Board 8 > [VGMC] d69: Field Hopes Dreams vs Dead Neon City, Escaping CY Garden vs EXSPHERE

(+) Yeah! (+)

Welcome to today's topic for Video Game Music Contest 13, a tournament of the best tracks from games, as decided upon by you, the voters.

Links:
Bracket - http://www.bracketmaker.com/tlist.cfm?tid=471679
Contest info - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/17rEeB1_oYWgryWzIxOaZXw2a381gKGnMegjHCG_2OTQ
Discussion and results thread - https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/8-gamefaqs-contests/77672812
Bracket playlist - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLW9O9mntH1RF28glW72G6s_5M1e4kcSxR

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Rules:

- Listen to both of the songs. Links have conveniently been provided for both songs. Even if Song A is your favorite of all-time and Song B is from a series you hate... Listen. To. Both. (If I have suspicions your vote is not based on a fair and impartial preference, it will be disqualified.)
- Obvious contest rules apply (no alts, one vote per person, no rallying, etc.).
- Please make your voting options clear, rather than burying them in text.
- Each set of matches lasts 24 hours, even if the new one isnt up by then.
- Always vote on the versions of the song provided, not versions from different sources.
- If you know ahead of time that you're not going to be around and you want to vote in advance, post your choices in the discussion/bracket topic.
- Please do NOT post tallies/score updates in the middle of the match, as this has a tendency to directly influence matches.
- You don't have to vote in all the matches, but it'd be cool if you did!

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Match 1:

Deltarune - Field of Hopes and Dreams

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnLQnX7BPeU" data-time="

Demon Truck - Dead Neon Hell City

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aptaoGaE13k" data-time="

Match 2:

Rhythm Thief & the Emperor's Treasure - Escaping the Courtyard Garden

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTWRTcbNgGs" data-time="

Ar Nosurge - Class::EXSPHERE_NOSURGE;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BywGBJDXQ0c" data-time="

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Easy vote form:
Field of Hopes and Dreams / Dead Neon Hell City
Escaping the Courtyard Garden / Class::EXSPHERE_NOSURGE;

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Song lyric trivia: One more time, let me see you smile. That is all I need. Everyday I see you, any day I meet you, happiness -- I don't know what it is, 'bout what to do. Found it all in your smile. Some days are sunny, others rainy days. But you know the world keeps on spinning around. So forget your sadness. Let the sunshine in. Let me see on your face. One thing that I will ask of you: to see you smile again will bring us sunny days, to see you laugh again will bring our love again. So give us your smile. Found it all, in your smile.
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Deltarune - Field of Hopes and Dreams
Ar Nosurge - Class::EXSPHERE_NOSURGE;
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Field of Hopes and Dreams
Escaping the Courtroom Garden
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Deltarune - Field of Hopes and Dreams
Ar Nosurge - Class::EXSPHERE_NOSURGE;

the (merciless) savior of the contest has arrived
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Field of Hopes and Dreams
Class::EXSPHERE_NOSURGE;
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Dead Neon Hell City
Escaping the Courtyard Garden
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Dead Neon Hell City
Class::EXSPHERE_NOSURGE;

It is not yet Demon Truck's time to repent for the unjust slaying of Sky of Twilight.
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Dead Neon Hell City (#04 vs. #10)
Class::EXSPHERE_NOSURGE; (#20 vs. #27)
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Deltarune - Field of Hopes and Dreams
Ar Nosurge - Class::EXSPHERE_NOSURGE;

Rhythm Thief and the Emperor's Treasure - One More Time
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Dead Neon Hell City
Escaping the Courtyard Garden

Dead Neon Hell City
Class::EXSPHERE_NOSURGE;

Neon
Courtyard
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Deltarune - Field of Hopes and Dreams
Ar Nosurge - Class::EXSPHERE_NOSURGE;
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Dead Neon Hell City
Escaping the Courtyard Garden
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Ar Nosurge - Class::EXSPHERE_NOSURGE;
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Neon
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Escaping the Courtyard Garden in a Demon Truck

(that is two votes)
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Dead Neon Hell City
Class::EXSPHERE_NOSURGE;

Last retirement day! I really like the first match, it's a treat to listen to. It is unfortunate, but I'm getting a bit bored of Field so I'm going with the truck here. Second match is Exsphere doing a weird flex but ok
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Deo votes:
Dead Neon Hell City
Class::EXSPHERE_NOSURGE;

nfun votes:
DEMON TRUCK
-
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Field of Hopes and Dreams
Escaping the Courtyard Garden

Field of Hopes and Dreams
Class::EXSPHERE_NOSURGE;

Field of Hopes and Dreams
Escaping the Courtyard Garden

Field of Hopes and Dreams
Escaping the Courtroom Garden

Field of Hopes and Dreams
Class::EXSPHERE_NOSURGE;

Class::EXSPHERE_NOSURGE; > Field of Hopes and Dreams => Dead Neon Hell City > Escaping the Courtyard Garden

i desperately want to vote for dead neon hell city, but i like field of hopes and dreams' melody more.
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Demon Truck - Dead Neon Hell City
Ar Nosurge - Class::EXSPHERE_NOSURGE;
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Demon Truck - Dead Neon Hell City
Ar Nosurge - Class::EXSPHERE_NOSURGE;
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Field of Hopes and Dreams
Class::EXSPHERE_NOSURGE;
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Dead Neon Hell City
Escaping the Courtyard Garden
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Dead Neon Hell City
Escaping the Courtyard Garden
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Dead Neon Hell City
Class::EXSPHERE_NOSURGE;
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Field of Hopes and Dreams
Escaping the Courtyard Garden
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Field of Hopes and Dreams
Class::EXSPHERE_NOSURGE;
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Field of Hopes and Dreams
Class::EXSPHERE_NOSURGE;

FoHaD
Escaping the CY Garden

Second match is close, but 3:32 - 4:50 of EXSPHERE sucks pretty hard.
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Hey on second thought

swap Deltarune - Field of Hopes and Dreams for DEMON TRUCK - Dead Neon Hell City
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Dead
Class
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Field of Hopes and Dreams
Class::EXSPHERE_NOSURGE;
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Demon Truck - Dead Neon Hell City
Ar Nosurge - Class::EXSPHERE_NOSURGE;
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Field of Hopes and Dreams
Escaping the Courtyard Garden

12. Deltarune - Field of Hopes and Dreams (7.5) (over Out of Place Artifacts, Fairytale Poison and Solitude)

vs.

11. Demon Truck - Dead Neon Hell City (7.5) (over Galaxy of Friendship, for Dark Man Stage)

Close match, at least on paper. I'm not feeling Field of Hopes and Dreams as much today, though it has been in my mind a lot over the past few days, which has to account for something. It's such a catchy and infectious song, very ON A JOURNEY. But I'm a little cooler on it today than I have been.

Neon City Hell Dead continues to be awesome. Truly a wicked song, in every sense of the word. I don't absolutely adore it, but it does what it does very well.

Not as close a match in practice.

and

22. Rhythm Thief & the Emperor's Treasure - Escaping the Courtyard Garden (5.5) (for Ill Face Myself, over Uwabami)

vs.

3. Ar Nosurge - Class::EXSPHERE_NOSURGE; (9.5) (over The Final Song, Dont Turn It Off)

I think I said this last round but that organ in Courtyard Garden is a bunch of oof. Not a lot actually happens in this song - it's very smoke and mirrors until the melody (aka Phantom R's Theme) kicks in, and then it basically becomes an inferior version of that song.

EXPSHERE is delicious and I hope it wins Bracket D.

Easy pick.

Votes:
Dead Neon Hell City
Class::EXSPHERE_NOSURGE;

Field of Hopes and Dreams
Escaping the Courtyard Garden

Match 1:

FoH&D is a pretty well-rounded piece with a catchy beat and many facets to it as well, whereas DNHC is the one song here that doesn't seem to follow many conventional musical standards and seems like it's the one not composed by a professional musician, but succeeds on sounding good anyway. This seemed like a close match for me at first, but the winner is pretty clear after further comparison.

Quite a black-and-white case right here as well, huh? Playful and cheery song vs. song from the depths of hell.

Match 2:

As time passes on and on, I still can't believe I'm in the exact opposite position from one year ago. Instead of loathing Rhythm Thief, I'm actually rooting for it rather easily, and maybe more than ever since it's an actual good song that I feel is in trouble because of who it's facing.

Now, don't get me wrong. EXSPHERE takes a neat concept that I think could have an extremely awesome potential; the problem is... it stays at that, potential. I can't possibly have a good point of comparison with this particular song aside from... Jet Moto 2's Nebulous concept of contrasting peaceful violins (for Heaven) with heavy metal (for Hell); however, even that case isn't an actual mix of both things in one song, but rather two separate compositions that you listen to one at a time, even though you switch fragments of each one back and forth upon entering and exiting each area. What I'm trying to say is that, despite EXSPHERES's awesome concept, the execution leaves much to be desired, and I feel that it just gets away with it because it's unique in what it does (or tries to do).

Field of Cookies and Cream > Getting the Heck Outta There > Hellertruckung >> *EeeeeeeEEEEEeeee intensifies*
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Dead Neon Hell City
Escaping the Courtyard Garden
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Dead Neon Hell City
Class::EXSPHERE_NOSURGE;
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Wait, so the Ar series and the Atelier series are the same company? Man, it's nice to have such a convenient scapegoat...even though both series have produced some good songs, too.

This first match is kind of depressing. It'd be an enjoyable match in Round 1, but neither of these is really deserving of retirement.

The second match, on the other hand, would not be an enjoyable Round 1 match, because I'd have to vote for something that, on the surface, I'd consider an acceptable Round 1 fodder and nothing more. That's because its opponent is trash that has no place in this contest.

Votes:
Field of Hopes and Dreams
Escaping the Courtyard Garden

Rankings:

Don't Turn It Off > Fairytale Poison and Solitude > Sky of Twilight > Uwabami >>>> Field of Hopes and Dreams > Dead Neon Hell City > Escaping the Courtyard Garden >>>>>>>> Class::EXSPHERE_NOSURGE;

Now this is the Board 8 I remember!
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Field of Hopes and Dreams
Class::EXSPHERE_NOSURGE;

Deltarune - Field of Hopes and Dreams
Ar Nosurge - Class::EXSPHERE_NOSURGE;

MATCH 1

Field of Hopes and Dreams #23 vs. Dead Neon Hell City #24. Super close match, as indicated by the rankings. I like both songs a lot, but today I'm feeling Field of Hopes and Dreams more. I initially had the two songs swapped on my rankings. I don't have a strong preference for one song to win over the other. Both songs would be decent retirees.

MATCH 2

Class::EXSPHERE_NOSURGE; #4 vs. Escaping the Courtyard Garden #26. Poor Sky of Twilight. Had to fall in round 3 to Demon Truck. That makes EXSPHERE_NOSURGE my favorite song remaining in bracket D! Well, I'd probably vote Distorted Happiness over Exsphere, but that too lost round 3. Seems like Exsphere has a good chance of winning Bracket D since a lot of people seem to be very fond of it. I think it would be a great bracket winnner, so here's hoping for its success!

Class::EXSPHERE_NOSURGE; >> Field of Hopes and Dreams > Dead Neon Hell City > Escaping the Courtyard Garden

Field of Hopes and Dreams
Class::EXSPHERE_NOSURGE;