Support NeoGAF

[Dark Schala]

You have under two hours left.

 

[Pappasman]

1. Shovel Knight

Shovel Knight was the perfect blend of power, driving force, melancholy, and success. I think this game's OST is by far the best of 2014. Each track is more than just a fun chiptune platformer song, there is a real depth to everything. Virt is able to create some amazingly sweeping and atmospheric chiptune tracks. Steel thy Shovel is just one example of building anticipation and getting the player prepared for the adventure. From there, each track plays on a different theme yet retains complexity and depth so rarely seen in chiptune music. It does that all without getting muddled or overly complex to the point of drowning out separate channels in the song. One theme that is found throughout Shovel Knight's OST is that marching forward. Each track has a distinct march-like percussion section that really capture Shovel Knight's journey to the castle and the desire to progress.

Perhaps Virt's greatest achievement is in Shovel Knight as well. The Requiem of Shield Knight is one of the most emotional, atmospheric, and mechanically deep songs I have ever heard. It is by far the highlight of the game for me and is my favorite track of 2014.

Steel Thy Shovel
La Danse Macabre
The Requiem of Shield Knight

BONUS Incredible Shovel Knight medley


2. Donkey Kong County: Tropical Freeze

David Wise does it again. The range of this OST is astonishing. It always feels fresh. Despite the OST being so diverse Wise is able to make everything sound like it belongs together which is an amazing feat. It truly lives up to DKC2 as one of the best OSTs ever.

Twilight Terror
Forest Folley
Grassland Grove


3. Bayonetta 2

Platinum was able to capture both the immense, epic set pieces with Bayonetta's silly carefree attitude. I felt energized with each new track and was motivated to fight well with amazing tracks like Tomorrow is Mine. Its funny how great music can motivate us to play better. I guess that goes to show the importance of a great OST.

Tomorrow is Mine
Glamor: In Charm and Allure
Moon River

 

[Noi]

That Astral to Umbral writeup. <3 Took the words right out of my mouth in regards to appreciating how the lyrics in the arranges are a lot more pronounced than the original versions, which is really nice. I'm even surprised that you noticed how the Piano tracks are a medley of different songs for every region, despite having not played the game!

Titan is indeed a buttface.

 

[The Xtortionist]

Didn't think I showed Tropical Freeze&#8217;s soundtrack quite enough love, so I just wanted to give my thoughts on a few select tracks.

LOST MANGROVES

Mangrove Cove is the first level, and its theme plays the part brilliantly. The leading saxophone has become a staple of Donkey Kong Country - the beginning notes of this track signaling the triumphant return of one of platforming's greatest franchises and the start of one of the greatest 2D platformers of all time. Spawning a bouncy beachy atmosphere, the whole song just screams "FUN!", devoid of any kind of negative emotions, and helps propel the player through the first leg of the journey. So DK enters Mangrove Cove, runs forward a bit, and, whoops! He slips into a pool of water, triggering a nigh-unholy fusion of Mangrove Cove's theme and Aquatic Ambiance. If the triumphant saxophone of Mangrove Cove is meant to prepare the player for the game's overwhelming sense of scale and chaos, this piece is likely being used to remind the player that the big ape has a softer, more sensitive side (I believe it's somewhere around the pelvis). A plucky guitar and smooth synths surround the player in an impenetrable bubble of euphoria, before DK bursts out of the water to continue his expedition. Is it getting hot in here, or is it just me?

Canopy Chaos introduces the player to Cranky Kong, who rips off borrows Scrooge McDuck's pogo abilty from popular NES platformer DuckTales. David Wise, likely having taken up pogoing himself for inspiration, delivers a track that will make the player want to jump up and down while playing (note: don't do this when playing hard mode). Hell, I'm jumping up and down while writing this post! Similar to David Wise, my talent knows no bounds. With that pogo nonsense out of the way, our next stop is Busted Bayou. Entangled by a catchy bassline, open ears will melt at this track's smooth tones and saxophone solo before submitting to its intoxicating rhythm. Now some of you may be saying "But Xtortionist, I thought this was a video game soundtrack, not a fusion album in disguise!". To that, I say David Wise has duped you all. Suckers.

The next to last stop on our tour of Lost Mangroves is Trunk Twister. Backing a mine cart level, this track conveys a "fun" sense of chaos with little sense of peril (to be contrasted with later mine cart themes). A fast pace accompanies a similarly quick-moving mine cart ride, reaching its crescendo with a harmonica solo when DK and friends are forced to jump across submarines that literally rise up from the ocean under DK's feet...er, wheels. This will be but one example of a music hitting its peak in conjunction with gameplay. And just as you're recovering from that mine cart hype, it's boss time! It's a fucking viking seal a makeshift circus tent! Surely the music will be comical and jolly, right? NOPE. Big Top Bop is a fast paced, hard hitting, guitar-driven track that wants nothing more than to inspire you to kick this seal's ass. I just snapped a pencil in half while listening to it! Hopefully I won't kill someone while listening to Volcano Dome...

AUTUMN HEIGHTS

Having defeated the seal menace, a huge barrel blast takes us to Autumn Heights. Our first stop is Windmill Hills. An eternally jolly track, a quick pace is established - meshing perfectly with the often-quick moving windmill obstacles in the level. And those harmonicas will melt even the most cold-hearted of individuals. A word of warning though - resist the urge to frolic naked in a field of flowers after listening...I tried it and all I got was dehumanizing stares and an odd rash.

...Next up is Mountain Mania - a jaunty track and one that features one of our first examples of dynamic music in Tropical Freeze. A delightful track on its own, mounting the steadfast rhino Rambi adds a layer of percussion to the tune - enhancing the tune's pace and urgency. The melody itself can be a bit silly, but then again, so is one gorilla riding another gorilla riding a rhinoceros while the first gorilla propels the team with a pogo stick through an exploding mountain range where the mountains are shaped like owls. Video games. Needing a break from all that mountain madness, we enter Horn Top Hop. A much calmer level, the music reflects a leisurely walk through the woods. More dynamic elements return, with the percussion dropping out while DK rides one of the floating leaves. We also see dynamic interaction with the music - owl characters play various horns throughout the level, and these horns are synced to the music. Activating the horns often affects DK's navigation of the level, so playing along to the rhythm is key.

But enough of that pansy "walk through the woods" crap - we need action! We need thrills! Perfect timing, actually, because Sawmill Thrill - our next minecart level - is up next. If Trunk Twister was urgent and "fun", Sawmill Thrill is urgent and "OH GOD I'M GONNA DIE". The stage itself is constantly reassembling and disassembling itself, and offers even more unpredictability by taking DK from a cart to a log flume back to a cart before the explosive finish. The music reflects the stage design perfectly, generating persistent tension and peril. Of course, I would never be caught sweating... *wipes brow*

Enough fuckin' around on the ground - it's time to climb the mountain! Alpine Incine is out next destination, and what a destination it is! As we enter, a vista of seemingly infinite pine forests is guarded by an overcast sky. The scene feels a bit lonely actually, but that's the nature of being a gorilla in a huge world. The music here conveys a sense of wonder, scale, and isolation that seems tailor-made to fit the onscreen action. The track is also an excellent display of layering, starting with synth, then adding drums, then bass, then more drums, then some accordion - all added seamlessly and without cluttering the track. You won't hear it for long, however, as we soon have to board a hot-air balloon to venture beyond the clouds. Rising even further above the hate than John Cena, we enter the second phase of Alpine Incline. The track here shifts from feelings of loneliness to those of relief - clear skies give way to new adventures...which brings us to Wing Ding - a mountain stronghold seemingly built by the resident owl population. The track's slightly-quirky nature reflects the owl structures well, but the real standout here is the dynamic between platforming and vine zip-lining. When platforming on the ground, the track feels, well...grounded, with backing percussion and a more firm approach. When zip-lining, however, the track shifts to become airy - the percussion drops out and wind effects can be heard. The zip-lining version in particular conjures up feelings of smooth flight - like a gorilla piloting a blimp.

Just like that, it's boss time again! This time, it's a giant owl named Skowl...that looks familiar...never mind, it's probably nothing. Anyway, Mountaintop Tussle is our boss track this time around. It's quite a sinister tune - likely reflecting Skowl's willingness to smash bananas Gallagher-style (an unforgivable sin). I also like how the track incorporates an accordion - also featured in several other tracks in this world. With Skowl defeated and the banana avenged, it's time for world 3!

BRIGHT SAVANNAH

Like the first two worlds, Bright Savannah also starts out with a triumphant bang. Grassland Groove is our entry point, and it features one of the liveliest tracks in the game. What's special about this track is its three distinct sections. The level itself also has three sections, so let's break them down: The level design goes like this - Platforming->Clinging->Platforming/Clinging. The music goes like this - Female vocals->Male vocals->Female and male vocals. Notice a pattern? In addition to how the gameplay informs the music and vise-versa, I have to throw one more nod to just how bursting with energy this track is. As such, it makes a suitable follow-up to Mangrove Cove and Windmill Hills. Too bad the joy doesn't last...sound the tornado alarms, because it's time for Frantic Fields! Playing the part of Bill Paxton, Donkey Kong must enter the heart of an intense tornado for science bananas. The beginning of this track represents uneasiness - you just know it's going to explode at any moment. Suitably, the track ramps up exponentially when DK boards Rambi - introducing percussion and additional horns to the track. What follows is a breakneck expedition into the "finger of God", backed by frantic (hurr) and fast-paced music. We also see DAT FLUTE return, creating some thematic consistency with other tracks in the world.

Unfortunately, a stray lightning strike from Frantic Fields sparked a raging wildfire in the savannah. I guess the only thing left to do is Scorch 'N' Torch!

...whoops, wrong track. Anyway, Scorch 'N' Torch is one of Tropical Freeze's most popular tracks, and for good reason! The opening bass and subtle percussion weave an intoxicating web of atmosphere that's sure to ensnare unsuspecting players. The player firmly in its grasp, the track layers in synth and thundering drums before climaxing with DAT FLUTE. In painting a picture of a gorilla traversing a wildfire, Scorch 'N' Torch probably isn't what comes to mind. Players expecting a more chaotic and perilous track may be disappointed, as the tune evokes feelings closer to tragedy. After all, this savannah was somebody's home. BibleThump.

Here it is. Fans wanted it and they got it. The moment many of us were all waiting for...and it lasts less than twenty seconds? Well, only if you rush ahead. Entering Twilight Terror, we're greeted by an old friend. This friend has been with us since 1995 - in our heads, in our iPods, in our smartphones. This friend propelled us through a web of thorns and supported us in our never ending struggle to pilot a stubborn parrot through a windstorm. This is Stickerbush Symphony, remastered for a new age. Though while many expected a potential remix to be used in a significant, potentially bombastic context, what we get is about one of the most subtle instances of fanservice I've ever seen. Playing normally, a player can easily bypass this track without ever realizing what it is. Those that stick around, however, will be treated to a nostalgic trip that invites reflection on the past. And of course, the track features DAT FLUTE to blend in seamlessly with the rest of the world's tracks.

Last up for Bright Savannah's levels is Cannon Canyon. Or Bramble Scramble (2014). Or Rickety Rafters. Whatever the case, all of the aforementioned levels use this track. Cannon Canyon is a smooth, laid-back track with multiple distinct sections. After the opening, which evokes desolate settings, we get some thundering drums, then some guitar, then finally a catchy dose of DAT FLUTE. The guitar and drums return before giving us one last run with the flute - this time backed by a choir. This track, like, goes places, man.

For our world 3 boss, it's DK vs three I.R. Baboons. The track here is Triple Trouble, and I love how it reflects the Baboons' playful approach to murdering DK with bombs and hammers. A fast pace compliments the action well, and there's a hint of Asian influences - possibly referencing the bosses' ninjutsu skills. Believe it!

Spoiler

I'll go now...

SEA BREEZE COVE

World 3 is done, and we're onto the cool waters of Sea Breeze Cove! First up is Deep Keep. This track is no joke, reportedly making Neiteio jizz rainbows on at least one occasion. The track itself is short lived in gameplay, similar to Twilight Terror, though a bouncy tempo and smooth synth make it intensely listenable outside of the game. Diving under the water, however, leads to the first encounter with Aquatic Ambiance Returns Again. A much higher fidelity version of the beloved original, this track incorporates atmospheric sonar pinging effects and a pinch of electric guitar. A very faithful remix of the original, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Next up is High Tide Ride. When a conversation about a song "going places" comes up, this should come to mind. What starts as a leisurely mine cart ride soon turns perilous as DK plummets into some kind of undersea Temple of Doom. The track perfectly conveys the constant near-misses with obstacles in this level's gameplay and relentlessly propels the action forward. A nice touch is the sonar ping effect which is present after DK rides under the ocean.

Amiss Abyss. 'Nuff said.

...Nah, but srsly. In fact, Aquatic Ambiance may have just met its match. A strong backing bass and graceful melodies make this track one of the game's best. The piano captures the grace of DK's swimming and the sheer beauty that Retro created with this level. The "climax" around 1:20 seems to be timed to that it plays just as DK approaches a swarm of jellyfish seemingly engaged in synchronized swimming. The track and level are already too much at this point, but alas, we're propelled on by a firm tempo that may be a subtle nod to DK's need to keep swimming (unlike in past games, DK must continually press forward to find oxygen bubbles). A wonderful track in its own right, and further enhanced by its accompanying level and vise-versa, Amiss Abyss is one for the ages.

There's a lot to cover with Irate Eight so I'll try to keep it moving. The vanilla-named track is sadly short-lived in the game, but lives on eternally in our hearts (and iPhones). An infectious bassline and unexpected saxophone section make this groovy tune a foot tapping extravaganza. Irate Eight (Underwater) is the calm before the storm in this particular level, skillfully weaving together Aquatic Ambiance and fan favorite Lockjaw's Saga from DKC2 together to create a feeling of impending peril. Irate Eight (Tension) focuses purely on Lockjaw's Saga to create a well, "tense" feeling. The song feels quite heavy and overwhelming to me, further adding to the tension of being stalked by Lorthos, the Tidemaker. Finally, our boss for world 4 is a giant puffer fish...fitting. The music track here is Fugu Face-Off, and I find it highly adept at generating a feeling of being overwhelmed. The tempo here is unyielding, successfully capturing the feeling of being trapped in a small space with a large spiky fish, while a nice variety of melodies keep things fresh.

JUICY JUNGLE

Arriving at world 5, there isn't much further to go. We start here at Harvest Hazards, a level with one of my favorite tracks in the game. The beginning of this track is a textbook example of great layering, starting with a backing melody, adding maracas, throwing in some extra percussion, before tossing in a final layer of percussion and the track's lead melody. Again, this is all accomplished without muddying up the track. My favorite part of this tune is the climax beginning at 1:40, which brings the track to a satisfying conclusion before doing it all over again. A natural follow-up to Harvest Hazards, Fruity Factory gives me a feeling of curiosity...fitting, as much of the level discloses the enemy Snowmads' fruit pop production process. Throughout the world, we see the Snowmads gather the fruit, slice the fruit, juice the fruit, and finally freeze the fruit to create the final product. Fruity Factory displays yet another vital part of the process, and is tied together to Harvest Hazards with a similar lead instrument.

Panicky Paddles takes place both above and underwater (underjuice), displaying the Snowmads' fruit juicing process. On the surface, the familiar Harvest Hazards theme plays. While swimming in juice, we get an ethereal, electronic mashup of Aquatic Ambiance and Harvest Hazards that also has a satisfying climax. This is one of the most atmospheric tracks in the game and certainly makes me want to dive into a vat of fruit juice. Not that I haven't already. Or have...have already.

Traversing juice cubes before they're ready to be frozen, we're treated to Jelly Jamboree. Appropriately a walk on the weird side, players are treated to odd melodies and even a vocoder section and they make their way through this strange environment filled with giant fruit and oversized jelly cubes. It's unconventional, but so is the level and environment. Detouring into a fruit smashing plant, we encounter Jammin' Jams. Featuring callbacks to Harvest Hazards and Jelly Jamboree, Jammin' Jams' quick tempo blends well with the perilous smashing devices found throughout the level. Placed near the end of the world, it's use of both Harvest Hazards' and Fruity Factory's lead instrument, along with Jelly Jamboree's vocoder helps put a nice bow on the, well...not frozen part of the island.

The last stop on our tour of the Snowmads' factory is Frosty Fruits, and it's a departure from earlier levels. The level being frozen itself, this is where DK's enemies freeze their juice cubes to make fruit pops...those motherfuckers. Anyway, this beginning of this track gives me vibes of infiltration - fitting, as DK is drawing nearer to the Snowmads' treasured stash of fruit pops. Seasoned DKC players will notices a seamless callback to In a Snow Bound Land from DKC2. Also, unlike all previous levels, Frosty Fruits is almost completely on ice, so I find it appropriate that it shares very little instrumentation with previous Juicy Jungle tracks.

One obstacle remains between DK and returning to his island, and it's a pissed off polar beat with a giant hammer. This battle takes place in the Punch Bowl, and it's arguably the longest boss fight in the game. The tempo of this guitar-driven theme is a bit slower than Big Top Bop's, fitting the more drawn out war of attrition that the fight involves. Jelly Jamboree's vocoder returns during the song's downtime, and the "chorus" is a duel between synth and a guitar. While a bit slower paced, it keeps the blood pumping in a long-winded battle.

DONKEY KONG ISLAND

The time has come and so has Donkey Kong...to save the island! It's a journey through enemy territory that's captured fantastically by Homecoming Hijinx, our first level theme. This tune embodies the Snowmad's grasp on DK Island - the epic melodies and heavy percussion propelling the player on their first step into the last world of the game. As arguably the "main theme" of the game, I quite enjoy it for its darker tones. But as Homecoming Hijinx conjures up peril and resolve, Seashore War conveys the simple desolation of a frozen beach - once vibrant and teeming with life - under the control of adorable viking intruders. The lead guitar and vocals invoke reflection, isolation, and a bit of sadness, with the end of the loop being a bit more uplifting. A slower tempo invites the player to take their time and observe the wasteland firsthand. Dripping with atmosphere, this is easily one of the game's best tracks. Is someone chopping onions?

Only a few more to go. Aqueduct Assault is up next and this theme is one of the most driving in the game. Aqueduct Assault is an epic orchestral piece and is accompanied by a brisk level that encourages constant forward momentum. If I had to come up with a brief phrase to explain how this track makes me feel, it would be "Time to save the motherfucking island". Nearing the very end, Forest Folly is encountered. Similar to Seashore War, this track invokes a strong feeling of isolation, thought the latter part of the tune becomes a bit sinister as it incorporates elements from Homecoming Hijinx. Echoing synth elements later in the track reinforce the icy aesthetic. Also similar to Seashore War, the level takes place in a once-lively area from Donkey Kong Country Returns that has since been frozen over - further supporting the desolated and isolated nature of the theme. Getting closer and closer, the only way forward is to power up the factory in Frozen Frenzy. This subtle remix of DKC1's Fear Factory features percussion of a mechanical nature, reflecting the environment of cold steel the level and track take place in. The percussion occasionally gives way to brief calms before continuing to bang away, and similar to Forest Folly, synthetic sounds evoke thoughts of ice and snow.

This is it: The final showdown with Lord Peaceful Ruler Frederick and the last obstacle between DK and the reclamation of his island. Did I mention the fight takes place in a volcano? Certainly, whatever music track is backing this fight must be aggressive and intense...luckily, Volcano Dome delivers the goods. Immediately whacking the player with some gnarly guitar, the track then gives way to what comes across as a fusion of synth and guitar as its lead instrument. The backing guitar is heavy, reinforcing The Snowmad King's presence. As a whole, the track features a quick tempo and constant aggression, hopefully inspiring the player to kick this guy's ass once and for all. And the player does. And then something magical happens.

CREDITS

Click ( &#865;° &#860;&#662; &#865;°)
Tropical Freeze features my favorite credits theme of all time. It's equal parts celebratory, somber, uplifting, and nostalgic love letter. In particular, the second half of the track is a live sax rendition of Stickerbush Symphony - no doubt played by Mr. Wise himself. Wise knows what the fans want and he not only gives it to them, but gives it to them in a highly personal way. There's only one way fans wanted this game to end and Wise exceeded expectations. Long live the king.

 

[randomkid]

The weird thing about the thread this year for me is that so many of the choices are games I intend to play, so I'm avoiding reading the write-ups and listening. I'm excited to check all these cool posts out in early 2016 I guess.

Wasn't expecting anything out of the music for Transistor though, so good to keep that in mind.

 

[Schreckstoff]

Well guess I'm coming out of the left field with the 1st

Shadow of Mordor Ioreth | Ratbag | I don't belong here

Banner Saga Cut With A Keen Edged Sword | A Long Walk Still Our Heart | Our Heels Bleed From The Bites of Wolves

Dragon Age Inquisition Val Royeaux | The Lost Temple | The Dawn Will Come

Honorable Mentions

Destiny, the Soundtrack is great but I'll be damned if I give the game any points

 

[Solune]

1. Sen no Kiseki II
Composers: Falcom Sound Team jdk (Hayato Sonoda, Takahiro Unisuga, Saki Momiyama)

I can't articulate why Sen no Kiseki II's OST is so damn good as well as Schala or any other Falcom fan but listening to it I was blown away by it from anything else.
Heated Mind - To me this is essentially what battle music should sound like. The slow start that progresses into a much more upbeat theme that gets you pumped.
Reunion - In contrast to Heated Mind, I actually prefer slow and lighthearted BGM so naturally I picked a theme that's sort of typical for it's title but it's soothing to me.
Bring up Trust! - I picked this theme because it's really fast paced from the get go and representative of Falcom's natural sound. I really like the transitions.​

2. Border Break Scramble
Composers: SEGA [Not listed even on JP Wiki.]

I'm picking this soundtrack because it essentially reminds me of what a Megaman X game would sound like today.
Even though this game is not available outside of Japan, the OST has an official release, thus it has my vote.
Organs - This just gives me the most Rockman vibes of all the tracks. Real props to SEGA's sound team just really great.
Deep Plexus - This track gives me that mecha action feel somewhat similar to that found in Gundam Unicorn.
Cutthroat Competition - Despite the title the actual theme isn't all that grave sounding. It's a great fast paced track well suited to action.​

3. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
Composers: David Wise

As a long time DKC fan it would be wrong of me not to have it listed so here we are a few weeks ago DKC:TF was already running away with first place so I feel like everything's been said already.
Forest Folly - Great callback to Forest Interlude
Amiss Abyss - Such a relaxing track in one of the rare silhouette levels. It's a great accompaniment.
Seashore War - Most DKC games have that standout track in them, to me this would be TF's track. The guitar evokes a feeling that nothing else quite does.​

Soundtrack I wish I could have voted for:
Another arcade game stuck in Japan with a pretty good soundtrack featuring some pretty prolific JP vocalists like nano, Kaori Oda (Fiction Junction), Maria (GARNiDELiA) [Gundam G-Reco OP]
Gunslinger Stratos 2

The soundtrack for this game is primarily JP Vocals of various natures, Pop, Rock, etc.
You can look at some music promo videos at the site. http://gunslinger-stratos.jp/gs2/movie/ It really satisfies my itch when I just feel like listening to something.
Inferiorty Complex - It's my favorite track by far. It just sounds right, the vocals go so well with the composition...
Eye of Lazhward - The other track in the game that gets me pumped up.​

Best Fan Arrange:
Harmony of Heroes
Credits listed for each individual track http://www.harmonyofheroes.com/creditspage/

I found this to be the best fan project hands down, on top of being completely free the overall production level is pretty amazing. I really found myself listening to the whole album when usually I tend to skip tracks that I'm not really feeling, especially in a game featuring tracks from franchises I may not be fond of. So just props to the entire team. It's very rare for me to sit down and listen to a fan project and be engrossed in it.
I'd like to spend more time breaking things down and adding more tracks but I'm already almost out of time.

Harmony of Heroes - After Battle (Golden Sun)
Now I'm a pretty big fan of Sakuraba's battle music. To quote Regulus Tera before he said something along the lines of his brain melting when he listens to it.
Essentially when you take the upbeat, fast, and adrenaline pumping music and you make it a slow piano arrangement, that makes the rest of whatever's left of my body melt. So I had to plug this.
Harmony of Heroes - The Last Cake (Kirby Butter Building)
I really enjoy the piano and acoustic guitar. It also doesn't have the feeling a typical Kirby song that's lighthearted and happy. So it really caught my attention that it's sort of slightly solemn but hopeful.
Harmony of Heroes - Fields of Fire (F-Zero)
Now, I'm a pretty big F-Zero fan. No, I'm not gonna link another Mute City remix. I already think that Fire Field has a good arrangement but I think it's worth looking into if you want heavier guitar samples.​

"This should be in a game":
Gundam Build Fighters OST
Composer: Yuuki Hayashi

If it's one thing I actually wanted to vote for it would be this soundtrack. Yuuki Hayashi absolutely blew everything away. Whether you like Gundam, anime, or not, you owe it to yourself to listen to this soundtrack.
Speed-star - My ears can't comprehend how good this track is.
Fleeting Love - If you know me at all, I probably annoy you to death by telling you everything is fleeting.​

LTTP Soundtrack:

Romancing Saga 1,2, and 3 Remastered​

Honourable Mentions:

Mario Kart 8
Shovel Knight
Atelier Escha & Logy
Ar nosurge
Shantae and the Pirate's Curse
Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney​

 

[GhaleonQ]

1. Sen no Kiseki II
2. Border Break Scramble
Soundtrack I wish I could have voted for:
Another arcade game stuck in Japan with a pretty good soundtrack featuring some pretty prolific JP vocalists like nano, Kaori Oda (Fiction Junction), Maria (GARNiDELiA) [Gundam G-Reco OP]
Gunslinger Stratos 2
The soundtrack for this game is primarily JP Vocals of various natures, Pop, Rock, etc.
You can look at some music promo videos at the site.
http://gunslinger-stratos.jp/gs2/movie/
It really satisfies my itch when I just feel like listening to something.
Inferiort Complex - It's my favorite track by far. It just sounds right, the vocals go so well with the composition...
Eye of Lazhward - The other track in the game that gets me pumped up.

It's absurd how there are 2 arcade games every year with really great soundtracks that almost no Americans ever hear. Wangan Midnight is my series of choice, but I enjoyed your picks, too.

 

[Dark Schala]

Yooooo, Xtortionist. Good lookin' out for that DK:TF writeup. That's a fantastic job and it really shows how much the soundtrack left a significant impact on you. I appreciate you writing that up.

And damn! I forgot about Border Break Scramble even though I swear I tweeted multiple tracks from that game months ago! Let me edit my honourable mentions. That soundtrack is some hot stuff. Thanks, Solune!

 

[GhaleonQ]

Pretentious write-ups come tomorrow or early this week! I'll just say that in the best video game music years, this top 10, which I really did research, would compare to that year's 11 through 20. The 2015 American localizations or dormancy of major composers really left a gigantic void this year. Stop sucking, video game industry.

I would like to point out that I was on the Danganronpa train from day 1. I never thought they&#8217;d come over here, so while I am thankful, I won&#8217;t vote for them again as they both made my lists in their respective years. The same goes for Bravely Default.

Most importantly, it's the same for Hero 30 Second/Half-Minute Hero: The 2nd Coming, which I totally missed came out on Steam after it being 1 of my favorite series of last generation. Sadly, I put it on game and soundtrack of the year lists back on its original system, but it would easily top my list this year if not.

01. Shovel Knight/Shovel Knight; Jake Kaufman; Manami Matsumae; http://vgmdb.net/album/47932
In The Halls Of The Usurper - Pridemoor Keep
Strike The Earth - Plains Of Passage
An Underlying Problem-The Lost City

02. Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze/Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze; David Wise; http://www.nintendo.co.jp/wiiu/arkj/index.html
Busted Bayou
Horn Top Hop
Seashore War

03. BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma/BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma; Daisuke Ishiwatari, Mizuki Ueki; http://vgmdb.net/album/41563
Condemnation Wings
Gale 2
In Justice

04. Nidhogg/Nidhogg; Alfred Weisberg-Roberts; https://soundcloud.com/daedelus
Clouds
Castle
Mines

05. Like A Dragon: Restoration/Yakuza: Resurrection; Hidenori Shoji, Chihiro Aoki, Saori Yoshida; http://vgmdb.net/album/44572 http://vgmdb.net/album/44573
Enlightenment Kill
Moon Rainbow Insect
Annihilate, Secret Forces

06. Great Melee Smash Brothers Z/Super Smash Brothers 4; ;
Outdoors At 07:00 P.M. (Sunny); Main Street
King Dedede&#8217;s Theme Version 2
Yoshi&#8217;s Woolly World

07. Kirby Of The Star: Triple Deluxe/Kirby: Triple Deluxe; Hirokazu Ando, Jun Ishikawa; http://vgmdb.net/album/43736
Mad Essence
Restoring The Throne: D.D.D.
Bouncing Dedenden

08. Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds/Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds; Takeshi Abo; http://vgmdb.net/album/46957
Kumon Shrine Stage
We Were Beaten By The Phantom
And Then It&#8217;s The End

09. Hohokum/Hohokum; Zachary Saginaw, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Jakub Alexander; http://ghostly.com/releases/hohokum-soundtrack
Lamp Lighting
Super-Secret End Credits
Reticent Reminiscence

10. Pull-Push World/Pushmo World; Sho Murakami; http://www.nintendo.co.jp/wiiu/wkej
Pushmo Exercises
Mallo&#8217;s March
A Leisurely Cruise

 

[Zevenberge]

Just passing through before the deadline (I hope)

1. Atelier Shallie
Asymmetry
Stella
I'm probably one of the biggest Atelier fanboys out there when it comes to the OST. Although it is not objectively good, it is very calming music while being interesting enough to listen to again and again. Every mainline Atelier game also comes with a Twlight vocal album, which is more than enough reason to look forward to every release. That said, I haven't played a mainline game yet, lol.
2. Mario Kart 8
Electrodrome
Cloudtop Cruise
MarioKart is gamey and racey, and its music perfectly complements it. Although Electrodrome's soundtrack sounds quite weird on its own, within the context of the course it fits perfectly.
3. Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
Xenoblade Remix
Battlefield (Smash 4 ver.)
Although it has more music than any other game (sans karaoke and rhythm games perhaps), it largely consists of songs directly ripped from their original games and remixes of those. Nevertheless, the track collection is, like the trophies, a museum on its own.

Honorable mention: Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
Davis Weiss. (Okay, his name is not written like that, but this way it looks like one of the classic composers.)

 

[ULTROS!]

Hope I still beat it:

1. Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster
2. Bayonetta 2
3. DanganRonpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

 

[Dark Schala]

Voting has now ended. If you were in the middle writing a post at this time, I'll accept it but won't accept anything past 12:15 AM PST. I think that's a healthy grace period. If you need to edit tracks in or an explanation in, that's perfectly fine. I already plugged your numbers into the sheet, so if you changed anything, I'll know and the new vote won't count.

Thank you to everyone who has voted this year! I get that it was a crazy race to the finish, but we got there. Look for the results thread on Tuesday evening at the earliest, Wednesday evening at the latest. Sorry that the results will take long but I need time to make up the thread. That being said, I have a pretty good idea of what the top four is and I just need to plug the numbers in to calculate that automatically.

Not tonight, though. I have to go out in the morning, haha.

 

[Earthpainting]

Glad to see some of the people whom I expected still managed to come through. As someone who enjoys music, but isn't very knowledgeable about them on a technical or critical level, it's always nice to read from people who apparently are. Every year these threads dictate my playlist for the upcoming months, so thanks to everyone that contributed.

 

[GhaleonQ]

Reminder: Dark Schala rules.

 

[Dark Schala]

Yeah, it made me really happy to see that a few of the old guard make some time for the thread. It looks like a lot of us have become busier lately at this stage in our lives, though. But I'm happy a lot of the people who I expected to post a list did. That being said, I noticed a few people who I don't recognize making some pretty detailed posts so I'm interested in seeing them stick around for next year.

Reminder: Dark Schala rules.

Aw, shucks. This thread wouldn't exist if it weren't for you clarifying what should be a rule and what shouldn't + how long we should make an extension for. I'm happy that I had your guidance in making the OP and figuring out how we should tackle 2014's re-releases. <3

I'm gonna go collapse into my bed since I have to be up early and I'm actually in the Eastern time zone, haha. I'll calculate stuff tomorrow.

 

[Papercuts]

I am proud to be the inspiration for Xtortionist's post. ( &#865;° &#860;&#662; &#865;°)

 

[The Xtortionist]

I am proud to be the inspiration for Xtortionist's post. ( &#865;° &#860;&#662; &#865;°)

&#865;° &#860;&#662; &#865; -

Yooooo, Xtortionist. Good lookin' out for that DK:TF writeup. That's a fantastic job and it really shows how much the soundtrack left a significant impact on you. I appreciate you writing that up.

I appreciate it. Thanks for reading ( &#865;° &#860;&#662; &#865;°)

 

[Papercuts]

I do like the format of going through various songs specifically and explaining why they work so well, I'll keep that in mind for the future. Still trying to digest Schala's post, haha. Love the D4 writeup.

 

[Jotamide]

Damn, totally missed this. Really wanted to vote for XBlaze because it had an awesome OST but nobody played the game. -_-

 

[krossj]

No prob. Thoraxes seems to pay more attention to Hamauzu's work more often than I do these days, so he could give better insight than I could, but... if you haven't listened to his Sigma Harmonics OST, you should. It's one of my favourites of last generation.

Additionally last year, he released another piano album which is pretty decent.

Awesome, will give them a listen.

If you ever need Hamauzu info or any of his other works just shoot me a message! I follow all of his works pretty intensively and really love his work outside of video games because he's a classically trained composer.

Thanks, going to listen to the albums Dark Schala mentioned but I'll send you a message in the future to see what else he has been up to. Wasn't sure how much work he produced outside of Square Enix but great to know there seems to be a lot of it.

 

[Nocturnowl]

Thoraxes giving Layton/Ace Attorney the works back there, I still feel like I'm discovering more great tracks from it even now.

*Mega DKC TF post*

Bless this post, you've done the soundtrack far more justice than I did, you dug deep for this one!
And threw in a fitting Cena reference *shakes fist*.

Best Fan Arrange:
Harmony of Heroes
Credits listed for each individual track http://www.harmonyofheroes.com/creditspage/

I found this to be the best fan project hands down, on top of being completely free the overall production level is pretty amazing. I really found myself listening to the whole album when usually I tend to skip tracks that I'm not really feeling, especially in a game featuring tracks from franchises I may not be fond of. So just props to the entire team. It's very rare for me to sit down and listen to a fan project and be engrossed in it.
I'd like to spend more time breaking things down and adding more tracks but I'm already almost out of time.​

Oh yeah I gave this a listen when it came out, as you say the production quality was damn good though I still prefer the original Harmony of a Hunter run of tracks.
A K.Rool Pub Crawl works better than it has any right to taking a boss theme known for its fierce tonal shift into a jaunty piss up jig.
Why this fan album may have had the best of this years ten billion DK Island Swing remixes.

Reminder: Dark Schala rules.

With an iron fist, so says Sonic GAF
Okay, that's actually Professor Beef, save us Princess.

Cool to see that this thread picked up towards the end, music lives as the EBA would say.​

 

[Axelstream]

Whoa, some nice long writeups came in in the last 24 hours -- I look forward to listening and reading through them when I get the chance! Just from Schala's post alone I learned about that new Hamauzu album performed by Nuss (what an awesome combination) and Origa's passing (which I'm really sorry to hear about). Thanks to all you guys for coming out and giving your support for this yearly tradition!

 

[Lunar15]

Thanks for setting this up, Dark Schala!

Definitely one of my favorite threads. As I said earlier, I like finding new game music through this, I usually just have sessions where I play tons of music so this thread, gives me music for the work week!

I think we know who won #1, but it'll be interesting to see who fell where underneath that.

 

[Neiteio]

Xtortionist, that Tropical Freeze write-up is AMAZING! Laughed out loud all throughtout, especially the Mountain Mania description. I would strongly suggest making it the OP of its own thread titled "What's your favorite theme from DKC: Tropical Freeze," or something to that effect. It's a perfect format for people to refresh themselves on the songs. It really should be its own thread.

 

[Broder Salsa]

.

I agree with these people:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dj1PSfO1vLI

 

[Lunar15]

Giant Bomb not going with Donkey Kong makes complete sense given their tastes. Their eventual pick, Luftrausers, lines up exactly with how a lot of them view game music, and that's great. It's a perfectly fine pick and I honestly would have felt weird if they picked DK. They also had a much closer relationship with Luftrausers than they did with Donkey Kong, so it makes sense that they'd go with something they all enjoyed.

Good on Dan for trying though! That was enough for me.

 

[Nocturnowl]

A bit late now but as a heads up to buddha0991, those Killer Instinct Season 2 links got muddled with Persona Q.

 

[Dark Schala]

LOL, I'll be completely honest: It makes me so happy to see that people read the lengthy posts in here. A lot of people, I could tell (and from experience), spend hours on them, so it's great that people are going through them.

As for DK:TF --- yeah, halfway through, it wasn't even a contest. It ran away with the vote when I did the prelim count. At that time, it had 218 points. If you were voting for TF at that point, you were 89% likely to give it 2-3 points. The more interesting race is the one for 2-3-4. And the LTTP vote; I think Sciz semi-shook it up back there, but now I think one game has a comfortable lead.

Damn, totally missed this. Really wanted to vote for XBlaze because it had an awesome OST but nobody played the game. -_-

I would've mentioned it, but that game was 2013 for me. :x

I think that's probably the biggest issue I get with voting; I have to decide whether or not I want to vote for a soundtrack for a game that's Japanese-exclusive maybe years before it comes out in the west (or if it even comes out here at all). I usually listen to hundreds of soundtracks every year (like Solune, GhaleonQ, Falk, and a lot of other people in this thread), and a lot of them tend to be Japanese-only.

Luckily I play some Falcom games the year they come out so that isn't really an issue. But for the others, sometimes it feels weird. Like, SE releases games in November/December in Japan, but the official soundtracks don't come out until January/February, so you're left wondering if you're voting for the soundtrack or the game itself. And I generally go with the soundtrack unless I have played the game.

Everyone handles this differently, though. Glancing through the thread, lots of folks vote on the soundtrack wrt game as opposed to the disc release itself.

 

[GhaleonQ]

Just passing through before the deadline (I hope)

1. Atelier Shallie
Asymmetry
Stella
I'm probably one of the biggest Atelier fanboys out there when it comes to the OST. Although it is not objectively good, it is very calming music while being interesting enough to listen to again and again. Every mainline Atelier game also comes with a Twlight vocal album, which is more than enough reason to look forward to every release. That said, I haven't played a mainline game yet, lol.

No, no, no, I'll back you! It's coming out in 2015 here, but 1 of the Japanese musicians I like (under Boris, Tricot, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, and Moskitoo, more around Ferri, Shugo Tokumaru, Akira Kosemura, and Haruka Nakamura) is Matryoshka, who has 3 quite good songs on that soundtrack.

More reactions incoming later but I had to step in now and provide support to a really great and surprising top pick.

 

[Mauricio_Magus]

How did I miss this, I would have voted for Ar nosurge as my #1... as someone that hears videogame music all day long, it kinda sucks to miss out on this voting.

I haven't had a chance to read the thread but hopefully DK wins, such a glorious OST.

I know it doesn't count at all but my picks of the year are:

1. Ar nosurge
2. Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze
3. Guilty Gear Xrd
4. Mario Kart 8
5. Smash Bros Wii U
6. Danganronpa 2
7. Bayonetta 2
8. Shovel Knight
9. Atelier Escha
10. Sen no Kiseki II

 

[Riposte]

I realized I was too absentminded to actually rank my entries. Don't know if that disqualifies me. If it doesn't, I don't particularly care how they are counted. Making Guilty Gear #1 and going down is completely fine with me if the choice comes down to me.

 

[Sciz]

And the LTTP vote; I think Sciz semi-shook it up back there, but now I think one game has a comfortable lead.

Fie. Get outta here, Xenoblade.

(I have not played Xenoblade.)

 

[Dark Schala]

Man, Mauricio_Magus and Jotamide's posts broke my heart that I thought about them while at the gym and I'll count their votes towards the soundtracks they mentioned.

But that's it. My heart got frosty so that's all I'm gonna count.

I realized I was too absentminded to actually rank my entries. Don't know if that disqualifies me. If it doesn't, I don't particularly care how they are counted. Making Guilty Gear #1 and going down is completely fine with me if the choice comes down to me.

I got the gist of how you ranked them so that's fine.

 

[Mauricio_Magus]

Man, Mauricio_Magus and Jotamide's posts broke my heart that I thought about them while at the gym and I'll count their votes towards the soundtracks they mentioned.

But that's it. My heart got frosty so that's all I'm gonna count.

Thank you so much ;_;

They were already in order in my post, but I went ahead and added numbers to my list just in case.

 

[SatelliteOfLove]

Giant Bomb not going with Donkey Kong makes complete sense given their tastes. Their eventual pick, Luftrausers, lines up exactly with how a lot of them view game music, and that's great. It's a perfectly fine pick and I honestly would have felt weird if they picked DK. They also had a much closer relationship with Luftrausers than they did with Donkey Kong, so it makes sense that they'd go with something they all enjoyed.

Good on Dan for trying though! That was enough for me.

Gah. I was sitting there listening to that on the couch thinking to myself "Dan! NO! You can't come into this so weak!"

IGN-sourced list thru an iPhone's tinny mono speaker. Dan pls.

 

[MaverickHunterAsh]

Looking forward to seeing what the results are! I really hope Shovel Knight made it into the top three. It and virt are so deserving.

 

[Spinosaurus]

Xtortionist I'm bookmarking your post.

Great write up!

Need to go back and read the previous pages. Missed a lot

 

[SaintMadeOfPlaster]

So...will the results ever be posted?

 

[Dark Schala]

I'm working through the spreadsheet now. Kinda doesn't help that I was at the lab all day + I have school. I wasn't kidding when I said i'm busy lately!

Be patient; it's not done with a parser like GotY is.

 

[MaverickHunterAsh]

I'm working through the spreadsheet now. Kinda doesn't help that I was at the lab all day + I have school. I wasn't kidding when I said i'm busy lately!

Be patient; it's not done with a parser like GotY is.

You mean you have responsibilities outside of GAF?! Madness. How dare you?

Really though, thanks for doing this in your spare time at all. These are easily the "best of 2014" results I'm most interested in, and I'm glad anyone's stepping up to do it period. Not sure how many other people out there would give gaming's best music the attention it deserves!

 

[Jintor]

Gah. I was sitting there listening to that on the couch thinking to myself "Dan! NO! You can't come into this so weak!"

IGN-sourced list thru an iPhone's tinny mono speaker. Dan pls.

Next year he at least has to bust out a portable speaker and a pre-made playlist

 

[Dark Schala]

Well, uh, I haven't fully triple-checked but I can reveal TF's second final count:

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, as we all know, won.
119 people out of a possible 225 voted for it (three people did not finish their ballots)
It got 311 points in total
84 people gave it 3 points
24 people gave it 2 points
11 people gave it 1 point

Keep in mind that I'm going through now to do checks and balances but there you go if you wanted hard numbers for one thing. = which I edited cuz I missed 1 dude!

And no problem. This is my first year doing this thread after taking over for Nert, and I understand how much work it is since I don't think he worked with a parser at all either, haha. Next year I will work for better turn around time (god, I feel like I'm talking in my lab already!)

Other stats: there were 35 different games submitted for LTTP in total (even ones where people voted for more than one LTTP soundtrack; I ended up counting just the first and making notes if people submitted multiple games, even if they appeared on the list for the first time - those ones do not count and are not assigned a numerical value)

So far:
Xenoblade Chronicles - 10 pts
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance - 5pts
Ace Attorney Investigations 2 - 4pts
Bayonetta - 2 pts
Killer Instinct: Season 1 - 2 pts
Persona 4: Golden - 2 pts
La Mulana - 2 pts
Bravely Default: Flying Fairy - 2pts
Fire Emblem: Awakening - 2pts
The Wonderful 101 - 2pts
Persona 3 - 2pts
Genso Suikoden II - 1pt
NieR - 1pt
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies - 1pt
Final Fantasy VI - 1pt
Hotline Miami - 1pt
Thomas Was Alone - 1pt
Tales from Space: Mutant Blobs Attack - 1pt
Kid Icarus: Uprising - 1pt
Code of Princess - 1pt
Deus Ex: Human Revolution - 1pt
One Finger Death Punch - 1pt
No More Heroes 2 - 1
Sins of a Solar Empire - 1
Payday 2 - 1
Super Amazing Wagon Adventure - 1
Final Fantasy VII - 1
Edna and Harvey: The Breakout - 1
The Last Story - 1
Earthbound - 1
MechWarrior 2: Armour Veil - 1
Mario and Luigi: Dream Team - 1
Romancing Saga 1-2-3 Remastered - 1
The Granstream Saga - 1
Shin Megami Tensei IV - 0 (second lttp mention from someone; not assigned a numerical value)

 

[Jucksalbe]

Seems like DKC is beating out even Journey just going by the amount of points (not sure about the number of ballots in past years).

I'm glad this thread kept the LTTP vote. A really diverse selection there.

 

[Earthpainting]

Other stats: there were 35 different games submitted for LTTP in total (even ones where people voted for more than one LTTP soundtrack;

Half-Minute Hero 2 - 1

Oh my! I thought I was the only person that voted for this game, and I voted for it as the newly released 2014 localisation. Who was my secret soul brother or sister?

 

[Dark Schala]

I am uncertain as to why that got written into the spreadsheet, but that was SatoAilDarko's No More Heroes 2 LTTP vote.

Told ya the kinks were being worked out.

As far as I can see on the penultimate list, you were the only person who voted for HMH2.

But I genuinely agree that the LTTP vote list is really interesting. It's probably my favourite list out of the three I have in a document right now. Kinda glad I added it.

 

[Neiteio]

When's the Dave Wise celebration thread being posted?

 

[Dark Schala]

I hope late Wednesday, barring anything happening IRL.

If not Wednesday, it'll have to be Friday evening since I have classes from 12-9:30 on Thursday. -_-

 

[Earthpainting]

I am uncertain as to why that got written into the spreadsheet, but that was SatoAilDarko's No More Heroes 2 LTTP vote.

Told ya the kinks were being worked out.

As far as I can see on the penultimate list, you were the only person who voted for HMH2.

Disappointing, but that's what I feared. Oh well.

I hope late Wednesday, barring anything happening IRL.

If not Wednesday, it'll have to be Friday evening since I have classes from 12-9:30 on Thursday. -_-

If you need help this or next year with ballot collection or formatting, feel free to send a PM.

 

[buddha0991]

Wait, why did you reserve that post on the first page again?

I have no idea lol