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PshycoNinja · Apr 22, 2016

Another interview about FINAL FANTASY XV with GameInformer. This time it is about the wonderful Yoko Shimomura and her music.

You might not know the name Yoko Shimomura, but you should. Shimomura is one of the most prolific and influential composers in the game industry, whose resume includes classics like Street Fighter II, Super Mario RPG, Kingdom Hearts, Xenoblade Chronicles, and much more. She started working on this project back when it was called Final Fantasy Versus XIII, and now she's found herself tackling the music for the next numbered Final Fantasy.

Video and more at the link.

Go_Ly_Dow · Apr 22, 2016

Yoko <3

SolVanderlyn · Apr 22, 2016

Best composer

sixteen-bit · Apr 22, 2016

Shimomura is such a legend

NoctisVsStar · Apr 22, 2016

Yoko the Goat

disappeared · Apr 22, 2016

Truly someone who was just born with the gift.

antitrop · Apr 22, 2016

SolVanderlyn said:
Best composer

Why do you have to start a fight so early in the thread

Sn4ke_911 · Apr 22, 2016

THE INTERVIEW I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR!

Fuu · Apr 22, 2016

This woman is a treasure.

KoopaTheCasual · Apr 22, 2016

Yokooooo!

I don't understand how the entire gaming industry is not head over heels for this woman's prolific body of work?

I mean I know she's very famous (in the circles of gamers that play the games she currently works on), but the variety of what she's composed over the years and the amount of iconic music she's made is legendary.

antitrop said:
Why do you have to start a fight so early in the thread

I mean, he's not wrong.

fight me

Ydelnae · Apr 22, 2016

Yoko could compose the Metroid Federation Force soundtrack and I it would make me buy the game day one. She is amazing.

AuthenticM · Apr 22, 2016

RyoonZ · Apr 22, 2016

KoopaTheCasual said:
Yokooooo!

I don't understand how the entire gaming industry is not head over heels for this woman's prolific body of work?

I mean I know she's very famous (in the circles of gamers that play the games she currently works on), but the variety of what she's composed over the years and the amount of iconic music she's made is legendary.

Too melodic not enough ambiance

KupoNut · Apr 22, 2016

Some really cool combat gameplay in there too.

Slowdive · Apr 22, 2016

Shimomura the god.

Flopfan · Apr 22, 2016

antitrop said:
Why do you have to start a fight so early in the thread

Lol

She must feel really honored to be working on a mainline final fantasy.

Mengetsu · Apr 22, 2016

Love her 😍

NoctisVsStar · Apr 22, 2016

That gameplay footage.. That Yoko

ST2K · Apr 22, 2016

She's got big shoes to fill. Hope she nails it.

Wilsongt · Apr 22, 2016

antitrop said:
Why do you have to start a fight so early in the thread

Because it's true. Hard to choose between Yoko, Yuki Kajiura, and Sakimoto.

What lovely Home Depot commericals! Amazing music! ( video won't play on mobile.

)

Andrew Evenstar · Apr 22, 2016

She is a LEGEND.

Just go listen to Parasite Eve.

Roubjon · Apr 22, 2016

ST2K said:
She's got big shoes to fill. Hope she nails it.

I'd say she doesn't need fit into anybodies shoes. She already has her own. Metaphors.

KoopaTheCasual · Apr 22, 2016

RyoonZ said:
Too melodic not enough ambiance

I didn't think a one line response would offer such precise criticism, but I actually get your point.

FlashbladeGAF · Apr 22, 2016

For a second, I forgot she was working on this ...so when I read the title, I was all skeptical of the "Legendary Composer" description.

YOKO is Legendary!

Lunafreya Nox Fleuret · Apr 22, 2016

I need some gifs of that gameplay. Amazing video though.... so excited.

Mifec · Apr 22, 2016

Link the source for the vid pls, their trash site blocks my country in 2016 for some reason.

mrmickfran · Apr 22, 2016

ST2K said:
She's got big shoes to fill. Hope she nails it.

It's Yoko. She'll do alright.

It's not like going from Shimomura, Mitsuda and Ace+ to Sawano.

Flopfan · Apr 22, 2016

Andrew Evenstar said:
She is a LEGEND.

Just go listen to Parasite Eve.

And SF II
Guile's theme gives me emotions.

DNAbro · Apr 22, 2016

Fantastic interview. It's funny that her style is completely subconscious and that she does it without intention to do it.

NoctisVsStar · Apr 22, 2016

Yoko got this

Shin-Ra · Apr 22, 2016

The Stand By Me cover (and any other preexisting real-world music) aren't going to be in the game are they?

jb1234 · Apr 22, 2016

DNAbro said:
Fantastic interview. It's funny that her style is completely subconscious and that she does it without intention to do it.

That's how it usually is with composers. There's an old saying, that composers spend the first few decades of their careers defining their style and then the rest of their career trying to get away from it (as they feel they're repeating themselves). This probably applies more to classical composers than ones who write for media but it's still in effect.

It was an okay video but I wish they had asked her more interesting questions. But as a musician, I'm probably expecting too much. It wasn't meant for me.

Lunafreya Nox Fleuret · Apr 22, 2016

Shin-Ra said:
The Stand By Me cover (and any other preexisting real-world music) aren't going to be in the game are they?

Yes they are. I believe they mentioned Heart of Gold instrumental only though.

jett · Apr 22, 2016

I honestly would prefer subtitles over the monotone voice over they have, and why is she referring to Yoko in the third person anyway?

Sanpunkan · Apr 22, 2016

Shin-Ra said:
The Stand By Me cover (and any other preexisting real-world music) aren't going to be in the game are they?

I'm sure it will be just like FFXIII and FFX had their theme songs. I think FFXII too but I did not finish it. It probably just plays once at the end, so, if you don't like it, you'll live.

disappeared · Apr 22, 2016

Lunafreya Nox Fleuret said:
Yes they are. I believe they mentioned Heart of Gold instrumental only though.

Wait, Heart of Gold as in Neil Young's Heart of Gold?

Flopfan · Apr 22, 2016

jett said:
I honestly would prefer subtitles over the monotone voice over they have, and why is she referring to Yoko in the third person anyway?

Lol that was weird . I hate this style of translation. The talking voice over the original voice thing.

TEJ · Apr 22, 2016

Yoko shimomura is a goddess.

Sn4ke_911 · Apr 22, 2016

Great interview Game Informer but you should have sneaked in a KH3 question

wmlk · Apr 22, 2016

disappeared said:
Wait, Heart of Gold as in Neil Young's Heart of Gold?

Yeah, it's in the game as an instrumental.

Lunafreya Nox Fleuret · Apr 22, 2016

disappeared said:
Wait, Heart of Gold as in Neil Young's Heart of Gold?

Yes, it was in one of the gameinformer previews.

Sn4ke_911 · Apr 22, 2016

jett said:
I honestly would prefer subtitles over the monotone voice over they have, and why is she referring to Yoko in the third person anyway?

Agreed and yeah that was really off-putting.

Rymuth · Apr 22, 2016

NoctisVsStar said:
That gameplay footage.. That Yoko

Really weird seeing this gif without 'BRB, using imagination'

DeSolos · Apr 22, 2016

disappeared said:
Wait, Heart of Gold as in Neil Young's Heart of Gold?

Yup, GI said they heard an instrumental of Neil Young's Heart of Gold playing at the Hammerhead gas station (Cid/Cidney's place).

Mr. Smiley · Apr 22, 2016

Shinomura only plays on strings weaved by the heavens.

PshycoNinja · Apr 22, 2016

Mifec said:
Link the source for the vid pls, their trash site blocks my country in 2016 for some reason.

I apologize if you can't get to the site. I didn't know that happened. They post the videos on their YouTube channel, so it should be up on their channel soon. At the latest it'll be up on Monday. That is of course if someone hasn't already put the video up on YouTube.

Verder · Apr 22, 2016

She is one of THEE best in the industry right now

Westlo · Apr 22, 2016

Ken's theme the goat

Flopfan · Apr 22, 2016

Mr. Smiley said:
Shinomura only plays on strings weaved by the heavens.

And angels sing through her.

DangerMouse · Apr 22, 2016

So much great music from her, can't wait to hear the rest of the music she's made for this game.

Sn4ke_911 said:
Great interview Game Informer but you should have sneaked in a KH3 question

Haha yeah

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