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Other Game Music


Swag_Koishi9898

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I'm trying for a wide variety of games this month.

Why didn't anyone talk about the music for Boneworks? As much as was said about this game, I don't remember anyone talking about its soundtrack, and frankly I find that unacceptable. Its focused genre is synthwave, from retro to more experimental, but the net is stretched a bit at the edges to encompass some other styles. All of it is great, and this feature will not do it justice.

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Despite my aversion to English vocal tracks, I appreciated the musical quality and contrast within its context; this song is one of the more significant deviations from the soundtrack's normal course.

 

 

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The Yakuza series is a surprising blend of cheesy tone and deep story with quality character development, and one of the reasons I'm convinced the film industry isn't even trying anymore. The music of said series is a less surprising blend of funky rock and smooth jazz, with the added bonus of some high quality standalone vocal tracks. I've been aware of this series for quite a while, and it's about as different from the rest of this month's entries (or anything else for that matter) as I could ask for.

This specific feature is for Yakuza 0, more because it was my first experience than for any special music related reason.

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This isn't technically a feature, as it isn't about a specific game. Nicolas Daoust has recently begun a series of short dialogues on various VGM related subjects. I've been appreciating them, and I believe they fit with the theme of this thread well enough.

An introduction:

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Some examples:

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A proper feature for this week.

It was the title of Wargroove that got my attention some years ago, and to this day I know nothing about more of it than the music. It's good music, featuring a variety of genres for what I assume to be differently themed characters. The melodies are well designed to be complimented by the assigned instrumentation, allowing each piece to stand on its own merits.

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Fracture feature! Sometimes I find something that isn't quite worth its own feature, but I still want to share it.

Deemo II came out last month. I'm not interested in perusing its soundtrack, but this piece popped up in my recommended, and it's exactly the kind of piece that I liked from the first game.

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FamilyJules apparently composed for a little VR game. Can't speak for the game, but the track he released is quite good.

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Finally, the workshop characters update finally released for Rivals of Aether! As one may expect, the new music is fantastic.

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That should do it. Till next week!

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Fracture feature number three! Because I have more! These might be stock musics, since they're from old Flash games. But maybe they aren't?

I think I found this one through an actual typing program. It's not as long as it looks, that's just what the uploader extended it to.

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One of three RTS games I've actually played, despite once considering it a favorite genre. This one had surprising depth to it for what it was.

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I know this one is stock, and the sequel's main theme is original, but this is the track that I remember most vividly. This was the beginning of my platformer experience.
I'd love to get a Steam release some day.

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I happened upon the recently released soundtrack for Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty this week. I had to do a bit of searching to determine if this was a video game soundtrack or not; from what I can tell, it isn't. However, a lot of the contributors are experienced VGM artists, and I believe this is evident in the music (and besides, it is technically still "game music").

The instrumental tracks (approximately half the album) are typically blends or oriental folk with some modern electric genre such as metal or dubstep. Said blends are unusually clean, though perhaps overly reliant upon the blending genre and not enough upon the folk. The notable exception is Neon Riverside, which is the track that caught my attention to begin with.

The vocal tracks are mostly English, and none of the ones I listened to impressed me. Some may appreciate them, but they aren't apart of this feature.

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Edited by Ken Hisuag

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Cave Story, a part of the bedrock of indie gaming as an industry, is an excellent balance of production across its visuals, gameplay, story, and (of course) music. Over the course of two decades, it has received several soundtrack reworks, to varying levels of success. This month will be dedicated to featuring these different soundtracks, hopefully demonstrating their individual strengths and collective notability.

The original (known as the "Organya" soundtrack) consists of unique sounds reminiscent of, but not quite exactly, an advanced chiptune. Layering is limited, but dynamic quality is achieved through extensive use of counter-melodies within harmonies. The simpler music also blends well with the game's standard sound effects.

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Edited by Ken Hisuag
Replaced "Labyrinth Fight" with "Jenka 2"

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Next up: Cave Story 3D, the 3DS remake of Cave Story, featured a remixed soundtrack from Danny Baranowsky (I am familiar with him through Crypt of the Necrodancer, but I expect most are more familiar with Super Meat Boy and The Binding of Isaac). This "Remastered" soundtrack stayed fairly close to the Organya in format while focusing on expanded instrumentation. The result was a more modern and full sound, which worked especially well for higher energy tracks while retaining the musical integrity overall.

From a purely listener's perspective, this version sounds exactly how its moniker implies, as an updated and improved form of the original. I suspect a slight reverb effect was added to enhance the "cave" atmosphere, though it tends to sound more stylistic. I'd like to think this fit perfectly with the aesthetic of 3D, which is very different from the original; against the visuals of Cave Story+, it doesn't always seem cohesive. That being said, it still remains my favorite version overall.

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When Cave Story was ported to the Wii, it came with its own "New" soundtrack arranged by one Yann van der Cruyssen (I've seen him referred to as Morusque, though I've yet to find official origin for the alias). Upon initial release, the music did not play correctly in-game, with issues ranging from distorted sound to missing instrumentation (I like to refer to this version as "Wii-Broken"). While these problems were fixed later ("Wii-Fixed"), the soundtrack remained poorly perceived by the fandom, and continues to be somewhat controversial for some. There has been at least one fanmade overhaul of this soundtrack ("Wii-Balanced" by SoloMael); ironically, this means there are three versions of this particular iteration.

Cruyssen's soundtrack stands out from the others for its stylized creativity. With a softer tone overall, it strays farther from the original material to play the strengths of its unusual instrumentation. While this tends to hurt it in previously high-energy pieces, its low-energy pieces are often superior in setting the anticipated mood. Cruyssen also built upon Amaya's countermelodies with layering changes and new countermelodies of his own, and the resulting album is quite the musical accomplishment.

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The Switch port of Cave Story had two unique arrangement soundtracks added, the first of which was RushJet1's "FamiTracks." This straightforward chiptune version of the game's music is currently the only official soundtrack that can be purchased individual from the game, and almost the only version to have an official release at all (the New soundtrack may have had an official release at some point).

This is arguably the simplest version of the soundtrack, even in comparison to the original; RushJet held strictly to the style, adjusting tracks as needed to fit. While this lessens the overall creativity one can expect from it, it has the benefit of also being the most consistent sounding version. Tracks of high and low energy are less likely to clash, making some transitions smoother and a few track comparisons easier. For example, I hadn't noticed the similar basslines in Mischievous Robot and Scorching Back before hearing them in this style.

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. . . Don't mind me, just business as usual.

The second soundtrack unique to the Switch port of Cave Story was a chiprock arrangement collections by the band "Ridiculon." This version is often incorrectly labeled as rock or heavy metal, but is in fact equal parts rock and chiptune elements. Due to the restrictive nature of Switch software, a properly mastered and edited version of this soundtrack is difficult to locate, but I've done what I could.

This is possibly the most unusual of the official soundtracks, utilizing an unintuitive style in a nonetheless skillful way. Conceptually, this compares with the other soundtracks reasonably well; if the Remastered soundtrack excelled in production value, and the New in creativity, then Ridiculon balances out these two aspects. While I would rather they have committed more heavily to one or the other, the result is still appreciable for its successes on both sides. Though not featured here, I would additionally recommend Labyrinth Fight and Balrog.

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Shin Megami Tensei IV has one of those soundtracks where nearly every song fits perfectly to not only to the tone of the game, but the overall atmosphere is so dense yet kickass, one of my favorite soundtracks in any game ever. God tier OST.

 

Edited by TheM3ds
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Having featured each of the official Cave Story soundtracks, I will finish with some brief features for the major unofficial versions. There are three I am especially impressed with, potentially more so than with most of the official comparisons, for various reasons.

I earlier alluded to SoloMael's "Wii-Balanced" soundtrack. Despite claiming to be a mere "equalization," the by-hand process used resulted in a slightly altered collection. While the arrangements themselves are still technically Cruyssen's, the revamped balance of instrumentation and adjusted effects give many tracks a unique sound from their counterparts. Some have argued that this is the definitive version of New, but I personally prefer to consider it on its own merits; for example, I prefer Mimiga Town (New) to Mimiga Town (Balanced), but consider Mischievous Robot (Balanced) the better version of the track.

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Using SoundCloud links, because I know it works and don't want to upload more than I have to.

As the Balanced soundtrack may be compared to the New, I estimate DynamiteMan.EXE's "VRC-6" against RushJet1's Famitracks collection. Without an intimate knowledge of chiptune arrangement, I can't speak to which of these adheres closer to an authentic emulation, but I can say that DM.E's arrangements sound more like I would expect them to. More importantly, the arrangements work with their sound, as though they constructed to compliment and be complimented by the style. As one of the more obscure unofficial soundtrack, it deserves more attention.

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Finally, no coverage of the music of Cave Story would be complete without the arrangements of "DM Dokuro." Aside from its creative arrangement and unique style, this album stands out for possibly having the highest production value of all versions of the soundtrack. It does suffer somewhat from overly high energy (similar to Remastered), but focuses on being a musical experience more than an actual soundtrack. This is highlighted by Dokuro going the extra mile with additional tracks, such as unique versions of Last Cave for its regular and hidden variants. While it may not fit the game too well, it is arguably the definitive tribute to the game's music and legacy.

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I hope these features have helped others appreciate the variety of music this game has generated and inspired, and encouraged further exploration into them.

Edited by Ken Hisuag
"I will finish with a quick feature" he says . . .

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As I've said before (but must say again because it makes for a convenient intro), I struggle to appreciate the majority of English vocal VGM, due to my habit of analyzing the message of the lyrics while listening. As such, I tend to avoid soundtracks that are mostly made up of English songs (SA2 is still waiting for a feature). That being said, I wanted to try stretching myself a bit by featuring a quality soundtrack that I may not personally enjoy. I've heard a lot of praise for the music of last year's Guilty Gear Strive, and after listening to a few songs determined I could probably do it justice.

I'd categorize this as a progressive rock collection (assuming I understand prog rock), and a creative one at that. Considering my previous experience with the series was limited to XX, I had expectations of a trend into heavy[ier] metal that were not met, nor to my dissatisfaction. As to the lyrics, I was impressed with the balance of meaning achieved in each song, being both about the character while also being vague enough to work out of context. Still not something I could enjoy listening to regularly (especially concerning specific songs), but a technical accomplishment nonetheless.

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Himno is a little roguelite platformer with no objectives, meant to be a relaxing pastime. Part of crafting this experience is providing an ambient background sound that neither distracts nor becomes tiresome. This is true ambient music, as opposed to the melodic ambient that I usually prefer; it has little to no progression, and its patterns are simple. This limited structure makes it the perfect sort of music to accompany more mentally intensive tasks, as it does not take up the attention.

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About time I feature some releases from this year. The electronic/pizzicato blend from ITORAH surprised me, not so much for its instrumentation (I am aware of my preference for folk hybrids), but for its rustic arrangement style. I hesitate to use the word "tribal," as it does not technically apply; nonetheless, the perception is there, reinforced by its percussion and strings even as it's contrasted by its progression.

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I've developed an unfortunate habit in drawing too many comparisons to other soundtracks while listening to new music. While not unusual, it isn't technically fair; the same styles and genres have been around for quite some time, and I'd rather estimate the music as close to its own merits as possible.

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I'd intended to feature something else this week, but the listen-through has turned out to be a larger endeavor than expected. So instead, Guacamelee!

While there's a very obvious Mexican flamenco influence, the instrumentation features a variety of synth and orchestral elements. Most tracks have two versions: a "default," and a darker, heavier synth version to correspond with the "spirit world" mechanic. Rather than use a filter, the composers adjusted the arrangement of each piece in this process to achieve the desired effect. In gameplay, this allows the tracks to contrast each other while being switched between.

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Mega Man is one of many mainstream series that I've been too intimidated by to really delve into yet. I know a few of the more iconic themes, and I recognize motifs here and there; eventually, I'll have to get around to featuring something (assuming no one else covers it first).

On that note, today's feature is from another one of those high-reputation franchises. From my previous experience with Kirby music, I had anticipated Kirby and the Forgotten Land to consist mostly of cheerful, friendly arrangements with interspersings of slightly more serious but still upbeat tunes. To be fair, there are tracks that fit this description; the overall style of the soundtrack, however, is far more varied, with a strong jazz influence and surprisingly balanced reliance upon leitmotif. The collection was also far larger than I was expecting, yet I did not feel a lack of variety to the tracks. In summary, I was impressed, and I look forward to checking out some of the preceding titles.

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The name Lifeforce caught my eye in my recommended, and it turned out to be connected to the soundtrack of Tunic. I'm familiar with Lifeforce from his Fastfall album, and despite that being ten years ago, there's a definite similarity in style. Most tracks begin with a balanced layered synth, but gain energy as they progress, either into expansive ambience or fast moving action. It's hard to tell how much of the music is from co-artist Janice Kwan, whom I have no familiarity with, and the sound reminds me strongly of Ben Prunty or Disasterpiece compositions.

I suspect I'm not doing this soundtrack just representation; the game has a reputation for subverting expectation, and I have little doubt the music is as much a part of that as anything else. I may feel compelled to return to this another time, based on the possibility of my learning more about the context of the music.

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I mentioned Ben Prunty last week, so I might as well take the opportunity to feature Subnautica: Below Zero. The first game was characterized by a sense of the unknown and intimidating; The world is hostile, you are the only person alive, and your number one goal is to stay alive. Its soundtrack reinforces these feelings using ambient, melody-light tracks focused on atmosphere. Below Zero is more focused on mystery and discovery; others have been here before you, and you want to find out what they did here. So the music is different, too; atmospheric ambience is still present, but a lot more of the soundtrack features progressing melodies and motifs to work alongside the story that accompanies your progress. The instrumentation varies according to the nature of the area and locations, and a select few leitmotifs identify relations between these and story elements.

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Pascal Michael Stiefel, composer for one of my favorite soundtracks of all time, has been recently releasing unused tracks for that soundtrack. Unused tracks are not a new concept for A Hat in Time, as many early-build pieces were included in the officially released "B-Side" album; these pieces were often fully realized and structured, capable of standing on their own despite being cut. These newly released tracks, which mostly hail from the DLCs, are of the same high quality, and I have been very appreciative of them. Thus far, he is continuing to release music on a weekly basis.

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