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Post by Discoalucard on Dec 20, 2006 16:52:02 GMT -5
The year's almost over, and the only major release left is Ys Origin (should be out in Japan tomorrow.) So what's everyone's favorite original soundtrack out this year?
I think a lot of my favorite composers were put out relative disappointments. Valkyrie Profile 2 (Motoi Sakuraba) had some awesome battle themes but the rest was boring. FFXII (Hitoshi Sakimoto) had some great atmospheric stuff, but again, on its own, a lot of it was quite dull. Blue Dragon (Nobuo Uematsu) has a handful of great songs, especially the main battle theme, but overall? Still kinda eh. Orchestral stuff is okay, but some of the synth is still too cheesy when it's not backed by wailing guitars.
My favorite is Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin. I've been listening to the MP3s constantly for the past few months and it still hasn't gotten old. I've gotten to appreciate a lot of the songs I didn't initially like after playing the game too. The amazing soundtrack helps ease the repetitveness of the later portions of the game too. It's much faster paced soundtrack than Dawn of Sorrow, but it still has plenty of nice, sweeping melodies. It's also consistently excellent, with very few outright bad songs. Also wins for remixing some of the more neglected Castlevania tunes.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 20, 2006 20:16:29 GMT -5
I downloaded it, and the verdict is in: Portrait of Ruin goes for the win! ;D Oh geez, did I just rhyme that? I mean, Michiru Yamane always rules, but YUZO GODDAMN KOSHIRO as well? That's like mixing godliness and perfection to create one hell of a fine drink. Besides that, I really haven't got a lot of 2006 games. Most of my money lately has been spent catching up on semi-old N64 and PS2 games, as well as Resident Evil and other various schtuff. So... it is a fine soundtrack, but PoR also wins by default.
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Post by klatrymadon on Dec 21, 2006 18:59:08 GMT -5
PoR's is lovely, but I'll have to give the nod to Shinji Hosoe's work on Under Defeat. I couldn't really tell you why, as it's not really a sound that appeals to me elsewhere. Dreamcast-era nostagia, or something. Very nice stuff, though, and I love how the last level has a "poncy war film bit" where you can't hear any of the sound effects. Maybe I'm just choosing this for spite - as much as I love recent Castlevania music, I long for something that even touches CV4's baroque, avant-garde brilliance.
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Post by Weasel on Dec 21, 2006 21:35:41 GMT -5
Portrait of Ruin is pretty awesome. I can't think of any games released this year other than that, though...
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Post by solleks on Dec 22, 2006 0:27:49 GMT -5
Sam & Max: Culture Shock had a small but excellent jazz score, and Telltale Games was nice enough to release it for free.
Aside from that...nothing comes to mind.
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Post by shido on Dec 22, 2006 11:29:37 GMT -5
Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War
Valkyrie Profile 2 soundtrack was totally disappointment (VP1 has one of my favorite soundtracks ever)
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Post by Deleted on Dec 22, 2006 20:24:14 GMT -5
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Post by akumajobelmont on Dec 23, 2006 23:56:30 GMT -5
PoR's is lovely, but I'll have to give the nod to Shinji Hosoe's work on Under Defeat. I completely agree... the soundtack to Under Defeat is phenomenal. get's my vote too. It's just so completely old-school and unassuming in it's brilliance, that I'd feel guilty giving the title of 'soundtrack of the year' to any other game. My second and third places would be given to CV: PoR and Tekken: Dark Ressurection respectively. But Under Defeat gets my vote for Best Soundtrack of '06.
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Post by Discoalucard on Dec 25, 2006 14:27:16 GMT -5
I only gave a quick listen to Under Defeat, but it didn't really stick with me for some reason. I much prefer Ibara, which I'd nominate for my own personal runner-up award.
Yggdra Union I think would come on third, the GBA does its damnedst to make the music sound terrible, but practically every single battle theme is amazing - and there's something like fifteen of them or so.
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Post by vysethebold on Dec 26, 2006 1:58:28 GMT -5
Sorry for sounding like a broken record and harping on a game that already gets enough attention, but I'm in love with Twilight Princess's soundtrack. It has some really awesome fully orchestrated versions of some of Link to the Past's tunes and some revamped Ocarina tunes as well as some originals. I was actually going to subscribe to Nintendo Power so I could get the disk which isn't a bad deal considering I get the strat guide with it and the mag is a lot better than it was a few years ago.
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Post by akumajobelmont on Dec 26, 2006 4:27:37 GMT -5
I only gave a quick listen to Under Defeat, but it didn't really stick with me for some reason. I much prefer Ibara, which I'd nominate for my own personal runner-up award. Ibara's soundtrack is awesome. Ibara and Under Defeat's OSTs are side by side in my playlists haha... usually I throw the Psyvariar 2 and Senko No Ronde OST's in there too.
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Post by Protodude on Dec 26, 2006 22:29:33 GMT -5
Agreed, although I've yet to hear the Portrait of Ruin soundtrack.
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Post by ninjarygar on Dec 27, 2006 2:20:47 GMT -5
Add one more to the list of people dissapointed by Silmeria's soundtrack.
One or two great songs, but PALES in comparison to the awesomeness that was Valkyrie Profile. For christ's sake it didnt' even have Mission to Deep Space play in the seraphic gate! That's like breaking a very important tradition! I was looking forward to the soundtrack more than anything... and I was pretty much bored to death for most of the way through.
It's like... Sakuraba makes great music... always has... I think people complained too much about his music not fitting the atmosphere. I mean, in most RPGS if you go to an old temple or decaying ruins, you know what kind of music to expect. Moody ambience, or maybe a slow drum beat with a bass. But in a game with Sakuraba behind the keyboard, you got a rocking melody full of guitars and synthesisers.... blasting out drumbeats faster than most humans are capable of. Did it fit the atmosphere? No.... but I liked it alot better... the problem with Silmeria's soundtrack is it actually fits this time. It doesn't stand out anymore.
Anyway... best soundtrack of 2006? I barely played any new games... so I couldn't tell you.
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Post by Revolver Ocelot on Jan 7, 2007 14:46:24 GMT -5
Where the hell is the love for Okami? Okami had a PHENOMENAL soundtrack, and it was ridiculously huge. It spans 5 discs. Not only are the themes beautiful, but they change depending on the time of day. The Sun Rises, which plays during the second phase of the final battle, inspired adrenaline in me like no piece of music I've heard before! Truly an amazing soundtrack from an amazing game. I have to say Okami is Game of the Year, hands down.
Motoi Sakuraba is amazing, as usual, and Baten Kaitos Origins and Valkyrie Profile: Silmeria's soundtracks are more than worth mentioning and rank fairly high for me.
Dreamfall: The Longest Journey also had a really moody and atmospheric soundtrack. Too bad nobody played it.
I think a nod should also go to God Hand.
That's all from me!
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Post by YourAverageJoe on Jan 7, 2007 18:30:49 GMT -5
Just downloaded Gyakuten meets Orchestra and MAN! Just plain...wow! The majesty of an orchestra fits PERFECTLY to the game's serious moments, and some sillier ones get a kind of depth I didn't know was there! Exalt for awareness!
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