PS3 owners and RPG fans were quite happy to hear about Namco Bandai and Tri-Crescendo's Eternal Sonata being ported over for Sony's PS3 console, but here's something that would turn the good news into quite the sour one. According to a spokesperson from Namco Bandai, there are currently no plans to publish the PS3 version of Eternal Sonata outside the US. More in the full article.

If you've been slogging the interwoven nethers that is the Internet for anything Fragile-related since Namco Bandai presented the title in both official website and teaser video, it might just be that you've already got some Fragile: Farewell Ruins of the Moon details. But a recent preview of the dramatic RPG from Japanese magazine Dengeki just spilled more details of the game, and you'd best move on to the full story to see which details have been found consistent.

Mysterious and spooky - two words that can probably describe the enigmatic Nintendo Wii title from Namco Bandai and Tri-Crescendo, Fragile, and we get a sneak peek at what's to come via this trailer video update straight from the official website. And while it doesn't offer much in terms of just what exactly it is about, or what the gameplay will be like, suffice to say that you will have your curiosities piqued.

Check out the video in the full article.

Good news, PlayStation 3 RPG fans: Namco Bandai finally announced that the PS3 version of Eternal Sonata will have two more playable characters, Serenade and Prince Crescendo, as well as new story sequences to make them fit into the game's storyline. It's a great way of rewarding gamers who waited patiently for their favorite title. We do hope that this announcement will bode well towards other Namco Bandai titles that are currently listed as Xbox 360 exclusives, such as Beautiful Katamari.

If ever those other titles get released for other consoles, will they have extra content as well? We're still waiting for the announcement of the PlayStation 3 and Wii versions of the Prince's game, Namco Bandai.

 

Adding to the hopes of Japanese RPG fans with a PlayStation 3 is a scan from Famitsu loaded with Eternal Sonata (Trusty Bell in Japan) goodness. Right, let's not run circles and just jump to the beef of the matter - from the looks of it, Tri-Crescendo's Xbox 360 exclusive is coming to Sony's console with a few extras.

From what we gathered, Crescendo and Serenade will be playable characters in the PS3 version. Another additional feature is the ability to change the characters' clothes, which is most welcome considering how desirably fancy and unique their get-ups are inside Frederic Chopin's head.

Aside from that, Trusty Bell seems to be scheduled for a Spring 2008 release in Japan. We could use some help in figuring out the rest, because the Famitsu spread is packed with text we can't decipher.

Thanks to kayos for the tip!

Even the most rabid Japanese RPG fans who'll jump at anything with anime-esque characters and teenagers who save the world would have to agree that Eternal Sonata on the Xbox 360 is not like other video games we've seen before. Swords and magic against monsters inside Frederic Chopin's head? Only the folks from Tri-Crescendo can come up with that.

On the latest blog post from Eternal Sonata's devs, producer Shinji Noguchi discussed how important it was to create the game's scenario and how much effort they invested in making the game unique. Being the company's first Xbox 360 title, "Eternal Sonata represented a shift to new hardware and a new style of graphics," according to Noguchi.

It does seem like it was a tough task to create the legendary composer's subconscious, but the initial scenario easily went through. eternal Sonata devs were able to focus more on other aspects after the ingenious setting was improved early in development, said Noguchi.

One problem they encountered, as Noguchi cited on the blog post, was how programmers had trouble making female protagonist Polka's hair flow realistically. Plenty of other issues sprouted up, but the producer was proud how they handled all hurdles with creative solutions.

The creativity and experience that Tri-Crescendo acquired after previous projects resulted in "a fun and innovative battle solution," added Noguchi. He's hoping that people enjoy the game, since there were lots of challenges and barriers to overcome before Eternal Sonata came into fruition.

All eyes of RPG fans with Xbox 360s are on Tri-Crescendo's Eternal Sonata, but director Hiroya Hatsushiba calls out: open both your eyes and ears. The game is not just a representation of Frederic Chopin's subconscious, but also a vessel to familiarize gamers with the legendary composer's music.

As if it can't be stressed out enough, Hatsushiba posts on the IGN blog that, "Our goal in incorporating Chopin’s music into Eternal Sonata was to bring this beautiful music to a new audience." Hatsushiba goes on, saying he acknowledges how gorgeous the game looks as a gamer but everyone should experience Eternal Sonata with their ears as well.

The songs aren't randomly thrown in for production value's sake. "Chopin’s songs acts as a central theme for each chapter," he continues. That isn't to say the game's soundtrack is something you'll find in the records of old, because additional compositions were added to widen the variety of music. According to Hatsushiba, the devs toyed around with contemporary instruments like guitars and drums, but ultimately settled to classical-style for the perfect atmosphere.

Just a couple more days to go before Tri-Crescendo's Eternal Sonata will finally arrive on North American shelves. If you're still unconvinced that Chopin's deathbed makes for a perfect RPG setting, then here's a gameplay video showing how much action can happen inside the magnificent composer's mind.

Thanks to the power of Microsoft's Xbox 360, the combat is fluid even while spectacular effects explode on screen. Some would say Japanese RPGs can only go so far when it comes to over-the-top attacks and spells, but to see is to believe. It's difficult not to be excited after seeing Eternal Sonata's flare and insane combos.

While waiting for the game's September 17 release, check it out by watching the video below:

Fans of the JRPG genre will be pleased with this latest update of Tri-Crescendo's Eternal Sonata for the Xbox 360. We've got a handful of gameplay videos this time, and we finally get to see Chopin fight!

These videos are part of the newly-started series of blog updates of Eternal Sonata over at IGN, and for this week the three main characters are in the spotlight: the famed composer Frederic Francois Chopin, the beautiful but feared Polka, and the brash Allegretto.

It's great to finally see Chopin whack monsters with his baton, and manage to pull it off gracefully. Well, we won't spoil the videos for you so you better just check out the anime-styled (and great-sounding) goodness that is Eternal Sonata in the following videos.

On a sidenote, fans who can't wait for their Eternal Sonata fix can now download the Allegretto Picture Pack from Xbox Live to help ease (or worsen) the wait until the September 17 release date. The Allegretto Picture pack includes cool avatars of Allegretto, Beat, March, Salsa and Viola. In case you haven't downloaded the previous Polka Picture Pack yet, it's still available for the taking in Xbox Live. If you get them both you'll be able to receive new avatars for all the ten characters of Eternal Sonata.

More videos in the full article!

 

The depths of Chopin's consciousness while in his deathbed is probably not made of rainbows and candies. Tri-Crescendo's interesting take on what's inside a musical genius' mind through Eternal Sonata is definitely awe-inspiring. If anyone haven't seen this wonderful RPG for Microsoft's Xbox 360, here are two videos and 27 screenshots for your viewing pleasure.

Saying the the game has spectacular art can be an understatement to some, since behind colorful anime-esque characters and eye candy backdrops are extremely strong music from Chopin himself. A Japanese RPG revolving around a western composer in his deathbed may sound weird, but the results are nothing less than satisfying. The videos you can find below showcase a good amount of gameplay footage with tidbits of exploration, combat, and cutscenes.

If those aren't enough to stress out all the good things that can be said about Eternal Sonata, feast your eyes on the screenshots to find out if the game's charm doesn't work. Chances are, if you're a JRPG fan, Tri-Crescendo's magic will do wonders.

Find all the goodies at the Full Article!