Eternal Sonata Preview

By Rob Fahey Published 14 August, 2007

A demonstration of beauty.

Hype is a fickle and unkind mistress. The games it chooses to touch seem almost chosen at random (or at least, at the whim of a marketing division, which often seems to be just about the same thing), with many wonderful games completely passed over by its gentle caress.

Those games which it does touch may enjoy a moment of ecstasy as their names are splashed around the media with wild abandon and flowing superlatives - but it often all comes crashing down, as few games can ever live up to their headline billing.

Hype is a cruel thing. Witness the current strange situation regarding the burgeoning Japanese RPG market on the Xbox 360 as a perfect example. The two major genre titles appearing this year are both victims of hype, in very different ways.

The vastly hyped Blue Dragon is almost certain to be a vast disappointment to many people, as it is incredibly traditional (almost to the point of being utterly backwards in places) and basic in its composition - but yet has been hyped to the gills as a mass-market game.

'Eternal Sonata' Screenshot 1

It's a little-known non-fact that the 39 year old Frederic Chopin looked like a 12 year old Japanese boy.

Eternal Sonata, meanwhile... Well, if you've heard of it, you're probably one of the few, as hype has passed it over almost entirely. Which is a shame, because on the strength of the demo released in North America a few weeks ago, Eternal Sonata may well be just the thing to turn Microsoft's fortunes around on the JRPG front.

Fantasia on Polish Airs

Eternal Sonata - called Trusty Bell in Japan, for reasons best known to Namco Bandai's Japanese development team - takes a rather unusual approach to RPG storytelling. The game is ostensibly the tale of the last few hours in the life of celebrated composer Frederic Chopin. The Polish composer died in 1849 from tuberculosis, at the age of 39; Eternal Sonata's key conceit is that in his final hours, as he slipped into a coma, he entered a dream world of his own creation.

It's within this world that the entire game takes place. Eternal Sonata's universe is appropriately dream-like as a result, sporting an attractively flat-shaded look filled with soft focus, pastel colours and delicately glowing light. The short demo US audiences have seen (which is almost identical to the demo we played at the Tokyo Games Show last September, albeit with US voice actors - we'll get on to that in a minute) is set in two key locations.

'Eternal Sonata' Screenshot 2

The battle screen looks complex, but is actually surprisingly easy to get to grips with - although we suspect it may take a long time to master.

There's an idyllic pastoral village, complete with sparkling streams, well-tended gardens and a field full of colourful flowers, and then there's a haunted-looking forest behind the village - no less beautiful, but filled with strangely glowing flora, deep shadows and rather unfriendly fauna.

The character designs which complement this world are solidly within the traditional Japanese design aesthetic, with a distinctly manga feel which is reminiscent of Square Enix' Grandia series or Namco Bandai's own Tales series. However, the graphical grunt of the Xbox 360 (and the higher resolution HD output) gives the game's characters a visual edge; cel-shading may result in a simpler designs, but getting the shadows and highlights perfectly right on characters is something that hasn't really been done until now.

Where the game really catches our interest isn't in its visuals, however, glorious thought they may be. It's Eternal Sonata's combat system which really sets it apart from its peers in the field - being possibly the most interesting marriage of turn-based and real-time battle mechanics we've seen thus far.

In the demo, you play with three characters - sword-wielding teen RPG stereotype Allegretto, bow-legged mawkish pre-pubescent gunslinger (no, really) Beat, and constantly apologising shrinking violet Polka, who fights using a lovely umbrella. As each character's turn comes around, you control each one in turn - running around the battlefield, hitting enemies and using items.

'Eternal Sonata' Screenshot 3

Terminally ill heroine Polka. She looks sad and apologises a lot, which is presumably what Japanese guys are looking for in a woman.

The catch is that each turn lasts only for a limited amount of time, measured by a bar which counts down rather rapidly on the left hand side of the screen. Thus, you need to balance up what you're going to do very carefully; attacking a distant enemy will involve running to the other side of the battlefield, which will waste precious seconds, while using a potion to restore health could take almost half of your turn.

Each character has only two main action buttons - A for normal attacks, which are basic physical or ranged attacks and can generally be chained together pretty rapidly, and Y for special attacks. As you use normal attacks, a bar on the right hand charges up gradually with each blow; when a character then uses a special attack, the power of that attack is determined by how charged up the right-hand "special" bar is.

Light and Shade

This system is interesting enough on its own, but the developers have added another layer of complexity to the battle system - light and shade. Most battle areas have a dappled pattern of light and shade on the ground, and the positioning of your characters and your foes on this pattern can make a huge difference to the battle.

Some foes, for example, are vastly more powerful in shade than they are in light. Some even change into entirely different creatures when they're in the dark; the fairly innocuous vegetable-like Very Very Empty creatures (some of the names are pretty special), for instance, turn into enormous poison-belching Great Coconuts when they're out of the light.

Your characters, too, change in the darkness - or at least, their attacks do. Special attacks rely entirely on whether you're standing in light or shade, and each character has two specials equipped at any one time - one for standing in darkness, one for standing in light. This makes positioning even more important, since you may only be able to use the attack you need if you're standing in the shade, for instance.

'Eternal Sonata' Screenshot 4

The level-up screen reveals a very simple range of stats (and a strange girl in a pirate hat).

The result is a battle system which is vastly more complex and interesting than it initially looks. It manages to be action-focused and frantic enough to hold the attention of gamers used to a more rapid pace in their entertainment, without actually introducing tricky action sequences which would put off traditional RPG players - a tricky balancing act, but one which the Eternal Sonata demo shows off working very nicely.

The demo also hints at several other systems in the game which could end up being quite interesting, although it's impossible to tell from the tiny amount of content we've seen. Beat, for example, has a special attack which allows you to take a picture in first-person mode, which can then be viewed from the menu screen. We've yet to find a use for this function, but pictures are graded by the game according to their quality, which hints at an interesting photographic mini-game.

There's also a collection game we uncovered in the village, which involves finding pieces of Chopin's scores around the world - and then finding other musicians who have their own pieces of the score, and playing them together as a duet. Some pieces go better than others, and the game will reward players who find the best and most melodious combinations of music.

'Eternal Sonata' Screenshot 5

The level of detail in the environments is astonishing - easily rivalling even pre-rendered games like Baten Kaitos.

Overall, as you'd expect, music plays a very major role in the game. Character's weapons and equipment are designed to look like classical musical instruments, and the emblems of music notation are a running visual theme in the artwork. Chopin's own compositions are the basis for much of the music, with his work clearly being a key inspiration for celebrated game composer Motoi Sakuraba (whose music has previously graced series including Tales, Star Ocean and Baten Kaitos).

Rather less impressive, sadly, is the voice acting in the game - which is available only in one flavour, American English, in the demo we've played. We sincerely hope that this is only down to the need to keep the demo file size small, and that Japanese voices with subtitles will be available as an option in the final game.

It's always nice to have the option, for one thing; but more importantly, the English voice acting in Eternal Sonata is some of the worst we've ever had the misfortune to hear. It's a bad sign when you're shouting "JUST SHUT UP!" at the characters in a game only ten minutes into a demo - but the combination of Allegretto's repellant surfer-dude expressions and intonation, and Polka's utterly painful squeaking more than justified our malcontent. Note to dubbing directors - middle aged women trying to squeak out their lines in order to sound like "cute little girls" is exactly the kind of thing that makes Baby Jesus bawl his eyes out.

Tuneful Conclusion

'Eternal Sonata' Screenshot 6

Some attacks, such as Viola's bow and Beat's camera, require that you manually aim them in a first-person view.

With its beautiful visuals, great music and fascinating battle system, Eternal Sonata is arguably the most interesting RPG coming out of Japan this year - on any platform. The fact that it's on the Xbox 360 just adds a frisson of surprise to the whole affair, but even judged on its own merits as a videogame (rather than as an unwilling pawn in the Great Console War of 2007), this looks like a stand-out addition to the genre.

We await a more comprehensive look at Namco Bandai's gorgeous, tuneful adventure with bated breath; and, indeed, with crossed fingers regarding the language selection option. The game arrives in Europe this November, and we hope to have a more in-depth look at its charms in the next couple of months.

Picture of Rob.

About Rob Fahey

Read more articles from Rob by visiting the Rob Fahey archive page.

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Comments (96) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • lennon #1 5 years ago

    Novemeber. Damn it. I read September somewhere!

  • Fernando #2 5 years ago

    September for NA

    nice preview, cant wait for this :

  • DanMW #3 5 years ago

    November is a bad month to release the game... Mass Effect, Assassin's Creed, Call of Duty 4...

  • rhinoxious #4 5 years ago

    Yes and Beethoven died dreaming of geometry wars.

    ps. Is there a demo of this available in the UK?

  • miiiguel #5 5 years ago

    Impressive.
    Shit, I have pre-ordered:
    - Bioshock
    - Blue Dragon
    - Mass Effect

    and now I have to pre-order this too. I should have bought the other console, it is cheaper after all.

  • Guv #6 5 years ago

    It's like I wrote the preview myself... well if I had any skills in that area that is. Pretty much sums up my impressions of the game. The only thing I'm slightly bothered by, aside from the voice acting, is the grandia-like limited movement. I would have liked to move around and explore a bit more without running into invisible walls, but if the story is good this will just be a minor nuisance.

  • DB2k #7 5 years ago

    how did this do in Japan and in the US?

  • Cheapshot #8 5 years ago

    This game is the only reason I want the 360 really... I'm guessing this is gonna be ported to the PS3 though, just a hunch.

  • miiiguel #9 5 years ago

    DB2k: It isn't out in US yet. They're getting it in September. In Japan it did quite good actually it managed to spot a number 2 of June's all-format charts, with ~ 50K copies sold.
    Edited by 1 at 14/08/07 @ 11:58

  • miiiguel #10 5 years ago

    Cheapshot: just out of curiosity, what's the reason for wanting a PS3 ?

  • RexRunti #11 5 years ago

    How this was missed of the "Most Wanted" list is still beyond me as is why Game won't let me pre-order it.

  • redneon Verified Programmer, SUMO Digital #12 5 years ago

    I downloaded this on a US XBL account the other day and really enjoyed it.

    Better than Blue Dragon.

  • brooza #13 5 years ago

    Played the US demo and actually quite enjoyed it

  • Cheapshot #14 5 years ago

    "Cheapshot: just out of curiosity, what's the reason for wanting a PS3 ?"

    Not a lot at the moment. But MGS4, FFXIII and the usual suspects are looking good. I'm sure it'll find it's stride like the PS2 did. 360 is too western for me being an otaku gamer myself. :-)

  • DrR0b3rts #15 5 years ago

    I've got some enormous poison-belching Great Coconuts.

  • absolutezero #16 5 years ago

    I may possibly cry if this is'nt Region Free in the States.

  • crazyhorse174 #17 5 years ago

    Wasn't really interested in this when I first read about it ages ago, but after I watched the trailer on XBL, I think I may have to buy it!

  • Der_tolle_Emil #18 5 years ago

    I really think I'll enjoy this game. Loved the demo.

  • Brogan #19 5 years ago

    Really don't get what all the fuss about JRPG's is just seems beating the same monsters over and over by selecting the same move of the same menu, all to push forward a really crappy overly sentimental story.
    Edited by 1 at 14/08/07 @ 12:52

  • crazyhorse174 #20 5 years ago

    Really don't get what all the fuss about JRPG's is just seems to be cycling through beating the same monsters over and over by selecting the same move of the same menu, all to push forward a really crappy overly sentimental story.

    So...you wont be buying it then?!

  • dirigiblebill #21 5 years ago

    Really don't get what all the fuss about shit JRPG's is just seems to be cycling through beating the same monsters over and over by selecting the same move of the same menu, all to push forward a really crappy overly sentimental story.

    Fixed.

    EDIT: Fixed again.
    Edited by 1 at 14/08/07 @ 12:50

  • Darren #22 5 years ago

    Having played both the Blue Dragon and Eternal Sonata demos, I found the latter more inventive and enjoyable. The battle system is really inspired and works very well. I've got both games pre-ordered anyway but I think that Eternal Sonata will prove to be the better of the two games. gamesTM only gave it 7/10 in this month's issue though despite the fact that the review itself was very positive.

  • Blerk #23 5 years ago

    Lovely preview, lovely-looking game. Yes.

  • Darren #24 5 years ago

    November, I thought the game was released at the end of September?

  • ZuluHero #25 5 years ago

    demo was lovely - preordered :)

  • Dizzy #26 5 years ago

    I don't like JRPGs but the sheer beauty of this might win me over for a try. I kinda liked the Japanese demo. So based on that preview I might buy my first JRPG since Grandia on DC ;)

  • Gurgeh #27 5 years ago

    Beautiful Katamari demo is now on XBL as well.

  • The-Bodybuilder #28 5 years ago

    I'm I the only person filled with scepticism about this game?
    I mean, no offence, but I just get the feeling it's exactly the type of game EG would hype up and give praise to, it's a quirky japanesse rpg.

    We all know Eg loves them up some quirky j-rpgs.

  • HermitArcader #29 5 years ago

    Post deleted at 09:17:39 22-12-2011

  • lennon #30 5 years ago

    Have you tried the demo? It is quirky but in a good way. :)

  • menage #31 5 years ago

    "Really don't get what all the fuss about JRPG's is just seems beating the same monsters over and over by selecting the same move of the same menu"

    Don't play them then, and play some FPS which only differs in theme. Or a racing game where you (yes, it's true) DRIVE CARS ALL THE TIME. Or sports, where you ..... You get the picture. Every gametype has a template.

    "I'm I the only person filled with scepticism about this game?
    I mean, no offence, but I just get the feeling it's exactly the type of game EG would hype up and give praise to, it's a quirky japanesse rpg.

    We all know Eg loves them up some quirky j-rpgs."

    It really is quite good though, seriously:p

    The demo was a breath of fresh air after Blue Dragon. And to be honest. It is the ONLY JRPG on the new consoles which matters this year. I really like the dark light combat aspect, it does add some strategy to the whole thing.

  • XdarXideX #32 5 years ago

    I really want the faceplates that are on offer to the US customers who preorder. :(

  • Schiraman #33 5 years ago

    Has random battles yes/no?

  • menage #34 5 years ago

    No random battles, you can see your enemies on field. You can even evade them if you're quick. Still have to level though.

    "Sounds good. Shame its not going to sell. "

    I'm buying it, this, Mass Effect and Bioshock are in my top 3 this year. After Bioshock and the Darkness I will have all the shooter goodness I need.

    Why don't you buy it as well:p Thta would be at least 2 copies sold in Europe!
    Edited by 3 at 14/08/07 @ 14:11

  • The-Bodybuilder #35 5 years ago

    After reading this, I'm now actually interested in this.

    I've always hated j-rpgs simply due to the (IMO) stupid turn-based battles.
    Now it's got real-time battles, and therefore I'm interested.

  • The-Bodybuilder #36 5 years ago

    >""Warning, quirky-j-rpgs are not suitable for bodybuilders." ^_^ "

    it's not that I hate quirky j-rpgs (I hate all j-rpgs), it's just that, it's ALWAYS looked like the type of game EG will love and praise.

    Basically,

    quirky + japan + rpg + little hype = 10/10 from EG.

    Saying that, and reading the preview, i'm not atleast interested, which is a start (probably lead to nowhere though).

  • Monkey_Puncher #37 5 years ago

    The demo of this has got me really excited for the full game, I was gonna give Blue Dragon a try but after trying the demo of both games I'll be going for this instead.

  • Dizzy #38 5 years ago

    >quirky + japan + rpg + little hype = 10/10 from EG.

    You may be right, but in this case the game really looks stunning and seems to have VERY good combat for a JRPG. So that 9 or 10 from EG might really deserved. Remember, all this from a JRPG hater ;)

    Also not a lot of cross dressing spiky haired giant sword wielding emo teenage losers as main characters. So it is all good ;)
    Edited by 1 at 14/08/07 @ 14:26

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #39 5 years ago

    I've got some enormous poison-belching Great Coconuts.

    There they are all standing in a row

    Big ones, small ones, some as big as your head

    Give them a twist a flick of the wrist

    That’s what the showman said!


    So it's not just all about classical music, then.



  • miiiguel #40 5 years ago

    I don't get why some ppl think there's this line that separates RPG players from FPS/driving/Sports players, I have wondefull times with all genres, I love them equally. And that's why it's so good to play in a 360.

  • The-Bodybuilder #41 5 years ago

    >"and seems to have VERY good combat for a JRPG."

    Which is a start, as it has been the number 1 barrier for me, and is the only reason why I'm interested.

    I may just make a US account to give the demo a whirl.

  • miiiguel #42 5 years ago

    "I mean seriously, this fits with the 360's demographics like Eddie Murphy at KKK meeting."


    That's so 90's...

  • morriss #43 5 years ago

    I DL'ed this of the Jap MP a month or so ago, surprisingly the voice acting was in English so at least I knew what was going on. Really beautiful looking game.

  • Aretak #44 5 years ago

    "Has random battles yes/no?"

    No. Enemies appear on-screen and can be avoided.

  • Chim_chimma_nee! #45 5 years ago

    This is one of those games that makes me think 'might buy the console for this' for about one second. Looks very memorable, so it's a shame most people won't buy it.

  • konniehuqfan #46 5 years ago

    looks completely lovely, but it's wasted on the xbox 360.

  • Darren #47 5 years ago

    @konniehuqfan - If you mean, it'll be overlooked by most Xbox 360 owners looking for their next shoot 'em up thrill then you might be right as Eternal Sonata is a bit of an unusal game for the Xbox platform, as is Blue Dragon. Personally, I'm glad they exist and I hope that Xbox 360 owners are broad-minded enough to try both games and make them a success as I'd rather have more of these kinds of games than another generic FPS (which does NOT mean BioShock by the way, I absolutely love the demo!).

  • SomaticSense #48 5 years ago

    Played the demo earlier today, and it blew me away.

    Been suffering from a bit of RPG overkill from earlier in the year (bought and played through Zelda:TP, FFXII, Okami, Shivering Isles, all in the space of about 2 months), and absolutely hated Blue Dragon despite being interested in it initially from the hype. But my god is this a beautiful game, and plays brilliantly as well - kind of like a mix between the best bits of FFVI and XII.

    As long as it leaves out all the '0.0001 percentage chance of getting a particular item' bullshit of FFXII, then it's a definite must buy. Possibly even at the expense of Assassin's Creed.

  • The-Bodybuilder #49 5 years ago

    >"looks completely lovely, but it's wasted on the xbox 360. "

    Yes, because if it were on the ps2, it would have sold in droves.

    /looks at okami, ico.

    O_o

  • miiiguel #50 5 years ago

    I couldn't care less if it sells good or bad, I'm going to play it.

  • miiiguel #51 5 years ago

    off-topic -
    earlier today, while talking to a PS-only gamer friend:

    me: So Dark what have you been playing lately on your PS3 ?
    Dark: hummm... nothing... in the most violent way possible.

    don't mean to flame, I just found it funny.
    Edited by 2 at 14/08/07 @ 17:48

  • Scimarad #52 5 years ago

    "My name is Frederic Chopin. I contracted a fatal disease and I woke up in a Japanse RPG. Am I mad, in a coma, or the subject of a computer game? Whatever’s happened, it’s like I’ve landed on a different planet. Now, maybe if I can work out the reason, I can get home."

    /awaits Gene Hunt;-)

  • Martin #53 5 years ago

    This just got added to my most wanted list.

    I'm currently playing Enchanted Arms and quite liking it. The combat is different enough to be interesting and strategic and the difficulty curve is steep enough without me tumbling backwards down the slope.

    Not gotten to far into it though so I'm still waiting for some character development (which is kinda lacking right now) but on the whole I think it's a very decent JRPG on the 360 (and it is great looking).

  • FlonKnoor #54 5 years ago

    Regarding the voice-acting: "The North American and European versions have both Japanese and English voice-overs. The Japanese version has only Japanese voice-overs" - Eternal Sonata Director Q&A, GameSpot

  • yagisencho #55 5 years ago

    "The North American and European versions have both Japanese and English voice-overs."

    \^^/ Okay, that does. Pre-ordering.

  • The-Bodybuilder #56 5 years ago

    >"Even Fable despite years of massive hype struggled to hit 500k"

    Erm, wah?

  • akellard #57 5 years ago

    Didn't they announce recently that ES is going to be released on the PS3 at a later date?

    Plus the arguments about "core audiences" seem a bit short-sighted considering how much Microsoft have emphasised their intentions toward Japan. Halo, Gotham etc might be the cornerstones of the Western market (which I don't really agree with - I bought my 360 for Oblivion and the BioWare RPGs, past and future), but if they want to develop a market in Japan they need solid RPGs.

    Plus, RPGs aren't the complete niche attractions they once were. Why would Square-Enix invest its time/money in a simultaneous international release of a new RPG IP in Last Remnant if it was such a nowhere market?

  • captainrentboy #58 5 years ago

    biker_bob bringing up the fact that he's on his fourth 360, even though everyone and their grandmother knows about it already... Who'd have thought it?
    And yeah this game looks lovely, but sadly I fall into that general 360 group, I love shooting and racing, and occasionally fighting. RPGs do absolutely nothing for me.

  • corzair #59 5 years ago

    @Scimarad very LOL

    the game sure looks nice

  • NegativeZero #60 5 years ago

    If the US version is region-free I'm importing, ditto with Blue Dragon. In both cases they've said that the US version has both Japanese and English dialogue, but in Blue Dragon's case the PAL version takes out the Japanese in favour of German and French, which utterly blows. I don't trust Atari not to do the same with the PAL version of this.

  • Guv #61 5 years ago

    @Arbiter " Even Fable despite years of massive hype struggled to hit 500k"

    Sorry but thats just incorrect... Fable sold 600k in the first month, more then any previous xbox game had sold in the launch month. What it sold in total I don't remember but please don't just go making up numbers.

    "Fable Continues To Break Records As Best-Selling Game Across All Platforms In September"
    http://xb ox.gamezone.com/news/10_21_04_0...

  • Dizzy #62 5 years ago

    "If Okami failed to find an audience on Ps2, seriously what chance does this stand on X360? "

    Maybe... but does that mean devs should stop making games like this? On what platform does it belong then? Personally I think the 360 is well on its way to become a very broad platform, with plenty of users and plenty of different games. MS is working on that as well since they can see the success of the Wii.

  • Guv #63 5 years ago

    Chick fight! ^^

    anyways, anyone know if this is region free? Saw it was relased a bit earlier in the US. Guessing it's not but can't hurt to ask.

  • Les #64 5 years ago

    "Course I believe you son...Yeah... "

    Really funny to see all the 14-year olds around here use the word "son"... ;)

    But if it makes you feel big, please go ahead. Although you guys might better work on a more mature argumentative style... ;)

  • asphaltcowboy #65 5 years ago

    Loved the demo... hope the Japanese voiceovers make it in! Nothing worse than bad english voiceovers!
    November release?! Argh! Too... many... games...!

  • Guv #66 5 years ago

    I knew that Ignore-Poster-button was good for something...

  • EmiliasHorse #67 5 years ago

    A lovely preview of a lovely game, followed by a lovely thread of people being...lovely. Suddenly Biker_Bob and Kato start a bitch fight. No Bioshock for either of you until you kiss and make up.

  • souljacker2000 #68 5 years ago

    Dear Kato and biker_bob

    Please calm down, or i may have to join Kato and rant how good my 360 actually is, and start slapping some Sony fanboys. Cant stand em... anyhoo

    Eternal Sonata, what a great game. Cant wait to get my mits on this...

  • Les #69 5 years ago

    LOL

    I rest my case

  • Daikon #70 5 years ago

    Too bad they won't keep the original title for the English release.
    "Trusty Bell" - what delicious Engrish nonsense!

  • menage #71 5 years ago

    There is a market for games like this on 360. I didn't buy mine for Splinter Cell, Halo or PGR (hell, I never owned any one of them on any system).

    I bought mine for DR and games like Pinata. And if the system is for the "hardcore", when weren't JRPGs hardcore to begin with. John Doe plays Madden and Fifa. Hardcore play FPS, RTS and JRPG (whatever suits your taste)

  • samadriel #72 5 years ago

    Great Coconuts! Those graphics are gorgeous. I gotta wonder about the game though; despite what an earlier poster implied with all that 'play a racing game' bollocks, there's no reason for JRPGs to be tied down to their usual Tolkien-in-Wonderland milieu -- after about 20 years of it, it's wearing a touch thin on me. Surprise me, industry!

    It's 'discontent' or 'discontentment', by the way; 'malcontent' as a noun refers only to a person who is chronically discontented. If you'd just give me an editing job, we wouldn't have this problem!
    Edited by 1 at 15/08/07 @ 11:08

  • souljacker2000 #73 5 years ago

    @biker_bob

    Lol yea ur pic does make you look alot like a dorris....pop on a US police uniform... you would look great ;)

  • EmiliasHorse #74 5 years ago

    In all fairness Bob that pic is unsuited to this type of forum.

  • souljacker2000 #75 5 years ago

    *thinks about reporting biker_bobs image as explicit*

  • menage #76 5 years ago

    "here's no reason for JRPGs to be tied down to their usual Tolkien-in-Wonderland milieu --"

    Well Persona 3, FFXII, Disgaea, Pokemon even, all are radically different. Just because this is somewhat more traditional doesn't make it wrong.

    And why should all these games be enormously surprising, and Sports and Racing games can follow the same route they've always taken, only with more cars and higher resolutions. Not really fair in my opinion.

    There are enough things different about this to warrant purchase for me. Battles alone are refreshing.

  • souljacker2000 #77 5 years ago

    classic..

  • Les #78 5 years ago

    "The game looks fantastic (which it wouldn't if it were a Wii title)"

    If you actually had any credibility, you'd have lost it with this shortsighted remark...

  • SomaticSense #79 5 years ago

    He is right though, even though it was a pointless and mild trolling comment. The game wouldn't actually look anywhere near as good on the Wii. That is a fact, but completely besides the point anyway.

  • menage #80 5 years ago

    Lol, never expected Eternal Sonata thread to be so violent and abusive.

    On the Wii topic, hey, I don't own one, don't plan to, so I'm glad this game is coming to 360. If it was PS3 we wouldn't have this discussion. a lot of assumptions are based on XBOX 1, not 360.

  • souljacker2000 #81 5 years ago

    honestly, reading this thread is so much better than work...

    I have laughed.. joined in... and also decided to stop because Les, biker_bob and Kato provide such comedic input.. this is better than the Bangkok lady boys Alan Partridge.. Keep it up lads good work!

  • souljacker2000 #82 5 years ago

    Kato

    U gota stop it, keep thinking of bob in his tight shorts. Thats unacceptable at work!

  • Les #83 5 years ago

    "The game wouldn't actually look anywhere near as good on the Wii. That is a fact, but completely besides the point anyway."

    Depends on what you define as "good looks". If it's only about pixels, then of course it's true. But I'd say art direction is much more important than HD resolutions, pixel shaders, etc. But that's just my opinion.

  • menage #84 5 years ago

    "Depends on what you define as "good looks". If it's only about pixels, then of course it's true. But I'd say art direction is much more important than HD resolutions, pixel shaders, etc. But that's just my opinion."

    The one doesn't rule out the other. Great art direction is useless if you can't realize a vision. I know damn well that Bioshock on a PS2 would look like shit compared to how it looks now.

  • Les #85 5 years ago

    @ menage

    True, that's why I didn't say they do. I was responding to the following comment:

    "The game looks fantastic (which it wouldn't if it were a Wii title)"

    Which implies that games on Wii can't look fantastic. To me, that's just rubbish as I've explained above.

  • menage #86 5 years ago

    "Which implies that games on Wii can't look fantastic. To me, that's just rubbish as I've explained above."

    True, even SNES games can still look awesome. And games like Okami on good old PS2 are mindblowing. But I would like to see Okami 2 in with shaders in 720p:p (without fucking up the style that is)

  • Les #87 5 years ago

    @ Kato

    Sorry but that's just a weak and logically inconsistent come-back.

    edit: added the 'a'
    Edited by 1 at 15/08/07 @ 17:15

  • souljacker2000 #88 5 years ago

    @ biguy_bob

    O dear let that one slip didnt you. Shame, should go back to standing in front of your camera taking explicit photos of yourself for your profile on gaybikers.com

  • souljacker2000 #89 5 years ago

    LOL

    id love to know how old you lot are..
    every1 acts so immature..

  • souljacker2000 #90 5 years ago

    LOL .

    I think you may have hurt his feelings. OO im alot younger than you, and im partial to a few haribos...

    (biguy_bob will reply any second now)

  • Les #91 5 years ago

    "I continue to be disappointed that folks on the internet treat any positive thing we say about one platform as some sort of critique of another platform. We're a multi-platform company folks please come to grips with that. We like the PC. We like the 360. We like the PS3. We like the Macintosh. We like Linux. We will deliver UT3 for all of these platforms and it will rock on every one."

    Marc Rein, Epic

  • Les #92 5 years ago

    "...Oh wait! Les, the Bioshock review is up and it scored a 10/10, hadn't you better scuttle off over there to tell people how crap it is and that teh PS3 could do a better job? PS3 doesn't have many 10/10 games does it Les lol... "

    I know it’s pretty hopeless but I’ll try one last time to reason with you: I think you’re a pathetic person because of your silly abusive fanboy posts around here, not because you own a 360 and like it. I just can’t stand people like you that make sure video gamers will not be taken seriously by the general public for years to come.

    Maybe I’m naive by expecting to have a mature, arguments based discussion around video games. Although there are some intelligent people around here (spongebob, kanga, seesthroughall, to name a few) that appreciate a good debate. But you are clearly not one of them.

    I’ll not put you on my ignore list as I think it’s wholesome to once in a while be confronted with the thoughts of the idiots in this world. But don’t expect me to react on any future post of yours unless they contribute to a decent, mature argument.

  • souljacker2000 #93 5 years ago

    HI FIVEZ KATO

    sorry its late been looking for more bi bob pics!

    Found loads. Anywho check the biohazard review... poo heads (les and bi bob)

  • Les #94 5 years ago

    "Les, I've tried in the past to have a mature conversation with you, it doesn't work, you are far too blinkered to actually respond in an intelligent manner."

    Show me one of my 'blinkered' posts please. I've never criticized any system/software without a proper motivation and I never gloat over any shortcoming of any system. If your definition of ‘blinkered’ is any post that doesn’t agree with your limited view of the world the problem is on your side.

    "So, I'll ask again, what was your reason for entering this comments section?"

    The reason for reading it was my interest in all things JRPG. The reason for commenting was reading one of your trademark fanboy posts in this thread. I think I am entitled to respond to that though I should have know it would be pointless. I'm just optimistic by nature.

  • souljacker2000 #95 5 years ago

    o yea u dont have a 360

  • Les #96 5 years ago

    "I'll wait for the REAL Final Fantasy... "

    I agree that remark was aggressive (though nowhere near as aggressive as your response to it). But it was my genuine feeling when seeing the first gameplay footage of the game: This is outdated (or proven) Final Fantasy in all but name. I was quite disappointed. And it seems I was correct (given the reviews) in my assessment based on the footage available at that time that it was an archaic Final Fantasy game despite its very pretty exterior. My point was that Final Fantasy, as a series or brand or what ever is the proper moniker, had evolved over time. As you can see in the rest of that thread.

    “You see, I'm quite pro-360 because I get hours of fun out of the machine/games, you're like a 17y/o chav with a 1.2 Nissan Micra going into a Ferrari forum to tell them all how crap their cars are, what is it Les? Jealousy?”

    I didn’t get a PS3 for the next gen games but because it’s region-free. But despite me owning a PS3, I’m not “pro-PS3”: It’s a fucking product! I’ll never advice someone to get the machine, though I’m happy to share the pro’s and cons that I’ve experienced.

    I’ve considered the 360 but it’s not good value for ME. But I’m perfectly fine with it addressing your needs. Like I’ve said many times before, different people have different preferences. What gets me off is people like you that just can’t see that people might have preferences other than your own. Perfectly illustrated by this quote:

    “Tbh, I'm glad you're 'anti-MS' Les, it just means you're missing out on some of the best next gen games available at present, good for you son.”

    But the name-calling ratio in your posts seems to be declining and I saw some proper arguments hidden in there. Keep up the good work!
    Edited by 1 at 17/08/07 @ 12:34