don't vote for stuff that I know will DQ you from your vote, bb. <3
See, that's the thing. I'm technically compelled not to vote because I'd be fundamentally voting against the albums that I want to win! (This is completely aside from involvement; I genuinely think the work put in by everyone else involved, especially the actual composers and arrangers, deserve recognition)
But that aside, I'll bite! Here are my three extremely dubious entries:
1) Bravely Default
Reason for being dubious
I honestly consider this a 2012 soundtrack. I listened to it in its entirety back then and would have voted for it back then. However, I'm gonna say it's fair game, personally not because there was a NA release this year, but because I got a 3DS this year. (I know the rules allow it for a completely different reason lol) And honestly this soundtrack is too good for me not to vote it first place at least once ever.
REVO is amazing and I wish more devs could afford his services for games. He brings the entire kitchen sink to his projects, up to his signature concerts, additional vocal themes, etc. that give a game a sonic branding so far beyond what's just on the game disc/cart.
Highlight Reel
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Ship Soaring Through The Heavens - An airship theme can make or break any JRPG considering one of the tropes is when you get access to the proverbial keys to the world. Also not many airship themes are a direct, obvious arrangement of one of the game's main leitmotifs, one of the things this track does
extremely well.
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That Person's Name Is - There were other boss battles in the game, but the Asterisk holders resonated the most because of many them had personal relationships with the characters.
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Inflitrating Enemy Territory - Here's one I don't expect many people who voted BD to actually put on a highlight reel. As a dungeon theme, it runs the risk of becoming overly stale or repetitive, especially for completionists. Here, REVO shows mastery of being able to balance being creative/memorable without going overboard and creating moments that get annoyingly bombastic to listen to on the 400th repeat. Also it's simply a very cool throwback to the style of JRPG music from console generations past, with modern production values.
2) D4
Reason for being dubious
Since VGO has stuff on the OST (from our Taiwan concert) I've directly worked on the 'OST'. However since that's really in the realm of bonus tracks and not found in the game itself, I'm considering it fair game.
D4, like most of Access Games' other projects, is a gem that unfortunately isn't getting all the recognition it should. The music especially is so underappreciated in a world where everyone's trying to get that one orchestral sound, or to go bigger, or to simply cut back and go electronica/chiptune (Not that there's anything wrong with any of those, obviously)
Highlight Reel
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Theme of D4 - This is literally the game personified in audio form. Everything from the suave lines to the subtle rhythms, to the mysterious sound of the piano break.
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Drank Dead DOM Die - Because riverdance! Where else do you hear hilariously inappropriate expletives in a game soundtrack!
3) Fantasia Music Evolved
Reason for being dubious
This is double-dubious. Firstly because it's largely a licensed soundtrack, the way e.g. GTA and Brutal Legend are. However, considering that the music in this has been adapted to be much greater than its original form, it technically could count as an arrangement album of sorts. Secondly, James Landino (KgZ, sanic fangames) was involved in the project, so it's a little biased of me to sing praises for it, but what the heck.
I think that internet vitriol aside, a lot of the stuff that Harmonix has done with music in this game is completely groundbreaking. There are a lot of things that games not in the music/rhythm game genre can learn about adaptability and interactivity in their scores just by playing the game. Sometimes I wish Harmonix would just become a technology/outsource company, but then again if that happened we wouldn't get Amplitude PS4. :V
Highlight Reel
I don't think a highlight reel kinda works for this because you need to experience it for yourself, not to mention every person's playthrough of something ends up with different music. (I could link the original songs but then what's the point, that's not the reason I'm nominating this game). Gotta say that out of the tracklist Bohemian Rhapsody stood head and shoulders above the rest in how utterly hilarious and awesome it was in equal measures.
There really are a lot of other soundtracks I want to at least mention because despite what it might seem like to a casual observer, 2014 was amazing for VGM. However if I start I won't stop, so I'll just leave it at that.
, the new ones are well enough to make the game music enjoyable when playing this game. Some of the new tracks that in the series for the 1st time that I like are
