Eternal Sonata

Dr. Franken is a Gameboy game that i remember with fond memories, especially since i had to pestered my dad to buy it for me from his business trip to US. During those days, it's hard to any game to be scary with pixelated 16-bit graphics, much less a GB game with just six shades of black. Dr. Franken went above and beyond most standard GB game, sure it wasn't scary back then and it sure as hell isn't scary now. But the level of detail packed into each room in the mansion is unlike anything you will come across in a 8-bit game or even a 16-bit game. Coupled with a soundtrack of endless moonlight sonata, Dr. Franken was able to evoke a creepy atmosphere that makes it memorable even if it features a mundane task of gathering the body parts of your dead girlfriend. The game features an intricate password system to make up for the lack of a battery backed-up save and an indication of how massive and deep the game is, i never got the same password twice during my time of playing it. Of course, it's pretty hard to considering the password is easily 16-letters long !

Like most great handheld games, it eventually inspire a sequel on the 16-bit Super NES and another back on the GB platform but this is where it all started. I can't believe how naive i was when i first played Resident Evil and heard jill playing moonlight sonata, thinking that it was ripped from Dr. Franken. I immediately thought of Dr. Franken which i still credit as the catalysis for my fascination with the survival horror genre and the game that made me believe video games could be scary even in the 16-bit era. If you are in the mood for some portable horror this halloween, you need to play Dr. Franken.