Eternal Sonata

by Bandai

• New Playable Characters and Costume Changes: Now players can play as Crescendo or Serenade and change some of your favorite character’s costume to your liking.
• Custom-Made for Next-Gen: Enjoy amazing, high-definition, anime style cel-shading and high quality textures to truly deliver an awesome next gen experience.
• Innovative Battle System: Battle using a unique, hybrid turn-based/action RPG system that combines free-roam and turn-based action (up to three players during battle).
• Strategic Use of Light and Darkness: Adjust your battle strategy in the ongoing struggle between light and darkness.
• Dramatic and Evolving Storyline: Experience a deeply moving story focusing on the enduring struggle between good and evil all taking place in a dream during the final 3 hours of world-famous music composer Frederic Chopin’s life.

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B001CRQY1E
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 5.2 x 0.8 inches ; 4.8 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: October 21, 2008
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (134 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,767 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
  • #33 in Video Games > PlayStation 3 > Games > Role-Playing

Product Description

Platform: PLAYSTATION 3

Cross the Bridge Between Dreams and Reality On his deathbed, the famous composer, Chopin, drifts between this life and the next. In his final hours, he experiences a fantastical dream where he encounters a young girl facing a terrible destiny and the boy who will fight to save her. On the border between dreams and reality, Chopin discovers the light that shines in all of us in this enduring tale of good and evil, love and betrayal. Developed by Tri-Crescendo and featuring the music of Chopin, Eternal Sonata for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system delivers amazingly detailed 3D graphics, a captivating storyline, an innovative action battle system as well as new playable characters, quests, music and more.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

97 of 106 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun for Couples October 30, 2008

By Ryn

Platform for Display:PLAYSTATION 3

Fun: 5.0 out of 5 stars   

I bought this game with a little trepidation. I'm always afraid that I'm going to spend $60 on a game, get it home and have it suck. I was especially nervous about this game because I was looking for a co-op game to play with my fiance. I didn't want to have to worry about wandering around looking for fights to get into so the other person could play, I wanted it to be fun for both of us.

With that being said, let me tell you why I give this game 5 stars:

I am absolutely in love with Eternal Sonata. It's everything I could have ever wanted in an RPG. Some people may say it's a little short or that the game is very linear, but in my opinion these are pluses. I played FFVII and I never finished it. I really really wanted to finish it and be one of *those* people, but I got stuck and couldn't figure out where to go next. I'm not one for looking up walk-throughs online to find out where I should go next, I really just want to play the game not figure out what I need to do next. If I wanted a puzzle, I would play a puzzle game.

The battle scenes in this game are great and there are plenty to keep both you and a friend interested. The graphics are just amazing and I was really surprised to see that the game actually looked like the trailers. I love the animations on the special attacks, my fiance said to me "This game probably makes us look pretty impressive because of all of these flashy moves." The best part of battles is that you are actually cooperating. It's not just you and your friend controlling different characters. When your party levels you can start earning echos for each hit you make that isn't blocked. These echos can be stored up and any player can use them to make their special actions more powerful.... It's great for building up the last hit on a boss or saving a character whose near death.

I'm also really impressed with the story for this game. It's historical and philosophical and fantastic all at the same time. You get to learn about Chopin's life and meditate about the reality of dreams. Not to mention having a game based on a musician makes for excellent score. Each chapter is based on a different composition of Chopin's. I love playing just so I can listen to the music...it's not repetitive or boring.

I would definitely recommend this game to people who enjoy rpg's and want to play with a friend or significant other. I think it's a great game for all ages and it doesn't have a gigantic learning curve, but it's got just enough mystery to make it fun to figure out. Read more ›

41 of 44 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A Good Port With Some Good Extras October 24, 2008

By S. Rhodes TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Platform for Display:PLAYSTATION 3

Fun: 4.0 out of 5 stars   

Pros:

+Fairly good story
+Very inventive battle system
+Very good game; even better looking on the PS3
+A Great soundtrack

Cons:

-Very linear
-Slow story
-Lackluster voice acting
-There are moments when the game is just all out preachy

Eternal Sonata was released on the XBOX360 in 2007 and was largely overlooked by gamers. The game is now being given a second chance to appeal to most gamers. For the most part you're getting the same game you got a year ago with a few extras. It's a little hard to say whether or not it's worth getting a second time if you already played it before.

Eternal Sonata is largely focused on Fredric Chopin. He lies on his deathbed, unconscious and dreams of a world. In this world, those who can use magic are terribly sick and dying of illness. The citizens of this world are also in a bit of despair as Count Waltz continues an unpopular rule and stands against the people. The story is actually not a bad one. Unfortunately it isn't always presented as well. In the first place, the voice acting just isn't the best out there. Some of it is rather dry and emotionless. The voices themselves aren't bad, but the emotion is almost non-existent in most of them. The story also moves somewhat slowly, and that's strange given that Eternal Sonata is not a very long game. Also, some will probably not appreciate that the game eventually becomes incredibly preachy throughout its final moments.

While it may not present its story as strongly as it could, it's gameplay is still as strong as ever. The battle system for Eternal Sonata is one of the most inventive in the genre. It's a turn based game but adds an active element.... When a character's turn comes up in battle, they all have what's called an action gauge. When their turn starts the action gauge counts down. During this time you can do whatever you like until it runs out. Mostly you'll be mashing on the attack button to get out as many hits as you can. You can also execute special attacks. It's a very easy battle system to grasp, but it's hard to master. This is because the battle system never stays entirely the same. You also have a party level that increases as the game goes on and it changes how the battle system works. For example, at Party level 1 the action gauge decreases only when you move, and stops decreasing when you stop. When you hit party level 2, however, the action gauge never stops. It adds a lot of variety to the game but also makes sure that battling is always interesting.

The battle system also has special moves that characters can use, but they change based on whether or not you're in the light or the shade. Some enemies will also change form depending on if they're in the light or the shade. It adds some strategy to the game, but in the end Eternal Sonata still feels like a button mashing affair. Along those lines, the game is not that hard. When you really grasp the battle system and learn it, accumulating large amounts of damage becomes consistent.

There isn't a whole lot that's been added to the PS3 version, but some of it is rewarding. Characters can change their costumes, there are now two new playable characters who were unplayable in the 360 version and a couple of new dungeons. On the other hand, Eternal Sonata is still short and largely linear game. It's nice that there are a few more extras than the average port but they still don't make a huge difference in the gaming experience as a whole if you have the 360 version. In short, if you haven't played Eternal Sonata and you want to, the PS3 version is the better choice. If you've already played through the 360 version, however, there's not much here to entice you to play through it again.

One huge noticeable difference between the PS3 and 360 versions, however, is by far the visuals. The animations are smoother and more vibrant on the Playstation 3. Eternal Sonata was already an incredible looking game to begin with, but the Playstation 3 brings out a lot more in the visuals.

Musically, Eternal Sonata still has some of the best in the industry. You'll even hear some of Chopin's own music at certain moments and get a little bit of a historical background on him. Eternal Sonata's biggest strength is easily its soundtrack.

In the end, Eternal Sonata is still a good game. If you have it on the 360 it's not really that different, nor does it include enough new content worth making it worth a second buy, but for those who haven't played it, it's another chance to play a pretty good game. Read more ›

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Engulfed in a Colorful Music World November 5, 2008

By sukotsuto

Platform for Display:PLAYSTATION 3

Fun: 5.0 out of 5 stars   

After having played the 360 version, I found this version not that different, even with the additional features exclusive to this one. After playing through it, I found myself just repeating almost everything in the 360 version. Of course, that's to be expected, but I guess the additional features didn't really do much.

As expected from some JRPGs, the game isn't THAT challenging, but maybe that's because I've played the other version before. To be honest I was confused at first, but now, I pretty much finished this version way under leveled compared to when I finished it before. I am however, happy that it's not much of a challenge. I find it annoying when I have to grind just to continue on with the storyline. In terms of controls and interface however, I find ES' to be one of the easiest to navigate, most beautiful to look at, as well as the most interesting to toy around with. I like how, in battle, most moves can be executed at the touch of a single button. That however makes it a bit easy for players, but I don't mind. Like I said, less grinding, more on the story please.

The story, I think, is one of the best I've actually seen in most JRPGs. While the main story of Polka and her magic powers may seem cliche, it's Chopin's story that I focus on. I admire how the developers made a story based on the life of a famous composer in real life. Not only do I find it as a form of appreciation for the said composer, but it actually made me appreciate Chopin, as well as classical music, more. The prospect of leaving this world upon your death and venturing to a new one is, for me, a dream come true. And this IS a role-playing game, so I might as well play that role, for my own entertainment.... To be honest, I don't understand why a considerable number of people didn't like this game's story. There are actually some weak elements in the story, and I find the lack of humor to be one of the down sides... Not that I require every JRPG I play to be funny, mind you. And, as much as I hate mentioning it, I rarely see a person dying, and still be able to give a 30 minute-1 hour death speech to nobody in particular. And up until now, I'm sad that I managed to finish this game fast. Real fast. It seriously needs more game play time.

As much as the game doesn't push the PS3's graphical limits much, I found this game's graphics to be quite enchanting. It's as if, you're being invited into a world painted on canvas with vibrant, fresh paints. The characters move realistically for me: no awkward movements, and all moves are executed smoothly. I was most excited about the addition of Prince Crescendo and Princess Serenade as playable characters, and to be honest, that was the part I enjoyed most. These little additions are exactly what made me get the PS3 version.

And like before, the music is nice, but not exactly ground breaking. I mean, all right, I hear Chopin's pieces, as well as some by Sakuraba, and they fit the scenes they're incorporated into. But only very few of these pieces got stuck in my head. It does, however, put good emphasis on classical music, and I like that.

Overall, Eternal Sonata still is one of the greatest JRPGs I've seen in a while (or for the next-gen consoles at least). If you're looking for a nice RPG with lush anime-like graphics and an interesting storyline, I really suggest you get this game. Now.

Note: Although this amazon account is by sukotsuto, this review written by a745 using sukotsuto's account as proxy to write the review. Read more ›