Demo impressions: Eternal Sonata

It’s funny. For a game that talks about Chopin lying on his deathbed, he’s conspicuously absent in the demo. You’d think he’d be visible in his own game and all, but I suppose that’s a minor gripe for the chance to share his deathbed for an hour or so.

Needless to say, after downloading Tri-Crescendo and Namco Bandai‘s Eternal Sonata demo, I had the distinct honor of making the demo impressions article on it. Suffice it to say that the game is visually appealing and fun to play, though there’s that distinct undercurrent of battles being a button-mashing affair that can be somewhat off-putting.

Just click on the Full Article link to read this writer’s take on the lively art direction of the game, helpful NPCs, and of course, the gameplay shown so far.

It’s funny. For a game that talks about Chopin lying on his deathbed, he’s conspicuously absent in the demo. You’d think he’d be visible in his own game and all, but I suppose that’s a minor gripe for the chance to share his deathbed for an hour or so.

Needless to say, after downloading Tri-Crescendo and Namco Bandai‘s Eternal Sonata demo, I had the distinct honor of making the demo impressions article on it. Suffice it to say that the game is visually appealing and fun to play, though there’s that distinct undercurrent of battles being a button-mashing affair that can be somewhat off-putting.

The first thing you’ll notice about this demo is that you’re actually thrust into a world filled with vibrant color. Unlike the portrayal of a world filled with death and suffering, which is what you’d come to expect when you’re talking about someone being on his deathbed, the art design is instead suffused with rustic greens and relaxing shades of light colors.

One testament to this very lively art direction is when you enter the Flower Field in the village of Tenuto. There’s no real reason for you to visit the place other than for sightseeing purposes (and a free item, which I’ll explain later), but what a sight it is. The scenery makes it seem as if the field goes on into the background, and there’s a lovely effect they’ve made where petals are floating up from the field of yellow and orange flowers. It’s a dramatic sight, to say the least, and it’s one great indicator of just how well-made the game is, art-wise.

Accessibility is one other factor that should never be overlooked when it comes to a demo, and we’re glad to see they’ve taken care of that with the help of friendly NPCs. During the course of the demo, which is essentially a tutorial mission, you’ll get tips and tricks from NPCs who’ll explain the basics of fighting, using items, and performing special attacks.

You’ll be doing a lot of that, actually… the whole fighting and using items bit. Getting into battles is a simple enough matter, but surviving them can still be touch and go depending on how clumsy you are.

You see, battles occur by running into on-screen enemies, and you can get the jump on them by running into them from behind. Battles are turn-based affairs, with a twist. Each character has a five-second timer that allows them to do as many attacks or actions as they want during their turn. It only starts when your character does something though, so you can actually think of a plan before attacking the enemy.

In any case, you have two main attacks at your disposal at any time: A regular attack which is quick and does moderate damage, or a special attack that has variable action speeds and does tons more damage. There’s also a light and dark system to the game, wherein characters and enemies grow stronger or weaker and have different special attacks depending on whether they fight in the light or in the shade. Defeating enemies is a matter of positioning yourself to hit the enemy with the light/dark system to your advantage and using a combination of the A and Y buttons to do maximum damage.

One thing I can definitely attest to in these battles is that you’ll want to keep everyone’s HP up. Bad positioning or running out of attack time can seriously lead to some thrilling life-or-death moments as monsters can hit hard. As an added tip, do not let the onion monster fight in the shade, as he grows in size and hits for twice as much damage.

That being said, it’s tempting to spam the special attack button during the demo, as it seems to do a lot more damage than your usual attacks, and is a lot flashier as well. That’s the one issue I can really think of in this demo that might hamper enjoyment. Other than that, it’s a demo that’s worth taking a look at, if only for the chance to fight a giant boar, see some cute level-up animations, and learn more about Allegretto, Beat, and Polka.

Of course, we couldn’t leave you with just an explanation, so I’ve found some added content for you to use in this hour-long demo. First off, you’ll find an Angel Trumpet item inside Polka’s house by entering the bedroom and checking on the plant inside. Second, you can also pick up a Floral Powder item by visiting the Flower Field; just check the shack near the entrance archway of the place and you’ll pick it up. Lastly, there’s a reason why the NPC in the center of Tenuto is offering to let you try out a music session. Pick up a score piece in the resident’s house on the right side of the village by checking the cabinet with the white plate, then return to the NPC in the center of the village to listen to some music.

In any case, get to downloading the demo already! If Chopin’s taught me anything, it’s that you should savor life as best you can (before your deathbed comes calling for you).