VGM Knock-Out Tournament

[Shad]

Cool, so I've been kicking around bringing this to MU for ages, but we're finally doing it. Back in 2009, spearheaded by @arthurgolden, members of the now defunct Final Fantasy Shrine forum began a series of knock-out tournament games for video game music. It has run continuously since, successfully ported to the Squid Board community after FFShrine closed. Participation there has been lacking lately though, and it's time for a new home.

The process is pretty simple. Every 3 to 7 (cough sometimes 14 cough) days, I'll post links to songs or soundtracks paired head to head. You vote, and eventually we get a winner for the themes in play. The Final Fantasy music game I've been cross-running here for a few years originated from this, so some of you might be familiar. This one runs at a much slower pace and is maintained year round.

If you're interested in building your own game, go right ahead! We typically run two at a time and vote on which to host next. I'll put up a discussion thread for organizing these in a bit. The post below will have links to information on what games we've had before. I decide match-ups via random.org, but you're welcome to propose a custom sort for any game you build.

I can't promise time to research and error check these, so if you find an error or bad link, just let me know. Sometimes I lift the credit information straight from the YouTube videos, so take them with a grain of salt.

This game has been running for a looooong time. Counting the Final Fantasy annual, we're launching games 57-59 this month... I think. Counting is overrated. Enjoy!

[Shad]

Info

Discussion thread to organize future games...link to be added.

A comprehensive list of entries and results for every game, maintained by arthurgolden

Master list of previous games:

Songs

Annual:

• Final Fantasy 2014
• Final Fantasy 2015
• Final Fantasy 2016
• Final Fantasy 2017
• Final Fantasy 2018
• Final Fantasy 2019
• Final Fantasy 2020
• Final Fantasy 2021
• Final Fantasy 2022

Artist:

• Akira Yamaoka
• Jesper Kyd
• Masayoshi Soken
• Tim Follin

Custom:

• Arthur's Custom Game
• Arthur's Custom Game--Covers
• Narfnra's Custom Game
• nx666's Custom Game
• OSTGeek's Custom Game
• Shad's Custom Game
• Shad's Custom Game--Covers

Franchise:

• Castlevania
• Danganronpa
• Mega Man
• Metal Gear
• Metroid
• Phantasy Star
• Sonic
• Suikoden
• The Legend of Zelda
• World of Warcraft

Other:

• Anniversary--Previous Top 4s
• Aquatic Levels
• Fire Levels
• 90s Credit Themes
• Unthemed--First Game

System:

• Commodore 64
• Game Boy

Soundtracks

Artist:

• Composer Compilations
• David Wise
• Hitoshi Sakimoto
• Jeremy Soule
• Koji Kondo
• Motoi Sakuraba
• Nobuo Uematsu
• Yasunori Mitsuda
• Yoko Shimomura

Era:

• 7th Gen Consoles
• 1997
• 2016
• 2017
• 2018
• 2019

System:

• NES
• SNES
• SMD
• N64
• PSX
• PS2
• Adobe Flash

[Shad]

Our starting themes on MU will be Best Soundtrack 2019, compiled by arthurgolden, and Best Phantasy Star Franchise Song, compiled by NFUN.

Round 1, Fight 1 // Best of Phantasy Star

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The Whole New World from Phantasy Star Online
by Hideaki Kobayashi (Dreamcast, 2000)

vs.

Lizard Sanctuary Probe ~ Amduskia from Phantasy Star Online 2
by Hideaki Kobayashi (Windows, 2012)

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Round 1, Fight 1 // Best of 2019

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Sayonara Wild Hearts by Daniel Olsén
Sample tracks: Sayonara Wild Heart, Begin Again, Dead of Night, Mine, Inside

vs.

Art Sqool by Julian Glander
Sample tracks: Fuzzy Dinky, Art Sqool, Breathing Sounds, Seems Good, Rainbow Pencil

[Shad]

my votes are on Lizard Sanctuary Probe ~ Amduskia and Art Sqool

[arthurgolden]

Hi everyone! Please feel free to listen along and participate. Everyone is welcome.

Lizard Sanctuary Probe ~ Amduskia and Art Sqool

[Egix96]

The Whole New World

Sayonara Wild Hearts

[Rhand]

Lizard Sanctuary Probe ~ Amduskia

Sayonara Wild Hearts

[NFUN]

Lizard Sanctuary
Sayonara

Whole New World is a masterpiece for so many reasons. When Kobayashi wants to, he can own orchestral themes, and though it's not songs like this that got me into the soundtrack, I'd still probably vote for it over so much of the field. Unfortunately for it, songs like Lizard Sanctuary Scenery are what got me into the soundtrack. Very "vibey" that combines the classic sci-fi sounds you'd expect from the setting with the lush chords Kobayashi likes to throw in combined with choirs and drums that somehow simultaneously exemplify the ancient temple aesthetic of the area... plus it works perfectly with the game's SYMPATHY system, the explanation of which I highly recommend reading through to help make sense of the style (and length) of some of PSO2's songs. Sorry Aladdin.

I often like offbeat sounds and styles, but sadly Artsqool too often veers into off-putting for me. Sayonara seems solid enough, even if I can't say I'm a fan of the "pop" of synthpop.

[Shad]

Cheers! Glad to see some turnout on short notice. Lizard Sanctuary Probe ~ Amduskia (4-1) and Sayonara Wild Hearts (3-2) advance!

Round 1, Fight 2 // Best of Phantasy Star

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GUERRANT-OFENZA-SUPRONT-UNNE from Phantasy Star Online 2
by Hidekuni Horita (Windows, 2012)

vs.

Code -Deck- from Phantasy Star Online Episode III: C.A.R.D. Revolution
by Hideaki Kobayashi (GameCube, 2003)

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Round 1, Fight 2 // Best of 2019

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Astrologaster by Andrea Boccadoro
Sample tracks: Avis Allen, Nicholas Mugg, Thomas Blague, A murdering, Astrologaster

vs.

Metro Exodus by Alexei Omelchuk
Sample tracks: In the House in a Heartbeat, Race Against Fate, Between Life and Death, Dawn of Hope, Yamantau Cannibals

[Shad]

For what it's worth, I don't know enough about PSO2 to parse patch content. A lot of these probably came out later than 2012.

[NFUN]

Lizard was 2013 I think, GOSU like 2017ish. if you actually care much you can compare the thumbnail of the videos to vgmdb's list of pso2 albums to get the album release dates (except for the one with the snorkeling rappies, which was from volume 7), but they're mostly a few years later of the content. I can also make a more accurate list of dates if you want

[Shad]

Nah I'm not interested in digging deeper into it at this point, just pointing out that the data I'm posting isn't 100% accurate.

[NFUN]

Code Deck
Metrodus

Already the cruel fate of having to choose between these songs is killing me. I thought making the bracket was bad. GOSU is an extremely good example of the world music direction of this part of the game. It's very cool seeing Horita's prog and fusion influences when he composes in this style, and he gives what could be a very cliched "heroic" track a lot of fun energy and spice. On the other hand, Code Deck is one of the best showcases of Kobayashi's incredibly nuanced understanding of synths. Like, you realize that the entire song is just synths. Dude is insane. God dammit I'm two matches in and already not voting the way I expected to.

Don't really care much for Romantic music as far as I know. Meanwhile Metro really knocked it out of the park in establishing moods and tension. House in a Heartbeat is one of the best cases of spooky horror buildup music I've heard (apparently it's an arrange of a song from 28 Days Later but that's neither here nor there), and Yamantau did a great job of making a banger track that's still also somehow atmospheric.

I was going to link this video as another example of good ways to do the kind of vibe Heartbeat did since it reminded me of it... and then I realized that one of its sources is literally the source for Heartbeat.

[perna_condita]

i know the voting finished but just wanted to put post to how horrendously bad i feel 'art sqool' is. kinda scary that there are a lot of games out there and some of them are bad

Code -Deck- i like so i will vote for it

[Rhand]

Code-deck is an easy pick.

The other choice is tougher to make. I'm going to go with Astrologaster because I love the lyrics, but wouldn't be sad if the great music from Metro Exodus takes the win.

[Egix96]

Code Deck

Metro Exodus

[Shad]

GUERRANT-OFENZA-SUPRONT-UNNE

Metro Exodus

[arthurgolden]

GUERRANT-OFENZA-SUPRONT-UNNE

Astrologaster

[Shad]

Code Deck (4-2) and Metrodus (3-2) advance!

Round 1, Fight 3 // Best of Phantasy Star

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Motavia (FM ver.) from Phantasy Star
by Tokuhiko Uwabo (SMS, 1987)

vs.

Superluminal ~ chase ~ Esca Falz Mother ~ phase1 from Phantasy Star Online 2
by Hidekuni Horita (Windows, 2012)

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Round 1, Fight 3 // Best of 2019

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Card of Darkness by Stemage
Sample tracks: Ergo, Where Go?, Glinhorn Forest, Slellin Realm, Mount Lavalgrave, Card of Darkness (Reprise)

vs.

Xeno Crisis by Savaged Regime
Sample tracks: Area 7 - HQ, Area 2 - Facility (Trayus), Area 4 - Nest, Area 3 - Dunes, Area 5 - Forest

[NFUN]

The big VGM tournament I've talked about earlier has started
thread
more explanations


if anybody is interested in participating you can message me and I'll give you an account that can post

[Egix96]

Superluminal Chase

XenoCrisis

[NFUN]

Superluminal
Xeno

Motavia is cute. Not my kind of music. Superluminal on the other hand... holy $%#!. It somehow manages to combine anime, prog, fusion and j-rock together into something coherent and beautiful, as well as incorporating a forgotten leitmotif from years earlier. Jun Senoue is probably doing the guitar which is definitely the weakest part of the song, but it doesn't hold it back too much. LOVE when everything falls apart and comes back together at 2:40

Card of Darkness is cute and """quirky""" without being annoying, a very difficult needle to thread with me often. Xeno Crisis has the raw Genesis sound without being being painful to listen to, which I appreciate a lot. Reminds me of Contra Hard Corps. Good songs, can't focus too much on the soundtracks sadly because i have 1000+ songs to listen to over the next two weeks

[arthurgolden]

Superluminal ~ chase ~ Esca Falz Mother ~ phase1 - Agree with the above comments

Xeno Crisis - I like both these soundtracks, but Xeno Crisis sticks with me longer each listen

[Shad]

Superluminal

Card of Darkness

[Shad]

Superluminal (4-0) and Xeno Crisis (3-1) advance!

Round 1, Fight 4 // Best of Phantasy Star

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Greenscape Probe ~ Naverius (Scenery) from Phantasy Star Online 2
by Hideaki Kobayashi (Windows, 2012)

vs.

Wing of Evil from Phantasy Star III
by Izuho Numata (SMD, 1990)

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Round 1, Fight 4 // Best of 2019

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The Outer Worlds by Justin E. Bell
Sample tracks: Hope (Title Theme), Hope, Forever, Shady Corporate Town..., Edgewater, Elevator Hope

vs.

Untitled Goose Game by Dan Golding
Sample tracks: Minstrels, Hommage à S. Pickwick Esq. P.P.M.P.C., Les collines d'Anacapri, Feux d'artifice, La sérénade interrompue

[Shad]

By the way, if anyone wants to go back and vote in missed match-ups for the current round, you're more than welcome to. Whichever track had the lead when I updated will win a tie break.

[Egix96]

Wing of Evil

Outer Worlds

[arthurgolden]

Greenscape Probe ~ Naverius (Scenery)

The Outer Worlds - The Debussy adaptations are used brilliantly in Untitled Goose Game, but Outer Wilds is a better listening experience on its own

[NFUN]

Greenscape
Outer Worlds

Wing of Evil is nice for what it is. Sets a decently strong mood and I can respect that, even if I don't find it too interesting. Greenscape sets a much stronger mood. It might be the most relaxing song I've ever heard. Lots of good memories napping on a boulder in the middle of a stream in a summer forest while listening to this. When I was first uploading this music and listening as I was going, this track sold me on the OST six songs in and filled my imagination with what the game would be like to have songs like these (it wasn't as coola s I imagined). This is another song that uses SYMPATHY, so it's a uniquely generated mix of a long bank of sound file and audio clips, which often gives an aimless feel that's perfect for this track

it's amazing the extent to which media affects our perception of music. Even had I never heard of Goose Game, I can still imagine how the game feels based on old shorts and such that use "classical" music in a similar way. Debussy I don't think is my favorite but his songs are evocative. Outer Worlds seems like a fairly straightforwards orchestral score but it works and like arthur said, it's a better listening experience on its own

[Shad]

Wing of Evil

Untitled Goose Game

[Shad]

Gonna send out some bat signals before I revert to coin tosses. Warm bodies to break ties should be more available around here.

[Shad]

mnin says greenscape probe > wing of evil but couldn't be arsed to log in lol

Update tonight

[Shad]

Greenscape Probe ~ Naverius (3-2) and The Outer Worlds (3-1) advance!

Round 1, Fight 5 // Best of Phantasy Star

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Mothership Probe (Scenery) from Phantasy Star Online 2
by Mitsuharu Fukuyama (Windows, 2012)

vs.

Jungle ~ A Lush Load from Phantasy Star Online
by Fumie Kumatani (Dreamcast, 2000)

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Round 1, Fight 5 // Best of 2019

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Pathologic 2 by Vasily Kashnikov & Theodor Bastard
Sample tracks: Volch'ya Yagoda, Disappearing, Steppe, Plague Awake Here, Darkness

vs.

Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers by Masayoshi Soken
Sample tracks: Shadowbringers Main Theme, Holminster Switch (To Fire and Sword), Titania Theme (What Angel Wakes Me), Shadowbringers Boss Theme (Insatiable), Final Omega's Theme (From the Heavens)

[arthurgolden]

Jungle ~ A Lush Load

Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers

[Egix96]

Jungle

FF14 Shadowbringers

[Shad]

Mothership Probe ~~ By a pretty substantial margin honestly. This one is great.

Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers ~~ I don't know what 2019 has in store, but I'll be very pleasantly surprised if anything comes close to knocking out Shadowbringers.

[NFUN]

Mothership
Pathologic

Oh hey a song I nominated for the VGM contest that didn't get in! This is possibly my favorite stereotypical "digital fusion" track. I love how it is somehow Pat Metheny while being FUTURE ELECTRONIC SYNTH chords boops piano whooosh. I am very tired. Anyway it's incredible how well the composers of this soundtrack complement each other. You'd expect the digital from Kobayashi and the fusion from Horita but Fukuyama gives both! Good song.
Oh hey a song I nominated for the VGM contest that didn't get in! This also does a cool job mixing disparate elements well it's like a trend in how I perceive the soundtracks or something. A relaxing, almost trance-like tribal drum lulls you into this... forest... trance... I am very tired. You are sitting on a tree meditating but the tree is a BIOROBOT that is the generator for a dilapidated CYBER TEMPLE hidden in the ferns and the roots and the foliage and it is ALIVE. Music.

Pathologic has a lot of personality in its ambience, which seems like a contradiction so that's a point in its favor. The voices can be a bit much at times, but all in all I respect it a lot.
Final Fantasy XIV might have my 12th favorite MMO soundtrack or so

[arthurgolden]

I don't know what 2019 has in store, but I'll be very pleasantly surprised if anything comes close to knocking out Shadowbringers.

I'm terrible at predicting the outcome of rumbles, but I think there are several soundtracks that are going to give FF14:S a run for its money. So far, the fights have spotlighted a lot of non-contenders that I found interesting (e.g., Astrologaster). But there are quite a few AAA game and fan favorite soundtracks coming up.

[Shad]

Random.org it is. Heads won this toss, meaning

Mothership Probe (2-2) and Shadowbringers (3-1) advance!

Anyone catching up is more than welcome to overrule old coinflips with an actual vote.

Round 1, Fight 6 // Best of Phantasy Star

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Tower of "Caelum" from Phantasy Star Online Episode III: C.A.R.D. Revolution
by Kenichi Tokoi (GameCube, 2003)

vs.

Struggle to Live ~ Sector 1 from Phantasy Star Online 2
by Hidekuni Horita (Windows, 2012)

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Round 1, Fight 6 // Best of 2019

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A Short Hike by Mark Sparling
Sample tracks: Somewhere in the Woods, Beach Buds, A Short Flight, See You at the Top, Snow, Lots of Snow

vs.

Kingdom Hearts III by various artists
Sample tracks: Don't Think Twice (Instrumental Orchestra) Symphony, Scala Ad Caelum, Tension Rising, Arendelle Field Theme (Frozen Wonderland), Final Boss

[Egix96]

Tower of "Caelum"

KH3

[lendunistus]

I somewhat want to participate but I have literally never played these games or listened to their soundtracks

[Shad]

I somewhat want to participate but I have literally never played these games or listened to their soundtracks

that's the point though

[arthurgolden]

I somewhat want to participate but I have literally never played these games or listened to their soundtracks

Feel free to join in! The music is linked above. Use whatever criteria you want to cast your vote. I've never played most of the games (including all 4 of the above) but still enjoy discovering new music.

There are quite a few AAA game and fan favorite soundtracks coming up.

Struggle to Live ~ Sector 1

A Short Hike

[NFUN]

Tower of Caelum
A Short Hike

Struggle to Live is that great weird electron/fusion/prog nonsense Horita likes to do, with his perplexingly anime melodies complementing the almost dubstep sound direction the episode of the game is going for. Sucks it's against Tower of Caelum lol. I don't have a wall of bull$%#! to say about it; it just nails everything it's trying to do nearly perfectly. Great atmosphere, great buildup, great payoff.

A Short Hike is just a bit too folksy for my tastes. It still delivers a very comfy feel and sets the mood well. The less said about KH3 the better.

[Shad]

Struggle to Live ~ Sector 1

A Short Hike

[Shad]

I was really hoping for at least five steady voters here to avoid most tie situations, but it is what it is. I'm not one to spam advertise much. Maybe it will ramp up as more people notice. At any rate, heads won the toss again, meaning:

Struggle to Live ~ Sector 1 (2-2) and A Short Hike (3-1) advance!

Again, reminder that anyone catching up who wants to break a coin flip is more than welcome to while the round is active.

Round 1, Fight 7 // Best of Phantasy Star

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Hakura Temple from Phantasy Star Universe
by Fumie Kumatani (PS2, 2006)

vs.

IDOLA have the Divine Blade from Phantasy Star Online
by Hideaki Kobayashi (Dreamcast, 2000)

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Round 1, Fight 7 // Best of 2019

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Fire Emblem: Three Houses by Takeru Kanazaki, Hiroki Morishita, & Rei Kondoh
Sample tracks: Main Theme, The Crest of Flames, Between Heaven and Earth, Fodlan Winds, Blue Skies and a Battle

vs.

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night by Michiru Yamane, Keisuke Ito, & Ryusuke Fujioka
Sample tracks: Theme of Bloodstained, Voyage of Promise, Holy Wisdom, Lost Garden, Luxurious Overture

[arthurgolden]

Please update the post to fix the following links for Bloodstained: Voyage of Promise, Holy Wisdom, Lost Garden, Luxurious Overture

Hakura Temple

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night

[NFUN]

Divine Blade
Three Houses

I don't have anything fancy to say this time. Both songs are strong yet straightforward. Guess there's

[arthurgolden]

Whoa

[Egix96]

Hakura Temple

Three Houses