Don't have any concrete examples, but the music in AC:New Leaf is really great. It's all great at setting the game's atmosphere, and the way that it uses your town theme as a motif is amazing.
My Innermost Apocalypse, which is the hottest shit ever. Honestly, epic is the most overused term in gaming, yet... the shredding, the harps, the callbacks to the rest of the soundtrack, the little electric piano riff with the insistent drumbeat that leads into the weird circus organ, then the wave crashes... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4noeZx9W6s
Will you link the flames or cast the world into darkness? Lord Gwyn is all that stands between you and salvation or ruin ... but which is which? (Final Boss)
That third piece is amazing. It's one of the most unique final boss fight themes I've ever heard, considering it's just a piano.
And here is what I can say might just be my favorite piece of music from the past decade of gaming. It's short, it's beautiful and it hits me on every level of enjoyment from a piece of music somehow. I'm terrible at explaining why I like music. I'm awesome at feeling it, though!
What DOES fit is Half-Life 2 and its episodes. I'm on my PS3, so I can't post any examples easily. If someone would be so kind as to post Vortal Combat from Episode 2, What Kind of hospital is this? from Episode 1, and pretty much anything from the game proper, I'd be much obliged.
Funny, I was just talking about this a couple days ago with a friend of mine.
The music in Half-Life 2 is good, undeniably. And it fits the moments. The problem though is that the soundtrack is sparse. For a huge duration of the game, you go with just ambiance. Which would be fine if that was by design - but it clashes with the styling of the music. In most cases, the music kicks in to pump you up for a sequence you're starting. And then the music ends while the sequence is still ongoing. It feels awkward to me.
And here is what I can say might just be my favorite piece of music from the past decade of gaming. It's short, it's beautiful and it hits me on every level of enjoyment from a piece of music somehow. I'm terrible at explaining why I like music. I'm awesome at feeling it, though!
Deus Ex: HR is one of the few games where I will intentionally hang around at the menu just to listen to the music some more. I figure this isn't that piece, but yes, I love the atmosphere the music created in this game.
And here is what I can say might just be my favorite piece of music from the past decade of gaming. It's short, it's beautiful and it hits me on every level of enjoyment from a piece of music somehow. I'm terrible at explaining why I like music. I'm awesome at feeling it, though!
Deus Ex: HR is one of the few games where I will intentionally hang around at the menu just to listen to the music some more. I figure this isn't that piece, but yes, I love the atmosphere the music created in this game.
If by "hang around at the menu," you mean "turn the game on and not even press Start because the music is so atmospheric" then yes, this is that piece.
Also, I just realized that I completely left out one of my other favorite recent game scores (pun intended here):
This waits a respectable six seconds before smacking you in the face with pure awesome:
This IS a Nostalgia piece simply because it pulls its soul from the great 8- and 16-bit scores of the past. It may as well have been from a Konami game.
1st ever "Penny-Arcade Hero Academy Tournament" Toilet Bowl Champion!
"You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should."
And here is what I can say might just be my favorite piece of music from the past decade of gaming. It's short, it's beautiful and it hits me on every level of enjoyment from a piece of music somehow. I'm terrible at explaining why I like music. I'm awesome at feeling it, though!
Deus Ex: HR is one of the few games where I will intentionally hang around at the menu just to listen to the music some more. I figure this isn't that piece, but yes, I love the atmosphere the music created in this game.
If by "hang around at the menu," you mean "turn the game on and not even press Start because the music is so atmospheric" then yes, this is that piece.
Yes, exactly that. It actually managed to make me even halfway interested in After Earth (soon faded, don't worry) because they used it at the start of its trailer. It is a great piece of music.
"But wait," those of you who have played Antichamber say, "Antichamber has no music!" And with the exception of an unremarkable bit while credits roll, you are indeed correct.
A soundtrack needn't have music. It only needs to suit the game. It has its own raison d'etre, and that is to enhance the gaming experience.
...
A soundtrack needn't be the sort of thing you can sell for ten bucks. Sometimes a soundtrack does its job effortlessly, and minimally, and enriches your gaming experience better than if it intruded overtly. Antichamber proves this admirably.
I'm not going to argue that Antichamber has a bad soundtrack or anything, but in a thread that is about being nostalgia-free, why include a soundtrack where playing the game is necessary to experience it properly? That seems to mean it relies on nostalgia, even if it's very recent nostalgia. :P
Arca of ArkaniaJedi Old CootTaris SewersRegistered Usernew member
edited July 2013
Personally, I find KOTOR music to be most innovative and groundbreaking of the last ten years. Jeremy Soule and Mark Griskey both created a distinct and original style that defined not only the games but the entire era of Star Wars Universe - the times of Old Republic. Their music is different and easily recognized from John Williams yet still within the Star Wars style. Soule composed opulent and majestic tones for the first KOTOR evoking golden age of the Republic. Griskey created dark, depressing and very dark side tracks for KOTOR 2 - yet both created something different from their previous works and from other game music, both before and after. I wasn't aware of that earlier, but now I realize, that half of KOTOR Saga greatness lies in its original music.
I have encountered really great music in last ten years - Jade Empire, Deus Ex, Mass Effect and so on. But somehow the KOTOR soundtracks followed me all this time and their strong undertones were always winning with that other music. The savage and unnerving Tusken Enclave, the evil and disturbing Korriban Sith Academy or decaying and dirty Taris Undercity still play in my mind.
I am not a big fan of the mmorpg Old Republic OST on the other hand. They simply reused tracks from KOTOR and TSL.
Here You have some sample Sith Lords music by Griskey:
Personally, I find KOTOR music to be most innovative and groundbreaking of the last ten years. Jeremy Soule and Mark Griskey both created a distinct and original style that defined not only the games but the entire era of Star Wars Universe - the times of Old Republic. Their music is different and easily recognized from John Williams yet still within the Star Wars style. Soule composed opulent and majestic tones for the first KOTOR evoking golden age of the Republic. Griskey created dark, depressing and very dark side tracks for KOTOR 2 - yet both created something different from their previous works and from other game music, both before and after. I wasn't aware of that earlier, but now I realize, that half of KOTOR Saga greatness lies in its original music.
I can agree to this. They actually did a better job at Star Wars sounding music than the new film trilogy did. A couple months ago, down in the SE++ video game music thread, I linked the following track, and someone noted that as long as music like the kind in KotOR keeps getting made for Star Wars the franchise will be alright.
It appeared only on the demo of Scrapland, never in the final game, but it sounded a lot better than anything from the game itself... so why put so much into a song that never appeared in the game, or is it actually something licensed? If so what, which band? I've never managed to find any info.
Heard the proposition that RIAA and MPAA should join forces and form "Music And Film Industry Association"?
0
Irond WillWARNING: NO HURTFUL COMMENTS, PLEASE!!!!!Cambridge. MAModeratormod
Just a great, horribly underrated and sadly forgotten game
otherwise probably ME3. that soundtrack really stuck with me.
+2
Johnny ChopsockyScootaloo! We have to cook!Grillin' HaysenburgersRegistered Userregular
For being such a highly mediocre game, WET has one of my all-time favorite licensed soundtracks. It never fails to raise my heartbeat and get me ready to headbutt brick walls into submission.
firewaterwordSatchitanandaPais Vasco to San FranciscoRegistered Userregular
edited July 2013
The soundtrack to the most excellent Guacamelee is totally boss if you're into that sort of thing. Entire soundtrack below, linked to a particularly good bit or not, since I can't get it to work. 33:55 is a sweet spot. Also pretty cool, as there's a game mechanic that changes up the music in each area. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yt6AzVBrXw4&t=33m55s
The soundtrack to the most excellent Guacamelee is totally boss if you're into that sort of thing. Entire soundtrack below, linked to a particularly good bit or not, since I can't get it to work. 33:55 is a sweet spot. Also pretty cool, as there's a game mechanic that changes up the music in each area. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yt6AzVBrXw4&t=33m55s
BigBearIf your life had a face, I would punch it.Registered Userregular
I've been on a bit of a Persona kick recently, probably because I bought the Persona 4 soundtrack with some birthday money.
Gotta love Shoji Meguro and Shihoko Hirata, along with the rest of the band Lotus Juice. I don't know how you guys feel about the Engrish-sounding lyrics, but man, I tell you what, those guys can craft some catchy JPop music, along with some battle themes that get you pumped the fuck up at all the right moments!
No Final Fantasy? Really? I'm not even a big FF fan or anything, but I thought it was widely agreed that Final Fantasy, and specifically Nobuo Uematsu, is responsible for some of the best music in gaming. I think most of my other favorites (Evil Genius, DX Human revolution, Mass Effect) have been covered, so I'm gonna take this ball and run with it.
If I had to pick just one game from the whole series, it would probably be 10. Whatever you might think about the game itself, you can't deny that they did a really good job on the Final Fantasy X soundtrack. I really like it when a game has a consistent theme; a few bars or notes that keep showing up throughout the game, mixed into the background music. And FFX does that beautifully. Particularly when they slow it down for the long, melancholy walk through Zanarkand.
Really I could post dozens of my favorite tracks from the FF games (and most of them would be from 10), but I feel like that's not the point of this thread. So I'm going to save my final spot for something else. Not strictly Final Fantasy but still Squaresoft, not only one of my favorite pieces of video game music but one of my favorite collections of sounds ever, in anything.Tell me I'm wrong, I fucking dare you:
I have to disagree about what I'm assuming is One-Winged Angel being the best boss theme. I won't get into absolutes, but in my opinion it's not even the best FF theme. I feel like it's one of the worst FF pieces of music, period. I'm weird. But, I'm also old-school. My favorite boss theme is Zeromus' Theme:
The first time I fought him and the music hit the 58 second mark, the hairs stood up on my arms and I knew I was experiencing something truly epic. But fuck it I'm getting misty-eyed nostalgic now and that's not the point of the thread!
Semi-related: Damn, now I want a PS2 so I can play FFXII again...
Any Final Fantasy before FF12 does not meet the criteria of this thread.
So what your saying is, none of the good Final Fantasies count. Kingdom Hearts II was released in 2005 so that still counts, right? Ok fine, I admit I skimmed the OP so I didn't see the 10-year limit thing (maybe it should be bolded?) but plenty of others seem to have broken the rules already so... Mulligan?
Aquaria (2007) then was definitely released in the past 10 years. I swear only about 5 people in the entire world seem to have played this thing, but I haven't heard of a single person who flat-out didn't like it. In actual fact I only found out about it myself in the last few weeks when it was part of the Humble bundle. I went into the game with almost zero expectations, thinking it would be a peaceful exploration game with some pretty artwork that I would play for about 10 minutes. What I got was a full-blown action-RPG in the style of an old Metroidvania / Zelda game that took me 15 hours to finish, and you can be damn sure I collected all the collectables and beat all the optional bosses. Not only does the soundtrack set the atmosphere perfectly, but it also does the whole "recurring riff woven into every song in the soundtrack" thing I mentioned earlier and turns it up to eleven, actually turning it into a plot element even. You can hear what I'm talking about at 1:07; that sequence of three sets of four notes is in every track in the game. In fact:
The game has a song system ala Ocarina of time, and you eventually use it to open the door leading to the penultimate boss.
And finally there's "Lost to the Waves" which plays over the end credits and complements the bittersweet ending beautifully (I had to hold back my manly tears). The game's only voice actress also performs the vocals here and does amazingly well:
What amazes me most is that the game was made by two guys; the lead (only) developer was also the composer. Sadly it seems like there's little chance of a sequel as the two have gone their separate ways and every indie project he's been involved with since seems to have been canned. I gather the game didn't sell as well as he'd hoped (which isn't really surprising since I'd never even heard of it once in the 6 years since its release) and the whole experience turned him off of making "big" games; as far as I know he only makes flash games now. But if you want it its available on PC, Steam, Mac, Linux, IOS, Android, Refrigerator and Waffle Iron. But seriously, its available for everything, so you have no excuse not to own this. If you're a fan of old-school RPGs, particularly the 2D Zeldas, you need this.
Mr Ray on
+1
AuralynxDarkness is a perspectiveWatching the ego workRegistered Userregular
Aquaria was a hell of a first effort; I was an early adopter on that one, one of the few. It does indeed have an excellent soundtrack. They were just enough ahead of the indie gaming curve that it actually hurt them, sadly. Spelunky was excellent as well.
Posts
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrKd_MXmcWI
"We have years of struggle ahead, mostly within ourselves." - Made in USA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxKBCLPP20s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2AKB7g3hr0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBM4fTmISW0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuWxKqYUfuk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_jizNCiInw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ve63nrGxIyM
EDIT: Also this one is rockin as fuck
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUbTFbML6yI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4X0tDvCpxmY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXcBqMRXHRM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AX6h8_Y_ot4
However, 3 tracks really stand out to me.
The eerie, lovely main theme:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5mnDcZu0I0
Sacrificial, which is slow, shifty and offbeat, yet propulsive:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfEUXmKoJQo
My Innermost Apocalypse, which is the hottest shit ever. Honestly, epic is the most overused term in gaming, yet... the shredding, the harps, the callbacks to the rest of the soundtrack, the little electric piano riff with the insistent drumbeat that leads into the weird circus organ, then the wave crashes...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4noeZx9W6s
Steam: BrocksMullet http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561197972421669/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMWTyxrBgRU
You've escaped your prison. Many paths lay before you, but which will you take? And to what end? (Firelink Shrine)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6GK8HhjQQE
Will you link the flames or cast the world into darkness? Lord Gwyn is all that stands between you and salvation or ruin ... but which is which? (Final Boss)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AB6sOhQan9Y
That third piece is amazing. It's one of the most unique final boss fight themes I've ever heard, considering it's just a piano.
And here is what I can say might just be my favorite piece of music from the past decade of gaming. It's short, it's beautiful and it hits me on every level of enjoyment from a piece of music somehow. I'm terrible at explaining why I like music. I'm awesome at feeling it, though!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpaF0Fi8at0
So many good tracks. Here's one from the end of the game.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0SsAYEeSj4
THIS
Funny, I was just talking about this a couple days ago with a friend of mine.
The music in Half-Life 2 is good, undeniably. And it fits the moments. The problem though is that the soundtrack is sparse. For a huge duration of the game, you go with just ambiance. Which would be fine if that was by design - but it clashes with the styling of the music. In most cases, the music kicks in to pump you up for a sequence you're starting. And then the music ends while the sequence is still ongoing. It feels awkward to me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i38_6oNPE24
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEK84_OSb38
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixv_jRI6VqY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g05awcTskKE
Three generations of Hell March:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tb-gI_pFog0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WqwFhX6Cqg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nFKPVfDrgU
Deus Ex: HR is one of the few games where I will intentionally hang around at the menu just to listen to the music some more. I figure this isn't that piece, but yes, I love the atmosphere the music created in this game.
If by "hang around at the menu," you mean "turn the game on and not even press Start because the music is so atmospheric" then yes, this is that piece.
Also, I just realized that I completely left out one of my other favorite recent game scores (pun intended here):
This waits a respectable six seconds before smacking you in the face with pure awesome:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VvvxNZK2JY
This IS a Nostalgia piece simply because it pulls its soul from the great 8- and 16-bit scores of the past. It may as well have been from a Konami game.
And how the hell have I not mentioned Fez?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76GnOwHorn0
Perfect.
Oh, fuck yes. Hell March is badass!
As a young man, every single CD I burned had to have Hell March 1 and 2 on it. No exceptions.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_Njdszuix4
Those chip-tunes are just sublime...
fuck it, here's the whole thing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQbOAEP-vgM
Ben Prunty did an amazing job.
"You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should."
Yes, exactly that. It actually managed to make me even halfway interested in After Earth (soon faded, don't worry) because they used it at the start of its trailer. It is a great piece of music.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qizpBpHTzkU
I'm not going to argue that Antichamber has a bad soundtrack or anything, but in a thread that is about being nostalgia-free, why include a soundtrack where playing the game is necessary to experience it properly? That seems to mean it relies on nostalgia, even if it's very recent nostalgia. :P
I have encountered really great music in last ten years - Jade Empire, Deus Ex, Mass Effect and so on. But somehow the KOTOR soundtracks followed me all this time and their strong undertones were always winning with that other music. The savage and unnerving Tusken Enclave, the evil and disturbing Korriban Sith Academy or decaying and dirty Taris Undercity still play in my mind.
I am not a big fan of the mmorpg Old Republic OST on the other hand. They simply reused tracks from KOTOR and TSL.
Here You have some sample Sith Lords music by Griskey:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oT--ilAZNo4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEs0QGitNSg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwhVRkxSl5o
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWYH1yvhMAE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJmEbmjreqY
Mixed Melody
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWetBTWrpkE&list=PLD399D0AACBAC1017
Legend of the Heroes, Trails in the Sky SC -- 2006, PC/PSP
Silver Wings, Golden Will
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSHVVj0aWJs
Eschatos -- 2011, Xbox 360:
Silver Lining
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5GCwnaEmVo
Deathsmiles -- 2007, Xbox 360 / Arcade
Hades' Castle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWQczQ0gATk
BONUS: Zuntata!
Darius -- 1987 Arcade
Captain Neo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQnKIpEc-No
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4776DKJnV9I
I can agree to this. They actually did a better job at Star Wars sounding music than the new film trilogy did. A couple months ago, down in the SE++ video game music thread, I linked the following track, and someone noted that as long as music like the kind in KotOR keeps getting made for Star Wars the franchise will be alright.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__gLIyeQYDU
It's a really great scene, but the music pushes it into overdrive emotionally. Such a great blend of hope and despair at once.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RJY1jcMlSI
It appeared only on the demo of Scrapland, never in the final game, but it sounded a lot better than anything from the game itself... so why put so much into a song that never appeared in the game, or is it actually something licensed? If so what, which band? I've never managed to find any info.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMxUH0ZjStI
Just a great, horribly underrated and sadly forgotten game
otherwise probably ME3. that soundtrack really stuck with me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6T65OlMZgp4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdbOpL3TAqo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOgURo9AkfY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqHUwcnyFMY
Steam ID XBL: JohnnyChopsocky PSN:Stud_Beefpile WiiU:JohnnyChopsocky
Unfortunately, they fail the 10 year nostalgia rule by 3 years (having been released in 2000).
The few more recent soundtracks I've bought have been listed here. (Bastion/Silent Hill)
I didn't see this song posted, though:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZmMD84XpCs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9Y1ihMT4vQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmkJxL3ryKI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4InIiRDnhLA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyV0GLebbK0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vc-pQsoTL9c
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yt6AzVBrXw4&t=33m55s
Loved some of the tracks on Chime too, though that's sort of the point I guess.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujBKc6DhKIE
Oh and someone else mentioned it earlier, but I have to vote Hotline Miami as probably my favorite soundtrack in ages.
this is pretty bitchin'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nhy2aNEPshw
Gotta love Shoji Meguro and Shihoko Hirata, along with the rest of the band Lotus Juice. I don't know how you guys feel about the Engrish-sounding lyrics, but man, I tell you what, those guys can craft some catchy JPop music, along with some battle themes that get you pumped the fuck up at all the right moments!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXrvjsB-Wr8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_58-XYXuJMs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRUEccOa4f0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHRfd2EQ_Do
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voEH8TQZnK0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSq_nfTs4Ko
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9E3VR8Fnj0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kLTl4DqGHE
I don't know of any music from the first two Personas, but if anyone wants to post that stuff, feel free.
Also, does anyone know where I can purchase the Rogue Legacy soundtrack? That one's also super catchy.
If I had to pick just one game from the whole series, it would probably be 10. Whatever you might think about the game itself, you can't deny that they did a really good job on the Final Fantasy X soundtrack. I really like it when a game has a consistent theme; a few bars or notes that keep showing up throughout the game, mixed into the background music. And FFX does that beautifully. Particularly when they slow it down for the long, melancholy walk through Zanarkand.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKt_Eq3U3KQ
But has absolutely no problem speeding things up for the opening, and final boss:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbLQhzsJG0A
Or if we're going old-school, FF7 is also responsible for possibly the best boss music ever. You know what I'm talking about.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7wJ8pE2qKU
Really I could post dozens of my favorite tracks from the FF games (and most of them would be from 10), but I feel like that's not the point of this thread. So I'm going to save my final spot for something else. Not strictly Final Fantasy but still Squaresoft, not only one of my favorite pieces of video game music but one of my favorite collections of sounds ever, in anything. Tell me I'm wrong, I fucking dare you:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZVAvHah9io
I have to disagree about what I'm assuming is One-Winged Angel being the best boss theme. I won't get into absolutes, but in my opinion it's not even the best FF theme. I feel like it's one of the worst FF pieces of music, period. I'm weird. But, I'm also old-school. My favorite boss theme is Zeromus' Theme:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJ-7Wk42aM0
The first time I fought him and the music hit the 58 second mark, the hairs stood up on my arms and I knew I was experiencing something truly epic. But fuck it I'm getting misty-eyed nostalgic now and that's not the point of the thread!
Semi-related: Damn, now I want a PS2 so I can play FFXII again...
I'd argue Kingpin since the music was by Cyprus Hill, but it was from their "new" album.
So what your saying is, none of the good Final Fantasies count. Kingdom Hearts II was released in 2005 so that still counts, right? Ok fine, I admit I skimmed the OP so I didn't see the 10-year limit thing (maybe it should be bolded?) but plenty of others seem to have broken the rules already so... Mulligan?
Aquaria (2007) then was definitely released in the past 10 years. I swear only about 5 people in the entire world seem to have played this thing, but I haven't heard of a single person who flat-out didn't like it. In actual fact I only found out about it myself in the last few weeks when it was part of the Humble bundle. I went into the game with almost zero expectations, thinking it would be a peaceful exploration game with some pretty artwork that I would play for about 10 minutes. What I got was a full-blown action-RPG in the style of an old Metroidvania / Zelda game that took me 15 hours to finish, and you can be damn sure I collected all the collectables and beat all the optional bosses. Not only does the soundtrack set the atmosphere perfectly, but it also does the whole "recurring riff woven into every song in the soundtrack" thing I mentioned earlier and turns it up to eleven, actually turning it into a plot element even. You can hear what I'm talking about at 1:07; that sequence of three sets of four notes is in every track in the game. In fact:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQs-vBZFro4&list=PL28BD39407946E073
My favorite track is probably "Remains", which is some damn fine explorin' music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyX6QwyipsA&list=PL28BD39407946E073
And finally there's "Lost to the Waves" which plays over the end credits and complements the bittersweet ending beautifully (I had to hold back my manly tears). The game's only voice actress also performs the vocals here and does amazingly well:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_2aU8AiLJI&list=PL28BD39407946E073
What amazes me most is that the game was made by two guys; the lead (only) developer was also the composer. Sadly it seems like there's little chance of a sequel as the two have gone their separate ways and every indie project he's been involved with since seems to have been canned. I gather the game didn't sell as well as he'd hoped (which isn't really surprising since I'd never even heard of it once in the 6 years since its release) and the whole experience turned him off of making "big" games; as far as I know he only makes flash games now. But if you want it its available on PC, Steam, Mac, Linux, IOS, Android, Refrigerator and Waffle Iron. But seriously, its available for everything, so you have no excuse not to own this. If you're a fan of old-school RPGs, particularly the 2D Zeldas, you need this.