Eternal Sonata
Score: 96% ESRB: Teen Publisher: BANDAI NAMCO Games America, Inc. Developer: tri-Crescendo Media: DVD/1 Players: 1 Genre: RPG
Graphics & Sound: Who would have ever guessed that an RPG based on the death of Polish composer Frederic Chopin would turn out to be one of the best RPGs available on the Xbox 360. It would be impossible to talk about Eternal Sonata without first mentioning its visuals. Cel-shading is nothing new to videogames, but Eternal Sonata is one of the first (of the games released in the US anyway) to really try and push the style into the next-gen arena. The level of detail found in each of the game's characters and locales is unmatched. The rich visual style is enhanced by the game's use of bright, rich colors that make everything about the game "pop" and will really make you glad you shelled out the money for an HD set. Audio is no slouch either. While Chopin's music doesn't take a central of a role as you would expect, they do pop up where appropriate - mostly in the "real world" sequences that hold the game together. Though the rest of the soundtrack does sometimes slip into the "traditional" Japanese RPG style, it easily stands out as one of the best. The various tracks fit the mood and look shown by the visuals. Voicework is mostly good, though it does feature its fair share of annoying voices. Most fit their characters, though some do tread close to being annoying. Purists will be happy to know that the original Japanese voice tracks are available.
Gameplay: One of the really cool things about Eternal Sonata is in how it handles its premise. The use of Chopin's death as a plot device doesn't sound like it would make for a great RPG, though the way the developers managed to tie it, as well as Chopin's life and music, into an original, interesting story is something worthy of praise. As you play through the game, the story periodically steps into the real world where Chopin's friends stand at his bedside. In addition to delving into the philosophy of what dreams really are (are they reality while "real life" is the dream?), they also discuss events in Chopin's life as his music plays in the background. Eternal Sonata's "dream" story goes beyond your typical RPG story as well. Often times the story will bring up real world issues, sometimes to the point of being preachy. Issues like death, war and an individual's place in the larger world are all tackled; sometimes subtly, other times not. Despite tackling "issues," Eternal Sonata still manages to weave a good story. As Chopin lies on his deathbed, he begins to sink deeper into his dream world. He soon meets Polka, a terminally ill girl who, like Chopin, is able to use magic. Polka's illness has made her an outcast in society, so her only desire is to have a friend. Chopin and Polka become friends and, along with musical-themed characters like Allegretto, Beat and Viola, join a rebel group out to stop the evil Count Waltz. Alright, so the actual plot sounds a bit generic - but the aforementioned "issues" that tie into the main plot are what help to make it stand out. The topics brought up throughout the game are something that everyone can relate to in some way, often times mirroring current issues. Though it does take away from the "escapism" provided by videogames, it also has a way of making you think about the world that is surprising to see in a videogame.
Difficulty: Okay, so enough about the story - how does the game play? On the surface, Eternal Sonata resembles a typical RPG. At the same time, the developers have managed to add elements that give the game a quicker pacing usually seen in action games. You are rarely forced into a fight, though skipping out on fights will certainly add more challenge to a game that isn't exactly an easy one in the first place. Enemies always put up a fight and the amount of strategy involved in battles really keeps you on your toes. Some fights are always easier than others, but there is rarely a "throwaway" battle. One of the ways to make the game easier is to abuse Beat's photography ability. During battle, Beat can take photos of enemies and later sell them. This is an easy way to earn a lot of gold really quick, which in turn will allow you to max out your stores of healing items. This helps to offset the fact that saving doesn't heal your party.
Game Mechanics: Combat is a mix of turn-based and real-time styles and is what ultimately gives Eternal Sonata a faster-than-usual pacing. All enemies are visible on-screen and battle is only initiated when you touch them. Once in battle, characters must wait for their turn to attack, but once their turn comes up, they have a few seconds to attack and move. The timer is short and may even change depending on how deep into the game you are. The trick is to figure out how to best use the time you have as well as character's individual abilities. In addition to basic attacks, characters can perform special attacks whose use is determined by where they are standing on the battlefield. The types of spells characters can cast are directly influenced by whether they are standing in sunlight or in the shadows. For example, if Chopin uses a special attack in the sunlight, he will heal the party. If this same ability is used in the shadows, it allows him to use a special, multi-hit attack. The light and dark natures of abilities are radically different and add a whole new dimension to combat. Some enemies may even have their own sources of light or darkness, affecting your ability to perform certain actions. As overwhelming as the system may seem, it is pretty easy once you get used to it. Characters can freely move around the battle area while all of their actions are mapped to the face buttons. When on the defensive, characters can block using well-timed button presses. These work most of the time, though sometimes attacks come in such quick succession that it can be hard to block everything. Eternal Sonata is an all-around great game, and a bit of a rarity. Not only is it one of the few Japanese-style RPGs available on the Xbox 360, but it is an original, smart game that, in its own way, really pushes the idea of what a videogame can be.
-Starscream, GameVortex Communications AKA Ricky Tucker
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