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First it was World War II, then zombies, and now 19th century Polish composer Frederic Chopin, with an upcoming rhythm game by Polish studio Bloober Team dedicated to the star of Namco Bandai's Eternal Sonata. More »
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I just now got around to reading the manga adaptation of Trusty Bell: Chopin no Yume (a.k.a. Eternal Sonata) by Kuroi Mimei and I've got to say — I'm a little weirded out. More »
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Mothers have it tough in video games – they get killed off, turned evil, or their children leave the nest to save the world. And their kids probably don't call home often enough. More »
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One of the coolest things about the Official PlayStation Blog is when they let the people who worked on the games post their thoughts on the process. Take today's posting by Stephanie Fernandez, the localization producer on Namco Bandai's Eternal Sonata for the PlayStation 3, which upon release this week will be the best damn RPG on the system (yeah, yeah). In the post she goes over some of the bigger changes in the PS3 version from a localization perspective, exploring the new story elements and the challenges presented with recording battle voices for the two new playable characters, Crescendo and Serenade, before they actually had any footage of them fighting. More »
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While it might be old news to some of you, last we'd heard the long-awaited and greatly enhanced PlayStation 3 version of Eternal Sonata was scheduled for a release sometime in the fall. Well while we weren't looking, sometime in the fall became sometime in October, which then got narrowed down even further to October 21st. While it's only been a year or so since I played the original, the improvements made between that version and this one - new characters, extra cutscenes, new outfits, etc. - might just be enough for me to pick it up again. Besides, it will be novel to play a relatively high quality Japanese RPG on the PS3 for once. More »
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In June, Namco Bandai said of the PS3 version of JRPG Eternal Sonata - currently due for release in Japan - "We have no plans to release the game on the PS3 in the US at this moment". No plans in June, maybe, but this is July, buddy, and Namco Bandai have plans. They've announced that the game will indeed be getting a US release, in the Fall, and just like the Japanese version, will feature extra characters, extra cutscenes and (*squeal*) extra outfits. Presser's only a click away. More »
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Eternal Sonata's due on the PS3 (at least in Japan) in September 2008. It was released on the 360 (at least in Japan) in June 2007. Time enough for tri-Crescendo to make the wait a little more worthwhile for PS3 owners, yes? Yes. Plenty of time. The PS3 version will feature two new playable characters, new dungeons, new quests, multiple endings (which depend on your in-game actions), new costumes, some new musical numbers and even new 2D character illustrations. That's a lot of stuff! Maybe even enough to convince some die-hard fans to buy the thing twice. All those upgrades should feature in the Western versions as well, which will be out...sometime in the future. More »
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Timed Xbox 360 exclusive Eternal Sonata is getting a PS3 release with extra content in Japan. But what elsewhere? According to a Namco Bandai US spokesperson: More »
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PlayStation 3 owners, Bandai Namco is rewarding your patience. When the PS3 version of Eternal Sonata hits sometime next year, the game will feature new playable characters. That's right, previously non-playable Serenade and Prince Crescendo will be playable, and the PS3 version will have extra story sequences. Actually, this is pretty smart of Bandai Namco! If a game is going to be multi-platform, why not tailor each version a little? More »
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In a rare moment of synergy between the two competitors, EA and Activision have managed to bring the delicious combination of fast cars and rock and roll together on Xbox Live today, as demos for both Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock and Need for Speed ProStreet are both now available for your tiny dose of gaming pleasure. The GHII demo is a modest 545 MB while the racer clocks in at 655 MB. I'm currently downloading both, so if I any of my posts show up later on with missing images or spelling errors, you can blame one or both of them. Also live today is the European demo for Eternal Sonata, easily the prettiest RPG on the Xbox 360, and the best video game Chopin learning tool in the history of the gaming. More »
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I will go ahead and say it right now: Eternal Sonata is the best video game about Chopin ever created. A lofty claim I know, but one I feel confident in standing behind. As a roleplaying game, however, Namco Bandai and Tri-Crescendo's foray into the next-generation RPG could use less focus on next-generation visuals and exposition and a bit more emphasis on compelling, original gameplay. More »
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With the ESRB and Namco Bandai Games all but confirming a PLAYSTATION 3 release for Eternal Sonata—also known as Trusty Bell in other parts of the world—it comes as little surprise today that Famitsu has confirmed the RPG for a PS3 release. Yes, holy crap, I know. Didn't see this one coming did you? The latest issue of the news breaking mag has screens of the PS3 version of the game, scheduled for a 2008 release. More »
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Some of our more eagle-eyed web surfing readers spotted on the official Namco Bandai Games web site "TBD" release dates for PLAYSTATION 3 versions of both Eternal Sonata and Beautiful Katamari. The latter also included hints about the rumored Wii SKU. Both titles are currently only confirmed for the Xbox 360. Not long after the stories on each title were posted, Namco Bandai hive workers pulled the listings for the non-Microsoft consoles, leaving only the Xbox 360 release dates up. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=298823&view=rss&microfeed=true Best part of Japan's Eternal Sonata Xbox 360 bundle? It has an Eternal Sonata alarm clock. But! The alarm clock has no batteries. So spend a couple hundred bucks, but don't get free batteries for your free alarm clock. That's kinda odd, wouldn't you say? More »
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Namco Bandai is really going above and beyond to promote the upcoming 360 RPG Eternal Sonata, launching what is probably the most extensive community site for a single player RPG I have ever seen. At Endless Nocturne, fans of Eternal Sonata can create a profile and then participate in quizzes, submit (clean) fan art, chat on the forums or enter any number of quizzes, earning community rank and special points called Notes along the way. The notes can then be exchanged for prizes in the site's shop, ranging anywhere from signed posters to Japanese OST CDs to a Zune or iPod Shuffle. On top of all of that, the site is being kept updated with all the latest news on the game, so it really is your one-stop Eternal Sonata community resource site. Check it out at EndlessNocturne.com, or hit the jump for more information. More »
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Tri-Crescendo, the Japanese developer behind Eternal Sonata, wanted to make the game an Xbox 360 title from the get-go. While the studio had previously worked on GameCube title Baten Kaitos, the Wii was not the platform of choice. According to game site Siliconera, the controller and the graphics made bringing Eternal Sonata to the Xbox 360 a no-brainer. What about a PS3 version? Publisher Bandai Namco told Siliconera that it was "not aware" of a PS3 version at the moment. How could it not be aware of that? It's friggin' Bandai Namco! The Japanese box for Eternal Sonata (AKA Trusty Bell) doesn't have an "ONLY ON XBOX 360" stamp on it. Thus, the game should be treated as such. More »
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Why Chopin? Why? I mean, really. Why? GameSpot gets to the bottom of that and other burning issues in a short interview with the game's director, Hiroya Hatsushiba. The game is set in composer Frederic Chopin's subconscious as he lays on his death bed. Let's go back to my initial questions. Hatsushiba answers: More »
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Namco Bandai know they've got one gorgeous game in Eternal Sonata, and they like to take every opportunity to flaunt that fact. They've just released 46 screenshots covering the fourth and fifth chapters of the game, and while every new image fills me with a happy orange glow, I have to worry that by the time the game gets released this September we'll be able to use the screenshot archive to play through the entire story flipbook-style. More »
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]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=273693&view=rss&microfeed=true Eternal Sonata (or Trusty Bell as it is still called in the corner of this clip) continues to wow us with it's stunning graphics and this short bit of the prologue doesn't disappoint. The first half is really nothing more than two characters speaking to each other and sure I can't understand a word of Japanese, but boy howdy is it gorgeous. More »
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Has Microsoft secured yet another Xbox 360 exclusive title in Beautiful Katamari from Namco Bandai? Yes, writes Newsweek's N'Gai Croal in his latest entry for his Level Up blog. Following a string of exclusive—some merely "timed exclusives"—such as Ridge Racer 6, Eternal Sonata, and Ace Combat 6, it doesn't seem that unlikely that Beautiful Katamari would go strictly Xbox, as Croal points out. More »
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Chopin-starring RPG Eternal Sonata (AKA Trusty Bell) is released today in Japan, and already there is sequel talk. At a launch party held in Roppongi, a Bandai Namco VP Shin Unozawa floated the word "sequel," saying the company would like to assist in creating one. Nothing official was announced, of course. (Well, a VP saying that is kinda official!) More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=268639&view=rss&microfeed=true Another beautiful trailer for Eternal Sonata (formerly Trusty Bell) from Japan. These trailers continue to impress with their pretty graphic style and classical music score. If you didn't go through all the ridiculous steps to play the English language version of the Japanese demo, you'll have to be satisfied with these Japanese language trailers. If you're really nice to Ash, maybe he'll translate them for you. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=263816&view=rss&microfeed=true Eternal Sonata, the beautiful Tri-Crescendo RPG that transports dying composer Chopin into a magical world, now has a demo available via Xbox Live in Japan. The nifty thing is that if you have a Japanese live account you can download the demo and play it under your US account in full English. Witness what it is like to play Eternal Sonata in my living room, complete with commentary and mid-game kitten attack. More »
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Namco Bandai's cutesy role-playing game Eternal Sonata—n e Trusty Bell: Chopin's Dream in Japan—is (mistakenly) largely regarded as an Xbox 360 exclusive. Today, we know for sure that the tri-Crescendo developed RPG is to be multi-platform, courtesy of the ESRB. More »
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Just like Blue Dragon before it, Microsoft Japan is enticing Japanese customers to take that leap of faith with a console/RPG game bundle. This time, it's Trusty Bell. The game features a core Xbox 360, wired controller, copy of Trusty Bell (retitled Eternal Sonata for the West) and a special DVD soundtrack. Bundle drops June 14, pricing is open, and the side of the box has Trusty Bell art on it — If you are into that. Brian Ashcraft More »
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Eternal Sonata is an RPG for the Xbox 360 coming from tri-Crescendo, creators of Baten Kaitos. The storyline is one of the most original concepts I've seen in the genre. Hours before the tuberculosis death of famous composer Fr d ric Chopin, he enters a dream world where people with terminal diseases have magical powers. The game features selections of Chopin's music played by Stanislav Bunin, which should go together wonderfully with the graphics here, which are nothing short of enchanting. With a plot steeped in tragedy and some of the most beautiful music ever created, be sure to have tissues on hand when the game launches later this year. Michael Fahey More »
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