Video Game Music

[Oddball]

I am addicted to Final Fantasy VII's soundtrack--both the OST and piano versions. The piano versions of the *** always sound great. Black Mages (the rock version of FF songs) is pretty neat as well.

 

[strohmie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oddball I am addicted to Final Fantasy VII's soundtrack--both the OST and piano versions. The piano versions of the *** always sound great. Black Mages (the rock version of FF songs) is pretty neat as well.

There's a Black Mages II that just got released around Christmas.

I had a copy of Final Fantasy VI Piano Collections a while back -- one of the original releases that had a book of sheet music. Most profit I ever made selling anything on eBay.

Of the FF piano collections, I have FFX as my favorite just because I enjoy Hamauzu's arrangements.

 

[dhwilkin]

I love the second Black Mages collection, because it has my favorite boss battle music (FFIV - Four Fiends Battle). FFIV is still my favorite of the FF soundtracks.

Also, thread needs more Grandia II and American McGee's Alice.

 

[strohmie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dhwilkin I love the second Black Mages collection, because it has my favorite boss battle music (FFIV - Four Fiends Battle). FFIV is still my favorite of the FF soundtracks. Also, thread needs more Grandia II and American McGee's Alice.

I slightly preferred Grandia I (specifically the first OST release of two), and American McGee's Alice is good stuff. Bought it on a whim not too long ago and am definitely enjoying it.

 

[Jahn]

Slightly off topic - but Nullsleep's version of these Depeche Mode songs rule - and he made them with a GAMEBOY.

http://www.8bitpeoples.com/discograp...tist=Nullsleep

 

[sir poulet]

I was very much into game music about a year ago. I'd say my favorite soundtrack is Xenogears, although I attribute much of my admiration to it because I have such fond memories of the game as well. I think that's a crucial point for enjoying some of the video game music that I like so much. I like Yasunori Mitsuda very much, although I do not think his latest works live up to his standards he set in snes and psx era. Chrono Trigger has got my vote for most consistently awesome music!

Hitoshi Sakimoto is quite amazing. Vagrant Story has some of the most beautiful music I have ever heard. One of my favorite games too! I am anticipating FFXII to be a great game and great music : ). Of course he has composed for countless other games like Tactics Ogre (one of the best!) and Radiant Silvergun and of course FF Tactics which all are top notch.

Final Fantasy X was quite a surprise music-wise because I never knew about Masashi Hamauzu and Junya Nakano had such talent. Afterwards I played Threads of Fate which turned out to be one of the most fun games I've played and Nakano's music was a big part of that. Hamauzu has composed some of the most enjoyable piano pieces I have heard, especially his Piano Collections for Romancing Saga. I love his composing style.

Akira Yamaoka I admire very much. His music in Silent Hill series are sometimes very haunting and touching and I have never heard anything like it before! And his music in that Contra game was quite badical and very different. I think maybe this man is too talented.

Yoko Shimomura is quite crazy. I first heard her music while playing Super Mario RPG and she makes some of the catchiest tunes! I enjoyed her music in Front Mission and Legend of Mana too. I wish she would make more music.

I like Nobuo Uematsu. FF7 is very beautiful. Some people don't like him and I can see why but I can't help but enjoy much of his music!

Hiroki Kikuta I miss very much. His music for the Seiken Densetsu series are some of the best. I also like his music for Soukaigi because once again, i've never heard anything like it! He has a very distinct style. This guy seems to have disappeared.

So you see I don't know much about music but I find unexplainable joy in listening to video game music. I didn't cover all my favorites because I probably forgot some or I don't want to talk about what I don't know much about, such as Falcom music which I like very much but don't listen to often. I tihnk one of the biggest treats is when vgm is rearranged or orchestrated to real life performance or just any way upgrade from the soundchips of the video game system it was played on. For example, I love all the Orchestral Game Concerts. Or Xenogears Creid's celtric arrangements or Chrono Trigger's Brink of Time jazz arrangements I cannot get enough of. Piano arrangements are simply the best. For example I like both FFX and FF7's piano arrangements. I think I've said enough now and maybe convinced somebody to try something new I hope!

 

[roadtonowhere08]

I love good videogame music. My favorites are:

-Critical Depth
-Twisted Metal I and II
-Entire Command and Conquer line
-Just about everything from billbrownmusic.com
-And the one that started it all: the old Sega Genesis game Streets of Rage 2

Good stuff

 

[The Actual]

Both of the Jet Set Radio games (although more so for the first one) had really good soundtracks, and then more recently Katamari Damashii's is also very good.

And they are all good games, I would recommend checking them out.

 

[Reck45]

I have hundreds of video game soundtracks. Some of my favorites?

chrono cross
final fantasy pray& love will grow
genso suikoden vocal collections
grandia 1
MGS(i don't know why i love this soundtrack...)
silent hill 3&4
shenmue orchestra and the ost
and of course brave fencer musashi

 

[ooheadsoo]

FFX-2's piano album is my favorite because of the chord substitutions and extensive re-harmonization of many songs. Paine's arrangement is my favorite of the album. None of the other piano albums did that.

 

[eric.w]

Aah.. game music.. I love the music in Ultima 7. It's an older PC rpg... 1993 or so. It's MIDI.. To hear the music in all it's glory you needed a Roland MT-32.. but it still sounded awesome on our soundblaster.
One of the songs in it is "Rule Britania" which plays as you approach Britania.. and I didn't know it was an actual song outside of the game.. so it was quite interesting to hear it on the radio once

Anyways, lots of great mood setting music, lots of memorable melodies. Its still one of my fav. games!

In more recent games, I really liked the music in both Half-life and Half-life 2. Some very memorable techno bits.. it really added to the feeling of being immersed in the game.

Also, I have to mention pretty much all of the early-mid 1990s LucasArts adventures.. they pretty much all had fantastic music. The Dig featured a really nice ambient orchestral score.

 

[Edwood]

I rabidly collect Orchestra arranges of Video Game SOund Tracks.

Some of my favorites are Final Fantasy VIII Fithos Lusec Wecos Vinosec, Biohazard -Orchestra Album, Shenmue Orchestra Version.

There is a Legend of Zelda medley that was performed by the Boston Pops, I wish I could find it.

-Ed

 

[Edwood]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ooheadsoo One of my favorites: http://metroidmetal.com/

LOL, that is awesome.

I wish they had lossless versions or a CD.

-Ed

 

[Apostle]

I'm a big fan of the Falcom sound. I remember playing Ys III for the TurboGrafx 16 a long time ago and being shocked at the quality of music I was hearing. I've never stopped buying/collecting video game music ever since. I find it very rewarding to dig up out of print soundtracks from the late 80's and early 90's and be surprised at the quality of the arrangements.


Favorite Composers:
Yuzo Koshiro (Ys, Sorcerian, Actraiser, Bare Knuckle, Shenmue, the man is a god, period)
Hitoshi Sakimoto (Final Fantasy Tactics, All the Ogre Albums, Vagrant Story, Breath Of Fire V, Legaia Dual Saga)
Ryu Yonemitsu (Mostly an arranger, an incredible one at that)
Tamiya Terashima (His symphonic arrangements OWN).
Matt Uelmen (Diablo composer, perhaps the only non-japanese composer that I like)

Favorite OSTs:

Ys I Perfect Collection (Falcom Sound Team JDK)
Sorcerian Forever Vol. 1 & 2 (Falcom Sound Team JDK)
Final Fantasy Tactics (Hitoshi Sakimoto + Masaharu Iwata)
Dracula Nocturne In The Moonlight (Michiru Yamane)
Final Fantasy VI Original Sound Version (Nobuo Uematsu)
Genso Suikoden - Everything

Quote:

Originally Posted by roadtonowhere08 And the one that started it all: the old Sega Genesis game Streets of Rage 2

Yuzo Koshiro is da man!


Quote:

Originally Posted by sir poulet Hitoshi Sakimoto is quite amazing. Vagrant Story has some of the most beautiful music I have ever heard. One of my favorite games too!

I wholeheartedly agree, listening to "Climax Of The Graylands Incident" gives me goosebumps.

 

[raif]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iamsmrt Oh in case anybody is interested, there's a band called Advantage and all they do is rock covers of cool old NES games.

I love the advantage, I am currently using their Blaster Master cover as my phone ring.