering how fun the battle system is. Eternal Sonata uses a real time battle system, but it has enough depth to keep things fresh and interesting. Each of your characters have a short amount of time for their turns, which is represented with an action bar on the left side of the screen. During that time, you can move around freely, but with each step, attack, or use of an item, the action bar decreases more and more. Every character has a special attack, but what shakes things up a bit is that you have different attacks depending on if you’re standing in the light or darkness. This adds a strategic element to the game, because someone’s light attack may be more useful in certain situations, and vice versa. Adding to the challenge are party levels. As you slowly rise in party levels, the battle system changes a bit. The result may be less time in your action bar or the option of having more items to use in battle. This helps keep the game from getting repetitive.
So the offensive side of the battle system gives you a lot to do, but don’t just think you can sit back and relax when it’s your enemy’s turn. With precise timing, you can block your enemy’s attack, which reduces damage. Right before your enemy strikes you, a small icon will appear on the screen. Pressing B at the right time results in a block, and counterattacks become available later in the game. There’s a small window of opportunity, so you have to be quick. This keeps you on your toes, and actually becomes a crucial part of the game. The difference in damage can be quite substantial, so it’s in your best interest to use the blocking system.
Tri-Crescendo used to be involved in sound development, but you’d think visuals are their specialty after playing Eternal Sonata. The developers do a wonderful job of creating a lush world full of vivid colors and great detail. The game features a wide array of environments, from open ended and expansive plains to unsettling temples with eerie lighting. The attention to detail really stands out as well. In cutscenes, you’ll see the hair of your characters move with the wind. This seems minor, but all of the little things add up to create quite the visuals experience. Eternal Sonata is by no means a technical marvel, but its artistic vision more than makes up for that. Equally impressive is the audio. During the cutscenes that explain Chopin’s life, we hear some of his brilliant piano pieces. These compositions are the work of a genius, evoking many emotions while keeping beautiful melodies. Eternal Sonata doesn’t let Chopin steal the show though. The game has a wonderful original score by Motoi Sakuraba. His work is consistent, with pieces matching the intensity of battle and the charm of the game world. The end result is a nice balance between the two. The same can’t be said about the voice-overs. There are a few standouts in the game, but not because of praise. Nevertheless, the cast does a generally good job, which really expands on each character’s personality. One very unfortunate thing about Eternal Sonata is its length. The game can be finished in about 20 to 30 hours. There are musical pieces that you can collect and perform with people, but it doesn’t add much to the longevity. Some people may prefer the straightforwardness, but additional side quests would have really added to the overall experience. “Secret” achievements obtained only by playing the encore may entice some people to go back a second time through, but other than that, there really isn’t much.
Fans of JRPGs won’t be disappointed with Eternal Sonata. The game is short, but it’s a matter of quality over quantity. By implementing a new take on the genre with the musical premise, the game feels like a breath of fresh air. It’s still got an engaging story and characters, but there’s also a gorgeous game world and action-packed battle system to keep you interested. Any Xbox 360 owners who are craving for a new RPG to play need look no further; Eternal Sonata is a must have.