SatelliteOfLove
Member
Oh HELLS YEAH. I agree, the only character that got a better stage theme or remix in 3S than 2I was Dudley. Elena was especially robbed.
I had forgotten this one, now it's in the fray too. :O
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NeoGAF's Soundtracks of the 6th Generation (+PC/ARC 2000-2005) Voting Thread [over]
- Thread starter Dark Schala
- Start date
Oh HELLS YEAH. I agree, the only character that got a better stage theme or remix in 3S than 2I was Dudley. Elena was especially robbed.
I had forgotten this one, now it's in the fray too. :O
1. Napple Tale - Yoko Kanno ; How can we have a soundtrack of the generation thread including the Dreamcast era and ignore this game? It's just not possible. Yoko Kanno <3
Delightful Arithmetic
Green Wings
Circus
2. Tales of Legendia - Go Shiina ; I love soundtracks which are live recordings especially if they're take advantage of it to create rich melodies. One of the best soundtracks to a terrible game out there, regardless of generation.
Melfes
Chasing Shirley
Land of Peace
3. Shin Megami Tensei Nocturne - Shoji Meguro w/ Toshiko Tasaki & Kenichi Tsuchiya ; Lots of moody stuff mixed with nice dynamic battle themes. The music really nailed the tone of the visuals.
Title Loop 1
Tokyo Conception
Fierce Battle
4. Persona 3 - Shoji Meguro ; Again, the music here perfectly complements the style of the visuals in the game. More pop, more beats, but with a dark underlying seductive tone.
Burn my Dread
I want to be close
Mass Destruction
5. Unlimited SaGa - Masashi Hamauzu ; If I don't put a Hamauzu soundtrack on this list, Aeana might not talk to me anymore.
SaGa Overture
Perpetual Motion
A Certain Story on a Hilltop
6. OZ (Sword of Etheria) - Michiru Yamane ; Like Tales of Legendia, this is a great soundtrack in a pretty bad game.
Feel's Theme
Over Zenith
Snare of Purgatory
7. Shadow Hearts: Covenant - Yoshitaka Hirota w/ Yasunori Mitsuda & Kenji Ito ; I think the range of the tunes in the soundtrack a lot. It definitely helped support the length of the game and gave the various areas and characters unique musical compliments.
Old Smudged Map
Memories of Melodies
Crack Your Body
8. Diablo 2 - Matt Uelmen ; It's nice to have good music for a game which is meant to be played over and over and over and over again, especially with players spending hours in the same places!
Rogue
Zakarum
Tristram
9. Rez - Various ; The music is the game.
Protocol Rain
Creative State
Rock is Sponge
10. Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter - Hitoshi Sakimoto ; I feel this is one of Sakimoto's better soundtracks in his career. While many of the themes definitely still have his signature style, it also feels less samey overall because the scifi nature of the game probably pushed him to do more than his usual (very competent) sword and sorcery (with intrigue!) tunes.
Strong Enemy
Opening
The More You Dig, The More...
Delightful Arithmetic
Green Wings
Circus
2. Tales of Legendia - Go Shiina ; I love soundtracks which are live recordings especially if they're take advantage of it to create rich melodies. One of the best soundtracks to a terrible game out there, regardless of generation.
Melfes
Chasing Shirley
Land of Peace
3. Shin Megami Tensei Nocturne - Shoji Meguro w/ Toshiko Tasaki & Kenichi Tsuchiya ; Lots of moody stuff mixed with nice dynamic battle themes. The music really nailed the tone of the visuals.
Title Loop 1
Tokyo Conception
Fierce Battle
4. Persona 3 - Shoji Meguro ; Again, the music here perfectly complements the style of the visuals in the game. More pop, more beats, but with a dark underlying seductive tone.
Burn my Dread
I want to be close
Mass Destruction
5. Unlimited SaGa - Masashi Hamauzu ; If I don't put a Hamauzu soundtrack on this list, Aeana might not talk to me anymore.
SaGa Overture
Perpetual Motion
A Certain Story on a Hilltop
6. OZ (Sword of Etheria) - Michiru Yamane ; Like Tales of Legendia, this is a great soundtrack in a pretty bad game.
Feel's Theme
Over Zenith
Snare of Purgatory
7. Shadow Hearts: Covenant - Yoshitaka Hirota w/ Yasunori Mitsuda & Kenji Ito ; I think the range of the tunes in the soundtrack a lot. It definitely helped support the length of the game and gave the various areas and characters unique musical compliments.
Old Smudged Map
Memories of Melodies
Crack Your Body
8. Diablo 2 - Matt Uelmen ; It's nice to have good music for a game which is meant to be played over and over and over and over again, especially with players spending hours in the same places!
Rogue
Zakarum
Tristram
9. Rez - Various ; The music is the game.
Protocol Rain
Creative State
Rock is Sponge
10. Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter - Hitoshi Sakimoto ; I feel this is one of Sakimoto's better soundtracks in his career. While many of the themes definitely still have his signature style, it also feels less samey overall because the scifi nature of the game probably pushed him to do more than his usual (very competent) sword and sorcery (with intrigue!) tunes.
Strong Enemy
Opening
The More You Dig, The More...
Well, some people like to claim he's a one-note composer!
Alright, here's my list. I'm probably missing something incredibly obvious, but this will have to do for now.
1. Golden Sun: The Lost Age
Venus Lighthouse, Fusion Dragon Theme, Mars Lighthouse, Sol Sanctum, Saturos and Menardi's Theme
I thought long and hard about this, but then I realized Venus Lighthouse and the Fusion Dragon theme are actually in The Lost Age, the latter as the optional Dullahan's battle theme. Excuse the quality, since there's never been an official Golden Sun soundtrack release (boo!). As far as composition goes, Golden Sun: The Lost Age is Motoi's Sakuraba's magnus opus in my opinion. The compositions he's been able to squeeze out of the GBA sound chip is nothing short of astonishing. It's not only because of the technical limits the GBA imposed that it's a great soundtrack. One of the blessings in disguise are the lack of guitar samples that plague his other works (often within the same generation). The guitar samples he uses during that early period were dreadful; they don't sound like guitars at all. You can hear it on Tales of Symphonia to name an example. Both Golden Sun games lack guitars. Instead he uses woodwinds, brass, percussion, his signature organ and even choirs as the foundation of most of the soundtrack. And it sounds great. The melodies are wonderful to listen to, even when they're looped every few minutes. I don't want to gush about it too much, since there's enough gushing on the rest of the list! Release a high quality soundtrack, Nintendo. Pretty please?
2. Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean
Vitriolic a Stroke, Soft Labyrinth, Flighty Spirits, Violent Storm, The True Mirror ~Guitar Version~
Baten Kaitos is one of the most underrated soundtracks of its generation, mostly due to not a lot of people having played the game. The bad guitar samples here have been mostly eliminated; they sound great as you can hear! Again, Sakuraba uses his trademark progressive rock, baroque, and other symphonic styles. His rhythms and melodies are once again a joy to listen to. Give it a try!
3. Valkyrie Profile
Unfinished Battle with God Syndrome, Outline of the Demon Descent, Dropping to the Negative Not by Choice
You have to love these track titles sometimes. I haven't actually played Valkyrie Profile extensively, but it must have been one epic journey listening to the soundtrack. After listening to the soundtrack, I realized it's a PSX game. :lol It was released in 2000 in North America though and then ported to the PSP in 2005!
Actual 3. Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria
Endless High-Speed Runnin, Ascend into the True Faith, Disturb the Doubtful Sleep, Spinning the Thread of Creation, No Knowledge of Wisdom, Under the All Powerful Divine Protection, A Thoughtful Strategy
Listen to all the different styles Sakuraba uses in this soundtrack. There are even some jazz arrangements. There are too many great tracks to choose from and I've never played the game! I wish I had though! I could listen to this soundtrack for an entire day.
4. OutRun 2
Magical Sound Shower, Splash Wave, Passing Breeze ~Euro Remix~, Risky Ride
Thought I should break the mold. Fumio Ito and Keisuke Tsukahara have done a tremendous job on updating Hiroshi Kawaguchi's classic tracks. There's nothing more to be said, really. Perfect accompanying music while cruising and drifting through the coastal landscapes.
5. Metroid Prime
Main Title Theme, Phendrana Drifts, Underwater Frigate Reactor Control, Chozo Ruin Depths
Chilling, foreboding, exhilarating, depressing, awe-inspring. What can I say about the Metroid Prime soundtrack besides wow. Kenji Yamamoto did a more than admirable job.
6. Baten Kaitos Origins
Iconoclasm, The Valedictory Elegy ~Guitar Version~, Le ali del principio
Another Motoi Sakuraba game not a lot of people played (thanks, NoE!). Just as same as the first Baten Kaitos, it oozes quality. Le ali del principio is especially a unique take on a final boss theme.
7. Castlevania: Lament of Innocence
Anti-Soul Mysteries Lab, Elemental Tactician, Holy Cross Obsessed by the Moon, Destined Cruz (Castle Corridor)
Unlike the GBA games, this actually has decent sound quality! Dat organ. Michiru Yamane did a fantastic job blending modern music concepts with the organ and choirs frequently used in Castlevania titles.
8. Castlevania: Curse of Darkness
Legendary Belmondo, Eneomaos Machine Tower, Legion and Nuculais' Theme, Young Nobleman of Madness
It was a tough decision, but I gave the nod to Lament of Innocence for the Castle Corridor arrangement and because Lament of Innocence has a more experimental soundtrack. You can tell Michiru Yamane enjoyed composing a number of tracks.
9. Tales of Symphonia
Fatalize, Beat the Angel, Revival, The law of the battle, Keen-edged Blade
Even though the samples are not as great as they could have been, it's still a fantastic soundtrack overall. Just a bit bland by today's standards.
10. F-Zero GX
Fire Field, Lightning, Bio Rex's Theme, Digi-Boy's Theme
Dem electronic beats. It's actually pretty diverse and it sounds futuristic! Wish there was an F-Zero third person action game in the works by Platinum Games.
Earthpainting
Member
An initial listen got me a list of about 20-something titles and I've already managed to cut the list down to 14. I've got a solid idea of what will definitely be in my top 6 already, but the order is subjected to a lot of change. It'll require some more listening and perhaps even some Youtube clips to see what the complete picture is like. I expect to have something to post some time this week.
People composers just have a "sound", just like a lot of character designers have a look. Being able to noticing certain patterns is not necessarily a bad thing, but it's a turn-off for some. In my opinion Sakuraba can keep doing his metaphorical aural zippers and belts as long as there are no copycats, and he doesn't phone it in too often himself.
Teknopathetic
Member
Rare that I actually bother with these threads, but I have to.
1. Jet Set Radio/Jet Grind Radio - My favorite video game soundtrack of all time. The funky urban breakbeat soundtrack matches the near-future landscape of Neo-Tokyo perfectly with music as fresh as the visual style was itself. I remember when the first trailer for this game was released and hearing Let Mom Sleep on top of the insane (for the time) cel-shading and I knew immediately it was going to be something special.
Let Mom Sleep
Grace & Glory
2. Phantasy Star Online Blue Burst - Lots of lush, spacy atmospheric synth sounds. Half of it is serene, the other half is frantic, the sound of a planet untouched for millennia violently rejecting the invaders disturbing its rest.
Mother earth of dishonesty
From seeing the rough wave
3. Beatmania IIDX 12: Happy Sky - As is usual for Beatmania, there's an eclectic mix of genres with an electronic lean. Catchy tracks that never get old, even after spending hundreds of hours failing Mei [a].
Tizona d'El Cid
MOON RACE
4. Ollie King - This was originally going to be Jet Set Radio Future, but that game was awful, despite how good the soundtrack was (and it also has that awful Aisle 10 song) and *this* game is where I took my name from.
Teknopathetic [Pop'n disco 80's mix]
Something jazzy for your mind
The Concept of Love (Concept of Passion)
5. Metropolis Street Racer - Richard Jacques magic. Lots of tongue-in-cheek riffs on (then) popular artists. Lots of funkiness. I listened to this over PGR1 and 2's soundtracks while playing them.
Let's get it on tonight
It doesn't really matter
6. Civilization 4 - I mean it won a Grammy. Baba Yetu is one of the most touching pieces in game music history. The bonus soundtrack CD that came with it got a lot of play.
Baba Yetu
Ancient Era
7. Space Channel 5 - Sega's sound team showing their amazing chops at mixing bossa nova, funk, and lounge music with uptempo electronic beats. Seriously, they've been doing it for decades.
Mexican Flyer Remix
Coco Tapioka The Huge Dancer
8. Panzer Dragoon Orta - The Panzer Dragoon series has always had stellar music. Tribal and alien with the finale having stunning vocals sung entirely in their made up language, Panzerese.
Anu Orta Veniya
Eternal Glacies
9. Headhunter - A lot of people are going to forget this one because it was a pretty mediocre title with a bit of hype behind it, but as usual Richard Jacques does amazing work. More cinematic and Hollywood than one might expect considering RJ's previous work with Sega (see: #5), but given the cinematic type of game that Headhunter was, it works great. The music at least nails the Blockbuster Spy Thriller vibe that the game was desperately trying to emulate.
Jack's Theme
10. Outrun 2 - Great remixes of classic tunes with some great new tracks (Life was a bore and Night Flight) that are just delightful.
Night Flight
Magical Sound Shower
1. Jet Set Radio/Jet Grind Radio - My favorite video game soundtrack of all time. The funky urban breakbeat soundtrack matches the near-future landscape of Neo-Tokyo perfectly with music as fresh as the visual style was itself. I remember when the first trailer for this game was released and hearing Let Mom Sleep on top of the insane (for the time) cel-shading and I knew immediately it was going to be something special.
Let Mom Sleep
Grace & Glory
2. Phantasy Star Online Blue Burst - Lots of lush, spacy atmospheric synth sounds. Half of it is serene, the other half is frantic, the sound of a planet untouched for millennia violently rejecting the invaders disturbing its rest.
Mother earth of dishonesty
From seeing the rough wave
3. Beatmania IIDX 12: Happy Sky - As is usual for Beatmania, there's an eclectic mix of genres with an electronic lean. Catchy tracks that never get old, even after spending hundreds of hours failing Mei [a].
Tizona d'El Cid
MOON RACE
4. Ollie King - This was originally going to be Jet Set Radio Future, but that game was awful, despite how good the soundtrack was (and it also has that awful Aisle 10 song) and *this* game is where I took my name from.
Teknopathetic [Pop'n disco 80's mix]
Something jazzy for your mind
The Concept of Love (Concept of Passion)
5. Metropolis Street Racer - Richard Jacques magic. Lots of tongue-in-cheek riffs on (then) popular artists. Lots of funkiness. I listened to this over PGR1 and 2's soundtracks while playing them.
Let's get it on tonight
It doesn't really matter
6. Civilization 4 - I mean it won a Grammy. Baba Yetu is one of the most touching pieces in game music history. The bonus soundtrack CD that came with it got a lot of play.
Baba Yetu
Ancient Era
7. Space Channel 5 - Sega's sound team showing their amazing chops at mixing bossa nova, funk, and lounge music with uptempo electronic beats. Seriously, they've been doing it for decades.
Mexican Flyer Remix
Coco Tapioka The Huge Dancer
8. Panzer Dragoon Orta - The Panzer Dragoon series has always had stellar music. Tribal and alien with the finale having stunning vocals sung entirely in their made up language, Panzerese.
Anu Orta Veniya
Eternal Glacies
9. Headhunter - A lot of people are going to forget this one because it was a pretty mediocre title with a bit of hype behind it, but as usual Richard Jacques does amazing work. More cinematic and Hollywood than one might expect considering RJ's previous work with Sega (see: #5), but given the cinematic type of game that Headhunter was, it works great. The music at least nails the Blockbuster Spy Thriller vibe that the game was desperately trying to emulate.
Jack's Theme
10. Outrun 2 - Great remixes of classic tunes with some great new tracks (Life was a bore and Night Flight) that are just delightful.
Night Flight
Magical Sound Shower
Morrigan Stark
Arrogant Smirk
"Tribal and alien" is probably the best way I've ever seen the Panzer Dragoon music (from Zwei onward) be described. I'm totally stealing that for future use, if you don't mind. 
Thanks for highlighting this brilliant soundtrack, duckroll. Truly a wonderful thing you've led me to.
Dark Schala
Eloquent Princess
Morrigan Stark
Arrogant Smirk
Can y'all please linking to extended versions of the songs? -_- I like listening to some of these samples but obviously not for 30 minutes straight each, come on.
1. Persona 4
Music so good I could listen to it for hundreds of hours.
The positive, energetic, and profoundly catchy tunes permeating everyday life in Inaba are incredibly fun and infectious.
Signs of Love
Alone
The more serious songs in the soundtrack still trend towards having a tinge of that tone, encouraging you to keep advancing and reaching out to the truth or whatever.
Fog
Secret Base
Heaven
It's too memorable, upbeat, and endearing. I have to give it first place. I love Persona 4.
2. Ar Tonelico: Melody of Elemia
Despite not caring much for the games, I have always kept up with the stellar music of the Ar Tonelico series. The hymns are rich, intricate, and powerful. Exec_Phantasmagoria, with its gorgeous interweaving vocals and steady nearly eight minute crescendo, is easily one of my favorite songs of all time.
EXEC_PHANTASMAGORIA/.
EXEC_CHRONICLE_KEY/.
What really surprised me when going back through the soundtrack, though, is just how good the regular tracks in the games are. I have like no recollection of any of these songs, but they're so good.
Lively field and town music
Fresh Green Lands
Conglomerate Alliance TENBA
Overcoming Hardships
Scars
More battley stuff
Loki
Nidohogg
Berserkr - Spiritual successor to Chrono Trigger bass
The music often has a bit of a retro feel, but mixes it with some high tech flair. Combined with the phenomenal vocal tracks, the result is a very distinct sound that draws on and breathes life into Ar Tonelico's unique setting.
3. Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War
One thing I noticed fairly often when going through other soundtracks is that I was generally left wanting when it came time for rising action, increasing tension, and dramatic reveals. When it was time to march to war, or discover the true enemy and confront the evil empire, the music rarely managed to keep my interest.
Ace Combat 5, by contrast, illustrates and enhances these exciting scenarios with track after track of emphatic and compelling music.
Briefing 1
Naval Blockade
First Flight
Rendezvous
The Unsung War
It's so common for this type of music to flirt with repetitiveness, but these songs are built on such a solid foundation of flow and instrumentation that it's rarely a concern.
4. Persona 3 (FES)
I give Persona 3 points for really introducing the refreshing general style of recent Persona games, but my preference for Persona 4's more pervasively cheerful tone accounts for the discrepancy in ranking. Still, Persona 3 is packed with good songs.
When it chooses to, Persona 3 puts on a good show of P4's upbeat day to day scoring.
During the Test
Changing Seasons
But the other stuff is really good too.
Memories of the City
Heartful Cry
And personally, the ending theme is in a class of its own.
Memories of You (Kimi no Kioku) (the great use of repeated/rhyming syllables in the chorus always gets me right in the feels)
5. Final Fantasy X-2
My pick for best 3d Final Fantasy soundtrack. So snappy, so poppy.
Calm Lands
Rikku's Theme
Mission Complete - A very victorious song. It's like coming in first place in an old arcade racing game while picking up a rare item and leveling up in Phantasy Star Online all at once.
And those vocal tracks.
Real Emotion
1000 Words
6. Dark Cloud 2
Dark Cloud 2 features some of the most relaxing music around. Guitar, strings, and woodwinds come together in a pastoral explosion.
Peace of the World
Shifting Windows
Veniccio
Gundorada Workshop
I'm not a huge fan when it strays from that strength, but it can still be pretty good even when it's less fluffy.
Battle of the Future
Unknown History
7. Super Robot Wars OG: Original Generations
Super Robot Wars is about giant robots punching each other. Super Robot Wars has a lot of music that fits perfectly with giant robots punching each other.
For the Day That Has Yet to Come
Treue
Believe in Our Bonds
Exceedingly Close, to an Exceedingly Distant World
Ash to Ash
Chaos
Fairy Dan-Cing
It draws on a lot of previous work done for older games in the series, but this generation of games was my first exposure, and OGs serves as a good compilation. I've always liked the Original Generation characters and music, and would put the soundtrack on par with or ahead of any of the crossover games.
8. Ar Tonelico 2
Slightly less (consistently) good general music and slightly less Phantasmagoria hymns puts Ar Tonelico 2 at a disadvantage compared to the first game, but it's still incredibly solid.
Hymns
EXEC_with.METHOD_METAFALICA/.
METHOD_IMPLANTA/.
Battle
Varna
Agnie
Non-battle
Sky Port Girl
Unspoken Feelings
A Small Journey
Sunny
9. Xenosaga 3: Je spreken ze deutsch
Xenosaga 3 has the most approachable and digestible soundtrack of the series.
The Battle of Your Soul
Promised Pain
Godsibb
Febronia #2
When the Grief Lets You Go #2
These songs really have that, you know, grand space opera, anime, inscrutable xenoseriesness feeling about them. An accomplishment, to be sure.
10. Star Ocean 3
Like with Xenosaga 3, I think Star Ocean 3 is a more approachable alternative to some other similar works (Motoi Sakuraba, you generally elude me...).
The fighting-times type music does its thing, but it isn't cranked quite up to the point where I am just completely lost in screeching and wailing guitars.
The Divine Spirit of Language
Cutting Edge of Notion
Mission to Deep Space - This saxophone...
There is some good grand space explorationy stuff, for some unknown reason.
Reflected Moon
Into the Undiscovery Ocean
And there's some pretty good field/city music.
Rust Color
[x]. Romance of the Three Kingdoms VII
Really only three songs here that I'm wild about, but I am wild about them.
Strategy Phase - Spring
Strategy Phase - Winter
Strategy Phase - Autumn
Luckily, they comprise the majority of the music you will spend time listening to in the game. They're nice asian-inspired pieces that are good enough to never overstay their welcome, as good as anything you'll find in a strategy game.
[x]. Shadow of the Colossus
The Opened Way
Revived Power
In Awe of Power
The Farthest Land
Not much to add here. It's good. I perhaps lose a bit from having never finished the game.
[x]. Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance
My favorite of the Fire Emblem soundtracks outside of Genealogy and Awakening.
Power Hungry Fool - More villainous harpsichord, please
With Us! - Top class recruitment theme
Vow
[x]. Wild Arms(3)es
Good old west rpg music. With whistling! And cowboy guitar even. Can be a bit samey.
Migratory Birds
Advanced Wind
Gunmetal Action
Random songs
La Mer - Suikoden IV - Almost the only good thing about this game.
Thunder Plains - Final Fantasy X - Recipient of the most Saga Frontier 2 song of the generation award.
Grunty Farm - .hack series - This is like the most staggeringly tranquil song.
Icaro - Shadow Hearts: From the New World - String/guitar, pretty okay.
Music so good I could listen to it for hundreds of hours.
The positive, energetic, and profoundly catchy tunes permeating everyday life in Inaba are incredibly fun and infectious.
Signs of Love
Alone
The more serious songs in the soundtrack still trend towards having a tinge of that tone, encouraging you to keep advancing and reaching out to the truth or whatever.
Fog
Secret Base
Heaven
It's too memorable, upbeat, and endearing. I have to give it first place. I love Persona 4.
2. Ar Tonelico: Melody of Elemia
Despite not caring much for the games, I have always kept up with the stellar music of the Ar Tonelico series. The hymns are rich, intricate, and powerful. Exec_Phantasmagoria, with its gorgeous interweaving vocals and steady nearly eight minute crescendo, is easily one of my favorite songs of all time.
EXEC_PHANTASMAGORIA/.
EXEC_CHRONICLE_KEY/.
What really surprised me when going back through the soundtrack, though, is just how good the regular tracks in the games are. I have like no recollection of any of these songs, but they're so good.
Lively field and town music
Fresh Green Lands
Conglomerate Alliance TENBA
Overcoming Hardships
Scars
More battley stuff
Loki
Nidohogg
Berserkr - Spiritual successor to Chrono Trigger bass
The music often has a bit of a retro feel, but mixes it with some high tech flair. Combined with the phenomenal vocal tracks, the result is a very distinct sound that draws on and breathes life into Ar Tonelico's unique setting.
3. Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War
One thing I noticed fairly often when going through other soundtracks is that I was generally left wanting when it came time for rising action, increasing tension, and dramatic reveals. When it was time to march to war, or discover the true enemy and confront the evil empire, the music rarely managed to keep my interest.
Ace Combat 5, by contrast, illustrates and enhances these exciting scenarios with track after track of emphatic and compelling music.
Briefing 1
Naval Blockade
First Flight
Rendezvous
The Unsung War
It's so common for this type of music to flirt with repetitiveness, but these songs are built on such a solid foundation of flow and instrumentation that it's rarely a concern.
4. Persona 3 (FES)
I give Persona 3 points for really introducing the refreshing general style of recent Persona games, but my preference for Persona 4's more pervasively cheerful tone accounts for the discrepancy in ranking. Still, Persona 3 is packed with good songs.
When it chooses to, Persona 3 puts on a good show of P4's upbeat day to day scoring.
During the Test
Changing Seasons
But the other stuff is really good too.
Memories of the City
Heartful Cry
And personally, the ending theme is in a class of its own.
Memories of You (Kimi no Kioku) (the great use of repeated/rhyming syllables in the chorus always gets me right in the feels)
5. Final Fantasy X-2
My pick for best 3d Final Fantasy soundtrack. So snappy, so poppy.
Calm Lands
Rikku's Theme
Mission Complete - A very victorious song. It's like coming in first place in an old arcade racing game while picking up a rare item and leveling up in Phantasy Star Online all at once.
And those vocal tracks.
Real Emotion
1000 Words
6. Dark Cloud 2
Dark Cloud 2 features some of the most relaxing music around. Guitar, strings, and woodwinds come together in a pastoral explosion.
Peace of the World
Shifting Windows
Veniccio
Gundorada Workshop
I'm not a huge fan when it strays from that strength, but it can still be pretty good even when it's less fluffy.
Battle of the Future
Unknown History
7. Super Robot Wars OG: Original Generations
Super Robot Wars is about giant robots punching each other. Super Robot Wars has a lot of music that fits perfectly with giant robots punching each other.
For the Day That Has Yet to Come
Treue
Believe in Our Bonds
Exceedingly Close, to an Exceedingly Distant World
Ash to Ash
Chaos
Fairy Dan-Cing
It draws on a lot of previous work done for older games in the series, but this generation of games was my first exposure, and OGs serves as a good compilation. I've always liked the Original Generation characters and music, and would put the soundtrack on par with or ahead of any of the crossover games.
8. Ar Tonelico 2
Slightly less (consistently) good general music and slightly less Phantasmagoria hymns puts Ar Tonelico 2 at a disadvantage compared to the first game, but it's still incredibly solid.
Hymns
EXEC_with.METHOD_METAFALICA/.
METHOD_IMPLANTA/.
Battle
Varna
Agnie
Non-battle
Sky Port Girl
Unspoken Feelings
A Small Journey
Sunny
9. Xenosaga 3: Je spreken ze deutsch
Xenosaga 3 has the most approachable and digestible soundtrack of the series.
The Battle of Your Soul
Promised Pain
Godsibb
Febronia #2
When the Grief Lets You Go #2
These songs really have that, you know, grand space opera, anime, inscrutable xenoseriesness feeling about them. An accomplishment, to be sure.
10. Star Ocean 3
Like with Xenosaga 3, I think Star Ocean 3 is a more approachable alternative to some other similar works (Motoi Sakuraba, you generally elude me...).
The fighting-times type music does its thing, but it isn't cranked quite up to the point where I am just completely lost in screeching and wailing guitars.
The Divine Spirit of Language
Cutting Edge of Notion
Mission to Deep Space - This saxophone...
There is some good grand space explorationy stuff, for some unknown reason.
Reflected Moon
Into the Undiscovery Ocean
And there's some pretty good field/city music.
Rust Color
[x]. Romance of the Three Kingdoms VII
Really only three songs here that I'm wild about, but I am wild about them.
Strategy Phase - Spring
Strategy Phase - Winter
Strategy Phase - Autumn
Luckily, they comprise the majority of the music you will spend time listening to in the game. They're nice asian-inspired pieces that are good enough to never overstay their welcome, as good as anything you'll find in a strategy game.
[x]. Shadow of the Colossus
The Opened Way
Revived Power
In Awe of Power
The Farthest Land
Not much to add here. It's good. I perhaps lose a bit from having never finished the game.
[x]. Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance
My favorite of the Fire Emblem soundtracks outside of Genealogy and Awakening.
Power Hungry Fool - More villainous harpsichord, please
With Us! - Top class recruitment theme
Vow
[x]. Wild Arms(3)es
Good old west rpg music. With whistling! And cowboy guitar even. Can be a bit samey.
Migratory Birds
Advanced Wind
Gunmetal Action
Random songs
La Mer - Suikoden IV - Almost the only good thing about this game.
Thunder Plains - Final Fantasy X - Recipient of the most Saga Frontier 2 song of the generation award.
Grunty Farm - .hack series - This is like the most staggeringly tranquil song.
Icaro - Shadow Hearts: From the New World - String/guitar, pretty okay.
1. Halo: Combat Evolved (2001)
There's really no other choice. Halo's soundtrack is epic, but it's not bloated like many newer soundtracks are. It still sounds fresh after 14 years.
Truth and Reconciliation Suite
Under Cover of Night
A Walk in the Woods
Brothers in Arms
Covenant Dance
Dust and Echoes
2. Halo 2 (2004)
Halo 2's soundtrack may sound a lot like the Combat Evolve's, but it actually innovated a lot. There's even more diversity than in the original. Human, Covenant, and Flood themes are more diverse.
Ghosts of Reach
Impend
Delta Halo Suite
Unyielding
3: Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War (2004)
Flying games are sadly a rare sight today, and so is the kind of music that goes well with them. This soundtrack is awesome, all the way from Puddle of Mudd's trailer song to the beautiful Blue Skies Remix.
Closure
Four Horsemen
Blue Skies (remix)
4: Half Life 2 (2004)
Perfect atmosphere creator.
Slow Light
Requiem for Ravenholm
Triage at Dawn
5: EVE Online (2003)
I never really got into this game but the soundtrack still plays in my headphones almost daily. One of the few game soundtracks that could perfectly exist without the game.
...But Still We Go On
Below the Asteroids
Merchants, Looters and Ghosts
6: Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War (2006)
Zero
Contact
The Round Table
Result
7: Unreal Tournament (2000 PS2)
Foregone Destruction
Skyward Fire
Go Down
8: Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (2003)
Dragon Roost Island
9: Battlefield 1942 (2002)
Theme
10: Shadow of the Colossus (2005)
Commandment
Honourable mentions:
Burnout 3: Takedown (2004)
Great pop-rock soundtrack. Perfect for racing through traffic.
Yellowcard - Breathing
Silent Drive - 4/16
Jimmy Eat World - Just Tonight
Midtown - Give It Up
WRC II Extreme (2002)
Not a very memorable game, but navigating the menus sure was.
Star Guitar
There's really no other choice. Halo's soundtrack is epic, but it's not bloated like many newer soundtracks are. It still sounds fresh after 14 years.
Truth and Reconciliation Suite
Under Cover of Night
A Walk in the Woods
Brothers in Arms
Covenant Dance
Dust and Echoes
2. Halo 2 (2004)
Halo 2's soundtrack may sound a lot like the Combat Evolve's, but it actually innovated a lot. There's even more diversity than in the original. Human, Covenant, and Flood themes are more diverse.
Ghosts of Reach
Impend
Delta Halo Suite
Unyielding
3: Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War (2004)
Flying games are sadly a rare sight today, and so is the kind of music that goes well with them. This soundtrack is awesome, all the way from Puddle of Mudd's trailer song to the beautiful Blue Skies Remix.
Closure
Four Horsemen
Blue Skies (remix)
4: Half Life 2 (2004)
Perfect atmosphere creator.
Slow Light
Requiem for Ravenholm
Triage at Dawn
5: EVE Online (2003)
I never really got into this game but the soundtrack still plays in my headphones almost daily. One of the few game soundtracks that could perfectly exist without the game.
...But Still We Go On
Below the Asteroids
Merchants, Looters and Ghosts
6: Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War (2006)
Zero
Contact
The Round Table
Result
7: Unreal Tournament (2000 PS2)
Foregone Destruction
Skyward Fire
Go Down
8: Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (2003)
Dragon Roost Island
9: Battlefield 1942 (2002)
Theme
10: Shadow of the Colossus (2005)
Commandment
Honourable mentions:
Burnout 3: Takedown (2004)
Great pop-rock soundtrack. Perfect for racing through traffic.
Yellowcard - Breathing
Silent Drive - 4/16
Jimmy Eat World - Just Tonight
Midtown - Give It Up
WRC II Extreme (2002)
Not a very memorable game, but navigating the menus sure was.
Star Guitar
Disclaimer: I'm not entirely too sure if I'm going to do a traditional list or not. This generation was one of my favorites, if not favorite, and it's already dawned one me that selecting just ten entries is a task that I don't think is feasible. I'm just too passionate about this era and I'm finding it extremely difficult to make a genuine attempt at organizing my thoughts in under a month's time. So, for now, I may just do little pieces like this and I'll go from there and see how I'm feeling by the deliverable date. With that said, I'm going to start things out a little weird...
Episode Zero: XBOX, the First:
Composers:
Mariko Nanba
Keiichi Sugiyama
Naofumi Hataya
Blinx: the Time Sweeper is one of my favorite original Xbox games. I played the shit out of this game back in the day and loved every second of it (I even got all S+ Ranks and collected every Cat Medal!). While I've always loved quirky platform/mascot games, Blinx's soundtrack really put it on another level for me. I feel like a big part of the game's appeal, for me at least, was due to the fact that the soundtrack was comprised of composers who worked on a lot of my favorite games from my youth. The music just sounds like something that would have been from a B/C-tier mascot platform game from back in the day. Hourglass Caves is one of my favorite tracks in the game and it perfectly exemplifies what I'm trying to describe. In fact, Naofumi Hataya is listed as one of the game's composers, who also happened to work on Ristar (another one of my favorite games with an incredible OST), among other Sega classics. While I can't say for sure which of three composers contributed what piece, I'd like to think that Hataya had a lot of input/say on the soundtrack, because it really does remind me of Ristar, at times (see something like Splash Down! for a comparison).
While most of the compositions are primarily made up of your standard drum & bass beats, there are a lot of cool and interesting parts/transitions at display. I like to say that the tracks go places, so-to-speak (see from 2:36 until about 3:45). Everwinter is another great track that fills me with nostalgia. This music just reminds me of the times when I had little to no responsibility on days when classes were cancelled due to snow and all I would do is play/master games late into the night (also, see Ristar's Ring Rink for a similar feel). Deja Vu Canals is fucking awesome too. There's some cool programmed trumpets mixed in to the beat and there's also what sounds like a clock-ticking sound layered in the background, which for a game centered around time gives the music a great sense of urgency (also, see from 1:30 until about 2:40 for another interesting breakdown). When most people think Xbox, they think Halo. When I think Xbox, I think Blinx (lol!) and its soundtrack. Hey, fuck you, too!
Composer:
Steve Kirk
I genuinely miss the original Xbox's Microsoft Studios-era. Voodoo Vince is also right up there with Blinx as one of my favorite original Xbox titles. This had to have been one of the most unsuspectingly good soundtracks to any game I've ever played. While Voodoo Vince itself was a relatively average 3D platformer, its soundtrack was nothing but some of the most legit music you'll find on the system. Jean Lafitte's Ship is one track to note. Great guitar work and some nice stringed instruments round out an interesting pirate-themed tune. Sarcophogus Hustle is another great Egyptian-like track with even more killer guitar work with some interesting instrumentation. Voodoo Vince is just a cool, jazzy, bluesy game album. Scope it out.
Composers:
Saori Kobayashi
Yutaka Minobe
Notable Tracks:
City in the Storm
Altered Genos
The Fallen Ground
While enough has been/will be said about Panzer Dragoon Orta and its music, I can't not say something about it. Someone said it earlier and I'll just piggyback off of it because it's probably the simplest way to describe Kobayashi's work with this series; Panzer Dragoon's music truly is alien and tribal-like. It's got such a unique sound that's only housed within the confines of the Panzer name (also, see its spiritual successor, Crimson Dragon, for a more modern attempt from the same composer at this particular sound). I'd almost like to call it frontier-music. It's the kind of music that you could only imagine hearing as settlers land on a newly discovered planet. I never tire of this sound and I hope this composer gets more opportunities to do more work like this in the near future.
Composers:
Classical dudes
N/A
Phantom Dust has an interesting soundtrack with a lot of variety too. your choice [option] is a dissonant piece that really resonates with me. I love depressing, ambient music like this. While Phantom Dust has its fair share of atmospheric/rock-y industrial tunes, it's also interesting to note all of the classical influences. In fact, a good portion of the tracks are based off of classic works. There's memories [box of memories] (probably my favorite) which is one of Chopin's pieces and there's even a rendition of the Moonlight Sonata; plastic people [vision headquarters]. arsenal [arsenal] is another cool beat based on Bach's work too. Good stuff all around and I hope the new game incorporates a similar sound.
Credits:
Composers:
Namco's sound team?
Trust Company (lol)
Breakdown is one of my favorite original Xbox titles. This game just had that distinctive Xbox feel to it, if you know what I mean. I really do miss this era for its strange, exclusive, experimental titles. It was also a time when the Matrix was the hottest shit still and it clearly shows with this game and its music (see The Ultra Accelerator). If there was another thing that I thought was cool/funny about this generation was the trend of using real bands to promote your game. I'd like to say this was the generation that started these collaborations (was Halo 2 the first game to do it?) and I love it in a very humorous sort of way. Breakdown's Take It All from the band, Trust Company, is my first thought when I think about this cross-over period. It must have been a cool/interesting channel/avenue for bands looking for more exposure and WHAT a cool fucking game to have your music to be associated with.
Other notable games that I couldn't find the words for:
Jet Set Radio Future
GunValkyrie
...and probably a few other games I'm just not thinking about.
Next time on...
There's a game I left out, but I'm saving it for part of my next entry; From...
Episode Zero: XBOX, the First:
Composers:
Mariko Nanba
Keiichi Sugiyama
Naofumi Hataya
Blinx: the Time Sweeper is one of my favorite original Xbox games. I played the shit out of this game back in the day and loved every second of it (I even got all S+ Ranks and collected every Cat Medal!). While I've always loved quirky platform/mascot games, Blinx's soundtrack really put it on another level for me. I feel like a big part of the game's appeal, for me at least, was due to the fact that the soundtrack was comprised of composers who worked on a lot of my favorite games from my youth. The music just sounds like something that would have been from a B/C-tier mascot platform game from back in the day. Hourglass Caves is one of my favorite tracks in the game and it perfectly exemplifies what I'm trying to describe. In fact, Naofumi Hataya is listed as one of the game's composers, who also happened to work on Ristar (another one of my favorite games with an incredible OST), among other Sega classics. While I can't say for sure which of three composers contributed what piece, I'd like to think that Hataya had a lot of input/say on the soundtrack, because it really does remind me of Ristar, at times (see something like Splash Down! for a comparison).
While most of the compositions are primarily made up of your standard drum & bass beats, there are a lot of cool and interesting parts/transitions at display. I like to say that the tracks go places, so-to-speak (see from 2:36 until about 3:45). Everwinter is another great track that fills me with nostalgia. This music just reminds me of the times when I had little to no responsibility on days when classes were cancelled due to snow and all I would do is play/master games late into the night (also, see Ristar's Ring Rink for a similar feel). Deja Vu Canals is fucking awesome too. There's some cool programmed trumpets mixed in to the beat and there's also what sounds like a clock-ticking sound layered in the background, which for a game centered around time gives the music a great sense of urgency (also, see from 1:30 until about 2:40 for another interesting breakdown). When most people think Xbox, they think Halo. When I think Xbox, I think Blinx (lol!) and its soundtrack. Hey, fuck you, too!
Composer:
Steve Kirk
I genuinely miss the original Xbox's Microsoft Studios-era. Voodoo Vince is also right up there with Blinx as one of my favorite original Xbox titles. This had to have been one of the most unsuspectingly good soundtracks to any game I've ever played. While Voodoo Vince itself was a relatively average 3D platformer, its soundtrack was nothing but some of the most legit music you'll find on the system. Jean Lafitte's Ship is one track to note. Great guitar work and some nice stringed instruments round out an interesting pirate-themed tune. Sarcophogus Hustle is another great Egyptian-like track with even more killer guitar work with some interesting instrumentation. Voodoo Vince is just a cool, jazzy, bluesy game album. Scope it out.
Composers:
Saori Kobayashi
Yutaka Minobe
Notable Tracks:
City in the Storm
Altered Genos
The Fallen Ground
While enough has been/will be said about Panzer Dragoon Orta and its music, I can't not say something about it. Someone said it earlier and I'll just piggyback off of it because it's probably the simplest way to describe Kobayashi's work with this series; Panzer Dragoon's music truly is alien and tribal-like. It's got such a unique sound that's only housed within the confines of the Panzer name (also, see its spiritual successor, Crimson Dragon, for a more modern attempt from the same composer at this particular sound). I'd almost like to call it frontier-music. It's the kind of music that you could only imagine hearing as settlers land on a newly discovered planet. I never tire of this sound and I hope this composer gets more opportunities to do more work like this in the near future.
Composers:
Classical dudes
N/A
Phantom Dust has an interesting soundtrack with a lot of variety too. your choice [option] is a dissonant piece that really resonates with me. I love depressing, ambient music like this. While Phantom Dust has its fair share of atmospheric/rock-y industrial tunes, it's also interesting to note all of the classical influences. In fact, a good portion of the tracks are based off of classic works. There's memories [box of memories] (probably my favorite) which is one of Chopin's pieces and there's even a rendition of the Moonlight Sonata; plastic people [vision headquarters]. arsenal [arsenal] is another cool beat based on Bach's work too. Good stuff all around and I hope the new game incorporates a similar sound.
Credits:
Composers:
Namco's sound team?
Trust Company (lol)
Breakdown is one of my favorite original Xbox titles. This game just had that distinctive Xbox feel to it, if you know what I mean. I really do miss this era for its strange, exclusive, experimental titles. It was also a time when the Matrix was the hottest shit still and it clearly shows with this game and its music (see The Ultra Accelerator). If there was another thing that I thought was cool/funny about this generation was the trend of using real bands to promote your game. I'd like to say this was the generation that started these collaborations (was Halo 2 the first game to do it?) and I love it in a very humorous sort of way. Breakdown's Take It All from the band, Trust Company, is my first thought when I think about this cross-over period. It must have been a cool/interesting channel/avenue for bands looking for more exposure and WHAT a cool fucking game to have your music to be associated with.
Other notable games that I couldn't find the words for:
Jet Set Radio Future
GunValkyrie
...and probably a few other games I'm just not thinking about.
Next time on...
There's a game I left out, but I'm saving it for part of my next entry; From...
Need more people voting!
Oh and I'll just leave this here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7UmysdD260
Oh and I'll just leave this here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7UmysdD260
This is my list for what it's worth. I was primarily a Gamecube and PC gamer back in the day, so most of the stuff on this list is from these systems. All of these games hold a special place in my heart. Max Payne not so much (game-wise) but the soundtrack always stayed with me for some reason.
1. Metroid Prime
2. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
3. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
4. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
5. Resident Evil: REmake
6. Resident Evil 0
7. Super Smash Bros. Melee
8. Beyond Good & Evil
9. Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen
10. Max Payne
1. Metroid Prime
2. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
3. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
4. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
5. Resident Evil: REmake
6. Resident Evil 0
7. Super Smash Bros. Melee
8. Beyond Good & Evil
9. Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen
10. Max Payne
1. Katamari Damacy
2. Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney Trials and Tribulations
3. Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney
4. We Love Katamari
5. Final Fantasy X
6. Halo
7. Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney Justice for All
8. Star Wars Knights of The Old Republic
9. Ikaruga
10. Guilty Gear XX
Katamari needs to win guys.
2. Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney Trials and Tribulations
3. Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney
4. We Love Katamari
5. Final Fantasy X
6. Halo
7. Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney Justice for All
8. Star Wars Knights of The Old Republic
9. Ikaruga
10. Guilty Gear XX
Katamari needs to win guys.
Teknopathetic
Member
I can't believe I forgot to put Voodoo Vince on my list.
TheSpaceBetween
Member
1. Metroid Prime
2. Okami
3. Killer7
4. God of War
5. Metroid Prime 2 Echoes
6. God of War II
7. Silent Hill 4: The Room
8. Ratchet and Clank: Up Your Arsenal
9. Castlevania: Circle of the Moon
10. God Hand
2. Okami
3. Killer7
4. God of War
5. Metroid Prime 2 Echoes
6. God of War II
7. Silent Hill 4: The Room
8. Ratchet and Clank: Up Your Arsenal
9. Castlevania: Circle of the Moon
10. God Hand
Yeah, man! That's why I don't think I can come up with a list that I could genuinely feel comfortable with. There are just too many games and my tastes are too broad that I'm bound to forget/not mention something that should be discussed.
Dark Schala
Eloquent Princess
Just gotta pop in between studying for exams to say that Voodoo Vince is one of the most underrated soundtracks of that particular gen. Glad people are mentioning it.
Teknopathetic
Member
"Just gotta pop in between studying for exams to say that Voodoo Vince is one of the most underrated soundtracks of that particular gen. Glad people are mentioning it."
I have been pimping that soundtrack in threads for years (even within the past few months) which is why I'm boggled it slipped my mind.
I have been pimping that soundtrack in threads for years (even within the past few months) which is why I'm boggled it slipped my mind.
Morrigan Stark
Arrogant Smirk
Holy shit that Blinx music doesn't remind me of Ristar, so much as it reminds me of NiGHTS. Instantly recognized that composer, heh. Not my favourite kind of music, typically, but they fit their games so very well that I find them quite enjoyable.
I dig that Voodoo Vince music too. Love the Egyptian-flavoured track. But I'm a sucker for "Egyptian" music. Something about Phrygian scales really make some songs stand out more, somehow.
I dig that Voodoo Vince music too. Love the Egyptian-flavoured track. But I'm a sucker for "Egyptian" music. Something about Phrygian scales really make some songs stand out more, somehow.
Earthpainting
Member
01. Okami
Okami's soundtrack feels as big as the game is itself. The compositions are pretty lively and atmospheric by themselves already, but the big thing that makes them stand out to me is the fact that they incorporate just a crap ton of seemingly random sound effects into quite a lot of the tunes. These little sound effects give the entire game the feel of a Japanese play. Fitting, since that's pretty much what the game is going for to begin with. Perhaps it's just a westerner's perspective on this, but while I have played a lot of Japanese games, these cues and flourishes felt very fresh to me, in spite of being hella retro by design. A good example of these sound effects riddled throughout a song is in the theme of Tama the fireworks master. Tama's theme has a cool flow and all, but it's the grunts and the fireworks that really give it its extra texture flavour.
To me the stand-out track was 'The Sun Rises', which is not feels like a celebration of the nature, but also pretty much the music that punctuates the apotheosis of Amatersu becoming her overpowered self again. It letts the feeling of dominance merge with the little musical motifs that are spread through the entire game. I don't know if it was deliberate or not, but the cadence of the song also seemed to match the pace of Amaterasu's step in battle, which also helped get you in the zone.
'Giving Kushinada A Ride' is a lot more serious than its title lets on. Throughout the game you give a couple of people a ride on your back, which is accompanied by a jovial tune. In the final stages of the first chapter of the game, you offer to take Kushinada to the dreaded Moon Cave, where she would probably meet her demise. The music that plays is ominous and urgent sounding, and while I'm not certain, I do suspect that this song contains traces of the normal riding songs. While the song does make you feel like you are riding towards your doom, it still does a good job at making it feel brave and adventurous, like Amaterasu herself is unphased by the upcoming confrontation.
The last example I'm dropping is the song of the Orca. I actually wasn't sure which overworld theme I'd put on here, but this one puts me in a good mood. One of the few places where Amaterasu does not appear to be in her element is water, so gaining the help of your orca friend is already cool by itself. But having its theme play while roaming the water gave me the feeling of the freedom of the open seas even more than the Wind Waker did.
Okami has just too many cool tracks to pick from, so I encourage you to check the entire thing out, or even better play the game.
02. Castlevania: Curse of Darkness
You don't need to have a good game to have a good soundtrack, and Curse of Darkness proves this quite well. While I love me some CD quality Castlevania music, I do think it often is a bit heavy on the blaring guitar rock guitars in too many tracks. When I listen to the older Castlevania tracks, I don't interpret them like that. Soundtracks like Symphy of the Night's felt like the odd in the series in my ears for example. That's not that Curse of Darkness doesn't have tracks like that, as the 'Abandoned Castle' track will indicate, but I feel like it has a better balance that fits more nicely with the gothic aesthetic of the game itself. 'Mortvia Aqueduct' is one of those songs that you could probably put in any sort of area and it would fit. It feels slightly oppressive, but even more exciting. It's just the type of music that kind of drags you forward that I normally associate with Falcom pieces. My favourite track of this game is 'Garibaldi Courtyard'. This is one of those pieces of music that just captures everything so well. That sorrow, quietness and haunting beauty that they are trying to go for with the game. Easily one of my favourites in the entire series, which has some incredible tunes.
03. Unlimited SaGa
You know how I said you don't need a good game to have a good soundtrack? Well this goes double for Unlimited Saga. This would be a contender for my top choice, but sadly its actual use in the game feels a bit poor at times. While all the individual pieces are fantastic, I'm not sure if these tracks complement the game all that well. There's very little sense of personality or location to be found, and it makes it feel like most of these tracks could have been switched around and very little would have been lost. OK, enough whining, and on to the good stuff-- Its Battle Theme is my absolute favourite song of this entire generation. I could listen to it on loop for hours
. I can only describe it as a "game-ass game song". A song that can make looking at menus feel exciting. Talking about the other tracks is kind of difficult for the aforementioned reasons though, so I'm just going to dump a few links to stuff you should give a listen to.
Enigmatic Scheme
More Battle Themes
Seven Travelers
Even more Battle Themes
04. Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles
Much like Okami, this one is just drenched in a style that I'm simply not exposed to a lot. This time it's all Celtic with its flutes, pipes and what I suspect is a friggin out of place kazoo. I'm not sure why, but the soundtrack does seem to have a tendency to make things feel small, which is something you don't really see a lot in video games. The track 'If it's three people' pretty much illustrates this quite well. I'm not entirely sure it's a good fit for a game about traversing the world in a caravan. It still works out for the most part though. 'Departure' is one of the tracks I like a lot, and it feels like could have been ripped straight out of Final Fantasy IX.
05. Metroid Prime
I already used the word "haunting" in this post before, but I think Metroid Prime practically begs me to use it again to describe it. Prime has one of those soundtracks that feels cold and isolated, which is one of the frequently brought up feelings when describing the game's atmosphere. I wonder how much of that can be directly attributed to its music. The music is full of electronic "noise" and high pitched theremin-esque sounds, really helping set the sci-fi mood. I think the track people associate most with this game is the menu theme. It's so cool and well-liked that people easily forget that this is not its theme song or the theme that plays on the title screen. Another popular one, for good reason, is the Phendara Drifts theme. Not only does it perfectly capture the intense feeling of cold, it also sets up an atmosphere of eerieness and mystery. The song itself is quite understated and low-key, which makes it kind of surprising to see it stand out like it does.
06. Mother 3
I won't pretend I'm a fan of the GBA's musical capabilities. There are plenty of games with good music on the system, but they have good music in spite of the hardware. Mother 3 is one of such games. Much like in Mother 2, this game has quite a diverse range of songs. The big difference between this and its predecessor I can think of is that Mother 3 has more "marching" music. I suppose this makes perfect sense since this game has an army and various military elements.
Misplaced Revenge
Murasaki Forest
07. Katamari Damacy
This game is as inconsistent and weird in its music as it is in every other facet of its being. One of the most eclectic soundtracks we have in the industry. I tend to dislike game soundtracks with vocals, but Katamari does it in such a dorky, lively way that I can't help but respect it.
Katamari On The Rocks
Cherry Blossom Colour Season
08. Beyond Good & Evil
Home Sweet Home
Spanish Bar
09. Shadow of the Colossus
A Violent Encounter
Counterattack
10. Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter
The More You Dig
Opening
I lost steam after writing the first few, but I didn't want to risk forgetting to post entirely. I may edit some further elaborations on the second half later.
Okami's soundtrack feels as big as the game is itself. The compositions are pretty lively and atmospheric by themselves already, but the big thing that makes them stand out to me is the fact that they incorporate just a crap ton of seemingly random sound effects into quite a lot of the tunes. These little sound effects give the entire game the feel of a Japanese play. Fitting, since that's pretty much what the game is going for to begin with. Perhaps it's just a westerner's perspective on this, but while I have played a lot of Japanese games, these cues and flourishes felt very fresh to me, in spite of being hella retro by design. A good example of these sound effects riddled throughout a song is in the theme of Tama the fireworks master. Tama's theme has a cool flow and all, but it's the grunts and the fireworks that really give it its extra texture flavour.
To me the stand-out track was 'The Sun Rises', which is not feels like a celebration of the nature, but also pretty much the music that punctuates the apotheosis of Amatersu becoming her overpowered self again. It letts the feeling of dominance merge with the little musical motifs that are spread through the entire game. I don't know if it was deliberate or not, but the cadence of the song also seemed to match the pace of Amaterasu's step in battle, which also helped get you in the zone.
'Giving Kushinada A Ride' is a lot more serious than its title lets on. Throughout the game you give a couple of people a ride on your back, which is accompanied by a jovial tune. In the final stages of the first chapter of the game, you offer to take Kushinada to the dreaded Moon Cave, where she would probably meet her demise. The music that plays is ominous and urgent sounding, and while I'm not certain, I do suspect that this song contains traces of the normal riding songs. While the song does make you feel like you are riding towards your doom, it still does a good job at making it feel brave and adventurous, like Amaterasu herself is unphased by the upcoming confrontation.
The last example I'm dropping is the song of the Orca. I actually wasn't sure which overworld theme I'd put on here, but this one puts me in a good mood. One of the few places where Amaterasu does not appear to be in her element is water, so gaining the help of your orca friend is already cool by itself. But having its theme play while roaming the water gave me the feeling of the freedom of the open seas even more than the Wind Waker did.
Okami has just too many cool tracks to pick from, so I encourage you to check the entire thing out, or even better play the game.
02. Castlevania: Curse of Darkness
You don't need to have a good game to have a good soundtrack, and Curse of Darkness proves this quite well. While I love me some CD quality Castlevania music, I do think it often is a bit heavy on the blaring guitar rock guitars in too many tracks. When I listen to the older Castlevania tracks, I don't interpret them like that. Soundtracks like Symphy of the Night's felt like the odd in the series in my ears for example. That's not that Curse of Darkness doesn't have tracks like that, as the 'Abandoned Castle' track will indicate, but I feel like it has a better balance that fits more nicely with the gothic aesthetic of the game itself. 'Mortvia Aqueduct' is one of those songs that you could probably put in any sort of area and it would fit. It feels slightly oppressive, but even more exciting. It's just the type of music that kind of drags you forward that I normally associate with Falcom pieces. My favourite track of this game is 'Garibaldi Courtyard'. This is one of those pieces of music that just captures everything so well. That sorrow, quietness and haunting beauty that they are trying to go for with the game. Easily one of my favourites in the entire series, which has some incredible tunes.
03. Unlimited SaGa
You know how I said you don't need a good game to have a good soundtrack? Well this goes double for Unlimited Saga. This would be a contender for my top choice, but sadly its actual use in the game feels a bit poor at times. While all the individual pieces are fantastic, I'm not sure if these tracks complement the game all that well. There's very little sense of personality or location to be found, and it makes it feel like most of these tracks could have been switched around and very little would have been lost. OK, enough whining, and on to the good stuff-- Its Battle Theme is my absolute favourite song of this entire generation. I could listen to it on loop for hours
and I have
Enigmatic Scheme
More Battle Themes
Seven Travelers
Even more Battle Themes
04. Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles
Much like Okami, this one is just drenched in a style that I'm simply not exposed to a lot. This time it's all Celtic with its flutes, pipes and what I suspect is a friggin out of place kazoo. I'm not sure why, but the soundtrack does seem to have a tendency to make things feel small, which is something you don't really see a lot in video games. The track 'If it's three people' pretty much illustrates this quite well. I'm not entirely sure it's a good fit for a game about traversing the world in a caravan. It still works out for the most part though. 'Departure' is one of the tracks I like a lot, and it feels like could have been ripped straight out of Final Fantasy IX.
05. Metroid Prime
I already used the word "haunting" in this post before, but I think Metroid Prime practically begs me to use it again to describe it. Prime has one of those soundtracks that feels cold and isolated, which is one of the frequently brought up feelings when describing the game's atmosphere. I wonder how much of that can be directly attributed to its music. The music is full of electronic "noise" and high pitched theremin-esque sounds, really helping set the sci-fi mood. I think the track people associate most with this game is the menu theme. It's so cool and well-liked that people easily forget that this is not its theme song or the theme that plays on the title screen. Another popular one, for good reason, is the Phendara Drifts theme. Not only does it perfectly capture the intense feeling of cold, it also sets up an atmosphere of eerieness and mystery. The song itself is quite understated and low-key, which makes it kind of surprising to see it stand out like it does.
06. Mother 3
I won't pretend I'm a fan of the GBA's musical capabilities. There are plenty of games with good music on the system, but they have good music in spite of the hardware. Mother 3 is one of such games. Much like in Mother 2, this game has quite a diverse range of songs. The big difference between this and its predecessor I can think of is that Mother 3 has more "marching" music. I suppose this makes perfect sense since this game has an army and various military elements.
Misplaced Revenge
Murasaki Forest
07. Katamari Damacy
This game is as inconsistent and weird in its music as it is in every other facet of its being. One of the most eclectic soundtracks we have in the industry. I tend to dislike game soundtracks with vocals, but Katamari does it in such a dorky, lively way that I can't help but respect it.
Katamari On The Rocks
Cherry Blossom Colour Season
08. Beyond Good & Evil
Home Sweet Home
Spanish Bar
09. Shadow of the Colossus
A Violent Encounter
Counterattack
10. Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter
The More You Dig
Opening
I lost steam after writing the first few, but I didn't want to risk forgetting to post entirely. I may edit some further elaborations on the second half later.
Nocturnowl
Member
Listening to the variety among lists has been fun in this thread and there's been a host of great write ups with hopefully more to come, makes my choices feel pretty dang plain when it comes down to it, in any case I've narrowed things down and I feel like my list really reflects the games I played a lot during the time period itself more than anything else.
Lets kick things off.
1. Metroid Prime
Kenji Yamamotos score for Metroid Prime successfully breathes life into the alien world of Tallon IV with the electronic and synth heavy style within and is what Id consider his top work.
Theres a strong use of distorted sound and otherworldly noise to create ambient themes that lend a heavy dose of atmosphere to the decaying ruins within the planet and of course theres the origin of good old Yamamoto choir synth that is something of a series staple and even later made the jump into DKCR of all things. The sound and music combo also goes a way into defining environments, Space Pirate bases carry this uneasy air of electronic background noise that can transition perfectly into the Pirates battle theme, the toxic phazon substance that devastated the planet is accompanied by a rather chilling radioactive sound that puts the player on immediate notice as it crackles away (check the radiation theme)
The games title theme is often forgotten in light of its quick replacement by the memorable menu theme but take the time to wait around on the title screen and youre treated with a track that takes the original series title motif and slowly brings it around to the one that goes on and defines the Prime trilogy complete with some powerful booming effects that just feel so right.
Chozo Ruins isnt a strongly melodic piece by any stretch yet it leaves a memorable mark with the combo of percussive sounds and whistling effects, the theme slowly but surely builds upon itself later adding another layer that helps define a more notable melodic touch yet only slightly, one of the more funky atmosphere heavy pieces going.
Vs Thardus carries that icy phendrana drifts touch within when its not overrun by the forceful elements to carry the threat of the boss itself, that once almost serene piano element of the wintry scene takes on another type of chilling angle entirely.
Chozo Artifact Temple has a holy aura surrounding it largely thanks to the harp and choral elements emphasizing its hallowed Chozo grounds, before the loop the main title theme makes a distorted and warbling reprise.
And of course Tallon Overworld 2 is just the games defining track, an absolute classic and I'm sure it's been linked many times by now.
2. Shadow of the Colossus
SotC is a game that truly leveraged its sound design to compliment the action on screen. Capable of themes being quiet yet foreboding when stumbling across the domain of a colossi, ramping up into a much more drastic orchestration that sells the formidable grandeur of such beasts when the fight begins and lastly exploding into a triumphant and oh so empowering theme for when the player turns the tables in their favour.
Sometimes the best sound design in the game comes from just how silent it can be, traversing the barren forbidden land with nothing but the howling winds and galloping of your horse, it really hits home the isolated and empty feeling that the landscape itself embodies. This helps make the music that much more effective when it returns to the scene, effectively building mystery as you stumble into some ruins following the light of your sword and are met with Sign of the Colossus which lets you know that youre on the right track.
A powerful display of orchestrated music, some of the very best in any game Ive ever played as well as tapping into some more serene and pensive moments with short tracks to accompany the arrival at some particular ruins where a colossus looks to lie in wait.
A Despair Filled Farewell effectively tackles both sides of a colossus encounter, a mighty theme that gives air to their spectacle and danger and later a hopeful empowering turn to support the player overcoming the colossus.
Its a powerful moment climbing to the top of a windswept tower, a storm brews and Demise of the Ritual hauntingly starts up to accompany the intimidating visual of the towering final colossus, its as if theres no victory lurking in this encounter, only sorrow.
The Sunlit Earth delivers an emotional end to the long journey with an almost festive celtic vibe, to think I only really made note of this when replaying the other week.
This may well be one of the most perfectly fitting soundtracks to a game and does a masterful job of placing you in its world, it genuinely gives me chills in game on occasion.
3. Super Smash Bros Melee
Before the days of quantity there was quality, Melees batch of Nintendo remixes carry an altogether more consistent tone bringing all the series together under a more orchestrated umbrella. It cant be understated just how gleeful this soundtrack was at the time, coming off the rather ho-hum horn sample spam of the N64 title there was suddenly a huge leap in sound quality. I often whine about the overuse of certain themes among Nintendo games but here even the usual suspects are at their best, 1-1 is merged seamlessly with 1-2, the Hyrule overworld theme never sounded more grand and youd be hard pressed to find a better version of DK Island Swing now complete with echoing gongs and jazzy stylings that shift between classy, chill, swinging and grand when appropriate.
Of course it wasnt just about the most well known themes, Melee took the time to draw from more obscure depths, in fact you could say Brinstar Depths *ahem* which mixes some retro touches in with the moody modern enhancements.
It also helped that the new themes whipped up for Melee itself were classics in their own right.
Funny side story, Dr Mario is basically in this game because someone really wanted his games music in so theres the effect a soundtrack can have I guess.
Melee would begin the trend of Mother/Earthbound getting consistently awesome remixes, cult status be damned because they tend to give the magic touch to this series. The default theme for the Onett stage simply titled Mother is a peppy mix of the NES games Being Friends track which slows into an almost moving rendition of Eight Melodies, being a late to the party PAL lander this is the track Ill always associate the series with. The stages alt track Pollyanna is just as strong and wonderfully upbeat, make love not smash guys.
Speaking of themes to associate a series with Marth was not a known name on Western Shores but boy did his theme makes you immediately take notice, the exuberant horns made Together We Ride an immediate hit but for me I was always waiting for that piano bridge signifying the arrival of the series main theme which is given a great choral boosted finish.
Taking a look at a Melee Original Break the Targets is a fast paced energetic track that busts out this spiffy piano bit like its electro ragtime or something, nothing else gets you pumped to smash targets faster.
Even among SSB4 and its 400 plus tracks the Melee remixes are still among the stand outs that have endured through time, as much as I love the stylistic variety and sheer choice the series has now part of me longs to go back to the basics where every song counted and was treated with lavish care.
4. Mother 3
Im sure some wizardry is afoot here, the smoothest sounding soundtrack youll hear emerging from the tinny old GBA and what Id consider the pinnacle of its musical output.
Its actually been quite some time since I played Mother 3 and I was unsure of where Id be slotting it on the list if at all, fortunately Axel Streams write up was like a bolt of recollection that swiftly transported me back to the past and sent me down a slew of links reminding me of the depths this rather large soundtrack traversed.
Mother 3s OST is capable of that enjoyably zany weirdness employed in Earthbound and then some, it takes some cues from the past and build upon it with its own style leading to a very complete soundtrack that hits all sort of moods the game requires, Ill always consider its usage of music within its final boss battle to really hit home the mixed messages within, cracking stuff.
Name These Children is what you could consider the complete rendition of Mother 3s Love theme which is effectively its main theme and it brings the emotion, Ive loved it since I first encountered it on the horrible New Pork City stage of SSB Brawl. Quick shout out to the ending theme which takes some series throwbacks and the love theme together in one wonderful stew.
Why stop with the naming when Fun Naming is such a pleasant bouncy track, the pinnacle of name entry themes? Quite possibly, it can just keep looping and Ill keep loving.
Something about the title And El Mariachi just amuses me and Im not entirely sure why, naming aside its a lot more than mariachi (if truly mariachi at all), especially towards the finish which is pretty smooth stuff, and yet, El Mariachi.
Intense guys is pretty intense guys, really though I love that intro, it helps me believe that they are indeed intense guys Im fighting.
Man I should really play this again at some point.
5. Sonic Adventure 2
SA2 has one of the most unusual melting pots of game music, the six playable characters are given defining music styles, while theres a healthy amount of wailing guitars that fit Sonic himself youll follow that up with the infamous raps of Knuckles, make the jump to the dark story and chill out to the smooth jazz stylings that accompany Rouge the Bat who nabbed a chao key to be transported post stage to the plinky plonky music of the Chao garden, weve got mood whiplash all over the place. With that in mind lets tackle one of each.
Keys the Ruin/Pyramid Cave is one of Sonics stage themes and Ive always viewed it like the theme for secret agent Sonic who of course still doesnt let go of the electric guitars because well its Sonic, cool stuff and I really dig the arguably jarring steel drums that pop up.
E.G.G.M.A.N the theme for Eggman in case you couldnt figure it out, its so dang cheesy but unforgettable, like I wouldnt consider Eggman the sort of character to have a vocal theme yet they made it work, hes got the master plan.
Im gonna go with On the Edge/Eternal Engine for Tails even if I'm more of a Mission Street guy, I feel this one is kinda underrated among the soundtrack, Tails tracks are similar to Sonics in tone but with a lighter touch, though this here is one of the more heavier Tails tracks to more fit his final stage, extra electronic emphasis I figure because SPACE.
Well here we go with my boy Knuckles and this is Aquatic Mine/Dive into the mellow, ah Knuckles tracks will always pull me in two directions, great instrumental side with some of the silliest rap lyrics going that give off the impression that Knuckles is narrating his own trip through a stage with rap. Oh but anyway this is some chill stuff and the lyrics drop off for a bit later on leaving the mellow minus the madness.
Rouge actually carries one of my favourite musical styles in the game with her stage themes, Bright Sound/Dry Lagoon serving as my favourite example, smooth jazzy music to kickback to with a lovely female vocal touch. It also links to that sneaky jewel thief trope with this music approach (especially notable in Im a Spy/Security Hall), I also love how the soundtrack is mostly full of rather in your face tracks and then Bright Sound is like the antithesis of it all.
Shadow well um, I guess White Forest is okay with its odd jungle yelping but honestly this guys tracks fall flat with me so screw it lets talk about Chao, specifically the awesomeness that is Chao Karate Battle. I actually brought this up earlier in the thread where I figured resident Chao hater Professor Beef might like what it represents yet only now do I remember that goodbye Chao is more up his street.
Also soundbite of the generation.
On the whole SA2 has a rather unconventional soundtrack, arguably it Pigeon holes itself more than the first game due to the way it handles music relating to characters yet thats also what makes it memorable even if its not always for the right reasons.
PS: Thats the way I like it/Metal Harbour is the king but I decided to show Pyramid Cave some love instead.
Well I can't squeeze the rest in without pulling off the daring double post, until then it's time to split until part 2 arrives shortly! *hint hint, nudge nudge, wink wink*
Disc read error
Lets kick things off.
1. Metroid Prime
Kenji Yamamotos score for Metroid Prime successfully breathes life into the alien world of Tallon IV with the electronic and synth heavy style within and is what Id consider his top work.
Theres a strong use of distorted sound and otherworldly noise to create ambient themes that lend a heavy dose of atmosphere to the decaying ruins within the planet and of course theres the origin of good old Yamamoto choir synth that is something of a series staple and even later made the jump into DKCR of all things. The sound and music combo also goes a way into defining environments, Space Pirate bases carry this uneasy air of electronic background noise that can transition perfectly into the Pirates battle theme, the toxic phazon substance that devastated the planet is accompanied by a rather chilling radioactive sound that puts the player on immediate notice as it crackles away (check the radiation theme)
The games title theme is often forgotten in light of its quick replacement by the memorable menu theme but take the time to wait around on the title screen and youre treated with a track that takes the original series title motif and slowly brings it around to the one that goes on and defines the Prime trilogy complete with some powerful booming effects that just feel so right.
Chozo Ruins isnt a strongly melodic piece by any stretch yet it leaves a memorable mark with the combo of percussive sounds and whistling effects, the theme slowly but surely builds upon itself later adding another layer that helps define a more notable melodic touch yet only slightly, one of the more funky atmosphere heavy pieces going.
Vs Thardus carries that icy phendrana drifts touch within when its not overrun by the forceful elements to carry the threat of the boss itself, that once almost serene piano element of the wintry scene takes on another type of chilling angle entirely.
Chozo Artifact Temple has a holy aura surrounding it largely thanks to the harp and choral elements emphasizing its hallowed Chozo grounds, before the loop the main title theme makes a distorted and warbling reprise.
And of course Tallon Overworld 2 is just the games defining track, an absolute classic and I'm sure it's been linked many times by now.
2. Shadow of the Colossus
SotC is a game that truly leveraged its sound design to compliment the action on screen. Capable of themes being quiet yet foreboding when stumbling across the domain of a colossi, ramping up into a much more drastic orchestration that sells the formidable grandeur of such beasts when the fight begins and lastly exploding into a triumphant and oh so empowering theme for when the player turns the tables in their favour.
Sometimes the best sound design in the game comes from just how silent it can be, traversing the barren forbidden land with nothing but the howling winds and galloping of your horse, it really hits home the isolated and empty feeling that the landscape itself embodies. This helps make the music that much more effective when it returns to the scene, effectively building mystery as you stumble into some ruins following the light of your sword and are met with Sign of the Colossus which lets you know that youre on the right track.
A powerful display of orchestrated music, some of the very best in any game Ive ever played as well as tapping into some more serene and pensive moments with short tracks to accompany the arrival at some particular ruins where a colossus looks to lie in wait.
A Despair Filled Farewell effectively tackles both sides of a colossus encounter, a mighty theme that gives air to their spectacle and danger and later a hopeful empowering turn to support the player overcoming the colossus.
Its a powerful moment climbing to the top of a windswept tower, a storm brews and Demise of the Ritual hauntingly starts up to accompany the intimidating visual of the towering final colossus, its as if theres no victory lurking in this encounter, only sorrow.
The Sunlit Earth delivers an emotional end to the long journey with an almost festive celtic vibe, to think I only really made note of this when replaying the other week.
This may well be one of the most perfectly fitting soundtracks to a game and does a masterful job of placing you in its world, it genuinely gives me chills in game on occasion.
3. Super Smash Bros Melee
Before the days of quantity there was quality, Melees batch of Nintendo remixes carry an altogether more consistent tone bringing all the series together under a more orchestrated umbrella. It cant be understated just how gleeful this soundtrack was at the time, coming off the rather ho-hum horn sample spam of the N64 title there was suddenly a huge leap in sound quality. I often whine about the overuse of certain themes among Nintendo games but here even the usual suspects are at their best, 1-1 is merged seamlessly with 1-2, the Hyrule overworld theme never sounded more grand and youd be hard pressed to find a better version of DK Island Swing now complete with echoing gongs and jazzy stylings that shift between classy, chill, swinging and grand when appropriate.
Of course it wasnt just about the most well known themes, Melee took the time to draw from more obscure depths, in fact you could say Brinstar Depths *ahem* which mixes some retro touches in with the moody modern enhancements.
It also helped that the new themes whipped up for Melee itself were classics in their own right.
Funny side story, Dr Mario is basically in this game because someone really wanted his games music in so theres the effect a soundtrack can have I guess.
Melee would begin the trend of Mother/Earthbound getting consistently awesome remixes, cult status be damned because they tend to give the magic touch to this series. The default theme for the Onett stage simply titled Mother is a peppy mix of the NES games Being Friends track which slows into an almost moving rendition of Eight Melodies, being a late to the party PAL lander this is the track Ill always associate the series with. The stages alt track Pollyanna is just as strong and wonderfully upbeat, make love not smash guys.
Speaking of themes to associate a series with Marth was not a known name on Western Shores but boy did his theme makes you immediately take notice, the exuberant horns made Together We Ride an immediate hit but for me I was always waiting for that piano bridge signifying the arrival of the series main theme which is given a great choral boosted finish.
Taking a look at a Melee Original Break the Targets is a fast paced energetic track that busts out this spiffy piano bit like its electro ragtime or something, nothing else gets you pumped to smash targets faster.
Even among SSB4 and its 400 plus tracks the Melee remixes are still among the stand outs that have endured through time, as much as I love the stylistic variety and sheer choice the series has now part of me longs to go back to the basics where every song counted and was treated with lavish care.
4. Mother 3
Im sure some wizardry is afoot here, the smoothest sounding soundtrack youll hear emerging from the tinny old GBA and what Id consider the pinnacle of its musical output.
Its actually been quite some time since I played Mother 3 and I was unsure of where Id be slotting it on the list if at all, fortunately Axel Streams write up was like a bolt of recollection that swiftly transported me back to the past and sent me down a slew of links reminding me of the depths this rather large soundtrack traversed.
Mother 3s OST is capable of that enjoyably zany weirdness employed in Earthbound and then some, it takes some cues from the past and build upon it with its own style leading to a very complete soundtrack that hits all sort of moods the game requires, Ill always consider its usage of music within its final boss battle to really hit home the mixed messages within, cracking stuff.
Name These Children is what you could consider the complete rendition of Mother 3s Love theme which is effectively its main theme and it brings the emotion, Ive loved it since I first encountered it on the horrible New Pork City stage of SSB Brawl. Quick shout out to the ending theme which takes some series throwbacks and the love theme together in one wonderful stew.
Why stop with the naming when Fun Naming is such a pleasant bouncy track, the pinnacle of name entry themes? Quite possibly, it can just keep looping and Ill keep loving.
Something about the title And El Mariachi just amuses me and Im not entirely sure why, naming aside its a lot more than mariachi (if truly mariachi at all), especially towards the finish which is pretty smooth stuff, and yet, El Mariachi.
Intense guys is pretty intense guys, really though I love that intro, it helps me believe that they are indeed intense guys Im fighting.
Man I should really play this again at some point.
5. Sonic Adventure 2
SA2 has one of the most unusual melting pots of game music, the six playable characters are given defining music styles, while theres a healthy amount of wailing guitars that fit Sonic himself youll follow that up with the infamous raps of Knuckles, make the jump to the dark story and chill out to the smooth jazz stylings that accompany Rouge the Bat who nabbed a chao key to be transported post stage to the plinky plonky music of the Chao garden, weve got mood whiplash all over the place. With that in mind lets tackle one of each.
Keys the Ruin/Pyramid Cave is one of Sonics stage themes and Ive always viewed it like the theme for secret agent Sonic who of course still doesnt let go of the electric guitars because well its Sonic, cool stuff and I really dig the arguably jarring steel drums that pop up.
E.G.G.M.A.N the theme for Eggman in case you couldnt figure it out, its so dang cheesy but unforgettable, like I wouldnt consider Eggman the sort of character to have a vocal theme yet they made it work, hes got the master plan.
Im gonna go with On the Edge/Eternal Engine for Tails even if I'm more of a Mission Street guy, I feel this one is kinda underrated among the soundtrack, Tails tracks are similar to Sonics in tone but with a lighter touch, though this here is one of the more heavier Tails tracks to more fit his final stage, extra electronic emphasis I figure because SPACE.
Well here we go with my boy Knuckles and this is Aquatic Mine/Dive into the mellow, ah Knuckles tracks will always pull me in two directions, great instrumental side with some of the silliest rap lyrics going that give off the impression that Knuckles is narrating his own trip through a stage with rap. Oh but anyway this is some chill stuff and the lyrics drop off for a bit later on leaving the mellow minus the madness.
Rouge actually carries one of my favourite musical styles in the game with her stage themes, Bright Sound/Dry Lagoon serving as my favourite example, smooth jazzy music to kickback to with a lovely female vocal touch. It also links to that sneaky jewel thief trope with this music approach (especially notable in Im a Spy/Security Hall), I also love how the soundtrack is mostly full of rather in your face tracks and then Bright Sound is like the antithesis of it all.
Shadow well um, I guess White Forest is okay with its odd jungle yelping but honestly this guys tracks fall flat with me so screw it lets talk about Chao, specifically the awesomeness that is Chao Karate Battle. I actually brought this up earlier in the thread where I figured resident Chao hater Professor Beef might like what it represents yet only now do I remember that goodbye Chao is more up his street.
Also soundbite of the generation.
On the whole SA2 has a rather unconventional soundtrack, arguably it Pigeon holes itself more than the first game due to the way it handles music relating to characters yet thats also what makes it memorable even if its not always for the right reasons.
PS: Thats the way I like it/Metal Harbour is the king but I decided to show Pyramid Cave some love instead.
Well I can't squeeze the rest in without pulling off the daring double post, until then it's time to split until part 2 arrives shortly! *hint hint, nudge nudge, wink wink*
Disc read error
Nocturnowl
Member
Disc 2 has been read successfully, let us continue on with the trip down memory lane if you just so happened to take a turn down those mean Nintendo backstreets where shady merchants try to convince you of the worth of a GBA to GC link cable, well actually Fours Swords Adventures is pretty great, sidetracked, back to the list.
6. Donkey Kong Country 3 GBA
The GBA was no stranger to ports of various 16 bit titles, unfortunately the gain of portability came at the expense of sound quality with some ports suffering more than others, fortunately DKC3 sidestepped the butchery of its predecessors by whipping up a whole new soundtrack instead. This leads to an interesting contrast to the SNES original headed up by Eveline Fisher that prioritized stronger atmosphere while David Wise’s GBA take on things is altogether a bit more bouncier and lighter for both better and for worse but ultimately more fitting for the GBA’s sound output.
I bring up Cascade Capers on the regular here on GAF so of course here it comes again, It’s pure Wise, that powerful piano, that choir, my GBA never sounded so great.
Rockface Rumble takes a fun turn compared to the original, I almost liken it to “what if DKC tackled Sonic 2 Hill Top Zone” and then somewhere out there Dark Schala feels a disturbance and vomits I presume. Anyway we’re busting out some harmonicas and accordions for this one among other things, it would’ve fit well in Tropical Freeze’s Autumn Heights and in general fits in quite well with that soundtracks jollier stylings. This track features a recurring element of this soundtrack which is to have periods of environmental sound alone to create ambience, I tend to think this is more because it’s the GBA and we got to get that country ambiance in there somehow.
Nuts & Bolts is a funkier factory theme as well as an unusual outing for another Rare title but that’s another matter entirely. I still say Bonus Time here is the series best bonus room theme, so fun you’ll almost forgive the annoyance of grab 15 green banana challenges.
In a world where Star Fox Adventures samples aren’t so lacking it could’ve been the Wise OST of choice for this gen, somehow the GBA won out though, you could say it used the limitations to its advantage and sounds damn good for GBA while SFA sounded unfortunately lacking for the Gamecube.
But GBA Frosty Frolics is still a thing so this game ain't entirely in the clear either, GBA yodelling ain't great friends.
7. Timesplitters 2
One of the great positions TS2 finds itself in is the one where it can tackle all sorts of themes due to the variety of locales time travel can encompass be it single player campaign or multiplayer maps.
Much like how through its gameplay the spirit of N64 FPS titles Goldeneye and Perfect Dark lives on as to does it within the music whipped up by Graeme Norgate, or so you may think but the style jumps around so much that the OST ends up going far beyond that spirit. Sure Siberia has a very Goldeneye esque stage theme but then you’re having a multiplayer Big Top shootout accompanied by crazed and mischievous circus music so TS2 is very much its own musical beast when it comes down to it.
My stand out for this game will always be Notre Dame, gloomy Gregorian chanting with blatant nods to classical pieces like those of Mozart pulled off in such a way that younger me had fear residing in my heart heading up from the sewer and catacombs into the zombie infested Gothic Cathedral. Sinister and soulful in equal measure, ringing bells and church organs, the atmosphere is well and truly delivered.
Chicago brings the seedy noir feeling you’d expect from the prohibition period while Wild West provides an empowering YEEEHAW of a piece complete with all the Western clichés you can think of, really the whole cliché thing is just so much fun and embodies the goofy playfulness that rests at the games core.
Of course why stick to the past? 2019 draws ever closer and maybe NeoTokyo is a sign of things to come, traditional eastern instruments working with cyberpunk stylings and vocal effects. And for something just more to the point and electronically funky Return to Planet X is that one track everyone I played Multiplayer with got a kick out of making it a frequent choice.
Retro inspired goodness makes its unexpected arrival through Anaconda which is an easter egg retro minigame within the single player campaign, but better yet you can then use this catchy little number for multiplayer, this is the most hilarious theme you can possibly play virus to, jaunty fun times while the Snowman wails “I’m meeeelting” in the background wreathed in green flames.
8. Tales of Symphonia
My GC heavy past is evident throughout this list but especially so when I’m going for a GC RPG soundtrack over the arguably stronger options presented on the PS2 but see the thing is despite having a PS2 I really wasn’t one for RPG games. And this here is where Motoi Sakuraba gets to swoop in and take this vote with either Golden Sun or Tales of Symphonia which were effectively my entry level games in the genre in a more traditional style.
Golden Sun might actually be the stronger body of work but Symphonia had an uncanny grip on me back in the day, not enough to make the cut for my top 10 games of the generation these days but I’ll give it its due with the soundtrack which coming to think of it was one that really pushed me explore VGM that much more as well as JRPG games so there we go.
Standard JRPG fare in the Sakuraba style here, he never matched his output here within the series again, better sound samples be damned Symphonia still trumps his later Tales of work and while there appear to be other reasons afoot for this (the guy can still go after all) I can still fondly recall a host of themes that graced this game.
I remember not liking Dry Trail much at all at first but I guess you get time to love it in that blasted Gorge area, really relaxing and a touch ethereal, it graduated to being my favourite track in the game which is quite the jump from my original thoughts, good to know SupraDarky has my back.
Asgard is home to Town of Wind and Ruins, it’s rather bit melancholy and if I recall comes with some wind effects in game depending on proximity to the surrounding canyon. The town itself is one I really liked thematically as well.
The music box and later woodwind/flute/(I'm no good with instruments) of A Wood Carving Star hits a happy place for me, a pleasing event theme that could easily fall off the radar yet I always remember it.
End of a Thought is a pretty slick one off battle theme, I like how it’s all like BATTLE SHREDDING GUITARS and then sneaks in Krato’s character theme before slowing down entirely to make the complete transition to said theme now minus the initial ferocity, serious battle business is afoot.
Shame that playing the game tends to be a bit of a struggle for me these days but hey I got a good 5 or 6 runs out of it and some in multiplayer, the game lives on to me in my memory and its music.
9. Okami
Okami’s soundtrack is an interesting one for me, I always felt that much like the game itself I should like it more than I actually do, still when it shines it shines as bright as you’d expect from the sun goddess Amaterasu. Traditional Japanese instruments galore along with odd grunts because that’s a thing seemingly. It’s a truly vast soundtrack, I do find this creates a number of themes that fall short of the games stronger songs but it all fits the theme, you couldn’t ask for a more fitting soundtrack to accompany the brushstroked land of Nippon.
Ryoshima Coast is one of my absolute favourites tracks of the generation and in game music in general, it’s full of so much adventure, it just makes me want to roam the lands by the sea exploring all I can, absolutely fantastic track that encapsulates Okami for me. And as per field music here the second loop adds extra elements shifting it to a higher energy.
Waka’s theme is so serene for someone who spends a lot of the game acting like a condensing git to the player, it creates an interesting contrast none the less with his dialogue ma Cherie.
Nothern Country Kamui tackles the snowy area theme in that bleaker and more oppressive way as well as bringing a climactic endgame area feeling to the table, as do top hat donning twin robo owls.
10. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
Usually I’d steer clear of tackling the same series twice in a list like this let alone a similar sounding sequel but exceptions are being made.
Metroid Prime 2 doubles down on that extraterrestrial atmosphere building, as a result it’s not quite as immediately memorable which then in turn makes the more melodic stuff that much more notable.
The final phase of the Emperor Ing fight is one of my favourite final boss themes, kicking off with the snippet of the Prime series motif it then goes all in giving off that “this is it” feeling, no more forms to come and now it’s the true fight. The return of warbling distorted electronics at 1:20 really elevate this for me, this was touched upon in the first games Artifact temple track but here it really fits the situation that much more
Dark Samus’ battle theme has this almost alarm or siren like approach going throughout especially after half a minute or so, actually this element seems to be quite recurrent in Prime 2’s battle theme (mini boss theme as well for instance), it fits well due to the more dangerous and challenging battles this game presents among the trilogy.
The main multiplayer theme (yeah, there’s a really slapdash MP component in here, hooray for death balls and hacker visors) may sound familiar to series veterans, it is in fact a supercharged remix of Green Brinstar/Overgrown Brinstar from Super Metroid, now that much more high octane to more suitably fit awkwardly shooting each other in the face, really this track is probably more known from Smashing to in Brawl and SSB4. In any case it provides an interesting shift from its more brooding origins.
Really now I think about it Prime 2 tend to excel in its oppressive themes be it gloomy dark world ambience or boss themes, I tend to think Quadraxis has both points covered.
Honourable Mentions
Animal Crossing
No soundtrack from this generation quite hits the nostalgia point like the pleasingly pleasant themes that populated Animal Crossing. Those carefree days of roaming through my original town back when the whole concept was fresh, hearing the hourly themes has me recollect my town’s map almost startlingly well, it really was like a second home and short of setting up my Gamecube and stepping back into its now weed ridden depths I can just listen to the music to get my homecoming fix.
7AM, aka that time I just can’t deal with, safe to say I wouldn’t be stumbling across this theme much in game these days but back in the day this was sneaking in a morning town visit before School.
2 PM, the simplistic theme that will worm its way into ones head if you even spend 5 minutes roaming around town trying to find that damn penguin to give a package to, WHY AREN’T YOU AT HOME HOPPER?!
8PM, the theme that signifies the Saturday station sprint to see K.K Slider, the fact that I can relate these themes to events like this makes me a bit sad that the series doesn’t do nearly as much for me these days.
Castlevania: Curse of Darkness
My entire knowledge of this soundtrack comes heavily from what I’ve been linked to on GAF, it’s bloomin’ brilliant as I’d expect from a Yamane CV soundtrack, like list topping good. Alas (or perhaps mercifully) I haven’t played the game and I’m leaving this list to the stuff I have played.
Check Morrigan Stark or Kurtofan's lists for the goods or even quicker still Earthpainting just above me.
Bonus Round
Taking a leaf out of Frosteey’s book, Random Songs is a great way to throw in some of my favourites from soundtracks that couldn’t quite bring it all together for me and make the top 10. So here's yet MORE Gamcube, boy I hope Yuterald wasn't planning a trip down this street after his XBox coverage.
Star Fox Adventures: Shackled Snowhorn (Night)
The Wise-isms are strong with this one, I only wish SFA could keep up this level of goodness throughout.
Star Fox Assault: Space Battleground
More StarFox? you better believe it, if Assault wasn't so remix heavy it could squeeze into the main list (then why you got Melee in there I hear you cry? errr shush!). This track is legit, like my favourite track in the entire series, Assault's orchestration was rather brilliant.
Sonic Adventure: Azure Blue World
One of the best opening stage themes to a Sonic game and a favourite for me within the series in general , you can keep your city escape, I'll take this one any day.
Pikmin :View
The theme that has me linger on the map waaay longer than I need to, oh it’s just so nice. Pikmin has a pretty sweet soundtrack, the series still needs to stack up to this original outings music.
Super Mario Sunshine: Sky and Sea/The Book in the Bottle
Just the soothing theme you need for falling off the dang sand bird yet again.
The Legend of Zelda Wind Waker: Outset Island
There’s a dash of Kokiri Forest in this track though not quite as strong as the Kakariko Village/Windfall link so it stands out that much more as its own track, a lazy island life we have. For the record I don't count Twilight Princess here, that was Wii territory for me.
Castlevania Aria of Sorrow: Heart of Fire
This ain’t your father’s NES Heart of Fire, well actually it is eventually which is great but until then its this pumping battle theme. Held back for me by the GBA and the long transition section but Harmony of Despair fixed both those problems for me which was just grand.
Riiight, that's more than enough for anyone to bother listening to, my work here is done until I remember something that makes me think "bugger how did I forget that?!"
6. Donkey Kong Country 3 GBA
The GBA was no stranger to ports of various 16 bit titles, unfortunately the gain of portability came at the expense of sound quality with some ports suffering more than others, fortunately DKC3 sidestepped the butchery of its predecessors by whipping up a whole new soundtrack instead. This leads to an interesting contrast to the SNES original headed up by Eveline Fisher that prioritized stronger atmosphere while David Wise’s GBA take on things is altogether a bit more bouncier and lighter for both better and for worse but ultimately more fitting for the GBA’s sound output.
I bring up Cascade Capers on the regular here on GAF so of course here it comes again, It’s pure Wise, that powerful piano, that choir, my GBA never sounded so great.
Rockface Rumble takes a fun turn compared to the original, I almost liken it to “what if DKC tackled Sonic 2 Hill Top Zone” and then somewhere out there Dark Schala feels a disturbance and vomits I presume. Anyway we’re busting out some harmonicas and accordions for this one among other things, it would’ve fit well in Tropical Freeze’s Autumn Heights and in general fits in quite well with that soundtracks jollier stylings. This track features a recurring element of this soundtrack which is to have periods of environmental sound alone to create ambience, I tend to think this is more because it’s the GBA and we got to get that country ambiance in there somehow.
Nuts & Bolts is a funkier factory theme as well as an unusual outing for another Rare title but that’s another matter entirely. I still say Bonus Time here is the series best bonus room theme, so fun you’ll almost forgive the annoyance of grab 15 green banana challenges.
In a world where Star Fox Adventures samples aren’t so lacking it could’ve been the Wise OST of choice for this gen, somehow the GBA won out though, you could say it used the limitations to its advantage and sounds damn good for GBA while SFA sounded unfortunately lacking for the Gamecube.
But GBA Frosty Frolics is still a thing so this game ain't entirely in the clear either, GBA yodelling ain't great friends.
7. Timesplitters 2
One of the great positions TS2 finds itself in is the one where it can tackle all sorts of themes due to the variety of locales time travel can encompass be it single player campaign or multiplayer maps.
Much like how through its gameplay the spirit of N64 FPS titles Goldeneye and Perfect Dark lives on as to does it within the music whipped up by Graeme Norgate, or so you may think but the style jumps around so much that the OST ends up going far beyond that spirit. Sure Siberia has a very Goldeneye esque stage theme but then you’re having a multiplayer Big Top shootout accompanied by crazed and mischievous circus music so TS2 is very much its own musical beast when it comes down to it.
My stand out for this game will always be Notre Dame, gloomy Gregorian chanting with blatant nods to classical pieces like those of Mozart pulled off in such a way that younger me had fear residing in my heart heading up from the sewer and catacombs into the zombie infested Gothic Cathedral. Sinister and soulful in equal measure, ringing bells and church organs, the atmosphere is well and truly delivered.
Chicago brings the seedy noir feeling you’d expect from the prohibition period while Wild West provides an empowering YEEEHAW of a piece complete with all the Western clichés you can think of, really the whole cliché thing is just so much fun and embodies the goofy playfulness that rests at the games core.
Of course why stick to the past? 2019 draws ever closer and maybe NeoTokyo is a sign of things to come, traditional eastern instruments working with cyberpunk stylings and vocal effects. And for something just more to the point and electronically funky Return to Planet X is that one track everyone I played Multiplayer with got a kick out of making it a frequent choice.
Retro inspired goodness makes its unexpected arrival through Anaconda which is an easter egg retro minigame within the single player campaign, but better yet you can then use this catchy little number for multiplayer, this is the most hilarious theme you can possibly play virus to, jaunty fun times while the Snowman wails “I’m meeeelting” in the background wreathed in green flames.
8. Tales of Symphonia
My GC heavy past is evident throughout this list but especially so when I’m going for a GC RPG soundtrack over the arguably stronger options presented on the PS2 but see the thing is despite having a PS2 I really wasn’t one for RPG games. And this here is where Motoi Sakuraba gets to swoop in and take this vote with either Golden Sun or Tales of Symphonia which were effectively my entry level games in the genre in a more traditional style.
Golden Sun might actually be the stronger body of work but Symphonia had an uncanny grip on me back in the day, not enough to make the cut for my top 10 games of the generation these days but I’ll give it its due with the soundtrack which coming to think of it was one that really pushed me explore VGM that much more as well as JRPG games so there we go.
Standard JRPG fare in the Sakuraba style here, he never matched his output here within the series again, better sound samples be damned Symphonia still trumps his later Tales of work and while there appear to be other reasons afoot for this (the guy can still go after all) I can still fondly recall a host of themes that graced this game.
I remember not liking Dry Trail much at all at first but I guess you get time to love it in that blasted Gorge area, really relaxing and a touch ethereal, it graduated to being my favourite track in the game which is quite the jump from my original thoughts, good to know SupraDarky has my back.
Asgard is home to Town of Wind and Ruins, it’s rather bit melancholy and if I recall comes with some wind effects in game depending on proximity to the surrounding canyon. The town itself is one I really liked thematically as well.
The music box and later woodwind/flute/(I'm no good with instruments) of A Wood Carving Star hits a happy place for me, a pleasing event theme that could easily fall off the radar yet I always remember it.
End of a Thought is a pretty slick one off battle theme, I like how it’s all like BATTLE SHREDDING GUITARS and then sneaks in Krato’s character theme before slowing down entirely to make the complete transition to said theme now minus the initial ferocity, serious battle business is afoot.
Shame that playing the game tends to be a bit of a struggle for me these days but hey I got a good 5 or 6 runs out of it and some in multiplayer, the game lives on to me in my memory and its music.
9. Okami
Okami’s soundtrack is an interesting one for me, I always felt that much like the game itself I should like it more than I actually do, still when it shines it shines as bright as you’d expect from the sun goddess Amaterasu. Traditional Japanese instruments galore along with odd grunts because that’s a thing seemingly. It’s a truly vast soundtrack, I do find this creates a number of themes that fall short of the games stronger songs but it all fits the theme, you couldn’t ask for a more fitting soundtrack to accompany the brushstroked land of Nippon.
Ryoshima Coast is one of my absolute favourites tracks of the generation and in game music in general, it’s full of so much adventure, it just makes me want to roam the lands by the sea exploring all I can, absolutely fantastic track that encapsulates Okami for me. And as per field music here the second loop adds extra elements shifting it to a higher energy.
Waka’s theme is so serene for someone who spends a lot of the game acting like a condensing git to the player, it creates an interesting contrast none the less with his dialogue ma Cherie.
Nothern Country Kamui tackles the snowy area theme in that bleaker and more oppressive way as well as bringing a climactic endgame area feeling to the table, as do top hat donning twin robo owls.
10. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
Usually I’d steer clear of tackling the same series twice in a list like this let alone a similar sounding sequel but exceptions are being made.
Metroid Prime 2 doubles down on that extraterrestrial atmosphere building, as a result it’s not quite as immediately memorable which then in turn makes the more melodic stuff that much more notable.
The final phase of the Emperor Ing fight is one of my favourite final boss themes, kicking off with the snippet of the Prime series motif it then goes all in giving off that “this is it” feeling, no more forms to come and now it’s the true fight. The return of warbling distorted electronics at 1:20 really elevate this for me, this was touched upon in the first games Artifact temple track but here it really fits the situation that much more
Dark Samus’ battle theme has this almost alarm or siren like approach going throughout especially after half a minute or so, actually this element seems to be quite recurrent in Prime 2’s battle theme (mini boss theme as well for instance), it fits well due to the more dangerous and challenging battles this game presents among the trilogy.
The main multiplayer theme (yeah, there’s a really slapdash MP component in here, hooray for death balls and hacker visors) may sound familiar to series veterans, it is in fact a supercharged remix of Green Brinstar/Overgrown Brinstar from Super Metroid, now that much more high octane to more suitably fit awkwardly shooting each other in the face, really this track is probably more known from Smashing to in Brawl and SSB4. In any case it provides an interesting shift from its more brooding origins.
Really now I think about it Prime 2 tend to excel in its oppressive themes be it gloomy dark world ambience or boss themes, I tend to think Quadraxis has both points covered.
Honourable Mentions
Animal Crossing
No soundtrack from this generation quite hits the nostalgia point like the pleasingly pleasant themes that populated Animal Crossing. Those carefree days of roaming through my original town back when the whole concept was fresh, hearing the hourly themes has me recollect my town’s map almost startlingly well, it really was like a second home and short of setting up my Gamecube and stepping back into its now weed ridden depths I can just listen to the music to get my homecoming fix.
7AM, aka that time I just can’t deal with, safe to say I wouldn’t be stumbling across this theme much in game these days but back in the day this was sneaking in a morning town visit before School.
2 PM, the simplistic theme that will worm its way into ones head if you even spend 5 minutes roaming around town trying to find that damn penguin to give a package to, WHY AREN’T YOU AT HOME HOPPER?!
8PM, the theme that signifies the Saturday station sprint to see K.K Slider, the fact that I can relate these themes to events like this makes me a bit sad that the series doesn’t do nearly as much for me these days.
Castlevania: Curse of Darkness
My entire knowledge of this soundtrack comes heavily from what I’ve been linked to on GAF, it’s bloomin’ brilliant as I’d expect from a Yamane CV soundtrack, like list topping good. Alas (or perhaps mercifully) I haven’t played the game and I’m leaving this list to the stuff I have played.
Check Morrigan Stark or Kurtofan's lists for the goods or even quicker still Earthpainting just above me.
Bonus Round
Taking a leaf out of Frosteey’s book, Random Songs is a great way to throw in some of my favourites from soundtracks that couldn’t quite bring it all together for me and make the top 10. So here's yet MORE Gamcube, boy I hope Yuterald wasn't planning a trip down this street after his XBox coverage.
Star Fox Adventures: Shackled Snowhorn (Night)
The Wise-isms are strong with this one, I only wish SFA could keep up this level of goodness throughout.
Star Fox Assault: Space Battleground
More StarFox? you better believe it, if Assault wasn't so remix heavy it could squeeze into the main list (then why you got Melee in there I hear you cry? errr shush!). This track is legit, like my favourite track in the entire series, Assault's orchestration was rather brilliant.
Sonic Adventure: Azure Blue World
One of the best opening stage themes to a Sonic game and a favourite for me within the series in general , you can keep your city escape, I'll take this one any day.
Pikmin :View
The theme that has me linger on the map waaay longer than I need to, oh it’s just so nice. Pikmin has a pretty sweet soundtrack, the series still needs to stack up to this original outings music.
Super Mario Sunshine: Sky and Sea/The Book in the Bottle
Just the soothing theme you need for falling off the dang sand bird yet again.
The Legend of Zelda Wind Waker: Outset Island
There’s a dash of Kokiri Forest in this track though not quite as strong as the Kakariko Village/Windfall link so it stands out that much more as its own track, a lazy island life we have. For the record I don't count Twilight Princess here, that was Wii territory for me.
Castlevania Aria of Sorrow: Heart of Fire
This ain’t your father’s NES Heart of Fire, well actually it is eventually which is great but until then its this pumping battle theme. Held back for me by the GBA and the long transition section but Harmony of Despair fixed both those problems for me which was just grand.
Riiight, that's more than enough for anyone to bother listening to, my work here is done until I remember something that makes me think "bugger how did I forget that?!"
SatelliteOfLove
Member
*compiles first draft of list*
Yo, y'all know that there was alot of damn fine JRPG soundtracks in gen 6?
Yo, y'all know that there was alot of damn fine JRPG soundtracks in gen 6?
1. Silent Hill 3 (playstation2);
ranks screen, dance with the night wind, end of small sanctuary.
2. Jet Set Radio (dreamcast);
recipe for the perfect afro, miller ball breakers, yappie feet.
3. Ico (playstation2);
castle in the mist, you were there, heal.
4. Sim City 4 (pc);
epicenter, without form, morning commute.
5. Soul Calibur (dreamcast);
worth dying for, kaleidoscope, the new legend.
6. Beyond good and Evil (gamecube);
home sweet home, thoughtful reflections, frame of mind.
7. Legacy of Kain Soul Reaver (dreamcast);
ozar midrashim, underworld, dumahim ruined ash city.
8. Shenmue (dreamcast);
a new journey, final harbor arrival, antiquity tree.
9. Splinter Cell Chaos Theory (xbox);
theme from battery, el cargo, lighthouse.
10. Half Life 2 (pc);
triage at dawn, particle ghost, escape array.
ranks screen, dance with the night wind, end of small sanctuary.
2. Jet Set Radio (dreamcast);
recipe for the perfect afro, miller ball breakers, yappie feet.
3. Ico (playstation2);
castle in the mist, you were there, heal.
4. Sim City 4 (pc);
epicenter, without form, morning commute.
5. Soul Calibur (dreamcast);
worth dying for, kaleidoscope, the new legend.
6. Beyond good and Evil (gamecube);
home sweet home, thoughtful reflections, frame of mind.
7. Legacy of Kain Soul Reaver (dreamcast);
ozar midrashim, underworld, dumahim ruined ash city.
8. Shenmue (dreamcast);
a new journey, final harbor arrival, antiquity tree.
9. Splinter Cell Chaos Theory (xbox);
theme from battery, el cargo, lighthouse.
10. Half Life 2 (pc);
triage at dawn, particle ghost, escape array.
Spinosaurus
Member
Choices are incredibly overwhelming. Unsure on the order and I definitely forgot some games. :V
1. Rhythm Tengoku
WISH, Bon Odori, Air Batter
2. Wario Land 4
Arabian Night, Toxic Landfill, Fiery Cavern
3. Metal Gear Solid 3
Snake Eater, Taking on the Shagohod, Battle in the Base
4. Warioware Inc. Mega Microgame$/Mega Party Games ('m unsure if they're counted separately since Mega Party Games is the exact same game with added multiplayer and of course, tracks)
Drifting Away, Four Seasons, Run! Men in Tights!
5. Persona 4
Long Way (Final Dungeon), Heaven, Heartbeat, Heartbreak
6. F-Zero GX
James McCloud, Emperor Breath, Outer Space
7. Warioware Twisted
Wario De Mambo, Dribbles & Spitz, Jimmy's Night
8. Advance Wars
Sami, Sturm, Max
9. Persona 3
Mass Destruction, When The Moon's Reaching Out Stars, Unavoidable Battle
10. Mother 3
Mom's Hometown, Monkey's Delivery Service, Cumbersome Guys
EDIT: Wow, 6 of these are on GBA. :xxxxxx
1. Rhythm Tengoku
WISH, Bon Odori, Air Batter
2. Wario Land 4
Arabian Night, Toxic Landfill, Fiery Cavern
3. Metal Gear Solid 3
Snake Eater, Taking on the Shagohod, Battle in the Base
4. Warioware Inc. Mega Microgame$/Mega Party Games ('m unsure if they're counted separately since Mega Party Games is the exact same game with added multiplayer and of course, tracks)
Drifting Away, Four Seasons, Run! Men in Tights!
5. Persona 4
Long Way (Final Dungeon), Heaven, Heartbeat, Heartbreak
6. F-Zero GX
James McCloud, Emperor Breath, Outer Space
7. Warioware Twisted
Wario De Mambo, Dribbles & Spitz, Jimmy's Night
8. Advance Wars
Sami, Sturm, Max
9. Persona 3
Mass Destruction, When The Moon's Reaching Out Stars, Unavoidable Battle
10. Mother 3
Mom's Hometown, Monkey's Delivery Service, Cumbersome Guys
EDIT: Wow, 6 of these are on GBA. :xxxxxx
astrogamer
Member
1. Sonic Adventure 2
In addition to the cheesy character themes, there are some really solid Sonic tunes. The Sonic/Shadow music like Metal Harbor and Radical Highway are really solid.
2. Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles
Just a great set of music. The opening song just sticks in my head.
3. Custom Robo
Lost World
Echoes of Youth
4. Star Fox: Assault
Although short, Star Fox: Assault had quite the soundtrack, great remixes like Star Wolf as well as good original ones
5. Pokemon XD: Gales of Darkness
Most significantly here for Miror B.'s battle theme but pretty much all the music was fantastic
6. Mario Kart: Double Dash
Probably the best Mario Kart soundtracks save for 8. The battle mode theme helped make it fun several hours. Pretty much all the tracks are great
7. Super Smash Bros. Melee
The lower rank is mainly because it relies so heavily on remixes. Not the best Smash soundtrack but it is great nevertheless
8. Rogue Galaxy
I played this only a couple years back so, it's probably my most remembered PS2 OST. While there isn't really stuff you listen while jogging, it has some good ambient tracks that help with progressing through the bland dungeons
9. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
In addition to the cheesy character themes, there are some really solid Sonic tunes. The Sonic/Shadow music like Metal Harbor and Radical Highway are really solid.
2. Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles
Just a great set of music. The opening song just sticks in my head.
3. Custom Robo
Lost World
Echoes of Youth
4. Star Fox: Assault
Although short, Star Fox: Assault had quite the soundtrack, great remixes like Star Wolf as well as good original ones
5. Pokemon XD: Gales of Darkness
Most significantly here for Miror B.'s battle theme but pretty much all the music was fantastic
6. Mario Kart: Double Dash
Probably the best Mario Kart soundtracks save for 8. The battle mode theme helped make it fun several hours. Pretty much all the tracks are great
7. Super Smash Bros. Melee
The lower rank is mainly because it relies so heavily on remixes. Not the best Smash soundtrack but it is great nevertheless
8. Rogue Galaxy
I played this only a couple years back so, it's probably my most remembered PS2 OST. While there isn't really stuff you listen while jogging, it has some good ambient tracks that help with progressing through the bland dungeons
9. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
The Xtortionist
Member
Great list. I'm contemplating making one myself, but the amount of choices is a bit overwhelming. Metroid Prime would also be my number one with Echoes not far behind. Agreed on DKC3 GBA as well. Though, I find SA2's soundtrack lacking compared to SA1's. SA2 probably has more variety, but the guitars just sound neutered to me. Listening to SA1's guitar tracks is like getting my ears shredded into, which I love. The increased amount of horn-driven tracks in SA1 also speak to me a bit more (picking Hot Shelter tracks for both of those was just a coincidence, trust me).
Dark Schala
Eloquent Princess
I am so darn impressed with a lot of the lists posted so far. Lots of great stylistic variety all around, so it's great to go through and listen to some of the material again. A lot of the not-often mentioned soundtracks are nice to see, too. I figured we'd get some lists like that in this thread and it's very nice to see.
Currently working on the archive and I was thinking... when I was younger, I ripped most of my CDs to my computer and ended up backing them up on an external hard drive later on. Pulled out that hard drive today and started listening to stuff. I was talking to Jucksalbe about it this afternoon, but every time I listen to a soundtrack, I just want to go back to play the game again. I keep getting distracted by those thoughts!
I really enjoy the random songs additions that some people appended to their posts, too. Some of them remind me of this old thread that got me looking forward to VGM discussions on GAF when I was still kind of a newbie here. If you want to do that, just do it. I'm enjoying reading the posts more than anything else.
I also figured out, during a small exchange with Aeana, that... well, I did complain that I barely played/heard anything from this generation, and that's absolutely untrue. I was trying to compile a list of games I liked from this gen (and similarly trying to compile a shortlist of soundtracks from this particular generation), and it was super-freaking hard. I actually played a lot of different genres on 8-9 different platforms but while a lot of them were after the generation, I still actually experienced them. So I did play a lot! That's kind of a good thing, albeit frustrating that it's hard to narrow a list of ten + honourable mentions down, haha.
I ended up listening to the FFX Piano Collections and Shadow Hearts Near Death Experience arranged album today, and those are two of the best arranged albums of that generation to me. One's one of the best/most consistent piano albums in the entire Final Fantasy Piano Collection catalogue and one of the Hamauzu's best albums, and the other combines vocal, acoustic, and a lot of other different thematic components to turn music that would befit a horror RPG or a slower-paced battle system into something fairly relaxing. The experience made me genuinely miss Yoshitaka Hirota in composition and wish he'd do more than arrange/perform these days.
Revisiting this era is kinda fun!
Currently working on the archive and I was thinking... when I was younger, I ripped most of my CDs to my computer and ended up backing them up on an external hard drive later on. Pulled out that hard drive today and started listening to stuff. I was talking to Jucksalbe about it this afternoon, but every time I listen to a soundtrack, I just want to go back to play the game again. I keep getting distracted by those thoughts!
I really enjoy the random songs additions that some people appended to their posts, too. Some of them remind me of this old thread that got me looking forward to VGM discussions on GAF when I was still kind of a newbie here. If you want to do that, just do it. I'm enjoying reading the posts more than anything else.
I also figured out, during a small exchange with Aeana, that... well, I did complain that I barely played/heard anything from this generation, and that's absolutely untrue. I was trying to compile a list of games I liked from this gen (and similarly trying to compile a shortlist of soundtracks from this particular generation), and it was super-freaking hard. I actually played a lot of different genres on 8-9 different platforms but while a lot of them were after the generation, I still actually experienced them. So I did play a lot! That's kind of a good thing, albeit frustrating that it's hard to narrow a list of ten + honourable mentions down, haha.
I ended up listening to the FFX Piano Collections and Shadow Hearts Near Death Experience arranged album today, and those are two of the best arranged albums of that generation to me. One's one of the best/most consistent piano albums in the entire Final Fantasy Piano Collection catalogue and one of the Hamauzu's best albums, and the other combines vocal, acoustic, and a lot of other different thematic components to turn music that would befit a horror RPG or a slower-paced battle system into something fairly relaxing. The experience made me genuinely miss Yoshitaka Hirota in composition and wish he'd do more than arrange/perform these days.
Revisiting this era is kinda fun!
skLaFarebear
Member
I know it's mean to complain about that (and you probably don't even have that character on your keyboard), but it's "Böse". "Bose" makes me think of speakers.
I'm still catching up on this series (currently somewhere around the beginning of Xenosaga 2), so it's nice to see the soundtrack apparently improves quite a bit in the last game. I hope I'll get to that someday. Also, "sprach".
Super late, but yeah I noticed the "Böse" but didn't have a key for it and kind of got lazy.
However, I TOTALLY fucked up on the sprach. Fixed them both though.
And yes, it does get way better. Its entirely composed by Yuki Kajura and Takahashi was very strict on what songs were used and when they were used and it made for one of the best OSTs ever made.
Nocturnowl
Member
Really I'm surprised at myself for not preferring SA1, on paper it's hitting more of my preferences and as an aside it definitely has the best cheesy vocal character themes. I'd also consider it to have more variety on the whole.
Maybe it's because I played SA2 first and wins the memorability factor that way.
I'm going scanning back through the SA1 soundtrack and while I've already proclaimed my love for Azure Blue World there's some other treats in here...
Pleasure Castle/Twinkle Park
This track sounds like what you'd get if you took an old mega drive/genesis sonic special stage theme and blew it up into a more explosive full track.
Windy Hill/Windy Valley
Platforming arse platforming music, shame you'll never hear the superior second loop finale in game unless you're dawdling.
At Dawn/Speed Highway
I remember this theme always felt jarring as heck at first coming from the main speed highway theme, maybe that's why it works.
Theme of Gamma
I wonder how this theme would've gone had they tried to shoehorn character lyrics in? It's best not to think about it.
Okay, why don't I prefer this to SA2? it's kind of puzzling me.
Oh and I knew I'd forget something in my list, you could say my sole Amiibo of Ike stares at me with disappointment.
The Xtortionist
Member
Snowboard Theme
Red Mountain 2
Motherfuckin' Final Egg 2
SA1 has tracks that are downright ferocious. You'll come around ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Makoto Yuki
Banned
So far I have four: FFX, KH, P3, and Castlevania: DoS. I'm still sifting through games I played during that generation then looking up their OSTs. Things may shift around but I'm definitely feeling FFX as numero uno.
1. Persona 3 ; While I'd say I like the music of P3 and P4 about equally as much I'll admit I'm biased to the latter but, more importantly, I think Persona 3 has a greatly diverse, unique soundtrack that suits the game beautifully. Also one of the great last boss themes (Battle of Everyone's Souls) to rival Dancking Mad and It Has To Be This Way.
Mass Destruction
BURN MY DREAD
Iwatodia Station
Battle of Everyone's Souls
2. Final Fantasy X ; The last great Nobou Uematsu (the greatest composer gaming as ever seen) Final Fantasy epic may not be up there with his best but it is consistently beautiful. Really 'To Zanarkand' is enough to get on this list.
To Zanarkand
Seymour Battle Theme
Otherworld
3. Persona 4 ; Another beautifully realized set of songs from my second favorite game of all time. Can't say much except that they are great, dayum great and many give me the feels.
Reach out for the truth
I'll Face Myself
Heaven
4. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater ; Another tough choice was between Snake eater and Sons of Liberty but I think the more textured sound of MGS3 won out, if only for SNAKE EATER (DUN DUN DUNDUN). What a thrill...
Snake Eater
Battle in the Jungle
5. Shadow of the Colossus ; Orchestral, bombastic, iconic and fitting of such a massive, emotional epic.
The Opened Way
To the Ancient Land
6. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty ; The soundtrack to my favorite game of all time happens to have a soundtrack I really like. Full of suitably electronic beats and, in my opinion, the greatest rendition of one of gaming's greatest themes.
Main Theme
Yell Dead Cell
7. Final Fantasy XII ; Despite the lack of Uematsu Final Fantasy still knows how to do steller, diverse, atmospheric themes that still give me nostalgia and make the desire for FF12 Vita even greater.
Royal Capital Rabanastre
Boss Theme
BONUS: CLASH ON THE BIG BRIDGE
8. Dragon Quest 8: Journey of the Cursed King ; Another massive JRPG soundtrack (JRPGs are my thang) of wonderful whimsical tunes that were burned into my brain across a wonderful whimsical game.
Main Theme
Defeat the Enemy
9. Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne ; I like JRPGs ok? The wonders of the experimental stuff Shoji Meguro and team puts out is consistently brave and always pumping.
Normal Battle
10. Halo: Combat Evolved ; While to whole soundtrack is really good, it's that main theme that remains iconic.
Main Theme
Mass Destruction
BURN MY DREAD
Iwatodia Station
Battle of Everyone's Souls
2. Final Fantasy X ; The last great Nobou Uematsu (the greatest composer gaming as ever seen) Final Fantasy epic may not be up there with his best but it is consistently beautiful. Really 'To Zanarkand' is enough to get on this list.
To Zanarkand
Seymour Battle Theme
Otherworld
3. Persona 4 ; Another beautifully realized set of songs from my second favorite game of all time. Can't say much except that they are great, dayum great and many give me the feels.
Reach out for the truth
I'll Face Myself
Heaven
4. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater ; Another tough choice was between Snake eater and Sons of Liberty but I think the more textured sound of MGS3 won out, if only for SNAKE EATER (DUN DUN DUNDUN). What a thrill...
Snake Eater
Battle in the Jungle
5. Shadow of the Colossus ; Orchestral, bombastic, iconic and fitting of such a massive, emotional epic.
The Opened Way
To the Ancient Land
6. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty ; The soundtrack to my favorite game of all time happens to have a soundtrack I really like. Full of suitably electronic beats and, in my opinion, the greatest rendition of one of gaming's greatest themes.
Main Theme
Yell Dead Cell
7. Final Fantasy XII ; Despite the lack of Uematsu Final Fantasy still knows how to do steller, diverse, atmospheric themes that still give me nostalgia and make the desire for FF12 Vita even greater.
Royal Capital Rabanastre
Boss Theme
BONUS: CLASH ON THE BIG BRIDGE
8. Dragon Quest 8: Journey of the Cursed King ; Another massive JRPG soundtrack (JRPGs are my thang) of wonderful whimsical tunes that were burned into my brain across a wonderful whimsical game.
Main Theme
Defeat the Enemy
9. Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne ; I like JRPGs ok? The wonders of the experimental stuff Shoji Meguro and team puts out is consistently brave and always pumping.
Normal Battle
10. Halo: Combat Evolved ; While to whole soundtrack is really good, it's that main theme that remains iconic.
Main Theme
SatelliteOfLove
Member
Gen 6 started out a culmination of what had came before me in video gaming. Wide variety of genres, and anything that fell off was replaced by two other beloved things. Yet, by the end of it, it had gotten rather narrow, so this shows off with a very JRPG-heavy list. An EXCELLENT JRPG-heavy list.
A masterpiece game requires a masterpiece soundtrack. Blaring, soothing, unnerving, energetic, raw, melodic, mysterious, ambietic, and always excellent, this is Shoji Meguro awakening from an unknown with composing chops coming to grips with the format of game music writing to arguably the best in the business. Tasaki and Tsuchiya also bring the goddamn thunder with their tracks as always (why isn't Tsuchiya let do an entire OST? why why why?!?!)
The sheer variety is nearly without peer. The Conception puts you there, in the surreal moment of the world's cataclysmic passing from an average day in Tokyo to the Clarkian madhouse of the Vortex World, whereas Mystery puts the same "new normal" spin on conversations with demons and lost souls as they had been previously with humans as the gutted, wan-lit ruins of humanity are your new home.
Aggressively percussive Jazz for Hijiri's Theme? Triumphant screaming guitar for the World Map: Final Area? YES!
Having one game go from the ache-inducing melancholy of Yosuga and Rescue to the atonal, ferociously aggressive battle tracks of Boss Battle and Final Battle to the ominous sinisterness of Ikebukuro and Heretic Mansion: Curse and tracks like Town Battle where you get bits of some of the above all in one! Wonderous madness!
They're used so well; with that World Map: Last Area, you'll probably come into sight of the final dungeon right as the guitar kicks in. The heavily distorted Voice of the Legion vocals in the battle tracks have foreshadowing into plot happenings, and EVERYTHING oozes atmosphere.
2. Digital Devil Saga 1 ~ Shoji Meguro
A leaner, more focused outing for the newly minted Meguro, this one kept to a stronger narrative of Cool Jazz and NWOBM-domination. Fun fact about this one: there's a plot point about the mixing in this and in Digital Devil Saga 2's mixing. More of Atlus' theming brilliance.
The Jazz is strongest in the "town" themes that represent the bases of the various Tribes, with Svadhistana and especially crown jewel of the soundtrack's Manipura (that solo! that double percussion!)
Wondeful dungeon tracks in Sweet Home and Spider's String: Second Movement (with a few jazzy tracks like Hideout of the Chickens and River of Samsara in there as well). Mantra is definately on the shortlist of "best menu music" as well.
And check out these throwing-up-horns dual guitar attack boss fight music!
Hunting: Comrades
Hari-Hara
3. Breath of Fire V: Dragon Quarter ~ Hitoshi Sakimoto
Throwing off the accusations of "narrow" or "one-dimensional" (yet again), Sakimoto goes yard again with the grimy, raw, and "rustpunk" BOF V ost.
The dungeon themes are legendary; from the celebrated Electric Supply Building to the echoey factory sounds of Lift, to the shuffly breakdowns of Industrial Area to the nasty and haunting Waste Abondonment Area, you are put squarely on a razor's edge journey in a polluted, claustrophobic, and dangerous subterranean crapsack world and it is marvelous for it.
Great town themes!
Touching themes!
Epic battle themes!
A wonderful triumph.
4. Phantom Brave ~ Tenpei Sato
Easily. EASILY Tenpei Sato's finest work. It's crisp, daring, energetic, and sharp, and I can't for the life of me figure out why it doesn't get more love; the tone, the instrumentation, and the tension/release are magnificent. Sato's doing some high-wire brain surgery in these compositions and nailing everything with flying colors.
Oh man, the intros for these barttle themes are amazing:
The End of this Passionate Feeling
Eye of the Timer
The grooves of these battle themes are amazing:
Game Breaker
Sand Shower
Snowberry
And this is both tear-jerkingly beautiful and COMPLETELY over-written for the scenes it's in and marvelous for it: Flower Blossom Guide
5. Digital Devil Saga 2 ~ Shoji Meguro
The yang to DDS1's more grounded yin, it like the game works even better as a pair. Some really neat meta-motifing and theming in this you get with as you play it. Swank.
Raw, nasty, growling and howling dual guitar attack battle themes setting the scene for the desperate, degenerate eatin' people world: Epic Battle, Hunting: Betrayal
Karma City is a sublime town theme; alien and mysterious, while dungeon tracks like the reverby and groovy Occupied Sector and the oddly unsettling techno EGG Facility keep the tunes rocking on your seriously messed-up demon journey. Yay Megaten!
6. Final Fantasy X ~ Masashi Hamauzu, Junya Nakano, Nobuo Uematsu
With series stallwart Uematsu stepping aside, it's a very different OST than other FFs, but that means we get Hamauzu's sublime countermelodies and Nakano's lilting staccato jaunts. Good times.
Silence Before the Storm is really good scene-setting, as is the "immense" ambience of Wandering Flame and Macalania Woods, with Hamauzu going for a simpler, more desperate melodical structure for this action tracks such as Enemy Attack and Assault.
Good stuff, but the crown jewel of the OST is Seymour Battle, a relentlessly awesome Prog Metal boss fight track that screams "assbeating time".
A deliciously diverse OST that goes in some really "non-Falcom" directions and is excellent for it. Alot of great Jazz, Prog, and soothing Folk going on in here, helping to paint the kingdom of Liberl and the world of Trails wonderfully.
Byways of Departure brings that homey feeling to the Bright family abode, while the tasteful synth of Under the Moonlight is perfect for the many believable, meaningful conversations that take place at night in this game. Studio City of Zeiss has a wonderful cosmopolitan groove to it, and Steel Floor Blocking the Way does some dangerous shit starting off in a very harmonic disonance Prog start before settling into a series of wonderful melodies like a champ. I really dig the B3 groove of Leiston Fortress (it's my favorite on the OST), and Ancient Makes keeps the tension high during the latter part of the game.
8. Guilty Gear XX ~ Daisuke Ishiwatari
The first and only game on my list to not be a JRPG, we have the face melting, neck snapping, head banging, skull shattering Metal God Ishiwatari's riff-tastic 2002 rocker GG XX.
Throw up them horns! \m/ >_<
Pride and Glory
Holy Orders
Haven't You Got Eyes in Your Head?
A Solitude That Asks For Nothing In Return
Feel a Fear
The Original
9. Tales of Symphonia ~ Motoi Sakuraba, Whatever-Name-Shinji-Tamura-Is-Going-By-In-2003
Still to me the best Tales OST, ToS blends Sakuraba's Prog chops and Tamura's calm, flutey town themes excellently. Great variety, great tunes.
Town of Wind and Ruins is a great calming town theme, with Search a Seal: Sylvarant and Escape from the Enemy Base sit on polar opposites for dungeon themes. Great battle themes? You're soaking in them! Fatalize, The Law of Battle, Last Battle: Decision
A shockingly upbeat Megaten OST, and despite it's thick J-pop heritage, it manages to be both good and a favorite of mine. Such is Meguro's magic.
Heartbeat, Heartbreak gets the good cadence and good snappy time changes all good Pop needs to be good Pop, while Castle is just a great Industrial track. GAME and Secret Base are just about perfect for theming for the dungeons they accompany (remember: Meguro is best).
Then there's the climbs, drums, and screaming guitar in Al-FUCKING-mighty which is beyond amazing.
Later, I do the HMs. Alot of HMs. :O
1. Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne ~ Shoji Meguro, Kenichii Tsuchiya, Toshiko Tasaki
A masterpiece game requires a masterpiece soundtrack. Blaring, soothing, unnerving, energetic, raw, melodic, mysterious, ambietic, and always excellent, this is Shoji Meguro awakening from an unknown with composing chops coming to grips with the format of game music writing to arguably the best in the business. Tasaki and Tsuchiya also bring the goddamn thunder with their tracks as always (why isn't Tsuchiya let do an entire OST? why why why?!?!)
The sheer variety is nearly without peer. The Conception puts you there, in the surreal moment of the world's cataclysmic passing from an average day in Tokyo to the Clarkian madhouse of the Vortex World, whereas Mystery puts the same "new normal" spin on conversations with demons and lost souls as they had been previously with humans as the gutted, wan-lit ruins of humanity are your new home.
Aggressively percussive Jazz for Hijiri's Theme? Triumphant screaming guitar for the World Map: Final Area? YES!
Having one game go from the ache-inducing melancholy of Yosuga and Rescue to the atonal, ferociously aggressive battle tracks of Boss Battle and Final Battle to the ominous sinisterness of Ikebukuro and Heretic Mansion: Curse and tracks like Town Battle where you get bits of some of the above all in one! Wonderous madness!
They're used so well; with that World Map: Last Area, you'll probably come into sight of the final dungeon right as the guitar kicks in. The heavily distorted Voice of the Legion vocals in the battle tracks have foreshadowing into plot happenings, and EVERYTHING oozes atmosphere.
2. Digital Devil Saga 1 ~ Shoji Meguro
A leaner, more focused outing for the newly minted Meguro, this one kept to a stronger narrative of Cool Jazz and NWOBM-domination. Fun fact about this one: there's a plot point about the mixing in this and in Digital Devil Saga 2's mixing. More of Atlus' theming brilliance.
The Jazz is strongest in the "town" themes that represent the bases of the various Tribes, with Svadhistana and especially crown jewel of the soundtrack's Manipura (that solo! that double percussion!)
Wondeful dungeon tracks in Sweet Home and Spider's String: Second Movement (with a few jazzy tracks like Hideout of the Chickens and River of Samsara in there as well). Mantra is definately on the shortlist of "best menu music" as well.
And check out these throwing-up-horns dual guitar attack boss fight music!
Hunting: Comrades
Hari-Hara
3. Breath of Fire V: Dragon Quarter ~ Hitoshi Sakimoto
Throwing off the accusations of "narrow" or "one-dimensional" (yet again), Sakimoto goes yard again with the grimy, raw, and "rustpunk" BOF V ost.
The dungeon themes are legendary; from the celebrated Electric Supply Building to the echoey factory sounds of Lift, to the shuffly breakdowns of Industrial Area to the nasty and haunting Waste Abondonment Area, you are put squarely on a razor's edge journey in a polluted, claustrophobic, and dangerous subterranean crapsack world and it is marvelous for it.
Great town themes!
Touching themes!
Epic battle themes!
A wonderful triumph.
4. Phantom Brave ~ Tenpei Sato
Easily. EASILY Tenpei Sato's finest work. It's crisp, daring, energetic, and sharp, and I can't for the life of me figure out why it doesn't get more love; the tone, the instrumentation, and the tension/release are magnificent. Sato's doing some high-wire brain surgery in these compositions and nailing everything with flying colors.
Oh man, the intros for these barttle themes are amazing:
The End of this Passionate Feeling
Eye of the Timer
The grooves of these battle themes are amazing:
Game Breaker
Sand Shower
Snowberry
And this is both tear-jerkingly beautiful and COMPLETELY over-written for the scenes it's in and marvelous for it: Flower Blossom Guide
5. Digital Devil Saga 2 ~ Shoji Meguro
The yang to DDS1's more grounded yin, it like the game works even better as a pair. Some really neat meta-motifing and theming in this you get with as you play it. Swank.
Raw, nasty, growling and howling dual guitar attack battle themes setting the scene for the desperate, degenerate eatin' people world: Epic Battle, Hunting: Betrayal
Karma City is a sublime town theme; alien and mysterious, while dungeon tracks like the reverby and groovy Occupied Sector and the oddly unsettling techno EGG Facility keep the tunes rocking on your seriously messed-up demon journey. Yay Megaten!
6. Final Fantasy X ~ Masashi Hamauzu, Junya Nakano, Nobuo Uematsu
With series stallwart Uematsu stepping aside, it's a very different OST than other FFs, but that means we get Hamauzu's sublime countermelodies and Nakano's lilting staccato jaunts. Good times.
Silence Before the Storm is really good scene-setting, as is the "immense" ambience of Wandering Flame and Macalania Woods, with Hamauzu going for a simpler, more desperate melodical structure for this action tracks such as Enemy Attack and Assault.
Good stuff, but the crown jewel of the OST is Seymour Battle, a relentlessly awesome Prog Metal boss fight track that screams "assbeating time".
7. Trails in the Sky: First Chapter ~ Falcom soundteam_JDK (Hayato Sonoda, Wataru Ishibashi, Takahide Murayama)
A deliciously diverse OST that goes in some really "non-Falcom" directions and is excellent for it. Alot of great Jazz, Prog, and soothing Folk going on in here, helping to paint the kingdom of Liberl and the world of Trails wonderfully.
Byways of Departure brings that homey feeling to the Bright family abode, while the tasteful synth of Under the Moonlight is perfect for the many believable, meaningful conversations that take place at night in this game. Studio City of Zeiss has a wonderful cosmopolitan groove to it, and Steel Floor Blocking the Way does some dangerous shit starting off in a very harmonic disonance Prog start before settling into a series of wonderful melodies like a champ. I really dig the B3 groove of Leiston Fortress (it's my favorite on the OST), and Ancient Makes keeps the tension high during the latter part of the game.
8. Guilty Gear XX ~ Daisuke Ishiwatari
The first and only game on my list to not be a JRPG, we have the face melting, neck snapping, head banging, skull shattering Metal God Ishiwatari's riff-tastic 2002 rocker GG XX.
Throw up them horns! \m/ >_<
Pride and Glory
Holy Orders
Haven't You Got Eyes in Your Head?
A Solitude That Asks For Nothing In Return
Feel a Fear
The Original
9. Tales of Symphonia ~ Motoi Sakuraba, Whatever-Name-Shinji-Tamura-Is-Going-By-In-2003
Still to me the best Tales OST, ToS blends Sakuraba's Prog chops and Tamura's calm, flutey town themes excellently. Great variety, great tunes.
Town of Wind and Ruins is a great calming town theme, with Search a Seal: Sylvarant and Escape from the Enemy Base sit on polar opposites for dungeon themes. Great battle themes? You're soaking in them! Fatalize, The Law of Battle, Last Battle: Decision
10. Persona 4 ~ Shoji Meguro
A shockingly upbeat Megaten OST, and despite it's thick J-pop heritage, it manages to be both good and a favorite of mine. Such is Meguro's magic.
Heartbeat, Heartbreak gets the good cadence and good snappy time changes all good Pop needs to be good Pop, while Castle is just a great Industrial track. GAME and Secret Base are just about perfect for theming for the dungeons they accompany (remember: Meguro is best).
Then there's the climbs, drums, and screaming guitar in Al-FUCKING-mighty which is beyond amazing.
Later, I do the HMs. Alot of HMs. :O
I felt a little inspired so heres my mostly midbrow super boring list, not even remotely definitive, well thought out, or well-researched, basically just some obvious soundtracks off the dome that I felt like shouting out.
1. Dragon Quest 5 (PS2): Just trying to live up to what is apparently my sad repeat gimmick of voting OLD, even in an older gen thread I gotta be the jerk who picks something ineligibly ancient as #1. The truth though is that the version of the game from this generation is the only one with music that was orchestrated, and the result is very special. I say this as someone who loves the sound of Super Nintendo strings and isnt generally fond of overused symphonic sounds, but holy shit this soundtrack, this soundtrack. So gorgeous. Its the best case there is for separating the art from the artist, even with all the caveats above it finds its way to my top spot.
Is there another song that can match the delicate playfulness and warm sentiment in the Melody of Love? Just listen to that playful back and forth as each instrument sidles all gingerly against the next, telling a story that universally resonates. How about that classy baroque castle theme, feels like it contains all the history of a proud and storied past in just a few simple sequences. And for a sterling example of why the PS2 version is the only version of the game you should play, listen to the improvement in Tower of Death, where what was once a jokey record scratch distortion in the original now sounds like a sweeping romantic swell worthy of a first adventure. These are all arrangements that beg for you to set down your controller and maybe even AUDIBLY SIGH like I did, DQ5 PS2s OST is the best example thats coming to mind right now for why music makes classics, and thats why its my number 1.
2. Katamari Damacy: Universally beloved, everyone already knows why its so great. Its not just Cherry Blossom Color Season, every song on this thing makes me cry for some reason, I dunno, theres nothing better to listen to in the world I suppose.
3. Raidou 2: Of all the Megatens to choose from Im picking this one because its underpraised and incredible. Will Meguro every be able to nail it again the way he did with Adventure? The core of Raidou is running through the city, your cape fluttering, demon at your side, a lovingly rendered 20th century Japanese townscape. What you want in this kind of scene is the accomplished jazz of a soundtrack like this buoying you along. More games should aim to capture this feeling.
4. Panel de Pon Gamecube: Just more old game music. Tetris Attack is the probably the best videogame soundtrack, so inferior remixes of those songs are still good enough to make it on the list for this generation. Maybe these new versions are objectively better but hell if Id be able to tell considering the amount of time Ive spent with the originals. But from the very faithful Lunge Fish theme to the not the same song at all Raphael the Raven theme to the somewhere between the two Frog Theme, the original tracks are all unbeatable so the new versions are p. good too.
5. Unlimited SaGa: Saga Frontier 2 remains my personal Hamauzu favorite but this thing is no slouch. I love how theres a song called Sadness that doesnt sound sad. There are lovely little worlds of sound contained in deep cuts like Judy's Theme and Pathetique. All the densely layered musical ideas in the Journey Through Time and Space. This is just Hamauzu doing his thing at the top of his game.
6. Warioware Inc. takes the chintzy awfulness we associate with GBAs lack of a soundchip and turns it into a strength, repurposing Wario Land 4s sound design into a kind of dadaist masterpiece. Its important to not undersell the achievement of creating music for 5 second microgames that each fit perfectly, concisely evoking the right mood in exactly the right way each time. This game introduced me to the idea that you can build a whole world out of nothing with simple little jingles. Also this song makes this sequence one of the best in videogames.
7. Outrun 2: You know the drill. Even if I think all the new versions of the classic tracks are inferior to Outrun 1 that still makes this one of the best soundtracks of the generation. I also really wish I could vote for Wipeout 3.
8. Custom Robo: I just wanna give this a shout out after first hearing it in this thread, I was thinking about doing a little feature where I picked some of the coolest new soundtracks Id been introduced to from all the really good ballots but I got lazy. Shout out to Yuterald though! I am going to buy an Xbox partially cuz of you, cant wait to play the Otogi games.
BONUS SONG
Shin Megami Tensei 3: Fiend Theme
Lets finish this celebration of the old with a remixed track from the PSX version of a Super Famicom game, the iconic Shin Megami Tensei Fiend theme.
The Fiend Theme is so good. So good. The Fiend Theme is like, if you look up the word dread in the dictionary, Kazuma Kaneko will suddenly roll up next to you on a motorbike wearing a tracksuit and sunglasses and smack the dictionary out of your hand while holding a boombox thats playing the Fiend Theme and then ride off into a field of flowers and leave you standing there listening to the fading notes of the Fiend Theme as he disappears into the horizon and you wonder what just happened.
In conclusion, I really like the Fiend Theme and this generation had some really hot videogame music.
1. Dragon Quest 5 (PS2): Just trying to live up to what is apparently my sad repeat gimmick of voting OLD, even in an older gen thread I gotta be the jerk who picks something ineligibly ancient as #1. The truth though is that the version of the game from this generation is the only one with music that was orchestrated, and the result is very special. I say this as someone who loves the sound of Super Nintendo strings and isnt generally fond of overused symphonic sounds, but holy shit this soundtrack, this soundtrack. So gorgeous. Its the best case there is for separating the art from the artist, even with all the caveats above it finds its way to my top spot.
Is there another song that can match the delicate playfulness and warm sentiment in the Melody of Love? Just listen to that playful back and forth as each instrument sidles all gingerly against the next, telling a story that universally resonates. How about that classy baroque castle theme, feels like it contains all the history of a proud and storied past in just a few simple sequences. And for a sterling example of why the PS2 version is the only version of the game you should play, listen to the improvement in Tower of Death, where what was once a jokey record scratch distortion in the original now sounds like a sweeping romantic swell worthy of a first adventure. These are all arrangements that beg for you to set down your controller and maybe even AUDIBLY SIGH like I did, DQ5 PS2s OST is the best example thats coming to mind right now for why music makes classics, and thats why its my number 1.
2. Katamari Damacy: Universally beloved, everyone already knows why its so great. Its not just Cherry Blossom Color Season, every song on this thing makes me cry for some reason, I dunno, theres nothing better to listen to in the world I suppose.
3. Raidou 2: Of all the Megatens to choose from Im picking this one because its underpraised and incredible. Will Meguro every be able to nail it again the way he did with Adventure? The core of Raidou is running through the city, your cape fluttering, demon at your side, a lovingly rendered 20th century Japanese townscape. What you want in this kind of scene is the accomplished jazz of a soundtrack like this buoying you along. More games should aim to capture this feeling.
4. Panel de Pon Gamecube: Just more old game music. Tetris Attack is the probably the best videogame soundtrack, so inferior remixes of those songs are still good enough to make it on the list for this generation. Maybe these new versions are objectively better but hell if Id be able to tell considering the amount of time Ive spent with the originals. But from the very faithful Lunge Fish theme to the not the same song at all Raphael the Raven theme to the somewhere between the two Frog Theme, the original tracks are all unbeatable so the new versions are p. good too.
5. Unlimited SaGa: Saga Frontier 2 remains my personal Hamauzu favorite but this thing is no slouch. I love how theres a song called Sadness that doesnt sound sad. There are lovely little worlds of sound contained in deep cuts like Judy's Theme and Pathetique. All the densely layered musical ideas in the Journey Through Time and Space. This is just Hamauzu doing his thing at the top of his game.
6. Warioware Inc. takes the chintzy awfulness we associate with GBAs lack of a soundchip and turns it into a strength, repurposing Wario Land 4s sound design into a kind of dadaist masterpiece. Its important to not undersell the achievement of creating music for 5 second microgames that each fit perfectly, concisely evoking the right mood in exactly the right way each time. This game introduced me to the idea that you can build a whole world out of nothing with simple little jingles. Also this song makes this sequence one of the best in videogames.
7. Outrun 2: You know the drill. Even if I think all the new versions of the classic tracks are inferior to Outrun 1 that still makes this one of the best soundtracks of the generation. I also really wish I could vote for Wipeout 3.
8. Custom Robo: I just wanna give this a shout out after first hearing it in this thread, I was thinking about doing a little feature where I picked some of the coolest new soundtracks Id been introduced to from all the really good ballots but I got lazy. Shout out to Yuterald though! I am going to buy an Xbox partially cuz of you, cant wait to play the Otogi games.
BONUS SONG
Shin Megami Tensei 3: Fiend Theme
Lets finish this celebration of the old with a remixed track from the PSX version of a Super Famicom game, the iconic Shin Megami Tensei Fiend theme.
The Fiend Theme is so good. So good. The Fiend Theme is like, if you look up the word dread in the dictionary, Kazuma Kaneko will suddenly roll up next to you on a motorbike wearing a tracksuit and sunglasses and smack the dictionary out of your hand while holding a boombox thats playing the Fiend Theme and then ride off into a field of flowers and leave you standing there listening to the fading notes of the Fiend Theme as he disappears into the horizon and you wonder what just happened.
In conclusion, I really like the Fiend Theme and this generation had some really hot videogame music.
Dark Schala
Eloquent Princess
Just reminding people that you have until February 28th at 11:59 PM PST to vote-boat!
Also, if you guys and gals periodically check the first page, you'll notice that we've been periodically updating the soundtrack archive. I dunno if anyone looks at it (outside of Jucksalbe in the hopes that I get to Mana Khemia soon, haha), but it's an attempt to help people out in terms of what came out this gen. I had to eliminate some soundtracks that just don't seem to be up anywhere on the Internet (so mostly the arcade ones), so that kinda sucks!
Anyway! I'm really enjoying the "Bonus Song" entries the most. A lot of creativity is going into those parts of the posts, much like the regular writeups. The more imagery and allusion used for those posts, the better. Laughed at randomkid's, lol.
I really enjoy that DQ5 writeup because I've yet to play the game since PA took so long in getting it to me. Listening to the music makes me excited to start it up later this summer. Glad more people are mentioning Dragon Quarter, though. It's probably not a surprise that I enjoy Sakimoto's shmup stuff and waaay older stuff, but Dragon Quarter was a nice surprise.
So far, the vote is going the way I figured it would. The leads aren't really surprising, haha. Vote more, y'all! I'll come up with a vote, too.
Also, if you guys and gals periodically check the first page, you'll notice that we've been periodically updating the soundtrack archive. I dunno if anyone looks at it (outside of Jucksalbe in the hopes that I get to Mana Khemia soon, haha), but it's an attempt to help people out in terms of what came out this gen. I had to eliminate some soundtracks that just don't seem to be up anywhere on the Internet (so mostly the arcade ones), so that kinda sucks!
Anyway! I'm really enjoying the "Bonus Song" entries the most. A lot of creativity is going into those parts of the posts, much like the regular writeups. The more imagery and allusion used for those posts, the better. Laughed at randomkid's, lol.
I really enjoy that DQ5 writeup because I've yet to play the game since PA took so long in getting it to me. Listening to the music makes me excited to start it up later this summer. Glad more people are mentioning Dragon Quarter, though. It's probably not a surprise that I enjoy Sakimoto's shmup stuff and waaay older stuff, but Dragon Quarter was a nice surprise.
So far, the vote is going the way I figured it would. The leads aren't really surprising, haha. Vote more, y'all! I'll come up with a vote, too.
Yeah, and when you do, vote for Mana Khemia! Seems I'm the only one that voted for it so far, I don't want to be all alone.
SatelliteOfLove
Member
Yeah, and when you do, vote for Mana Khemia! Seems I'm the only one that voted for it so far, I don't want to be all alone.
I've been meaning to get around to that one as all praise of it paints it as something both I'd wanna play and as something good, so I've held off to listen in-situ. :\
Gotta get to my HM post, too; I guess tonight's good.
I don't think I can muster up the energy/willpower for too many more meaningful posts. I've had a second post/entry in-the-works for a few weeks now, but I just can't get myself to finish it. I'm just too busy with work (even more so this month than January) and I'm just too exhausted to write during the little time I have in the morning to myself (on a select few days during the week). I simply can't find the words that I'm looking for and I just don't want to dump links to some of my favorite tunes without saying anything worthwhile. January through late April/early May is rough time of the year for me in my line or work, so trying to contribute to something like this is tough. I also think this was all too soon for me after the last few "...of the year" threads, haha!
I'll see what I can do over the next week or so, but I may just fall through the cracks with this one. =/
I'll see what I can do over the next week or so, but I may just fall through the cracks with this one. =/
Dark Schala
Eloquent Princess
I kind of feel similarly since... well, February is midterms time and this part of the month, I get really busy. Not to mention I do other stuff, so I don't usually get a lot of time to myself. And when I actually do, I'd rather play games or something. That's why I suggested that if I do write a numbered list, it's not going to be flowery or expansive. Probably a paragraph or two per entry. How long those paragraphs'll be, I dunno!
Going through the archive (which I've updated again... without Mana Khemia lol), I think I've come up with a few soundtracks I like the most so I might start writing about it on the weekend when I'm not studying or something. There are a lot of shmup or fighting soundtracks I genuinely enjoy on there!
I completely understand being tuckered out, though. After GotY/SotY 2013, I felt like that and wasn't up to writing a lot or lengthy posts after that. I don't blame anyone who just feels a bit tired after that. Don't worry about it, Yuterald. Really~
Going through the archive (which I've updated again... without Mana Khemia lol), I think I've come up with a few soundtracks I like the most so I might start writing about it on the weekend when I'm not studying or something. There are a lot of shmup or fighting soundtracks I genuinely enjoy on there!
I completely understand being tuckered out, though. After GotY/SotY 2013, I felt like that and wasn't up to writing a lot or lengthy posts after that. I don't blame anyone who just feels a bit tired after that. Don't worry about it, Yuterald. Really~
I've got my top 10 nailed down (mostly), but now comes the time to actually listen to the soundtracks and pick the ones to put in the list. The thing is, I don't think I can stretch enough adjectives across 10 half-paragraphs and not come across as dry or same-y, so I think I might just do descriptions for the top 5 and leave the bottom 5 as links plus a brief description. Just dumping links isn't very useful.
Given the small number of votes, it's still better to do a vote with no or short comments than no vote at all.
I'm sorry, I just dumped my list (that was still a lot of work!), but if I had forced myself to write something about each entry, I'd probably not have voted. My GOTG vote was similarily short.
Dark Schala
Eloquent Princess
The reason why we have never made a "comment or else your vote will not be counted" rule in these soundtrack threads is because a lot of people have trouble describing how they feel about a certain track or a soundtrack overall, or they may not have a lot of things to say or don't know how to talk about the track in its context It would limit the amount of votes that the thread essentially gets which is definitely a bad thing. Thus we'll never make that aspect a definite rule.
That particular rule is okay for a game of the ____ thread because people have an easier time describing why they liked a game they played since there are many different facets of a game to be discussed, or they can describe something on an anecdotal level. Those threads also typically get a ton of posts so it isn't difficult to put that rule into effect.
So... basically what I'm trying to say is that to try not to let peer pressure get to you, even if I--or anyone else--say, "man these posts are great". I still read and go through all of the posts without comments because music selection tells me what you're into. Since I've known a few of you on GAF for years already I kinda have a feeling as to what you'll pick anyhow.
You could always hand in a vote and come back to edit in a comment at any time. I don't like when these threads are locked after the results threads are put up, and I'm going to try to keep it that way for folks who want to append a comment to their posts.
Edit: why do i always always get the last post of a page that's not coooooooooool
That particular rule is okay for a game of the ____ thread because people have an easier time describing why they liked a game they played since there are many different facets of a game to be discussed, or they can describe something on an anecdotal level. Those threads also typically get a ton of posts so it isn't difficult to put that rule into effect.
So... basically what I'm trying to say is that to try not to let peer pressure get to you, even if I--or anyone else--say, "man these posts are great". I still read and go through all of the posts without comments because music selection tells me what you're into. Since I've known a few of you on GAF for years already I kinda have a feeling as to what you'll pick anyhow.
You could always hand in a vote and come back to edit in a comment at any time. I don't like when these threads are locked after the results threads are put up, and I'm going to try to keep it that way for folks who want to append a comment to their posts.
Edit: why do i always always get the last post of a page that's not coooooooooool
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