Game Journal – Eternal Sonata (Entry 12)

Boy, this area just keeps going!  It’s also full of floating jellyfish/squid-like creatures.  They don’t do a lot of damage, but they have a ton of hit points!  It’s a good thing Salsa is here to boost everyone’s special attacks.  There were a few nice items here, like a new sword for Allegretto and baton for Chopin.

Those jellyfish give star cookies and…HELL MUSTARD!  I don’t like the effects of that thing (maybe useful for Viola because she is out of range most of the time) but I love the name of that item!  Those jellys also cause poison damage if you are too close.  Ugh!  I’m glad the effects wear off after battle though.  The way this game is, I wouldn’t be surprised if you had to actually deal with the after effects of poison.

This place is just so massive.  I spent a good deal of time in here leveling up.  I don’t want to run into another Tuba session again where I was struggling to win.  I did do well once I got the right party members but still.  Best to be prepared.

We finally emerge from the passage through the crack in the wall we’d noticed back before we made it to Forte.  Andantino is just about to enter, and opens the door, when out runs Salsa!  They are surprised, but the whole party complains about their unjust imprisonment, and Andantino realizes we’re not their enemies.  They explain they’re on a mission to rescue the guardian of the forest, and are surprised to find that Salsa came to them instead.  We all decide to troop back to Viola’s village along the way we came.

On a side note, while everyone else protests their innocence, Beat is about to launch into an explanation of all the trouble he and Allegretto have caused, but Allegretto is quick to cover his mouth for the rest of the scene.  Oh Beat, you don’t know when it’s a good idea to stay quiet.

This is so darn awkward to watch.  This whole thing is just…bizarre and Allegretto has to cover his mouth for like…ever…It’s clear the character models don’t look so good when they have to interact with each other.  There’s a blockiness about them in those moments where you can tell they are built for aesthetics but clearly they are PS3 early generation when the fluidity of animation was not top notch.

Salsa explains how she was captured.  She had come to Forte Castle to complain about the mining on Mt. Rock affecting the forest,and getting nowhere with Legato, who noted that the mineral powder from that mining has saved the lives of many citizens. He’s basically bored until he realizes that Salsa lives in Agogo Forest, and immediately gets excited and orders her imprisoned.  They must think she can help to find the glowing Agogo.

Totally unrelated but after all the amazing naming in this game seriously guys?!  Mount Rock?!?!?!?!  Did you just stop trying that day.  Perhaps it’s meant to be Rock and Roll?!

Once Forte realizes we all got away with Salsa, he berates Tuba for assuming that the first group to show up at the castle would somehow be Andantino.  Even though it was a mistake, he orders Tuba to kill our whole group, and bring Salsa back.  Boy, Forte doesn’t mess around!  I’m worried for Viola’s village.

Whoa!  Count Waltz means serious business.  That kid is basically Joffrey from Game of Thrones.  So evil…..

Allegretto asks why Chopin is on this journey,and we get quite the explanation.  First we cut back to France, Oct. 17th 12:16AM, where the doctor explains that Chopin is on a journey, to either return home or find acceptance of death.  Geez, doctor, way to cheer everyone up!

The stakes just got high everyone.  Let’s get ready to rumbbbllllleeeee!

Chopin explains that their whole world is his dream, and that he is a somewhat famous composer lying asleep in Paris.  Wow!  He’s way more self-aware than I thought.  No one believes him, and Salsa asks for proof.  He answers by saying he is looking for proof, and feels that he is being tested and must live this life to the fullest.  He’s also getting less sure of what is reality and what is the dream.  Interesting.  Allegretto doesn’t like this explanation, and Polka berates him pretty harshly for poking holes in Chopin’s explanation.  Chopin doesn’t seem to mind too much, though.

Polka really loses her cool in this situation but Frederic was one of the few people to be nice to her so I can see why she is so protective.  Allegretto…totally anti-smooth moves man.

Wow…this discussion was heavy.  Chopin is clearly self aware and he understands the situation on a way deeper level that I could have ever guessed at.  I wonder how this will affect the game?  Does having a self aware character change the way you design said character?  I hope he gets more focus now that the proverbial cat is out of the proverbial bag.