GamesRadar - Eternal Sonata

RPG Emo-Off (Feature)

Oct 15, 2008

You know the type: spiky hair, sad eyes, too many belt buckles in his ensemble to count. You might meet one or two of these guys in fighting games, or starring in a Prince of Persia sequel; more often than not, you’ll see them wangsting their hearts out in a sprawling Japanese RPG epic. ...

'Eternal Sonata' (ALL) Goes Gold - PS3 Version has extra content (News)

Oct 3, 2008

Namco Bandai's Eternal Sonata boasts gorgeous graphics, 3D character models, and a groundbreaking battle system. The PS3 edition of Eternal Sonata will include extra content, such as new events to help move along the story line, Crescendo and Serenade as playable characters, and the ability to freely change your characters' costumes.

Featuring exclusive playable characters and quests, Eternal Sonata allows players to join Frederic Chopin during the final hours of his life as he travels to a realm of dreams in this award-winning adventure. Fans can catch a glimpse of this new version with the downloadable demo that is now available on the PlayStation®Network.

That Aussie Game Site: Daily Wrap 3rd October, 2008 (News)

Oct 3, 2008

That Aussie Game Site have wrapped up the day in games reporting on Bungie's Kojima talent aquisition, new DLC for Star Wars: The Force Unleashed and a swag of demos coming to the PSN. They've also got information on the free DLC for Gears of War 2, information regarding the Resistance 2 Beta, Dead Space colour-coded suits and a bunch of new media for Tom Clancy's End War. What a day!

Eternal Sonata PS3 exclusive content detailed; new images (News)

Jul 30, 2008

PlayFrance:

"This version of the Playstation 3 will offer exclusive content, with two new playable characters (Crescendo and Seranade), additional quests, new purpose and a system of customisation for costumes heroes."

Rare games console stolen (News)

Jun 27, 2008

Police are appealing for information following the theft of a rare and collectable games console from a house in Banbury.

An address in Hearthway was burgled in the early hours of Friday, June 20.

A number of items were stolen, including an X-box 360 with a limited edition design taken from the Japanese video game Eternal Sonata. The X-box is a rare collectors' item and is very distinctive.

Other items were also taken including a Hewlett Packard laptop computer, a PlayStation Portable (PSP), a white Nintendo DS, a silver digital camera, a silver iPod and a Sony Ericsson mobile phone.

Eternal Sonata PS3 Detailed (News)

Jun 26, 2008

RPGFan writes:

"Bandai Namco Games announced that its Xbox 360 RPG Trusty Bell: Chopin no Yume (Eternal Sonata in the US) will be available for PlayStation 3 in Japan in mid-September. More than a year has passed since the game's release on the Xbox 360 in Japan, but the developers have apparently used this time to make significant changes to the game. As previously reported, two new playable characters, a new quest and the option to change a character's outfit had already been confirmed to be part of the PlayStation 3 release's feature set. Further improvements announced today include a new dungeon, a revised scenario with multiple endings as well as new songs by pianist Stanislav Bunin and composer Motoi Sakuraba."

Namco Bandai: Eternal Sonata PS3 "Japan only" (News)

Jun 2, 2008

Namco Bandai US has told videogaming247 that as far as it's aware, the PS3 version of tri-Crescendo's JRPG Eternal Sonata won't make it out of Japan.

More through the link.

Atari: No news on Eternal Sonata PS3 (News)

Jun 2, 2008

Speaking with videogaming247 today, Atari has said that there are still no details on the PS3 version of tri-Crescendo RPG Eternal Sonata.

Eternal Sonata PS3 gets new content (News)

Nov 2, 2007

Nov 2, 2007 Something PS3 owners must be getting used to by now is waiting a little longer for games to come to their platform, but in Eternal Sonata's case, the extra wait means you'll get two more characters to play as, which is nice. As an exclusive treat to PS3 owners, the characters Serenade and Prince Crescendo, who were non-playable characters in the 360 version, will be fully playable. These characters will bring with them new story sequences as well, according to Dengeki Online (via ...

Eternal Sonata - Making of pt. 1 10-23-07 (Video)

Oct 23, 2007

Eternal Sonata Demo Available Now in Europe (News)

Oct 23, 2007

Namco Bandai and Atari, the publisher of Eternal Sonata in Europe, have released a playable demo of the game on Xbox Live Marketplace.

The demo, previously released in Asia and North America, comprises an early part of the game and follows characters Polka, Allegretto and Beat as they explore the Path to Tenuto, Tenuto Village and Heaven's Mirror Forest.

Call of Duty 4 - The game to rival Halo 3 this autumn (News)

Oct 4, 2007

Issue 11 of free Xbox 360 magazine, 360Zine, has a preview and interview on Call of Duty 4 and they're blown away with the graphics and gameplay.

Eternal Sonata ships for the 360 (News)

Sep 17, 2007

NAMCO BANDAI have announced that Eternal Sonata has shipped to retail stores across North America...

Eternal Sonata (Review)

Sep 17, 2007

It's hard to explain the premise of Eternal Sonata without making it sound a bit absurd. Take Frederic Chopin, a real historical figure from the 19th century (considered to be one of the greatest pianists of all time), and throw him into an over-the-top fantasy world full of magic, monsters, and political intrigue. Regardless of its seemly out-there plot, Eternal Sonata presents an engrossingly imaginative world with awesome gameplay and a story you might actually find yourself caring ...

Famitsu Confirms Eternal Sonata for PS3 in Spring 2008 (News)

Sep 12, 2007

TotalVideoGames.com and RPGamer.com report that this week's issue of Famitsu confirms that Eternal Sonata, or Trusty Bell as it's known in Japan, is set for release for PlayStation 3 in Spring 2008.

Yakuza 3, Eternal Sonata Details & More from Famitsu (News)

Sep 12, 2007

Thanks to JohnnyRam over at NeoGAF, onAXIS have some details about Yakuza 3 from the latest Famitsu. Although it's short, it's better than nothing.

Ace Combat 6 heading to PS3 with Beautiful Katamari, Eternal Sonata? (News)

Sep 11, 2007

According to an interview at the French website Jeux Video, (see the first alternative source below,) the producer of Ace Combat 6 has revealed the possibility of a PS3 version of the air simulation game.

In addition, earlier the official site for Beautiful Katamari listed PlayStation 3 and Wii versions as "TBD" ("To Be Determined,") The website has since then been updated, and the PS3 and Wii listing removed after being spotted and reported.

In a similar fashion, Eternal Sonata (aka Trusty Bell in Japan) is also listed as "TBD" for PlayStation 3 -- but interestingly, no Wii. The unintentional listing has also been discovered and removed.

Altogether which seem to be an interesting coincidence. 1UP speculates that Beautiful Katamari and Eternal Sonata will be announced at the upcoming Tokyo Game Show (TGS) 2007, (i.e., the second alternative source below.)

Note: Snapshots of the evidences were taken by Kotaku before the websites changes and are attached below.

Eternal Sonata Community Site Goes Live (News)

Aug 20, 2007

Namco Bandai Games has dimmed the house lights and drawn back the curtains on Endless Nocturne, a new interactive community site for their upcoming RPG title, Eternal Sonata.

Eternal Sonata still 360 exclusive, new details (News)

Aug 18, 2007

During an Eternal Sonata conference call last night, Xbox360fanboy managed to clarify some details on the game and even uncover some new details. First of all, they learned that the game should take about 30 hours to complete for players that wish to simply charge through. If, however, you wish to complete all the side-quests (and you won't get the full story if you don't), it will take much longer. In fact, some of the side-quests aren't even accessible on the first play-through, so players will have at least some incentive to go through the game more than once.

Eternal Sonata Official English Site Launched with Streaming Soundtracks (News)

Aug 18, 2007

There is not much at the moment, but visitors can scroll through and listen to twenty exceptional, enjoyable orchestral soundtracks. The soundtracks include some Chopin classics, some original scores, and some that are combinations of both.

The titles of the twenty soundtracks are:
1. Raindrops (Prelude in D Flat Major Op. 28 No. 15)
2. Prepared To Fight (Boss Battle 1)
3. Uncertain Homefront (Forte City)
4. Wall With No Front Or Back (Fort Fermata)
5. Conduct the Breeze (Hanon Hills)
6. Underground for the Underhanded (Ritardando Sewers)
7. Mediocrity For All (Ritardando)*
8. Revolution (Etude in C Minor Op. 10 No. 12)*
9. Take A Stand (Sharp Mountains)
10. Close Call
11. Between Light and Darkness (Boss Battle 3)
12. Illuminated Lives (Heaven's Mirror Forest)
13. Make the Leap (Regular Battle)
14. A Relaxing Place
15. Rapid Fire
16. Can You Recall Your Dream?
17. I Believe (Boss Battle 2)
18. Reflect the Sky, Blosson of Life (Tenuto Village)
19. Animals Everywhere (Agogo Forest)
20. Time Together

*Soundtracks used in trailers.

Bandai Namco "Not Aware" of PS3 Eternal Sonata (News)

Aug 17, 2007

More information and double-speak on whether or not Eternal Sonata is multi-platform.

Quote: "According to game site Siliconera, the controller and the graphics made bringing Eternal Sonata to the Xbox 360 a no-brainer. What about a PS3 version? Publisher Bandai Namco told Siliconera that it was "not aware" of a PS3 version at the moment. How could it not be aware of that? It's friggin' Bandai Namco! The Japanese box for Eternal Sonata (AKA Trusty Bell) doesn't have an "ONLY ON XBOX 360" stamp on it. Thus, the game should be treated as such."

Follow the link for more.

Eternal Sonata - Custom gameplay 08-15-07 (Video)

Aug 15, 2007

Eternal Sonata (Screenshots)

Aug 2, 2007

Engadget & Joystiq live from Microsoft's E3 2007 keynote (Recap+Pics) (News)

Jul 11, 2007

For those that did not get to see streaming videos or G4TV for the Event. Plenty of pictures here, and as well some humor, from start to finish.

What did you like? as well as some of your disappointments?

Eternal Sonata - Trailer 06-29-07 (Video)

Jun 29, 2007

The Xbox 360 Games of Summer 2007 (News)

Jun 23, 2007

IGN:

Summer is said to be the worst time for gamers. The "summer drought," however, is a myth. Eyeballing the release calendar for summer (June 21-September 21) shows that there are several dozen games bound for stores in the next few months. And better still, many of these are quality titles. Don't expect to save your pennies this year -- summer is going to be big on Xbox 360. Just take a peek at our list of some of the biggest games on the horizon.

Eternal Sonata and Ace Combat 6 Coming to Australia (News)

Jun 22, 2007

If you took a quick poll of IGNs most anticipated 360 titles right now in the IGN AU office, we're pretty sure Eternal Sonata and Ace Combat 6 might crack the list somewhere. The two games couldn't be more different, but both have their charms. For instance, Eternal Sonata is going to add some RPG credibility to the Xbox 360, while Ace Combat is compatible with a downright sick-looking flight stick and throttle combo. Nice.

Both games are due for release this coming Spring in Australia and New Zealand, according to Atari Australia.

Ace Combat 6, Eternal Sonata dated for Europe (News)

Jun 21, 2007

Namco Bandai's pair of 360 titles, Ace Combat 6: Fire of Liberation and gorgeous RPG Eternal Sonata, are officially heading to Europe, under the distribution arm of Atari.

"The further expansion of our line up with Namco Bandai Games is the fruit of the excellent quality of their games and the performance of our European distribution network," said Atari Europe president Jean-Michel Perbet. "These two titles are superb additions to our growing product portfolio as Atari pushes ahead with renewed confidence."

Both games are dated for the autumn.

Eternal Sonata Fact Sheet (News)

Jun 18, 2007

On his deathbed, Chopin, the famous composer, drifts between this life and the next. In his dreams, happenstance encounters with a young girl facing a terrible destiny and the boy who will fight to save her, leads to Chopin's discovery of the light that shines in each of us in this enduring tale of good and evil, love and betrayal.

Eternal Sonata Update (News)

Jun 18, 2007

Here's the good news: Eternal Sonata is complete. The bad news?

Eternal Sonata - updated impressions (Preview)

Jun 15, 2007

Namco's big media day couldn't go by without another round of hands-on time with one of our favorite RPGs, Eternal Sonata. Not a lot has changed since the last time we deeply covered this adventure, but there are a few new bits of information we're happy to pass along. First, the gauge that runs down the left side of the screen, the one that slowly depletes as you attack in battle mode, can be minutely increased by continual attacks. So you've got five seconds of "action time," where you can ...

Eternal Sonata No. 1 on Amazon Japan (News)

Jun 5, 2007

The Xbox 360, to put it mildly, hasn't fared terribly well in Japan thus far. Routinely selling only a couple thousand units every week, the 360 needs a serious kick in the pants if Microsoft hopes to make even a modest dent in the Japanese market. For this reason, it's heartening to see an Xbox 360 game claw its way to the top of the Amazon Japan bestseller list. The game in question is the Namco Bandai RPG Eternal Sonata, known as Trusty Bell in Japan.

ESRB pulls Eternal Sonata listing (News)

Apr 25, 2007

The ESRB has just pulled the Eternal Sonata listing that cited the game coming to both Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. Click the link below to do a search for yourself.

Eternal Sonata goes multi-platform (News)

Apr 24, 2007

Namco-Bandai's gorgeous-looking RPG, Eternal Sonata, previously only announced for Xbox 360, looks like it could now also be making its way to PS3 as well. The game has turned up on the Game Ratings list on the ESRB website as an Xbox 360 AND PS3 game. The ESRB website has been a useful source for planned releases in the past, revealing retro games planned for the Wii's Virtual Console download service often before any official announcement is made. It's speculated that the game may now see ...

Eternal Sonata also coming to the PS3? (News)

Apr 23, 2007

The ESRB is bustling with rumors today with Tron, Art of Fighting and also Eternal Sonata. Way back at Tokyo Game Show 2006 Namco Bandai announced Eternal Sonata (aka Trusty Bell: Chopin's Dream in Japan) as an Xbox 360 title. According to the ESRB it looks like Eternal Sonata is coming out for the Playstation 3 too. Thinking back to the announcement, Namco Bandai never said that Eternal Sonata was an Xbox 360 exclusive, they just mentioned it was in development for the 360. There is a chance that Eternal Sonata might get a dual release 360/PS3 release, but another possibility is Eternal Sonata will be a time exclusive game on the Xbox 360 similar to Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation. If Eternal Sonata really is coming out for both the PS3 and the X360 would that change your mind about buying an Xbox 360 or encourage you to purchase a Playstation 3?

Trusty Bell Pack in Japan (News)

Apr 11, 2007

Namco announces the release of a Trusty Bell pack in Japan, planned to hit shelves the 14th of June. The big green box will feature a Core pack, as well as a shiny version of Trusty Bell (named Eternal Sonata in Europe). Too bad we won't ever see this pack outside of Japan.

Eternal Sonata - hands-on (Preview)

Mar 16, 2007

Role-playing games are a dime a dozen. No, scratch that. More like a nickel for 20 run of the mill, melodramatic Japanese RPGs filled with stilted dialogue and overwrought melodrama. Seems like any and all of them are bursting with this stuff, yet no developer bothers to take these negative stereotypes away. But even with these irksome traits, we end up loving most of these games anyway, usually due to some shockingly creative aspect that overshadows the lackluster execution. In Eternal Sonata, ...

Date Set For Trusty Bell (News)

Feb 21, 2007

When Blue Dragon at last made its way onto Japanese retail shelves late last year, the question on everyone's mind was, how long will we have to wait for the next big 360 JRPG? Today, thanks to Famitsu and IGN's staff for reporting on it, we have the answer: about six months.

Bandai Namco Games will release Trusty Bell: Chopan no Yume to Japan on 6/14, the magazine reveals. Pricing is set at the standard Bandai Namco Games next generation price point of 6,980 yen.

Trusty Bell has been given the far less Japanesey name of Eternal Sonata for its US release, whose date is currently TBA.

Namco Bandai renames Trusty Bell as Eternal Sonata for 2007 US release (News)

Sep 22, 2006

Namco Bandai Games America announced today that their new Xbox 360 RPG named Eternal Sonata, formerly titled Trusty Bell: Chopin's Dream in Japan, will launch in North America in 2007.

Take a look in the first Japanese cell-shaded game footage.

Eternal Sonata croons its arrival (News)

Sep 21, 2006

Japanese juggernaut Namco Bandai announced today that Eternal Sonata (known as Trusty Bell: Chopin's Dream in Japan) is headed to the United States on the Xbox 360. Enmeshing you in a rich RPG plot, Eternal Sonata tells the tale of an old composer who dreams of a damsel in distress and the hero that must save her. Expect many uses of the word "destiny" and lots of sappy dialogue in the hopelessly convoluted tradition of the Japanese RPGs we ...

Chopin Story Transcript (FAQ)

Mar 26, 2008

Go to GamesRadar to see the FAQ ...

New Game + (Unlockable)

Feb 14, 2008

Go to GamesRadar to see the Unlockable ...

Back Attacks (Hint)

Jan 31, 2008

Go to GamesRadar to see the Hint ...

Achievements (Unlockable)

Sep 19, 2007

Go to GamesRadar to see the Unlockable ...