 | | |
| Eternal Sonata | 
 enlarge
| From: Namco
Category: Video Games
List Price: $59.99
Buy New: $56.99
You Save: $3.00 (5%)
Buy New/Used from $49.00
Avg. Customer Rating:  (14 reviews)
Sales Rank: 1026
Platform: Playstation 3
ESRB: Teen
Media: Video Game
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
Age: 12 - 20 years
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2
Dimensions (in): 6.7 x 5.3 x 0.6
MPN: 11009
Model: 722674110099
UPC: 722674110099
EAN: 0722674110099
ASIN: B001CRQY1E
Release Date: October 21, 2008 (New: Last 30 Days)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
|
| Features:
| • | High-definition, anime style cel-shading and high quality textures | | • | Innovative Battle System - a unique hybrid turn-based/action RPG system that combines free-roam and turn-based action (up to 3 players during battle) | | • | Strategic Use of Light and Darkness - Beware of enemies lurking in the shadows, as their stats - attacks and potency - will change, as will their physical form. Lure them out into the light or destroy them there in the cloak of darkness. Also, change your special attacks depending on whether you are in the light or in the dark | | • | A deeply moving story focusing on the enduring struggle between good and evil | | • | World-renowned pianist Stanislav Bunin performs Chopin's original compositions |
|
| Similar Items:
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
On October 17, 1949, Frederic Chopin, one of the most influential composers for the piano, succumbed to sickness and died at the young age of 39. Three hours prior to that, in the world according to this RPG, Chopin saw a dream of a fairy-tale land populated by people with incurable diseases but also magical powers. Eternal Sonata takes place in this dream world. Chopin comes into contact with Polka, a young girl who resides with her mother in the village of Tenuto. Polka is near her death, and Chopin, Polka, and her young friend Allegretto look for some way to make use of Polka's great powers to help save her. This whimsical fantasy also has a complex and combo-based battle system of swords and magic weaponry.
2 favorite characters you meet in the journey -- Crescendo and Serenade -- are now playable characters with their own unique weapons and attacks, plus new events have been added, to help give you a deeper understanding of the storyline
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 9 more reviews...
 Fantastix Story November 18, 2008
When this game came out on the Xbox 360 last year, it was a fantastic new approach that incorporated a famous historical figure with a vibrant and compelling fantasy world, typical of a JRPG. The overall game experience was absolutely compelling, but it seemed like the story left a lot of unanswered questions in the end. The Playstation 3 version of the game corrects that.
The first thing one notices about the game is its colorful and poetic world, everything has brilliant colors, which is much better than most next-gen games that seem to make everything brown. This was definitely a breath of fresh air. The character models too are an excellent combination of a cel-shaded 2D look, but still holding onto the 3D look of the environment around them. There is one thing that may annoy some people, and that is the lack of polygons in the background. It seems like they skimped sometimes when designing the landscapes (i.e. ropes being square, rocks looking razor sharp, perfectly squared off edges on buildings). Sometimes it looks like a very high resolution last generation game in terms of environment, but that does not detract from the feel of the game that much.
The next thing that one would notice is the music. This game has a superb soundtrack and there are no tracks that I do not like. Plus, the Chopin pieces thrown in make for an interesting juxtaposition between Chopin and Fantasy RPG-Classical hybrid of the rest of the music.
The story and characters can be fantastically compelling to some, and to others, quite flat. Personally, I felt the story, although extremely linear, was beautifully executed and well panned out, and the minor tweaks to the PS3 version really fixed any problems I had with the Xbox 360 version's story holes. The game itself is relatively short compared to other JRPGs, but its story is told effectively and extra length seems unnecessary. Also, there are things you can do in the second playthrough that you cannot in the first, so once you beat it, you're not necessarily done.
The gameplay is quite unique, in that the battles are hybrid turn-based and real-time, and that it evolves to be harder, but give you more freedom and power as you progress through the game. It can be a little repetitive, but so are most JRPG battles, and in Eternal Sonata, you can avoid enemies if you so wish, as there are no random encounters.
Overall, the game is a wonderful jewel that should not be overlooked.
 Engulfed in a Colorful Music World November 5, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
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.
An Endless Tale of Music & Adventure October 31, 2008
Eternal Sonata arrives onto the Playstation 3 with updated content including new dungeons, music, cut scenes, and two new playable characters. The story begins with Composer Fredrick Chopin lying in his death bed; meanwhile a new journey unfolds within his dream. Along his journey he meets a young girl name Polka, but unfortunately she is struck with a chronic illness. Other friendly companions soon join your party and unite to fight against the Evil Count Waltz.
The Gameplay consists of familiar role playing elements. Random encounters are gone, and are replaced with visible enemies on the field. The battle system is a mixture of turn-based and real-time elements. The player has a set amount of time to perform battle actions, and move across the field. Battle Actions are divided into two categories; light and darkness. Certain skills are only available when a character stands in the light or shadows. As the story progress, battles become more complex and difficult.
Overall the story's pace is a bit slow, but is still able to maintain interesting. The world may seem linear at times, but the vivid environment well makes up for it. Eternal Sonata contains one of the best musical scores found in the RPG genre. The general presentation of the game is blatantly out of this world. If you are a fan of RPG's and are looking to play one on the Playstation 3, I highly recommend you go out and buy Eternal Sonata.
great game 5/5 stars October 30, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I played some of this game on the 360, it's even better on the ps3!
Awesome game with a great story and interesting characters.
Fun for Couples October 30, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
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.
|
|
|
myGamer.com | | |
