wow, yet another 48 recommended game songs! 2019-2020
I ran out of room again.
Last updated: 12/31/20
Cyber Knight (SNES, 1992) composed by: Michiharu Hasuya, Osamu Kasai, Junko Yokoyama
➸Oh, Cyber Knight. This sci-fi RPG came out the same day as Shin Megami Tensei on the Super Famicom, but that version is actually a port -- it was originally released two years earlier on the PC Engine. Its heritage is evident in its clunky early JRPG stylings and its ported soundtrack. Most of said soundtrack is absolutely grating, but there's one song that I absolutely love. It's kind of like my attraction to the game itself -- it's annoying as heck, but I was extremely invested in it for who knows what reason. Though it did give me a new fear of the name "Leanan Sidhe"...
1. Cyber Knight - "Menu"
➸This song plays while in your spaceship, and you're in there when you're not on the ground exploring, so expect to hear it a lot. It very much grew on me with its high-tempoed optimism and catchiness. It's short, which could make it annoying, but I just love those wildly wavering loops in the background during the last half of the song leading up to the loop.
Cyber Knight II: Chikyuu Teikoku no Yabou (SNES, 1994) composed by: Yoshikatsu Sakai, Kyouko Sakai
➸The direct sequel to Cyber Knight improves on the first game in every way by at least 80%. It's more interesting, more varied, and the music is actually really good. There are a ton of planets to visit, each with their own field theme and battle theme. I quite enjoyed this game, but I do recommend either playing Cyber Knight first or reading a synopsis, 'cause I wasn't kidding when I said it's a direct sequel.
2. Cyber Knight II - "Battle in Elysion"
➸The battle theme for the Elysion planet, which is a sanctuary for a weird type of space bird. It's only visited in an early chapter, so this song is quickly glossed over in the game. Even so, it gets stuck in my head at random even now, months after playing it. Something about it is really memorable to me -- the driving percussion, the simple but catchy lead line, the slowdown and buildup halfway through the loop?
3. Cyber Knight II - "Kazelin Base 2"
➸Near the end of the game, the normally march-like headquarters theme is replaced with this much more enjoyable, spirited, and catchy song. It's a true reflection of the game kicking into high-gear, and it's a pleasant surprise.
4. Cyber Knight II - "Theme of Cyber Knight II"
➸The title screen theme, as well as a recurring battle theme. It's not super dramatic or heroic, but it's kind of epic with that organ-ish instrument and pulsing snare drum opening the song. It's quite varied as well, taking nearly a minute before looping.
Final Fantasy VI (SNES, 1994) composed by: Nobuo Uematsu
➸I'm kind of late in getting to this game, one many people consider a classic, and it was alright. I guess I was expecting more from it. It felt a little incoherent and more snippet-ish, but that's not what I'm here to talk about. The music was pretty dang amazing.
5. Final Fantasy VI - "Dancing Mad"
➸I would be remiss if I didn't mention Uematsu's magnum opus, a series of final battle themes when stitched together is nearly fifteen minutes long (depending on how you loop the parts, of course). It's a fabulous mix of theatrics and despair, with organ and choral voice bits. I had heard it before, but within the context of the game and the imagery seen in the battle is when it comes together perfectly. The final section with the added percussion is especially great.
6. Final Fantasy VI - "The Serpent Trench"
➸This was the first song in the game that I hadn't already been familiar with that caught my ear. It's not very long, but I love the mystic echoing of the repeating notes that kind of make the lead line that kicks in at the half-minute mark sort of understated. It's lost in all that wonder.
7. Final Fantasy VI - "Terra"
➸Uematsu's at it again with gorgeously melancholy overworld themes. That lead woodwind sounds so lonely amidst the backing march at first, but it strengthens through the song and eventually gives away to the very warm and strong bridge at around 1:17. I'm also pleased to hear the FFV banjo-ish instrument make a return in this song's intro and loop. It's not my favorite FF overworld theme, but it certainly fits this game's setting.
Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town (GBA, 2003) composed by: Miyuki Homareda
➸I've been playing Rune Factory 4 like mad recently -- so addicting -- but it reminded me of my first Harvest Moon game. I personally played the sequel to Friends of Mineral Town where you get to play as a female avatar (and I married Doctor, cute nerd ♥), but the music between the two games are the same. This is actually a GBA adaptation of sorts of the PSX Harvest Moon, Back to Nature, and yes, the music is of a lesser quality on the GBA... But it's so nostalgic to me, so it's the one I'm showcasing here.
8. Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town - "Spring"
➸The springtime background music, and likely the first song in the game you'll hear upon beginning a new save. This little tune gets stuck in my head from time to time from out of nowhere, ahhh. It's just cheerful and nostalgic. It's not amazing music, but it has certainly stuck with me.
Last Bible III (SNES, 1995) composed by: Hiroyuki Yanada
➸I recently took the time to play through the Last Bible games, since all have been fan-translated by Tom the MegaTen translation master (♥), and I'm glad I did. Last Bible III is on the Super Famicom, and it's a major step up from I and II, which were on the Game Boy. It's pretty, it's very interesting, and the music is faaaabulous. I really recommend the entire soundtrack. It may not have the most sophisticated soundfont, but I think it sounds great. I'm especially pleased when I hear sounds that remind me of Masuko's SMT soundfont, haha. Hiroyuki Yanada is a great composer, as this series (and this game especially) will attest.
9. Last Bible III - "Last Battle"
➸The last battle for Last Bible... I love the mid-tempo repeating bassline that opens the song and continues as layers are added to it. It's simple, but effectively catchy. Percussion jumps in quickly, and eventually the main (synth?) line begins flailing around and showing off. It all leads up to a great bridge section that begins all the way at 1:40 and lasts for an entire minute. The song never gets hectic or really tense, but it's just solid all the way through.
10. Last Bible III - "Phelesteau Tower"
➸This. This song had me the second it started in-game. Sadly, it's used in only one dungeon that can only be entered once and isn't very long to begin with, but dang. I wanted to stay there, because this song is catchy as heck and basically amazing in a nutshell. It's not very long either, but it follows a similar formula to "Last Battle" above: begin with a repetitive few note line that's catchy and build and embellish from there. I love it when the main synth line kicks in the first time.
11. Last Bible III - "Shark Ship"
➸The airship theme! It's actually pretty chill for an airship theme, with a main saxophone-ish sounding instrument that goes for a ride at around the minute mark. I love the xylophone-y sounds that kick in around :16, too. They remind me of the SMT soundfont.
Live-A-Live (SNES, 1994) composed by: Yoko Shimomura
➸I finally took some time to play this relatively short but very interesting and fun RPG. It has several different scenarios that all play differently -- one is an all-fighting homage to Street Fighter, and another is a sci-fi thriller with only one required battle, for example -- and have different main characters drawn by different manga artists. (The ninja character was drawn by Gosho Aoyama, the creator of my favorite animanga series ever, Detective Conan. ♥) The scenarios aren't super long, so they never overstay their welcome. The fact that there are so many scenarios means that there are many songs in the game, and thankfully the fabulous Yoko Shimomura was the one to compose them. Each scenario has a specific theme, and Shimomura did well to match those themes, or at least compose a coherent sound for each hero. Here, have a listen:
12. Live-A-Live - "Native Life"
➸The really chill character theme for the caveman hero. That chapter has some really good tunes, actually. The moderately slow percussion-led tempo and steel drums are what win me over. There are also sound effects emulating bird chirps dispersed throughout the melody, and it's rather clever. The steel drums and bird chirps remind me a little bit of the Palette Amazon/Proxy Island theme from Digimon Dawn/Dusk, though. I think it's one of the few other songs I know of that utilizes bird chirp sounds in a similar fashion. "Santalune Forest" from Pokémon X/Y kind of does too. Anyway.
13. Live-A-Live - "Wait for Truth"
➸The main theme for the "near future" Japan chapter, which involves a boy with psychic powers and a giant mecha. I really enjoyed this chapter, and I think this song had a good bit to do with that. It has a good tempo, and I really like that harmonica-esque lead instrument. It's also used in that scenario's battle theme, so it's kind of that character's "theme instrument."
14. Live-A-Live - "Wings That Don't Reach"
➸A near-endgame song that's basically a giant spoiler, but the tune itself is really pretty. It's a mix of both grand and forlorn. It's sweeping, but mysterious. Yet it never really loses its heroic undertones -- near the minute mark, the song speeds up and builds up a bit... and then anticlimactically loops back to the slower portion of the song. It's really best experienced within the context of the game, however.
The Magic of Scheherazade (NES, 1989) composed by: Akinori Sawa, Shunichi Mikame
➸I actually played this a few years ago, and kept forgetting to mention it on here. It's actually a really good NES RPG that has a lot of different elements that come together well and with a lot of charm. Interestingly, this game's Japanese soundtrack is underdeveloped compared to the American release, and it's a good thing Culture Brain had it worked on before releasing it on the NES.
15. The Magic of Scheherazade - "Overworld"
➸Quite a nice theme for the fields in between towns, and therefore probably one of the most heard songs in the game. I really like the subdued tone for the lead instrument; it's able to be lonesome and warm at the same time.
Majin Tensei (SNES, 1994) composed by: Hidehito Aoki
➸I've heard for a long time about the good music in the Majin Tensei games, and now that they both have translation patches out, I've tried playing both. I'm not very good at strategy RPGs (and they stress me oooout), so I've only played a little bit of this game, but so far so good? I made it past the first boss, at least. I appreciate not having the heavy pressure of too many characters dealing with permadeath -- recruitable demons are much more expendable. Anyway, Hidehito Aoki is a familiar name for me, having worked on the Persona 1 soundtrack, and he's in top form here too.
16. Majin Tensei - "Bicarbonate of Face"
➸This song is short, as it's the main map theme, and you don't spend all that much time on the map. But it's also really darn catchy. It gets stuck in my head. It starts off kind of explosively, and then a somewhat reed-ish instrument takes over halfway through, and then the song loops a little after the thirty-second mark. So yeah... Short and catchy and with a nonsensical title. Love it.
17. Majin Tensei - "Chaotic Law"
➸I think the title of this song, "Chaotic Law," is a good way to describe the sound. It starts off bombastically chaotic, and after a bit of piano flourish, it composes itself around :14 or so. The bass carries the song, but I really like the hints of piano. It's actually pretty chill for the most part, and I think it sounds really good.
18. Majin Tensei - "Scene of Carnage"
➸I'm pretty sure this song played during the enemy's turn on the boss battle map. Like "Chaotic Law" above, this song starts off loudly and eventually calms down, but nowhere near as much as the other song did. This one remains fast and somewhat tense. After about a minute in, it blows up and builds back up for the loop. It definitely sets the tone for a stage set against a strong enemy.
Majin Tensei II: Spiral Nemesis (SNES, 1995) composed by: Hidehito Aoki, Misaki Okibe
➸The second Majin Tensei game is much grander than its predecessor in many ways. The plot is definitely more involved, and it's pretty interesting. Not that I'm very far into it; I'm only on mission thirteen. The missions take forever to clear, wow. And it's harder than the first game, too, from what I've experienced so far... Hidehito Aoki returns as a main composer, but this time with help from Misaki Okibe. Okibe also composed for the Persona 1 soundtrack for more systems-based songs, like shop themes. But thanks to him, we have "Satomi Tadashi Pharmacy," so Okibe is pretty cool in my book. Aoki's piano-heavy sound found in Persona 1 is a lot more evident in this soundtrack as well, so it's a nice treat. All the songs I've picked for here are composed by Hidehito Aoki.
19. Majin Tensei II: Spiral Nemesis - "Eurythmic Battle"
➸I don't know the context of this song -- by the way it begins, it sounds like a unit battle song like "Spank" and "Chaser" -- but dang does it get funky. I love the cascading piano on top of a dance beat. And then around :55, it goes minimalist and builds back up for the loop. I love it when songs do that, ahhh.
20. Majin Tensei II: Spiral Nemesis - "Evolution"
➸According to the YouTube video, this is a mission map theme later in the game. Maybe the map in which "Eurythmic Battle" plays as the battle theme? Each mission map theme has a short intro that plays as the "your turn" commands come across the screen and you're given the option to save, and then the song proper starts a little bit into the song. This one seems to begin around the :20 mark with a nice minimalist bass line and percussion, and then piano is added (♥), and then it hits its stride around :55. The piano is soon replaced with more synthy keyboard, and you know stuff has gotten serious. Normally a rough synth sound like that would be grating, but it fits alongside the other elements of the song pretty well. I really enjoy Aoki's handling of piano in these dance-y songs.
21. Majin Tensei II: Spiral Nemesis - "Smash Up"
➸The second mission map theme, and the one I'm on in-game now. As stated above, the first :24 seconds or so are the intro, and then a strong guitar lead begins at :25 to carry the actual song. This map theme is pretty long, at almost eight minutes, and it's needed in-game... The turns are so longggg. Again, heavier and more tense elements like guitar and what sounds like organ are juxtaposed with a lovely piano interlude that begins around 1:30. It's just kind of back-and-forth like that until the end of the song.
Megami Tensei Gaiden: Last Bible (GB, 1992) composed by: Iwao Mitsunaga, Hiroyuki Yanada
➸This game came out in English as Revelations: The Demon Slayer, but I actually played the Game Gear fan-translation because I like accuracy. However, I prefer the Game Boy music more? Some songs were changed and some were even added to the Game Gear version, and the contexts of some songs were changed. It's an interesting point of comparison.
22. Megami Tensei Gaiden: Last Bible - "Lucifer"
➸The final boss theme. Surprise? It's different in the Game Gear version, but I much prefer this one. The four repetitions that play immediately are reminiscent of the regular battle theme, but the sort of echo-y main melody that emerges afterward is lovely. And then when it breaks into a heroic bridge? Yum. It's the best part.
23. Megami Tensei Gaiden: Last Bible - "Zord Lair"
➸Interestingly, I only remember hearing this song once in the Game Gear version, but it definitely caught my ear. The intro is honestly regular semi-annoying dungeon cave fare, but the melodic-to-an-echo lines that begin to play around :12 are really nice and kind of mystic. It's short but memorable.
Megami Tensei Gaiden: Last Bible II (GB, 1993) composed by: Iwao Mitsunaga, Hiroyuki Yanada
➸The middle game in the series was definitely just that -- an improvement over the first Last Bible, but nothing nearly as nice as the third one. The music continues to waver between okay and impressive. Yanada is good with battle themes, though:
24. Megami Tensei Gaiden: Last Bible II - "Boss Battle"
➸A catchy and high-energy boss battle theme. It may seem a little repetitive, but there's a sneaky key change between the first and second loops of the initial tune. Then it breaks into a slightly dire bridge before completely looping -- all the way at :56.
25. Megami Tensei Gaiden: Last Bible II - "Gaia"
➸The final battle theme. I love its dramatic opening that makes it sound as if you're fighting Dracula or something. It's standard fare for a little while, but around the half-minute mark, the song goes into a frenzy state that totally transforms it into an awesome wave of sound for about twenty seconds. It's fun and fitting.
Metal Max (NES, 1991) composed by: Satoshi Kadokura
➸Finally got around to playing this post-apocalyptic tank RPG, although I played its Super Famicom remake, Metal Max Returns. I enjoyed its interesting take on the genre, especially how it dealt with the civilizations. I hear that there are more games in the series, but none are in English yet. I think? I didn't know about the PS2 remake sequel of this game until a few days ago, either. In any case, I want to showcase the Famicom version's soundtrack because I just prefer the sound of eight-bit music. It's a really good soundtrack for the Famicom, too.
26. Metal Max - "Battle"
➸The regular battle theme, which I prefer over "Wanted Person Battle" (basically the boss tune) for a few reasons. One, it has a fast tempo with good percussion that keeps it moving. Two, because the song keeps moving, it has several different sections to it. Not bad for a song that loops in just over thirty seconds. Three, I enjoy that frantic lone lead line against the percussion. It's simple, but packed with a lot of different pieces that come together into a nice little tune.
27. Metal Max - "Howl ~ To a Lingering Past"
➸Also called "Howl ~ To the Indelible Past." Go figure, this is a town theme. It's only played in one or two specific places, unfortunately. I like its driving and determined beat. I think it should have been a dungeon theme for some of the final areas, ones that have to do with the past mentioned in the song title. The Super Famicom remake of this song is really good, too. It adds a bit to the original song instead of just updating its instrumentation.
28. Metal Max - "Victory! Vendors! Vehiculation!"
➸Also called "Winning! Buying! Driving!" One of the town themes. It's a little rough and rowdy, which fits the game's theme, but it's also upbeat and fun. I love the eight-bit percussion. Too bad its loop is less than thirty seconds long!
Metal Max 3 (DS, 2010) composed by: Satoshi Kadokura
➸This is the game I've spent most of 2020 playing. I jumped on it the moment I saw there was a translation patch for it out, and I finally beat it last week. 74 hours later, whew. I really like the lore and gameplay in this series and hope that Metal Max 2 is translated soon! A note about the OST links used here -- it seems that the OST has updated recordings of the game songs using better realistic instruments, so the following videos' songs aren't 100% accurate to how they sound in-game.
29. Metal Max 3 - "Battle with Gratonos"
➸A boss battle theme reserved for the main antagonist of the game. As to be expected of the battle themes in this series, it's full of energy, but this one has a good bit of foreboding in it too. I like how the intro whirls about like you're being sucked into a torrent of chaos.
30. Metal Max 3 - "Let's Go by Ocean Liner!"
➸My favorite song of the game, heard when the party is on a ship. There's a song with the same name in Metal Max 2, but I'm not even sure if there are any similarities. This song's so funky with that laid-back and minimalistic synth. After two repeats of the theme, there's a breakdown at the bridge that is faaaabulous.
31. Metal Max 3 - "Purgatory Rock"
➸This track isn't super long, but it's one of the more memorable songs in the game. It's indeed a high-paced rock song, and it's only played on a stretch of raised highway that you're supposed to rocket speed down in your tanks in order to encounter a boss monster. It's so much fun to fly down that highway with this song blaring excitedly. It's a brilliant setpiece and song placement.
RPG Maker 2000 (PC, 2000) composed by: Youta Kitagami
➸Oh, RPG Maker. I've been dabbling with RM2k for a loooong time. It's a game-making program, and while I've never done anything with it, I have played a few games made with the system. It's basic, but people have done some really neat things with it. Anyway, as it is a maker program, it comes with default assets, including a bunch of MIDI music. It's actually not that bad, and the tunes are (to me, at least) memorable. One in particular really stands out to me, though, and it's "Dungeon4."
32. RPG Maker 2000 - "Dungeon4"
➸A very nice ambient piece that begins solemnly with some bells, and then gradually builds up with cascading notes until the song changes directions just before the minute mark. A lonesome main melody line begins to play over the cascades, then grows stronger on its second loop, and again on the third. Eventually, it fades back out to the bells, and the song loops. It's a nice mixture of delicate and strong, presented with a very nice choice of MIDI bells and harp. It's a pretty and chill song, and I picture it being played in a temple.
Rune Factory (DS, 2006) composed by: Tomoko Morita
➸Ah, Rune Factory. The fantasy RPG spin-off series of the Harvest Moon series. I have only played Rune Factory 4, but music from every single Rune Factory game is featured in RF4 somehow or another. So I'll be talking about songs in their RF4 contexts much more than their actual game's context, since that's how I'm familiar with the tunes. Though I have read a Let's Play of this game, so I am a little familiar with the storyline.
In any case, Tomoko Morita has composed for the entire series, and she has done a fabulous job. I couldn't just limit myself to three (technically four) songs from Rune Factory 4, so I'm going to highlight songs that originated with each Rune Factory game.
33. Rune Factory - "Boss Battle"
➸The regular boss theme from RF1, which has appeared in subsequent Rune Factories as well, including 4. It's probably one of my top boss themes in the entire series, from what I've heard. It's exciting from the get-go, and I really love that lead harpsichord-ish instrument. Something else I really appreciate about the RF1 soundtrack is that it has hints of eight-bit-ness in it, which is highlighted even more in the following song. This is a pretty iconic tune for the entire series, really.
34. Rune Factory - "Clemens Cave"
➸The eight-bit style is in full-swing with this song, and it's what caught my ear first in RF4, where it's played in the Delirium Lava Ruins (or, the obligatory fire dungeon). Or is it more of a MIDI style? I really like the pressing snare percussion underneath the retro synth lead, too. It's not a particularly long song, but it does have two distinct halves, and it's in the second half that the eight-bit synth really gets the solo.
Rune Factory 2 (DS, 2008) composed by: Tomoko Morita
➸I don't know much about this game besides what I've learned from cameo characters/mentions of it in RF4, as well as comments on these YouTube videos, haha. So each of the songs mentioned here are in RF4, but they're really good songs!
35. Rune Factory 2 - "Padova Mountain"
➸From what I understand, this is a later dungeon in RF2. In RF4, this song shows up in the snowy winter-themed area that can be accessed in the second portion of the game, the uh somewhat unfortunately named "Sechs Territory" (though in Japanese it's "Zeekusu" (ゼークス), so why not "Zechs" instead of something that sounds like "sex"? ahem.) and it's so gorgeous there. It begins with a slow-paced harp(?) with voices that is completely wintery, and then at about :26 a cascading guitar and percussion begin playing in the background, and it changes the dynamic of the song completely. It kicks the song into high gear in a fabulous way, and it keeps becoming more heroic as the song continues. This is hands-down one of my favorite tunes in RF4.
36. Rune Factory 2 - "Palermo Temple"
➸I am guessing that this is an end-game area in RF2, as it plays in an end-game area in RF4, Rune Prana. I have not played that far yet myself, so I really have zero context regarding this song besides the fact that it's a nice tune. Morita pulls off her pretty much signature style here, with an unassuming opening that has building instrumentation added to it until it blasts off around :43 with a strong synth that melts into kind of a determined march that lasts until the loop around 1:34. The lead acoustic guitar (harpsichord-y?) instrument for the first part of the song is nice and crisp. I really love build-up in songs, and this one shines in that category.
Rune Factory 3 (DS, 2009) composed by: Tomoko Morita
➸RF3 is apparently where the series began to really "get things right," from what I understand. Interestingly, I've noticed that a lot of songs from RF3 are in the music files for RF4, but they are not used as much (at least from what I know -- there is an optional dungeon linked to RF3 in RF4 that I haven't bothered tackling which might have some of the songs in it). Fortunately, there is a Let's Play for RF3 in existence, so I know a little bit about this game as well.
37. Rune Factory 3 - "Sol Terrano Desert"
➸This is what I think is the "summer area" in RF3, which makes sense, as it's a desert. I really like the lead guitar-y harpsichord-y instrument, and then the what sounds like an accordion that takes over at :26. What an interesting but neat choice of instrumentation. The percussion all throughout is also pretty fitting. It's a good desert theme.
38. Rune Factory 3 - "Summer"
➸Speaking of summer, the RF3 summer season BGM is really nice. It doesn't sound like summer right off the bat, but the strumming guitars that enter at :07 are a really nice touch. Eventually, what sounds like a steel guitar(!) comes in around :36, paired with an electric organ! I really appreciate these unique instrument choices, and how they really throw the stereotypical "summer" sound out the window.
Rune Factory 4 (3DS, 2012) composed by: Tomoko Morita
➸Ooh, this game is addicting. Though, music-wise, there are really only a few songs that are original compositions for RF4. As mentioned, many songs in this game are from other Rune Factory games. But that doesn't stop it from having some good original songs:
39. Rune Factory 4 - "Love and Hope"
➸The date theme, which I finally got to hear in-game for the first time the other day, awh. ♥ It's light and sweet with warm woodwind pipes and guitar and a bit of xylophone-ish action. Perfect for a lovely fluffy moment.
40. Rune Factory 4 - "Water Ruins"
➸I reeeeally like this song. It's chill electronica for the water dungeon, and definitely something one can put on in the background for non-distracting study/concentration music. I like the sound of the synth a lot, and the constant percussion is a great addition to the synth. The percussion goes away for the bridge at around the minute mark, but it's replaced with almost choral synth, reminding the player that they're still in a dungeon of ruins. It's low-key and fabulous.
Rune Factory Frontier (Wii, 2008) composed by: Tomoko Morita
➸I didn't even know there was a Wii Rune Factory game (or a second one!) until looking into the RF4 music. It follows the main character of RF1, which I'm not sure how that works, especially considering he should have been married in the first game... Oh, and there's a whale-shaped island in the sky. The music from Frontier is lovely, and the upscale in quality from DS instruments and compression to Wii specifications definitely makes a difference.
41. Rune Factory Frontier - "Lava Ruins"
➸Compared to the previous lava ruins song, this song is much less hectic and untypical of a fire dungeon. It's so calm and flowing, lead by a nice acoustic guitar accompanied by knocking percussion, and eventually some distant woodwind. The bridge section that begins around 1:36 blossoms into something a tad bit more dire, but just as beautiful. I haven't found where this plays in RF4 outside of the in-game music player, but I hope it shows up somewhere, 'cause it's a really pretty tune.
42. Rune Factory Frontier - "Whale Island (Towers)"
➸One of my favorite and most listened-to songs in RF4, as it plays in the entire Autumn Road region, as well as the Silver Lake region. I don't know what the Whale Island Towers are like in Frontier, but this song is pretty much perfect for portraying the chilliness and solemness of autumn (and a bit of winter too). It's a little plodding, but not slow. That lead woodwind is really nice and deep. There isn't much to the song, but it's very nicely atmospheric.
Rune Factory Tides of Destiny (Wii, 2011) composed by: Tomoko Morita
➸Known in Japanese as RF Oceans, this game seems to be based around individual islands and has a more sea-based theme than any other Rune Factory game. I know even less of this game than Frontier (and it was harder to find music from this game on YouTube), but I can say that the music feels a little more "movie-quality" in Tides of Destiny -- lots more violin than usual (or ever?) and overall polish.
43. Rune Factory Tides of Destiny - "Temporary Island 2"
No luck on finding a ToD-based video on this song, so have the RF4 version.
➸In Tides of Destiny, from what I can gather, this song plays on a randomly-generated island? Or one that hasn't been turned into a farm island yet? Not really sure. In RF4, this song plays at Sercerezo Hill, the spring-themed area in-game. It's not a springy song, but it has a good, driving tempo and a strong lead woodwind and violin(?). I particularly like the breakdown around the minute mark that's played so quickly on the violin that it makes it sound almost like a fiddle.
44. Rune Factory Tides of Destiny - "Winter Island"
➸Ooh, what a gorgeous winter theme. The lead clarinet(?) is so pretty and strong, yet lonely-sounding next to that harp plucking. But, that's just how the song begins. At around the :40 mark, strings join the clarinet and harp and take over through to an impressive climax that you may not have seen coming. And then it dies down again to the harp and clarinet, restarting the loop. It sounds magical and reeeeally pretty.
Sansara Naga (NES, 1990) composed by: Kenji Kawai, Osamu Kasai, Masaaki Harada, Shinji Nakayama
➸A short Famicom RPG that I wanted to play through before Chrontendo covers it sometime hopefully in the near future. [future edit]: Yeah, he didn't like it much... You get to raise a baby dragon, so it was cute. The music is okay, but I really like, you guessed it, the overworld theme:
45. Sansara Naga - "Field"
➸This is the song you'll hear like 70% of the game, and thankfully it's pretty and quite lengthy. It has a mystic feel in line with the vaguely Hindu feel of the game's setting. It might be a little repetitive, but I still think it's really nice. I've seen it attributed to Kenji Kawai.
Secret of Mana (SNES, 1993) composed by: Hiroki Kikuta
➸It took me long enough to get to this game. It was a relatively quick romp, but I enjoy the Mana games' action RPG elements. They're a nice change of pace from turn-based battles. I've always heard that the music in this game was excellent, and I agree. The soundfont is sort of mechanical and music box-ish and a little rough, which gives it a unique flavor that I appreciate and even kind of goes with the nature versus machine theme of the game. Maybe this will inspire me to finally pick Seiken Densetsu 3 back up and finish it...? [edit:] It did!
46. Secret of Mana - "The Boy Heads for the Wilderness"
➸Also much more commonly known as "Into the Thick of It." It's one of the field themes, and while they are all really nice, this one I feel is the standout. It begins with an instrument that sounds a bit like an acoustic guitar, and it's joined by a woodwind to give it a woodsy feel, and later by an electric keyboard peppering the melody. I absolutely adore the bridge before the loop beginning around 1:28 with the music box-sounding keyboard echoing around in an ethereal way. It's really nice.
47. Secret of Mana - "The Child of the Fairy Tribe"
➸Also known as "The Little Sprite." I'm probably waaaay in the minority, but I think this is my favorite song in the game. It's the theme of the desert town after the Fire Sprite's power is restored, and it's fittingly jaunty and slightly Middle Eastern. I love love love the xylophone-ish percussion paired with hand claps, and the way the main melody line wavers very quickly first around :25. Sadly, it's short, but it's super catchy! It made the desert town my favorite place to rest up and save my game.
Shadowrun (SNES, 1993) composed by: Marshall Parker
➸Truthfully, I've only played half of this game, up to Bremerton. I'm not super good at it, so I watched and read two Let's Plays to see how it ends. Whoops. I like the concept and the setting, and the music really complements them. The soundfont is fittingly mechanical and gritty, and some of the tunes truly unnerve me -- I don't like the conversation songs. But there's one song that gets stuck in my head, and I wanted to share it.
48. Shadowrun - "Uptown"
➸Such a peppy tune for an otherwise relatively bleak game! And it really does get stuck in my head. It's repetitive, so I'm able to keep humming along with the catchy melody. The "bass" is a little dissonant and mechanical, but it's not too distracting. This song is the main exploration theme for over half the game, and it's probably a good thing that it's so repetitive, since it will likely be interrupted quickly in-game by the battle theme. Over and over. It's like... "duuuh-nuh-duh-duh-duh-nuh... DUH DUH DUH NUUUUH!" Like that.
Original 100 song list (1-50)
Original 100 song list (51-100)
2015-2016 48 song list
2016-2019 47 song list
The one-more-song extra list, A-M
The one-more-song extra list, N-Z
Last updated: 12/31/20
Cyber Knight (SNES, 1992) composed by: Michiharu Hasuya, Osamu Kasai, Junko Yokoyama
➸Oh, Cyber Knight. This sci-fi RPG came out the same day as Shin Megami Tensei on the Super Famicom, but that version is actually a port -- it was originally released two years earlier on the PC Engine. Its heritage is evident in its clunky early JRPG stylings and its ported soundtrack. Most of said soundtrack is absolutely grating, but there's one song that I absolutely love. It's kind of like my attraction to the game itself -- it's annoying as heck, but I was extremely invested in it for who knows what reason. Though it did give me a new fear of the name "Leanan Sidhe"...
1. Cyber Knight - "Menu"
Click to view➸This song plays while in your spaceship, and you're in there when you're not on the ground exploring, so expect to hear it a lot. It very much grew on me with its high-tempoed optimism and catchiness. It's short, which could make it annoying, but I just love those wildly wavering loops in the background during the last half of the song leading up to the loop.
Cyber Knight II: Chikyuu Teikoku no Yabou (SNES, 1994) composed by: Yoshikatsu Sakai, Kyouko Sakai
➸The direct sequel to Cyber Knight improves on the first game in every way by at least 80%. It's more interesting, more varied, and the music is actually really good. There are a ton of planets to visit, each with their own field theme and battle theme. I quite enjoyed this game, but I do recommend either playing Cyber Knight first or reading a synopsis, 'cause I wasn't kidding when I said it's a direct sequel.
2. Cyber Knight II - "Battle in Elysion"
➸The battle theme for the Elysion planet, which is a sanctuary for a weird type of space bird. It's only visited in an early chapter, so this song is quickly glossed over in the game. Even so, it gets stuck in my head at random even now, months after playing it. Something about it is really memorable to me -- the driving percussion, the simple but catchy lead line, the slowdown and buildup halfway through the loop?
3. Cyber Knight II - "Kazelin Base 2"
➸Near the end of the game, the normally march-like headquarters theme is replaced with this much more enjoyable, spirited, and catchy song. It's a true reflection of the game kicking into high-gear, and it's a pleasant surprise.
4. Cyber Knight II - "Theme of Cyber Knight II"
➸The title screen theme, as well as a recurring battle theme. It's not super dramatic or heroic, but it's kind of epic with that organ-ish instrument and pulsing snare drum opening the song. It's quite varied as well, taking nearly a minute before looping.
Final Fantasy VI (SNES, 1994) composed by: Nobuo Uematsu
➸I'm kind of late in getting to this game, one many people consider a classic, and it was alright. I guess I was expecting more from it. It felt a little incoherent and more snippet-ish, but that's not what I'm here to talk about. The music was pretty dang amazing.
5. Final Fantasy VI - "Dancing Mad"
➸I would be remiss if I didn't mention Uematsu's magnum opus, a series of final battle themes when stitched together is nearly fifteen minutes long (depending on how you loop the parts, of course). It's a fabulous mix of theatrics and despair, with organ and choral voice bits. I had heard it before, but within the context of the game and the imagery seen in the battle is when it comes together perfectly. The final section with the added percussion is especially great.
6. Final Fantasy VI - "The Serpent Trench"
➸This was the first song in the game that I hadn't already been familiar with that caught my ear. It's not very long, but I love the mystic echoing of the repeating notes that kind of make the lead line that kicks in at the half-minute mark sort of understated. It's lost in all that wonder.
7. Final Fantasy VI - "Terra"
➸Uematsu's at it again with gorgeously melancholy overworld themes. That lead woodwind sounds so lonely amidst the backing march at first, but it strengthens through the song and eventually gives away to the very warm and strong bridge at around 1:17. I'm also pleased to hear the FFV banjo-ish instrument make a return in this song's intro and loop. It's not my favorite FF overworld theme, but it certainly fits this game's setting.
Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town (GBA, 2003) composed by: Miyuki Homareda
➸I've been playing Rune Factory 4 like mad recently -- so addicting -- but it reminded me of my first Harvest Moon game. I personally played the sequel to Friends of Mineral Town where you get to play as a female avatar (and I married Doctor, cute nerd ♥), but the music between the two games are the same. This is actually a GBA adaptation of sorts of the PSX Harvest Moon, Back to Nature, and yes, the music is of a lesser quality on the GBA... But it's so nostalgic to me, so it's the one I'm showcasing here.
8. Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town - "Spring"
➸The springtime background music, and likely the first song in the game you'll hear upon beginning a new save. This little tune gets stuck in my head from time to time from out of nowhere, ahhh. It's just cheerful and nostalgic. It's not amazing music, but it has certainly stuck with me.
Last Bible III (SNES, 1995) composed by: Hiroyuki Yanada
➸I recently took the time to play through the Last Bible games, since all have been fan-translated by Tom the MegaTen translation master (♥), and I'm glad I did. Last Bible III is on the Super Famicom, and it's a major step up from I and II, which were on the Game Boy. It's pretty, it's very interesting, and the music is faaaabulous. I really recommend the entire soundtrack. It may not have the most sophisticated soundfont, but I think it sounds great. I'm especially pleased when I hear sounds that remind me of Masuko's SMT soundfont, haha. Hiroyuki Yanada is a great composer, as this series (and this game especially) will attest.
9. Last Bible III - "Last Battle"
➸The last battle for Last Bible... I love the mid-tempo repeating bassline that opens the song and continues as layers are added to it. It's simple, but effectively catchy. Percussion jumps in quickly, and eventually the main (synth?) line begins flailing around and showing off. It all leads up to a great bridge section that begins all the way at 1:40 and lasts for an entire minute. The song never gets hectic or really tense, but it's just solid all the way through.
10. Last Bible III - "Phelesteau Tower"
➸This. This song had me the second it started in-game. Sadly, it's used in only one dungeon that can only be entered once and isn't very long to begin with, but dang. I wanted to stay there, because this song is catchy as heck and basically amazing in a nutshell. It's not very long either, but it follows a similar formula to "Last Battle" above: begin with a repetitive few note line that's catchy and build and embellish from there. I love it when the main synth line kicks in the first time.
11. Last Bible III - "Shark Ship"
➸The airship theme! It's actually pretty chill for an airship theme, with a main saxophone-ish sounding instrument that goes for a ride at around the minute mark. I love the xylophone-y sounds that kick in around :16, too. They remind me of the SMT soundfont.
Live-A-Live (SNES, 1994) composed by: Yoko Shimomura
➸I finally took some time to play this relatively short but very interesting and fun RPG. It has several different scenarios that all play differently -- one is an all-fighting homage to Street Fighter, and another is a sci-fi thriller with only one required battle, for example -- and have different main characters drawn by different manga artists. (The ninja character was drawn by Gosho Aoyama, the creator of my favorite animanga series ever, Detective Conan. ♥) The scenarios aren't super long, so they never overstay their welcome. The fact that there are so many scenarios means that there are many songs in the game, and thankfully the fabulous Yoko Shimomura was the one to compose them. Each scenario has a specific theme, and Shimomura did well to match those themes, or at least compose a coherent sound for each hero. Here, have a listen:
12. Live-A-Live - "Native Life"
➸The really chill character theme for the caveman hero. That chapter has some really good tunes, actually. The moderately slow percussion-led tempo and steel drums are what win me over. There are also sound effects emulating bird chirps dispersed throughout the melody, and it's rather clever. The steel drums and bird chirps remind me a little bit of the Palette Amazon/Proxy Island theme from Digimon Dawn/Dusk, though. I think it's one of the few other songs I know of that utilizes bird chirp sounds in a similar fashion. "Santalune Forest" from Pokémon X/Y kind of does too. Anyway.
13. Live-A-Live - "Wait for Truth"
➸The main theme for the "near future" Japan chapter, which involves a boy with psychic powers and a giant mecha. I really enjoyed this chapter, and I think this song had a good bit to do with that. It has a good tempo, and I really like that harmonica-esque lead instrument. It's also used in that scenario's battle theme, so it's kind of that character's "theme instrument."
14. Live-A-Live - "Wings That Don't Reach"
➸A near-endgame song that's basically a giant spoiler, but the tune itself is really pretty. It's a mix of both grand and forlorn. It's sweeping, but mysterious. Yet it never really loses its heroic undertones -- near the minute mark, the song speeds up and builds up a bit... and then anticlimactically loops back to the slower portion of the song. It's really best experienced within the context of the game, however.
The Magic of Scheherazade (NES, 1989) composed by: Akinori Sawa, Shunichi Mikame
➸I actually played this a few years ago, and kept forgetting to mention it on here. It's actually a really good NES RPG that has a lot of different elements that come together well and with a lot of charm. Interestingly, this game's Japanese soundtrack is underdeveloped compared to the American release, and it's a good thing Culture Brain had it worked on before releasing it on the NES.
15. The Magic of Scheherazade - "Overworld"
➸Quite a nice theme for the fields in between towns, and therefore probably one of the most heard songs in the game. I really like the subdued tone for the lead instrument; it's able to be lonesome and warm at the same time.
Majin Tensei (SNES, 1994) composed by: Hidehito Aoki
➸I've heard for a long time about the good music in the Majin Tensei games, and now that they both have translation patches out, I've tried playing both. I'm not very good at strategy RPGs (and they stress me oooout), so I've only played a little bit of this game, but so far so good? I made it past the first boss, at least. I appreciate not having the heavy pressure of too many characters dealing with permadeath -- recruitable demons are much more expendable. Anyway, Hidehito Aoki is a familiar name for me, having worked on the Persona 1 soundtrack, and he's in top form here too.
16. Majin Tensei - "Bicarbonate of Face"
➸This song is short, as it's the main map theme, and you don't spend all that much time on the map. But it's also really darn catchy. It gets stuck in my head. It starts off kind of explosively, and then a somewhat reed-ish instrument takes over halfway through, and then the song loops a little after the thirty-second mark. So yeah... Short and catchy and with a nonsensical title. Love it.
17. Majin Tensei - "Chaotic Law"
➸I think the title of this song, "Chaotic Law," is a good way to describe the sound. It starts off bombastically chaotic, and after a bit of piano flourish, it composes itself around :14 or so. The bass carries the song, but I really like the hints of piano. It's actually pretty chill for the most part, and I think it sounds really good.
18. Majin Tensei - "Scene of Carnage"
➸I'm pretty sure this song played during the enemy's turn on the boss battle map. Like "Chaotic Law" above, this song starts off loudly and eventually calms down, but nowhere near as much as the other song did. This one remains fast and somewhat tense. After about a minute in, it blows up and builds back up for the loop. It definitely sets the tone for a stage set against a strong enemy.
Majin Tensei II: Spiral Nemesis (SNES, 1995) composed by: Hidehito Aoki, Misaki Okibe
➸The second Majin Tensei game is much grander than its predecessor in many ways. The plot is definitely more involved, and it's pretty interesting. Not that I'm very far into it; I'm only on mission thirteen. The missions take forever to clear, wow. And it's harder than the first game, too, from what I've experienced so far... Hidehito Aoki returns as a main composer, but this time with help from Misaki Okibe. Okibe also composed for the Persona 1 soundtrack for more systems-based songs, like shop themes. But thanks to him, we have "Satomi Tadashi Pharmacy," so Okibe is pretty cool in my book. Aoki's piano-heavy sound found in Persona 1 is a lot more evident in this soundtrack as well, so it's a nice treat. All the songs I've picked for here are composed by Hidehito Aoki.
19. Majin Tensei II: Spiral Nemesis - "Eurythmic Battle"
➸I don't know the context of this song -- by the way it begins, it sounds like a unit battle song like "Spank" and "Chaser" -- but dang does it get funky. I love the cascading piano on top of a dance beat. And then around :55, it goes minimalist and builds back up for the loop. I love it when songs do that, ahhh.
20. Majin Tensei II: Spiral Nemesis - "Evolution"
➸According to the YouTube video, this is a mission map theme later in the game. Maybe the map in which "Eurythmic Battle" plays as the battle theme? Each mission map theme has a short intro that plays as the "your turn" commands come across the screen and you're given the option to save, and then the song proper starts a little bit into the song. This one seems to begin around the :20 mark with a nice minimalist bass line and percussion, and then piano is added (♥), and then it hits its stride around :55. The piano is soon replaced with more synthy keyboard, and you know stuff has gotten serious. Normally a rough synth sound like that would be grating, but it fits alongside the other elements of the song pretty well. I really enjoy Aoki's handling of piano in these dance-y songs.
21. Majin Tensei II: Spiral Nemesis - "Smash Up"
➸The second mission map theme, and the one I'm on in-game now. As stated above, the first :24 seconds or so are the intro, and then a strong guitar lead begins at :25 to carry the actual song. This map theme is pretty long, at almost eight minutes, and it's needed in-game... The turns are so longggg. Again, heavier and more tense elements like guitar and what sounds like organ are juxtaposed with a lovely piano interlude that begins around 1:30. It's just kind of back-and-forth like that until the end of the song.
Megami Tensei Gaiden: Last Bible (GB, 1992) composed by: Iwao Mitsunaga, Hiroyuki Yanada
➸This game came out in English as Revelations: The Demon Slayer, but I actually played the Game Gear fan-translation because I like accuracy. However, I prefer the Game Boy music more? Some songs were changed and some were even added to the Game Gear version, and the contexts of some songs were changed. It's an interesting point of comparison.
22. Megami Tensei Gaiden: Last Bible - "Lucifer"
➸The final boss theme. Surprise? It's different in the Game Gear version, but I much prefer this one. The four repetitions that play immediately are reminiscent of the regular battle theme, but the sort of echo-y main melody that emerges afterward is lovely. And then when it breaks into a heroic bridge? Yum. It's the best part.
23. Megami Tensei Gaiden: Last Bible - "Zord Lair"
➸Interestingly, I only remember hearing this song once in the Game Gear version, but it definitely caught my ear. The intro is honestly regular semi-annoying dungeon cave fare, but the melodic-to-an-echo lines that begin to play around :12 are really nice and kind of mystic. It's short but memorable.
Megami Tensei Gaiden: Last Bible II (GB, 1993) composed by: Iwao Mitsunaga, Hiroyuki Yanada
➸The middle game in the series was definitely just that -- an improvement over the first Last Bible, but nothing nearly as nice as the third one. The music continues to waver between okay and impressive. Yanada is good with battle themes, though:
24. Megami Tensei Gaiden: Last Bible II - "Boss Battle"
➸A catchy and high-energy boss battle theme. It may seem a little repetitive, but there's a sneaky key change between the first and second loops of the initial tune. Then it breaks into a slightly dire bridge before completely looping -- all the way at :56.
25. Megami Tensei Gaiden: Last Bible II - "Gaia"
➸The final battle theme. I love its dramatic opening that makes it sound as if you're fighting Dracula or something. It's standard fare for a little while, but around the half-minute mark, the song goes into a frenzy state that totally transforms it into an awesome wave of sound for about twenty seconds. It's fun and fitting.
Metal Max (NES, 1991) composed by: Satoshi Kadokura
➸Finally got around to playing this post-apocalyptic tank RPG, although I played its Super Famicom remake, Metal Max Returns. I enjoyed its interesting take on the genre, especially how it dealt with the civilizations. I hear that there are more games in the series, but none are in English yet. I think? I didn't know about the PS2 remake sequel of this game until a few days ago, either. In any case, I want to showcase the Famicom version's soundtrack because I just prefer the sound of eight-bit music. It's a really good soundtrack for the Famicom, too.
26. Metal Max - "Battle"
➸The regular battle theme, which I prefer over "Wanted Person Battle" (basically the boss tune) for a few reasons. One, it has a fast tempo with good percussion that keeps it moving. Two, because the song keeps moving, it has several different sections to it. Not bad for a song that loops in just over thirty seconds. Three, I enjoy that frantic lone lead line against the percussion. It's simple, but packed with a lot of different pieces that come together into a nice little tune.
27. Metal Max - "Howl ~ To a Lingering Past"
➸Also called "Howl ~ To the Indelible Past." Go figure, this is a town theme. It's only played in one or two specific places, unfortunately. I like its driving and determined beat. I think it should have been a dungeon theme for some of the final areas, ones that have to do with the past mentioned in the song title. The Super Famicom remake of this song is really good, too. It adds a bit to the original song instead of just updating its instrumentation.
28. Metal Max - "Victory! Vendors! Vehiculation!"
➸Also called "Winning! Buying! Driving!" One of the town themes. It's a little rough and rowdy, which fits the game's theme, but it's also upbeat and fun. I love the eight-bit percussion. Too bad its loop is less than thirty seconds long!
Metal Max 3 (DS, 2010) composed by: Satoshi Kadokura
➸This is the game I've spent most of 2020 playing. I jumped on it the moment I saw there was a translation patch for it out, and I finally beat it last week. 74 hours later, whew. I really like the lore and gameplay in this series and hope that Metal Max 2 is translated soon! A note about the OST links used here -- it seems that the OST has updated recordings of the game songs using better realistic instruments, so the following videos' songs aren't 100% accurate to how they sound in-game.
29. Metal Max 3 - "Battle with Gratonos"
➸A boss battle theme reserved for the main antagonist of the game. As to be expected of the battle themes in this series, it's full of energy, but this one has a good bit of foreboding in it too. I like how the intro whirls about like you're being sucked into a torrent of chaos.
30. Metal Max 3 - "Let's Go by Ocean Liner!"
➸My favorite song of the game, heard when the party is on a ship. There's a song with the same name in Metal Max 2, but I'm not even sure if there are any similarities. This song's so funky with that laid-back and minimalistic synth. After two repeats of the theme, there's a breakdown at the bridge that is faaaabulous.
31. Metal Max 3 - "Purgatory Rock"
➸This track isn't super long, but it's one of the more memorable songs in the game. It's indeed a high-paced rock song, and it's only played on a stretch of raised highway that you're supposed to rocket speed down in your tanks in order to encounter a boss monster. It's so much fun to fly down that highway with this song blaring excitedly. It's a brilliant setpiece and song placement.
RPG Maker 2000 (PC, 2000) composed by: Youta Kitagami
➸Oh, RPG Maker. I've been dabbling with RM2k for a loooong time. It's a game-making program, and while I've never done anything with it, I have played a few games made with the system. It's basic, but people have done some really neat things with it. Anyway, as it is a maker program, it comes with default assets, including a bunch of MIDI music. It's actually not that bad, and the tunes are (to me, at least) memorable. One in particular really stands out to me, though, and it's "Dungeon4."
32. RPG Maker 2000 - "Dungeon4"
➸A very nice ambient piece that begins solemnly with some bells, and then gradually builds up with cascading notes until the song changes directions just before the minute mark. A lonesome main melody line begins to play over the cascades, then grows stronger on its second loop, and again on the third. Eventually, it fades back out to the bells, and the song loops. It's a nice mixture of delicate and strong, presented with a very nice choice of MIDI bells and harp. It's a pretty and chill song, and I picture it being played in a temple.
Rune Factory (DS, 2006) composed by: Tomoko Morita
➸Ah, Rune Factory. The fantasy RPG spin-off series of the Harvest Moon series. I have only played Rune Factory 4, but music from every single Rune Factory game is featured in RF4 somehow or another. So I'll be talking about songs in their RF4 contexts much more than their actual game's context, since that's how I'm familiar with the tunes. Though I have read a Let's Play of this game, so I am a little familiar with the storyline.
In any case, Tomoko Morita has composed for the entire series, and she has done a fabulous job. I couldn't just limit myself to three (technically four) songs from Rune Factory 4, so I'm going to highlight songs that originated with each Rune Factory game.
33. Rune Factory - "Boss Battle"
➸The regular boss theme from RF1, which has appeared in subsequent Rune Factories as well, including 4. It's probably one of my top boss themes in the entire series, from what I've heard. It's exciting from the get-go, and I really love that lead harpsichord-ish instrument. Something else I really appreciate about the RF1 soundtrack is that it has hints of eight-bit-ness in it, which is highlighted even more in the following song. This is a pretty iconic tune for the entire series, really.
34. Rune Factory - "Clemens Cave"
➸The eight-bit style is in full-swing with this song, and it's what caught my ear first in RF4, where it's played in the Delirium Lava Ruins (or, the obligatory fire dungeon). Or is it more of a MIDI style? I really like the pressing snare percussion underneath the retro synth lead, too. It's not a particularly long song, but it does have two distinct halves, and it's in the second half that the eight-bit synth really gets the solo.
Rune Factory 2 (DS, 2008) composed by: Tomoko Morita
➸I don't know much about this game besides what I've learned from cameo characters/mentions of it in RF4, as well as comments on these YouTube videos, haha. So each of the songs mentioned here are in RF4, but they're really good songs!
35. Rune Factory 2 - "Padova Mountain"
➸From what I understand, this is a later dungeon in RF2. In RF4, this song shows up in the snowy winter-themed area that can be accessed in the second portion of the game, the uh somewhat unfortunately named "Sechs Territory" (though in Japanese it's "Zeekusu" (ゼークス), so why not "Zechs" instead of something that sounds like "sex"? ahem.) and it's so gorgeous there. It begins with a slow-paced harp(?) with voices that is completely wintery, and then at about :26 a cascading guitar and percussion begin playing in the background, and it changes the dynamic of the song completely. It kicks the song into high gear in a fabulous way, and it keeps becoming more heroic as the song continues. This is hands-down one of my favorite tunes in RF4.
36. Rune Factory 2 - "Palermo Temple"
➸I am guessing that this is an end-game area in RF2, as it plays in an end-game area in RF4, Rune Prana. I have not played that far yet myself, so I really have zero context regarding this song besides the fact that it's a nice tune. Morita pulls off her pretty much signature style here, with an unassuming opening that has building instrumentation added to it until it blasts off around :43 with a strong synth that melts into kind of a determined march that lasts until the loop around 1:34. The lead acoustic guitar (harpsichord-y?) instrument for the first part of the song is nice and crisp. I really love build-up in songs, and this one shines in that category.
Rune Factory 3 (DS, 2009) composed by: Tomoko Morita
➸RF3 is apparently where the series began to really "get things right," from what I understand. Interestingly, I've noticed that a lot of songs from RF3 are in the music files for RF4, but they are not used as much (at least from what I know -- there is an optional dungeon linked to RF3 in RF4 that I haven't bothered tackling which might have some of the songs in it). Fortunately, there is a Let's Play for RF3 in existence, so I know a little bit about this game as well.
37. Rune Factory 3 - "Sol Terrano Desert"
➸This is what I think is the "summer area" in RF3, which makes sense, as it's a desert. I really like the lead guitar-y harpsichord-y instrument, and then the what sounds like an accordion that takes over at :26. What an interesting but neat choice of instrumentation. The percussion all throughout is also pretty fitting. It's a good desert theme.
38. Rune Factory 3 - "Summer"
➸Speaking of summer, the RF3 summer season BGM is really nice. It doesn't sound like summer right off the bat, but the strumming guitars that enter at :07 are a really nice touch. Eventually, what sounds like a steel guitar(!) comes in around :36, paired with an electric organ! I really appreciate these unique instrument choices, and how they really throw the stereotypical "summer" sound out the window.
Rune Factory 4 (3DS, 2012) composed by: Tomoko Morita
➸Ooh, this game is addicting. Though, music-wise, there are really only a few songs that are original compositions for RF4. As mentioned, many songs in this game are from other Rune Factory games. But that doesn't stop it from having some good original songs:
39. Rune Factory 4 - "Love and Hope"
➸The date theme, which I finally got to hear in-game for the first time the other day, awh. ♥ It's light and sweet with warm woodwind pipes and guitar and a bit of xylophone-ish action. Perfect for a lovely fluffy moment.
40. Rune Factory 4 - "Water Ruins"
➸I reeeeally like this song. It's chill electronica for the water dungeon, and definitely something one can put on in the background for non-distracting study/concentration music. I like the sound of the synth a lot, and the constant percussion is a great addition to the synth. The percussion goes away for the bridge at around the minute mark, but it's replaced with almost choral synth, reminding the player that they're still in a dungeon of ruins. It's low-key and fabulous.
Rune Factory Frontier (Wii, 2008) composed by: Tomoko Morita
➸I didn't even know there was a Wii Rune Factory game (or a second one!) until looking into the RF4 music. It follows the main character of RF1, which I'm not sure how that works, especially considering he should have been married in the first game... Oh, and there's a whale-shaped island in the sky. The music from Frontier is lovely, and the upscale in quality from DS instruments and compression to Wii specifications definitely makes a difference.
41. Rune Factory Frontier - "Lava Ruins"
➸Compared to the previous lava ruins song, this song is much less hectic and untypical of a fire dungeon. It's so calm and flowing, lead by a nice acoustic guitar accompanied by knocking percussion, and eventually some distant woodwind. The bridge section that begins around 1:36 blossoms into something a tad bit more dire, but just as beautiful. I haven't found where this plays in RF4 outside of the in-game music player, but I hope it shows up somewhere, 'cause it's a really pretty tune.
42. Rune Factory Frontier - "Whale Island (Towers)"
➸One of my favorite and most listened-to songs in RF4, as it plays in the entire Autumn Road region, as well as the Silver Lake region. I don't know what the Whale Island Towers are like in Frontier, but this song is pretty much perfect for portraying the chilliness and solemness of autumn (and a bit of winter too). It's a little plodding, but not slow. That lead woodwind is really nice and deep. There isn't much to the song, but it's very nicely atmospheric.
Rune Factory Tides of Destiny (Wii, 2011) composed by: Tomoko Morita
➸Known in Japanese as RF Oceans, this game seems to be based around individual islands and has a more sea-based theme than any other Rune Factory game. I know even less of this game than Frontier (and it was harder to find music from this game on YouTube), but I can say that the music feels a little more "movie-quality" in Tides of Destiny -- lots more violin than usual (or ever?) and overall polish.
43. Rune Factory Tides of Destiny - "Temporary Island 2"
No luck on finding a ToD-based video on this song, so have the RF4 version.
➸In Tides of Destiny, from what I can gather, this song plays on a randomly-generated island? Or one that hasn't been turned into a farm island yet? Not really sure. In RF4, this song plays at Sercerezo Hill, the spring-themed area in-game. It's not a springy song, but it has a good, driving tempo and a strong lead woodwind and violin(?). I particularly like the breakdown around the minute mark that's played so quickly on the violin that it makes it sound almost like a fiddle.
44. Rune Factory Tides of Destiny - "Winter Island"
➸Ooh, what a gorgeous winter theme. The lead clarinet(?) is so pretty and strong, yet lonely-sounding next to that harp plucking. But, that's just how the song begins. At around the :40 mark, strings join the clarinet and harp and take over through to an impressive climax that you may not have seen coming. And then it dies down again to the harp and clarinet, restarting the loop. It sounds magical and reeeeally pretty.
Sansara Naga (NES, 1990) composed by: Kenji Kawai, Osamu Kasai, Masaaki Harada, Shinji Nakayama
➸A short Famicom RPG that I wanted to play through before Chrontendo covers it sometime hopefully in the near future. [future edit]: Yeah, he didn't like it much... You get to raise a baby dragon, so it was cute. The music is okay, but I really like, you guessed it, the overworld theme:
45. Sansara Naga - "Field"
➸This is the song you'll hear like 70% of the game, and thankfully it's pretty and quite lengthy. It has a mystic feel in line with the vaguely Hindu feel of the game's setting. It might be a little repetitive, but I still think it's really nice. I've seen it attributed to Kenji Kawai.
Secret of Mana (SNES, 1993) composed by: Hiroki Kikuta
➸It took me long enough to get to this game. It was a relatively quick romp, but I enjoy the Mana games' action RPG elements. They're a nice change of pace from turn-based battles. I've always heard that the music in this game was excellent, and I agree. The soundfont is sort of mechanical and music box-ish and a little rough, which gives it a unique flavor that I appreciate and even kind of goes with the nature versus machine theme of the game. Maybe this will inspire me to finally pick Seiken Densetsu 3 back up and finish it...? [edit:] It did!
46. Secret of Mana - "The Boy Heads for the Wilderness"
➸Also much more commonly known as "Into the Thick of It." It's one of the field themes, and while they are all really nice, this one I feel is the standout. It begins with an instrument that sounds a bit like an acoustic guitar, and it's joined by a woodwind to give it a woodsy feel, and later by an electric keyboard peppering the melody. I absolutely adore the bridge before the loop beginning around 1:28 with the music box-sounding keyboard echoing around in an ethereal way. It's really nice.
47. Secret of Mana - "The Child of the Fairy Tribe"
➸Also known as "The Little Sprite." I'm probably waaaay in the minority, but I think this is my favorite song in the game. It's the theme of the desert town after the Fire Sprite's power is restored, and it's fittingly jaunty and slightly Middle Eastern. I love love love the xylophone-ish percussion paired with hand claps, and the way the main melody line wavers very quickly first around :25. Sadly, it's short, but it's super catchy! It made the desert town my favorite place to rest up and save my game.
Shadowrun (SNES, 1993) composed by: Marshall Parker
➸Truthfully, I've only played half of this game, up to Bremerton. I'm not super good at it, so I watched and read two Let's Plays to see how it ends. Whoops. I like the concept and the setting, and the music really complements them. The soundfont is fittingly mechanical and gritty, and some of the tunes truly unnerve me -- I don't like the conversation songs. But there's one song that gets stuck in my head, and I wanted to share it.
48. Shadowrun - "Uptown"
➸Such a peppy tune for an otherwise relatively bleak game! And it really does get stuck in my head. It's repetitive, so I'm able to keep humming along with the catchy melody. The "bass" is a little dissonant and mechanical, but it's not too distracting. This song is the main exploration theme for over half the game, and it's probably a good thing that it's so repetitive, since it will likely be interrupted quickly in-game by the battle theme. Over and over. It's like... "duuuh-nuh-duh-duh-duh-nuh... DUH DUH DUH NUUUUH!" Like that.
Original 100 song list (1-50)
Original 100 song list (51-100)
2015-2016 48 song list
2016-2019 47 song list
The one-more-song extra list, A-M
The one-more-song extra list, N-Z