Comments on: Eternal Sonata

By: Jonathan Harris

Jonathan Harris — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:01:34 +0000

Don't get me wrong, I like kids games. One of the best games ever was Lego Star Wars, as much like Toy Story, it is interesting for all ages. My point is more that, some games are simply geared to children, with difficulty set to the level of a child's, yet adults play them as say they are easy/boring.

Grey colour games are boring, Gears of War 2 bored me to tears!

By: Jack Clarkson

Jack Clarkson — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:34:35 +0000

It's an easy trap to fall into. But just because the screenshots have bright colours doesn't make it a 'childs' game necessarily. I still to this day believe that 'Wind Waker' is the best of all the Zelda games with the deepest plot, the best gameplay and shitloads of style.

Killer7 had some hella' bright colours... I'd only let my kids play that if I wanted to break their spirits!

If you feel that a game won't be as good because it looks 'kiddie', then you might as well say that games that look 'brown' are good.

...

On the other hand... Eternal Sonata... yeah it probably is a childs game, but he'd have to be a pretty smart child to get through some of the fights. And you'd be amazed how discerning kids can be some times.

By: Jonathan Harris

Jonathan Harris — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 14:21:15 +0000

The thing is, to me, this game looks like a child’s game. I think that after stuff like Toy Story, we just expect children’s media to be of the same quality of adult media. I think this game can be forgiven if not as much money was spent on fine tuning it. As long as you got some fun out of it, that is all that matters.

By: Jack Clarkson

Jack Clarkson — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 15:10:51 +0000

The annoying thing about this game is that a lot of love probably did go into it, just in the wrong places. The story just runs with every cliche known to man and the cutscenes are terrible...

But the more I play the more I tolerate it. They're so bad it's funny. Play it with a couple of mates and beers and you'll have a laugh riot, and the fighting system is truly innovative. Every step back it takes, it takes another one forward.

For instance, my party gained a character that I assumed would annoy the shit out of me... She turned out to be a fucking demon on the battlefield, and she warmed to me through her sheer brutality. It's funny how gameplay experience can colour your perceptions of everything else in the actual story.

It tells a very important lesson on games design, players will grow to love a character because of their effect on gameplay first, and their dialogue and character second (as long as it's not completely hideous). If you want me to love a character, make them useful in the game, and I soon will.

By: Jonathan Harris

Jonathan Harris — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 13:07:42 +0000

I think the problem with video games at the moment is that they are just so many of the things! With more and more title coming out, the care and love that used to be put into games like this is lost. Unless quality remains high on video game, which made them popular the first place then people will stop buying them!

Great review Jack, made me laugh in a couple of places. Keep up the good work!