is a role-playing video game developed by tri-Crescendo and published by Bandai Namco Games. The game was originally released on Xbox 360 in 2007, followed by an expanded version releasing on PlayStation 3 the following year.Eternal Sonata to Charm Its Way onto PlayStation 3 in Europe
The story follows the Polish romantic pianist and composer Frédéric Chopin, who died of tuberculosis at the age of 39, and his adventure in a fictional world that he dreams of as he is dying, which is influenced by his life and music and in which he and others are playable characters. The game's battle system focuses on musical elements and character-unique special attacks. Light and darkness affect the appearance and abilities of enemies on the battlefield, as well as the types of magic that can be cast.
The game features a selection of Chopin's compositions performed by pianist Stanislav Bunin, with original compositions composed and arranged by Motoi Sakuraba. It is notable for its use of classical piano pieces, educational cutscenes featuring real paintings and photographs, in contrast to its cel-shaded graphics, and lush landscape design.
Gameplay
Eternal Sonata follows general conventions of the role-playing genre; the player controls a party of up to twelve characters to explore the world, interact with its inhabitants, buy and sell equipment at shops, and encounter monsters while in the field. These encounters are visible and the player can choose to avoid the encounter, if possible, as well as gain the advantage in battle by approaching them from behind. Experience points are awarded to all members of the party, though at a reduced rate for those not involved in combat, and characters improve in various statistics and learn special combat skills as they level up. Weapons, armor, and accessories can be used to improve these statistics, which can be purchased through money earned in combat, found in chests, or by selling equipment and photographs which Beat can take during battle. The player can also find Score Pieces scattered about the world, which represent short musical phrases. Various NPCs in the game will offer to perform with the party, requiring the player to match a Score Piece to the phrase they offer, with the resulting composition being ranked. Discordant matches will result in no reward, but close or perfect matches will gain a bonus item from the NPC.
Combat
While the main combat system is turn-based, using only three characters within the party, it also incorporates elements of an action game. Each character's turn is preceded by "Tactical Time", a period of time during which the player decides what action they take. Once the player initiates an action or "Tactical Time" expires, a function of the Party Class Level, they have a limited amount of time, indicated by an Action Gauge, to move the character, attack the enemy, or use recovery skills or items. Regular attacks are made at melee or ranged distances depending on the character's weapon and add to the Action Gauge as well as to the party's "Echoes" meter. Special skills, which include offensive attacks and recovery skills, consume generated Echoes, with the effect becoming more powerful with more Echoes. When a character defends against an attack, there is a short period before the attack where the player can press a button to block some damage from the attack or to counterattack and interrupt the monster's turn. Recovery and other one-time-use items are stored in a common pouch with a limited capacity; the player must "set" items in the pouch so that they can be cycled through and triggered during battle.
Light and dark areas on the battlefield, created by the time of day, environment, and the shadows of characters and monsters, affect combat. Party members have special skills that are active in lit and dark areas, with the effect changing depending on the area. Monsters also have powers depending on whether the area is lit or dark, while others will change form when moving between lit and dark areas. The player can manipulate the nature of areas using special items, but this can also be affected by monsters or by dynamic changes on the battlefield, such as the shadow of a cloud moving across the ground.
As the player progresses through the game, they increase their Party Class Level, which grants bonuses but imposes limitations on combat. For example, one Party Class improvement increases the number of slots for character's special skills, but reduces the amount of Tactical Time and time available in the Action Gauge. The Level cannot be altered by the player in their first playthrough, but can be adjusted in Encore Mode.
Plot The game takes place mainly within Chopin's dream world, with brief segments in the real world where he is on his deathbed. The story is divided into eight chapters, each represented by one of Chopin's compositions and related to events in his life. The dream sequences combine the game's fictional narrative with elements drawn from Chopin's biography and musical works.
Chopin meets Polka, a young girl who possesses magic and will soon die from her illness. She also sells floral powder, but her business is being threatened by the introduction of the cheaper mineral powder, which is mined by Forte's ruler, Count Waltz. After being shunned by the citizens of Ritardando, who believe that her magic is related to her illness, she decides that she wants to do something with her life before she dies. The party sets out to meet with Count Waltz regarding the mineral powder and to stop the mining of Mt. Rock, which is damaging Agogo Forest. Over time, they learn that Waltz intends to use the mineral powder to create an army of soldiers and lead an insurrection against Forte's enemy, Baroque. They head for Forte, but are stopped and taken to its dungeon, as it was alerted to the arrival of the rebel group Andantino. After escaping, the party meets up with Andantino, but is spotted by Forte personnel and escapes by jumping off of a bridge into a river. Half of the party and Andantino head for their hideout Andante, while the other half is rescued by Prince Crescendo of Baroque. Upon reaching Baroque, the party discusses the situation, as Forte threatens war, but Baroque wants peace. Crescendo considers a plan to assassinate Count Waltz, but it is soon discarded.
That half of the party returns to Ritardando to reunite with the party, while Allegretto leaves to retrieve Polka from her village. The party heads for Baroque and decides to explore Aria Temple; upon returning to Baroque, they find that Crescendo and Serenade are missing and learn that they left for Forte to turn themselves in to prevent war. On their way to Forte, they fight Crescendo, Serenade, and Count Waltz, who completes a potion that transforms his partner, Legato, into a monster. Realizing that the world is in danger, the party follows Waltz and Legato to the city of the dead, Elegy Of The Moon, where souls lost to the mineral powder dwell. At Double Reed Tower, they fight and defeat them before facing Chopin, who he believes that this is the only way to put his soul to rest. Realizing that it is the only way to save the world, Polka jumps off a cliff and is reborn younger, but soon ages and embraces Allegretto. Back in the real world, Chopin dies and he plays his piano in a blooming sea of nocturnal flowers called 'Heaven's Mirror', composing a song inspired by Polka.
Characters Characters in Eternal Sonata, with the exception of real-world people such as Chopin, are named after musical terms.
: A renowned composer and pianist who meets Polka in the dream world and decides to help her. Over the course of the story, he begins to question whether or not the dream world is reality. He is 39 years old, the age Chopin was when he died.Voiced by: Mitsuaki Madono (Japanese); Patrick Seitz (English) : A young girl who sells floral powder in Ritardando. She possesses powerful magic abilities, which will soon kill her and have caused her to be shunned by others. Despite this, she seeks to do something with her life before she dies while using her magic to help others. She is 14 years old, the same age that Chopin's sister Emilia was when she died.Voiced by: Aya Hirano (Japanese); Erin Fitzgerald (English) : A thief who is kind and steals to feed children who cannot feed themselves. While he knows that this is not a permanent solution, he does so in hopes that they will not go hungry or poor like he has. Voiced by: Hiro Shimono (Japanese); Sam Riegel (English) : A boy who lives with Allegretto in Ritardando and treasures the camera his father gave him. He is cheerful and gets along well with others. Voiced by: Yumiko Kobayashi (Japanese); Mona Marshall (English) : A shepherd who the party meets in the countryside. She is a tough talker and, due to being older than the others, can fend for herself. She has a pet named Arco, who tags along with the group. Voiced by: Hoko Kuwashima (Japanese); Megan Hollingshead (English) : A guardian of the Agogo Forest along with her sister March, who the party meets while imprisoned in Forte Castle's dungeons. She is brash, outspoken, and energetic.Voiced by: Mika Kanai (Japanese); Amy Gross (English) : Salsa's twin sister and a guardian of the Agogo Forest. In contrast to Salsa, she is more reasonable and gentle.Voiced by: Chiwa Saito (Japanese); Amy Gross (English) : The leader of the revolutionary group Andantino, who is quiet and serious and worries about the damage Count Waltz is causing through mineral powder and the processes to mine it.Voiced by: Joji Nakata (Japanese); D.C. Douglas (English) : Jazz's lieutenant in Andantino, who is perceptive and tough and has known him since childhood.Voiced by: Tomoe Hanba (Japanese); Julie Ann Taylor (English) : Jazz's girlfriend and a soldier of Andantino, who is also a spy for Forte but comes to regret her position. She is later murdered by Rondo for treason, but can be revived. Voiced by: Mie Sonozaki (Japanese); Tara Platt (English) : The prince of Baroque, who replaces his father as Baroque's leader due to his sickness and later rescues Polka, Beat, Chopin, and Salsa after they fall into Adagio River. He is playable in the PlayStation 3 version.Voiced by: Katsuyuki Konishi (Japanese); Cam Clarke (English) : Prince Crescendo's fiancée, who initially works as a spy for Forte, but leaves Forte to join Baroque. She is playable in the PlayStation 3 version.Voiced by: Fumiko Orikasa (Japanese); Stephanie Sheh (English)
Development Director Hiroya Hatsushiba stated:
For the localization, the game's text was proofread by the Frédéric Chopin Society in Warsaw. The localization team wanted to be as historically accurate as possible, without losing the original message of the script.
ESRB posted their rating for Eternal Sonata in April 2007, listing the game as being intended for release on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. However, when news of this quickly spread, the ESRB removed the listing entirely. On September 11, Bandai Namco's official site listed Eternal Sonata as coming soon to PlayStation 3, yet also listed the Xbox 360 version as being "available now". Again, as news quickly spread, the information was removed. The following day, scans from Famitsu were released, confirming the game as being released for the PlayStation 3. Bandai Namco later officially confirmed Eternal Sonata for the PlayStation 3, and was scheduled for release in 2008.