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Interesting stories make 'Eternal Sonata,' 'Revenant Wings'
If I had made a list of 2007 games that should have been played but weren't, "Eternal Sonata" would have been on it.
"Eternal Sonata" might have scared off some people with its childish-looking graphics and cover. But inside, it's a colorful, well-done role-playing game that takes players on an interesting, and strange, trip.
The main character is the composer Frederic Chopin. It's the last three hours of his life, and he's unconscious in bed while his family gathers around him. Meanwhile, in his dreams, he's in another world, one in which every person and town is named after something in music.
The other main character, for example, is a young girl named Polka. She can perform healing magic, but in this world having magic means you're sick and going to die. Until she meets Chopin, a boy named Allegretto and a few others, nobody will have anything to do with her for fear she's contagious.
Eventually, with a group of a half-dozen or so, you set out to stop the evil ruler of the land, whose goal is to make the villagers into an army of slave warriors.
The world is colorfully cel-shaded, done in an anime style. Also typical of many anime, many of the characters' voices drive me crazy, but they're not unbearable (and at least it's not Marumaro from "Blue Dragon"). Some scenes are incredibly cheesy, and there is one excruciatingly long death scene, but overall the characters are likable and often funny.
Battles have an interesting set up. It's real-time, sort of. When it's a character's turn, you can move them around the battlefield wherever you want, and you perform attacks by hitting certain buttons. However, there's a timer that drains as you move, and your turn is up when it runs out.
Additionally, there's a light and dark aspect - when a character is in the light, they can perform one set of attacks, and when they're in the shadows, it's another. This adds a strategic element to the battles.
Of course, with music being such an emphasis in the story, it also has a big part in the game itself. Throughout the game are score pieces that you can play for other characters. If they like it, they give you an item. The game's score is orchestral and beautiful, and each chapter finishes with one of Chopin's compositions and little tidbits about his life.
I certainly haven't played a game quite like "Eternal Sonata." It's got its little quirks, and not all of them are good, but the base is strong and the story and environment are so unique that it's definitely worth trying. Don't let that kiddie look scare you off.
I really liked "Final Fantasy XII," so I was excited to play "Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings."
"Revenant Wings" is a very different game from "Final Fantasy XII," a PlayStation 2 role-playing game.
"Revenant Wings," for the DS, follows the exploits of two of "FFXII's" main characters, Vaan and Penelo, and a rag-tag gang of lesser characters as they accidentally discover a hidden continent floating in the sky. The inhabitants of the island are winged people who need help stopping an evil character called the Judge of Wings.
The game play in "Revenant Wings" has a tactical approach. At the beginning of each level, a goal is given, such as keeping a certain party member alive. The party is then thrown into the level, which is inhabited by enemies, both monsters and other human foes. The player commands the party members to attack certain enemies or perform certain tasks. Unlike other tactical games, however, party members aren't limited by moving a certain number of squares; movement is free.
Each of the human party members can control a group of espers - summoned monsters - and send them out to fight. Fighters are classified as either melee, ranged or flying, and that affects their attacks on their enemies. Party members and their espers can be commanded individually or as a group, depending on the strategy you want to take.
"Revenant Wings" isn't as complex as other tactical RPGs such as "Final Fantasy Tactics," but it's still plenty of fun and will throw out some pretty challenging goals. There are lots of side quests and hunts to complete.
I really like it as a light-hearted continuation of characters I grew fond of in "FFXII," and it's nice to be able to follow them on another adventure. You don't have to have played "FFXII" to be able to follow it, but it doesn't hurt.
The DS touch controls are easy to handle, and while the in-game characters don't look the best graphically, they're still charming and likable.
Strategy fans and "Final Fantasy" fans alike should check it out. And if you haven't tried "Final Fantasy XII," do that as well.
Aimee Green can be reached at Aimee.Green@lee.net or (402) 473-7326. Also check her blog at www.herald-review.com/blogs/controlfreak/.
Game ratings
Eternal Sonata
Namco Bandai, for Xbox 360
Rated: Teen
Cost: $59.99
Score: 8/10
Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings
Square Enix, for DS
Rated: Everyone 10+
Cost: $39.99
Score: 8/10
Scores based on an evaluation of gameplay (4 points), visuals (2), sound (2) and replayability/value (2).
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