IMO Eternal is more fun then tales but that is my bias towards games with semi active time combat vs full active time combat. I never really liked the star ocean system of just run in there, run around and whack away as much as I liked the sort of hybrid system that is used in games like Eternal Sonata.
The other think I tend to like better about Sonata is the story/music though much of that relates to my affinity for classical music (I spent a good 15 years playing classical music from 3 on growing up) I haven't played through the whole thing yet, but I found it far more playable on the PS3 then the 360 (I played about 10 hours on the 360 before I found out the PS3 was getting it too and stopped to wait). There aren't a LOT of changes, but those there are make the game better.
It's not a vast difference between sonata and tales, its more a taste thing one way or the other. Both are up there with the 5 best RPGs of the current generation.
I still don't get Zen's Sonata hate, its a really fun, bright and cheerful game. It's a nice counterpoint to the decidedly dark nature of most games. After spending the prior week with Deadspace and Bioshock Eternal Sonata and Little Big Planet have been a nice change of pace.
It isn't a 9, the only game this gen that deserves a 9 (that isn't PC only) is Mass Effect (maybe 9 even on 360, 9.8 on PC) still, but mid to high 8 seems very reasonable.
PSN ID: ChosenOne feel free to add me
