Eternal Sonata Hands-On

[Evil Avnovice]

IGN managed to get their hands (http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/773/773425p1.html) on a copy of Eternal Sonata for the Xbox 360:

The battle system starts out simplistic and steadily builds into a more complex affair. The game begins with a turn based/action hybrid. Combat takes place within an arena where players are given five seconds to move an individual and unleash attacks, take up defensive postures, or use items. Attack, defend, item use, and special attack moves are mapped to the four face buttons removing the majority of menu navigating usually found in RPGs.

....the real treat in Eternal Sonata is the audio-visual experience. With musical themes throughout the game, one would expect a great musical score. What we've heard so far doesn't disappoint. What floored us the most was the visuals. Though Eternal Sonata isn't doing anything outstanding technically, the artistic design and vibrant style is like a breath of fresh air on a console dominated by gritty shooters.

A similar preview (http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?cId=3158051) is also available at 1up.

[EL CABONG]

Sounds like a fun rental. I hope its as much fun as it looks like it is.

[Mdot23]

game looks beautiful.

[Spigot]

Wow. I hadn't heard of that game before but I love the whole concept behind it. Definately one I'll pick up if/when I ever get my hands on a 360.

[IrishWhiskey]

Not a big fan of JRPG styled games, but this ones unique story and musical themes have caught my attention. The active and dveloping combat system helps too.


Damn, if Blue Dragon turns out to be as good as promised, I might get 2 JRPGs for my 360 this year. That's be about as many as I got for my PS2 total.

[AntB]

The game is freakin' gorgeous. Definitely will give it a try when it comes around.

[maharahaj]

The graphics are stunning to say the least. The combat looks fun too; where each character takes turns in an arena like battle field with each character getting 5 seconds to pull off as many attacks, spells etc as possible. I'm excited!

[EvilBob46]

I didn't know anything about the game until just recently. But now I'm stocked. Bring on Summer'07.

[RUSKULL]

If they don't at least offer the option to switch off the English dub, I may reconsider the purchase. Look around at the vids and you'll see what I mean...They just don't hold up. Ideally, they would give the option for the Japanese dub with English subtitles. At least that's what I am hoping for...

[Kelegacy]

Hopefully the 360 continues to grow into a well rounded system.

[KamaItachi]

I'm actually more stoked about this than I was Blue Dragon. The game looks gorgeous andI really like the ida behind the story.

Now, whether I can suffer through 40 plus hours with a precocious female lead is another thing altogether.

[Chris_D]

Shane was pretty positive about this also, on the latest 1UP Yours podcast.

[lockwoodx]

People said SWG was goregous

[IrishWhiskey]

People said SWG was goregous...okay. They didn't say it had a fascinating story, unique gameplay elements, a creative visual flair, strong musical influences, and that it was made by someone other than Sony Online.

If people were anticipating it just cause its pretty, or saying its the second coming of Jesus rather than simply a game that looks like it could be good, then you might have have a point. But they aren't, and you don't. Buzzkiller.

[Tel Prydain]

I faked a Japanise account just to download the hi-def trailer for this game... the graphical style is crazy, unbelieveably great. It looks pretty funn too.
This is the only jRPG from the 360’s big three that I’m willing to buy on day one. (The big three 360 jRPGs being Blue Dragon, Lost Odyessey and this.)

[TrackZero]

Yeah, they showed it off on Gamespot's "On the Spot" this week, it looks fantastic.

[Ultima Thulian]

I'm lookin' forward to this game. I'd love to see this game come with a OST. Chopin FTW.

[EvilBob46]

Yeah, they showed it off on Gamespot's "On the Spot" this week, it looks fantastic.

Which one talked about it? I don't see anything in the God of War 2 episode.

[TrackZero]

Which one talked about it? I don't see anything in the God of War 2 episode.

I just replied to your PM, but for anyone else who's interested:

"This weeks episode.

03/15/2007
59:20 -> 1:01:40

Gamespot NEVER lists everything they do in an episode, you actually have to watch it......

- Drew (TZ)"

Though having just downloaded the HD trailer off the Japan XBL marketplace (it's called "Trusty Bell"), I'd suggest you do that instead. I could not believe how fucking amazing it looks. I can't wait for every JRPG to be at this level of quality. Go download the high def trailer, you won't regret it.

[bapenguin]

I'm a huge Chopin fan so I can't wait to play/hear this game. :)

[T-Rex Commando]

Christ, the 360 just seems to get better by the day. A year ago I couldn't find anything on it to play, and now there's almost too much.

[bean19]

Periods of "active battle" play taken in turns. . . Won't that mean running up to a mob and mashing the attack button as fast as possible over and endlessly over or selecting your spell and watching your character in a cast animation for the remainder of your turn? Hmm. . . nevermind that question, I want to play it before I am harsh in my speculation.

Btw, is anyone playing Rogue Galaxy on the PS2? There are parts of it that are really great (though the cartoonish villains are fucking retarded and the humor also seems to often be directed at young children). However, the members of your party are all very likable and well voice-acted. And while the story (at least 20 hours in) is only average (not bad - but not exceptional) for an RPG, the active battles and the interesting weapon leveling up system are very cool.

[Evil Avnovice]

I saw earlier screenshots beforehand (from a 1up Show vidcast), and it looked okay....nothing interesting at the time.

With the latest previews, the game is looking more interesting as more details are being fleshed out.

[Camel]

Periods of "active battle" play taken in turns. . . Won't that mean running up to a mob and mashing the attack button as fast as possible over and endlessly over or selecting your spell and watching your character in a cast animation for the remainder of your turn? Hmm. . . nevermind that question, I want to play it before I am harsh in my speculation.

Btw, is anyone playing Rogue Galaxy on the PS2? There are parts of it that are really great (though the cartoonish villains are fucking retarded and the humor also seems to often be directed at young children). However, the members of your party are all very likable and well voice-acted. And while the story (at least 20 hours in) is only average (not bad - but not exceptional) for an RPG, the active battles and the interesting weapon leveling up system are very cool.
Well, unless I am mistaken (and maybe this is because I am not very far in the game yet), don't you pretty much run up to enemies and mash the attack button in Rogue Galaxy too? I am liking the game a lot so far (but I am a hardcore Level 5 fanboy), but I am dying a ton...maybe because I run in and mash the attack button too much? I don't really have many abilities to use yet. :p

[Ultima Thulian]

You know, I get a Grandia II vibe off of that game, though I don't know if it's warranted or not.

[Kefkataran]

I absolutely love the concept behind this, and as much as it's a bit old-school both graphically and gameplay-wise, I'm definitely purchasing.

[baz]

I'm a bit unsure about the battle system at the moment, but I'd loved to be proven wrong and have it be awesome. I just started playing Dragon Quest VIII last night so hopefully one of the 360 JRPGs hits before I finish that.

[Tel Prydain]

Old-school graphically?!?
Have you seen the same hi-def trailer?
This is graphically the best jRPG I've seen footage of.

[Disgustipated]

Wow. This looks awesome. I'll pick it up for sure... Xbox 360, how did you become so awesome?

[menage]

360/A year ago I couldn't find anything on it to play, and now there's almost too much.

I don't agree. I agree that there are very cool prospects looming at the horizon. But these past 6 months we're not that spectacular. Especially if you don't like shooting stuff that much. I'm really looking out for a lot of games, but as it seems, the wave will start in June (hopefully, probaly august), which is dissappointing in my book.

Only Gears and Pinata we're actually worth the money. (I know GRAW 2 and GR Vegas are very good, I just don't care for realism and tecnical SWAT blah blah, I want to shoot and see cool stuff). And it's a good thing that Live Arcade is taking off now. Otherwise I wouldn't touch my 360 at all at the moment. Maybe just for Oblivion.

ES looks very promising though. I hope it will come to Europe. That's 3 mega-RPG's which I will sink my teeth in then.

[bean19]

menage - I agree with you that the last 6 months have been awful for the 360, and there really doesn't seem to be any end to the lack of titles until May when Mass Effect releases.

Your list of fun titles doesn't include some that I think you should check out though. I won't go into details on the obvious hits you didn't mention like Dead Rising, Lost Planet, Fight Night Round 3, Oblivion, or Splinter Cell: Double Agent as people already KNOW those games, but here are some that I think get overlooked a lot.

Condemned - just a rental, but a very fun one

Saint's Row - Yes, it's a GTA clone, but there are significant innovations here and it's extremely fun to play.

Amped 3 - One of the most over-looked titles from the system's launch, this snowboarding game is a lot of fun.

The Godfather - Okay, this is another GTA clone, and it isn't as good as Saint's Row - EXCEPT for the theming. I'm a huge fan of the movies, so I find the game to be a real treat.

[menage]

Dead Rising is cool although a bit repetitive. I bought that together with my 360 when it came out. Heck it was the second reason to own one. (and Oblivion off course being the first):P. I loved the LP demo and bought the game only to be dissappointed by the weak story and downright irritating controls. Still incredibly pretty though. Multiplayer is fun as welll.

The other games you mentioned are probably fun in one way or the other. But if I have to choose between Saint's Row and Okami on PS2. Or Amped 3 and God odf War 2 at this point I know where my money will go until developpers start deliviring stuff I really want. Like Bioshock, Mass Effect, Blue Dragon etc.

Heck the only thing I'm playiong on 360 right now is Oblivion and Worms.

[Chris_D]

People said SWG was goregous

Shane (1up) actually said he thought it looked like a Dreamcast game. But you have to really listen to the entire thing to get the context of that comment.

[Spigot]

Shane (1up) actually said he thought it looked like a Dreamcast game. But you have to really listen to the entire thing to get the context of that comment.Which, SWG or Eternal Sonata?

That said, if he meant that it looked like it was something ahead of its time and oozing creativity, well, that would be an apt comparison :)

I love the Dreamcast.

[Chris_D]

Well, like I said, you'd have to listen to the podcast, or at least the Eternal Sonata preview part. It certainly wasn't meant in negative way, more like kind of a reality check on those expecting mind blowing next gen visuals.

[TrackZero]

Well, like I said, you'd have to listen to the podcast, or at least the Eternal Sonata preview part. It certainly wasn't meant in negative way, more like kind of a reality check on those expecting mind blowing next gen visuals.

Apparently Shane was watching a different games footage then.

[Tel Prydain]

I don't agree. I agree that there are very cool prospects looming at the horizon. But these past 6 months we're not that spectacular. Especially if you don't like shooting stuff that much. I'm really looking out for a lot of games, but as it seems, the wave will start in June (hopefully, probaly august), which is dissappointing in my book.

Only Gears and Pinata we're actually worth the money. (I know GRAW 2 and GR Vegas are very good, I just don't care for realism and tecnical SWAT blah blah, I want to shoot and see cool stuff). And it's a good thing that Live Arcade is taking off now. Otherwise I wouldn't touch my 360 at all at the moment. Maybe just for Oblivion.

ES looks very promising though. I hope it will come to Europe. That's 3 mega-RPG's which I will sink my teeth in then.
I submit "Crackdown".

[Kefkataran]

Old-school graphically?!?
Have you seen the same hi-def trailer?
This is graphically the best jRPG I've seen footage of.

I sort of agree, but it's still not terribly far above something that could've been done on PS2/Xbox, IMO. That said, it's still hella gorgeous, with some outstanding art direction from what I've seen, and I'm still way looking forward to it.