Archives

“Upon your return, I will gift you a beautiful flower.” Music and emotion are inextricably linked. Out of all of composer Masayoshi Soken’s extensive Final Fantasy XIV works over the last eight years, no single album exemplifies this more than Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker. First, a brief warning: I may get into some spoiler territory… Read More »

Kan Gao: man, myth, legend. If you’ve stumbled upon this soundtrack review without prior knowledge of Kan Gao, his studio Freebird Games, or the previous games in this series (To the Moon, A Bird Story, Finding Paradise), put down whatever you’re playing and start on To the Moon. You’ll thank me later … and you’ll… Read More »

SaGa Frontier Series Acoustic Arrangements marks the third in Atsuki Yoshida’s ambitious “Acoustic Arrangements” series for Square Enix Music. And it is a strange entry indeed, as it celebrates the SaGa Frontier Series. I don’t know about you, but I have never heard this duology referred to in this manner prior to this CD release.… Read More »

Just months after their debut album, SaGa-centric band DESTINY 8 came out with a follow-up. Based on the “sophomore slump” concept, it’s within a critic’s nature to expect that a second album will not surpass the first. But SaGa Band Arrangement Album Vol.2 is clearly superior to its predecessor in my mind. So much so… Read More »

Scroll down for the video version of this review! Five years after the first Orchestral SaGa release (Legend of Music), series composer Kenji Ito returns with the strength of the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, seven talented arrangers, and many more delightful surprises in a live concert performed for a virtual audience. The COVID pandemic may change… Read More »

Fantasian is a labor of love. This is immediately evident in practically every aspect of the game, from the diorama backgrounds that evoke pre-rendered PS1 RPGs to the charming characters, tactical turn-based combat, and classic story of a rag-tag bunch of heroes saving the world from a genocidal god. There’s a remarkable nostalgic quality to… Read More »

Despite its subtitle, YU-NO and its composer, Ryu Umemoto, had been unsung heroes for quite some time, although Umemoto’s praises are sung posthumously. Umemoto’s first two soundtracks were published in 1997, when the YU-NO soundtrack released in two separate forms (the PC-98 SUPER SOUND TRACK and Sega Saturn Original Sound & Voice Collection). Across the… Read More »

Composer and arranger Josh Barron has made waves in the world of VGM for the past five years, starting with his ETHEReal String Project (featuring, as you may have guessed, the ETHEReal String Orchestra). After completing a number of full-length projects and individual contributions to compilation albums, Barron has finally returned to create a sequel… Read More »

The Legend of Zelda franchise consistently delivers great, distinct music. More often than not, key themes are instantly recognizable and easily recalled after just a few notes. This is one of the best qualities brought by each of the composers throughout the franchise’s history and has inspired many fan artists to cover and arrange the… Read More »

After some re:birth and re:tune, it seems Square Enix Music has decided to “rebrand” their band-style arrangements with a whole new series of SaGa band arrangement albums in the form of DESTINY 8. Much like The Black Mages and The Primals, DESTINY 8 is a rock band with its sights set on a specific franchise.… Read More »

After a long run of hodge-podge arrange albums with the “SQ” moniker, Square Enix Music took some time away to regroup, rethinking their ideas for arrange albums. Over time, we have seen music released by genre, titled in a very generic and plain-stated way. Whether it’s for a specific game, a series, or the entire… Read More »

It is always exciting to see a solid piano arrangement come from Square Enix. We fans have come to expect a Piano Collections album for every main (numbered) entry in the Final Fantasy series, and we have also been surprised with piano arrange albums for Kingdom Hearts, NieR, and other franchises. Outside the numbered series,… Read More »

I waited twenty years for this day, and all I got was this strange, subversive, and fantastic album! Many times in many reviews and commentaries, I have lamented Square Enix’s general lack of support for Chrono Cross, specifically the incredible soundtrack by Yasunori Mitsuda. While fan arrangements have been released over the years with relatively… Read More »

Pixpil’s charming new RPG Eastward is like being wrapped in a warm blanket as it reflects memories of the genre’s greatest moments while following its own modern guideposts. Its soundtrack (penned by accomplished composer Joel Corelitz) masterfully straddles the line between the past and present, honoring established stylistic tropes while seamlessly shifting into contemporary influences.… Read More »

If you’re observant and as fascinated as I was that 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim had several strangely formatted track titles on its soundtrack, then you might have taken a trip back to your old high school chemistry classes. Many of the game’s battle tracks, such as “(VALINE)-,” “-(ISOLEUCINE)-,” and “-(METHIONINE)-” are named after amino acids, essentially the building… Read More »

A large portion of the plot in Grandia revolves around the lost Angelou civilization. The militaristic Garlyle Forces want to utilize its long-lost technology and find the Spirit Stone for their own gain. Young adventurer Justin is all about the journey and seeks these same ruins to discover the secret of an artifact his father… Read More »

Square Enix Music, rather appropriately in my opinion, built up a powerful musical edifice for the NieR franchise, especially since the 2017 breakout hit NieR: Automata arrived. Alongside dozens of live concert performances—at least four of which have retail Blu-ray concert recordings—there have been about 20 other official NieR music publications released by Square Enix.… Read More »

Persona 5 Strikers reimagines the Persona 5 universe through an action lens while staying true to the original’s atmosphere and aesthetic, so it’s only fitting that its soundtrack oscillates between imaginative new approaches and classic, acclaimed cuts. The game’s opening theme, “You Are Stronger,” is an electrifying slice of rock with inspired vocals from Lyn… Read More »

The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening has captivated fans of the franchise for years with its whimsical take on the champion of Hyrule’s continuing adventures. The beloved title has been remastered three times now since 1993, but the most recent version has seen a complete overhaul to the game’s presentation. When Nintendo teased the game in… Read More »

For me, games don’t get much more relaxing than Stardew Valley. The serene atmosphere, friendly villagers, and slow-paced farm life have made the game one of my main go-tos for years when I want something laid back to play. It’s exactly why I nominated it for our Great Games to Play While You’re Still at Home feature last… Read More »

Wayô Records has made it a mission to provide soundtrack releases for games that would not be widely accessible otherwise. They’ve recently tackled gems such as Skies of Arcadia and Grandia and now turn their attention to an older game and even more ambitious project: ActRaiser. ActRaiser is an early SNES-era game with genre-hopping flair.… Read More »

Ikenfell is a collage of elements seemingly calibrated to appeal to my inner child. It’s a turn-based JRPG with timed button presses during combat. Its setting is a seemingly idyllic magical school that hides dark secrets. Its simple but striking character designs would be perfectly at home in a modern Saturday morning cartoon. Ikenfell’s setting… Read More »

Some of the very best music lends itself to interpretation again and again. It evolves over time without ever really losing anything. Romantic era composers often took inspiration from older folk tunes in their work, and even if they did not adhere closely to the structure of the classical music that came before, their work… Read More »

“Transient” feels like a pretty perfect word to describe the music of NieR. This might sound strange, but I challenge you to listen to even one song from the game and tell me there’s not something ephemeral about the music. Every track on both the NieR and NieR: Automata soundtracks have this ethereal quality, where… Read More »

Dreamscaper is a dream-delving, monster-slaying, character-building, friend-making action RPG/rogue-lite, and it is a heck of a thing. The main story follows Cassidy, an enigmatic young woman who lives alone and seems to be dealing with some serious baggage. By night, she journeys into her subconscious to face monstrous manifestations of her own personal demons. By… Read More »