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Parents' Guide to

Eternal Sonata

By Erin Bell, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

RPG visits Chopin's death bed and fantasy world.

Game Xbox 360 2007
Eternal Sonata Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this game.

Community Reviews

age 11+

Based on 3 parent reviews

age 12+

Worth playing

age 11+

Music

I personally don't care for the game itself. However, it shouldn't be a problem for most kids, and can be used as a platform to teach them about music, as almost everything in the game is in some way musical or a musical reference.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (3 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

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 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 includes both sun and shade, and a big part of fighting is maneuvering characters into the desired lighting. There are also documentary-style interludes that narrate important episodes in Chopin's life while his music, performed by pianist Stanislav Bunin, plays in the background.

In spite of its many high points, the game is weighed down by long cut scenes and the lack of an overworld map to prevent frustrating backtracking in several locations. Annoyances aside, however, Eternal Sonata is a fresh and beautiful role-playing.

Game Details

  • Platform: Xbox 360
  • Available online?: Not available online
  • Publisher: Namco Bandai
  • Release date: September 21, 2007
  • Genre: Role-Playing
  • ESRB rating: T for fantasy violence, mild language, use of alcohol.
  • Last updated: November 4, 2015

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