Board 8 > DireKrow Ranks VGM (The Ranking)

(+) Yeah! (+)

#230: Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse - Divine Powers Battle
Nominator: Panthera (7/7)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5XZzTq_gzI" data-time="

Oh boy, how do I justify this? If you just listen to the song and consider some of the things I have been complaining about before, it really makes no sense that this is as high as it is. It's atonal, the drums are a bit muffled, some of the synths I'd completely understand if people found them abrasive. I mean, it's not amazing, but there's things about it that I dig. It's dark, it's tense, it's aggressive and also epic in subtle ways, and none of its negatives really stick out too badly to me. So instead, it's just something where I at least really like the atmosphere. Quite a lot, actually. Still, it's pretty damn weird. Probably too weird.
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#229: The Last Story - Theme of The Last Story
Nominator: NBIceman (9/10)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0i7U_qePGA" data-time="

I'm not a musician, so I feel like it's not my place to call the composition of something bad, but am I the only one who thinks this is a terrible main theme for a JRPG? It has no concrete identity - indeed it's the opposite, since it's a medley - which doesn't make a clear first impression. The first half of the song is really boring, which isn't what you want when you're trying to grab people's attention. Most of it has no clear, strong melody, that people can identify with the game - and when it finally gets there, it doesn't really stand out all that much. It's just... a really ill-advised main theme, in my opinion. It's frustrating, and has hurt its score.

Okay so ignoring that and just looking at the song itself, as I said, the first half is really slow and boring. After that though, it actually pretty good! From 2:24 to 3:32 is my favourite part, minus that very strange and out of place intermission in the middle of it. Even though it kinda generic JRPG orchestral, giving it a nice driving beat and some kind of melody really brings it up a notch in my books. It's enjoyable.

And with that, we're actually basically at the end of the songs I have major complaints about. From here, I don't hesitate much to say that I like the songs. Good job everyone.
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Assuming this plays on the main menu of the game

It does, I remember always dicking around at the menu because I wanted to hear the whole thing before starting a game

#228: World of Final Fantasy - Another World of Battle
Nominator: Pyromide (7/9)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5jsdaJNXeI" data-time="

My opinion on this one shifts. Sometimes it could be lower, but I think on average I dig it. It's definitely strange as far as Final Fantasy battle themes go. In fact, I think its uniqueness in that regard is part of its charm. It's a steady song, but a boppin' one with interesting elements in the background. The quiet section goes on a little long, but it's a smart reprieve from the thumpin' main sections. Overall solid.
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bump again

#227: Journey - I Was Born For This
Nominator: Place (10/10)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qimp6DtxWn0" data-time="

This song is an experience. I have no doubt that in the game itself, it makes a big impression. From my perspective, it's pretty good, but there's spots here and there where I don't like the vocals as much. Also, I don't know if it's just my headphones, but when the song picks up in volume (2:00 onward for example), it feels like the sound quality tanks. Holds a song like this back. I still kinda like it though. I prefer the first half to the second half of the song.

#226: Ys Origin - Scars of the Divine Wing
Nominator: Ignoble (4/4)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlSxN98y7Z4" data-time="

It's Falcom, and I love Falcom, but something about this just doesn't live up to expectations. It's decent to me, rather than awesome. So the good points are typical of a falcom battle song: fast with a driving beat, an appealing instrument set, epic and melodic. It's no secret I love me some JRPG battle themes, and stuff like this is the pinnacle of that for me. On the other hand, I don't particularly like the melody at 0:00-0:28, nor 0:36-1:00, nor the harshness/whininess of the guitar that they're using for it. It's surprisingly hard on the ears. Plus overall, it feels like the song is just... lacking care and soul in a way that I can't properly describe. It's definitely decent overall, but a bit disappointing. I hold Falcom to a high standard!
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that's a trails the third song and nobody is going to convince me otherwise
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#225: Touhou Kanjuden ~ Legacy of Lunatic Kingdom - Pure Furies ~ Whereabouts of the Heart
Nominator: FL81 (7/10)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zs1fOP1Zedk" data-time="

This is Touhou 15, for those not aware. ZUN changed his musical style starting from the 13th game (Ten Desires) to one which, in my opinion at least, is greatly inferior to his older styles. I find pretty much none of the songs from 13 onwards that enjoyable or memorable, and this one... is not much of an exception. A lot of the blame is on the soundfont, which really highlights the flaws: his tendancy to drill the snares way too much (they're so loud), the crazy-to-a-fault style of writing melodies and their accompaniment (seriously, 1:23-1:44 sounds ridiculous now). I don't care much for how some of the instruments sound either and don't believe they work terribly well together... and yet, he continues to use this soundset for everything since Ten Desires. Geez ZUN, why.

What brings this song back for me is 0:39-1:22, which I really enjoy. It reminds me of older Touhou and is the part which actually made this song memorable to me. This song is one of the only ones I remember from when I played Touhou 15. It's intense, it's epic and it's catchy! That part is so good, that it ended up making this song really difficult to place. The final boss themes are usually among the best songs of their respective Touhou games for me and frequently have that one great part which just screams "this is it, this is the final boss, give it your all" and I think this one is an example of that. I wish the rest of the song lived up to it.

Also something about the thumbnail on the YouTube video is strangely unsettling
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Hey, finally!

And wow, the sound on that upload does have awful peaking. Sort of thing you miss without headphones to tell the difference. Don't think it'll change your mind, but this one should be a little cleaner:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CoerzMgWWU" data-time="
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Aw man. I love I Was Born For This. Was really close to using it in one of my guessing lists recently. Probably not exactly surprising that this and the Journey soundtrack as a whole are right up my alley, but yeah.

What I do not love is the guitar in that Ys song. Ughh. That would have done a lot worse than 226/300 on my list if I made one.
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bump again again

Apologize for not getting to this in the last couple of days. I've been busy with a combination of uni work + preparing lists for vgm guessing games on the various discords. Also today I had no power for 6 hours. I'll post up the next ranks as soon as I'm able.
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#224: Fez - Home
Nominator: Snerck (5/9)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TA-SGTmKnP0" data-time="

One of the better Fez songs, I think. I don't find the OST all that impressive on the whole, but this one has more to it than a lot of the others, so it stands out. It doesn't blow me away, but it's pleasant to listen to - enough to say that I like it. It would probably be improved with more variation.

If you're curious, my favourite from the OST is Adventure.

#223: Acceleration of SUGURI 2 - Nazca
Nominator: UF8 (9/10)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gj1Da_2iXU" data-time="

Similar to the last song, this one is a bit lacking in true variation and doesn't have anything which makes it stand out. It has a beat though, which is why I like it a little more. While I wouldn't exactly describe the song as "relaxing", it has this certain vibe to it which makes it good for zoning out. I particularly like it when the piano is introduced, giving the song some much needed melodic elements. It's decent overall.
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#222: Murasaki - Enclosed World
Nominator: UF8 (8/10)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKFpY9zJyps" data-time="

Again, this follows on from the previous song. It's similar in style and I have many of the same things to say about it. It's a bit slower and simpler to start with, but it more than makes up for that by shaking things up at 1:08 and 2:01. So I can say I like it slightly more overall. I especially like the last 45 seconds or so of the song.

#221: We Love Katamari - Disco Prince
Nominator: Coolnez (9/10)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z80KBGrH3xM" data-time="

This song is too long for its own good. The beat and the chords barely change the entire time, which makes the whole thing pretty monotonous. I have mixed opinions on the singing - some parts are better than others. Still, it's funky, and definitely more lively than the previous songs. I like it decently, even if I have my issues with it.
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MC_XD posted...

#223: Acceleration of SUGURI 2 - Nazca
Nominator: UF8 (9/10)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gj1Da_2iXU" data-time="

Similar to the last song, this one is a bit lacking in true variation and doesn't have anything which makes it stand out. It has a beat though, which is why I like it a little more. While I wouldn't exactly describe the song as "relaxing", it has this certain vibe to it which makes it good for zoning out. I particularly like it when the piano is introduced, giving the song some much needed melodic elements. It's decent overall.

I'm pleasantly surprised it almost made it out of the bottom third, because honestly I didn't really expect anything resembling a good score for it. It very much is just elevator music, which happens to be a very good thing in its case since it's the lobby theme, but still. I've generally had to wait quite a long time for people to join and it has made the waits significantly more tolerable.

It's certainly not terribly interesting - boring even - but there's something about it which I just... like listening to more than most of the songs before it. A lot of the ranking was done on feelings like that. Can be hard to describe.
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Oh boy, I guess I should've figured the murasaki song would just get bundled with it.

I remember my rationale in picking them in the order I did was literally so you might like Enclosed World a bit more because of those last 45 seconds. Strictly speaking, that approach actually worked, but not nearly as well as I'd hoped.

#220: Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift - Eternal Time
Nominator: Panthera (6/7)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xC9y1mALuiI" data-time="

This song roughly marks the point at which I like songs enough to consider using them in VGM Guessing Game lists. As far as songs in this atmospheric style go, it has a strong opening minute. It has this mysterious, dark and vaguely melancholic atmosphere that I'm enjoying. A song like this could be easily boring to me, or feel too much like its dragging its feet, but I think it manages to avoid that. It just sounds good. The part at 1:00-1:30 though? I don't like it quite as much.

#219: Europa Universalis IV - The Voyage
Nominator: Handsomeboy2012 (7/10)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9yzenyI7_0" data-time="

It feels like this cinematic orchestral style is quite common in modern strategy games, when they're not aiming to evoke a particular ethnicity. Honestly, this genre of VGM isn't terribly interesting to me. A lot of it sounds kinda the same. I know there's plenty of others who dig this sort of thing though, considering how many views some of these songs get.

Don't take that to mean I dislike this, though. It wouldn't have gotten this score if that were the case. The part I particularly like in this is the big swell at 0:41 and the entire following section from 1:00 to 2:24. The sound of the violins is mmmm, so good. I dig the slow pulsing of the music here, rising and falling in volume, as if to emulate the flow of the waves. The second half of one of my favourite Ori songs (

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnB4mFmlaCM" data-time=" ) uses a similar effect in its second half to emulate gusts of wind. It's an effect that I really love.

I'm also reminded of how much I tend to prefer stringed instruments to brass, since the following section just doesn't have the same impact on me, despite being so much more grand and epic. Maybe I'll one day understand why.
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Yikes, that was my favourite nomination too. It's another piece that plays in the menu and got me stuck there. These appeal to people who favour classical music I guess.

Already had a bad feeling when my first orchestral track went out and I expect more to go soon :(

Orchestral VGM (and just orchestral music in general) is great imo. VGM orchestral music in particular can sound same-y some of the time, though I don't think this song falls victim to that. I love the low brass part in the latter half of this song. Epic/grand parts from brass sections are honestly a large part of what initially drove me to orchestral music in the first place however many years ago I started getting into it, so stuff like that's always great for me to listen to.
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#218: Lineage II - After the Storm
Nominator: Azuarc (7/10)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ws9VKMiKj9k" data-time="

Practically equal to #219, really. In fact, I think I actually slightly prefer #219 at the time of writing, so the ranking does change a little bit day to day. I like this song's "epic parts" a bit more than the previous song's overall, but they're still not blowing me away as much as they should be. My favourite part is actually 1:14-1:52. The wind instrument combined with the vocals and the backing strings there, playing that sweet melody, is great. I'd really like to hear more of that. Oh, actually, the very end is pretty cool too.
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I was about to say, there finally goes my second one...except apparently it's my fourth.

edit: Forgot Stair of Grief or Fly High was posted. Looks like I'm down to Gracemeria, Shades of Blue, jtt, Thousand Suns, IN stage 1, and High-Tension Wire. Predicting Thousand Suns goes next.

Anyway, After the Storm is probably the most consistently good Lineage 2 track, unless you like the sweeter pieces like Shepard's (sic) Flute. There's another track, The Beginning of Gracia, which has some really cool parts but the middle really sags.
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I don't even remember what all I nominated here. So uh...let's glance at the sheet.

I'm surprised Profusion didn't go out 40-50 places ago, but I guess seeing as it hasn't gone out yet maybe I should predict something like White Witch Gueld to go out next instead. I don't really know, but it's sort of similar to the last set of songs you posted imo.
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#217: Crusader Kings II - Legacy of Rome
Nominator: Handsomeboy2012 (6/10)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DD_NR8fIpw" data-time="

My favourite of this orchestra mini-block. The main strike against it is that it takes way too long to actually get started, but luckily I like the intro anyway despite that. It's one heck of a mood-setter. The chanting works well, as does the gradual building and layering of instruments, upping the intensity until the song finally bursts at 2:00. The second half is good too, transitioning well from the build to something satisfyingly triumphant. It doesn't have any particular small parts that I love though, unlike the previous two songs - it's just consistently solid overall. Still a genre of VGM that I struggle to really connect with, but this is the best attempt so far.

#216: Akumaj Dracula [X68000] - Load BGM
Nominator: Rwlh (8/10)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ilrg5-Wa9u8" data-time="

This song's pretty cool. The main part I like about it is actually the beat, bass and accompaniment, rather than the main melody. The wobbliness of the main melody synth isn't really something I can get behind. I do quite like the song still though. I've heard some pretty sweet x68k songs since I got active in the VGM community here and elsewhere, and this song continues that trend. There's something special about what some composers were able to pull off on limited hardware back then. They stand out, even compared to a lot of modern tracks. I think my appreciation for old sound sets has grown a lot in the last half year... though there's still some ways to go.
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#215: Steins;Gate 0 - Amadeus
Nominator: JunerRich (7/10)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUk0iHXixSo" data-time="

In general, if you want me to really dig an atmospheric piece, here's what you do: Make it dark and electronic, gives it a solid beat, provide variation through fairly unobtrusive sounds, and overlay with some comparatively airy synths. This song is well on its way there, and could be higher if it had a bit more... excitement, perhaps. That's kind of a weird thing to say about something aiming to be atmopsheric, but it's hard for me to adequately describe what I mean, okay? Anyway, as far as the atmospheric nominations go, this is easily my favourite so far. Love the playful yet subtle drumlines and basslines, the electronic sounds and chimes - especially the faint dial up tones. Struggles to stand up against a lot of 'actual songs' that I like, however.

#214: Eastern Mind: The Lost Souls of Tong Nou - Transmigration
Nominator: Collen (2/3)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7_l-L-I5Jg" data-time="

Pretty interchangeable with #215. A lot of the same things I said about that apply here. It's more interesting, but it's also a bit weirder and not quite as dark. That's pretty typical of Osamu Sato, though. It still gives me a distinctly electronic vibe, which makes it appealing to my sense of musical aesthetics. It doesn't have the more annoying features of TV River, so compared to that, I think it's a big improvement. Very easy to just chill out to this song, but it lacks any features that actually impress me.
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Yep, got slaughtered this past week

Busy; life sucks; but I'm squeezing in a ranking here to make sure the thread doesn't purge or anything.

#213: Etrian Odyssey IV: Legends of the Titan - A Town Embraced By the Azure Sky
Nominator: UF8 (7/10)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3YrrnuyFyg" data-time="

Not bad at all, just a bit safe and unremarkable to me when I'm listening to it by itself like this. Don't have much else to say about it than that, since nothing stands out as particularly good or bad, so I'll take the opportunity to say that the EO soundtracks have grown on me over the last few months. I think I prefer the FM-style tracks to the more modern sounding ones, however. Still, they all deserve more love and attention than they get.
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I had a feeling I was about to see a lot of mine abruptly go out now. That said, I didn't anticipate that this would be the next one. Thought it'd be safe for another 50 places.

Nobody and nothing is safe except for me and my noms
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#212: Seiken Densetsu 3 - High Tension Wire
Nominator: Azuarc (6/10)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjxNAZjs4rQ" data-time="

A couple of people I know are going to be really disappointed to see this going out here. I can't lie though, this song is good, but not great to me. It's strangely upbeat for a boss battle theme, and I do generally prefer the darker, more epic or aggressive stuff. This one's style just doesn't grab me all that much. That said, my favourite part is actually 1:09-1:33, which takes its playfulness and runs with it, making for a part that's cool and unique. I like the song's overall tempo as well.
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I'm not in love with HTW. In general, I find that SD3's music just doesn't have the same spirit than SoM's does, even when the composition is rousing like this one. I think it probably has to do with the samples used.
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#211: Star Ocean: The Second Story - The Venerable Forest
Nominator: Panthera (5/7)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GveAdzojZ4" data-time="

Enjoyable, if a bit short and repetitive. I just like the sound of it. It's the right kind of mysterious or emotional for me, not one that I find too boring or melodramatic. One of the better Star Ocean songs I can remember hearing, to be honest. This has shifted around somewhat in the rankings though - I originally placed it lower, but I've since decided I'm happy to move it up to here.

#210: The Legend of Heroes III: The Moonlight Witch - The White Witch Gueld
Nominator: Pyresword (9/10)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ihiPYzgcE4" data-time="

The first 1:20 of this song doesn't really do it for me. It's not bad, not at all, but it is pretty damn boring. Luckily, the song gets a looot better after that. The fact this has real progression and multiple sections is what puts it above #211 and some of the other previous songs for me. Really like it when songs evolve. The part at 2:03-3:34 scratches a similar itch to #211 - it's just a type of slow, emotional song that seems to hit all the right notes and becomes something I enjoy. The ending section of the song is quite good too. I wish I could describe the musical structures that make me like this and the previous song over various other slow, emotional pieces, but sadly I don't have the vocabulary for it. Granted, I'm not trying to hype this up a bit too much - I like it, but it's not in my all-time favourites or anything (it's only #210 after all). Still, it's solid, and that's what I'd expect from Falcom.
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#209: Shadows of Adam - The Flow of Life
Nominator: Dowolf (7/10)
Link: https://shadowsofadam.bandcamp.com/track/the-flow-of-life

This song reminds me A LOT of Chrono Trigger, and that's a good thing, because Chrono Trigger's OST is awesome. Really, it sounds like something straight out of that soundtrack to me. It's nothing remotely flashy, but I just dig it, y'know? It sounds good, it's well produced, sets its mood really well and just gets the job done. Can't ask for much more from a song like this.

#208: Namco Museum Vol. 3 - Museum
Nominator: Place (9/10)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8pDnJBB7Vw" data-time="

Maybe I'm a little biased on this one, because I actually owned this game as a kid and played it occasionally, so there's a certain tinge of nostalgia attached. But ultimately, this is a list all about feeling, and I could sit and listen to this song on a loop for quite a while, no problem. It's an enjoyable listen - relaxing, with hints of curiosity and hope. Love the little retro synth flourishes in the second half of the song, which seem to be there to give the impression of stray sound effects in the background from cabinets as you wander about the arcade. It's a clever piece for how simple it is.
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...I need to play LoH 3-5 at some point. Someday...

I'm going to consider that high praise for The Flow of Life and run with it!
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#207: Liberation Maiden SIN - Mechanical Dance
Nominator: Kaonashi1 (6/6)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhT9yMmIna4" data-time="

This song is a lot like the Steins;Gate 0 song that dropped out earlier - but I think this one improves upon it overall. It sacrifices some of the more interesting sounds, but in exchange it's less atmospheric, has clearly defined sections and more of a beat. It's still very electronic and fairly dark though, which is perfect for me. A solid song generally speaking, but a great one as far as atmospheric pieces go.

#206: F-1 Grand Prix Part III - Technical Course
Nominator: Doppler (7/10)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zD_g8_UcyDw" data-time="

This is one of two songs remaining which I really want to love, but get held back in a big way by their soundfont. The backing is just too overpowering compared to the melody, so the melody tends to get lost. Makes the whole thing sound poorly mastered, which is a funny thing to say about a SNES song. It's a shame, because aside from that, this would be pretty kick-ass. I'm a big fan of the fast pace and intensity that the song is going for. It's not too hard to find racing game songs I like, but I think they're some of the more overlooked soundtracks. People need to give them more respect.

#205: Mega Man 9 - We're the Robots
Nominator: NBIceman (8/10)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5BdboNBhiA" data-time="

This song is pretty good, but I also think it's a little overrated. It's totally acceptable, but is lacking something in my eyes. Maybe it's just not adventurous enough. My favourite part is the opening section, up until 0:13, and similar. A lot of MM songs have opening sections that are instantly recognizable, and I think that's part of their charm. This one's is a good one. My least favourite part would be 0:46-1:11, particularly the arpeggios (?) at 0:50/0:57/1:03/1:10 - don't like the sound of 'em at all.
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#204: I am Setsuna - Dance of Death
Nominator: Kaonashi1 (5/6)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4k42KWxbBU" data-time="

Piano! One of my favourite instruments. I like melodies and I like (most) percussive sounds, so it's a match made in heaven. I don't like I am Setsuna's soundtrack as much as I probably should though, considering that it's almost entirely piano. This song is good, but lacks ambition in my eyes... which is how I feel about most of the OST. The piano section is the best part for sure, especially in the second half of the song, but the backing lets it down by being so utterly plain and one-note. So in the end it's a pretty good song, one I still enjoy, but one that also represents a clear missed opportunity. Could have easily been a lot better.

#203: Mighty Switch Force! 2 - Exothermic
Nominator: Nameless2000 (8/10)
Link:

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

I mentioned during #206 that there was two songs left that were awesome but dragged down by how they sounded. This is the other one. The whole song is mastered in such a way that it kinda blends together and turns into a wall of muddy noise. The bass and drums are probably the main cause - they're dreadfully loud. But where as something like this would normally have ranked much lower, the song itself is SO GOOD that I just couldn't bring myself to crap on it quite so hard. Seriously, this could have been a top 100 song. It's the Jake Kaufman we know and love, rocking the heck out. It's hard, fast and driving, with catchy melodic components and just enough variation to keep things interesting. Great stuff, just... make it less of a headache to listen to.

And with that, we've finally hit a milestone! I'm officially 1/3 done; 101 of 303 rankings have been posted. Sorry it's taking so long for me to get through this project.

Ranking from here on out gets a lot harder. Songs that are next to each other are pretty interchangeable.
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1/3 done and 1/2 of my VGM are out.
Reading these writeups though, I am starting to see what kinds of music you like and pretty confident that one particular nomination of mine is going to do well, say top 50.

handsomeboy2012 posted...

1/3 done and 1/2 of my VGM are out.

Yup. Pretty much how these go. Either everything's near the top or everything's near the bottom.
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Probably no new rankings today. Maybe.
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Ranks are on hold for the time being for RL reasons. I'll periodically bump the thread so it doesn't fall off.
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#202: Guilty Gear X2 - Boom Town Blues (Staff Roll 2)
Nominator: Snake5555555555 (2/10)
Link:

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

A decent and inoffensive rock piece. Seems reminiscent of older works in the genre. A bit slow for my tastes, but some of the improv is nice. There isn't any particular sections that stick out to me as my favourite or least favourite - it's consistent in quality. Not much else to say, sorry!
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The day after tomorrow is when I think we'll get back to a normal schedule.
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bump

#201: Groove Coaster 2 - THE WORLDS
Nominator: Prody Parrot (9/10)
Link:

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

I actually used to listen to a lot of vocaloid music, so I'm way more tolerant of it than some people. It's cool to see a lot of the old vocaloid artists I used to know going on to do music for things like rhythm game music now. Even so, I don't think this is a particularly great vocaloid song. It's a bit bland and the mixing on it is kinda weird. Sounds like Miku is singing from down the hall. It's still decent though, and what brings it up for me is the chorus starting at 1:27. That's definitely my favourite part.

#200: Sonic R - Back in Time
Nominator: Raetsel_Lapin (4/10)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAeBXh25NiQ" data-time="

A serviceable Sonic R song if I ever heard it. This style is pretty dated, but I get some guilty pleasure out of it. I appreciate that it has some excitement and a beat, unlike sappier 90s lyrical songs. The backing is a bit simple, but still solid. The singing is pretty good. I think this actually makes good casual background music for some kind of physical activity.
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#199: Himawari ~ The Sunflower - Profusion
Nominator: Pyresword (8/10)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iWm8eQgz_c" data-time="

So when I first heard this, I thought it was offensively bland, but the more I've listened to it, the more I've grown to... appreciate it? I actually kinda like it now? But okay, really, songs like this never stand out to me in the games they're in, but I do think they're underappreciated. Sometimes you just need a simple, carefree song like this to remind you that things aren't all bad. This one has juuust enough excitement to appeal to me, rather than being boring. I'd say it's done a good job.

#198: Shadow of the Colossus - The Farthest Land (Reprise)
Nominator: Pyresword (7/10)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdV3k8i1Cyw" data-time="

Honestly, I'm not big on the music in Team Ico games. This game in particular is quite beloved by the gaming community, some of its music included, but eh... just not my style for the most part, I guess? I'm not sure why it's never connected with me. This one is fine, but I wouldn't rave about it. My favourite part is 1:03-2:00. The harmonies between the string and wind sections are REALLY good for most of that part, but I don't like 1:21-1:31 in particular as much. I like the way it ends with the build up, followed by that slow release with a few final, quiet plucks. The rest of the song doesn't have the same impact as that middle section.
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bump again

#197: Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island - Flower Garden
Nominator: Handsomeboy2012 (5/10)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMmpRcld1FU" data-time="

This song is fun and catchy. Something about classic Mario tunes are just in a class of their own when it comes to that. Something child-like, but in a good, humbling sort of way, not one that's patronizing. Its catchiness is its biggest strength, but I think the soundfont holds it back; the best way I can put it is that it sounds like some of the instruments are cut short, which bothers me a bit. It's still just a solid overworld theme though... I mean, how could you possibly dislike this song?

#196: Wizard101 - Marleybone, Main Theme
Nominator: SubName (5/10)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEu5rLXdhGc" data-time="

Another orchestral theme, but I like the style of this one more than the bombastic ones from earlier on. The slightly compressed sound quality aside, this one reminds me a lot of Victorian fantasy, and also of things like the Harry Potter movies. It also reminds me A LOT of Greensleeves, which is good because I actually really enjoy Greensleeves. The end of each section is particularly reminiscent. I think the strong melodic focus of this piece is what really makes it stand out compared to some of the past ones. It still doesn't quite escape the genre enough for me to fall in love with it though. Something holds it back.
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#195: The Strange and Somewhat Sinister Tale of the House at Desert Bridge - Upstairs
Nominator: JunerRich (6/10)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQW1GkRlqtk" data-time="

The first 45 seconds of this song are REALLY intriguing. The first time I listened to it, I was like "oh wow, this is gonna be good" - it grabbed my attention straight away. The Bayonetta vocals (seriously, they sound just like the ones you hear in a bunch of Bayonetta songs) are a particularly great touch. After that... it's still decent, but I don't think it quite lives up to the expectation. Fades into the background too much and gets a bit too simple. I still enjoy it though, and I do love my some piano. Surprisingly competent showing from an incredibly obscure game.

#194: Aquaria - Heart of the Forest (Arboreal)
Nominator: Psycosulu (9/10)
Link:

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

I was surprised to find out that it's the same composer and game designer as Night in the Woods. I just... can't really picture the two games being made by the same person, though I can definitely hear the similarities in the music style. I enjoy listening to this song quite a bit, which is why it's this high, but I can't deny that it feels like 4 minutes of almost the same 16 bar loop. It barely changes. But what it does have is pretty good by my ear, so hey, I'm willing to overlook it a little bit this time.
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#193: Muv-Luv Alternative - End of Regret
Nominator: Pyresword (6/10)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkAucpKG7qc" data-time="

I really like the main piano loop in this song, so luckily, I don't get tired of it. They try really hard at that though, because they repeat it over and over. Another thing I like about this song is the pairing of instruments and some of the harmonies that occur. They sound so good together, I think it really raises the emotional impact. If the song had more variation, it could go quite a bit higher.

#192: Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia - A Clashing of Waves
Nominator: Psycosulu (8/10)
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPIy8RuVEFI" data-time="

Another song in the "I really like this, but boy is it repetitive" category. I feel like there's a joke that could be made here about repetitive comments on repetitive songs. As such, I don't have much else to say about it, since it's hard to articulate why I like the sound of it. I do like many of the upbeat Castlevania area themes though - a series with such great music. It's not surprise then that, for example, my favourite Shovel Knight song is the one which sounds the most Castlevania-esque.
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