What it says on the tin. List your ten favorite video game tracks from any game. Individual tracks only, but you're allowed to choose multiple tracks from the same OST if you wish.
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What it says on the tin. List your ten favorite video game tracks from any game. Individual tracks only, but you're allowed to choose multiple tracks from the same OST if you wish.
Gonna try to stick to one per series. In no particular order:
Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of DANA - Sunshine Coastline
Undertale - Undertale
Touhou 12: Unidentified Fantastic Object - Emotional Skyscraper ~ Cosmic Mind
Muv Luv Alternative - Flame of Life
Trails of Cold Steel 3 - Spiral of Erebos
Umineko When They Cry - Ricordando il Passato
Rewrite - Scene Shifts There
Rose Guns Days - Days never to return
Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne - Normal Battle
Final Fantasy X - A Fleeting Dream
Series multiples that may have made the list:
Touhou 11: Subterranean Animism - Hartmann's Youkai Girl
Ys: The Oath in Felghana - Seal of Time
Rose Guns Days - Axelle-ratio (most unnerving track ever)
Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of DANA - Yesterday in Eternia
Umineko When They Cry - Dreamenddischarger
Umineko When They Cry - The Executioner
Umineko When They Cry - Hope
Trails of Cold Steel 2 - Blue Destination
And just because I don't want to not have mentioned this gem:
NieR:Automata - Weight of the World
Edit: Okay I've literally heard it for the first time only yesterday so I was hesitant to put it, but listening to it again, wow:
Ys: The Oath in Felghana - The Strongest Foe
Ten?!
Too few, right? I'm going to have to do my own personal tournament in my head to narrow it down.
There are so many songs I love, it's pretty impossible to make an absolute top 10, but here's 10 tracks that would at least be considered for such an impossible list :p
In no particular order:
Ar Tonelico - Chronicle Key
Ar nosurge - em-pyei-n vari-fen jang (RIP Origa :cry: )
Ar Tonelico 2 - EXEC_with.METHOD_METAFALICA/. (I'd just say "Metafalica" but there are multiple versions so the distinction's important :p )
Ar Tonelico 2 - Sublimation ~ omness chs ciel sos infel (Last Ar Tonelico/nosurge song, I promise)
Ar Tonelico 3 - Hymmeli (okay I lied, last one for real this time)
Trails in the Sky the 3rd - Maybe it was fated −Instrumental Ver.− (although it's initially an arrangement version of a Trails in the Sky SC track, this version does play in the third game)
Trails of Cold Steel 4 - Atrocious Raid -Super Arrange Version- (similarly, initially an arrangement version of a Trails of Cold Steel track, but it plays in 4)
Ao no Kiseki - The Azure Arbitrator (possibly my favorite final boss track ever)
Xenoblade Chronicles X - z5m20i12r04a28 (Mira theme) (Yeah, Sawano's track names can be weird. This was a tough pick because I knew I wanted Xenoblade X on this list, but I love Sawano's music in general so it's really hard to pick just one track from the game. By the way, this OST gets a bad rap because of a few tracks that you hear a LOT in-game, but the OST overall is amazing, go listen to it :p )
Yakuza 6 - Destiny (Yakuza has some amazing boss themes, this is probably my favorite one)
Honestly I could easily think of another 1000 tracks that deserve a spot here.
These two popped in my head immediately.
Chrono Cross - Time's Scar
Tales of the Abyss - Meaning of Birth I've said it time and time again, but it's one of my favorite tropes. And when it's done really well, it just stands out.
From here it's iffy. Music is my favorite thing after gameplay and characters.
Dark Souls 3 - Soul of Cinder When the second phase starts at 2:28 and you hear those three piano notes and you almost die because you have to stop and listen.
Final Fantasy XIV - Dragonsong Heavensward is my favorite expansion so far and this is the theme.
Cyber Sleuth - Royal Knights Crusadermon is such a bitch in this game and it felt good to put her down. And there's the fight with Kentaurosmon chasing him down. And the fight with the giant Examon while the city is burning down behind you.
Cyber Sleuth - Yggdrasil Final Dungeon theme. It's one of those themes that keeps playing during fights too.
NieR: Automata - End of the Unknown I love the dungeon preceding this fight and the fight is great.
Devil May Cry 3 - Vergil Battle 1 "You sure know how to throw a party...no food, no drinks and the only babe just left."
Persona 5 - Whims of Fate I love this theme.
Phoenix Wright - Turnabout Sisters Ballad
Here's my list. In no particular order and I tried to keep it out of one series as best as I could...
Fear of the Heavens from Secret of Mana
When I first made this thread, this was one of the tracks that instantly popped to my mind. It's a damn shame Hiroki Kikuta didn't stick around longer with SE to make more gorgeous music like this.
Dr. Wiley's Castle Stage 1 and 2 from Mega Man 2
Easily the most recognizable track from any Mega Man game. This track was so awesome, they reused it in MM3. It still kills me that this is from an NES game.
Overworld BGM from Super Mario Bros. 2
I've always chuckled to myself about the fact that my favorite Mario Bros. track is from a game that was not technically a Mario game but here we are. I posted my favorite remix of this track that really emphasizes why this track is awesome because it's an 8-bit Big Band theme.
Scars of Time ~ Chrono Cross from Chrono Cross
As much as I whine about not feeling an emotional connection to Cross's OST, this track is probably one of the few exceptions next to the ending theme. This is just such a fantastic track and an awesome opening theme all in all.
Bonds of Sea and Fire from Xenogears
If you asked me to pick one track from Xenogears criminally underrated OST that best embodied the game to me, this is what I would choose. In fact, this track is possibly my favorite track Yasunori Mitsuda has ever composed.
To Far Away Times from Chrono Trigger
While I'm sure most fans would say Corridors of Time is the stand out track of the OST, and believe its a fantastic track, I don;t think any track feels me with such awe and nostalgia as CT's ending theme To Far Away Times. Possibly one of the most perfect ending themes to a game I've heard.
Epitaph from Final Fantasy VI
Possibly one of the best overlooked tracks in VI. Epitaph had the misfortune of being in VI's OST which could easily fill this top ten list by itself if I wanted to, but Epitaph has always been on of those tracks that stuck with me and I really loved the moment it plays as I really resonated with Setzer in that moment. A really gorgeous track and a nice leitmotif of Setzer's Theme.
Lifestream/Flow of Life from Final Fantasy VII
Like FFVI, I could make a whole list with just tracks from FFVII. Lifestream is not exactly one of the most beloved themes in the game, but its easily my favorite track which perfectly captures the mystery and wonder of VII's world. I love the fact that the Opening Theme of the game has a few notes from this track in it to really connect this idea of the planet as a character.
Into the Wilderness from Wild ARMS
I feel that Wild Arms is one of those series whose OSTs are too often overlooked, but even causal fans will often agree that WA1's opening theme that played before the title screen is one of the most endearing tracks from this game. Even as I listen to it while I write this, I wonder how I've not picked up this soundtrack in all this time?
Staff Roll from Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne
As much as I love Shoji Megura's work on the Persona series, Nocturne's soundtrack is still my favorite work by him. This theme is so gorgeous and perfectly encapsulates the game for me.
I forgot the greatest normal battle theme
Trails in the Sky - Sophisticated Fight
Final Fantasy IV-VII Prelude (I believe these are the only games that include the full prelude that I love, XII might also, I forget, the original FF did not have the best part)
Final Fantasy (take your pick) - Prologue
FFVII World Map Theme
FFVII Aeris Theme
FFVI Terra/ World of Balance World Map - I'm not sure if these are different themes, but the one I'm going for is the world map again
FFVI Searching for Friends
Chrono Cross - Prisoners of Fate
FFIV - Final boss battle music
Suikoden II - Reminiscence
Chrono Trigger - To Good Friends
Wait I didn't even list any FFVIII, sorry top 10 is just too hard for me. Hard enough to pick one or two favorites from each game of those with great music. I didn't even get to Persona here or all of the FF entries I'd like to have music from. And yeah, I double dipped for some, but FFVII and FFVI have the best music IMO,s o I needed to include at least two form each. I really can't choose between Aeris and the World Map theme for FFVII so I absolutely needed both.
So I've decided to just list ten tracks I really like. I can't possibly make a top ten becuase these things just change too often and depend on mood, and there's so many to choose from because I basically listen exclusively to video game music nowadays.
Corridors of Time (Chrono Trigger) - it's hard to describe just how this track made me feel when I first reached this section of the game, and I'm honestly convinced it's probably 60-70% of what made Zeal so special, but I just love how otherworldly it sounds compared to the other world map tracks, but the vaguely Indian influence makes it feel particularly magical and ancient.
Bergentrückung/ASGORE (Undertale) - easily the best track on an already exceptional soundtrack. It's great how every boss has a unique theme and every single one slaps, but there's just an emotional weight to it that I feel perfectly embodies the main themes of this strange and beautiful little game.
Radical Dreamers (Chrono Cross) - since WK listed Time's Scar, it's only appropriate that I list the other standout on the Chrono Cross soundtrack. The minimalism is what really sells this, and it's easily what makes it my favorite video game song (as in, with vocals) ever. The voice is gentle, but not overtly so, and the guitar has some very neat progressions but never goes overly fancy with it. It's just a perfectly peaceful end to the insanity of this game.
Knights of the Holy Spear (Persona 2: Innocent Sin) - so nowadays Persona is more known for its heavy use of pop and vocals, but in the days before the series started dropping the mainstream some very obvious hints it wants in on that fat load of money, there was Persona 2 with its still techno-y but less over the top style. Knights of the Holy Spear stands out even further by being very symphonic-inspired, making it sound like it wouldn't be out of place in an FF, even. It's also the piece you fight Hitler to.
You Are My Hope (Bravely Default) - but really, any one of the four character themes could have been here, they're all so great. I can't stress enough how powerful of a choice it was to tie the character themes to special attacks, and giving every character a unique instrument to carry the melody really helped make every character's personality stand out even more. Bravo, Revo.
The Beginning and the End (Xenogears) - so Xenogears' soundtrack has been kind of a mixed bag to me, especially compared to Chrono Trigger, which I feel works much better in showcasing Mitsuda's strengths as a composer. Nevertheless, there is something incredibly magical about this Balkan choir that makes me think of life, the universe, and everything. Also, some concert recordings have this performed by a female-only choir and that robs the piece of all its character, because honestly, it's that fierce bass that really makes this track as special as it is.
Main Theme (The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild) - the Breath of the Wild soundtrack was a surprise to me in many ways. I never expected a soundtrack so minimalistic and, dare I say, artistic for a Zelda game, with every single note mattering so much that the end result is just profound. But this main theme, you guys. It's structured amazingly, the mode mixture is just orgasmic, and that urhu. I live for that urhu.
Dearly Beloved (Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance) - now I can't have a list without my queen, Yoko Shimomura. I chose this version more as a representative of the track regardless of arrangement, since the simplicity of it is just timeless and its beauty above arrangement, but I did choose this one deliberately, as I'm a big fan of that shift to a 3/4 time signature in the B section and feel it adds a lot of really cool color.
Dancing Mad (Final Fantasy VI) - so I'm kinda obligated to have Uematsu in here at least once, huh. I'll keeo this short: the FFVI OST is his Magnum Opus, Dancing Mad is the single greatest final battle piece ever composed. The end.
Battle Theme I (Unlimited Saga) - and of course, my boy Hamauzu needs to represent. Poor guy, his scores are among the most unique in the entire industry, but they get slapped on some really, really unpopular games. I have no idea what sin Unlimited Saga committed to have SE of America to publicly apologize for it, but I know this - the soundtrack is fantastic, filled to the brim with the typical electronic/impressionistic mix of awesome you'd expect from Hamauzu, and I feel few tracks exemplify this better than the first battle theme (it's also a variation on the game's main theme, so that's great!)