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NeoGAF's Soundtracks of the 6th Generation (+PC/ARC 2000-2005) Voting Thread [over]
- Thread starter Dark Schala
- Start date
How the hell do you have the time to listen to all those soundtracks and write up a damn yearly roundup? I guess you have that tag for a reason...
===BEGIN LIST===
Preface
Music isnt really my strong suit. My background is a single semester in Music 101 in high school, and all I really did was mess with a keyboard and talk about U2. This is also my first time doing any sort of music-related list (boy this is gonna hurt). Theres probably a lot I got wrong, and Im horrible with identifying some instruments and placing genres. On top of that, Ive missed a lot of games during this generation, so Ive never been exposed to a lot of soundtracks, for example SMT3: Nocturne would probably make my list if I had played it. My honourable mentions list is damn short too, but it can't really be helped. I am particularly proud of my Persona 4 The Almighty description though
cant wait for someone to say Youre stupid and you know nothing! 
Self-imposed rules are one entry per series in the list, and music that wasnt composed for a game doesnt count (sorry Civilization 4).
Top Ten
10) Dynasty Warriors 5
Masato Koike, MASA, Kenji Nakajo, Yasuhiro Misawa, Michihiko Shichi
I bet you didn't expect Dynasty Warriors to end up on a list like this. Well, I'd like to say more about these tracks, but I don't really know how to go about that, besides that they're good. Of note, Lu Bu's Theme is probably the most well-known, since the title theme is usually his theme or a remix thereof for most of the entries in the series (and especially when you hear it during Hu Lao Gate map, oh boy don't take Lu Bu on unless you're grossly overleveled). Anyway I'm just going to present these without comment. If you dont want to listen to all of them, then I recommend just Swordsmen in the Plain and Superior.
YouTube Playlist
-----
Opening
Excalibur
Hi Dear
Smileless
Condensed
Moments of Peace
Memories
I bet you didn't expect Dynasty Warriors to end up on a list like this. Well, I'd like to say more about these tracks, but I don't really know how to go about that, besides that they're good. Of note, Lu Bu's Theme is probably the most well-known, since the title theme is usually his theme or a remix thereof for most of the entries in the series (and especially when you hear it during Hu Lao Gate map, oh boy don't take Lu Bu on unless you're grossly overleveled). Anyway I'm just going to present these without comment. If you dont want to listen to all of them, then I recommend just Swordsmen in the Plain and Superior.
YouTube Playlist
-----
Opening
Excalibur
Hi Dear
Smileless
Condensed
Moments of Peace
Memories
9) Metal Gear Solid 2
Harry Gregson-Williams, Norihiko Hibino, Nobuko Toda, Shuichi Kobori, Rika Muranaka
First, I gotta talk about the Main Theme. That track is heavily associated with this game, like it's its face or something, because I was riding that hype train hard back in 1999/2000. That was the time when I was watching the same trailers and teasers everyday so I naturally got exposed to the song over and over such that it's become the game's identity. It seems fitting however, the track goes through a lot of tonal shifts much like the game itself; a slow, low-key start explodes into something more frantic and energetic (because stealth missions have a propensity to turn into violent shootouts lol). Then there's the slower section towards the end of the track; it has a very patriotic vibe that gives off a feel of determination after getting knocked down. If they played a sound of Snake yelling in defiance at this point, it would fit perfectly (come to think of it, they probably did in a trailer).
Then to turn to something different, Yell Dead Cell, the music for members of Dead Cell. A weird piece of music, I can't really place its genre besides broadly saying electronica. Off the wall from the very start, it makes a strong first impression (whether that's a good thing is up to you), though it then settles into something more "normal". It's got these yells or yelps interspersed that very slightly disturbs you; it makes you wonder what's making that noise. Then there's blaring trumpets that pop up randomly. A piece that is just off, but it makes nonsensical sense as it plays when you're fighting either a crazy bomber on rollerskates, a guy who thinks he's a vampire and likes licking things, a lady who bends bullets and carries a railgun as big as her and uh... a harrier. Hmm.
YouTube Playlist
-----
Main Theme
Yell Dead Cell
Electronic Emma
Twilight Sniping
Infiltration
Fortune
First, I gotta talk about the Main Theme. That track is heavily associated with this game, like it's its face or something, because I was riding that hype train hard back in 1999/2000. That was the time when I was watching the same trailers and teasers everyday so I naturally got exposed to the song over and over such that it's become the game's identity. It seems fitting however, the track goes through a lot of tonal shifts much like the game itself; a slow, low-key start explodes into something more frantic and energetic (because stealth missions have a propensity to turn into violent shootouts lol). Then there's the slower section towards the end of the track; it has a very patriotic vibe that gives off a feel of determination after getting knocked down. If they played a sound of Snake yelling in defiance at this point, it would fit perfectly (come to think of it, they probably did in a trailer).
Then to turn to something different, Yell Dead Cell, the music for members of Dead Cell. A weird piece of music, I can't really place its genre besides broadly saying electronica. Off the wall from the very start, it makes a strong first impression (whether that's a good thing is up to you), though it then settles into something more "normal". It's got these yells or yelps interspersed that very slightly disturbs you; it makes you wonder what's making that noise. Then there's blaring trumpets that pop up randomly. A piece that is just off, but it makes nonsensical sense as it plays when you're fighting either a crazy bomber on rollerskates, a guy who thinks he's a vampire and likes licking things, a lady who bends bullets and carries a railgun as big as her and uh... a harrier. Hmm.
YouTube Playlist
-----
Main Theme
Yell Dead Cell
Electronic Emma
Twilight Sniping
Infiltration
Fortune
8) SimCity 4
Jerry Martin
What kind of music would a city simulator have? It's not the first question to come to mind when talking about these games. In lieu of an obvious answer, it seems Jerry Martin went for an eclectic soundtrack. There's a little bit of everything in here. Epicenter is perhaps the distillation of that eclecticness, featuring strong yet breathy female vocals performed amongst a backdrop of diverse instruments--violin, both hand drums and regular drums, either a flute or a panflute and I think a lute too, along with some electronic beats--gives this track an emphemeral air to it. I'm not sure as to what language the songstress is singing in, doesn't sound like any language I recognize so it could be Simmlish.
Night Owl is decidedly different from the other two. This funk-jazz track is more street-level compared to Epicenter's god-level vibe. This distinction is due to SimCity 4's two modes, God Mode where you can terraform and vegetate the land however you want, and Mayor Mode where you build up your cities in a logical and grounded fashion. You can probably guess which piece of music plays during which mode. This piece of music [Night Owl] is something you could potentially hear in a secluded club or bar, which is probably where the street-level association comes from. There's two seperate-ish parts to this track, the funk and the jazz. The jazz part is the one with reverberating saxophone, as if played in an empty auditorium; the funk part is everything else. These are contemporary sounds, sounds that a person nowadays are familiar with, and the composition is filled with human personality, grounding the piece and making it much more relatable than the distant and otherworldly Epicenter.
YouTube Playlist
-----
Epicenter
Electric City
Night Owl
Landfill
Street Sweeper
Oasis
What kind of music would a city simulator have? It's not the first question to come to mind when talking about these games. In lieu of an obvious answer, it seems Jerry Martin went for an eclectic soundtrack. There's a little bit of everything in here. Epicenter is perhaps the distillation of that eclecticness, featuring strong yet breathy female vocals performed amongst a backdrop of diverse instruments--violin, both hand drums and regular drums, either a flute or a panflute and I think a lute too, along with some electronic beats--gives this track an emphemeral air to it. I'm not sure as to what language the songstress is singing in, doesn't sound like any language I recognize so it could be Simmlish.
Night Owl is decidedly different from the other two. This funk-jazz track is more street-level compared to Epicenter's god-level vibe. This distinction is due to SimCity 4's two modes, God Mode where you can terraform and vegetate the land however you want, and Mayor Mode where you build up your cities in a logical and grounded fashion. You can probably guess which piece of music plays during which mode. This piece of music [Night Owl] is something you could potentially hear in a secluded club or bar, which is probably where the street-level association comes from. There's two seperate-ish parts to this track, the funk and the jazz. The jazz part is the one with reverberating saxophone, as if played in an empty auditorium; the funk part is everything else. These are contemporary sounds, sounds that a person nowadays are familiar with, and the composition is filled with human personality, grounding the piece and making it much more relatable than the distant and otherworldly Epicenter.
YouTube Playlist
-----
Epicenter
Electric City
Night Owl
Landfill
Street Sweeper
Oasis
7) The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
Kenta Nagata, Hajime Wakai, Toru Minegishi, Koji Kondo
Wind Waker is one of my favourite Zelda games, two or three spaces behind my GOAT Zelda Majora's Mask. Reason why is because I've played a lot of video games, I mean a lot. I played League of Legends all day when I should've been studying for my high school exams, but I digress. Because of that, I put a lot of value on novelty, new experiences. Wind Waker had the novelty of a vast ocean with sailing as the main traversal method, but paired with well executed gameplay befitting of a Zelda entry, and a considered overworld filled with secrets, dungeons, fantastical islands and lively towns. What an amazing, though sparse, world to explore. But enough about that, let's (failingly) talk about the music!
The first piece of music that a person would be exposed to would be the Title Theme, and WOW does it make an impression. It sounds folk-ish (though I've read that it's Irish inspired), what with the harp, the bodhrán and the recorder, all old-fashioned instruments, and evocative of friendly, close-knit communities and gaiety. Instantly a tone-setter, especially combined with the visuals of screen--a title splash with "The Legend of Zelda - The Wind Waker" along with this red boat--with the camera flying around Outset Island, giving a good look at the wide sea out there and showing how isolated this community is and its low level of civilization. Later on, the recorder gives way to the fiddle (I think it's a fiddle), a section full of energy and youthfulness. Those whove played the game know the importance of some of these instruments, and that just makes it even better; the band doesnt seem so faceless anymore. But yeah, Links a kid, an especially expressive kid compared to other Links complete with his own goofball personality, so to have the headline track be folk music similarly full of personality and warmth is perfect.
Shout outs to Wind Temple being one of the few tracks using a triple meter, gives that dungeon a strange atmosphere it does. Kind of as creepy as the Forest Temple in OOT.
YouTube Playlist
-----
Title Theme
Outset Island
Dragon Roost Island
Molgera
Wind Temple
Inside Forest Temple
Wind Waker is one of my favourite Zelda games, two or three spaces behind my GOAT Zelda Majora's Mask. Reason why is because I've played a lot of video games, I mean a lot. I played League of Legends all day when I should've been studying for my high school exams, but I digress. Because of that, I put a lot of value on novelty, new experiences. Wind Waker had the novelty of a vast ocean with sailing as the main traversal method, but paired with well executed gameplay befitting of a Zelda entry, and a considered overworld filled with secrets, dungeons, fantastical islands and lively towns. What an amazing, though sparse, world to explore. But enough about that, let's (failingly) talk about the music!
The first piece of music that a person would be exposed to would be the Title Theme, and WOW does it make an impression. It sounds folk-ish (though I've read that it's Irish inspired), what with the harp, the bodhrán and the recorder, all old-fashioned instruments, and evocative of friendly, close-knit communities and gaiety. Instantly a tone-setter, especially combined with the visuals of screen--a title splash with "The Legend of Zelda - The Wind Waker" along with this red boat--with the camera flying around Outset Island, giving a good look at the wide sea out there and showing how isolated this community is and its low level of civilization. Later on, the recorder gives way to the fiddle (I think it's a fiddle), a section full of energy and youthfulness. Those whove played the game know the importance of some of these instruments, and that just makes it even better; the band doesnt seem so faceless anymore. But yeah, Links a kid, an especially expressive kid compared to other Links complete with his own goofball personality, so to have the headline track be folk music similarly full of personality and warmth is perfect.
Shout outs to Wind Temple being one of the few tracks using a triple meter, gives that dungeon a strange atmosphere it does. Kind of as creepy as the Forest Temple in OOT.
YouTube Playlist
-----
Title Theme
Outset Island
Dragon Roost Island
Molgera
Wind Temple
Inside Forest Temple
6) Sonic Adventure 2 Battle
Jun Senoue, Kenichi Tokoi, Fumie Kumatani, Tomoya Ohtani
I played this game a touch more than a decade ago, when I was practically a baby. Back then I genuinely liked the music, then I started to dislike it (when I was entering my edgy phase :/), then I hated it, then I came around to liking it again, albeit ironically, and now the line between ironic love and unironic love have blurred immensely, but at least I like it, right? Anyway, my usual stance is that I prefer music without lyrics. Buuuuuut I make an exception for things that are really cheesy or outstanding (like Nier). Sonic Adventure 2 Battle is one of those cases (and another being Metal Gear Rising's soundtrack). I don't know why I have an affinity for cheesy lyrics, but I do so I might as well revel in it.
City Escape is such a good song for a first level (well, it could be first since you can select the Dark Side first). Its got a nice funky bassline, the vocalist has strong and high voice and the lyrics are so... naïvely optimistic? The fact that the vocalist can sing those words at full strength without cringing or faltering or laughing at how cheesy it is is quite a feat, I admire and like it for that very reason. Live and Learn has an edgier edge than City Escape. While it's instrumentation is fairly typical, it's the lyrics that really carry it deep into people's memories, even if it's just "LIVE AND LEARRRRRRRN! HANGING ON THE EDGE OF TOMORROW!", it's really appropriate for the time it plays (the final final boss) and it's got a kickin' guitar solo too.
I particularly like Knuckles' stage themes. I can't actually discern most of the lyrics, the instruments tend to overpower the vocals but I feel like it's a deliberate decision. The variety between the different Knuckles stages is not something I expected, considering his personality (somewhat dumb and bull-headed). Wild Canyon is hip-hop with what I think is a saxophone as the principle instrument, Aquatic Mine is hip hop + smooth jazz and it has a flute? Death Chamber is hip-hop with a bit of jazz and some electronica? What the hell even is Pumpkin Hill?
I can't place any of these tracks, but damn if they ain't catchy.
Whatever the quality of a Sonic game, the music is usually at least pretty good.
YouTube Playlist
-----
City Escape
Hidden Base
Wild Canyon
Pumpkin Hill
Aquatic Mine
Death Chamber
Meteor Head
Live and Learn
I played this game a touch more than a decade ago, when I was practically a baby. Back then I genuinely liked the music, then I started to dislike it (when I was entering my edgy phase :/), then I hated it, then I came around to liking it again, albeit ironically, and now the line between ironic love and unironic love have blurred immensely, but at least I like it, right? Anyway, my usual stance is that I prefer music without lyrics. Buuuuuut I make an exception for things that are really cheesy or outstanding (like Nier). Sonic Adventure 2 Battle is one of those cases (and another being Metal Gear Rising's soundtrack). I don't know why I have an affinity for cheesy lyrics, but I do so I might as well revel in it.
City Escape is such a good song for a first level (well, it could be first since you can select the Dark Side first). Its got a nice funky bassline, the vocalist has strong and high voice and the lyrics are so... naïvely optimistic? The fact that the vocalist can sing those words at full strength without cringing or faltering or laughing at how cheesy it is is quite a feat, I admire and like it for that very reason. Live and Learn has an edgier edge than City Escape. While it's instrumentation is fairly typical, it's the lyrics that really carry it deep into people's memories, even if it's just "LIVE AND LEARRRRRRRN! HANGING ON THE EDGE OF TOMORROW!", it's really appropriate for the time it plays (the final final boss) and it's got a kickin' guitar solo too.
I particularly like Knuckles' stage themes. I can't actually discern most of the lyrics, the instruments tend to overpower the vocals but I feel like it's a deliberate decision. The variety between the different Knuckles stages is not something I expected, considering his personality (somewhat dumb and bull-headed). Wild Canyon is hip-hop with what I think is a saxophone as the principle instrument, Aquatic Mine is hip hop + smooth jazz and it has a flute? Death Chamber is hip-hop with a bit of jazz and some electronica? What the hell even is Pumpkin Hill?
And why does the Great Emerald's power allow me to feel?
Whatever the quality of a Sonic game, the music is usually at least pretty good.
YouTube Playlist
-----
City Escape
Hidden Base
Wild Canyon
Pumpkin Hill
Aquatic Mine
Death Chamber
Meteor Head
Live and Learn
5) Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: Trials and Tribulations
Noriyuki Iwadare
A person with an Ace Attorney avatar should probably put and Ace Attorney game on their list, so here it is! Though I'm a bit worried whether my vocabulary can do it justice (pun not intended, honest!) but I'll give it a shot.
When Objection! plays, it signals the coming turnabout and the tearing of a witness statements. Its a tune that conveys a small victory Wright has achieved, new possibilities lead to an upbeat melody, opened up from uncovering a contradiction, and the sight of a non-guilty verdict becomes clearer. What else could the person at the podium be lying about? Wright needs all the victories he can get, sweating bullets cant be good for ones health. Objection! is a track where Wright is on the offensive, a reversal from always being on the defence, and to edge away from the cliff of defeat granting him some breathing room.
To switch things around, Godots theme; that man really loves his coffee, and his theme is just as bitter. A slow, smoky sax, it fills the air with its thick and lazy notes, accompanied by a piano section that prods at forgotten memories. A piece of sombre contemplation and regretful pasts; it gives off a noir atmosphere that makes those who hear it down and reflective.
I dont know what happened there, but hearing Godots theme just makes you want to belt out monologues, yknow? But there are plenty of good tracks throughout the entire game, it would behoove anyone who hasnt played an Ace Attorney game to start now (AA1 has pretty good music too).
YouTube Playlist (I think this is a GBA OST but I can't verify)
-----
Objection!
Pursuit - Caught (Variation)
Godot - The Fragrance of Dark Coffee
Cornered
Cross Examination
Reminiscence - Shadow on the Dusky Bridge
A person with an Ace Attorney avatar should probably put and Ace Attorney game on their list, so here it is! Though I'm a bit worried whether my vocabulary can do it justice (pun not intended, honest!) but I'll give it a shot.
When Objection! plays, it signals the coming turnabout and the tearing of a witness statements. Its a tune that conveys a small victory Wright has achieved, new possibilities lead to an upbeat melody, opened up from uncovering a contradiction, and the sight of a non-guilty verdict becomes clearer. What else could the person at the podium be lying about? Wright needs all the victories he can get, sweating bullets cant be good for ones health. Objection! is a track where Wright is on the offensive, a reversal from always being on the defence, and to edge away from the cliff of defeat granting him some breathing room.
To switch things around, Godots theme; that man really loves his coffee, and his theme is just as bitter. A slow, smoky sax, it fills the air with its thick and lazy notes, accompanied by a piano section that prods at forgotten memories. A piece of sombre contemplation and regretful pasts; it gives off a noir atmosphere that makes those who hear it down and reflective.
I dont know what happened there, but hearing Godots theme just makes you want to belt out monologues, yknow? But there are plenty of good tracks throughout the entire game, it would behoove anyone who hasnt played an Ace Attorney game to start now (AA1 has pretty good music too).
YouTube Playlist (I think this is a GBA OST but I can't verify)
-----
Objection!
Pursuit - Caught (Variation)
Godot - The Fragrance of Dark Coffee
Cornered
Cross Examination
Reminiscence - Shadow on the Dusky Bridge
4) Okami
Masami Ueda, Hiroshi Yamaguchi, Rei Kondoh, Akari Groves, JUN
This entry is going to be very difficult for me, much more so than other entries, mainly because of my ignorance of traditional Japanese instruments (the only two instruments I know are the koto and the shamisen). So unfortunately I will have to keep terms and names fairly vague or just outright say the wrong instrument for lack of a better descriptor. *sweat drop* But even I can tell that sticking strictly to traditional Japanese instruments is paramount to achieving the classical feel the game was aiming for.
For a game starring a god, you expect a lot of majestic scores and this game delivers in spades. Sweeping arrangements, swelling strings, complex many-sectioned pieces, it needs all those to properly convey the magnificence and status of a sun goddess. Heh, turns out shes actually a very grumpy pers-uh wolf. But still, Shinsuu Plains embodies a piece of that majesty. Never a dull moment, nor a stale one, this track has a lot of different melodies that rotates through at a fast pace. Some sections feature the appearance of a new instrument, and when its over is disregarded, which speaks to the kind of power the subject of this song has. Most of the open area music is very good (Ryoshima Coast, Kamui of the Northern Lands).
Rising Sun, a fitting end to that long and arduous journey of Amaterasu. The memories of the journey are reflected in small samples of previous music, as they are recalled one-by-one. This triumphant track makes the heart swell and the soul soar as the power of a god surges forth, its radiance piercing even the deepest of places. If that sounds too flowery, then youre right, but a little romanticism never hurt anyone.
YouTube Playlist
-----
Shinshuu Plains II
Ida Race
Wakas Promenade
Kushinadas Ride
Rising Sun
Kamui of the Northern Lands II
Ryoshima Coast II
This entry is going to be very difficult for me, much more so than other entries, mainly because of my ignorance of traditional Japanese instruments (the only two instruments I know are the koto and the shamisen). So unfortunately I will have to keep terms and names fairly vague or just outright say the wrong instrument for lack of a better descriptor. *sweat drop* But even I can tell that sticking strictly to traditional Japanese instruments is paramount to achieving the classical feel the game was aiming for.
For a game starring a god, you expect a lot of majestic scores and this game delivers in spades. Sweeping arrangements, swelling strings, complex many-sectioned pieces, it needs all those to properly convey the magnificence and status of a sun goddess. Heh, turns out shes actually a very grumpy pers-uh wolf. But still, Shinsuu Plains embodies a piece of that majesty. Never a dull moment, nor a stale one, this track has a lot of different melodies that rotates through at a fast pace. Some sections feature the appearance of a new instrument, and when its over is disregarded, which speaks to the kind of power the subject of this song has. Most of the open area music is very good (Ryoshima Coast, Kamui of the Northern Lands).
Rising Sun, a fitting end to that long and arduous journey of Amaterasu. The memories of the journey are reflected in small samples of previous music, as they are recalled one-by-one. This triumphant track makes the heart swell and the soul soar as the power of a god surges forth, its radiance piercing even the deepest of places. If that sounds too flowery, then youre right, but a little romanticism never hurt anyone.
YouTube Playlist
-----
Shinshuu Plains II
Ida Race
Wakas Promenade
Kushinadas Ride
Rising Sun
Kamui of the Northern Lands II
Ryoshima Coast II
3) Mother 3
2) Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4
1) Touhou Youyoumu ~ Perfect Cherry Blossom
Honourable Mentions
Because this post is getting a little long, Ill provide a single song with brief commentary for this section.
X) Morrowind -- Neravar Rising: A humble track for a legendary figure, solemn and sobering. I actually really dislike Skyrims remix on this track (as heard in the first Skyrim trailer), throwing an full orchestra at something isnt guaranteed to make it good.
X) Katamari Damacy Katamari on the Rocks ~ Main Theme: A respect mention, an aggressively quirky track, it refuses to be cleanly categorized as it wallows in its madness.
X) Touhou Koumakyou ~ Embodiment of Scarlet Devil - Septette for a Dead Princess (Remilias Theme): If I didnt have a 1 entry per series rule, this games OST would shoot into the upper echelons of the list, but Ill settle for this. Effortlessly commanding, hearing this makes me sit up and pay attention. Theres a sizable first section thats all rise, culminating in a short pause, then surging forth. Its enrapturing, mesmerizing. The entire encounter, from the background, the lead-up, the dialogue and the boss herself was a magical experience that beats even Bayonettas finale. Its just so fucking good. (Note: Not actually a septette)
X) Civilization 4 - Baba Yetu: A song that embodies and extolls the greatness of the human race (even though the lyrics itself is just a translation of the Lords Prayer, I find the musical elements transcends the meaning of those words). Theres a good reason why it won a Grammy.
X) Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater Snake Eater: A Bond-esque song. Its well-trodden ground so I won't offer a comment.
Shogo Sakai
Despite its colourful pixel art aesthetic, it is full of sadness and tragedy. The first indicator of the heavy themes this game carries is the bonfire scene early in the game. Already Lucas life is torn apart in the worst way. Geez, way to drop this after the wonderful intro, Itoi. You sure are good at making people cry.
Moms Hometown is a nice upbeat track that accompanies Lucas and Claus during their innocent and idyllic childhood, using a variety of synthesizers to produce some oddball and goofy sounds. The tone of the track is one that secrets away the dangers of the world, replacing it with harmless and fascinating things. Even the drago next door, with its fearsome stature, turns out to be a cuddly and friendly dinosaur; quite a deceptive front for whats about to come next. After a few listens, I noticed the background synthesizer producing what I assume is a backup beat to the main synthesizer, but its so funky it could be the theme song to an 70s sitcom. The main synthesizer employs a bit of vibrato, making it seem like muzak and assisting in its novel feel. The Mother series has a lot of tracks that sound like muzak, if my memory isnt being defective. A nice bit of foreshadowing, you can hear the engines of hovercrafts during the slower parts of the track, before it loops around.
Warm yet desolate. A strange pair of adjectives but its what I would use to describe Snowman. This track has a chilly feel to it, lots of ringing as if from a sleigh bells, or knocking the snow off a trees branches. The low tempo and deep bass has a warm and relaxing effect on me, but of the bad kind, the one that makes you want to curl up in the snow and meet your doom rather than trudging slowly through the deep snow to get to safe haven. The main synth echoes the freezing winds carrying through the winterland. This track is welcoming in its inhospitality.
This one (and the previous track, Snowman) is kind of cheating, as they have appeared in previous Mother games but whatevs. A track directly opposite to Snowman, A Certain Someones Memory is boundlessly optimistic. Its name in Mother 1 is Pollyanna, explaining why it is so. Starting off with some sleepy harmonized notes, it quickly breaks into steelpans (mostly used in Caribbean music), exuding a sunny disposition and backed by a drum set. The drums regularly punctuate the track providing a steady and simple beat. The bass is similarly as simple to highlight the bright melody of the keyboard. The first melody is like nice morning stroll down the street, sniffing flowers, bees buzzing and birds chirping, not a care in the world. The second is that trademark vibrato keyboard muzak that the series is known for; stopping the walk for a second, a conversation is struck up. After the chit-chat has ended, the track ends with a resolute melody. You just made a new friend!
Speaking of Pollyanna, my first exposure to it wasn't Mother 1, and neither was it Earthbound. It was actually Super Smash Brothers Melee. The Onett stage's alternate theme is Pollyanna and I fell in love with it the first time I heard it.
YouTube Playlist 1/2
YouTube Playlist 2/2
-----
Moms Hometown
Snowman
Luckys Room
Run, My Dog, Run!
Mind of a Thief
Unfounded Revenge
A Certain Someones Memory
Despite its colourful pixel art aesthetic, it is full of sadness and tragedy. The first indicator of the heavy themes this game carries is the bonfire scene early in the game. Already Lucas life is torn apart in the worst way. Geez, way to drop this after the wonderful intro, Itoi. You sure are good at making people cry.
Moms Hometown is a nice upbeat track that accompanies Lucas and Claus during their innocent and idyllic childhood, using a variety of synthesizers to produce some oddball and goofy sounds. The tone of the track is one that secrets away the dangers of the world, replacing it with harmless and fascinating things. Even the drago next door, with its fearsome stature, turns out to be a cuddly and friendly dinosaur; quite a deceptive front for whats about to come next. After a few listens, I noticed the background synthesizer producing what I assume is a backup beat to the main synthesizer, but its so funky it could be the theme song to an 70s sitcom. The main synthesizer employs a bit of vibrato, making it seem like muzak and assisting in its novel feel. The Mother series has a lot of tracks that sound like muzak, if my memory isnt being defective. A nice bit of foreshadowing, you can hear the engines of hovercrafts during the slower parts of the track, before it loops around.
Warm yet desolate. A strange pair of adjectives but its what I would use to describe Snowman. This track has a chilly feel to it, lots of ringing as if from a sleigh bells, or knocking the snow off a trees branches. The low tempo and deep bass has a warm and relaxing effect on me, but of the bad kind, the one that makes you want to curl up in the snow and meet your doom rather than trudging slowly through the deep snow to get to safe haven. The main synth echoes the freezing winds carrying through the winterland. This track is welcoming in its inhospitality.
This one (and the previous track, Snowman) is kind of cheating, as they have appeared in previous Mother games but whatevs. A track directly opposite to Snowman, A Certain Someones Memory is boundlessly optimistic. Its name in Mother 1 is Pollyanna, explaining why it is so. Starting off with some sleepy harmonized notes, it quickly breaks into steelpans (mostly used in Caribbean music), exuding a sunny disposition and backed by a drum set. The drums regularly punctuate the track providing a steady and simple beat. The bass is similarly as simple to highlight the bright melody of the keyboard. The first melody is like nice morning stroll down the street, sniffing flowers, bees buzzing and birds chirping, not a care in the world. The second is that trademark vibrato keyboard muzak that the series is known for; stopping the walk for a second, a conversation is struck up. After the chit-chat has ended, the track ends with a resolute melody. You just made a new friend!
Speaking of Pollyanna, my first exposure to it wasn't Mother 1, and neither was it Earthbound. It was actually Super Smash Brothers Melee. The Onett stage's alternate theme is Pollyanna and I fell in love with it the first time I heard it.
YouTube Playlist 1/2
YouTube Playlist 2/2
-----
Moms Hometown
Snowman
Luckys Room
Run, My Dog, Run!
Mind of a Thief
Unfounded Revenge
A Certain Someones Memory
2) Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4
Shoji Meguro, Atsushi Kitajoh, Ryota Koduka
Spoiler warnings ahead! But its 7 year old game so
Persona, and heck, the entire SMT series, have a track record of great OSTs. Of course, the series only gained wide exposure after Persona 4 so the people who knew who good these soundtracks were were few in number. But thats all changed now, a lot of people played SMT4 and its sick electronica and techno soundtrack is goddamn amazing (there are a few orchestral parts but I cant really recall them), and thematically appropriate. Uhh but back to Persona 4, this game has a very strong aesthetic, unified in both visuals and sound. This game has a lot of style, and its gonna get taken even further in Persona 5, I mean damn do those menus look great. How the hell do you get excited over menus?!
I guess since this is an anime game its got to have an anime-style opening. But hey, its actually good this time! Im not going to focus on the lyrics, mainly because I cant make out the words. Anyway this game starts off with a pop song (and arguably cheery)--Pursuing My True Self, a far cry from previous installments, though not too far from P3. Lots of editing, synthesized sounds, has a decently fast tempo. Manufactured, but it does its job when taken in conjunction with the visuals. It is an opening, so the music and the visuals are equally important. Then right after that, you get to the main menu, where A Corner of Memories plays. Talk about a tonal whiplash, this ones a heartfelt piano piece about reminiscing about the great times you spent with your friends, so while its happy, it also has a bittersweet line to it, represented by the piano being the lead with a very soft drum beat during the highest points of the track, the somewhat lingering piano notes and the slow tempo. Two very different tracks back-to-back, its sure to pique the interest of a new player, eh?
The music plays such huge part in the overall feel of the game. When you first gain control, you go "What's up with the chirpy pop song?". You might like it, or not, but it's there and it gives a lively feel to the town of Inaba as you're exploring around; It's omnipresent so you start taking it for granted. Now here's the trick, on rainy days the music completely disappears, replaced by the sound of a gentle shower. All of a sudden, the town feels empty, completely drained of life; the mood is coloured blue. The white noise in the background and the uninhabited streets lends a disconcerting and serious atmosphere despite being geographically exactly the same. Not to mention the gravitas of rainy days heralding the impending doom of someone. You'd gladly welcome back that pulpy pop song.
Going to the end of the game, The Almighty is a very powerful song, in more ways than one, as well as being thematically fitting. The battle theme for Ame-no-sagiri. The headline instrument is an electric guitar, wailing contemptuously at the party of high schoolers who dare to stand up to hima god. You could feel the condescending sneering. However, partway through the track the tone drastically shifts into something much lighter, but still retaining a tinge of uncaringness. These plucky high schoolers managed to give this god a good shove though; the suns rays break through the fog, much to the shock of this god, and his guitars take a backseat to a dreamy piano section. It wont last long though, and the guitar smothers this optimism before long. The fight drags on, but the investigation team has bared their spirits. Day breaks once more, but this time they have earned Ame-no-sagiris begrudging respect, the piano piece is now replaced with his guitar, taking on the same dream-like qualities of the piano before; an acknowledgement of their strength. A track worthy of a final boss (even though he isnt actually the final boss, he sure feels like one), it goes through a lot of emotional shifts as Ame-no-sagiris stance evolves in the face of unflinching ideals.
YouTube Playlist
-----
Pursuing My True Self
A Corner of Memories
Affection
Signs of Love
A New World Fool
Mist
The Almighty
Never More
Spoiler warnings ahead! But its 7 year old game so
Persona, and heck, the entire SMT series, have a track record of great OSTs. Of course, the series only gained wide exposure after Persona 4 so the people who knew who good these soundtracks were were few in number. But thats all changed now, a lot of people played SMT4 and its sick electronica and techno soundtrack is goddamn amazing (there are a few orchestral parts but I cant really recall them), and thematically appropriate. Uhh but back to Persona 4, this game has a very strong aesthetic, unified in both visuals and sound. This game has a lot of style, and its gonna get taken even further in Persona 5, I mean damn do those menus look great. How the hell do you get excited over menus?!
I guess since this is an anime game its got to have an anime-style opening. But hey, its actually good this time! Im not going to focus on the lyrics, mainly because I cant make out the words. Anyway this game starts off with a pop song (and arguably cheery)--Pursuing My True Self, a far cry from previous installments, though not too far from P3. Lots of editing, synthesized sounds, has a decently fast tempo. Manufactured, but it does its job when taken in conjunction with the visuals. It is an opening, so the music and the visuals are equally important. Then right after that, you get to the main menu, where A Corner of Memories plays. Talk about a tonal whiplash, this ones a heartfelt piano piece about reminiscing about the great times you spent with your friends, so while its happy, it also has a bittersweet line to it, represented by the piano being the lead with a very soft drum beat during the highest points of the track, the somewhat lingering piano notes and the slow tempo. Two very different tracks back-to-back, its sure to pique the interest of a new player, eh?
The music plays such huge part in the overall feel of the game. When you first gain control, you go "What's up with the chirpy pop song?". You might like it, or not, but it's there and it gives a lively feel to the town of Inaba as you're exploring around; It's omnipresent so you start taking it for granted. Now here's the trick, on rainy days the music completely disappears, replaced by the sound of a gentle shower. All of a sudden, the town feels empty, completely drained of life; the mood is coloured blue. The white noise in the background and the uninhabited streets lends a disconcerting and serious atmosphere despite being geographically exactly the same. Not to mention the gravitas of rainy days heralding the impending doom of someone. You'd gladly welcome back that pulpy pop song.
Going to the end of the game, The Almighty is a very powerful song, in more ways than one, as well as being thematically fitting. The battle theme for Ame-no-sagiri. The headline instrument is an electric guitar, wailing contemptuously at the party of high schoolers who dare to stand up to hima god. You could feel the condescending sneering. However, partway through the track the tone drastically shifts into something much lighter, but still retaining a tinge of uncaringness. These plucky high schoolers managed to give this god a good shove though; the suns rays break through the fog, much to the shock of this god, and his guitars take a backseat to a dreamy piano section. It wont last long though, and the guitar smothers this optimism before long. The fight drags on, but the investigation team has bared their spirits. Day breaks once more, but this time they have earned Ame-no-sagiris begrudging respect, the piano piece is now replaced with his guitar, taking on the same dream-like qualities of the piano before; an acknowledgement of their strength. A track worthy of a final boss (even though he isnt actually the final boss, he sure feels like one), it goes through a lot of emotional shifts as Ame-no-sagiris stance evolves in the face of unflinching ideals.
YouTube Playlist
-----
Pursuing My True Self
A Corner of Memories
Affection
Signs of Love
A New World Fool
Mist
The Almighty
Never More
1) Touhou Youyoumu ~ Perfect Cherry Blossom
ZUN
I would say Ive recently gotten into Touhou, but its actually been about 8 months or so. Time seems to get faster the older you are :/. But anyway, Ive always been aware of the series good music, but it was only a few super viral tracks that have been remixed (U. N. Owen Was Her, Bad Apple!, Night of Knights, etc.). When I first started playing (starting at EoSD), I was actually surprised at how stellar the rest of the tracks are. Catchy and full of emotion and, in fact, quite diverse. Each game has a different theme, therefore each games soundtracks have different feelings, moods and influences. For example Embodiment of Scarlet Devil is very Western-influenced whereas Mountain of Faith has a more traditional Japanese bent to it. This entryPerfect Cherry Blossomis the second of the Windows era, right after EoSD, and ZUN (the composer and the, uhh, everything else since hes the sole developer) is bringing in the experience of composing higher qualities pieces from that game into this one, where the tracks feature synthesized instruments that sound more like the real thing (as opposed to blatantly artificial, though that has its own charm).
Lets start off with the first stage theme, which for this series in uncommonly great. Paradise ~ Deep Mountain starts off with a light sprinkling of harpsichord notes before a stronger pelting from a piano section. As the stage progresses, the piano intensifies more and more as the bullets turn into a veritable storm. The track culminates in a crescendo; the piano lifts with the appearance of the midboss Cirno; it keeps its energy as youre in the midst of Cirnos icicles and fractal patterns. After a minute of solid shooting and dodging the midboss is vanquished; the track settles back into calmness. The oscillating beats serve to keep you alert and on your toes, to drum up some urgency and to ensure minimal silent portions to contrast and highlight the calmness of the beginning section. Theres actually a reason why stage themes sync up so well with enemy appearances and bullet patterns, ZUN actually composes the music first, then designs the stage on top of that, which is why midboss appearances coincide with the climax of a piece, intense sections are similarly thick with bullets and elaborate patterns dance to complex phases.
Jumping straight over stage 2, heres the stage 3 themeThe Doll Maker of Bucuresti. Right out of the gate, the piece is cold and unwelcoming. However there is an undercurrent of sophistication. The pianos rhythm is mostly unchanged for a good 50 seconds displaying a degree of stubbornness of apathy, even while the surrounding instruments are progressing. The pianos rhythm finally budges after its met with a rising drum roll announcing the entrance of a harsh-sounding trumpet that clashes with the pianos cold elegance. After being roused, the piano lashes back with several malicious riffs but unexpectedly the trumpet joins in. After a short play session, the trumpet leaves satisfied. Finally, I can get back to my research. (Alice Margatroid is actually a very warm person, though she can appear cold due to living alone in a house full of dolls, so while this track is great, it doesnt really fit her).
This next ones going to be a bit weird, since it might not be a good piece, but Ill leave that up for you to judge after I write my justification here. This boss theme is called Ghostly Band ~ Phantom Ensemble because its performed by a trio of ghosts, the Prismriver Sisters, the boss(es) of stage 4. Each one possesses an instrument; a trumpet, a keyboard and a violin, and naturally they perform as a band. However, the best description of them and their music would be noisy, they love to be lively and noisy, causing a racket. The piece gives each instrument a section, starting off with keyboard, then violin accompanied by the keyboard and finally a trumpet solo. It finally comes to a head, where the sisters cant restrain themselves anymore and they all jump into the trumpets section, leading to a loud, aimless din. At this point, theyre just trying to outdo each other in loudness, and them playing in sync seems like a lucky coincidence more than any deliberate effort. After going all out, the musicians are exhausted and the piece drops into something a little more low-key and subdued. What Im saying is that while it may not be a good track, its deeply representative of the personalities of the people (well, ghosts) the piece is attached to, even if the instrumentation is a little off (the keyboard sounds like a regular piano, the violin screeches like an accordion at higher pitches and the trumpet has a very blunt feel to it).
YouTube Playlist
-----
Paradise ~ Deep Mountain
Diao Ye Zong
The Doll Maker of Bucuresti
Doll Judgement
Ghostly Band ~ Phantom Ensemble
Eastern Mystical Dream ~ Ancient Temple
Necrofantasia (Warning: Loud, aggressive and abrasive. Don't hurt your ears! Test your volume first!)
I would say Ive recently gotten into Touhou, but its actually been about 8 months or so. Time seems to get faster the older you are :/. But anyway, Ive always been aware of the series good music, but it was only a few super viral tracks that have been remixed (U. N. Owen Was Her, Bad Apple!, Night of Knights, etc.). When I first started playing (starting at EoSD), I was actually surprised at how stellar the rest of the tracks are. Catchy and full of emotion and, in fact, quite diverse. Each game has a different theme, therefore each games soundtracks have different feelings, moods and influences. For example Embodiment of Scarlet Devil is very Western-influenced whereas Mountain of Faith has a more traditional Japanese bent to it. This entryPerfect Cherry Blossomis the second of the Windows era, right after EoSD, and ZUN (the composer and the, uhh, everything else since hes the sole developer) is bringing in the experience of composing higher qualities pieces from that game into this one, where the tracks feature synthesized instruments that sound more like the real thing (as opposed to blatantly artificial, though that has its own charm).
Lets start off with the first stage theme, which for this series in uncommonly great. Paradise ~ Deep Mountain starts off with a light sprinkling of harpsichord notes before a stronger pelting from a piano section. As the stage progresses, the piano intensifies more and more as the bullets turn into a veritable storm. The track culminates in a crescendo; the piano lifts with the appearance of the midboss Cirno; it keeps its energy as youre in the midst of Cirnos icicles and fractal patterns. After a minute of solid shooting and dodging the midboss is vanquished; the track settles back into calmness. The oscillating beats serve to keep you alert and on your toes, to drum up some urgency and to ensure minimal silent portions to contrast and highlight the calmness of the beginning section. Theres actually a reason why stage themes sync up so well with enemy appearances and bullet patterns, ZUN actually composes the music first, then designs the stage on top of that, which is why midboss appearances coincide with the climax of a piece, intense sections are similarly thick with bullets and elaborate patterns dance to complex phases.
Jumping straight over stage 2, heres the stage 3 themeThe Doll Maker of Bucuresti. Right out of the gate, the piece is cold and unwelcoming. However there is an undercurrent of sophistication. The pianos rhythm is mostly unchanged for a good 50 seconds displaying a degree of stubbornness of apathy, even while the surrounding instruments are progressing. The pianos rhythm finally budges after its met with a rising drum roll announcing the entrance of a harsh-sounding trumpet that clashes with the pianos cold elegance. After being roused, the piano lashes back with several malicious riffs but unexpectedly the trumpet joins in. After a short play session, the trumpet leaves satisfied. Finally, I can get back to my research. (Alice Margatroid is actually a very warm person, though she can appear cold due to living alone in a house full of dolls, so while this track is great, it doesnt really fit her).
This next ones going to be a bit weird, since it might not be a good piece, but Ill leave that up for you to judge after I write my justification here. This boss theme is called Ghostly Band ~ Phantom Ensemble because its performed by a trio of ghosts, the Prismriver Sisters, the boss(es) of stage 4. Each one possesses an instrument; a trumpet, a keyboard and a violin, and naturally they perform as a band. However, the best description of them and their music would be noisy, they love to be lively and noisy, causing a racket. The piece gives each instrument a section, starting off with keyboard, then violin accompanied by the keyboard and finally a trumpet solo. It finally comes to a head, where the sisters cant restrain themselves anymore and they all jump into the trumpets section, leading to a loud, aimless din. At this point, theyre just trying to outdo each other in loudness, and them playing in sync seems like a lucky coincidence more than any deliberate effort. After going all out, the musicians are exhausted and the piece drops into something a little more low-key and subdued. What Im saying is that while it may not be a good track, its deeply representative of the personalities of the people (well, ghosts) the piece is attached to, even if the instrumentation is a little off (the keyboard sounds like a regular piano, the violin screeches like an accordion at higher pitches and the trumpet has a very blunt feel to it).
YouTube Playlist
-----
Paradise ~ Deep Mountain
Diao Ye Zong
The Doll Maker of Bucuresti
Doll Judgement
Ghostly Band ~ Phantom Ensemble
Eastern Mystical Dream ~ Ancient Temple
Necrofantasia (Warning: Loud, aggressive and abrasive. Don't hurt your ears! Test your volume first!)
Honourable Mentions
Because this post is getting a little long, Ill provide a single song with brief commentary for this section.
X) Morrowind -- Neravar Rising: A humble track for a legendary figure, solemn and sobering. I actually really dislike Skyrims remix on this track (as heard in the first Skyrim trailer), throwing an full orchestra at something isnt guaranteed to make it good.
X) Katamari Damacy Katamari on the Rocks ~ Main Theme: A respect mention, an aggressively quirky track, it refuses to be cleanly categorized as it wallows in its madness.
X) Touhou Koumakyou ~ Embodiment of Scarlet Devil - Septette for a Dead Princess (Remilias Theme): If I didnt have a 1 entry per series rule, this games OST would shoot into the upper echelons of the list, but Ill settle for this. Effortlessly commanding, hearing this makes me sit up and pay attention. Theres a sizable first section thats all rise, culminating in a short pause, then surging forth. Its enrapturing, mesmerizing. The entire encounter, from the background, the lead-up, the dialogue and the boss herself was a magical experience that beats even Bayonettas finale. Its just so fucking good. (Note: Not actually a septette)
X) Civilization 4 - Baba Yetu: A song that embodies and extolls the greatness of the human race (even though the lyrics itself is just a translation of the Lords Prayer, I find the musical elements transcends the meaning of those words). Theres a good reason why it won a Grammy.
X) Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater Snake Eater: A Bond-esque song. Its well-trodden ground so I won't offer a comment.
That's some dedication. Not many people would be willing to listen to all the soundtracks that were released in a year to make a fair evaluation. Not even Oscar voters do that, and they only have a short list of films to watch.
The attitudes of some of those voters is disgusting, especially regarding animation.
I find musical tastes hard to define or describe in words, and I know anyone bothering to post in these threads will know all of these soundtracks, and there’s little time left (and I’m intimidated by Schala’s post, lol), so I’ll just vote and post some of my favourite tracks.
I will say that while I listen to game music outside of games all of the time, my voting was based on the experience of hearing the music in-game, and what it brought to the experience. If I was voting purely as 'the best music to listen to, in or out of the game itself' then my choices would be very different. Anyway...
1. Metroid Prime; Phendrana Drifts, Tallon Overworld, Chozo Ruins
2. Shadow of the Colossus; To the Ancient Land, The Opened Way, Sunlit Earth
3. Katamari Damacy; Walking on a Star, Lonely Rolling Star, Angel Flavor's Present
4. World of Warcraft; Elwynn Forest, Enchanted Forest
5. Super Smash Bros Melee; Fountain of Dreams, Corneria, Yoshi's Island
6. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas; Ice Cube - It Was a Good Day, Rod Stewart - Young Turks, NWA - Express Yourself
7. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker; Outset Island, Credits, Title Theme
8. Final Fantasy XII; Eruyt Village, Giza Plains, Boss Battle
9. Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney; Cornered, Objection, Steel Samurai, Turnabout Sisters
10. Animal Crossing; Main Theme, 9pm, 7am, Go! KK Rider
FAKE EDIT: Having shifted the positions tons of times, I realise that this is impossible. Too much emotion involved. Oh well, this is as good as anything, I guess. It's close.
I will say that while I listen to game music outside of games all of the time, my voting was based on the experience of hearing the music in-game, and what it brought to the experience. If I was voting purely as 'the best music to listen to, in or out of the game itself' then my choices would be very different. Anyway...
1. Metroid Prime; Phendrana Drifts, Tallon Overworld, Chozo Ruins
2. Shadow of the Colossus; To the Ancient Land, The Opened Way, Sunlit Earth
3. Katamari Damacy; Walking on a Star, Lonely Rolling Star, Angel Flavor's Present
4. World of Warcraft; Elwynn Forest, Enchanted Forest
5. Super Smash Bros Melee; Fountain of Dreams, Corneria, Yoshi's Island
6. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas; Ice Cube - It Was a Good Day, Rod Stewart - Young Turks, NWA - Express Yourself
7. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker; Outset Island, Credits, Title Theme
8. Final Fantasy XII; Eruyt Village, Giza Plains, Boss Battle
9. Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney; Cornered, Objection, Steel Samurai, Turnabout Sisters
10. Animal Crossing; Main Theme, 9pm, 7am, Go! KK Rider
FAKE EDIT: Having shifted the positions tons of times, I realise that this is impossible. Too much emotion involved. Oh well, this is as good as anything, I guess. It's close.
Elfforkusu
Member
Whew. Picking the last 3 spots was brutal. Worth the effort, though!
Quoting this, because it's buried on page 2 and I put too much work into it. :lol
Quoting this, because it's buried on page 2 and I put too much work into it. :lol
Dark Schala
Eloquent Princess
30 minutes left!
(I usually leave a 16 to 31-minute window for people still writing after the time limit passes so if you start late, don't worry; you have time. Thank Duffyside for that one, since he literally posted a goty post at the time limit mark and I felt so bad that he deleted it right after lol.)
I usually listen to soundtracks while studying or writing papers, so it isn't really that hard (unless they never appear on shops).
(I usually leave a 16 to 31-minute window for people still writing after the time limit passes so if you start late, don't worry; you have time. Thank Duffyside for that one, since he literally posted a goty post at the time limit mark and I felt so bad that he deleted it right after lol.)
I know. Reading some of their quotes in other articles is disheartening.
It's posts like this that make me not want to ask for a tag change, haha.
I usually listen to soundtracks while studying or writing papers, so it isn't really that hard (unless they never appear on shops).
Nice lists everyone. I didn't make one for either gen thread (I suck) but I've enjoyed reading the posts.
I do agree for the future I think these type of threads should be stickied. I completely forgot about them for the better half of the last month
I do agree for the future I think these type of threads should be stickied. I completely forgot about them for the better half of the last month
It's kinda sad how little voters this thread got. I thought for the SOTY it was kinda normal but this only got as many as that one.
That it is.
That it is.
I got sucked into MMOs during 6th gen and so most of my non-MMO gaming consisted of major releases here and there, which explains the lack of lesser known titles on my list. I've gone and listened to pretty much everything everyone has posted in this thread and man I missed out on tons of amazing music. That said, I'm going to stick with games I've actually played. Would've liked to have written more in depth about the games on my list but I procrastinated for too long =/
1. Ninja Gaiden - Badass sums up how I feel about this entire soundtrack. If my ninja village were ever raided, there are no tracks more fitting to hear playing in the background than Vanished Memories and Go the Distance as I exact brutal vengeance - you can just hear both the pain and the rage in those songs. Dare bosses to Stand in the Way, like a badass. Even the down-tempo, atmospheric tracks like Rachel sound badass. And just when you thought there could be nothing badass about running around in sewage solving dopey puzzles, Aqueduct gradually ramps up its tempo and proves you wrong. I hate everything about zombies, but let me listen to Battle with the Dead if I have to slaughter waves of them. As you approach your final destination, Distorted World gives you that quiet confidence that you're going to make that guy pay, and when you finally do, you can exhale the biggest sigh of relief of your life with After the Battle.
2. Metroid Prime - The godly menu theme is a contender for song of the generation in my book. I think I've endlessly looped it more than any other song from this gen and I'm still not tired of it.
Menu Theme - Vs. Parasite Queen - Phendrana Drifts - Crashed Frigate - (spoilers)
3. Final Fantasy X - The more I've thought about FFX over the years the less I like the game as a whole, but the soundtrack has never faded.
Auron's Theme - Enemy Attack - Confrontation - Summoned Beasts Battle - At the End of the Abyss
4. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker - WW's staff credits is my favorite Zelda song ever and another contender for my personal song of the generation.
Title - Outset Island - Windfall Island - Ocean - Credits
5. Super Smash Bros. Melee - I almost can't listen to this soundtrack anymore because the nostalgia is too emotionally overwhelming for a multitude of personal reasons. I'll always love it, though. Favorite game ever.
Menu 1 - Menu 2 - Hyrule Temple - Final Destination - Trophy
6. Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald - Fantastic soundtrack but the soundchip leaves something to be desired. ORAS's faithful remake was just perfect.
R/S/E: Rustboro/Mauville/Mossdeep - Rival May - Surf - Dive - Lilycove City
ORAS: Rustboro/Mauville/Mossdeep - Rival May - Surf - Dive - Lilycove City
7. Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 - I'm not even halfway through the game and I don't think I've heard most of the game's music, but what I have heard is enough to get P4 onto my list.
Heartbreak, Heartbreak - Your Affection - Like a Dream Come True - I'll Face Myself - How much?
8. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas - Basically the entireties of Radio X and Radio Los Santos are the highlights for me here. While VC's soundtrack is more effective at creating atmosphere for its world, track for track I just prefer SA's music.
9. Halo: Combat Evolved
Halo Theme - A Walk in the Woods - The Gun Pointed at the Head of the Universe
10. Deus Ex
The Synapse - Duclare Chateau - Versalife
x. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Musically this should probably rank higher as it's technically GBA era, but I only played the DS port so I'll just give it an honorable mention here.
Trial - Objection! 2001 - Cornered - Turnabout Sisters - Happy People
1. Ninja Gaiden - Badass sums up how I feel about this entire soundtrack. If my ninja village were ever raided, there are no tracks more fitting to hear playing in the background than Vanished Memories and Go the Distance as I exact brutal vengeance - you can just hear both the pain and the rage in those songs. Dare bosses to Stand in the Way, like a badass. Even the down-tempo, atmospheric tracks like Rachel sound badass. And just when you thought there could be nothing badass about running around in sewage solving dopey puzzles, Aqueduct gradually ramps up its tempo and proves you wrong. I hate everything about zombies, but let me listen to Battle with the Dead if I have to slaughter waves of them. As you approach your final destination, Distorted World gives you that quiet confidence that you're going to make that guy pay, and when you finally do, you can exhale the biggest sigh of relief of your life with After the Battle.
2. Metroid Prime - The godly menu theme is a contender for song of the generation in my book. I think I've endlessly looped it more than any other song from this gen and I'm still not tired of it.
Menu Theme - Vs. Parasite Queen - Phendrana Drifts - Crashed Frigate - (spoilers)
3. Final Fantasy X - The more I've thought about FFX over the years the less I like the game as a whole, but the soundtrack has never faded.
Auron's Theme - Enemy Attack - Confrontation - Summoned Beasts Battle - At the End of the Abyss
4. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker - WW's staff credits is my favorite Zelda song ever and another contender for my personal song of the generation.
Title - Outset Island - Windfall Island - Ocean - Credits
5. Super Smash Bros. Melee - I almost can't listen to this soundtrack anymore because the nostalgia is too emotionally overwhelming for a multitude of personal reasons. I'll always love it, though. Favorite game ever.
Menu 1 - Menu 2 - Hyrule Temple - Final Destination - Trophy
6. Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald - Fantastic soundtrack but the soundchip leaves something to be desired. ORAS's faithful remake was just perfect.
R/S/E: Rustboro/Mauville/Mossdeep - Rival May - Surf - Dive - Lilycove City
ORAS: Rustboro/Mauville/Mossdeep - Rival May - Surf - Dive - Lilycove City
7. Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 - I'm not even halfway through the game and I don't think I've heard most of the game's music, but what I have heard is enough to get P4 onto my list.
Heartbreak, Heartbreak - Your Affection - Like a Dream Come True - I'll Face Myself - How much?
8. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas - Basically the entireties of Radio X and Radio Los Santos are the highlights for me here. While VC's soundtrack is more effective at creating atmosphere for its world, track for track I just prefer SA's music.
9. Halo: Combat Evolved
Halo Theme - A Walk in the Woods - The Gun Pointed at the Head of the Universe
10. Deus Ex
The Synapse - Duclare Chateau - Versalife
x. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Musically this should probably rank higher as it's technically GBA era, but I only played the DS port so I'll just give it an honorable mention here.
Trial - Objection! 2001 - Cornered - Turnabout Sisters - Happy People
It is a bit sad, but it does take a lot of work. The music is harder to judge than a game itself, and all of the different soundtracks don't come back to you quite as easily. You really need to go back and re-listen to all of the ones you're considering, and then try to remember the effect they had on you when you first played the game. That takes time. I have most of the soundtracks I voted for in iTunes and it still took me a couple of hours, you know? And I found that initially I had listed them in order of my favourite games rather than favourite soundtracks, and when I went back and really listened I had to admit that the order was all wrong.
I'm convinced music is the most crucial factor in how people emotionally perceive narrative video-games in the long-term, and that's borne out by my fav OSTs and games being very, very similar. After all, it's hard to pull at the heart-strings or craft a memorable scene without a really good score backing you up.
Thanks to Schala for doing the thread, though, and for a wonderful voting post. I love threads like this. My favourite part of GAF.
Elfforkusu
Member
In fairness, this vote is a pretty daunting task.
I figure most of us who voted in here are outing ourselves as hardcore videogame music aficionados...
That would probably do it. I prefer listening to podcasts, and I don't really have an extensive discovery network or method to find new tracks.
I don't think I can make one for Game of the Generation. I don't want to rely on my foggy memory to draw up a list, but I also can't go back and replay most of those games because I lack time or means. At least with soundtracks I can refresh my memory with a quick trip to YouTube.
Shit, I'm gonna go to bed. I started writing up my list after I got off work yesterday. I thought it would only take a few hours, but instead I worked throughout the night. In fact, it's closing in on early evening the day after. Writing about music is really hard :S. I'm much more used to writing about game design.
Fimbulvetr
Member
Oh god. I've been debating with myself whether to post this for some time, but now that the deadline looms I'm finally gathering the courage to do it. I only have one game to vote for; everything else I would vote for has been covered already, multiple times probably, in detail and with eloquence, so I'm going to vote for something that likely no one else will. I'm not very well versed in the technical aspects of music, so this will mostly be about the emotions this soundtrack elicited for me. This will probably get gushy, so forgive me, but what the hell, that's a big part of what this thread is for right? Here we go.
1. Saya no Uta - The Song of Saya
Yeah. For anyone that doesn't know already, a warning: this is a pornographic game, and a particularly nasty one. Googling it will almost certainly produce unpleasant results, and the related videos for the youtube soundtrack examples I'll be linking to may as well. I won't endorse any aspect of it here aside from the soundtrack itself, and the soundtrack is the only aspect of it I can say is enjoyable without massive caveats. I actually voted for this game in the 2013 best soundtrack thread, and said that I'd write about it in detail but never did, so I'm going to try to make up for that here. Since its original release was in 2003, it should be eligible.
This is a very hard soundtrack to pin down. It has essentially no bad tracks (there's one track I think kind of sucks, but that's it really), but it varies wildly in tone. Since this is a visual novel, it has some of the inherent advantages of both game and film soundtracks: its pace and placement is controlled to an extent like a film, which gives tracks room to reach their potential tonally, but tracks must also be repeated significantly, which probably encouraged strong motifs. It's short, with only 15 tracks including the 2 vocal ending songs. Only a couple of those tracks reach truly mid-boggling heights, but pretty much everything is distinct enough to be called special.
Sabbath is the first track players hear, a completely soothing synth based piece that has a kind of stereotypically Asian, and even "visual novel" feel to me, though I don't have the expertise to really identify why I feel that way. It's actually a good piece in its own right, and it's used to good effect in the game itself, but its placement in the main menu is a particular piece of devilish cleverness.
Once you've been lulled by Sabbath, the game delivers a stab to the gut in the form of Schizophrenia. This is the track used in the game's opening scene, and it's an incredibly powerful hook. This is rock, but I don't know what subgenre to put it in. I've never heard anything like it in a video game outside of this one, and nothing exactly like it anywhere else either. Here, heavily distorted, grating guitar and oppressive bass lurch, crawl and skitter in a languishing torment. This sounds like wading neck deep in a pool of entrails. This sounds like suffering without hope of relief. The brief interlude where the bass takes the lead (at least, I think that's the bass?) seems to serve only as a deep breath before the inevitable return of the main motif. When it does comes back for another round, the added percussion gives it a listless energy that makes it seem like the horror it evokes will never end. It fits the scene it accompanies and the perspective of the character it's meant to portray like a glove. The human cry early in the song is the only element that stands out as unnecessary to me, but I think that's because of how it's executed. A more subtle treatment of that element might've made it better.
Sunset is a track the game comes back to pretty often. It's the game's "normal," its portrayal of the everyday. Its less hard edged guitar and generally laid back sound separate it from the darkness portrayed by many of the other tracks, but the presence of that distorted lead guitar and the occasional spacey or deep sea sounding synth hints at lurking evils. It almost sounds like muzak, but there's something sinister just below the surface. Chill, but chilling.
I can't go without mentioning the theme of the game's title character, Song of Saya I. This is probably the game's most iconic track, with a simple, memorable theme backed by an arpeggiating rhythmic section. The theme itself seems like it might've been designed to be somewhat childish, and even cliche (the way it resolves is something that seems really common in Japanese games, I think it's a kind of Baroque resolution?), but this was probably purposeful, to match with elements of the character it portrays. Still, its execution creates a potent effect for me. This theme is almost like a lullaby, and the abstract female vocals are really appropriate in that context. Elements like piano (sampled both backwards and forwards) and that one woodwind sound that's always super melancholy but I don't know the name of help establish the, well, melancholy mood. There's a sense of nostalgia too; that line from the main character's narration about Saya embodying everything he's lost represents this song really well. It feels like the sweet melancholy of most of this song is mainly meant to represent his perspective of her, while the super distorted electric sound added in the reprisal is the far darker truth. It battles with the rest of the song's elements until the conclusion, where only it remains, wailing like a warning siren and gurgling into silence.
I have to finish this, so I'll just say a few words about the other tracks I think are remarkable before getting to the last, which is my overall favorite. Seek sounds appropriately inquisitive and mysterious with its extreme sparseness but ties into the soundtrack with its even more abstract female synth vocals, Spooky Scape creates dark desolation with echoing lead synth and cymbals, wind-like accompaniment and droning bass (and that heartbeat is a bit cheesy but will probably make you nervous), Sin is a sickly sweet riff on Song of Saya I with some cool percussion sounds and the way its used during really depraved scenes make it really uncomfortable similar to the Sabbath gut punch, Shapeshift feels like something really dark being elucidated and its bass sounds like a growling stomach, Scare Shadow is rather cheesy but effective and the guitar screeching and banging gives it teeth, but that wailing is dumb, and Scream is a perfect audio representation of a psychotic break, even with the cheesy techno percussion, and the wimpy sounds near the end are cool.
I'm not a big fan of the vocal ending tracks, they're ok I guess, and Savage is the track that I think sucks. Song of Saya II is barely even a rearrangement so who cares.
That leaves only one track, Saya no Uta's crown jewel, Silent Sorrow. This is... what the fuck, this is possibly the single most beautiful track I've ever heard in a video game. It feels elegant rather than crude in its simplicity, the synth is well chosen, and the violin performances are fantastic. The longing and melancholy that were present in Song of Saya I are taken to absurdly melodramatic heights here, creating something hugely potent. This is soaring, tragic beauty. This is a great culmination. This is just really great composition performed with passion. I have no way of describing this track better than a line from the game itself, describing an event that the track plays over: "it is beautiful - overwhelmingly, painfully beautiful." Painfully beautiful, dammit. I don't give a damn if that's a bit cheesy; when the tone of the scene and the soundtrack are this perfectly in tune you've absolutely nailed it. The only weakness this theme has is its brevity, but I could listen to it on loop for who knows how long.
All that writing and I still don't know if this post was a good idea or not. At least I finally got my feelings out. This is not the best soundtrack of the 6th generation as a whole in my opinion. I can understand if it comes of as cheap and sometimes tasteless. But it works, and at its best it works so well that it creates emotions in me that I can't deny. It deserves recognition. As for its makers, I don't know much about them, and haven't taken the time to do real research. If anyone knows about them, I'd like to know too. And if you've read this whole thing, thanks for reading. Phew.
1. Saya no Uta - The Song of Saya
Yeah. For anyone that doesn't know already, a warning: this is a pornographic game, and a particularly nasty one. Googling it will almost certainly produce unpleasant results, and the related videos for the youtube soundtrack examples I'll be linking to may as well. I won't endorse any aspect of it here aside from the soundtrack itself, and the soundtrack is the only aspect of it I can say is enjoyable without massive caveats. I actually voted for this game in the 2013 best soundtrack thread, and said that I'd write about it in detail but never did, so I'm going to try to make up for that here. Since its original release was in 2003, it should be eligible.
This is a very hard soundtrack to pin down. It has essentially no bad tracks (there's one track I think kind of sucks, but that's it really), but it varies wildly in tone. Since this is a visual novel, it has some of the inherent advantages of both game and film soundtracks: its pace and placement is controlled to an extent like a film, which gives tracks room to reach their potential tonally, but tracks must also be repeated significantly, which probably encouraged strong motifs. It's short, with only 15 tracks including the 2 vocal ending songs. Only a couple of those tracks reach truly mid-boggling heights, but pretty much everything is distinct enough to be called special.
Sabbath is the first track players hear, a completely soothing synth based piece that has a kind of stereotypically Asian, and even "visual novel" feel to me, though I don't have the expertise to really identify why I feel that way. It's actually a good piece in its own right, and it's used to good effect in the game itself, but its placement in the main menu is a particular piece of devilish cleverness.
Once you've been lulled by Sabbath, the game delivers a stab to the gut in the form of Schizophrenia. This is the track used in the game's opening scene, and it's an incredibly powerful hook. This is rock, but I don't know what subgenre to put it in. I've never heard anything like it in a video game outside of this one, and nothing exactly like it anywhere else either. Here, heavily distorted, grating guitar and oppressive bass lurch, crawl and skitter in a languishing torment. This sounds like wading neck deep in a pool of entrails. This sounds like suffering without hope of relief. The brief interlude where the bass takes the lead (at least, I think that's the bass?) seems to serve only as a deep breath before the inevitable return of the main motif. When it does comes back for another round, the added percussion gives it a listless energy that makes it seem like the horror it evokes will never end. It fits the scene it accompanies and the perspective of the character it's meant to portray like a glove. The human cry early in the song is the only element that stands out as unnecessary to me, but I think that's because of how it's executed. A more subtle treatment of that element might've made it better.
Sunset is a track the game comes back to pretty often. It's the game's "normal," its portrayal of the everyday. Its less hard edged guitar and generally laid back sound separate it from the darkness portrayed by many of the other tracks, but the presence of that distorted lead guitar and the occasional spacey or deep sea sounding synth hints at lurking evils. It almost sounds like muzak, but there's something sinister just below the surface. Chill, but chilling.
I can't go without mentioning the theme of the game's title character, Song of Saya I. This is probably the game's most iconic track, with a simple, memorable theme backed by an arpeggiating rhythmic section. The theme itself seems like it might've been designed to be somewhat childish, and even cliche (the way it resolves is something that seems really common in Japanese games, I think it's a kind of Baroque resolution?), but this was probably purposeful, to match with elements of the character it portrays. Still, its execution creates a potent effect for me. This theme is almost like a lullaby, and the abstract female vocals are really appropriate in that context. Elements like piano (sampled both backwards and forwards) and that one woodwind sound that's always super melancholy but I don't know the name of help establish the, well, melancholy mood. There's a sense of nostalgia too; that line from the main character's narration about Saya embodying everything he's lost represents this song really well. It feels like the sweet melancholy of most of this song is mainly meant to represent his perspective of her, while the super distorted electric sound added in the reprisal is the far darker truth. It battles with the rest of the song's elements until the conclusion, where only it remains, wailing like a warning siren and gurgling into silence.
I have to finish this, so I'll just say a few words about the other tracks I think are remarkable before getting to the last, which is my overall favorite. Seek sounds appropriately inquisitive and mysterious with its extreme sparseness but ties into the soundtrack with its even more abstract female synth vocals, Spooky Scape creates dark desolation with echoing lead synth and cymbals, wind-like accompaniment and droning bass (and that heartbeat is a bit cheesy but will probably make you nervous), Sin is a sickly sweet riff on Song of Saya I with some cool percussion sounds and the way its used during really depraved scenes make it really uncomfortable similar to the Sabbath gut punch, Shapeshift feels like something really dark being elucidated and its bass sounds like a growling stomach, Scare Shadow is rather cheesy but effective and the guitar screeching and banging gives it teeth, but that wailing is dumb, and Scream is a perfect audio representation of a psychotic break, even with the cheesy techno percussion, and the wimpy sounds near the end are cool.
I'm not a big fan of the vocal ending tracks, they're ok I guess, and Savage is the track that I think sucks. Song of Saya II is barely even a rearrangement so who cares.
That leaves only one track, Saya no Uta's crown jewel, Silent Sorrow. This is... what the fuck, this is possibly the single most beautiful track I've ever heard in a video game. It feels elegant rather than crude in its simplicity, the synth is well chosen, and the violin performances are fantastic. The longing and melancholy that were present in Song of Saya I are taken to absurdly melodramatic heights here, creating something hugely potent. This is soaring, tragic beauty. This is a great culmination. This is just really great composition performed with passion. I have no way of describing this track better than a line from the game itself, describing an event that the track plays over: "it is beautiful - overwhelmingly, painfully beautiful." Painfully beautiful, dammit. I don't give a damn if that's a bit cheesy; when the tone of the scene and the soundtrack are this perfectly in tune you've absolutely nailed it. The only weakness this theme has is its brevity, but I could listen to it on loop for who knows how long.
All that writing and I still don't know if this post was a good idea or not. At least I finally got my feelings out. This is not the best soundtrack of the 6th generation as a whole in my opinion. I can understand if it comes of as cheap and sometimes tasteless. But it works, and at its best it works so well that it creates emotions in me that I can't deny. It deserves recognition. As for its makers, I don't know much about them, and haven't taken the time to do real research. If anyone knows about them, I'd like to know too. And if you've read this whole thing, thanks for reading. Phew.
Augemitbutter
Member
where does gaf bury these threads nowadays? what a shame.
1. Shenmue
2. The King of Fighters 99 (DC)
3. Grandia II
4. Ys: The Oath in Felghana
5. Suikoden V
6. DS2: Raidou Kuzunoha vs King Abaddon
7. Ace Attorney
8. Panzer Dragoon Orta
9. Castlevania Curse of Darkness
10. FFX
Honourable Mentions
Digital Devil Saga 1+2
Castlevania Lament of Innocence
ESPGaluda II
and 1000 others.
1. Shenmue
2. The King of Fighters 99 (DC)
3. Grandia II
4. Ys: The Oath in Felghana
5. Suikoden V
6. DS2: Raidou Kuzunoha vs King Abaddon
7. Ace Attorney
8. Panzer Dragoon Orta
9. Castlevania Curse of Darkness
10. FFX
Honourable Mentions
Digital Devil Saga 1+2
Castlevania Lament of Innocence
ESPGaluda II
and 1000 others.
I know but still, you throw a few bones.
No, I'm not a nerd ;_;
Yeah. I tried to describe why I liked the soundtracks I liked but no words came to mind.
kuroneko0509
Member
Here's my vote. I'm ashamed that I totally forgot about both this thread and Game of the Year voting thread.
1. Tales of Legendia
Chasing Shirley
Battle Artist
2. Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald
Battle! Frontier Brain
Bicycle Theme
3. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Orchestra Piece #2
Hero Chosen by the Gods
4. Super Smash Bros: Melee
Fountain of Dreams
Fire Emblem
5. Final Fantasy XII
Main Theme
Giza Plains
6. Mega Man Zero 2
Neo Arcadia II
Supreme Ruler
7. Baten Kaitos Origins
Valedictory Elegy
Iconoclasm
8. Ragnarok Online
Theme of Juno
Theme of Prontera
9. Golden Sun
Saturos Battle Theme
Isaac's Battle Theme
10. Kingdom Hearts
Dearly Beloved
Scherzo di Notte
I'll try edit a bit to add few comments... probably after the voting ended?
1. Tales of Legendia
Chasing Shirley
Battle Artist
2. Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald
Battle! Frontier Brain
Bicycle Theme
3. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Orchestra Piece #2
Hero Chosen by the Gods
4. Super Smash Bros: Melee
Fountain of Dreams
Fire Emblem
5. Final Fantasy XII
Main Theme
Giza Plains
6. Mega Man Zero 2
Neo Arcadia II
Supreme Ruler
7. Baten Kaitos Origins
Valedictory Elegy
Iconoclasm
8. Ragnarok Online
Theme of Juno
Theme of Prontera
9. Golden Sun
Saturos Battle Theme
Isaac's Battle Theme
10. Kingdom Hearts
Dearly Beloved
Scherzo di Notte
I'll try edit a bit to add few comments... probably after the voting ended?
theprodigy
Member
last minute short vote
1. Super Smash Bros. Melee (Fountain of Dreams)
2. Okami (Ryoshima Coast)
3. Final Fantasy X (Yuna's Decision)
4. Halo: Combat Evolved (Halo Theme)
5. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (Wind Temple)
6. Metroid Prime (Phendrana Drifts)
7. Final Fantasy XII (Boss Battle)
8. Pokemon RSE (Team Aqua/Magma Leader Battle)
9. Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness (Cipher Admin Battle)
1. Super Smash Bros. Melee (Fountain of Dreams)
2. Okami (Ryoshima Coast)
3. Final Fantasy X (Yuna's Decision)
4. Halo: Combat Evolved (Halo Theme)
5. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (Wind Temple)
6. Metroid Prime (Phendrana Drifts)
7. Final Fantasy XII (Boss Battle)
8. Pokemon RSE (Team Aqua/Magma Leader Battle)
9. Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness (Cipher Admin Battle)
Dark Schala
Eloquent Princess
And that's it. Voting's over.
I'm still going to accept votes until 12:30 AM PST (because I know some people are probably still writing), but after that, that's it.
Thanks for voting everyone! I really appreciate the last minute-votes. I think I agree with the sentiment that these voting threads should probably start getting stickied since threads move much faster on GAF than they did before when we only had like 50-90K members. We'll see!
I'm still going to accept votes until 12:30 AM PST (because I know some people are probably still writing), but after that, that's it.
Thanks for voting everyone! I really appreciate the last minute-votes. I think I agree with the sentiment that these voting threads should probably start getting stickied since threads move much faster on GAF than they did before when we only had like 50-90K members. We'll see!
Halo CE Unreleased Track
Drunk, tired, and this thread is over apparently.
Count it or not, just listen to it.
Drunk, tired, and this thread is over apparently.
Count it or not, just listen to it.
Last few minutes for stragglers, get going!
Also, I'm sad to admit I can't for the life of me remember the name of the Gotcha Force track I love, and I'm not in a place where I can try listening to them. Not that it mattered much I guess, because I'm probably the only guy who'll vote for it.
Also, I'm sad to admit I can't for the life of me remember the name of the Gotcha Force track I love, and I'm not in a place where I can try listening to them. Not that it mattered much I guess, because I'm probably the only guy who'll vote for it.
Dark Schala
Eloquent Princess
And that's about it. I will not accept ballots past this post (unless you literally post at the same time / in the last five minutes and I feel super-super bad).
Without having gone back to see if people had edited their ballots today after I PM'd them, and without counting the "this is incomplete" ballots (and I will count them as-is):
Um, I do think the voting threads should ultimately start getting stickied. The last four voting threads, including this one, had a lot of people saying that they didn't see the thread because it got buried too much. Maybe? I don't know, but I think it would be a good idea for a better spread and better participation.
I sort of hope to have the thread up tomorrow, but no promises. At the latest, Wednesday.
Without having gone back to see if people had edited their ballots today after I PM'd them, and without counting the "this is incomplete" ballots (and I will count them as-is):
- 228 different soundtracks have been voted for. I have not caught up on Honourable Mentions after my own post. The last honourable mention count is 135 different soundtracks
- There were 85 different ballots counted so far. That is a massive increase on the last count of 60 so I'm pretty happy with that. It's further down from SotY 2014's count of 228, but there are probably numerous factors behind this (ex: thread not being bumped enough and people never saw it, it was too hard, people were burnt out after GotY/SotY, etc).
- Ghaleon and I have decided to increase the Top 15 to Top 20. Looking at the stats right now, I think that's a pretty good idea.
- In terms of consoles: 14 PS2 soundtracks have been voted on (for the top 20, I mean). Unsurprisingly, the RPG genre dominated the soundtrack count (esp for the top 20).
Um, I do think the voting threads should ultimately start getting stickied. The last four voting threads, including this one, had a lot of people saying that they didn't see the thread because it got buried too much. Maybe? I don't know, but I think it would be a good idea for a better spread and better participation.
I sort of hope to have the thread up tomorrow, but no promises. At the latest, Wednesday.
10) Dynasty Warriors 5
Masato Koike, MASA, Kenji Nakajo, Yasuhiro Misawa, Michihiko Shichi
I bet you didn't expect Dynasty Warriors to end up on a list like this. Well, I'd like to say more about these tracks, but I don't really know how to go about that, besides that they're good. Of note, Lu Bu's Theme is probably the most well-known, since the title theme is usually his theme or a remix thereof for most of the entries in the series (and especially when you hear it during Hu Lao Gate map, oh boy don't take Lu Bu on unless you're grossly overleveled). Anyway I'm just going to present these without comment. If you dont want to listen to all of them, then I recommend just Swordsmen in the Plain and Superior.
YouTube Playlist
-----
Opening
Excalibur
Hi Dear
Smileless
Condensed
Moments of Peace
Memories
I thought I was the only one who loved Dynasty Warriors 5's soundtrack.
Nocturnowl
Member
These last minute voting thread rushes always bury me in new content after a dry spell, it's almost too much, that's why I try to get mine in a few days before the deadline.
I've still got to get started on the deception that is Schala's "shorter than usual"post tome, might need to brew tea and coffee for this one and those that follow.
I think the thread turnout is mostly fine, even if numbers are a bit low for some we've got plenty of posters who put a lot of work into their lists and a varied selection.
I've still got to get started on the deception that is Schala's "shorter than usual"
I think the thread turnout is mostly fine, even if numbers are a bit low for some we've got plenty of posters who put a lot of work into their lists and a varied selection.
SatelliteOfLove
Member
This is true for alot of folks...I mean, not me since I'm still in Gen 6 Mode and most have their memories of that timeframe colored or forgotten (get offa my lawn you whippersnappers!), but counterbalanced by how few would go back for the old music.
orthodoxy1095
Banned
I would have voted if I had seen the thread. Dang :-/
I thought I was the only one who loved Dynasty Warriors 5's soundtrack.
Most Dynasty Warriors soundtracks are pretty good, or at least have a few really standout tracks. My favourite Arena isn't actually in 5, It's in 3 (and was put into 8 as well).
When I was writing up my list I had Warriors 3, 4 and 5 and was deciding which to put on there, but 5 won out in the end.
Is that an indictment of current games or are you just truly an old curmudgeon?
SatelliteOfLove
Member
Most Dynasty Warriors soundtracks are pretty good, or at least have a few really standout tracks. My favourite Arena isn't actually in 5, It's in 3 (and was put into 8 as well).
When I was writing up my list I had Warriors 3, 4 and 5 and was deciding which to put on there, but 5 won out in the end.
Is that an indictment of current games or are you just truly an old curmudgeon?
Not current, the one between then and now, and not the games, but the atmosphere they're in.
Also: both and neither!
Axelstream
Member
Came back here now that midterms are over to soak in all of the writeups. God, what a treasure trove. Like with the D4 theme in the SOTY thread, I got to find out about tracks like Sarcophogus Hustle and Teknopathetic, both of which are pretty much on repeat for me.
Even more interesting was reading writeups for soundtracks from which I'd heard one or two songs in the past but never took the time to explore. I'd listened to Akira Yamaoka's Walk on Vanity Ruins from Silent Hill 3, for example, and quite liked it (it's in one of my Youtube playlists), and I've always enjoyed Yamaoka's work in Subuta.1 and PSYCHO SOLDIER from No More Heroes 2, which is really the only other place I've heard his music. I don't know why I never took the time to go through the entirety of Silent Hill 3's soundtrack. It's really quite good -- not the normal atmospheric fare I'd expect from a horror game. Similarly, with Digital Devil Saga, I'd only heard some music from the second game -- tracks like Battle for Survival and Divine Identity, which although I enjoy quite a bit, sound sort of like conventional Meguro. I guess I retroactively (and unfairly) applied that judgment to the entire soundtrack and that of its predecessor, because I completely missed gems like Svadhisthana. Where the hell is that organic, blues-styled guitar in his music now? God, it's so good. (Also, I loved reading people's picks for Mother 3's massive anthology of music. I got to revisit a lot of songs through new eyes.)
In the end, I can't help but feel a little ashamed that I missed so many strong and interesting soundtracks out of sheer ignorance. My picks are usually on the mundane side because personally I gravitate towards what is melodically strong or stirring to me rather than what is necessarily interesting or unique, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate the latter. And even in service of the former, I've never heard Dragon Quest VIII's soundtrack, for example, which judging from the few samples some of you have provided, sounds like it's right up my alley. I'm glad everyone came out and showed their support for their favorite soundtracks -- it really filled in a lot of holes for me. I'll always remember recording Village of Inoa from Alundra by holding up a cassette tape recorder to my television, but it took this generation for me to learn that Alundra was composed by Kohei Tanaka, or that I could follow Marty O'Donnell through the Halo series or Shoji Meguro through the new Persona games. This thread has kindled my interest in composers who I've never taken the time to thoroughly explore, and I'm quite grateful for that.
Even more interesting was reading writeups for soundtracks from which I'd heard one or two songs in the past but never took the time to explore. I'd listened to Akira Yamaoka's Walk on Vanity Ruins from Silent Hill 3, for example, and quite liked it (it's in one of my Youtube playlists), and I've always enjoyed Yamaoka's work in Subuta.1 and PSYCHO SOLDIER from No More Heroes 2, which is really the only other place I've heard his music. I don't know why I never took the time to go through the entirety of Silent Hill 3's soundtrack. It's really quite good -- not the normal atmospheric fare I'd expect from a horror game. Similarly, with Digital Devil Saga, I'd only heard some music from the second game -- tracks like Battle for Survival and Divine Identity, which although I enjoy quite a bit, sound sort of like conventional Meguro. I guess I retroactively (and unfairly) applied that judgment to the entire soundtrack and that of its predecessor, because I completely missed gems like Svadhisthana. Where the hell is that organic, blues-styled guitar in his music now? God, it's so good. (Also, I loved reading people's picks for Mother 3's massive anthology of music. I got to revisit a lot of songs through new eyes.)
In the end, I can't help but feel a little ashamed that I missed so many strong and interesting soundtracks out of sheer ignorance. My picks are usually on the mundane side because personally I gravitate towards what is melodically strong or stirring to me rather than what is necessarily interesting or unique, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate the latter. And even in service of the former, I've never heard Dragon Quest VIII's soundtrack, for example, which judging from the few samples some of you have provided, sounds like it's right up my alley. I'm glad everyone came out and showed their support for their favorite soundtracks -- it really filled in a lot of holes for me. I'll always remember recording Village of Inoa from Alundra by holding up a cassette tape recorder to my television, but it took this generation for me to learn that Alundra was composed by Kohei Tanaka, or that I could follow Marty O'Donnell through the Halo series or Shoji Meguro through the new Persona games. This thread has kindled my interest in composers who I've never taken the time to thoroughly explore, and I'm quite grateful for that.
That's an interesting stance. Care to explain?
Earthpainting
Member
That would help get the attention of some, but you'd lose the attention of others. I think the reason you don't see them often is because people gloss over those, or that mobile users have them hidden. I suppose it would be fine if it was a normal thread that got stickied a week before its deadline, I guess. Either way, the problem's pretty real. The way I track these threads is because I subscribe to them whenever I see it, but I honestly only see them in the early mornings for me. It may help to bump the thread during some key moments of the different time zones as well. I suppose I could do my part and engage a bit more with the posts people have made to bump them in the CET time zone, which I suppose I should try to do more either way.
Morrigan Stark
Arrogant Smirk
I try to listen to as much of the youtube links as possible (when I know there's a chance I'll like it, anyway ) and while I tend to quickly dismiss many of them, there are some genuinely awesome tracks that I'd like to highlight, and thank the poster for linking them:
Thanks for the cool links everyone!
) and while I tend to quickly dismiss many of them, there are some genuinely awesome tracks that I'd like to highlight, and thank the poster for linking them:I didn't realize Myst had such awesome music. Epic and inspiring.
I was shocked to find out that this isn't a Uematsu tracks. Sounds straight out of FF6.
Those are amazing. I'll need to explore the whole OST now. And man, there's not enough stuff like Windy Days beyond the Wild ARMs games.
I'm not the biggest fan of the very electronic sound normally but those are pretty damn good. Ended up listening to the whole piece in the end, because it's so hypnotizing.
Really liked those too, and I never heard of this game. "The Treacherous Woods" links to a Sonic Chronicles track though, btw.
Wowwwww that first track. I had no recollection of the music from this game except for the very funny track that plays during race mini-games (cause I hear a funny French audio hallucination in there... >_>) but I should have known it'd be good, Christophe Héral's stuff in Rayman Origins/Legends has been stellar. But that First Encounter, man that was badass. It's like epic symphonic metal without the metal. xD
Speaking of badass.... damn, son. I am not overly familiar with Berserk (watched some episodes of the anime a while back but didn't get into it) but if the Anime's OST is as good as this game's, I'm tempted to revisit it. That is seriously a jaw-dropping song. Once again I could describe it as "epic symphonic metal without the metal", haha.
Thanks for the cool links everyone!
Dark Schala
Eloquent Princess
The results thread has been up for a while: www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1001846
And yes, Silent Hill 3 has a lot of hidden gems. Good game, too. Not as consistent or as groundbreaking as Silent Hill 2 was in its heyday, but SH3 has its own neat vibe.
I... have to break away and say that I like Dragon Quest VIII's Japanese soundtrack a bit more than the North American version (which is the DQ8 Symphonic Suite album poorly-looped). A lot of the samples aren't as good or as consistent as the orchestrated versions of the themes, but they sound like they fit areas a whole lot better, and they loop pretty well. That said, I like the Mysterious Tower theme from the DQ8 symphonic album a lot, mostly because of the chimes and the woodblocky/jam block sounding percusssion. And it was nice to see DQ3's Heavenly Flight make a comeback in two versions of the DQ8 soundtrack.
Also, lmao I totally did that whole "recording music from the TV with a cassette tape" thing when I was a kid, too.
I remember putting games on to listen to VGM in the mornings while I got ready for school, too (so FFX's Sphere Theatre was a boon to me when I was a teenager cuz you didn't have to move around a world map quickly to get stuff to listen to). Probably some of the nerdiest stuff I've done in my entire life, but it's nice to have actual CDs or mp3s readily available now, haha.
Plus since a lot of people tend to write out stuff in these threads (and you genuinely aren't required to because we know the vote count would be much lower), it probably looks like something that'd hinder others to vote. And it was February, so a lot of people just didn't have the time to put towards writing anything (plus it was so soon after GotY/SotY, too). If we have to do it again, summer might be a better time. I hesitate on bumping, though, because it feels like we'd be spamming the thread. I could theoretically start doing mini-writeups of some soundtracks over the course of the thread and use those for strategic bumping.
I guess you're darned if you do or don't.
As for the soundtrack's credits, I think this is what you're looking for. I hope that helps!
You saw some of that sort of work from Meguro in Catherine a little bit, but I feel like his work is a little bit restricted lately because of the last few releases that Atlus has put out. I agree though; I feel like DDS1 has a lot of his best work and I miss a lot of that style and tone in his music. It probably doesn't help, though, that much of what he's worked on recently has been fairly light-hearted or just don't allow for the type of style in DDS1.
And yes, Silent Hill 3 has a lot of hidden gems. Good game, too. Not as consistent or as groundbreaking as Silent Hill 2 was in its heyday, but SH3 has its own neat vibe.
I... have to break away and say that I like Dragon Quest VIII's Japanese soundtrack a bit more than the North American version (which is the DQ8 Symphonic Suite album poorly-looped). A lot of the samples aren't as good or as consistent as the orchestrated versions of the themes, but they sound like they fit areas a whole lot better, and they loop pretty well. That said, I like the Mysterious Tower theme from the DQ8 symphonic album a lot, mostly because of the chimes and the woodblocky/jam block sounding percusssion. And it was nice to see DQ3's Heavenly Flight make a comeback in two versions of the DQ8 soundtrack.
Also, lmao I totally did that whole "recording music from the TV with a cassette tape" thing when I was a kid, too.
I remember putting games on to listen to VGM in the mornings while I got ready for school, too (so FFX's Sphere Theatre was a boon to me when I was a teenager cuz you didn't have to move around a world map quickly to get stuff to listen to). Probably some of the nerdiest stuff I've done in my entire life, but it's nice to have actual CDs or mp3s readily available now, haha.
That's true. On mobile, I usually have videos disabled, but a lot of other people don't do it because it's way less convenient and you're less likely to get into a thread where YT videos dominate.
Plus since a lot of people tend to write out stuff in these threads (and you genuinely aren't required to because we know the vote count would be much lower), it probably looks like something that'd hinder others to vote. And it was February, so a lot of people just didn't have the time to put towards writing anything (plus it was so soon after GotY/SotY, too). If we have to do it again, summer might be a better time. I hesitate on bumping, though, because it feels like we'd be spamming the thread. I could theoretically start doing mini-writeups of some soundtracks over the course of the thread and use those for strategic bumping.
I guess you're darned if you do or don't.
Sorry! That's fixed now. The strings on the links were similar so I must've mixed them up. You'll probably be hearing about Xanadu Next and Tokyo Xanadu or Faxanadu more over the next year or so, though!
I didn't get a chance to say this before, but I really enjoyed your writeup (also, I miss seeing you post, but even I don't get that much time to do it anymore, aha). I remember your last vote for Saya no Uta in one of the soundtracks threads a few years ago, but I kinda understood why. I played the game the same year because the thread for it was created, and was mostly like "buh" the whole time. But the music and sound design truly make the game. Gotta agree with you on Silent Sorrow, though. I remember it being really good in-context.
As for the soundtrack's credits, I think this is what you're looking for. I hope that helps!
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