RPGFan Music of the Year 2023: Part 2

NieR Re[in]carnation Original Soundtrack: The Sun and the Moon

by Patrick Gann

What do you mean, you haven’t been listening to the NieR Re[in]carnation soundtracks?! As Yoko Taro might say: R3PENT! This live service mobile entry in the NieR franchise shut down in April 2024, with the third soundtrack, NieR Re[in]carnation Original Soundtrack: The People and the World, released in April 2025. The game’s first OST featured music from the game’s first story arc or “season.” The Sun and the Moon is essentially “volume two,” featuring music from the second story arc. While the Japanese title, “Taiyou to Tsuki no Kanade,” literally translates to “Song of the Sun and Moon,” the localized English version was shortened to The Sun and the Moon.

While The Sun and the Moon makes a strong departure from the first season’s medieval fantasy and dystopian future vignettes—choosing instead to focus on two “modern day” Japanese high school students named Hina Akagi and Yuzuki Kurezome—the musical direction is familiar. But then, I suppose “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” applies here. The MONACA members working on NieR Re[in]carnation were a pretty even split between founder Keiichi Okabe and relative newcomer Shotaro Seo. Seo has also made excellent music for SINoALICE, but his ability to blend his own style with Okabe’s is what brings NieR Re[in]carnation to a whole other level musically.

Highlighted Track: “Madan (Magic Bullets)“

Octopath Traveler II Original Soundtrack

by Patrick Gann

When Yasunori Nishiki came on the scene in 2018 for the first Octopath Traveler soundtrack, it felt like a shock to the senses. He knew what kind of music a solid, classic RPG needed more than any of us. And he has not let up in his intrepid exploration of great game music. For the Octopath Traveler II Original Soundtrack, Nishiki demonstrates growth in nearly every measurable facet, including his masterful choice of voicing and instrumentation. For all the great orchestral music, choir, and studio sessions with solo instrumentalists, the one thing I would never have guessed was the ace up Nishiki’s sleeve that is operatic tenor Toshiaki Murakami. Just listen to the track below, “Vide, the Wicked.” I didn’t know I needed this kind of music in my true final boss battle, but Nishiki knew. I’m glad he knew.

Highlighted Track: “Vide, the Wicked“

Octopath Traveler Arrangements Break & Boost Vol.2

by Patrick Gann

The BBB (Break and Boost Band) is back in 2023! Break & Boost Vol.2 contains a healthy mix of orchestral chamber music (“Break” side, first five tracks), then rock, bluegrass, and more (“Boost” side, the remainder), as the source material includes a variety of themes across the franchise. The tracklist covers Octopath Traveler and its sequel, and even the mobile game Champions of the Continent gets some representation!

The track I love most is the arrangement of “Ochette, the Hunter,” but there are some lovely moments all throughout this album. “Bestower of Wealth,” from Champions of the Continent, brings a level of sophistication that you might not expect. Kaon Kokudo’s vocal work on “Who Awaits on Greed’s Path” matches the grandeur of some of the great vocal-infused battle themes from Octopath Traveler II.

Atsuki Yoshida and the many other arrangers and performers for the BB Band have created a winning formula. I want more.

Highlighted Track: “Boost – Who Awaits on Greed’s Path“

Prescription for Sleep: Game Music Lullabies Volume III

by Patrick Gann

I could say, “don’t sleep on this one.” But then… yeah.

Rephrasing: stream Prescription for Sleep: Game Music Lullabies Volume III and see what pleasant dreams it may bring. Perhaps you’ll dream of Link in the Windmill Hut, or you’ll find yourself stuck in the forest of myth for a surprise text adventure experience in your own dream world. If you’re lucky, maybe you can cross worlds so that Samus and Adol can join your party in Ragnarok Online. No matter how it all plays out, you can rest assured that GENTLE LOVE will guide you on a path through some of your favorite VGM memories.

Highlighted Track: “The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Windmill Hut)“

Sea of Stars Original Soundtrack

by Greg Delmage

With a staggering number of tracks put together by Eric W. Brown on his first album, featuring Vincent Jones and legend Yasunori Mitsuda, the Seas of Stars Original Soundtrack is a true journey that dances lithely between homage and originality. At times, it feels like something you’ve heard before with excellent pieces that pull your attention, but then you realize that Brown and the team are simply making new classics of their own. It runs the gamut of styles but still feels true to its soundfont until you get to disc three. Celtic Metal Dude’s standout contributions to “pirate-ify” many of the tracks are just the cherry on top of an otherwise excellent collection of tracks, and are often easier to listen to beyond the context of gameplay. Throughout every aspect of the game, Sea of Stars knows what it wants to evoke, and this excellent soundtrack from a promising composer perfectly complements this endeavor.

Highlighted Track: “Dance of 1,000 Suns“

Shin Megami Tensei 30th Anniversary Special Sound Compilation

by Patrick Gann

I grabbed hold of this luxurious box set when Atlus published it in July 2023, and it is sitting on a shelf right next to me as I write this. If it had eyes, said eyes would burn holes into me from the angry glares. That’s right, I had this glorious box set with 19 hours of Shin Megami Tensei music with me for almost a year, and it took until fall 2025 to finish my review!

I know the choice to publish a mixed-media set frustrated or confused many fans, with 5 CDs for the early and rare stuff, then the remaining 14 hours’ worth on a USB stick. I also question this choice. But it’s still lossless audio, and the previously unreleased stuff made it onto the CDs, so the collector in me is well satisfied. Whether you adore the old-school work of Tsukasa Masuko or the modern soundscapes crafted by the likes of Shoji Meguro and Ryota Kozuka, you’ll find plenty to enjoy with this set!

Highlighted Track: “Shin Megami Tensei IV Main Theme“

Star Ocean: The Second Story R Original Soundtrack

by Hilary Andreff

As a fan who’s listened to the original OST a lot, I do indeed “Feel Refreshed“ listening to the updated version in the extremely well-received Star Ocean: The Second Story R. The original tracks had nuances in their instrumentation that didn’t come across so well in the PlayStation era, so it’s very satisfying to hear the remaster, where every part feels more dynamic and distinct. (I do admit to missing the overpowering flute in the early Shingo Forest music, though.) It’s also fun to listen to the full album and note exactly where they decided to incorporate choir accents.This sound update also makes it much more satisfying for your characters to engage in their musical talent and learn an instrument. You rock that shamisen, Ashton. I’ll bop right along. And please tell Claude to stop with the Hammond organ. It sounds like a baseball game in my party right now.

Highlighted Track: “Stab the Sword of Justice – Battle theme“

Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical (Pantheon Edition) (Original Game Soundtrack)

by Audra Bowling

Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical (Pantheon Edition) is arguably the ultimate soundtrack collection for a game whose songs have numerous permutations depending on player choice. Three other soundtracks collect the musical numbers from each of the dominant personality traits that new Muse Grace exhibits, but the Pantheon Edition includes versions of each song with a variety of selectable dialogue choices, showcasing how versatile the game’s lyrics are alongside the BGM scores. These tracks combine brilliant instrumentation complemented by voice actors displaying their singing chops and vocal range. Standout tracks include “Look into Me,” “I Can Teach You,” “Challenging a Queen,” “The Throne,” and “Phantom Pains.” Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical is a creative game exhibiting a unique music presentation thanks to composer Austin Wintory, with Pantheon Edition providing the title’s quintessential listening experience.

Highlighted Track: “The Throne“

Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition Original Soundtrack

by Patrick Gann

How do you take one of the greatest RPG soundtracks, helmed by a legend like Yoko Shimomura with a talented team at her back, and make it better? Better hardware, apparently. The change from the Wii original soundtrack to Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition is subtle, but much of it comes down to sound quality and minor adjustments in instrumentation. Each track, from the epic, to the reflective, to the dramatic, is warmer and has more depth in its audio landscape. It’s clear the musicians ran a tight ship, keeping the soundtrack true to the original but still breathing fresh life into a storied game that pushed the Wii to its limit, finally reaching the heights it was meant for. What does all that mean? If you love the Xenoblade Chronicles Original Soundtrack, then you are certain to adore this absolute audio glow-up. Definitive Edition, indeed.

Highlighted Track: “Colony 9 (Definitive Edition ver.)“

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Original Soundtrack

by Patrick Gann

Care to be overwhelmed? Why not indulge in a nine-hour soundtrack for one of the most revered game series in all of RPG-dom? Yes, the full Xenoblade Chronicles 3 soundtrack features 142 tracks across 9 discs, meaning you can get lost in this one for weeks.

Most of the soundtrack is composed and arranged by Kenji Hiramatsu and the duo known as ACE (TOMOri Kudo, CHiCO), with some key cinematic entries from series mainstay Yasunori Mitsuda and orchestrator Mariam Abounnasr. If you’ve listened to the previous Xenoblade soundtracks, much of this soundtrack will come not as a surprise, but a refreshing booster to a lineage of great music.

For those overwhelmed by the full OST and who want to dig into the best stuff right away, I have some suggestions. I find the “Off-Seer” tracks to be the most beautiful, and I loved every single Battle theme. My favorite is likely “Origin Battle.” In fact, I would say that all three tracks “Origin Ascending,” “Origin,” and “Origin Battle” held a strong spot among my top 2023 picks.

Highlighted Track: “Origin“