Fullmetal Alchemist: Sonata of Memories

Sonata of Memories (Omoide no Sonata)
Name	Sonata of Memories
Platform	Game Boy Advance
Genre	Role-Playing game
Publisher	Bandai
Japan release date	2004 July 22
Language	Japanese
Chronology
◄ Previous	Fullmetal Alchemist: Stray Rondo

Fullmetal Alchemist: Sonata of Memories (鋼の錬金術師 思い出の奏鳴曲(ソナタ), Hagane no Renkinjutsushi: Omoide no Sonata) is a role-playing game for the Gameboy Advance published by Bandai. It is one of two FMA games for the GBA that were only released in Japan. It is a direct sequel to Stray Rondo.

Plot

The game begins with Winry tending one of her costumers when she hears a bomb blast. The scene shifts to Edward and Alphonse Elric making their way to Resembool for Ed's automail 's maintenance. While she is repairing, Winry asks the brothers to be more careful as the State Military is more likely to be a target for such commotions. A pair of children comes in to inform the group about a wounded stranger in the village. Ed decides to check it out and Winry insists on going along to provide first aid. The trio reaches the barn, where the stranger is taking refuge, and sees a strange group surrounding it. When Ed's attempt to converse peacefully fails, the Elrics ward off the lot by a fight. Once inside the barn, the trio learns from the stranger that he's a rogue from an organisation named "Liberale" who targets military edifice for bambarding. He tells them about the next target being East City Military HQ and dies. The Elrics decide to travel there to alert the HQ. Winry decides to come along as she was the one who made the promise to the stranger.

During their ride on train, a Bald 's group routinely hi-jacks the train again but the Elrics throw him in the prison once again. After reaching the East City, Ed decides to go immediately to Colonel Mustang to warn him about the imminent. But while they are exchanging information with Colonel Mustang about Liberale organisation, a bomb blasts and the trio along with Mustang and Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye gets engaged in dealing with the situation. While repairing a broken wall with his alchemy, Ed notices a familiar girl present who he saw before at the barn where he fought the hostile group. Suspicious, he tries to call her but she responds by running away. Edward informs Mustang about it and they decide to go after her with Riza while Al and Winry are forced to stay behind to help the civilians involved in the incident.

The trio heads into the sewers but finds the culprits responsible for the bombing instead of the girl. Determined that girl isn't there, the trio heads back to the HQ. Back at HQ, Mustang exchanges the information found from the culprits to Edward and charges him with the bombing case. Edward refuses at first but is forced to comply. Mustang also charges him with Mount Tedesco bandits case. Winry again insists on tagging along to help but Edward bluntly refuses for her assistance saying that she is not 'ready' for it. Riza hands over her gun to Winry and tells Ed that the girl is prepared. Mustang along with Riza plans to tag as well and the party heads towards the Mount Tedesco.

The party successfully solves the Mount Tedesco's case and returns to the headquraters. Mustang commends on Winry's improved skills and asks her to stay. Winry says she wouldn't follow military orders but will stay to help her childhood friends anyway. With no leads to the bombing incidents, Mustang sends the trio (Ed, Al, and Winry) for an investigation. While investigating the trio crosses path with Randy and Cate whom the Elrics met while investigating on Chimera extermiation some time ago. Cate informs them about a man named Fagott who know about the current bombing incidents and the trio makes it way to Fagott's mansion.

The party meets Claves Fagott.

The Trio meets Claves Fagott but he refuses to talk unless the party brings an alchemic gun. The party heads out and travels various places to collect materials for the gun. Once the party forges the alchemic gun, it heads back to Claves. Claves asks Edward to use the gun to test his determination. He also asks Winry her reason for fighting. Winry tells the group that she wants to protect people and doesn't want to go through the loss of losing someone again. Claves admires the party's determination and feelings and asks them to go to a man name Lute Zaxophone who is an alchemist-detective investigating the bombing incidents. With hope of acquiring some info, the party leaves for Reglotaria to meet Lute. Arriving at Reglotaria the party witnesses another bomb blast with the mysterious girl in the vicinity again. Edward chases the girl while the rest of the party stays behind to help the citizens. While the group is helping the citizens they get attacked by the Liberale members but are saved by a mysterious man using alchemy. After the group fights off the terrorist, Edward returns with a failure and the mysterious man offers the group to rest at his house. The man later reveals himself to be Lute Zaxophone at his house and the group explains that they were actually looking for him. Lute insists on reporting to Claves which party agrees to do.

The party meets Lute Zaxophone.

At Claves's mansion the group conjectures that the mysterious girl belongs to the Liberale which Winry continuously denies saying that she saw something. Before Winry can explain further what she saw, Lute interrupts her saying that East City might be in danger as there were no fatalities last time, Liberale would strike again. The party rushes toward the East City where they see the mysterious girl again. The party follows her and comes at a small Liberale hideout. There the party witnesses the girl arguing with some Liberale members who eventually attack her. Sensing that the girl is in danger Winry insists th party to help her. The girl runs away and the party successfully defeats the men. Lute makes a detective hunch that there may be more Liberale members hiding in the sewers. The party is unsure but follows his hunch anyway. The party indeed finds some men hiding there and gets rid of them and then heads back to HQ to report it to Colonel Mustang.

At the HQ the party reports the consecutive events to Mustang. Winry again defends the mysterious girl and explains that when she saw her near the bombing incident, the girl was really trying hard to save the civilians. Lute discharges this idea by saying it was merely an act for deception. After listening to the party's point of views, Mustang reveals some basic info about the mysterious girl to the party. The party learns some basic info about Viola Amore and heads towards a town named Nelvo.

The party finally confronts Viola.

The party arrives at Nelvo and finally confronts Viola openly. Viola tells the party about herself. The party learns that she is an auto-mail engineer whose parents were killed by a State Alchemist . She also tells them about having no affiliation with Liberale and she was merely looking for her missing younger sister who was rumored to be taken by them. At first the whole party excluding Winry mistrusts Viola's words but after watching Viola fighting the Liberale members along with Chimeras attacking Nelvo, the party decides that she is innocent. The party decides that a Chimera making alchemist is involved with Liberale and heads towards the East City to report that. Viola also joins the party to amend for her trouble she caused the party and to search for her sister.

When the party reaches back at HQ, Mustang informs the party that Claves has been missing and it has been reported that he performed Chimera alchemy before, for which he was deprived of his State Alchemist certification, and could be responsible for it even now. Sensing his master's dignity at stake, Lute abandons the party to search for his master alone. Meanwhile, there is an uproar in the East City prison. Mustang and the party make an excursion to the prison to suppress it. They learn that the Chimera are behind the emancipation of criminals. The party meets a huge women Chimera who states that they won't allow any more prisoners to be victims of human alchemy and that would they clarify Claves's name. However, the Chimera gets defeated and retreats with its group. Still dubious about the whole scenario, Ed, Al, Winry, and Viola decide to track down Claves.

The youth visits Claves' mansion and finds Viola's sister's dairy. Viola's crave for revenge begins anew and she is about to set out to satiate until Winry calms her down and tells her that her flame for vengeance will only bring further sadness. Upon reporting their find to the Colonel, the youth now finds that Reglotaria, Nelvo, and Koko are under Chimeras' assault. The party leaves on Chimeras' extermination with Armstrong joining the party. During the extermination the party finds out that Claves is residing in Cruz Ruins. The party now determined to find Claves's plans leaves for the ruins.

Lyre and Claves die.

Reaching the ruins the party uncovers the true story. Claves is actually taking shelter from false accusation. He is neither planning bombing incidents nor practicing human alchemy. The Chimeras protecting Claves reveal that they are avenging Claves on Lute's insistence. Lute shows up and reveals that he is actually the one responsible for the both crimes. He also reveals that he and Lyre Amore were lovers. But since his alchemy was inconsistent and couldn't save the dying girl, he used human alchemy to morph her into a Chimera. Lute runs away after attempting to kill Viola which instead kills Claves and unleashing Lyre's Chimera which party reluctantly destroys. Before dying, Lyre's Chimera makes an earnest request to the party to save Lute from his madness. After all the commotion Viola is admitted to the hospital and the party heads out to a secret deserted laboratory at the outskirts of the Central City .

The party faces insane gigantic Lute.

At the Laboratory, the party confronts Lute again and discovers more about his motives. Lute claims to have known the party long before they discovered him as he is Daimler's son. He wanted use Lincors' bioalchemy and Ed's talent to revive Lyre but failed as the party defeated him. It was actually he who designed the Chimera's in Lincors' incident instead of his father who was merely a zealous alchemist. He also reveals that he was really a State Alchemist and Claves Fagott didn't whereas the official records to the state otherwise. After revealing his past activities Lute reveals his present motives of resurrecting Lyre by using the Philosopher's Stone he procured by the bombing incidents. Viola arrives recovering from her injuries which she claims to be the work of a strange healing alchemist. Lute uses the power of the Philosopher's Stone and becomes a gigantic creature. The party tries to persuade Lute to follow Lyre's true feelings but in vain. The party finally has to defeat obstinate Lute. While Lute is dying, Viola conveys Lyre's final words which soothe him and enable him to die peacefully.

The party returns to the HQ. Mustang thanks the civilians (Winry and Viola) involved to resolve the case and offers a handsome reward. But they blandly refuse stating that they were merely helping themselves. Viola makes her way to Nelvo while Ed, Al, and Winry decide to relax at Resembool.

Side Quests (Collecting 25 proofs)

1. Ed gets enlisted in a Martial Art Tournament again and faces Machoman, Cate, Armstrong, Randy, Winry, Al, and Mustang
2. Sheska asks Ed, Al, and Winry to get special books for her to read from Koko.
3. Cate and Randy decide to take State Alchemy Exam and Ed, Al, and Winry help them.
4. Armstong gets an anonymous letter for a muscle display challenge.
5. Winry wants to purchase an expensive auto-mail magazine. The shopkeeper agrees to trade it for a diamond card which Ed can make with his alchemy.
6. Hughes visits the East City with his family and his daughter decides to play hide-and-seek with everyone.
7. A chain of robberies break out in the East City. Ed, Al, and Winry join Riza Hawkeye to solve the case.
8. Mustang asks Ed's team to help in controlling an uprising in the Central prison.
9. Bald calls Ed to settle the score between them.
10. Scar tries to hunt down Ed again.
11. Envy faces Ed's party in the form of Bald.
12. Scar makes one more appearance to hunt Ed and tells him that he would meet his demise the day the military faces subversion.
13. Sheska tells the party that she has a cat that she can't take care of and she'll hand it over to Al if he passes her quiz.
14. Sheska tests party's wits again with another quiz.
15. Ed gets late for his annual recertification exam, but he makes a deal with the Fuhrer Bradley to exterminate Chimeras as a recompense.
16. The party hunts down Scar for his recent skirmishes.
17. The party faces Scar's tremendous strength for the final time.
18. Colonel Mustang gets humiliated.
19. While Ed is getting his auto-mail maintenance, Den steals one of Winry's tools she is working with and Al has to go to search for the dog.
20. The party encounters the Cat-God.
21. Ed gets to visit a special lab where he faces may of his past ghosts i.e. (Scar, Homunculi, Lute and Chimeras).
22. Ed and Al meet Cony again at Central City.
23. The party encounters Homunculi in the deserted lab. But after a short chase the party finds they were just Cate's dolls with astoundingly realistic memories.
24. The party faces Envy who is in form of Al.
25. Mustang decides to perform a final check at the laboratory and invites the whole party. There the party faces Lust and Gluttony.

Characters

Playable Characters

• Edward Elric: The youngest state alchemist in history, qualifying at just 12 years old due to his exceptional alchemic talent. Although he has a traumatic history, he puts on a strong face, and is a compassionate and devoted older brother. He and his younger brother pursue the Philosopher's Stone with unbreakable determination. His State Alchemist moniker is "Fullmetal Alchemist". A 15-year-old boy with a distaste for milk, and whose unimpressive stature is a particularly sore spot for him.
• Alphonse Elric: Four years ago, his entire body was taken from him as the price exacted for his and his brother's breaking of alchemy's ultimate taboo. His older brother was able to save him by binding his soul to a suit of armor, allowing him to live on. Compared to Ed, his speed is inferior, but he has greater skill, as well as bulletproof defenses and inexhaustible stamina. Alphonse is Edward's anchor, and understands him better than anybody. He is 14 years old.
• Winry Rockbell: A childhood friend of the Elric Brothers who lives in the three's hometown of Resembool. Winry is a wiz with machinery and helps her grandmother Pinako with her work. She is the one responsible for Ed's Automail prosthetics. Winry is a cheerful and energetic girl who never grows tired of arguing with Ed.
• Roy Mustang: The "Flame Alchemist" who uses a special alchemic technique to generate blasts of fire with a snap of his fingers. With his exceptional success in his career, he was aiming for the position of Fuhrer in Central. Although young for his position, he is a sharp and capable person. Roy handles his duties with ease, and aims to rise to the very top of the Amestrian government. He is a colonel in the Amestrian military.
• Alex Louis Armstrong: A man with a refined hairstyle and sculpted build befitting a powerful alchemist. His fearsome title, the "Strong Arm Alchemist", is an apt descriptor of his alchemic techniques, but he is also a deeply emotional man, even tearful at times. He was born to a family with an illustrious history. A major in the Amestrian military.
• Riza Hawkeye: Colonel Mustang's trusted right-hand woman. She has a cool, collected mien, and earns trust and fear in equal measure from those around her. An expert marksman, she serves as Colonel Mustang's bodyguard, having joined the military to begin with to protect and assist him. A first lieutenant in the Amestrian military.
• Viola Amore: An automail engineer living in a village called Nelvo. Viola hasn't worked recently because she is desperately looking for her missing sister who is rumored to have been taken by an organization called Liberale. Her parents were caught in an accident with a State Alchemist for which she hates all the State Alchemists.
• Lute Zaxophone: A talented alchemist who is working like a detective. He is currently carrying an investigation on Liberale and considers Viola a suspect. He is Claves Fagott's assistant and respects him deeply. He uses cards in alchemy battles. Unlike all other characters, Lute is will permanently leave the party at a certain point in the game.
• Corniche Royce: Protagonist from the first game who becomes playable after the main story after completing 88% of the optional side quests and objectives. One she joins the party, she can be freely rotated in and out for the rest of the game.

Nonplayable Characters

• Claves Fagott: An ex-State Alchemist. He is rumored to have known much about Liberale, but he stubbornly refuses to disclose any information regarding the subject.
• Lyre Amore: Viola's younger sister who was allegedly abducted by the Liberale. Viola searches for her.
• Randy Rover and Cate Rham: Two returning characters from the previous game who make minor plot relevant appearances.
• Maes Hughes: A military man who adores his family. His ordinary appearance belies a brilliant mind. A lieutenant colonel in the Amestrian military.
• Sheska: Book fanatic who is overworked by Hughes who assists the protagonists in locating a rare book. Her rank is private.
• King Bradley: Fuhrer of Amestris and leader of the State military.
• Jean Havoc: With his light-hearted demeanor, he gains trust from his subordinates. A habitual smoker. His rank is second lieutenant.
• Heymans Breda
• Vato Falman
• Kain Fuery
• Lust: A member of a mysterious organization who bears a tattoo of the Ouroboros on her chest. To her, the priority in the things she should do first is to execute her "plan". Prepared to use ruthlessness as her power, she has a near immortal body, claws that transform at her will, she continues to create history.
• Gluttony: A member of a mysterious organization who bears a tattoo of the Ouroboros on his tongue. Motivated almost exclusively by his appetite. Gluttony is capable of eating humans, beasts, chimeras, and even inorganic materials such as solid metal. As such, his power is second to none, despite his childlike personality.
• Envy: A member of a mysterious organization who bears a tattoo of the Ouroboros on his left thigh.
• Bald: Terrorist with an affinity for attacking trains who seems to always attack trains that Edward and Alphonse happen to be on.

Locations

A few locations from the anime series and Stray Rondo are added. The others are exclusive to the game.

Locations from the Anime:

• Central City
• East City
• Resembool

Locations from Stray Rondo:

• Ruins of Cruz

New Locations:

• Nelvo
• Koko ("Heer" in the fan translation; see trivia)
• Reglotaria
• Mount Tedesco
• Fagott's mansion
• Deserted Laboratory

Gallery

New characters

Viola Amore.

Lute Zaxophone.

Claves Fagott.

Trivia

• In this game, Sheska is no longer working as a librarian as in the previous game, instead working with Hughes at Central. This would seem to indicate the game takes place after Episode 18 and before Episode 25.
• The city of Koko's name is a pun, as it literally means "here" in Japanese. This initially confuses Ed when Sheska tells the group to visit it, as he thinks she is telling them to "go to the town here" rather than "go to the town named here". To make the pun work in English, the fan translation renamed the town to be called "Heer".
• Alphonse's name is misspelt in the status screen as Alfonse Elric.
• Winry changes her clothes between the overworld and battle. Outside of battle, she wears her usual purple mechanic's jumpsuit all the way up, albeit with the torso unzipped and her hair in her usual ponytail style. At the start of each battle, she adjusts the top of her jumpsuit so that it is tied around her waist and puts on her red bandanna, looking how she normally does while doing automail repairs. Her dialogue portraits also change to match her current look.
• Edward also changes his outfit to a more minor extent, as he takes off his red jacket at the beginning of every battle, which was also the case in the previous game. His dialogue portraits also change depending on if he's wearing the jacket or not.
• Lute Zaxophone bears a striking resemblamce to Lujon.

External Links

• Official Site (Japanese)