Product reviewsEternal Sonata (Microsoft Xbox 360, 2007)

So Cute!! :D

This game is about a 37 year old man that made up a dream in his head involving kids. While he lays on his death bed his reality becomes faded. Its perfect and the graphics are stunning. It is weird that this man is dreaming up kids but he is very kind at heart. A++Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: 562gamecollection

Mediocre

Not one of the best RPG's on the 360 as some would have you believe. Boring story and boring battle system. You have to play tjrough it twice just to see the real story. So slow.

If you're looking for a 360 RPG, this is a perfect choice.

Way back when the 360 was new, I played the demo for this game and enjoyed it quite a bit. For whatever reason I never got around to playing the full game, but a few spare dollars and the itch for an RPG led me to finally pick it up. It has some great elements that still hold up today most of which take place in the battles. Unfortunately they can become a bit repetitive, so it's nice that they aren't randomized. But when you do fight, you get an odd mix of real time and turn based gameplay complete with a light/dark mechanic that changes which attacks you can do and might even change one enemy into a completely different one as he steps into the shadows. Best of all, for the Japanophile in me, you can choose the Japanese voices and turn on subtitles for a more authentic experience. It helps because the English voices are lacking to say the least.Read full review...

Eternal Sonata (XBox 360) - Beautiful RPG but SO linear

I bought Eternal Sonata because it rated high or 'great' as an RPG for the XBox 360. It's a beautiful game and the characters are really charming—or dare I say it—very cute. They're rendered in an anime/manga style that reminds me of the 'Precious Moments' figurines I see in the Hallmark stores (I'll leave it up to you whether that's good or bad). Regardless, I'm really enjoying the gameplay even through it does have a very linear story line. Oh did I mention that it's so easy to get cash in this game when you take pics of monsters and sell them?

Another aspect that I didn't anticipate is it's educational aspect. You learn about Frédéric Chopin's life and the political climate at the time with wonderful pictures of places like Warsaw and Paris. I've never seen a game integrate historic reality with fictional gameplay in that way without getting bored (well, I also LOVE travel, so your take on this part of the game would be subjective too).

As for the downside of this game that I see is the super-long intros as you begin new chapters in the story. I suppose this is a good time for a bathroom break but I do wish they were shorter so I can start playing asap.

Gamespot.com gives the game 8 out of 10, and X-play gives 3 stars out of 5. My rating is somewhere in between: very good gameplay, but can be slow with the long interruptions—rendered or pictorial.Read full review...

The best-looking RPG I've ever seen, but frustrating...

My brothers and I bought a brand-new Xbox 360 just a few weeks ago. I've heard of "Eternal Sonata" long before we bought it, and so, when we did get our Xbox 360, I decided to rent it. The story is very engrossing with ear-pleasing music to match. The majority of the characters are unforgettable. I liked the fact that they respected Frederic Chopin as well as they did, both character-wise and story-wise. It's a pretty RPG to look at - the characters are all rendered in cel shading with eye-pleasing worlds, and the battle system is easy to grasp and becomes challenging as the game progresses. My only annoying points for this game is that most of the levels are linear (they do branch off here and there, but eventually you'll have to backtrack to your original path and continue on that path). Also, there is at least one puzzle that got frustrating (the fact that enemies regenerate when you leave the screen contributed to completing it longer than necessary). I was surprised that I really didn't need a player's guide to play this game - in most RPGs, I had to have a player's guide handy to fully enjoy the game. To me, if I have to play with a player's guide, it turns me off from that game. The linear path that this game follows, though repetitive, makes me enjoy the storyline and graphical rendering more. If you're a casual RPG player, this game's for you.Read full review...

Fun, surprisingly entertaining and educational?

I love RPGs. And when I found out this one was based on Chopin's sorta, I was instantly sold. Sorry if I compare everything to Final Fantasy, which this is definately NOT, but it is still worth playing. It was beautiful, creative battling, and lots of unique characters and big morals, and of course perfect soundtrack. I didn't know it would actually intertwine Chopin's life into this fictional story, but his life is very interesting.

As far as actual game play, the battle system is quite unique and keeps you definately on your toes. Its not an easy style and presented quite the challenge for me who actually enjoys just pressing 'a' for attack. I got about 60 hours out of this game, which I thought was surprising. The depth of the story was definate holding me through out the game.

I would highly recommend this game for any serious RPG'er and I would also strongly recommend obtaining a copy of this game WITH the game guide!Read full review...

Eternal Sonata review for xBox 360

Prior to buying this game I played it at a friend's. If you haven't played JRPGs in the past, I wouldn't start with this one. It has alot of Japanese influence. If you're really not into the whole JRPG/anime scene and gameplay, you may not like it.

Overall, I think the story is great and it always kept me interested. If you're looking more towards a shooter RPG go with Fallout 3, also a great game.

There are a few minor things that could have been changed/added to make the game better. Overall, for the price, it's a great game with plenty of Japanese/anime influence without "overdoing" it and being too corny. For the price, pick it up and enjoy it for awhile. Cheers!Read full review...

Great Game

Eternal Sonata has a premise that can be described in no other way than wildly imaginative. You may even be a bit incredulous when you first begin playing, but it won't be long before you begin to appreciate the great care that was taken to ensure that the tale isn't just an exercise in lunacy. The idea is this: Frederic Chopin, the famous pianist and composer, is on his deathbed having a fevered dream. The game takes place inside that dream. The heroes may have a typically anime design, but the idea here is anything but typical. This original concept, along with a colorful and detailed design, is enough to make up for a few shortcomings in the JRPG experience.

Although Chopin is the inspiration for Eternal Sonata, in the game he often takes a backseat to the dream world around him. As soon as you turn Eternal Sonata on, you'll find that this is no big surprise. The world of Eternal Sonata is detailed with a meticulousness not often found in JRPGs. You can see the threads crisscrossing on tapestries. The rich use of color turns a standard flower into an enchanting sight. This is a game that, while likely not taxing the Xbox 360 hardware, is a great example of why you want an HD television. Or at least a reason to show yours off. "IGN"Read full review...

Good game! Very cute

This game is just down right cute! At first I thought it was going to be cheesy but it grew on me really quick. There is a lot of talking and videos to watch but once you get past that it is a very soothing game to play. The characters are adorable and the game play is easy. The graphics are great and you can't hardly take your eyes off of the landscape. I would have to say it is primarily a girls game though since my husband has despised it since the moment he laid eyes on it. All in all don't expect to much action but do expect a lot of great visuals!Read full review...

Classic Anime style RPG that delivers!

This is an older title that was first released in 2007. Despite its age, it is very entertaining and engaging for the player. I have a teenage daughter who inherited her brother's Xbox 360 when her>bought into the Xbox One. She likes RPG games very much, so I figured that Eternal Sonata would be a great choice. This game features female characters, and the game has a girl power attitude that makes it perfect for female gamers. My daughter has been very happy with this game. I Highly recommend it!Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: jiffycodes

Beautiful Game

Graphics and character models are beautiful. Game play is turn based method which is great for jrpg's. Story is compelling. Worth the purchase. I really hope they remaster this game someday.

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: pebbletrailazers