Just interested in gathering some opinions here. Also feel free to list your favorite overworld in general -- be your rationale thanks to its vibe, hidden treasures, graphics, aesthetics, whatever.
And yes, when I say 'overworld' I mean 'world map', but I chose this term instead because there are some later-gen JRPGs without a true old-school world map but the fandoms (and often the development teams) consider a certain recurring theme the closest thing. FFX's "Movement in Green" immediately springs to mind.
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I will never forgive them for what they did to that.
Not a big fan of "The Northern Cave", I take it? "Main Theme of Final Fantasy VII" is definitely the clear and present victor in that match but I do feel as though its replacement has merit. It's fitting, no?
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"Main Theme of Final Fantasy VII" is my personal pick for numero uno. I especially enjoy the way in which it's employed in a certain late-game revelatory sequence.
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And yes, I'm going to continue to be obnoxious and call everything I'm familiar with by its actual track listing. That's just me being OCD, though, so don't take it the wrong way.
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Giggsalot posted... can't really think past FFIX's Crossing the Knoll, that's instant nostalgia for me right there
"Crossing the Knoll" (or "Crossing Those Hills" depending on soundtrack version) is one of my favorites as well. I'm also more fond of the late-game change in world map music for IX than I am with VII; "Return of the Evil Mist" is a truly haunting track that does well to accentuate the predicament Zidane and his allies find themselves in.
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A strong showing from a game I've been repeatedly informed I should avoid playing, Nio. As I've recently discovered, Go Shiina rarely tends to disappoint.
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Liberal Degenerate posted... Not a world map you can actually walk around on, but...
Yes, this song delighted me. I was a bit stunned by the usage of guitar when it first kicked up but by the time it looped (because obviously I wasn't going to proceed to the next location until I formulated a full-fledged opinion on an overworld theme!) I'd begun to realize just how groovy it is.
The track speaks volumes of the game's intended narrative feel. This is a must for a truly great overworld theme, I believe. It's somber even in its edgy riffs. It's a dark thrill.
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All terrific choices, Blulum. Mitsuda remains my favorite video game composer of all so I'm glad to see it didn't take too long for him to show up.
"Wind Scene" is definitely my favorite overworld music he's composed with "On the Beach of Dreams" from Chrono Cross and "Emotions" from Xenogears rounding out the top three in that department.
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I haven't played Xenogears and given how expensive it is at this point I probably never will :( Also been forever since I played CC so I forgot Dreams of the Shore was a world map theme. I definitely would have listed it otherwise, it's one of my favorite video game songs to play on the piano.
"Corridors of Time" and "Shevat: The Wind is Calling", both composed by Mitsuda and both used for cities in the clouds which were written into the stories by Masato Kato, always remind me of one-another when I hear them. There's a common vibe there, understandably, even if the games sound different.
(This isn't an overworld theme; I'm merely responding to Ryo.)
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Blulum posted... I haven't played Xenogears and given how expensive it is at this point I probably never will :( Also been forever since I played CC so I forgot Dreams of the Shore was a world map theme. I definitely would have listed it otherwise, it's one of my favorite video game songs to play on the piano.
I take it you don't own a PS3? It's $10 on PSN.
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Nah, no plans of buying any consoles in the future either. It doesn't make sense to me anymore when half of them aren't even backwards compatible where your PC games will still be playable for ages. My PS2 itself is also in kind of questionable condition and I have no idea how much life it has left, so no BC is kind of a deal breaker to me.
Blulum posted... Nah, no plans of buying any consoles in the future either. It doesn't make sense to me anymore when half of them aren't even backwards compatible where your PC games will still be playable for ages. My PS2 itself is also in kind of questionable condition and I have no idea how much life it has left, so no BC is kind of a deal breaker to me.
I understand. Have you considered alternative measures for playing through the game? It's not like you'd be depriving the original creators of well-deserved cash considering they've largely left the company at this point anyway.
Regardless, I do hope you eventually find a way to play the game. Somehow, someday, somewhere. It's my favorite of all time for good reason. Your mileage may certainly vary, but I'm helpless against rambling on regarding how much I love it. Its plot is just fantastic.
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Two excellent additions to the thread, Slym. Frankly, I'm surprised it took so long for someone to post "Terra"; I suppose our resident B8 FFVI uber-fans are elsewhere.
"Sky Gate" reminded me of another of my all-time favorites, what with both tracks coming from Enix/tri-Ace games:
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I suppose I should go ahead and post Xenogears "Emotions", its overworld theme, since I've talked up the game so damn much. It's a very pleasing kind of tune that captures the Celtic feel to the game's wholly original (and yet not...!) world.
Here's the vocal and arranged version. It's actually on the discs but never used in-game. The talented Joanne Hogg, who also provided her lovely Irish voice to the game's ending theme, supplies them here:
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FFIV's first overworld theme, "Main Theme", definitely deserves mention. And I like "Searching for Friends" just the same as the next guy, but you know what I actually prefer? I realize this is a somewhat unpopular choice but I seriously wish "Dark World" continued to play whenever you landed the Falcon because it's so dark (lulz) and moody and really fits a broken world.
Unfortunately, it's banished forevermore once you pick up the airship. And I understand why this happens from a narrative perspective, I really do, but I'd have preferred it otherwise!
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Well as a reminder, bearer of nerdy experience levels, there's nothing wrong with posting songs of that nature. Hence the descriptor "overworld" rather than "world map"!
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Came in here to post Terranigma's Underworld- because seriously, the music and (especially) atmosphere are amazing- but its Overworld is an acceptable second!
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBpfwpOPXNc&NR=1&feature=fvwp I watch Planet Chasers Starlight Excellent all day, every day.
And a huge part of the genius of FFVII's main theme is how they present it on the world map, namely that it doesn't restart every time you exit a battle/get off a chocobo/etc. The theme's too long for that, most people probably wouldn't even hear the latter parts of it more than a couple times throughout the game.
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"It's a magical world, Hobbes ol' buddy...let's go exploring!" - Calvin http://img.imgcake.com/calvinfinalpngpy.png
It seems Terranigma's first overworld theme is a strong one too! I'll have to play this game. You had me at atmospheric; everyone always has me at atmospheric.
Good point on "Main Theme of Final Fantasy VII", Calvinball. It's definitely presented admirably. I really despise all the overworld themes that reboot with each passing battle. Breaks the mood!
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Yeah, it's a problem with what is an otherwise cool battle theme from FFXIII. There's like forty seconds of build up before the climactic strings come in, but the battles are so quick in that game you hardly ever hear them.
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"It's a magical world, Hobbes ol' buddy...let's go exploring!" - Calvin http://img.imgcake.com/calvinfinalpngpy.png