TOP GAMING: Uematsu

Showing posts with label Uematsu. Show all posts

Sunday, May 26, 2013

TOP Track #6 - "The Last Battle"

There's one thing that Deez and I agreed on early in this project, the Dynasty Warriors series has some incredible music. Unfortunately, I'm not entirely familiar with all the music across all the games, so I popped up a playlist on YouTube one afternoon and just listened to song after song from all the Dynasty Warriors games as well as all the other spin-off series (Samurai, Gundam, etc). A few were so amazing they made it on to our list of songs to be judged, even though we'd never played some of the games - though when you've played one Dynasty Warriors game, realistically speaking you've played them all. Though they have updates and changes, they all fundamentally play similarly. Button mash your way through thousands upon thousands of peons and officers to claim complete and total victory for your army - though your troops may as well have slept in that morning, because you're a one-man killing god of war.

"The Last Battle" swiftly moved up the ranks of our tournaments. Although there are many great tracks in the Dynasty Warriors series, I think this one in particular exemplifies everything you'd ever need to know. The music often tries to blend traditional (in this case Chinese) music with contemporary music (in most cases, rock or metal) and the results are fantastic. This song in particular is an invigorating finale. There is an underlying marching beat to get your heart pumping for battle, an overlay of rock power ballad to make everything you do feel larger than life, and mixed in is the theme of Dynasty Warriors 7 to remind you of what your fight has been for all along the way. It's a fantastic song and I'm proud that to have a great piece of Dynasty Warriors music make it this far up our list of TOP Tracks.

- TOP

@TOPGamingBlog

This song just gets me going! It rocks, plain and simple. I'm a user of Last.fm, a service that "scrobbles" all the music you listen to and compiles it into neat data. Data doesn't lie. I have been obsessed with this song the past couple months, so much that I'm afraid I'm going to over-listen and get sick of it. If electric guitars existed in the 5th century BCE, I believe this would have played during the Battle of Thermopylae. I wish they had used this track for Conquest Mode's "Battle for Supremacy," wherein you go up against 30 generals in a ruthless onslaught. Despite our high-leveled characters, TOP and I faced double trouble in that level and "The Last Battle" would have no doubt invigorated us beyond any doubt of victory.

Dynasty Warriors 7 was my first introduction to the series, and the music did not disappoint me. I strongly believe that Uematsu Nobuo and Mitsuda Yasunori were composing themes in the NES/SNES days with some 80's metal in mind. Yamada Haruki's "The Last Battle" is a perfect action track that builds anticipation and serves up exciting, climactic guitar riffs. Perhaps no other word is as overused as this on the internet, but I have no choice but to use it in this instance: epic. That's the only word to describe this song. When the intensity ramps up again at the 2:11 mark, I feel like I'm about to go Super Saiyan.

- Deez
@Deezer509

Derivative Tracks

None found. None necessary.

Sunday, May 19, 2013

TOP Track #13 - "To Far Away Times"

This is my favorite ending music of all time, followed closely by the "End Credits" of Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past. It really reminds me of a day when getting to the end of a game was a bittersweet reward. I really haven't felt this way since the Super Nintendo age. I was sad that the journey had come to an end, but rewarded with some of the best music and images the game had to offer. Nowadays, I'm usually pretty disappointed by the ending and credits of video games. They feel more like an afterthought. I honestly can't think of one ending to a game that really stands out to me since some of the early days of Playstation.

When Deez and I first started talking about Music May, I imagined "To Far Away Times" would make it into the TOP 5 Tracks, but here it rests at #13. It's among the perfect scores, but didn't even make it into the TOP 10. I'm not disappointed, honestly. When I look at what's coming up over the next two weeks, I can safely say the music will outshine "To Far Away Times," but this song does have a special place in my heart. It's a really fitting conclusion to one of the best games I've ever played. I have played and beaten Chrono Trigger more times than I could keep track of, which by my personal rankings makes it a timeless legend.

-TOP

@TOPGamingBlog

It's hard to talk about "To Far Away Times" because it stirs up so many simultaneous emotions. When I hear the intro song for Chrono Trigger, it pumps me up. I can take on the world. There's one thought in my mind: I must destroy evil. This song makes me ... happy? I think so. Maybe sad. All I know is that instead of one thought, all the memories of the game flood into my mind, even if I haven't played in a long time. All the moments, good and bad, joyful and tragic, come rushing back.

This track starts off happy. It's happy because all is right in the world. Lavos has been defeated. The planet is saved. Crono and Marle can enjoy this last night of the Millennial Fair in peace. This track ends sad. Sad because the journey is over. They will never see some of the friends they've made ever again. After a whirlwind adventure like that, how can you go back to a normal life in 1000AD? The quiet transition in "To Far Away Times" reflects this bittersweet notion of a completed journey.

- Deez
@Deezer509

Derivative Tracks

Friday, May 17, 2013

TOP Track #15 - "Liberi Fatali"

One thing I always say about Final Fantasy VIII is that I didn't give it a fair chance. I keep meaning to go back to that game and really give it my best attempt. Final Fantasy VII was a tough act to follow in 1999. This game just felt like it was trying to ride on VII's success to me. It came out so quickly and paled in comparison on many, many levels. However, compared to most other of its contemporaries, it really is a good game. I admit all these years later that I judged it too harshly and need to come at it with a fresh perspective. It did amazing things with graphics and music, and "Liberi Fatali" is proof of the latter. Unlike Final Fantasy VII, it aged well. I was surprised that only "Liberi Fatali" made it to our final list. I had nominated a few other songs off this album for judgment, but this one really does stand out.

Following on the curtails of "One-Winged Angel" from VII, this song really plays to Uematsu's strength with vocals, particularly opera-sounding. Video game music with vocals is hit or miss with me, but Uematsu proved that it can be done well and really stir a strong emotional response.

I should also note that TOP Track #15 marks all the songs that got perfect scores from our judges. It is also unanimously the worst of the 15, losing both a single-elimination and round robin tournament. Yes, we listened to these songs many, many times. If I could make full orchestra sounds with my mouth, I'm sure I could regurgitate all of these songs. They are imprinted permanently on my brain.

- TOP
@TOPGamingBlog

I never played Final Fantasy VIII. I never had a desire to. I watched TOP play a demo of it before its release and I had no interest whatsoever. According to him, VIII would make a fine stand-alone game, but doesn't fit in with the rest of the series. I've heard it is a love story pretending to be a fantasy game. Can you imagine how boring that sounded to the adolescent Deez? Well, based on the music ... maybe I should reconsider.

Between "Liberi Fatali," "Force Your Way," and "Man with the Machine Gun," VIII has some truly outstanding music. Everyone knows I'm a sucker for these Latin choruses (cough"OneWingedAngel"cough) and this song doesn't disappoint me in the least. I have no idea what happened in-game during this song, but the various tempo changes and transitions from light to heavy tell me that it must be intense.

- Deez
@Deezer509

Derivitive Tracks

Saturday, May 11, 2013

TOP Track #21 - "Clash on the Big Bridge"

Track: "Clash on the Big Bridge"
Composer: Uematsu Nobuo
Game: Final Fantasy V
System: Super Famicom (Japan)
Release: September 1999 (Playstation port)

This is my favorite "Final Fantasy" battle theme of all time. The easily identifiable opening is the recurring "Prelude" song in most "Final Fantasy" titles sped up to hyper-speed. It also carries the bass-line established in most "Final Fantasy" battle themes since the very first game. I also like the imagery of the title. This isn't some generic name, like many previous games used such as "Battle Theme 2" or "Boss Battle Theme" but a very descriptive title. The thought of running into a powerful enemy in a confined space, barring passage, is one that really invokes a sense of determination which is matched in the music.

I also love Gilgamesh, whose theme song this is. "Clash on the Big Bridge" only plays during fights with Gilgamesh, in Final Fantasy V and beyond. Gilgamesh is one of the few recurring characters in the entire franchise, and recurring characters is something I absolutely love. Bringing back bosses from previous titles is something I've wished Square Enix would do with the franchise for a long time, partially based on how exciting it is to fight Gilgamesh in Final Fantasy XII (on a big bridge, with a re-arrangement of this song). I really think bringing back old villains as optional fights is something that would really pull people into their online games as well, Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy XIV.

- TOP

@TOPGamingBlog

I'm not exactly sure what to say about "Clash on the Big Bridge." I mean, it has an awesome name, that's for sure. But having never played Final Fantasy V, or any "Final Fantasy" title with this song, I don't have a real emotional attachment to it. The first time I heard the song was on the debut, self-titled Black Mages album. Freakin' rad! I've been a fan of the song ever since. There are some really good remixes (listed below) and it's funny how I can recognize "Clash of the Big Bridge" in the first 5 seconds of the track starting.

There is one funny note I have about the quality of the track. TOP and I have been using a Google Drive document to keep track of all our potential songs, and each title has links so we could listen to it while making judgments on it. I told him that his "Clash on the Big Bridge" link led to a remix, and that I couldn't find the original Super Famicom version. Lo and behold, I was wrong. The original song from the soundtrack is so good that I thought it was a later version. It really pushed the Super Famicom sound system to its limits. Silly me!

- Deez

@Deezer509

Derivative Tracks

S.S.H. Remix - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oM16WSuHVNY

Neo Excalipur Remix (Unkown Artist) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5reCJiCfp-s

Sunday, May 5, 2013

TOP Tracks #27 - "Birth of a God"

For about ten years, I was convinced "One-Winged Angel" was the greatest piece of music in Final Fantasy VII. For the most part, I don't think I even remembered "Birth of a God." It's really dwarfed by the grandeur in sound and cinematic that follows it within the game. I remember being on a forum somewhere and reading through criticism and comments on Final Fantasy VII (a hobby of mine) when I saw someone say they thought "Birth of a God" was a much better piece of music than "One-Winged Angel." Blasphemy! I rushed to the soundtrack to compare the two.

Don't get me wrong, I still think both are amazing. However, I was convinced that what "Birth of a God" does is a lot more interesting than "One-Winged Angel." It really blends together a lot of the musical themes in the game that encompass Sephiroth's transformation from prominent military hero to tortured soul to false god. I would say "One-Winged Angel" really captures the end result of this transformation into a faux-divine being, but "Birth of a God" ties together all the turmoil and strife Sephiroth has endured, and adds to it a frantic tension for the player to stop this transformation from happening.

Sephiroth is one of my favorite villains of any video game. (Perhaps next year's countdown has just been discovered?) He has a depth that is rarely explored in most games. He is not just insane, or evil, for the sake of a plot device. He was once a great man who was broken when he found out the truth of his origins. He was driven to madness and vengeance. The player is able to sympathize with his situation, even though Sephiroth also has the capacity to upset the player so much that you can't wait to destroy him. The development of Sephiroth is part of what makes Final Fantasy VII such a fantastic game and "Birth of a God" captures the essence of that development.

- TOP
@TOPGamingBlog

I really love Final Fantasy VII, but that's mostly thanks to TOP. I'm fairly simple minded when it comes to video games, but TOP explained the nuances, details and intertwining connections that make Final Fantasy VII such a great story. I keep telling him he needs to write a literary analysis on the game. I'd buy it! My point is, I love the game even though I didn't "get it" right away. I played through the PC version, and I used a hack so I could enjoy the story without worrying about my party stats or burning through items. It was a really fun time, but the music never leaped out at me during this first run through the game.

Most of the time, I think that remixes of original songs are better. Take "The Decisive Battle" for instance. I love the original version, but when I listen to the Black Mages arrangement, I feel like Popeye after a spinach binge. The first time I truly noticed "Birth of a God" was when I was listening to Powerglove's album Total Pwnage. Not bad. Then TOP sent me a link to the original version and I was sold. How did I miss this? Maybe, when I encountered Bizarro Sephiroth, it was 1AM and I needed the volume low so not to awake any parents. Whatever the case, I much prefer the original version of "Birth of a God" to any other version I've heard yet.

- Deez
@Deezer509

Derivative Tracks

Saturday, May 4, 2013

TOP Tracks #28 - "Terra's Theme"

Track: "Terra's Theme" (NA) or "Tina's Theme" (JP)
Composer: Uematsu Nobuo
Game: Final Fantasy VI
System: Super Nintendo
Release: October, 1994 (NA)

"Terra's Theme" is not only the theme of the main character of Final Fantasy VI, Terra, but also functions as the theme of Final Fantasy VI itself. The opening sequence uses this theme, arranging it into a much more haunting, isolated and frigid version of the song as Terra and her subordinates march through a barren, frozen wilderness. "Terra's Theme" is used as the overworld music, meaning everytime you are walking form place to place during the game this song will be playing. This version is less haunting and more hopeful. Terra's journey is one of self-discovery and perseverance. Her theme reinforces a feeling that things will get better if we just keep moving forward.

Final Fantasy VI is an amazing game. Many of the things htis game did well were never duplicated again in the series. This includes its very large cast of characters, most of whom are extremely well presented and developed despite how many of them the story must account for. The large number of characters also lends to the unique game mechanic of splitting up your team into smaller, mini-teams that explore different parts of the same dungeon simultaneously. Each of these characters also had their own individual theme song, which is something I absolutely love. Uematsu would continue using character themes going forward in the "Final Fantasy" series until his departure from the company.

- TOP
@TOPGamingBlog

I played Final Fantasy VI way too late in life, and I'm ashamed to admit that I still haven't beaten it. When I was a kid, it was too hard for me. When I was a teenager, it was too hard for me. I'm not that good at role-playing games (RPG). The only one I'm proficient at is Chrono Trigger, but that is one of the easiest RPGs to get into that I've played. Final Fantasy VI gave me a lot of trouble and as a result I kept quitting. My last attempt was stalled when my save state (emulator) deleted itself right after I arrived in the World of Ruin. Boy was I mad! Despite all this and the fact that I haven't seen everything the game has to offer, I can state without reservation: it has fantastic music.

I love the opening scene of Final Fantasy VI. So there's no doubt that I also appreciate "Terra's Theme" which it uses in the opening. The first time I played the game, it was snowing heavily outside. I always associate the lonely theme with being out on some frigid frontier, isolated from things that make you smile. My bedroom was always freezing back then, too. Despite the chill I get when I hear this song, I seem to get a message from this song every time: we have a job to do, a journey to embark upon.

- Deez
@Deezer509

Derivative Tracks

Friday, May 3, 2013

TOP Tracks #29 - "Fire Above the Battle"

Track: "Fire Above the Battle"
Composer: Uematsu Nobuo
Game: Lost Odyssey
System: X-Box 360
Release: February, 2008

If I had started TOP Gaming before 2009, I would have named Lost Odyssey 2008's game of the year. This game is the complete package. It has a great, epic story. It has really wonderful characters, some of whom are extremely well developed over the course of the game. The music is extremely well done. It covers all the bases I look for in a great game. Lost Odyssey plays more like a "Final Fantasy" game than any other "Final Fantasy" title in the last 13 years - which is incidentally how long it's been since Final Fantasy creator, Sakaguchi Hironobu left Square Enix. It's really not too surprising that when Sakaguchi Hironobu, Toriyama Akira, and Uematsu Nobuo get together they continue to create amazing results.

The game also hosts unlockable short stories that go into detail of the main character's incredibly long life, in a collection called Thousand Years of Dreams. These short stories are penned by novelist Shigematsu Kiyoshi and are each a delight to read, if you don't mind taking a break from playing a game to read a short story. Lost Odyssey really put Mistwalker Studios on the map for me. Their debut game Blue Dragon was cute and fun, but I felt it lacked some depth and maturity which is something I could not say about Lost Odyssey.

This particular piece of music I revisit fairly regularly. I am swept up by the strings. It's another great example of Uematsu battle music, and probably not the last example in this count down. As I listen to it, I think, "I need to play this game again." Lost Odyssey and Tales of Vesperia are perhaps the only reason I'm still hanging on to my X-Box 360. Along with Xenoblade Chronicles on the Wii, these games stand as pillars of Japanese-style role-playing games (JRPG) that have come out in the last decade. There's sadly too few of their quality these days.

- TOP
@TOPGamingBlog

Unfortunately, I never had the privilege of playing Lost Odyssey. TOP said it was a great JRPG and one of the only decent ones on X-Box 360. I recall he told me it can be quick and simple if you blow through it, but also is deep and enthralling if you take your time and enjoy each facet of the game. I like that in a game. I miss the days of old where you'd have to wander around a game, talking to strangers for half an hour, and then piece together what the hell you were supposed to do next. I know games are evolving away from this, but in my eyes, exploration and discovery is half the fun.

I think I'd appreciate "Fire Above the Battle" more if I had played the game. It sounds fine and decent to me, but it doesn't drum up any emotion. Unlike many songs on this list, I don't get the urge to grab a sword and slay my enemies. It comes close, but it's not quite there. It seems more like a war room theme, playing in the background while generals furrow their brows and contemplate assault tactics. I'm sure it'd be a different case if I knew what trials and tribulations the player must endure throughout the game, but as of now it only seems a mediocre battle anthem. Feel free to comment if you disagree.

- Deez
@Deezer509

Derivative Tracks

Sadly haven't found any, but I'll keep looking!

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

TOP Tracks #31 - "The Decisive Battle"

Track: "The Decisive Battle"
Composer: Uematsu Nobuo
Game: Final Fantasy VI
System: Super Nintendo
Release: October, 1994 (NA)

I've got to be honest with you, I originally rated this song as rather average. Over the last couple of weeks, deciding upon our finalists, I had to listen to this song several times. It's simply not one of my favorite Uematsu Nobuo songs. I tried to clear my mind and focus simply on the music, pushing aside all that I know about "Final Fantasy" or Uematsu Nobuo. It was my best attempt at objectivity and as a result I decided it was quite an excellent piece on its own merit. I rated it above average, and due to our complex algorithm beyond the understanding of most men, it managed to secure the final spot in the TOP 31 Tracks of Music May.

My brother and I decided years ago that the one thing Uematsu does exceptionally well is battle theme music and "The Decisive Battle" is a real example of how he uses beat and tempo to create such a dramatic, emotional, and tense sensation. The song itself takes me back to fighting the boss, Ultros, for the very first time. Ultros would end up becoming a recurring joke character, not only in Final Fantasy VI, but in several subsequent entries in the franchise - often as an optional, humorous side-quest or download content. I must attest to you here, though, that the first fight with Ultros was no laughing matter for me at the young age of fourteen. It was that winter of 1994 that I was bundled up at my dad's house - a temporary housing arrangement in the center of Pepperell, MA, due to an unfortunate house fire earlier that year - with my brother and best friend beside me. Final Fantasy VI was like a dream come true after how much I had enjoyed Final Fantasy IV. It really pushed the Super Nintendo to the limit and as a result, it blew my mind.

- TOP
@TOPGamingBlog

This is my JAM! Between the years of 2005 and 2009, "The Decisive Battle" was my favorite song. Those were my college years, and it was during those years I developed an odd habit. As college kids are known to do, my friends and I would get really, really drunk. If I wasn't with a girl at the end of the night (read: almost every night), I would be unwilling to go to bed. All my roommates would pass out, but I'd be up at 4am ready to roll. What was an inebriated college kid to do? The answer, of course, is RAGE!

I'd grab my iPod, throw on a hoodie, and wander around town raging through the wee hours of the night. Of course, I'd be head banging as I stumbled through the quiet streets, but every once in a while a song would come on that really kicked the adrenaline up a notch. "The Decisive Battle" was one of those songs. I had no choice but to fight the shadows with my kung fu as the sun began to rise on the horizon. This playlist on my iPod was titled "FIGHT!"

"The Decisive Battle" is one of my favorite tracks from composer, Uematsu Nobuo. It has his iconic introduction: a heart pounding beat that builds up into the rocking melody. I think music has immeasurable power. It can bring you down, or it can raise you up. This track is one of the latter. It's a "death throes" song. It plays when the cards are stacked against you. All you can say to the situation is, "This is it, boys. It's us or them."

- Deez
@Deezer509

Derivative Tracks