Board 8 > [VGMC] Video Game Music Contest 18 - Bracket Discussion and Results Thread!!

(+) Yeah! (+)

Janus5k posted...

64 Cannon Ball 11.84%

we almost had the two Edge of the Worlds next to each other, but alas, Swamp Fever Horde
Cannon Ball with the double whammy of ultimate loser and last in the stats.

absolutely criminal

Poor Caves of Mul :(

Day 95 Results!

Softbank 18 v 30 Mechonis Field

The digital can work faster than the mechanical, but out in the field where the reception just isn't that great it doesn't matter! The gears started turning and never let up, and it means Mechonis Field is our first of two songs confirmed for our finals!!

Day 96: https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/8-gamefaqs-contests/80827998

Day 96 Results!

Suna no Shiro -The Castle of Sand- 28 v 25 Fairytale Poison and Solitude

The Pokemon fans could've seen it coming from a mile away; of course the Poison song was going to lose to the Ground one! Unlike in Pokemon this was not an easy victory for the Grounder, but Suna no Shiro -The Castle of Sand- holds on to be the second song in the finals!!

Day 97: https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/8-gamefaqs-contests/80828589

A lot of Ground types have low Special Defense, and Fairy types are normally special attackers. Type advantages aren't the be-all, end-all, y'know.

Hbthebattle posted...

A lot of Ground types have low Special Defense, and Fairy types are normally special attackers. Type advantages aren't the be-all, end-all, y'know.

geeee I was JUST gonna post Pokemon types for all the songs alongside my ranking, and I see this! I can't think of any Pokemon type for Nuedori though...It's really funny how we're talking about Pokemon types in relation to Fairytale Poison when I literally discovered Fairytale Poison through making a Pokemon types vgm hypothetical finals list (I already shared the story here earlier I think).

Pokemon types do come through sometimes though! Grass beat Water in the VGMC 16 finals after all.

Oh well, here we go. Ranking + commentary + Pokemon types (I have to split this message up because it's too long):

I am deeply in love with this piece <3
(none. Oh well! I only had like 5 in the entire contest and pre-noms that reached this far up anyways)

Amazing!!

1. [-Aka-] - "Suna no Shiro -The Castle of Sand" - 8.75/10 Deciding between this and Fairytale was hard, but I feel like I enjoy Castle marginally better. The melody, the vibrant instrumentation, and the vocal harmonies are incredible here. It's no Suna Gin, sure, but then again, what is? Still a banger through and through. Pokemon type: Ground/ghost
2. Murasaki Tsurugi - "Fairytale Poison and Solitude" - 8.5/10 I was OBSESSED with this song a little under a year ago. I discovered this song thanks to my "hypothetical Pokemon types finals" where I predicted this song would win a "poison-type" vgm contest after finding it in the VGMC archives. I cooled off on it a bit, but I still enjoy it a lot. Pokemon type: Fairy/poison
3. Enthusia Professional Racing - "Awakening ~ Nrburgring Suite" - 8.5/10 I had listened to half of this song a year and a half or so ago, but I totally regret not staying for the full thing! This is incredible! Easily my favorite partial discovery. I love the part where the vocals rise to the..climax? Not sure what to call it, but it gives me the chills. I could easily see this growing on me even more in the future. Pokemon type: Steel/ground

Great!
4._Xenoblade Chronicles - "Mechonis Field" - 7.9/10
Ah, yes, my one and only "phantom support!" I had already supported its remake version in the past, and I was going to support this song the moment I realized it had been nominated, but it actually ended up locking before I officially got to it! Still, I'm kinda counting it as a "support" anyways since the intention to support it was absolutely there. The percussion combined with those amazing synths make for a very unique piece.
Pokemon type: Steel

5._Opoona - "Blue Desert Hotel" - 7.6/10
I never thought this piece had the potential to retire, but I'm glad I was wrong. The oboe melody with the beautiful instrumentation in the background is lovely. Very delightful to listen to. This would be a favorite discovery if I didn't already know this piece.
Pokemon type: Ground

6.* Path of the Abyss - "Warcry" - 7.5/10 This goes really hard! The melody really makes it stand out in particular. It gives off vague Middle Eastern vibes to me for some reason, which is basically always a plus. Glad to see yet another favorite discovery go far in the contest.
Pokemon type: Fighting

Good
7._Mad Rat Dead - "MAD LAST WORLD" - 7.4/10
This was definitely my least favorite of all my nominations and supports this year, but similar to what I said about being the least favorite of my favorite discoveries, a support is still a support. Glad to see it made it this far. The sax is absolute killer in this piece.
Pokemon type: Normal/dark (think Alolan rattata basically)

8._* Noctuary - "Chromesthesia" - 7.3/10
This grew on me over the course of the contest, eventually barely making the ranks of my favorite discoveries. Synths are very cool.
Pokemon type: Psychic

9._* Aurora Memoria - Philosophical Data Session: 2093 - "Softbank" - 7.3/10
The synths here are so cool! It is second to last on my favorite discovery list, just barely above "Prowler." As I said before, however, a favorite discovery is still a favorite discovery.
Pokemon type: Steel?

10._* jubeat beyond the Ave. - "Prowler" - 7.3/10
The very beginning of the piece sounds like a faster version of the very beginning of "More Than a Feeling" by Boston, which is one of my favorite rock songs of all time. That's honestly pretty cool. The rest of the piece sounds like a nice fusion song. It's my least favorite of my favorite discoveries from this contest but hey - a favorite discovery is a favorite discovery.
Pokemon type: Fighting

11._Let's Tap - "Tap de Papapaya (Long Version)" - 7.1/10
This is a very goofy and fun song that I honestly can't take too seriously because the text-to-speech "Let's tap" just cracks me up every time. It's a very entertaining song that I like largely ironically (but also somewhat unironically).
Pokemon type: Normal

12._Missing-X-Link ~Ten no Yurikago, Togi no Hana~ - "The Blue Sanctuary" - 7/10
This was one of my least favorite songs in vgmc 17, but now it's in the upper 1/3 of the ENTIRE vgmc 18 bracket for me! I've voted for it in several matches this year already. Guess this song was quite the acquired taste. Also, I'd like to point out that this song had a true "Mario 64 Staff Roll" run: it lost round 1 to a song that made round 5, and then it made round 5 the very next year. Funny how that happened. I'm glad it came back if only for me to give it a much-needed second chance and have it grow on me this much.
Pokemon type: psychic, maybe ghost as well I dunno sanctuaries can be haunted sometimes.

Decent
13._The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky SC - "The Merciless Savior" - 6.5/10 I've definitely heard much better from Falcom (like "Genesis Beyond the Beginning"), but it's nice for what it is. The synths and choir really bring this song up from "just okay" to "pretty decent, actually."
Pokemon type: Fighting/dark (fighting for the savior, dark for the merciless)

14._Unicorn Overlord - "Farde Mal Diavolo -Destroy Evil, then Come-" - 6.5/10 Not a fan of those vocals, but the castanets are super cool!
Pokemon type: Fighting (because it's about destroying evil/dark and fighting beats dark)

15._Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception - "Nuedori" - 6/10 Instrumentation is great even if I can't get behind the melody.
Pokemon type: not sure. I'm just going to default to normal type I guess.

Lukewarm/very mixed on it
(nothing)

Don't like it, sorry
16._pop'n music peace - "Crumble Soul (Extended Mix)" - 4.5/10 Vocals really bring it down for me. The distorted flutes are cool, though.
Pokemon type: Ghost

Thanks! I hate it!
(nothing! Yay!)

NOTE:

1. a single asterisk * indicates a favorite discovery from the contest
2. a double asterisk ** indicates a partial favorite discovery from the contest

partial favorite discoveries are songs that I either discovered right before the contest in pre-nomination phase, knew about their existence but didn't listen to the whole thing until this contest, or are rediscoveries (songs I once knew but have forgotten about until this contest reminded me of their existence)

Day 97 Results!

Let's Go, Mt. Corel! 14 v 20 Kataklysm in the Computer
14 v 20
18 v 17

Day 98, THE FINALS: https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/8-gamefaqs-contests/80829149

FINAL RESULTS!!

Mechonis Field 35 v 24 Suna no Shiro -The Castle of Sand-

Bonus Day: https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/8-gamefaqs-contests/80829684

The x-stats actually might kind of make sense this year...

Here is the list of non-retired songs that beat retirees, updated through VGMC18:
https://pastebin.com/VhyAYHTd

A few of the highlights (IMO):
LittleBigPlanet - Wilderness (VGMC3 R1, 19-18 over Zero-Two)
Super Meat Boy - Dr. Fetus' Castle (VGMC9 R3, 13-9 over Hidra Heteromycin, VGMC11 R2, 13-11 over YO-KAI Disco)
Tales of Phantasia - Fighting of the Spirit [arranged version] (VGMC1 R2, 16-15 over Aquatic Ambience)

Atelier Meruru - The Wind's Blooming Mountain (VGMC6 R2, 24-18 over Small Two of Pieces, R1 26-21 over Secret of the Forest)
Mega Man 2 - Bubble Man Stage (VGMC4 R3, 26-16 over goldenslaughterer, R2 23-16 over Secret of the Forest)
Sonic Generations - Rooftop Run (Classic) (VGMC9 R2, 13-9 over The Black Song (Intl Version), VGMC10 R1, 15-14 over Dancing Mad)

Halo: Combat Evolved - Halo (VGMC1 R3, 29-27 over Corridors of Time, R1 24-19 over The Last Duel)
Medal of Honor: European Assault - Dogs of War (VGMC2 R1, 18-15 over Corridors of Time, R3 17-13 over Someday the Dream Will End)
Portal - Still Alive (VGMC2 R3, 21-18 over The Liberation of Gracemeria)

Guilty Gear 2 Overture - Holy Orders (VGMC5 R1, 25-17 over The Poet and The Muse)
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots - Metal Gear Saga (VGMC4 R2, 39-33 over Nagisa ~ Farewell at the Foot of a Hill)
Touhou 7.5: Immaterial and Missing Power - Oriental Memory of Forgathering Dream (VGMC5 R1, 26-16 over Dancing Mad)

Haste_2 posted...

The x-stats actually might kind of make sense this year...

https://pastebin.com/aZ6H6kHk

Probably a few songs near the top that shouldn't be there (unless...?), but Mechonis did a decent job of playing equalizer, yeah

Thanks for the x-stats, Janus! Now what's the better set of retirees, our actual set?

Awakening ~ Nrburgring Suite
Blue Desert Hotel
Chromesthesia
Crumble Soul (Extended Mix)
Farde Mal Diavolo -Destroy Evil, then Come-
MAD LAST WORLD
Nuedori
Prowler
Warcry

or the x-stats top 16?

Caves of Mul
Deserted
Devil Forest
envidia
Even in the Carpathians, taking a train is still faster than riding a ghoul
EXEC_FLIP_ARPHAGE/.
Jaguar Ningen no Junan
Lunar Bass
Spiral of Erebos

Removed those that appear on both lists. Personally speaking envidia, Mul, and Lunar Bass make this an easy pick!

Actual >>> x-stats.

Actually, I think that actual set contains most of the best songs that retired, lol.

x-stats for sure. Envidia, FLIP_ARPHAGE, and Lunar Bass are much better than the entire 8 in the actual list minus Nuedori, and I'm probably even taking FLIP_ARPHAGE over Nuedori if push comes to shove.

Spiral of Erebos and the Carpathians song are no slouches either.

x-stats >> actual

actual has the two worst retirees, nothing bad in that x-stats set

the actual has Nuedori, nothing else matters

.....Deserted AND FLIP_ARPHAGE there means I have to take the x-stats list lol, sure I would hate to deny Crumble Soul and Chromesthesia but yeah the former two are favorite songs of all time while the two that did are just favorite songs that made it past R3

Actual

x-stats. Caves of Mul, Erebos, Carpathians, Jaguar, Lunar Bass, ARPHAGE are all good and I only neglect mentioning the other three because I forget how they go.

The actual retired list isn't awful, with respect given to Prowler, Warcry, Mad Last World, and Awakening, but I definitely take the x-stats.

Actual, by far

although X-Stats does have EXEC_FLIP_ARPHAGE/., Lunar Bass, and Spiral of Erebos going for it

actual, but probably mostly because the only song I actively dislike there is in the x-stats group.

I would take the actual music, easily.

Also, the bracketmaker brackets needs to be updated.

A few bits of housekeeping from me! First, graphs have been updated through the semifinals: https://p0p0p0p.github.io/src/vgmc18/bracket.html (I think there's some spreadsheet maintenance needed before I can add the final, but it shouldn't change much)

The yearly chart is now in sorted order, I also found better covers for Reflec Beat Reflesia and Mario Kart 64: https://p0p0p0p.github.io/src/vgmc18/chart.jpg

Still pending for the site is updating the Retirees page, and I also plan to add image thumbnails for every champion on the Contests page! Please look forward to it (Nintendo businessman voice)

I still hope to post some vgmc-related rankings here later on if I have the time. I am, however, short on time nowadays.

one bump

Making use of the fact that this is still up to promote the new BOST side contest. Nominations open in less than 3 hours!

Check here for more info: https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/8-gamefaqs-contests/80843253

Won't be nominating but will try vote and stick around. I was pretty happy with last year's results! Both the snubs winner (Nostalgia Op. 3) and the main winner (Harvestella) were among my favorite discoveries. Plus, Genshin did notably well in BOST 2022 too, placing either 3rd or 4th in the main contest!