Board 8 > DireKrow Ranks VGM (The Ranking)

(+) Yeah! (+)

#290: The Neverhood - Rock n' Roll Dixie
Nominator: Raetsel_Lapin (9/10)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nfqrfy7VFqo" data-time="

This one was hard to place, and I think I maaaay have put it a bit too low, but... what on earth is that noise starting at 0:32? The song was okay up to that point, but it kinda wrecks that entire section of the song. Really, even in the earlier part, the little vocal clips just don't work for me. I agree that the song needed something else to spruce it up but choosing to do it that way wasn't smart if you wanted me to like the song. I'm a fan of the groovy rhythm and guitar in this song at least so it's certainly not all bad. Not as keen on the sax (?) parts, though. If I were in a different mood, this song might manage to be somewhat higher than this.
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#289: Lethe: Episode One - Pipes
Nominator: Snake5555555555 (5/10)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88IF5eR2_Lg" data-time="

This is the last of the songs I'd describe as "too atmospheric". I think this happened in the last ranking thread I did too, where I put songs like this in a group above the songs I really disliked but below the actual-songs I could tolerate. My logic being that they're way easier to listen to for me than the songs I hate, but at the same time, I don't hold them in the same regard as the more typical style of music in the list and wouldn't want to put them on my mp3 player or anything like that. In terms of how much I enjoy listening to it, this one in particular could go higher than this, so don't take this one's placement as a sign of me disliking it. Yeah, it's too plain and simple, even compared to #295 and #293, but there's one thing in particular I love about this, and that's the... uh... sitar? Spanish guitar? Chimes? However, you want to describe it. Especially in the last 25 seconds of the song, those last couple of flourishes are just so satisfying to listen to. Not bad at all.
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MC_XD posted...

the last ranking thread

Didn't know you had another VGM ranking, any way I could check it out?

#290 is somewhat decent but in general yeah I haven't been much of a fan of this block either.
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#288: Star Ocean: Till the End of Time - Preemptive Strike
Nominator: MycroProcessor (9/10)
Link:

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

It's difficult to put into words exactly what I think of this song. It's too chaotic for my tastes, that much is clear, but it's subdued enough not to be obnoxious, unlike #303. So, in that way, it's a big improvement. On the other hand, it's all a bit... monotone. Feels like the song barely changes, even with that new section from 1:24-1:46, so it gets stale pretty fast, which IS exactly like #303. Another issue with the song is that nothing stands out from anything else, so some parts of it sound a bit muddy to me and just blend together into one sound. That's especially disappointing after 1:46, since in the final section of the song, the electric guitar section is playing a perfectly good melody which you can barely hear over all the other stuff that's going on. That final section is still my favorite part though - everything comes together, and that guitar part drives home that it's the song's big climax. If it were less chaotic, had a little more variation and was mastered better, this could go a lot higher.
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handsomeboy2012 posted...

MC_XD posted...

the last ranking thread

Didn't know you had another VGM ranking, any way I could check it out?

I'm not proud of some of the write-ups and it's not entirely representative of my current taste, but here you go: https://www.dropbox.com/s/j5cuir2wezknzlf/MCXDRankingProject1_Posts.docx?dl=0

As for the current project...

#287: Ikaruga - Reality
Nominator: Doppler (10/10)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ym2uK-nm7k" data-time="

This song is similar in some ways to #287 and yet also the opposite. Namely, instead of the song sounding subdued to the point of nothing standing out, in this one, it feels like all of the parts are constantly shouting at you or in a fight to the death for dominance. It's a very tiring song to listen to. A big part of that I think is the sound font itself, rather than the design of the song, because I actually have this issue with a lot of Ikaruga songs. It's just such a harsh, hit-you-over-the-head set of instruments. Different notes sound too similar to each other in the voices they're using. It also doesn't help that they used basically the same sample for multiple parts, rather than trying to give each section of the song its own unique voice. For example, at 0:45 onwards, you can hear a main "melody" section and at least one "bass" part, but they were both done using the same synth, so it ends up blending together and fighting with itself way too much, in my opinion. I like the energy of the song, but... yeah, too chaotic.
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Don't know when the purge is but I'm bumping this
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#286: Tearaway - Between the Pages ~ Page Two
Nominator: JunerRich (9/10)
Link:

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

This reminds me a lot of another Tearaway song I've heard:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WY2kHNPn-x8" data-time=" Because they have similarities, I can't help but compare them in my head.

Compared to that one, I just don't like the nominated song nearly as much. The song feels much more disorganized, to describe it in a word. The pieces don't fit together as cleanly, which is a pretty big deal because they've used a lot of the instruments that are potentially annoying. They're pretty annoying here. I disagree with some of the "effects" they've used too, particularly in the first 45 seconds or so where the heavy filter they applied to the bass makes it sound like the YouTube upload is bugged, which isn't really a good look. The backing once the song gets going is just so chaotic, too. Still, I can't bring myself to hate it. Even though I don't think it comes together all too well, it still feels like it's greater than the sum of its parts. Plus it has a great pace and energy to it, which is always a way to win me over. It grew on me a bit more on repeated listens over the course of the project and may continue to do so.
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#285: Dariusburst: Another Chronicle - Suite Photoconductivity ~ Fifth Tune: Tyrant
Nominator: Deogenerate (10/10)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXKJPD2Qd2s" data-time="

If you get anything out of this project, it'll probably be that my tastes are fickle, and this is the first big example. The heavily distorted guitar during the opening minute? I actually like the sound of it, despite what you might have expected. It doesn't really make for much of a song on its own, but it's still an experience. In the next section, I like the voice, but don't like the weird plucked string going on in the background. It feels like this part goes on way too long. The stabs at 2:15-2:43 are pretty hard on the ears, making it the weakest part of the song for me. Really though, was it necessary to make that intro section almost 3 minutes long? Not a lot happens, and on some listens, I found it to be really boring, particularly since the sounds themselves are mildly atonal.

Then the song really starts. What I really like is the contrast between the operatic vocals and the intense, electronic instrumentation. I'm a sucker for that kind of dichotomy in music, where something that's frantic, dark or heavy is paired with something whimsical, light or subdued in some way. Another example of this that comes to mind is O'er The Flood by Goreshit (

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaF51Ti2ZiI" data-time=") which takes a steady and thoughtful piano piece and sets it to an intense drill 'n' bass drumline. Good stuff. This part of Tyrant also creates a real energy that I enjoy - it's music that I think can encourage you to overcome a difficult trial.

It has two big problems though. One, the bass is so intense that it overpowers the song and even starts clipping at the top of its range (I think), which is just frustrating. Songs that are poorly mastered are a real pet peeve of mine. Two, once it reaches this part, it... doesn't really change a whole lot. It's really samey and doesn't have any melody or intrigue, which the song would need for me to call it something I genuinely like. It's just a bit disappointing. Pretty mixed opinions overall.
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#284: Final Fantasy V - Dear Friends
Nominator: Pyresword (10/10)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7kKDZei4s4" data-time="

I find this song really boring and I think the sound font is so dated that it's distracting. The way the song rigidly plods along with no real flair makes it rather dry to listen to. It's overly safe and not remotely memorable. That said, it's the tune it's playing is fine enough. A fairly relaxing song that you could imagine playing in a quiet down or at the end of a long day. I like the second half of the song more than the first half, as the additional backing voices gives the song much needed depth. Not enough to score better than this, though.
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Boo. That one was very much my music style though so I'm not too surprised. Also a lot of my love for the song is because of the imo much better orchestral arrangement.
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#283: Nuclear Throne - Palace Theme
Nominator: SubName (9/10)
Link:

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

SubName left me a note saying to listen to make sure to listen to the whole song. I did, multiple times, and the conclusion I've come to is that while the song's climax is pretty decent, the remaining 75% of the song is so barren that I overall just don't like the song all that much. In fact, the plucked strings in the quiet part actually get a bit annoying by the time I've finished listening to the video. Sounds out of tune. I do like the climax, and enough that it boosts the song's rank to this point... but it's just such a small portion of the song, I can't judge it based solely on that.
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#282: Gitaroo Man - Bee'Jam Blues
Nominator: Snerck (8/9)
Link:

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

I don't exactly hate this song, but I do find something about it annoying to listen to. Like it's trying too hard - or that the song itself thinks it's the greatest thing ever when it's not. I could do without some of the vocal additions too, especially that opening. My favourite part is 1:22-1:41, and each other time it appears - a satisfying section to listen to, especially with the build up. Individually, there is actually some really sweet instruments in this song. The groove is immense. But it all comes together to be just a bit too overbearing.
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A bit surprised at Bee'Jam Blues. Personally I think it's a pretty pleasant to listen to song, and it's not exactly my preferred style of music either. (ie. I'd think other people would be likely to enjoy it more than me, rather than less.)
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#281: Dance Dance Revolution A - RISING FIRE HAWK
Nominator: Deogenerate (9/10)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipkjhl4UTgY" data-time="

I used to like Hardstyle and Gabber a lot. These days, it's MUCH harder to win me over with songs like this. As you can tell from the ranking, this one doesn't succeed. The kick and the hoover blend together too much and the notes aren't distinct enough from each other, so most of the song is too much like a monotonic wall of noise without any real intrigue. It's boring. The second half is a lot better than the first half at least and I still find songs like this to have a certain charm, so I'd be okay listening to it again in future.
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#280: Groove Coaster 3EX: Dream Party - Got Recover Run
Nominator: MycroProcessor (8/10)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBs5a5FVBkM" data-time="

There is some very strange choices of sound effects in this song. Why a gun-shot at 0:27 and 1:03? And especially why a baby 1:34? Much of the, uh, "melody" is a bit too "lol random" for my tastes during 0:00-0:41 and 1:28-1:48. It doesn't quite annoy or bother me, which is why this song isn't lower, but it doesn't really leave an impression on me either. The parts of the song I like more are during 0:41-1:28, especially the chorus at 1:03. In fact, 1:03-1:28 alone really makes me want to rank this song higher, but I think the rest of the song lets it down.
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#279: Radiant Silvergun - Penta
Nominator: Rwlh (10/10)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgN_7sjTARA" data-time="

This song reminds me of Reality earlier at #287. Many of the same criticisms I had for this song apply here as well. For example, when your sound font includes a bunch of pretty similar instruments, they tend to blend together in ways I don't like. Least favourite part is 0:46-1:03 and similar - and that section repeats a lot, which means it ends up being a pretty significant part of the song. Still, I feel like this takes what Reality was trying to do and pulls it off in a way I enjoy more, which is why this is higher. There is more actual variation in the song, for one, but I also like that it's creating intensity specifically through the drums, background and choice of notes and rhythm, rather than by just being really harsh and loud. It's not too bad, really.
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The time has come...

#278: Silent Hill 3 - End Of Small Sanctuary
Nominator: Snerck (7/9)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TCkdcrEeHU" data-time="

I enjoy the vibe this song gives off and would have good things to say about any small section. The guitar sounds nice. Unfortunately, if you listen to the first 10 seconds, you've basically heard the entire song, because its most loud and prominent section doesn't change through the entire thing. That ends up making it really boring and repetitive. I suppose now is as good a time as any to say that for the most part, I haven't really been impressed by anything from Silent Hill. There's still at least one song left though, so it remains to be seen how that goes.

#277: The Sims 2 - Create A Sim ~ Sim Time
Nominator: Zyxyz0 (1/1)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZ2mtOqBEdI" data-time="

The only song nominated by Zyxyz, and a beloved song in the Siivagunner guessing game community. I don't exactly hate it, but it's definitely impossible for me to take it seriously. I don't particularly like the weird sounds and extremely repetitive instrumentation used in the first minute and a half. That means the infamous "Bob"s are the best bit, in my opinion. The reprise of the intro section is more musical and has less annoying sounds, so that's cool. This certainly isn't a song I'd ever go out of my way to listen to, but I wouldn't turn it off if it came on, I guess. Maybe it's just Stockholm syndrome though, because I remember hating it the first time I listened to it. Worrying...
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The fucking audacity
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MC_XD posted...

#277: The Sims 2 - Create A Sim ~ Sim Time

I approve of this placing.

It's certainly not a bad song, but for me it's pretty much:

This certainly isn't a song I'd ever go out of my way to listen to, but I wouldn't turn it off if it came on

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Bob is a great track

although I am starting to get sick of it
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#276: Solstice - Title Theme
Nominator: Psycosulu (10/10)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFCn8IpgiLY" data-time="

Lots to unpack here. 0:00-0:08 is weird and feels completely out of place compared to the rest of the song. It's also cruel that they made it quiet, just to suddenly blast you in the very next section. Not a fan of that. 0:09-0:25 makes an impression, but I wouldn't say I particularly like it. Where the song actually hits its stride is starting from 0:25, up until 1:11. This section is my favourite part of the song and genuinely pretty good. It's got a nice beat, plenty of variation and nothing that I find annoying, which puts it clearly above the other songs so far. It's an enticing, exciting and catchy main theme... but then 1:11 happens and the song completely changes into something I find a lot less interesting. I wouldn't call 1:39 onwards bad exactly but it's definitely something that's just less appealing to me. If the song was just the third section, it'd be way higher on the list, but as a whole, it's a bit of a let down.
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0:00 "Oh hey this is a pretty cool song"

0:09 "nopenopenopenopenope"

The rest is all right I guess.
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0:00 "oh this song is trite and whatever"

0:09 "OH MY GOD YES"
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Biggest travesty on the list so far.
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what

how

HOW?!

like, i can understand weird Follins stuff not being your thing, but like... Wow. I've never seen someone be that negative on Solstice >_>
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I mean, Solstice has never done well in vgmc

#275: LED Storm [ZX] - Intro Theme
Nominator: Raetsel_Lapin (8/10)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9b9XjxK2RJc" data-time="

I find it hard to give my thoughts on this one. There isn't much in this one in particular that puts me off, it just doesn't grab me all that much either. Sometimes I kinda like it and sometimes I find it boring, depending on my mood. Main criticism is that it's a bit samey, since the backing, bass and drums don't change all too much throughout the song.

#274: Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege - Main Theme
Nominator: Snake5555555555 (4/10)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kij6YBbU2jI" data-time="

Borderline "too atmospheric", but I think it has just enough musical elements that it's escaped that group. It helps that I like the second half of it. The sound of that guitar and the transient vocals over that crunchy bass synth is great. Something like this would be a great mood-setter in-game, but since it's a main theme, I'm a little sad that it might have been relegated to the main menu only. The main reason this isn't higher is because I don't get much out of the first half, and the song on the whole is very one-note. It sounds good, but it doesn't really evolve at all beyond the first half vs. second half thing.
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Oh look, it's a song that appeared late on my last survival list.
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#273: DJ Hero 2 - I Remember (Remix)
Nominator: Doppler (9/10)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AV4R9Ur-dO0" data-time="

Torn on this one. I like House as a genre, I listened to and enjoyed the original version of this song quite a bit. But the remix makes changes to it largely for the worse. The constant interjections and effects at the end of every phrase overstay their welcome pretty quickly for me and feel like they're going out of their way to ruin an otherwise good song. This "DJ" is way overeager. I have a similar problem with raw output from Sound Voltex songs, because I feel like in almost every case the added effects just make the song sound bad rather than enhancing the experience. Still, I like the underlying song here a lot, and so it really makes me want to rank this higher, but I just find this so frustrating to listen to sometimes.

The original, for comparison:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zK1mLIeXwsQ" data-time="
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#272: Iji - Tor
Nominator: Shonen_Bat (9/9)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6fRmI-XEVY" data-time="

My main, big complaint is that the sound quality is... atrocious. I suspect I know why that is: Iji is a really old GameMaker game, and back then, .mp3 files bloated the final size pretty badly. It was probably exported at a very low bitrate to keep the size down. That doesn't suddenly make it better to listen to though. Were it not for the sound quality, then this would be much higher. It's actually pretty solid. Love tense or epic rock songs, and this is certainly both of those, with periods of focus or struggle (0:18-1:14) and periods of triumph or badassery (1:14-1:52). I'm also a fan of how the song changes at 2:25 to become more subdued, like a low growl. The grand finale at the end of the song might have been the best part, but the sound quality chews it to pieces.
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#271: Downwell - Razor Girl (Aquifer)
Nominator: SubName (8/10)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oRvqt8QMkc" data-time="

For those listening along, there is some clipping / noise, but that's this particular upload's fault, so I'm not going to hold it again it. It sounds fine in the upload of the OST here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFWHQbbHbbQ" data-time=" Unfortunately, there's no other individual song uploads of the Downwell OST that I could find.

Mysterious, relaxing... not bad, but just doesn't appeal to my personal tastes. Doesn't have anything exciting or epic, the melody is too subtle and lacks the emotional impact that I'd be looking for from a slower song. It's also pretty samey. It does a nice job of setting a quiet, somber and slightly off-kilter mood. It reminds me that I kinda like the sound of the SNES/PS1-era choir sample they use in the background.
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#270: Animal Crossing: New Leaf - 11AM
Nominator: Coolnez (10/10)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZXwbqjoHQ8" data-time="

Like the last song, it's not that bad, but there isn't really anything about it that grabs me. It sounds a bit clumsy with how the piano and the occasional percussion sounds are consistently a little offbeat. Also that one pop sound at 0:10/0:29/0:37 sounds really out of place and exactly like an AIM alert sound. I can't unhear it. It reminds me of how ZUN accidentally left in an AIM sound in one of his songs (

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofuPQIPotn0" data-time=" @ 2:07) too. But aside from that, it's serviceable. It's cute and suits the tone of the game, but I usually forget how it goes once it finishes.
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#269: Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil - The Sorrow Revives
Nominator: MycroProcessor (7/10)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRCIgFpHJ6I" data-time="

How do I put this? This song was straight up assassinated. Specifically by the song it's based off of, Going to Lunatea, from the same game:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HSIg9L3J-U" data-time="

What do I mean by that? Well, GtL was a song I was already familiar with before the project, knew really well, and importantly really liked. The Sorrow Revives seems to quite intentionally take the same melody, but then literally cuts it up, removing sections from it to intentionally trip your up ear on a melody that you thought you knew. Honestly, it drives me up the wall, because the entire time I keep expecting it to be Going to Lunatea, but then it goes in a weird direction, which makes me sad. It's a shame because I really try to view the songs on their own merits, but it's kinda just a fact that I think I'd like this more if I didn't know about GtL first. It's not all bad though: the new part starting at 0:55 is pretty tight, and I like how the overall song sounds more intense and serious compared to the more whimsical original.
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#268: Epic Battle Fantasy 4 - Fallen Blood
Nominator: Shonen_Bat (8/9)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5PxxlO375A" data-time="

I think this is meant to be some kind of epic battle theme, but call me crazy... does anyone else find most of this song really bland and boring? Everything from 0:00 to 4:40 in particular just doesn't connect me with me at all. It's clearly missing something. In fact, I would go as far as to say that it seems to me like the composer hasn't really found their feet yet when it comes to making music, in a similar away to #302. It's much more tolerable than that one was, though. The second half of the song is actually a big improvement in my opinion, especially for the first minute or so. The full, orchestralish string section with the multiple layers and the punctuating of the melody with the marching drum gives this part so much more flavor and impact. It should definitely be more like that overall.
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yeah fallen blood is way too long. Divine Madness is much better (I like HalyconicFalconX better than Phrynna in general tbh)
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#267: RayStorm - ORIGIN
Nominator: Deogenerate (8/10)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzKI4gL0QkI" data-time="

So from a purely emotional standpoint, I'd say I like this song. I don't love it, but it sounds appealing in some way to me. But when I stop and really think about the song, I really don't see why. It's very samey, it's plain, there's some dissonance between the parts as a result of the echo... logically, I feel like it should be quite far down the list. I guess you could say I'm not a fan of the composition, but I enjoy the atmosphere that the song creates. I'm pretty happy it's short, but at the same time, if the song was longer and had more distinct parts, they might be on to something really good.

#266: Battlemorph - Track 1
Nominator: Raetsel_Lapin (7/10)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HMSKABaqpE" data-time="

This song is similar to the previous one, but I like it a little more AND I think the composition is better. It's still too samey, simple and subdued for its own good, but it has actual highlights. I dig the dark, techy atmosphere. I dig the sound of that synth that gets introduced at 0:22 and the choir-esque voice at 2:26 especially. The the way the song changes at 2:19 in general really sticks out to me as something I like in the context of the song as a whole. If the composer was more adventerous with it, this could have been the makings of a banger.
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#265: RuneScape - Magic Dance
Nominator: Handsomeboy2012 (10/10)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cBk9jx6e1Y" data-time="

That's some vintage MIDI right there. I'm not keen on that particular sound set, so it harms my enjoyment of the song. Aside from that, it's mostly unremarkable to me. It's pretty simple and just fades into the background. You might have noticed that I'm saying it a lot lately, and that's just because that's the section of songs we're currently in. They're perfectly listenable, but there tends to be nothing that grabs me. I will say that this song gets better as it goes, with 2:24-3:16 in particular being my favourite part. The fact the whole thing shifts to a different key compared to the start of the song really helps that part stand out.

#264: RuneScape - Lullaby
Nominator: Horsehead2425 (10/10)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xB3Ut3IGqcM" data-time="

Yep, the two RuneScape songs are going out in a row. It really is the case that I like them almost the same, just with a slight preference to this one. The same criticisms about the MIDI soundfont and its simplicity apply here. The reason I prefer this one is mostly because it's a tad more lively overall and 1:49-2:42 is pretty sweet, the best part among both of the songs for sure. The music box chimes / bells were a really nice touch there, adding to the mystique. Just wish the whole thing had some more flair.
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The MIDI soundfront for (old) Runescape is capable of some pretty memorable stuff, these two songs probably aren't the best examples.

MC_XD posted...

I think this is meant to be some kind of epic battle theme, but call me crazy... does anyone else find most of this song really bland and boring?

I don't think it's boring, but I'd definitely say it's only average as far as these long epic vgm tracks go. Like I'd take something like Don't Speak Her Name or The Merciless Savior over this any day. (probably unfair comparisons since those two are among my favorites, but oh well)

I like Runescape songs more than they probably deserve. They give off this feeling of nostalgic adventure which I really love. I don't think it's actual nostalgia either since I rarely actually listened to the music when I used to play Runescape--I just mean that's the type of sound it has. That being said these two particular songs I'm pretty neutral towards. They have individual parts I like pretty well, but overall I don't think I could say the same thing.
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#263: Hoshi wo Miru Hito - Title
Nominator: Dowolf (10/10)
Link: https://www.youtube.com/embed/zYCts4_bJ64?start=0&end=80

Not bad, but also not exciting. It's almost as good as a song like this could be, I think. That dramatic, gothic tone is what draws me to classic Castlevania music, which this has, but it lacks the modern groove and tempo that makes those so exciting to listen to. It's also super short, a single loop being a little over 30 seconds. My favourite part is probably 0:20-0:36, the second half of the loop.
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"Not bad, but also not exciting" -- The most positive thing literally anyone has ever said about HoshiMiru.
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#262: Disney's Aladdin [Gen] - Arab Rock
Nominator: FL81 (10/10)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNJGN4OqO74" data-time="

The typical Genesis soundfonts in general are ones that I used to dislike, but they've grown on me a lot more over the last year. I don't think this one is the best example though, because the sound bothers me a little here. I'm not sure what it is, but some of the instruments just sound ever so slightly offbeat and it bugs me. The content of the song is alright though. I like the rockin' bass and the overall energy. The part at 0:40 where the bass relents and the melody kinda improvs is pretty cool too. A decent song that needs some TLC and modern production values.
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#261: Koumajou Densetsu II: Stranger's Requiem - Rose-Killing Carmilla
Nominator: FL81 (9/10)
Link:

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

The main thing that holds this back for me is the singer. I am so incredibly fickle when it comes to singers, and they can kinda arbitrarily make me like a song way more or less. I'd say in this case, it's less. I think it's because she doesn't harmonise well with the backing track most of the time, almost as if the instruments and singing are at odds with each other. Or maybe she's just not that great of a singer - I'm not really the best judge of that. I'm also not keen on them going ham on the triangle (?) at 1:24-1:27 and 1:30-1:34, or the tone deaf bells in the following (and other) sections of the song. The mastering of the song leaves something to be desired too. At least it has that whole dramatic and gothic style going on again, like I mentioned in the last song, which reminds me of Castlevania. I mean, it should, since I think this is a Touhou-Castlevania fangame. The song is also kinda catchy, in a way? Even though I don't like it that much, I can still remember roughly how it goes, among the most of all the songs that were new to me in this project. That's worth something.

Expect to see a couple more vocal songs dropping soon.
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oh yeah this song
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...You're not a fan of Mitose Noriko?

Huh.
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dowolf posted...

...You're not a fan of Mitose Noriko?

Huh.

I'd need to hear more to be able to say either way on that one. All I can say is that I don't like how the singing goes with the instrumentation here.
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She's one of the Ar Tonelico singers. She does Sphilia, Exsphere_nosurge, and ex[cez] -> {kranz}, among others.
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#260: NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams - Dreams Dreams (Sweet Snow Ver)
Nominator: Pyromide (9/9)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdMtdXwk8Yo" data-time="

This song is pretty good, it's just not to my taste. Slow, "cute" songs with subdued backing tracks and a strong emphasis on vocals are usually boring to me. I could picture something like this in a 90s animated movie, maybe as the credits song, which probably goes to show that it's good... but I don't really like any of those, either. The singer is okay. The backing is also okay. I think 0:26-0:52 and similar is my favorite part. Maybe it'd be a good option if I needed to chill out after a stressful day.
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#259: Dai-2-Ji Super Robot Taisen Z Saisei-hen - Hagane no Resistance
Nominator: Deogenerate (7/10)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqDP6VOoBlc" data-time="

This one is considerably better than the song I'd most directly compare it to among those nominated: Unlosing Ranger's Theme (#297). The backing is better. The singing is better, though not perfect (1:02-1:06, 1:18-1:21, 2:20-2:24, 2:36-2:39 are some phrases which sound bad to me). It's catchier and less cheesy. Just an all around improvement. I particularly like the parts with the female singer, and the main chorus of the song. That said, it's still a song in the same style of Unlosing Ranger, and that "kind" of music just doesn't appeal to me all that much, like I said back then. I actually think this one has grown on me more as I've listened to it though.

That wraps up the vocal power hour for now.
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