Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure

Crossing musical melodies with a fairytale Japanese role-playing game may not seem as well-matched as strawberries and cream but that's exactly what developer Nippon Ichi have set out to achieve with Rhapsody, a 'musical adventure' with a distinct style all of its own.

Playing as a love-struck girl aptly named Cornet, the story follows her search for Prince Ferdinand, the love of her life who has been captured and turned to stone by an evil witch. Her oddball ability to talk to puppets sets her aside from the usual spiritual abilities of most leading ladies, along with her love of music. The plot alone is enough to turn the stomach if you're not so enthused at the realms of 'once upon a time' stories, but this acquired taste is still at least worth at least a nibble.

Right from the onset each character oozes colour and sweetness with adorable traits and cute 2D sprites. Guiding Cornet through her vibrant world is pleasingly intuitive thanks to the stylus and it won't take long to pick up the basics, leaving you more time to discover quests and explore Rhapsody's charming towns and villages. Along the way you'll come across a cast of humorous individuals, including a host of puppets who'll support you as you battle various foes.

It is the so-called battle element however that proves to be the game's main let-down. Opponents don't put up much of a fight and you can easily triumph time after time. In line with the sugary theme of Rhapsody the battle moves allow you to blast enemies with treats such as flapjacks or cakes - a sweet touch in an otherwise savoury situation. These easy challenges spill over to the adventure itself however, leaving you to roam a world that is certainly charming but somehow feels somewhat hollow. More often than not an uncomfortable feeling of déjà vu hits; if you think you've been inside that cave or castle before then trust your instinct, because you probably have.

Perhaps the biggest let down of all is the music itself. With such promise of vibrant orchestral brilliance, reality strikes more of a discord than harmony. The main scores are good enough, but don't be surprised if you start glancing at the volume control after a few repetitions.

Where some aspects are below expectations, others surpass. A great example is the Encore mode. It contains cut scenes of some of the musical interludes, with the authentic Japanese lyrics left intact and an English text translation to help you follow the quirky and often bizarre lyrics. There is also an Observation option containing picturesque character profiles on the people and puppets you meet during your travels.

It goes without saying that you won't get much replay value out of Rhapsody. The difficulty (or lack thereof) drains the colour from such a bright world and the boring battles will soon take their toll. That isn't to say that the game doesn't have its ornamental beauty, but in many ways Rhapsody is more akin to a basic nursery rhyme than a Beethoven masterpiece.