The current generation of consoles is really lacking in good quality adventure RPG games. The Wii has Zelda, PS3 has Folkore and finally, the 360 has Eternal Sonata.
Eternal Sonata is based in a dream world of the famous composer Chopin. As he is lying on his deathbed, his mind has taken him to a fantastical place where a momentous adventure awaits him and a few friends.
The first thing you will notice about Eternal Sonata is that graphically the game is amazing, the character animation is anime like, with a hint of realism and each level is beautifully represented in a colourful way. The camera is fixed to the screen so you all you have to do is move your character from one point to the next, I did come across an annoying problem though, even though the levels look great, if you are looking for a certain item, a switch maybe, because the screen is fixed, it may be quite hard to find them, there were even times where you walk straight past a door without seeing it due to the camera angle. This can be infuriating at times as all you want to do is turn off the 360 and play something else, but you should keep on going as this game is really worth it.
When confronted with RPG’s I normally back away because of the long winded control systems and turn based action that is usually involved. Eternal Sonata has taken a different and unique approach to this. The character menu is very easy to navigate, using mainly the trigger buttons to change areas and the A button to select an item. Each item is clearly shown on the screen with their attributes and a brief description, even the special moves have a diagram explaining the pattern of attack.
The adventure has you controlling a few characters, there will be points where they are on their own, and other times when you play as a group using each of their strengths to defeat the enemy. The game involves you walking around huge lands looking for adventure, when you come across an enemy the screen will change to the battle screen, here you are able to run around, approach your enemy to attack, or run for cover. You cant run and attack forever though, there is a bar at the left that reduces with each move you make, once this is over its someone else’s turn, however whilst you are not playing you are able to block attacks with a well timed B button. The fighting offers a really good blend of turn based action and I really enjoyed it as it involves using tactics as well as hack and slash. The battle arena is split into light and dark areas, and depending where you are your attacks will change accordingly, the items and special menu at the bottom of the screen is very easy to use and the menu will change automatically as you move from each area of the arena, taking away the headache of changing moves all of the time and keeping the pace fast.
Whilst Eternal Sonata is a large game, it feels quite linear, with not many branching storylines, once you have finished, that is it.
Worth a mention is the way music is heavily involved in this title, being Chopin’s dream, some of his music does appear in the game, even some of the weaponry is instrument based. This is a well put together game which strays away from the norm and is a welcome addition to the 360 catalogue.
