Review: Time Princess - Spring Sonata

Time Princess released its latest visual novel so quickly after the last one that I barely had time to breathe. Compared to the other visual novels in this game, Spring Sonata is most similar to Whispers of the Rain since it takes place in a more realistic contemporary setting and Si-woo's Sight because the protagonist is an aspiring musician in Korea. It certainly isn't the next historical fantasy novel I was hoping for, but it was quick and entertaining enough for a short weekend. The story is very straightforward and only has one true ending, so there is little reason to replay most of the levels.

Spring Sonata is about a young cellist named Jeong Si-eun who attends a prestigious music school in Korea. I found this character difficult to relate to at first because she is quite pretentious about her musical knowledge and skills. Because of this, she has trouble making friends at her new school and doesn't understand how to play with emotion. Over the course of the game, she grows as a character when she realizes that musical talent is not just about precision but also about pouring your soul into your instrument. The story is simple and direct and has more variety in its robust soundtrack than the direction of its plot. Music is always a major asset of visual novels, but this is the first one I've played in Time Princess that has so many different melodies in it, many of which I recognized.

This story has two companions and only one love interest due to the lack of multiple endings. I was surprised that Baek Jun-hyeon was not a companion or love interest since he is the first person that Si-eun partners with at her school, but he proves himself unworthy of her. Lee Seung-chan is her first choice as a musical partner because he was a prodigy pianist as a child. The second companion is a girl named Park Yoon-ah, who Si-eun's polar opposite. While Si-eun focuses entirely on performance, Yoon-ah plays with pure emotion. As a result of this, Si-eun does not get along with Yoon-ah at first, but once she takes the time to understand her passion for performing despite a lack of support from her family, Si-eun starts to realize that she may have been playing for all the wrong reasons.

The fashions in this story are pretty, but not as spectacular as many of the ones the game released in the past. I believe this is the first visual novel in Time Princess to incorporate a school uniform, which adds some variety to the game's wardrobe. I was pleased with Si-eun's performance dresses, but you can only do so much with modern fashion. I personally prefer some of the more historical looks from other stories in the game. Even her piano key dress looked better in the early 20th century style of Phantom of the Opera. I appreciate that the story includes a cello as one of the accessories since this instrument is so vital to who Si-eun is as a character. I also like her white floral gown that she wears for major recitals.

Spring Sonata is far from what I had in mind for the next story I wanted to play in Time Princess, but it is a pleasant enough way to pass time in between. I learned a lot about classical music and enjoyed the story of a young prodigy who grew as a person. Though this visual novel does not have any fantasy elements in it, it is an artistic endeavor with a beautiful soundtrack and some lovely new outfits to add to my collection. The linear format makes it easy to play through in a short period of time. Still, I hope they are planning to release Catherine the Great in the near future after it got postponed.