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Xbox 360 | RPG | Eternal Sonata

Boxart for Eternal Sonata
Eternal Sonata 71 screen shots
  • GRAPHICS: 4.00
  • SOUND: 4.75
  • CONTROL: 5.00
  • FUN FACTOR 4.00
  • AVG USER SCORE 3.9
  • AVG CRITIC SCORE 4.1

Hands-On: Eternal Sonata

Hands-On by Chris Morell | 03/27/2007 | 15:22:57 PM PST

Being sick may not be all too bad when the symptoms include magical powers.

Another failed attempt at Xbox RPG glory? Hardly. Eternal Sonata is one of the most beautifully presented console games yet. With gorgeously designed Japanese characters and environments, you'll be instantly drawn to the colorful and vibrant art style. The game's turn-based battle engine is more action-oriented than most traditional Japanese RPGs, but the most interesting part of Eternal Sonata is its out-of-the-ordinary story that is centered on sickness and death.

'Til Death Do Us Part

If you've been following our coverage, you'll know that Eternal Sonata is based on the last few hours of classical composer Chopin's life where his mind wanders through a near-death dream state. In the dream world, everything has a music theme from the characters to the in-game objects. The catch is, though, that terminally ill people in the dream have magical powers. It's something you'd never see come from an American game developer, and it's different and daring enough that it might excrete some actual human emotion.

We played as Allegretto, Beat, and Polka who attack with a sword, a clarinet gun, and an umbrella, respectively. In typical RPG fashion, attacking an enemy from behind causes the most damage, but the unique thing is a system of light and shade that drastically alters your attacks as well as the foes you'll be facing. This means that strategizing who you're going to attack, with what, and when, all goes into account each time you engage in battle. And to make thinking things through a little easier, you get a set amount of time to ponder your next move, designated by a vertical meter on the left side of the screen.

It's a rather unfamiliar idea in Western entertainment that a main character is predestined for death at the outset, but perhaps Eternal Sonata will wax philosophic and leave us with a life-altering message at its end. Methinks there's hope for us yet.


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