RPGFan Music

RPGFan Music of the Year 2023 Editors’ Favorites: Patrick Gann

by on November 7, 2025
Music of the Year 2023 Featured Artwork

Time seems to move so quickly these days. It really feels like I was just writing about my top picks of 2022, and yet, so many more great albums have been published in the past 12 months. Additionally, while I doubt my complaint made a difference, my non-award to Nintendo must be lifted as Xenoblade 3 did indeed get its OST published in 2023, alongside an amazing Xenoblade box set. And Pokémon had three major OSTs published in February 2024, so, I guess … I can complain about Tears of the Kingdom not having an OST for a few months, and hopefully they’ll fill in that gap too? [Editor’s Note: it worked!]

For this year, I’ve witnessed a bevy of great albums released, so I’m going to do a top five OSTs, top five arrange, and a handful of special miscellaneous awards. Spoiler: Square Enix is going to dominate. Let’s do this thing!

Top 5 Original Soundtracks

5. Sin Chronicle Memorial Soundtrack

I’ve been fascinated by this Japan-only mobile title whose live service lasted just over one year, with the game officially closed at the end of May 2023. As the game came to a close, SEGA published a six-hour soundtrack, and oh my, does it sport a cavalcade of musical stars.

The game’s main themes are composed by the great Kevin Penkin. Then, with each brief chapter and character theme, a guest composer jumped in to add to the melting pot. We’re talking Ito, Hamauzu, Shimomura, Kouda, Mitsuda, Koshiro, Sakuraba, Narita, Kikuta, Nishiki, and more. To that end, this game is a strange set of original music from some of the greatest RPG composers out there. Honestly, I can’t get enough of it.

Be sure to check out the highlighted track below, composed by Yoko Shimomura! After that, maybe browse the whole set, as the full soundtrack is free to stream on YouTube, Spotify, and other platforms!

Highlighted Track: “La Giustizia”

4. Slay the Princess Original Soundtrack

Brandon Boone’s simple, effective, haunting score for the visual novel Slay the Princess has quickly grown on me. With each passing month, I find myself increasingly impressed by what this soundtrack accomplishes. Paired with the unforgettable visuals and mind-altering plot, I think I’ve fallen in love with this one. Given the game is branded by the developers as “a love story” no matter what else befalls the game’s characters, all the better that I surrender to this feeling. Give it a listen for yourself, and you may see what I mean. Piano and vocals soar through my speakers as a much-needed break from horror-esque ambient noise tracks. Love, love, love. You can find more effusive praise in my review!

Highlighted Track: “The Shifting Mound (Movement V)”

3. Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent Original Soundtrack vol.2

Okay, people, hear me out. There has been some absolutely stellar game music published for mobile phone games, and it’s time we all collectively take notice. Consider this: Octopath Traveler series composer Yasunori Nishiki has been composing high-quality original tunes for Champions of the Continent, with two volumes totaling six discs’ worth of audio, which rivals Octopath Traveler II in terms of quantity. As for quality? The soundtrack boasts all the same great studio recordings you’d expect: multiple string sections with dozens of performers, over a dozen strings and horns combined, a nine-person choir, and Risa Ohki on featured vocals. It’s everything I love about the other OT games. I can’t believe I waited this long to deep-dive into the CotC music!

For this second volume, they did not hold back, and it is arguably a step up from the first volume. The first three tracks alone are character themes rivaling the villain themes of OT2: Osaka, Tatloch, and Ceraphina, all incredible themes. The character theme “Sazantos, Hell’s Champion” on disc two also packs a punch, setting the stage for the remainder of the season two story arc.

Highlighted Track: “Against Bestower of Power: Tatolock”

2. Final Fantasy XVI Original Soundtrack

Masayoshi Soken has become the modern maestro of Final Fantasy. After composing over 24 hours’ worth of original music for the MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV and its expansions, Square Enix wisely tasked him with taking the musical helm for Final Fantasy XVI. Personally, I was worried this would lead to burnout or a lackluster score. As I discovered when I first reviewed this OST, however, my fears were put to rest! This OST packs a serious punch, with impossibly large orchestra and choir found everywhere, as well as some beautifully crafted use of Uematsu’s “Prelude” as a motif throughout the score. It doesn’t hurt that the limited-edition version of the soundtrack sports some of the nicest packaging I’ve seen in years.

Highlighted Track: “Find the Flame”

1. Octopath Traveler II Original Soundtrack

I said Square Enix would dominate my list, didn’t I? Sweeping the top three spots in the OST category is no small feat.

Furthermore, I predicted the Octopath Traveler II Original Soundtrack would be my favorite OST when I first penned my review in early 2023, and my prediction held true. I have been an unabashed cheerleader for Yasunori Nishiki’s fantastic score all across RPGFan, from reviews to podcasts, so I honestly don’t have much more to say.

I think I’ll sum it up with this: Ochette’s Theme. Nishiki knows how to write incredible character themes. As with Castti, Temenos, and the rest of the crew, the eight character motifs are utilized perfectly throughout the OST. But for my money, no character theme soars quite as high as Ochette’s.

Highlighted Track: “Ochette, the Hunter”

Top 5 Arrange Albums

5. Chrono Trigger played by Kara Comparetto

This is one of the most fun arrange albums I’ve heard in quite some time. The mix of piano, organ, and harpsichord is wonderful. Listening to this album is a delight; watching the recorded performances via YouTube brings even more fun and joy to the scene, as Kara is not afraid to don Chrono Trigger costumes (piano Lucca, organ Marle, harpsichord Ayla) as part of her performance! I get into greater detail about the balance of these instruments in my review.

I would be remiss if I didn’t also note how much fun we had recording an interview with Ms. Comparetto earlier in 2023 for Rhythm Encounter. I am excited to see what other RPG project(s) she takes on in the coming year(s)!

Highlighted Track: “Black Omen”

4. Final Fantasy Series Acoustic Arrangements

It’s no secret that the Square Enix Music label has been dominating arranged music for the past decade. The “SQ” arrange series, the jazz albums, the various rock bands: it’s been a trip, for sure. However, I feel confident stating the most surprising and powerful of these album series is the “Acoustic Arrangements,” led by arranger and multi-instrumentalist Atsuki Yoshida. In this latest installment in the series, Yoshida and crew provide one arrangement per entry in the main Final Fantasy series (I through XV), and it’s an absolute delight to hear both the soft chamber music and the furious string ensembles weave together a tribute to one of RPG-dom’s most beloved series. I wasn’t the only one to appreciate this great music, either: check out Greg Delmage’s album review!

Highlighted Track: “Battle at the Big Bridge”

3. DESTINY 8 – SaGa Band Arrangement Album Vol.3

Y’all are sleeping on this one, and I don’t know why. Even people who loathe the SaGa franchise cannot deny its musical prowess. And the DESTINY 8 band, led by series composer Kenji Ito and consummate rockstar Noriyuki Kamikura, is doing nothing but SaGa rock covers, 24/7. Sadly, I think even Square Enix Music missed an opportunity here, having done almost nothing to promote it in English-speaking territories, having never listed it on the North American Square Enix Store, and not publishing it on any streaming services for a full year after its release. It’s truly a shame, as this volume is easily their best yet, with a smattering of wild choices in source selection, arrangement style, and a three-part finale that will send Minstrel Song fans wild. I provide more details regarding the great song choices in my album review.

I am serious when I say this: find this album. Buy this album. If you want to witness something that stands toe-to-toe with the best of Falcom (hint: Kamikura worked on the “Zanmai” albums) and other S-E bands, this is the one.

2. Prescription for Sleep: Game Music Lullabies Volume III

Here we are with another third volume, but this album couldn’t be farther from the raucous rock arrangements of DESTINY 8. Here we find the stylings of GENTLE LOVE (pianist AYAKI, saxophonist Norihiko Hibino) performing soothing, soulful covers of Diablo, NieR, Final Fantasy XIII-2, Ys III, and so much more. Even outside the boundaries of RPG music, their cover of “Kraid” from the original Metroid is absolutely divine. When I reviewed this album in May of 2023, I wasn’t sure where it would stand in my list for music of the year. Today, I feel comfortable giving this lovely album such a high ranking!

As much as I love their game-specific albums (Undertale being an all-time favorite), I think this third volume of hand-selected tracks across all of game music is their best to date.

Highlighted Track: “Eruyt Village (Final Fantasy XII)”

1. Final Symphony II – music from Final Fantasy V, VIII, IX and XIII

Yes, I know. It’s even more Final Fantasy. But this one is truly special to me, as I have come to love the arrangement styles of Jonne Valtonen and Roger Wanamo, who have worked with producer Thomas Böcker on prior orchestral projects over the past two decades, including the first Final Symphony and the incredible Symphonic Fantasies. The sweeping overtures and thoughtfully crafted layers make these longform arrangements the kind of “anti-medley” I never knew I needed. Furthermore, this album includes a self-arranged piece from Masashi Hamauzu for Final Fantasy XIII, fulfilling my desire for more impressionism in my orchestral music diet!

As an aside, I have to give mega props to the team for doing a fantastic orchestral arrangement for Final Fantasy V specifically. As I note in my review, Uematsu’s fantastic score to this particular game does not get enough love.

I am hoping to dig even deeper into other Böcker works going forward, including new installments of the Merregnon project featuring Yoko Shimomura and Nobuo Uematsu. Until then, this is the music that keeps me going.

Highlighted Track: “Final Fantasy XIII (Utopia in the Sky)”

Other Noteworthy Releases

Xenoblade Original Soundtrack Trinity Box

This 20-CD set features the full soundtracks to all things Xenoblade (save for black sheep Xenoblade Chronicles X). The packaging for this box set is gorgeous and surprisingly compact, given how much music it holds. I’d say it’s the perfect gift for the Xenoblade fan in your life, even if that fan is yourself.

Highlighted Track: “Moebius Battle” (Xenoblade Chronicles 3)

Shin Megami Tensei 30th Anniversary Special Sound Compilation

Sporting 19 hours of music across the five numbered entries of the Shin Megami Tensei series, plus rarities including if… and NINE, this big box of music is my “runner-up” for box set of 2023. The packaging isn’t as stylish as Xenoblade, and the publishers at Atlus made the strange choice to publish the early material as five CDs, then put the rest of the audio as lossless files on a USB stick. With proper care, this could have been my favorite of the box sets. Alas, Xenoblade wins the day. But this is still a great set, and at a budget-friendly price of 14,000 yen (about 95 USD at the time of writing).

Highlighted Track: “Battle -Da’at-“

The 7th Saga Soundtrack Composer’s Edition

This is a special publication that came way out of left field, and I am very excited about it, not just for the sake of posterity, but for what it may represent for the future of self-published material. Composer Norihiko “BosatsuBeat” Yamanuki saw fit to publish his own score to this 30-year-old SNES RPG just for fans to enjoy. While owning rights as a composer, but not rights to the master of the pure SNES files, Yamanuki ran the sequenced music through updated audio processors to provide a richer sound that he could easily (and legally) publish. Check out my review for more details. I just love to see a classic resurrected, and I am hoping to see more of this post-haste (c’mon, Illusion of Gaia!).

Highlighted Track: “Colorfully Painted Skies”

Overall Best Music of 2023

Podcast

Editors’ Favorites

Patrick Gann

Therapist by day and gamer by night, Patrick has been offering semi-coherent ramblings about game music to RPGFan since its beginnings. From symphonic arrangements to rock bands to old-school synth OSTs, Patrick keeps the VGM pumping in his home, to the amusement and/or annoyance of his large family of humans and guinea pigs.

Patrick Gann's Full Bio