Eternal Sonata/Trusty Bell

[AndrewTS 0]

I've played the Trusty Bell/Eternal Sonata demo. I quite like it, but have a few complaints.

 

First off, I like that detail and care put into the overworld, and I hope the full game has some way more stunning environments. However, they don't really look too "next gen" to me, and more "slightly better than PS2." The visual style is definitely pleasant, with some really fine cel-shaded characters. However, it doesn't appear to have any voice acting--all of the cutscenes so far have been brief and very visual.

 

As for the gameplay, there's good and bad.

 

First off--enemies are visible in the overworld, so there's no random battles. Loading between the field and battle screen seems almost nonexistent (granted, that doesn't mean the same when it's off a disc, but we'll see). When you enter battles, you get a time-frozen look at the battlefield, and your main character gets to select his turn.

 

Yes, it's turn based, but not really menu-driven. Each time a character gets a turn, the screen is frozen...you can look around the battlefield to plan your next move. You get a "time gauge" that starts depleting as soon as you do anything. The battlefield requires you to maneuver close to the enemies for close range attacks, or you can pick a more distant position for far range attacks (like spells). Before it empties, you'll probably want to position your character where the baddies can't easily retaliate, or gang up on a baddie if you want to finish it quickly. You aren't limited to one attack by turn, just time. A problem, though--all of the views are either too close or too far out; if they're too close, you can't see all the enemies, so if you plan to attack one then the other, or just move out of harm's way after hitting, you might need to switch to another view. It's kind of distracting to do so, especially since it's not a freely-controllable camera and you have so little time for your turn.

 

The controls are laid out like this during battle: Left stick for movement, LB and RB for cycling through items. X to use a selected item, Y for a magic attack, B for guard (only used when you're on defense), A for your standard attack. The field has light and dark patches. Depending on the terrain you're on, you will do a different magic attack (specific to your character it seems). I assume you earn more/upgrade them and swap them as you wish. LB+RB will escape from battles.

 

You have a lot of offensive options because of the terrain changing your attack, and space/placement (for example, your main character has a sword skill he uses that is identical to Crono's Slash in Chrono Trigger--a straight-line attack. So if two or more enemies are lined up, you can position yourself so that you can strike multiple targets at the same time.

 

Defensively, you want to try to position yourself so that you can kill enemies quickly and avoid retaliation and team-ups. Attacking from behind takes longer but prevents enemies from guarding themselves. However, if you hit and run, you'll want to turn to face enemies before your turn is up. If you're attacked, you can use B to guard at the right moment when an enemy strikes.

 

The biggest complaint I have with this setup is use of recovery items/spells. First off, it appears you may not be able to select another target for a recovery item. So you have to use a heal item on yourself if your life is low, but if you're too late a character may be KOed. There's a party member with a heal spell, but again you can't select a target. The game decides who "needs it the most", and heals them appropriately. This was a big problem with the boss fight I encountered, as my lead character in the front lines needed the healing far more than a backup character who took heavy damage, but wasn't in any immediate danger.

 

Of course, this may change/have changed for the US/final JPN release.

[World's Worst Man 0]

Sounds very interesting, although that last bit is completely bizarre and silly. I'm too lazy to set up a JPN account, so I'm just going to wait for the demo to be released here. These RPGs really need to do respectably, so more publishers will be willing to put more RPGs on the XBox 360, as opposed to having 95% of all RPGs end up exclusive to Sony's system. Enchanted Arms and this make for a good start, Blue Dragon is coming sometime this year (even though I don't think it looks particularly good), and Lost Odyssey seems like it could be amazing. If the big boys get on board after this, it's looking like a viable RPG system.

[AndrewTS 0]

I think an easy fix could be done for the target--holding down the item or spell button, and while you have the button held you can select a target. Kingdom Hearts lets you select a target, after all, why not a next-gen RPG?

 

Now, there could be something I'm not doing that lets me select it. I kind of skipped the tutorial area. I'll check it again later.

 

Even though the demo was d/led from the Jpn marketplace (and we currently can't get it), the demo was all in English, and when the demo ended, I was shown a picture of a final-ish looking Eternal Sonata box and the November release date. No mention of "Trusty Bell" or anything concerning the Japanese release.

 

So it seems there's one demo that may vary depending on the 360's region-coding. It doesn't seem MS even cares if you get the demo (they shouldn't), as I was able to see, access, and play the demo from my own account once I d/led it (where it was called, yes, Eternal Sonata). I knew they were cracking down on the tv show/movie content, but I guess the demos and even DLC are fair game.

 

Oh, and if you're interested at what MS is plugging in the ads on JPN marketplace (besides Trusty Bell)--it's effin' Idolmaster. Oh, and Test Drive Unlimited.

[World's Worst Man 0]

Damn, I didn't realize the demo was being released so long before the full game is due. Heh, 6 months until release? Yea I think they can fix something like that before then. No voice acting is odd, although if they weren't going to include the original voices, I don't care. After playing Enchanted Arms, I've decided I really, really like voice acting if the originals are included. If not? Probably not interested, although Square's effort with FFXII gives me much optimism for the future of their dubbed RPGs.

[AndrewTS 0]

The Japanese release is June 14th. NA release is November. Like I mentioned, I accessed the JPN marketplace, but the demo is region-coded it appears. Still, that's plenty of time for us. So if it is like this in Japan, they can fix it up for us and release it in Japan as International Edition, or something.

 

I haven't found anything about targeting, but I've confirmed you will be able to mix and match the special/magic attacks, selecting whatever combo of light/dark skills you want.

 

Also, there's multiplayer! You can link up extra controllers, and other players can take control of different party members during combat. It's still turn-based, not a free-for-all (as you might expect), and works much like the multiplayer in FFVI. It's kind of pointless really, but hey, it's there.

 

You get the typical grunts, groans, and shouts during combat, but I didn't find any real convos. The demo seems really threadbare on anything but showing you the combat. No back story setup or anything.

 

Oh, and a quick Googling shows that there is voice acting in the full game.

 

http://kotaku.com/gaming/you-can-ring-my-b...bell-255775.php

 

After playing Enchanted Arms, I've decided I really, really like voice acting if the originals are included.

 

I'm a diehard dubbie as long as the dubbing isn't excessively bad. Is it just that EA has such good original VAing/solid subtitles? Or is it all because of the English acting for Makoto?

[AndrewTS 0]

BTW, edited the original post concerning the controls. The D-pad, it does nothing! So maybe it can be used for a targeting function of some sort later.

 

I guess a "nevermind" on EA voice acting, as I've checked out the original.

 

(For others' reference:

Japanese Makoto: http://gaygamer.net/2007/01/enchanted_arms...akoto_in_j.html

Dubbed Makoto: http://www.gametrailers.com/gamepage.php?id=2655 then select Makoto Gameplay vid)

 

Aside from the mannerisms, Makoto could be mistaken any random Final Fantasy/RPG lead; at least when I don't know what the hell he's saying.

[World's Worst Man 0]

Some of the dialogue was actually a bit different than what was being said at various parts. Nothing too extreme, just things that could be taken in a different context than what the original script had in mind. I thought the original voice acting was generally great. Makoto was way over the top when he was in his "gay form", but his serious form was excellent. Everyone else fit their roles perfectly. The Queen of Ice and Yuki in particular were excellent, with the former being beautifully evil and latter being a perfect "cute-tough girl-tomboy" type. Atsuma kind of got corny in the more dramatic moments, but it was passable. It wasn't really a masterful performance, I think it was just a nice change of pace to have the original voices in a more dramatic/cinematic RPG. The NIS RPGs always include them, but those are hardly cinematically inclined. I can't even think of any other RPGs that included the original voice acting, although I'm sure there is at least one or two.

 

Also - I can't stand the butchering of Japanese names by the English VAs. Pretty much every English anime/game VA ever puts too much emphasis on the middle syllables in names. It's not hard to just say "a-tsu-ma" instead of "at-SUU-ma".

[AndrewTS 0]

I think it will depend on the RPG and the company developing. For instance, Blue Dragon is 4 discs, mainly because of all of the HD cinemas in it. So I wouldn't count them having the space to spare all the original voices. Lost Odyssey likely will be the same.

 

On PS3 it might be different. With Blu-Ray and no region lockout, most companies will probably say "what the hell, why not?"

 

As I mentioned, it doesn't appear this game is really stretching the tech and cut scenes may be mainly real-time, so it could happen.

[World's Worst Man 0]

Yea. The NIS games are tiny, so it's easy for them to include the extra audio track. The big budget 12 disc games, not so much.

[AndrewTS 0]

Holy crap, we're up to 12 discs now?!

 

But meh, prerendered HD video is the massive space gobbler. Without it there'd be big space issues. With hi-def video kept to a minimum, and prerendered cutscenes being used, space shouldn't be a concern. I virtually guarantee Last Remnant will use real-time cutscenes extensively (to streamline the multi-console process and to keep from having too many discs). Or maybe companies can use *gasp* lower def prerendered video.

 

That being said, I'm sure Tetsuya Takahashi got some bad blue balls when Nintendo bought out Monolith Soft. All that Blu-Ray space he can't use...

[World's Worst Man 0]

And given how close in-game cutscenes can look to pre-rendered video now (hi, Gears of War), who really cares about pre-rendered cutscenes anymore? I suppose I still like them for the opening and ending, but during the game, there's really no need to use them.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

You're not a Stonecutter yet, TS.

 

Also, I agree 100% with WWM's assessment on videos in the last post.

[AndrewTS 0]

And given how close in-game cutscenes can look to pre-rendered video now (hi, Gears of War), who really cares about pre-rendered cutscenes anymore? I suppose I still like them for the opening and ending, but during the game, there's really no need to use them.

 

I think that could be one of the reasons they went with the Unreal Engine 3. It looks great in real-time cutscenes. Even it if is often really effin' brown/grey.

 

You're not a Stonecutter yet, TS.

 

Que?

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

Inside joke.