So, I recently found out that my dad had (for some reason) kept the 360 I had given him and my mom years ago to play a bunch of free card and board games they enjoyed that I had installed on it. Among the small pile of games he still had on disc was one I haven't thought of in years. Eternal Sonata. A lesser know, but still fantastic RPG that I remember buying almost at random due to the fact that it involved one of my favorite composers. I brought the old machine home, managed to hook it up, and god damn this game is as great as the day I first played it.
The story is great, the combat is fun, the mechanics have some unique features to them that makes the game stand out. And since it is a lesser known game, there aren't a billion guides online so I am having to figure this out on the fly from scratch. It reminds me of when I was a kid 30 years ago playing RPGs with no clue what I was doing and having a blast. I dont care about fucking up a fight, or missing some random objective that gives me the OH EM GEE BEST ARMOR IN THE GAME. I accept my fate, and just keep chugging along knowing I can win, but it won't be retard easy.
God I miss gaming like this. Now, when a game comes out you already have 200 walkthroughs to look at or 20 'every achievement first playthrough' videos on day 1. For us older gamers, there was a real sense of accomplishment when we beat a game. Maybe our strategy was bad, maybe our team build was dogshit, or our gear woefully under par. But when that final boss went down, we loved it all the same and knew damn well we had earned it. People now expect the easy route of others planning everything out in front of them so they never have to think or figure things out for themselves.
Man gaming isn't what it used to be. I need to smoke a cigg after that marathon session.
