Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that underneath its pretty veneer, this Teen-rated game raises some serious philosophical questions about the choices that people make when faced with their own mortality. Several cut scenes take place at Frederic's death bed in his Paris apartment. There's plenty of fantasy violence but nothing too realistic -- except when it's directed at rats and other animals. Settings include scenes in bars and a wine cellar and players will encounter a drunken person.
Families can talk about whether it would be worth it to have a rare and special talent if it meant also having a horrible side-effect, like Chopin's prodigious musical abilities along with frail health, or the fact that Polka's incurable illness granted her the ability to use magic.
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Erin Bell
Video games have featured some unlikely heroes, but ETERNAL SONATA surely takes the cake by making its central character none other than 19th-century composer Frederic Chopin.
In real life, the sickly pianist may have succumbed to tuberculosis at the age of 39, but in Eternal Sonata he's a robust character who wails on enemies with a souped-up conductor's baton and unleashes devastating magical attacks while uttering battle-cries like "You cannot stop my relentless advance!"
The premise is not as preposterous as it sounds. As Chopin lies on his death bed in his Paris apartment, in his mind he travels to a beautiful fantasy world where he meets a girl named Polka who, like him, is afflicted with an incurable illness -- except that in Chopin's dream, characters who are doomed to die from illness are granted a wondrous side-effect of being able to use magic.
Eventually he and Polka meet up with other characters and set out to confront the warmongering Count Waltz, who is breeding a sinister army.
Chopin's world is a gorgeous one, with bright and colorful surroundings and characters with exquisitely detailed costumes and expressive faces. Eternal Sonata also boasts quite a unique and dynamic battle system where there are a limited number of seconds to execute a turn, and special abilities are affected by whether the character is standing in light or shadow. Each battlefield is laid out to include areas of both sun and shade, whether it's trees or boulders that cast shadows, or monsters with halos or torches on their bodies that cast an aura of light. A big part of fighting is maneuvering characters into the desired lighting. Eternal Sonata also contains documentary-style interludes that narrate important episodes in Chopin's life while his music, performed by world-renowned pianist Stanislav Bunin, plays in the background.
In spite of its many high-points, Eternal Sonata is weighed down by long cut scenes and the lack of some kind of overworld map to prevent frustrating backtracking in several maze-like locations. Annoyances aside, however, Eternal Sonata is a fresh and beautiful role-playing.
For other role-playing games in a similar style, try Blue Dragon, Kingdom Hearts 2, or Final Fantasy XII.
Rate It!
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ViolencePlayers battle a variety of villainous humans, monsters, and animals. The violence is animated and not graphic. All of the enemies are aggressive but not all of them look menacing -- some might find it disturbing to beat up on mice, ponies, and other creatures who cry out each time they're hit. |
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LanguageOccasional mild and non-gratuitous cursing like "damn." |
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Social BehaviorThe character of Polka is a social outcast because her illness means she can use magic, and people mistakenly think she is contagious. |
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Drug/Alcohol/TobaccoSettings include bars and a wine cellar. In the wine cellar you briefly interact with a drunken worker. |
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Educational ValueKids learn about events in Chopin's life and get to listen to some of his major works. |
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