Is it really a Dream: Eternal Sonata for the PS3

After a year of waiting Eternal Sonata made it's debut on the PS3 in Oct.

As I said earlier I’ve been spending a lot of time playing Eternal Sonata lately after I rented it for my PS3.  Though it’s been out on the XBOX 360 for a year now I’ve been religiously avoid propaganda and information on the game to keep my impression of the game pristine.

Now there are many reviews of the content of Eternal Sonata so I’m gonna gloss over that a bit, but there’s some new content for the PS3 version of the game that I found really fun!

So Eternal Sonata is a J-RPG based loosely around the life of pianist and composer Frederic Chopin.  Don’t worry aside from some educational cinematic there’s very little in the game that is directly related to the life of Chopin.  Instead the gameplay takes place in a dream had by the character Chopin as he lays dieing in Paris.  I haven’t finished the game yet so I don’t know if this is true or not, but it makes for a neat premise.

Prince Crescendo is now playable and joins the party wielding a Mace and Shield.

Anyway, the usual multiple characters from different backgrounds with different purposes make their appearances and eventually you have a nicely balanced crew to choose you battle party from.  The characters are a little stereotyped but all have compelling stories and personalities. Eventually you have to go and defeat evil and change the world and save everyone.  The usual hero story with a romantic subplot or two.  This particular game features strong overtones of nationalism (this being based on Chopins life in exile) and personal integretity.

Like I said, I’m glossing over the storyline quiet a bit.  I’d love to review it, but it’s been done before.  So on to the new PS3 content.

Princess Serenade has also become playable fighting with a staff and magic

Prince Cresendo and Princess Serenade are key players in the game’s storyline as thier titles suggest.  In the orignal realease of Eternal Sonata these characters were not playable but that has been changed in the PS3 version.  So far I’ve spent about 3 hours playing with them (that includes a lot of leveling up and the like) and though they didn’t stay in my party I have a feeeling they’ll be back.

There are new dungeons too; mostly quick levels with pretty backgrounds and have a few helpful items mixed in.  I’m having a hard time seeing which are original and which are new, which is impressive that they blend so seamlessly into a complicated game.  These new levels also give us new scenes which further explain character origins and the mechanics of the game world.  I’m somewhat surprised they weren’t in the games first version because they’re really helpful and expand the game quiet a bit.

Polka looks great in green!

The look and sound of the game got a tiny tweak for the new system with new musical versions of Chopin’s music being put in and new character portraits.  Of course there’s all the new art seen in the new levels, which shouldn’t be sold short.  Graphically this game is PRETTY!

Lastly, and staying in line with the PRETTY look fo the game, you can now but three of the game’s main characters in to new costumes.  I’ve only found one so far. 

So that’s the run down.  Pretty major stuff eh?  Almost makes it worth the year wait.  Almost… I’m not a patient woman Namco-Bandai.  Don’t let it happen again, or there will be no dessert for you.