Archives

It’s been a long time since I witnessed so much controversy over a remake. And by controversy, I should probably just say “anger.” The HD remake of Secret of Mana garnered a lot more hate than love across the internet. One need not search long before finding someone who claims the game “ruined their childhood… Read More »

Editor’s note regarding translation: despite some entries in the Mana franchise now having officially localized song titles via Square Enix Music, most of them do not, and this CD only came with Japanese titles. As such, we are utilizing the refined translations from VGMdb, particularly from user “dancey,” for this album. For example, Legend of… Read More »

David Peacock and Augustine Mayuga Gonzales must have decided that they had unfinished business with Undertale. Or perhaps, they were not aware of how great their first Piano Collections was until the positive fan response came their way. In any case, Materia Collective, alongside Peacock (arranging) and Gonzales (performing), have provided us with a second… Read More »

Note: Due to the nature of this review, all samples in the tracklist will lead to their video counterpart on our YouTube channel. I’m sure, if you’re reading this, that you know more than a little about the Persona franchise. But have you ever heard of Game Symphony Japan? If not, allow me to give… Read More »

Hey … something feels wrong. I feel excited about a SaGa Orchestra album, but didn’t they just release a two-disc orchestral set for the SaGa series last year? Let me check my shelves … oh, yes. Yes, they did. Now, “Orchestra Concert 2016” was recorded in late 2016 at a live concert in Tokyo, about… Read More »

When I reviewed the 10th anniversary commemorative soundtrack for The Lord of the Rings Online a few months ago, I was very keen to hear Chance Thomas’ work for the new Mordor expansion. However, with such a big release just out the door, I figured it would be a year or two before we received… Read More »

In less than six months, Materia Collective has published two back-to-back NieR “Glory” albums. After publishing the ROZEN+REVEN album “Glory to Mankind” in September 2017, they followed it up with Ferdk’s EP-sized “Glory to Metal” in February 2018. Ferdk, full name Fernando Carabajal, has been arranging and performing VGM since 2011, and made his debut… Read More »

Materia Collective made the bold move of releasing a full arranged album for NieR: Automata months before Square Enix would follow suit. Specifically, the Collective published the work of an ambitious duo: ROZEN+REVEN. ROZEN, real name Daniel Jiménez, handled most of the instrumental arrangement. REVEN, real name Mary Kate Jiménez-Wall (you can do the math… Read More »

A quick look at Sean Schafianski’s works, either as a collaborator or as lead arranger, immediately informs us that Mr. Schafianski is a thoughtful and productive musician. The projects he selects showcase some of the best in game music, and the sheer volume of work he’s completed since 2013 is impressive. One of his true… Read More »

Note: Due to the nature of this review, all samples in the tracklist will lead to their video counterpart on our YouTube channel. “Memories of Puppets” was Square Enix’s second tour of NieR music. There were several concerts that took place across Japan and other parts of East Asia during 2017. This second concert focused… Read More »

In 2010, when the soundtrack to the first NieR (Gestalt & RepliCant) launched, it did not take long for the music to gain traction. But Square Enix likely did not know quite the hit they had in their hands. It took eight months post-OST to release a single-disc set of DLC tracks, unreleased tracks, and… Read More »

Let’s take a moment to pause and admire the true rarity and obscurity of this album. Obscure, because most people who enjoy Star Ocean and/or Motoi Sakuraba seem blissfully unaware of this album. Rare, because it took me some significant time and money to procure this CD+book combo item. And that’s another part of what’s… Read More »

John Milton, c. 1667 AD: “Paradise is lost…” Kan Gao, c. 2017 AD: “Hey guys, I found it! But you won’t find it for yourselves unless you’re prepared to experience all. the. feels.” Finding Paradise is the latest entry in the series that began with To The Moon; two scientists from Sigmund Corp. attend to… Read More »

One of the fascinating things I find about any type of arrangement album, whether it’s for a solo instrument or an ensemble of whatever size, is that regardless of what you might remember about the piece, there’s always something new and special that can be brought to the table. Take my impressions on the Through… Read More »

I’ve stated in one of my previous reviews that the world needs more piano music. Well, since we happen to need that and more Fire Emblem album reviews, it would only make sense I would follow up my if ~Hitori Omou~ / Renka review with Fire Emblem Music Collection: Piano ~Faith & Engagement~. I should… Read More »

A rule of thumb I normally follow when purchasing game music is to obtain a full/complete soundtrack for a game as often as possible. We’re not always fortunate enough to have full releases, but there are some occasions when it happens. With that said, I rarely buy an album that has only a handful of… Read More »

The Valkyrie Profile franchise started with so much potential. The first game, as well as its PSP “Lenneth” port, is celebrated as one of the most unique RPGs ever. That is high praise. Some fans speak even more highly of its quality sequel, Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria. If you wanted a trilogy, however, know that… Read More »

Night in the Woods features a plethora of fun minigames, but absolutely one of the coolest is Demontower, a 16-bit roguelike Mae can play on her laptop. It’s more than just a minigame, though; it’s a full-fledged experience, complete with multiple levels, bosses, and even a few different endings depending on your choices. To go… Read More »

Night in the Woods is a fantastic little game that has a lot of music. Volume 1 covers the first half of the game and clocks in at just a little over three hours. Volume 2 is no slouch either, featuring 49 tracks and a runtime of over two and a half hours. Both are… Read More »

Night in the Woods was a completely unexpected and delightful surprise. I learned about it during E3 2016 thanks to a fellow RPGFan editor who shall not be named…okay, it was Robert Fenner (whose review of the game you should totally read). I remember falling in love with the art style and the concept of… Read More »

“But it’s not Valkyrie Profile!” O whiny friend… hear me, and hear me now: I get it. I understand completely. I played Exist Archive to completion, and while it had all the trappings of a VP title, it didn’t have the lore, and the characters—try as the writers did to make them interesting—were simply uninteresting.… Read More »

The soundtrack to Final Fantasy VI has always held a special place in my heart. While this certainly wasn’t the first time I paused a game just to listen to the music, it was the first time I wanted to listen to that music even when I wasn’t playing. It was exciting, atmospheric, dramatic, and… Read More »

One guilty pleasure game genre I enjoy playing/watching when I’m not engrossed in an RPG is Horror (usually psychological horror). There’s something captivating about the story and music that draws me in unwilling, forcing me to stay with the game until the end (whether there’s a happy or frightening ending). When I saw Doki Doki… Read More »

Much like purchasing blind boxes, I sometimes buy soundtracks hoping I get something pleasing that I can add to my collection. Sadly, some of the OSTs I pick up this way leave me either disappointed or a little regretful of my purchase. Because of this, I only make one or two blind purchases a year.… Read More »

It’s not been a great start to the autumn season in parts of North America. A trio of hurricanes — there’s an expression I never want to use — left many injured or worse. Wouldn’t it be great if a handful of musicians and Materia Collective’s Multiplayer Charity put together a quick EP with a… Read More »