Released months after the physical CD (Breath of Fire 6 Original Soundtrack -Pulse-), Breath of Fire 6 Original Soundtrack -Soar- served as a digital-only follow-up soundtrack, volume two of a live service title that could have had many more volumes of music. However, given the game’s servers shut down one year later, this soundtrack presently remains the last bit of official Breath of Fire music released by Capcom.
It’s taken me nearly a decade to give this soundtrack the time and attention it deserves. This is one of those “bad game, good music” scenarios, and it’s difficult to overstate the degree of dissatisfaction with Breath of Fire 6. Released over a decade after the preceding series title (Breath of Fire V: Dragon Quarter), this game initially gave hope to BoF fans clamoring for a next entry. Then it turned out to be a free-to-play with microtransactions web-based/mobile live service title. Yes, they made the next numbered entry a gacha game.
Despite being something of a cynical cash grab that ultimately failed (servers closed 1.5 years after launch, stayed Japan-only), the game sported some great artwork and surprisingly strong music! All of the music for Breath of Fire 6, found on this album as well as its “Pulse” predecessor, was composed by Tamiya Terashima. Terashima’s past work includes some great ’90s anime (Key: The Metal Idol), as well as some stellar orchestral arrangement albums for the Wizardry series and with many Falcom titles. And if there’s one thing Breath of Fire has going for it musically, it’s the choice to swap out composers with nearly every entry—III and IV had Yoshino Aoki, and that’s about all the consistency there is.
Between “Pulse” and “Soar,” I’m torn as to which has the superior music. The thing I can most clearly identify in this current digital album is that it has my two favorite tracks among both collections: opening track “Dragon Saying -RYUUGON-” and ending track “Sacrifice -SHISAI-.” Both utilize non-lyrical vocal chants, flutes, and enough hand percussion that I’m inclined to call this catchy music “Renaissance folk-pop.” Indeed, many songs throughout this album straddle a line between Renaissance, folk, and traditional classic orchestral tunes—the latter being what I’ve always known Terashima for!
Unfortunately, not every song is bound to be so enticing. Perhaps moreso than with “Pulse,” the “Soar” collection suffers from some perfunctory tunes: they serve their in-game purpose but aren’t the most enjoyable listens. The eerie “Lost Reward -MEIKA-” and formulaic “Festival Dancer -HANETO-” are two that I could honestly do without.
One thing “Pulse” and “Soar” have in common are the “Dragon Song” tracks, which appear to serve a role in the game similar to Ar tonelico‘s hymns. Each one fits the emotion and character assigned very well. Among the music on “Soar,” I am most taken by the haunting, ethereal vocals on “Dragon Song <Moon> (Elena).” Each of these minute-long vocal tracks is so lovely and so well-produced that they serve as a stark and painful reminder that they appear in a weak non-entity (and likely final nail in the coffin) in the Breath of Fire series.
Some of you may be asking: “Okay, so this second collection is digital-only, so it should be pretty easy to find, right?” Well, not exactly. Much like the game itself, Capcom published this soundtrack across digital purchase and streaming platforms that tend to be locked by region: in this case, Japan-only. Whether it’s Mora, iTunes, Amazon, or even streaming on Spotify, you may find need for a VPN or a credit card with a Japanese mailing address just to get your hands on this collection. But if you can find a way, I personally think it’s worth it. If nothing else, the music serves as a chance at catharsis, a moment to grieve what was and what might have been.
