I'm having a weird problem. I turn on my Xbox. I sign into Xbox Live. I turn on Eternal Sonata. I go to start the game, and it says I'm not signed in. I go to the system blade and it says "3 profiles, please sign in" (two of my friends have profiles on the system, too). I go to sign in, and my account is greyed out and says "Xbox Live" under my name. Will this game not play if you're connected to Live or something?

Edit: Nevermind. I restarted it and now it works. Weird.

My copy is out for delivery today! This work day can't end soon enough.

Hey! Take it to the approriate thread -- we're talking about faceplates and Blue Dragon here, not Eternal Sonata!

(So how is the game so far?)

So far, so good.. I've only gotten small bites so far, but I'm totally in love with Polka and the battle system is definitely a lot of fun (not Tales fun, but pretty close). On the other hand, as someone who has played every Tales game, the music in this is pretty grating (only because I've heard the exact same six tunes over ten games already).

The game is fun once you actually get to play something. If you thought the opening of Blue Dragon was mostly videos, then brace yourself for Eternal Sonata. I felt like I had to wade through an hour of cutscenes, all with horrible dialogue. I'm actually really disappointed in that aspect of it, because part of what had me so excited for the game was this really cool idea that this is a land where Chopin goes in a dream on his deathbed, etc. And it's just been handled in such a ham fisted way.

I'm actually enjoying the story part of it. I really like how they incorporated what happened to him in real life. I'm about 7 hours in so far. It is fairly simplistic for a RPG but the production is amazing.

Oh, I ended up getting the Retto faceplate.

I wouldn't of minded the cutscenes that started the game if the characters talked/moved faster than my grandparents. As soon as I got the the first real puzzle I sent the game back. I'll rent it again later but right now I didn't have the time to play it and I figured someone else should have a shot at it.

I want to live in Cantabile Inn.


That is all...

Can you select which party level you want to use or does it always use the highest you've unlocked? I can't seem to figure that out.

You can't select to go back to a lower party level.

That's what I thought. I'm not a fan of level 3.

You get used to it.

I like it, it keeps the battle system fresh.

Yeah, otherwise it'd be too easy.

It's pretty easy regardless. I'm used to over-leveling in RPG's but I haven't come across any challenging battle in this one yet. No one has died and I haven't used any healing items. The healing spells have been enough. That's really my only complaint with the game.

I was reading some of the threads on the gamefaqs board and found out that a lot of the achievements, including one that's a few hundred points, can only be had by playing through the game twice. If I do play it again, it won't be for a long time.

I'm on chapter five right now, my progress came to a screeching halt this week due to Dynasty Warriors Gundam.. as I've only got two weeks with that game before I've got to let it go. I have a feeling tonight is going to be Sin & Punishment night too, poor Eternal Sonata.

I'm on chapter 5 also. Around what levels are you at? I've been trying to keep everyone even. Right now all characters except for one new one is between 32-34 and I just got to Baroque City.

I'm at the exact same spot with roughly the same levels.

Can you post the achievements that aren't considered spoilers? I haven't looked them up for fear of ruining what happens in the game.

I just hit chapter 3 and I have also found this game to be extremely easy. Does it get more challenging in later chapters?

Post a link or in spoilers at least.. I don't want to see them. ;)

Not yet. :(

Celesta Forest is almost too good a spot to level up in. I haven't gone into the temple yet and spent a few hours getting everyone to 38 or 39. That should makes things even easier.

I read a review (I think it was EGM) complaining about all these RPGs with what seems like 30 second pauses between each phrase. I thought maybe it was a translation issue, but it's just as annoying in Japanese as it is in English. Why oh why do they drag out the dialogue like that?

Otherwise, I like the aesthetics of the game, though I only started yesterday and played a few hours.