Trusty-Bell
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Eternal Sonata hits Japan in September, features tons of new content
The PS3 version of Trusty Bell (also known as Eternal Sonata in the States) is hitting Japan on September 18th, more than a year after its original release on Xbox 360. Sales of the 360 original were respectable, but it's clear that the PS3 version will attract a largest audience, especially in the RPG-hungry Japanese territory. To make up for the long delay, new content will be exclusive to the PS3 release. New event scenes, which flesh out the story, will be thrown on the Blu-ray disc. A new quest will be added, and unlike the original release of the game, there will be multiple endings. This new "director's cut" should alleviate some of the biggest complaints about the original. Joystiq's Alexander Sliwinski had this to say about the ending of the original Eternal Sonata: "It was like the team gave up, knew they still had to pack in a 40 hour experience and just rushed through the rest. And unless you're a pretentious philosophy major, the ending makes no kinds of sense." While the PS3 version of Eternal Sonata is confirmed for release this year, the fate of a potential US release has been undetermined.
Rumor: PS3 Eternal Sonata for Japan only
Speaking with Videogaming247, the US branch of Namco Bandai said that the PS3 version of Eternal Sonata will most likely not be released outside Japan. "I can't speak for any other territories, but I believe Eternal Sonata is only announced for the PS3 in Japan right now," said the Namco rep. "We have no plans to release the game on the PS3 in the US at this moment." We haven't heard much about the RPG and Xbox 360 timed exclusive since the announcement of a PS3 port last year. We guess this explains why.
Rumor: Eternal Sonata on PS3 may not leave Japan
Videogaming 247 says it's been told by Namco Bandai US that Eternal Sonata on PS3 won't be leaving Japan. A spokesperson for the publisher tells the site that the game has only been announced for Japan and it has "no plans to release the game on the PS3 in the US at this moment." Of course, in the never-ending battle with PR semantics, "at this moment" could mean the game will eventually be announced for other territories. Eternal Sonata's official Japan-only PS3 status might explain some of the strange things that happened late last year when the game was announced for the PS3 on the ESRB site (pictured above) and on Namco's own US site, only to be removed sometime later.
Best of the Rest: Alexander's Picks of 2007
Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword (PC) Please, make the addiction stop! Civilization IV: Warlords, the first expansion for Civ IV, made my "Best of the Rest" last year and Beyond the Sword tops this year's list. The funny thing is I'm not a Civ fanboy, nor am I even that great of a player (Full Disclosure: I still play on Noble level), but Civ IV is a game I can come back to over and over again. Beyond the Sword added much-needed mechanics for culture-prone and passive-aggressive players, with enhancements in espionage and other concepts "beyond the sword." Oh, and just to keep last year's tradition going: Firaxis (2K, Take-Two), please get the rights to Alpha Centauri back from EA and give us a sequel!
Eternal Sonata: the PS3 trailer
Namco Bandai is bringing its JRPG, Eternal Sonata to the PS3 next year. Originally an Xbox 360 exclusive, the PS3 version adds a number of enhancements to the experience, with new characters and a fleshed out storyline. (Those that played the 360 original knows that the story needed to be slightly more developed.) Hopefully, by releasing on the PS3, Eternal Sonata will actually ... y'know, get played by an audience that actually appreciates this genre.
Eternal Sonata on PS3: More characters, more story
If you haven't slugged through the emo-heavy Eternal Sonata on Xbox 360 (and don't care about achievements) it might be best to wait for the expanded PS3 version. Siliconera reports that the PS3 version of Eternal Sonata features new playable characters Prince Crescendo and Serenade; developer Tri-Crecendo will also be adding extra story sequences. We hope that these extra pieces are available as downloads to the Xbox 360 version as well, if only to help out those playing the game in the future. Anyone who has finished Eternal Sonata can probably tell you that although the gameplay is fun, the second half of the game's story falls apart, making little sense and feeling completely tossed together. It's probably best not to think of this new version of Eternal Sonata as an expansion so much as a giant patch.
Metareview: Eternal Sonata (Xbox 360)
Namco Bandai's Eternal Sonata waltzed its way into retailers this week around North America to generally positive reviews. If you still haven't tried out the demo, there's something about it that seems to speak to those who don't typically enjoy the RPG genre. The battle system definitely is refreshing for those who like a little bit more action and button mashing in their gameplay. Oh, and the game sure is purrdy. GameSpot (85/100): "Once you get beyond the glittering production, how does it actually play? Thankfully, the gameplay is satisfying and moves at a slick tempo. There are no random encounters, so you can see every monster. Oftentimes, you can simply go around them, though you will be forced into some battles (and some terrific, challenging boss fights too). Combat isn't a typical series of turns with infinite time in between, though: Eternal Sonata's system is an inventive mix of turn-based and real-time warfare that gets trickier as the game progresses." IGN (83/100): "Eternal Sonata is a great RPG to give to your kid, but it's also put together well enough for older gamers to enjoy. If you haven't had much experience with RPGs, Eternal Sonata would be a great way to get your feet wet. Hardcore RPG fans might find the game a bit lacking, but we found enough to enjoy in the game to keep the limited role-playing elements far enough out of mind from start to finish for the game to keep from growing stale." 1UP (60/100): "Sounds like the latest trendy European art-house flick, but this is the typically clichéd domain of Japanese role-playing games. Frédéric Chopin is no plucky teen, and he's certainly no bald space marine, so all the elements are in place to tell a different kind of videogame story -- which is why it's all the more frustrating that Eternal Sonata squanders its imaginative setting." %Gallery-2144%
Eternal Sonata hits PS3 next year, receives bonus content
Now that we know Eternal Sonata is definitely being released on the PS3, we've learned even more good news regarding Bandai Namco's newest RPG - the PS3 version will receive bonus content not found on the Xbox 360's. According to IGN, the PS3's Eternal Sonata will feature new events to flesh out the game's storyline, Crescendo and Serenade will be playable characters and you'll even be able to change your character's outfits. Although Eternal Sonata was released today on the Xbox 360, PS3 owners have to wait until next year, but, hey, it could be well worth the wait. [Via Euro PS3 forum]
New games this week: Eternal Sonata edition
We're not sure, but we bet Shari Lewis, were she still with us, would get a real kick out of the name of this week's game of the week. ... OK, we know, that wasn't much, as far as jokes go. But honestly, the well has run dry on "will it be on PS3" stuff to write about Eternal Sonata and "Song That Doesn't End" gags are about as much as we were able to muster. It also serves as a nice intro to this week's releases, which we're calling "Mediocrity Unbound!" Please, enjoy. %Gallery-2144%
ESRB shows Eternal Sonata on PS3 ... again
Go make yourself some popcorn and watch the madness as Namco Bandai just can't put the information regarding the PS3 version of Eternal Sonata back in the bottle. We've found it strange that Eternal Sonata was completely missing from the ESRB site for a while now, despite the Xbox 360 version being rated T back in April and scheduled to release next week, but the listing magically reappeared today with the PS3 still listed as a platform. Just to be clear, the ESRB lists their information directly from the publisher. Namco Bandai continues to list Eternal Sonata as strictly for the Xbox 360, but Famitsu reported otherwise and says the PS3 version of Eternal Sonata will be out in Japan next spring. A few days ago even Namco Bandai's own site listed Eternal Sonata for the PS3 before they decided to pull the information hours later. We really have no idea why Namco Bandai is sitting on this info, but the fact that they won't acknowledge it at this point is laughable. Namco Bandai can't seem to craft a proper message on Beautiful Katamari either.
Eternal Sonata is on PS3 reports Famitsu
Remember how yesterday we reported that Eternal Sonata is coming to PS3 because it was listed on the official Namco Bandai site? Well, if you didn't follow the story after that, Namco Bandai pulled the information later. Now, in a classic Willy Wonka "Scratch that, reverse it" moment, Famitsu reports that the Eternal Sonata is coming to PS3 in Japan during the spring of '08. We're also expecting the PS3 version of Beautiful Katamari -- also part of yesterday's disappearing act -- to show up announced somewhere in the relative future too. What we still find funny is that Eternal Sonata is still not listed on the ESRB website, despite it coming out next week in the States. The ESRB was who originally tipped off everyone that Eternal Sonata would make its way to PS3. [Via PS3 Fanboy]
Namco Bandai site shows Eternal Sonata and Beautiful Katamari coming to PS3 [Update]
[Update: The PS3 listings have been removed from both games' official pages.] Namco Bandai's official US website now shows Eternal Sonata and Beautiful Katamari coming to the PS3. Although Namco Bandai still won't come out in a press release and say it -- something they're accustomed to -- unless some web intern went on a bender, we'll take this as one-eyebrow-lift confirmation of both games for PS3. For Beautiful Katamari there has been an epic saga of what console it'll end up rolling to. First it was all the systems, then it was for a few. It was even reported that it was going to XBLA for a little bit. Currently the Xbox 360 version has a release date of Oct. 16, with the PS3 and Wii are resting up with a case of the TBD. As for Eternal Sonata on PS3, this backs up the information from April showing that the ESRB had rated Eternal Sonata for both the Xbox 360 and PS3. Oddly enough, now Eternal Sonata isn't listed by the ESRB at all, even though it had Teen rating before. No word on release or official announcement for PS3, but the Xbox 360 version of Eternal Sonata is expected next week. Read – Eternal Sonata official page Read – Beautiful Katamari official page [Via PS3 Fanboy, Thanks Julius] %Gallery-2144%
New Eternal Sonata trailer showcases combat
A new trailer for Eternal Sonata has popped up on Xbox Live Marketplace. The new trailer focuses on the game's unique combat system and also gives us a glimpse of the various playable characters and enemies in the game. One of the more interesting aspects of the combat system is the interaction between light and dark. You can see this in the video when enemies move between light and dark areas of the combat field. Oftentimes this results in otherwise harmless looking enemies transforming into giant monstrosities. Overall, the combat system looks very engaging, and we're eager to take the full game for a spin. Eternal Sonata hits retail shelves on September 17th. Don't forget there is also a demo available on XBLM right now.
New Eternal Sonata details, still 360 exclusive
During an Eternal Sonata conference call last night, we managed to clarify some details on the game and even uncover some new details. First of all, we 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. RPG fans hoping for some downloadable goodness on par with Blue Dragon will likely be disappointed to hear that very little is planned at this point. In fact, the only DLC planned right now is actually an unlock key to listen to music from the game. What's more, this content is unlockable in the game itself, so the DLC is basically moot. On a more positive note the game will contain both English and Japanese voice tracks, so purists won't have to cover their ears.
Vampire Rain, Eternal Sonata demos on XBLM
If you couldn't bring yourself to purchase a copy of Official Xbox Magazine (or if you don't have wonderful Japanese friends), you can now finally download the Eternal Sonata demo from Xbox Live Marketplace. The demo gives players a chance to stretch their legs a bit and get used to the game's interesting, pseudo real time combat system. If you've made it this long without trying it out, you should really give it a go. Oh, there is also a Vampire Rain demo that is available everywhere except Germany, Korea, Taiwan, or the United States. We were beginning to get mighty angry about that, but then we remembered it was Vampire Rain. [Via Joystiq]
Eternal Sonata demo goes Live in U.S.
If you weren't quite l33t enough to hook it up back in May, the Eternal Sonata demo has burst forth from its shackles in Japan and has made its way to Xbox Live in Canada and the U.S. If you didn't already play through it with the help of a Japanese friend (wink) expect a really gorgeous RPG with a healthy dose of Chopin and choppin'. Strangely, the demo's information is in Japanese in the Marketplace. Hopefully this will be cleared up soon. Perhaps this is a good time to mention that we're still completely puzzled by the demo release schedule on Live. As if to illustrate our point, there's also a new Vampire Rain demo today that's "not available in Germany, Korea, Taiwan or the United States." Either someone is using a giant, whimsically-colored dartboard to make these decisions, or way too many resources are being devoted to this stuff. Since it's not rocket science to create a Live account that's supposedly from another region, the only real choice being made is which country is going to be inconvenienced. Why waste everyone's time?
Eterna Sonata trailer now on Marketplace
The Eternal Sonata trailer that was showed you from IGN is now available on Xbox Live Marketplace in HD. It weighs in at 71 MB, and gives you a better scope on the the game's world, art style and gameplay. As we said before, the game follows the final hours of composer Frederic Chopin, while in a feverish dream state. All of that to say that we still can't wait for this to hit come September, though we hope it doesn't get crushed under the weight of Halo 3's release on the 25th. Either way, if you didn't watch the embedded trailer, or thought the quality didn't give you a proper impression, check it out on XBLM.
Eternal Sonata trailer plucks heartstrings
IGN has posted a new trailer of Eternal Sonata in preparation for E3 next month. We've made it no secret that we adore the eccentric premise of the game, and this trailer only serves to cement that belief. For those of you still unfamiliar with it, the game chronicles the final hours of composer Frederic Chopin. The catch, you see, is that Chopin is asleep and the game occurs inside the fever dream world of his final hours. As you might expect, Chopin's dream world has a lot of musical ties. More than that though, the game is simply gorgeous, something like Howl's Moving Castle in video game form. The game is scheduled to hit U.S. shores in September. We can't wait.
Atari to bring Trusty Bell, AC6 to Europe
Our friends at Xboxygen report that Atari has signed a deal with Namco Bandai to publish both Trusty Bell -- known as Eternal Sonata in the U.S. -- and Ace Combat 6 in Europe. X3F readers will remember that Trusty Bell made a splash in the Japanese market last week, landing in the number 2 sales spot. The game tells the tale of a fantasy world -- actually the fever dream of a dying Frederic Chopin -- in dire straights, and it features many musical motifs. Ace Combat 6 is the latest entry in the long running Namco flight combat series, and is the first to appear on a non-Sony console. It's currently unknown if Atari plans to release the Ace Combat 6 flight stick controller bundle in Europe. Both games are expected to launch in Europe this fall.
Eternal Sonata Japan's 2nd best seller
Stop the presses, hold the phone, and list some clichés, because an Xbox 360 game has reached the number 2 spot on the Japanese sales charts. Yes, Eternal Sonata, known as Trusty Bell in Japan, clawed its way to the number 2 spot with 49,334 copies sold, beaten only by Practice by Observing: DS Observation Training for the DS. It is unclear how many copies sold were part of the Trusty Bell bundle we reported back in April. If you haven't been keeping track, the Xbox 360 hasn't really fared too well in Japan, so a number 2 game is a momentous occasion indeed. This becomes particularly apparent in light of the fact that Blue Dragon, developed by the creator of Final Fantasy himself, only managed to hit number 4 (though it actually sold more copies). We'll be keeping our eye out for the hardware charts to see if the Xbox 360 got a much needed boost last week as well. %Gallery-3661%
