Eternal Sonata

One of the most beautiful games to release for the X360 this fall, maybe ever, is Eternal Sonata. Yes, it is a Japanese-style role-playing game, but we're not going to hold that against it. The game has a unique battle system, incredible graphics and music, and a story that can best be described as above the typical kids-save-the-universe pap that is typical for the J-RPG genre.

Here's the blurb from EBgames.com:

On October 17, 1849, Frederic Chopin, one of the most influential composers for the piano, succumbed to sickness and died at the young age of 39. Three hours prior to that, in the world according to this RPG, Chopin saw a dream of a fairy-tale land populated by people with incurable diseases but also magical powers. Eternal Sonata takes place in this dream world. Chopin comes into contact with Polka, a young girl who resides with her mother in the village of Tenuto. Polka is near her death, and Chopin, Polka, and her young friend Allegretto as they look for some way to make use of Polka's great powers to help save her. It's a whimsical fantasy, but this RPG designed by developer tri-Crescendo also a complex and combo-based battle system of swords and magic weaponry. In keeping with inspiration, music and story play a big part in Eternal Sonata. Performing the piano numbers that Chopin left to the world is Russian pianist Stanislav Bunin, with musical composition by noted game composer Motoi Sakuraba. challenge other gamers on Xbox Live®.

I write about this today because, althought I detest the idea of preordering games at retail stores, I do occasionally gander at the coming soon lists on EB's website for good deals. Pre-ordering Eternal Sonata has one such deal. Order the game through their website and you'll get a free limited edition faceplate featuring character art from the game. Personally, I like the very stealthy look to my X360 with the fauxe carbon fibre faceplate I have on it. Guests routinely ask where the console is when it's actually right in front of them. But I am going to order the game and get the faceplate to put on display in my office.

Get the faceplate by pre-ordering the game at EBgames here.