Skip to main content
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
  • home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • View Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
Trending
  • Pokemon Winds and Waves
  • New Games for 2026
  • GamesRadar+ Replay
  • Mario Day deals
  1. Games
  2. RPG
  3. Eternal Sonata

Eternal Sonata review

This is the RPG we've been dreaming of

Reviews
By GamesRadarCarolynGudmundson published 18 September 2007

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Why you can trust GamesRadar+ Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about our reviews policy.

So, we've established that the battles are awesome, but the story is no slouch either. As we mentioned, the idea of Frederic Chopin, a real historical figure, entering a magical dream land seems a bit out there at first. While the main story is told in aforementioned fantasy world, with a fictionalized Chopin as one of the characters, the story's chapters are broken up with a series of interludes that tell the real-life story of the famous pianist. This allows players to draw their own parallels between real historical events and what's going on in the game, and brings a sense of realism to the otherwise fantastical world of Eternal Sonata. What on the surface seems to be a wacky premise, ultimately creates a brilliant contrast between reality and fantasy.

The only disappointing aspect of the story is the RPG-typical stilted dialogue between characters in the cinemas. Instead of carrying on a natural, flowing conversation, the characters engage in the all too familiar pattern where one character says a sentence or two, followed by a pause, then another character says a sentence, pause, and so forth. Luckily, the story and writing are strong enough to shine through anyway.

Above: In this world, the ability to use magic is believed to be a sign of having a terminal illness

Namco Eternal Sonata: Price Comparison
Eternal Sonata - Xbox 360
Amazon
Prime
$82.25
View
Walmart - View Similar
Walmart
No price information
Check Walmart
We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
powered by
Gamesradar
Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
  • 1
  • 2

Current page: Page 2

Prev Page Page 1
CATEGORIES
Xbox Platforms
GamesRadarCarolynGudmundson
GamesRadarCarolynGudmundson
Life is nature's way of keeping meat fresh.
Latest in RPG
A man looking straight ahead during one of the best Xbox Series X games, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 studio withdraws legal action against graphic novel that shares the RPG's name
 
 
Two characters standing on a glowing battlefield during Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
"Parrying was not easy": Clair Obscur devs had to turn to sound to fix an integral part of the J'RPG's combat
 
 
Mass Effect
"F***ing Colonel Shepard dies in Mass Effect 3, and that makes us the Worst Company in America," former EA exec laments
 
 
Fallout 1 power armor helmet
D&D's most annoying rule helped Fallout co-creator get big break at legendary RPG studio
 
 
BG3
The future of RPGs is isometric
 
 
Fallout 3 screenshot of someone in power armor standing in front of a rundown version of the Washington Monument
More hopium for Fallout 3 Remastered emerges as the unannounced RPG is named in a product listing for an upcoming figure
 
 
Latest in Reviews
Acer Predator Triton 14 AI gaming laptop on a wooden desk
The Acer Predator Triton 14 AI wants to run your game room and office, but it's not as sharp as the Blade
 
 
Asus ROG Azoth 96 HE gaming keyboard on a wooden desk
The Asus ROG Azoth 96 HE has returned to take the magnetic crown, but that price tag is going to be a problem
 
 
A Thrustmaster T248R and its pedals on a grey carpet
The Thrustmaster T248R is making me question where a sim racing wheel with no direct drive and no modular wheelbase fits in the market in 2026
 
 
Ryan Gosling as Ryland Grace in Project Hail Mary
Project Hail Mary review: "Large scale sci-fi with tons of heart"
 
 
Slay the Spire 2
Slay the Spire 2 early access review: "Instantly familiar, but already bursting with new ideas"
 
 
Iñaki Godoy as Monkey D. Luffy Emily Rudd as Nami and Jacob Romero as Usopp standing on the deck of the Merry in One Piece season 2
One Piece season 2 review: "It's hard to imagine a better version of One Piece in live action"
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Garry's Mod
    1
    Garry's Mod creator expected to only "make about $30,000" on the sandbox game – but some 25 million copies later, it's one of Steam's most iconic smash hits
  2. 2
    Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry's son says Star Trek will "get better" under new Paramount leadership: "Not that they were bad, but I think there's a fresh perspective"
  3. 3
    James Wan is set to direct his first movie since the Aquaman sequel, and it's a remake of a hit Korean crime thriller
  4. 4
    Slay the Spire 2 has delayed Palworld 1.0 "at least a whole day," jokes publishing head: "Pocketpair is dominated by two games – Rimworld and Slay the Spire"
  5. 5
    Are you sick of your Quest 3 controllers dying? This all-in-one headset charging stand deleted that issue for me

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...