Title Eternal Sonata Date 09.30.2007 Genre RPG Platform Xbox 360 Developer Tri-Crescendo Publisher Namco Bandai Games

Eternal Sonata is a Japanese RPG for the Xbox 360. That alone is incredibly unusual. But that's only the beginning of what makes this game so unique. First and foremost, Eternal Sonata is very obviously a labor of love for its developer, Tri-Crescendo. Every facet of the game is overflowing with detail, charm, and dedication. In many ways, Eternal Sonata could be considered a prime example of the blossoming "games as art" movement. Like a good work of art, Eternal Sonata has its flaws, but those who are willing to see past them to the deeper, more personal core of its presentation will get a great deal out of this game. Perhaps the most noticeably odd aspect of the game is its storyline; it's not every day that a developer makes an RPG about a 19th century composer/pianist dreaming on his deathbed.

Since Frederic Chopin was very much a real person, Tri-Crescendo added some completely unheard-of "historical montage" sections throughout the game, utilizing real photographs and bits of history from Chopin's life. "Games as education" is certainly a genre that's seldom utilized (and especially appreciated), but Eternal Sonata handles this concept with finesse as well. Overall, it's a game clearly designed for a certain crowd (not even necessarily JRPG fans), and those who aren't interested in the subject matter may actually find it to be boring and long-winded. However, if you have an open mind, you may find yourself captivated by Eternal Sonata's austere respect for Chopin and his music.

Graphics
Eternal Sonata is an absolutely beautiful game, especially on an HDTV. The level of detail, especially on minor things, is stunning. Characters are well-rendered and animate fluidly, especially the facial features. The game is extremely bright and colorful; perhaps suggesting that Chopin's dreamworld is not quite reality, but very "alive" at the same time. Enemies (though there are not many different kinds) have interesting designs, as do the characters. The graphics, much like the rest of the game, are very polished and clearly show an extreme attention to detail.

Sound
As one would expect, a game about Frederic Chopin would feature many of his works. That by itself is incredibly impressive. What's even more impressive, however, is how good Motoi Sakuraba's original soundtrack is. Not only does the OST capture the mood and spirit of Chopin's dreamworld, many times he incorporates the concepts (and names) of the music-themed locations and characters into the game's score. For example, the town of "Andante" (which, in musical terms, means walking-speed tempo) features a score that represents this concept. While this isn't always the case, it's a very clever nod to the more musically-inclined gamers who'd appreciate the subject matter.

The game features a progressive soundtrack; once you've heard a specific piece from the game, it's accessible through the menu screen at any time. This also includes Chopin's works as well.

As for voice acting, Eternal Sonata offers both English and Japanese, and both are quite good. Some of the English voice actors can get a little grating at times (Polka and Beat), but then again so can some of the Japanese voice actors (Allegretto in particular). Whichever you prefer, they're both above-average. Of particular note, Chopin's voice actor in English is very good.

Gameplay
Eternal Sonata has an incredibly simple battle system that can best be described as "a cross between Star Ocean and Radiata Stories." Basically, it's an "action" turn-based system where you control your characters' attacks (ala Tales series), but unlike the Tales series, you control each character separately and individually. There's still somewhat of a turn-based structure.

It's an interesting system, but for the most part it's a bit too easy to take advantage of the fact that there are no magic points. Some of the characters have very powerful group healing spells and, thus, can keep your party at full health during practically any boss battle. Like Tales, though, Eternal Sonata places limits as to how many items you can take into a battle, so there's some degree of strategy to how you plan out your battles.

One of the main problems with the game is that it's totally linear. There's no world map, backtracking, or anything of the sort. Once you've visited an area, you're not going back until you choose to have an "Encore" (basically, restart the game with your old file and data). To its credit, the game seems to focus more on its storyline and characters than it does its RPG "conventions". This works in its favor most of the time, but it may disappoint those who are looking for a more traditional JRPG structure (those people may find Blue Dragon to be a more rewarding experience).

If you can get past the extreme linearity of the game, the actual gameplay is quite engaging. The battle system is fun and rarely becomes tedious, and the game has a brisk pace that moves fast enough to avoid boredom.

Overall
Eternal Sonata's not a perfect game, but unlike a lot of "better" games out there, it's one you'll likely remember. Not only is it incredibly original and beautiful, it tells a very genuine storyline that avoids most JRPG clichés. It almost feels like homage to Chopin, and because of that, it's more genuine than other good RPG's. So, if you're a fan of "games as art", or if you're looking for a great story, or if you love Chopin, or if you just want a great JRPG, Eternal Sonata is a fantastic option you won't soon forget.

Game Score

A-

Reviewed By: Contributed