Board 8 > [VGMC] d16: Invitation of Butterfly/Living Mice, Scrum Debate/Best's Yet to Come

(+) Yeah! (+)

Welcome to today's topic for Video Game Music Contest 12, a tournament of the best tracks from games, as decided upon by you, the voters.

Links:
Bracket - http://www.bracketmaker.com/tlist.cfm?tid=469506
Contest info - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1lzzbpDP2whgvOTN2XHETfWg79IyPs01jdwIQu_L2C7k/
Discussion and results thread - https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/8-gamefaqs-contests/76419785
Main bracket playlist - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLW9O9mntH1RFBXCwz0vAKZg8V0rnrKHsE
Side bracket playlist - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLW9O9mntH1RFI-vkdyFa8-bXzbFLMLl1X

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:

God Eater 2 Rage Burst - Invitation of the Butterfly

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQSN5DFbiXw" data-time="

Minecraft - Living Mice

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGxQNQtnr6Q" data-time="

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Match #2:

Danganronpa V3 - Scrum Debate

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32GWbQt_Zn4" data-time="

Metal Gear Solid - The Best is Yet to Come

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6miaTf1gF4g" data-time="

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Side bracket:

Monster Hunter Portable 3rd - Zinogre Theme

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvFtGqBO3HQ" data-time="

The Sexy Brutale - Main Theme

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

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Easy vote form:
Invitation of the Butterfly / Living Mice
Scrum Debate / The Best is Yet to Come
Zinogre Theme / Main Theme
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Living Mice
The Best is Yet to Come
Main Theme

forgot to nom main theme for the contest oops
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Living Mice
The Best is Yet to Come
Zinogre Theme

I dont really like anything today lol
Zinogre Theme is probably my favorite out of the bunch.
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Invitation of the Butterfly
The Best is Yet to Come
Zinogre Theme

first match is probably the biggest blowout of R1
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Match 1: Invitation of the Butterfly

I'm still a bit upset the Monster Hunter Clone got music in, but Monster Hunter didn't.

Still a better song than the other one though.

Match 2: Scrum Debate

Scrum Debate is just pure hype. The other song just isn't doing it for me.

Side Bracket: Zinogre Theme

Monster Hunter has the best music. Although I will admit the other song was actually pretty dece and it wasn't a stomp like I thought it would. I actually really liked it.

Invitation of the Butterfly
The Best is Yet to Come
Main Theme

you know to be honest I change my vote to Scrum Debate
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Butterfly
TBiYtC
Zinny's
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Invitation of the Butterfly
The Best is Yet to Come
Main Theme

Second matchup is just painful, so much so that it ended up being the first match where I changed my vote from what's in the faves bracket. At least I can take solace in the fact that they can't both lose R1, I suppose?
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Invitation of the Butterfly - Living Mice is kinda sorta pretty I guess? Butterfly's very good though, even if I'm not as into it as I used to be.

Scrum Debate - While I came to like RftM better after a couple years, I've never stopped thinking TBIYTC is shit. SD is a very repetitive and limited song, but I love that little piece of music that repeats a lot anyway.

Main Theme - I feel like I should like Zinogre better here, but it just keeps going nowhere. Main Theme is at least interesting throughout.
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Living Mice
Scrum Debate
Main Theme
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God Eater 2 Rage Burst - Invitation of the Butterfly
Metal Gear Solid - The Best is Yet to Come
The Sexy Brutale - Main Theme
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Invitation of the Butterfly
Scrum Debate
Zinogre Theme

The Best is Yet to Scrum
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Butterfly
Debate
Main Theme
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Invitation of the Butterfly
The Best is Yet to Come
Main Theme
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Minecraft - Living Mice
Metal Gear Solid - The Best is Yet to Come
Monster Hunter Portable 3rd - Zinogre Theme
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Invitation of the Butterfly
Scrum Debate
Zinogre Theme
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Invitation of the Butterfly
The Best is Yet to Come
Zinogre Theme

Invitation of the Butterfly
The Best Is Yet To Come
Zinogre Theme

I still don't know why I like Invitation of the Butterfly so much. Given what's happening in it, I should hate it. Chaotic, nonsensical vocals. Rapid, ridiculous changes in tone and instrumentation. Weird rhythmic things that Mycro will certainly detail. Yet it continues to be one of my favorite gems I discovered through VGMC. I'm not even gonna talk about its competition since it's a classic case of "something fascinating vs. something drab."

Hey look, Danganronpa did something uninspired and unoriginal that I've seen/heard a lot before. What a surprise. And as usual, it's worse than what it seeks to imitate. Meanwhile, The Best Is Yet to Come has classical-style vocals. As a former classical/opera vocalist, I have to vote for it, especially against the utter disappointment it opposes.

Side bracket match is pretty good. I'd take either over the losers in the main bracket matchups.
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Whoops Mycro actually posted before me
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No lengthy writeups today. Might vote in the side bracket later idk.

Living Mice
The Best is Yet to Come
-

Absolutely cannot stand the vocals in Invitation to the Butterfly. Always been one of my least favorite songs in these things.
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Invitation of the Butterfly - Here's what I was talking about in the Zestiria song a few days ago. I'm absolutely crazy for that indecipherable chattering vocal craziness, and the utilization of the violin is just delicious. Minecraft song... exists. I think? Are you sure that mouse ain't dead?

Scrum Debate - Is it better? Probably not. But I'm a sucker for Scrum Debate, whoops.

Zinogre Theme - I went in this totally expecting to pick Zinogre... turns out I don't like Zinogre as much as I used to. Still the better song though.

quick and easy today

Invitation of the Butterfly
The Best is Yet to Come
Main Theme
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Invitation of the Butterfly
The Best is Yet to Come
Zinogre Theme

Second match could go either way for me, they're very pleasant but don't really stand out.

God Eater 2 Rage Burst - Invitation of the Butterfly
Danganronpa V3 - Scrum Debate
The Sexy Brutale - Main Theme
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Invitation of the Butterfly
The Best is Yet to Come
Main Theme
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Living Mice
The Best is Yet to Come
Main Theme

Living Mice
Scrum Debate
Main Theme

Living Mice
Scrum Debate
Zinogre Theme
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Minecraft - Living Mice
Danganronpa V3 - Scrum Debate
The Sexy Brutale - Main Theme

Living Mice started so quiet I started wondering if the audio glitched or something. >_>

Scrum Debate trying to carry this day but I don't think it can.
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Invitation of the Butterfly
abstain
Main Theme
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Invitation of the Butterfly
The Best is Yet to Come
Main Theme
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Invitation of the Butterfly
Scrum Debate
Main Theme
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Living Mice
The Best is Yet to Come
Main Theme
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Invitation of the Butterfly
Scrum Debate
Main Theme

Weak day. I don't like any of the four songs in the main bracket a ton. I think Invitation of the Butterfly is probably the best, but I'm very iffy on it still. As far as the side bracket, Main Theme is generally my thing, though it's not as good as I'd really like. I didn't enjoy its opponent though so it still got the point.
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I will be out tonight. I've asked in Discord for someone else to post the topic. I will probably need to post ed's vote late, assuming he sends it to me before 10.
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Living Mice
The Best is Yet to Come
Zinogre Theme
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I'm still a bit upset the Monster Hunter Clone got music in, but Monster Hunter didn't.

Go Shiina knows how to make music. Tetsuya Shibata is not half as crazy (and brilliant) as him.
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God Eater 2 Rage Burst - Invitation of the Butterfly
Metal Gear Solid - The Best is Yet to Come

The Sexy Brutale - Main Theme
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Living Mice
The Best Is Yet to Come
Zinogre Theme
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Invitation of the Butterfly
The Best is Yet to Come
Main Theme
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Invitation of the Butterfly
Scrum Debate
Zinogre Theme

This may be the weakest day so far.

-First match: IotB is good, although there's something I feel about it that makes me think it's lacking potential. I like the vocals, though. Living Mice, on the other hand... How did such a "meh" song get in the actual contest? At least this shows that people are pacient enough to stand 30 seconds of silence in the beginning and another 20 in the end, while also NOT getting bored in the process, which is kind of good I think...?.
-Second match: Scrum Debate seems like one of those typical songs you'd hear in a nightclub (not that I've ever been to one, but I get the idea...). The Best is Yet to Come is not so really for my liking.
-Third match: Wow, a pretty epic song! But sadly, it's against a weak jazz song.

Zinogre Theme >>> Invitation of the Butterfly >>> Scrum Debate >>> Main Theme > The Best is Yet to Come > Living Mice
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SURPRISE ed bellis votez:
Living Mice
The Best is Yet to Come
Main Theme
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Living Mice
Scrum Debate
Zinogre Theme

Now that I listen to it again Invitation of the Butterfly kinda feels like something Go Shiina would write for a Tekken soundtrack-- but God Eater 2 overall had a lot more electronic elements than the first so I guess it fits. This actually doesn't do a whole lot melodically but goes through a grab bag of different styles and synths which is neat, though I don't like all of them. One thing I liked was the parts when the violin is put through some weird stutter and filter effects (especially on the second go-round, where at times it almost sounds like some sort of auto-tuned harmonica). Heck, I think even the wub-wub section that follows afterward uses a heavily distorted version of that same violin! Cool.

I was going to crack a joke about how the beginning of the track was pleasant but when was the music going to show up but what actually did show up is startlingly pretty. I get a strong sense of nostalgia from this-- some combination of the sound design and the slightly wistful melody really evokes that feeling for me. (It's not from the direct context of the game-- I never played Minecraft!) I dunno-- there's nothing that jumps out at me but this track is really hitting the right buttons for me today.

Scrum Debate feels like something I wouldn't normally like much-- a hyper-repetitive musical figure played with fairly straightforward synths-- but I enjoy this track a lot, actually, from the siren/alarm-like glissando synths that promise a big drop at the beginning to the driving urgency of the track as it shifts the layers underneath the main melody.

The Best Is Yet To Come. I sure hope so. I don't mind the elegiac, almost hymnal feel of the opening, or the icy mood laid out of the flute and wind effects immediately afterward, but the follow-through always felt pretty uninspired to me (defeating the title of the track!).

The first time I heard Zinogre's Theme I was not exactly in a state to enjoy it-- too busy frantically dodging a whirlwind of stomps and tail slams-- but it's a fun, nicely-arranged track that does a good job evoking a struggle against a wild beast.

The Sexy Brutale's theme is a pretty fun electroswing track. I, uh, don't have much more to say about it. I just like electroswing, I guess.

Living Mice
Scrum Debate
Zinogre Theme
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