Board 8 > [VGMC] Day 13! THEMEX/Deus Hex Machina, Swap Out/Sea of Frozen Crystals, Halo/Bi

(+) Yeah! (+)

Welcome to Video Game Music Contest 16, an annual celebration of the best of the best video game music according to the voters!

Important Links:
Bracket: https://www.bracketmaker.com/tlist.cfm?tid=475935
Contest info sheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_IU5iCFTM_4WEx8ZWKwznMz5v2tarCKh1Ag0mxIgAes
Contest discussion thread: https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/8-gamefaqs-contests/80027411
Main bracket playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLT3m7iohpL0xxfgkmGKvEyWfHvNZ53Kbn
Last years spreadsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16XAaBMDuUnQ4c5AxQNL9ZhvD7VG5kQyrXWWZxnkrn-o
VGMC total stats sheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1K1XdLWiUKB2kX99qYBgnRbLU_sCz4dvZSByKKJHCT6o
Discord: https://discord.gg/WDvMS4a

Rules:
- Listen to both songs in a given match, at least through the loop time provided (to make sure you don't skip before you've heard the whole thing!)
- Please consider the loop point listed when judging the song; if a video loops one minute 5 times, don't treat it as if it's a repetitive 5 minute song
- If it's a match between your favorite song ever and a song you despise, still LISTEN TO BOTH! Votes can and will be disqualified if there is suspicion songs are not being listened to, and you may be discounted for the rest of the contest for repeat offenses.
- No alt accounts, no rallying or begging, etc., etc.... You only get one vote! Swapping votes is alright, just make clear that you've already made a vote and are swapping.
- Make clear what your voting options are! Please keep votes separate from any comments, and use the titles given in the topic post.
- Voting in all matches is not mandatory, feel free to skip matches you do not wish to vote in.
- Vote based on the links provided, and not other sources of audio. Links are specifically chosen for best quality and the like.
- Don't discuss vote tallies in this thread, or in other threads, as they may influence votes. Likewise, please refrain from looking at the running tally before voting.

Voting Period:
- Today's matches will last 24 hours from the time of posting, or 24 hours from 10pm Eastern, whichever is the later time.
- Please note this may mean that two topics will be active at the same time!
- If you anticipate being unable to vote in a given day, please send an absentee vote to @banshiryuu, or post your absentee vote in the discussion thread!

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Match 1

Xenoblade Chronicles X - THEMEX
Composer: Hiroyuki Sawano
Loop Point: 5:18
Genre: MSEYTMAPLHLOINCY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O59iwBYDYcw

Lenna's Inception - Deus Hex Machina
Composer: Joel Baylis
Loop Point: 5:39
Genre: GLITCH CACOPHONY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ba6WURSItDs

Match 2

The Caligula Effect 2 - Swap Out (Regret)
Composer: Police Piccadilly
Loop Point: 3:00
Genre: ASTRO-DISCO
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZkQzXtOAdg

Mushihimesama Futari - Sea of Frozen Crystals
Composer: Kimihiro Abe
Loop Point: 2:22
Genre: CRYSTALLICORE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ABdJw_vndM

Match 3

Halo: Combat Evolved - Halo
Composer: Martin O'Donnell, Michael Salvatori
Loop Point: 4:20
G

MSEYTMAPLHLOINCY
ASTRO-DISCO
HALO

yeah

Halo: Combat Evolved - Halo
Mushihimesama Futari - Sea of Frozen Crystals
Xenoblade Chronicles X - THEMEX

Deus Hex Machina
abstain
Halo

Xenoblade Chronicles X - THEMEX
The Caligula Effect 2 - Swap Out (Regret)
SOUND VOLTEX VIVID WAVE - Bi (veeeeeeeever)

THEMEX
Swap Out (Regret)
Halo

THEMEX
Sea of Frozen Crystals
Halo

Did my prelistens early today. Stupid fluinfectionallergicreaction is kicking my shit in.

Match 1: Deus Hex did nothing for me but aggravate my headache further. I tried to give it a chance, but THEMEX won out over it.
Match 2: I like Caligula Effect better when it's being in your face and dark about it. Sea of Frozen Crystals, on the other hand, is hitting that PSO1 nostalgia button for me for whatever reason.
Match 3: Byebyebyebyebyebyebye vs. an iconic theme. Yep. I do NOT enjoy music with the audio equivalent of an annoying moeblob in it. Halo, meanwhile, is... well, the only memorable music for the game proper in my eyes, but it's also been a solid 20 years since I played it (and the choir swell still hits me *right there.*)

the MEX
swap out
halo

Deus Hex Machina
Sea of Frozen Crystals
Halo

Only thing I like today is Halo, which is great. Bi is annoying af.

SOUND VOLTEX VIVID WAVE - Bi (veeeeeeeever)
im not letting this be a blowout

X gonna give it to ya
suwappuauto
Hey? Low!

today has been fire in too many ways, most of them un-cool, but this way is cool.

wait.

would a day being fire in a cool way mean that it is not actually fire? Hence, would the bad fires actually be the cool ones, and this is the only smoking hot fire? Why are "hot," cool," and "warm" complements in this language, but not "cold"? "Cold" carries the connotation of "serene" in many tongues; why not English?

i suppose there are other temperatures too. An insult can be scalding, destroying our heat-always-good paradigm. A frosty person can be unpleasant, but also evokes memories of holiday season, and everyone loves Frosties. I'd consider that observation chilling, but the debate it inspires is heated. I neither want to be flamed nor put on ice, but would enjoy cooling off *and* heating up.

join me next time when we muse about the personification of the colors and why rainbow counts as one i guess.

Mexico
Swap Out
Halo

Bi is much better than the long version of soflan. I dig it somewhat. OG Halo theme lacks the oomph that Warthog Run/Mjolnir Mix/OFE have, but it's still superb.

THEMEX [9]
Deus Hex Machina [6]
Swap Out [7]
Frozen Crystals [6]
[7.5]
Halo [9]

Xenoblade Chronicles X - THEMEX
The Caligula Effect 2 - Swap Out (Regret)
Halo: Combat Evolved - Halo

THEMEX
Swap Out (Regret)
Bi (veeeeeeeever)

THEMEX is, like, what i would expect a video game music contest winner to sound like, which is a good thing in this case; deus hex is offputting without being super interesting for a lot of its runtime, which is annoying bc i really like when it stops doing that (the "chorus" part that starts at 1:36 specifically is incredible)

kpop > mario kart

bi

Deus Hex Machina
Sea of Frozen Crystals
Halo

CAKOPHON
basiscapebasiscapebasiscapebasiscapebasiscapebasiscapebasiscapebasiscape
Halo

7.5
7.5
5
8.5
8
indeterminate

THEMEX
Sea of Frozen Crystals
Bi (veeeeeeeever)

I didn't get "THEMEXICO" at first, until I saw the first VGMC option today, hahaha.... brilliant! It seems I've been underrating XCX music in general.

I love Sea of Frozen Crystals... I love those piano bass notes... very stylish! And the melody is so lively and adventurous, almost sounding like it belongs to a different key than what it actually belongs to. And the way the scales get altered near the end of the phrases is so satisfying!! The middle part's harmonies (at 1:11) are so fun, almost nonsensical (as if Kimihiro Abe is making witty jokes), but it's still very magical and "crystalline" as the harmonies descend into the depths, so it fits in perfectly! The latter part sounds a lot like music from Opoona, one of my favorite game soundtracks in the universe! I love Kimihiro Abe! xaki is no longer my favorite composer... Kimihiro Abe has been my favorite ever since exploring Opoona!

I would vote for Halo, but the part when bibibibibibibibi comes back from nothing makes me laugh. every. time. Third match is difficult.

THEMEX (6.3^ - 48th place) / Deus Hex Machina (5.8 - 58th place)
Swap Out (Regret) (6.6 - 43rd place) / Sea of Frozen Crystals (9.45 - 3rd place)
Halo (8.85 - 12th place) / Bi (veeeeeeeever) (8.73^ - 15th place)

MSHLYPAECMTOlNLY
CRYSTALLICORE
HALO

Croatiacus is hilarious.

Deus Hex Machina
Swap Out (Regret)
Halo

I guess. I'd probably vote for the original Bi.

Deus Hex Machina
Sea of Frozen Crystals
Bi (veeeeeeeever)

Match 1 I probably do like THEMEX more, but I'm voting Hex for that section where for nearly fifty seconds it just does that one syncopated hit and nothing else

B

THEMEX
Bi (veeeeeeeever)

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/3/7/9/AARWb-AADU-7.png

THEMEX
Sea of Frozen Crystals
Halo

Theme
Frozen
Halo

Deus Hex Machina
Sea of Frozen Crystals
Bi (veeeeeeeever)

THEMEX
Sea of Frozen Crystals
Bi (veeeeeeeever)

Easy first and second match. Bee-bee is pretty funny, so it gets my vote. But again, I don't mind whoever wins.

Note: Is the Halo song supposed to loop at 4:20 if the upload is 3:01?

Prince46 posted...

Note: Is the Halo song supposed to loop at 4:20 if the upload is 3:01?

my bad i forgot to correct it since the link was changed

THEMEX
Sea of Frozen Crystals
Halo

7.4
6.3
8.4
9.15
7.65
7.9

MSEYTMAPLHLOINCY
CRYSTALLICORE
caps

Deus Hex Machina
Sea of Frozen Crystals
Halo

Xenoblade Chronicles X - THEMEX
Mushihimesama Futari - Sea of Frozen Crystals
Halo: Combat Evolved - Halo

Deus Hex Machina
Sea of Frozen Crystals
Halo

THEMEX
Swap Out (Regret)
Halo

I really dislike the opponents in each of these matches. THEMEX is particularly cool though.

I also like the Caligula Effect 2 song somewhat, but it also reminds me I should get around to playing it, as I do own it and have heard very good things.

Deus Hex Machina
Sea of Frozen Crystals
Bi (veeeeeeeever)

THEMEX
Swap Out (Regret)
Halo

The XCX soundtrack continues to impress me, each one of these songs feels like a full meal in itself. I really like the instruments in this one, whatever they are (what's the name of that thing it does from the first 10 seconds with the slight distortion, DKC does this too and I always like it!).
Going through the bracket I expected match 1 to be an easy call but it turns out Hex is also very good! I don't like absolutely everything it does here but I appreciate how it keeps moving, and would take it over any of the other 4 songs today. The part from 1:14 is my fav, I won't be sad if this wins.
You could tell me Swap Out was by some hit K-pop group and I'd believe you, it's very enjoyable cheese. Frozen Crystals isn't bad but doesn't grab me.
Despite really liking Halo music, the main theme isn't a fav of mine by a long shot. I like the main part well enough but I don't think the intro/outro adds much. Warthog Run is my fav version of the main theme, it's all killer no filler!
Please B8, don't make me listen to Bi anymore. I gather that some of you legitimately enjoy this and it's not a joke nom solely to torment people, but I am unable to understand why.

X: 4/5
Hex: 3.5/5
Swap: 3.5/5
Sea: 2.5/5
Halo: 2.5/5
Bi: no/5

THEMEX
Swap Out (Regret)
Halo

Deus Hex Machina
Swap Out (Regret)
Halo

Deus Hex Machina
Swap Out (Regret)
Halo

THEMEX
Sea of Frozen Crystals
Halo

Deus Hex Machina
Swap Out (Regret)
Halo

Although nothing cracks the top 50, this is still a solid day.

THEMEX
Swap Out (Regret)
Halo

THEMEX
Swap Out (Regret)
Halo

THEMEX
Swap Out (Regret)
Halo

THEMEX
Sea of Frozen Crystals
Halo

Deus Hex Machina
Sea of Frozen Crystals
Bi (veeeeeeeever)

Very nondescript first match
Very close second match

The Mechs
Sea of Frozen Crystals
Bi (veeeeeeeever)

THEMEX always been one of the best XB songs. Cool to see X getting more representation in these contests, though it's a shame the turnaround never came for Uncontrollable or Don't Worry ;_;. Deus Hex is good too, though it has some weak spots in the middle.

Caligula has a lot of mediocre songs in addition to the hits. This is one of the former. Mushihimesama has better tracks than this too. Meh.

Not sure we need another Halo theme. Not sure we need Bi either.

THEMEX > Deus Hex Machina > Sea of Frozen Crystals > Swap Out (Regret) > Bi (veeeeeeeever) > Halo

THEMEX
Sea of Frozen Crystals
Halo

best nation vgm?!?

I love the philippines
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M56BpH3lCDU

Lenna's Inception - Deus Hex Machina
Mushihimesama Futari - Sea of Frozen Crystals
Halo: Combat Evolved - Halo

unfortunately Bi just doesn't move me to tears with its beauty like Soflan does

THEMEXICO
Serbia of Frozen Crystals
Haiti: Combat Evolved

8.7
4.3
3.6
8
9.2
5??????

Huge discrepancies between my opinions of the songs in each match today.
Halo vs. Bi is probably the most crack match of the contest. We are collectively responsible for this