Tag: Music

11 More Amazing Tracks from Pokemon Soundtracks

At the start of the year, I counted down my favourite tracks across the entirety of the main series of Pokemon games. Except there’s a small problem. You see, I recently dived into the soundtracks again and realised that a mere ten tracks was not nearly enough to cover all the amazing music this franchise had to offer. So, I’m doing it again to create more of a top 21.

Honestly, even that may not be enough to cover everything. So who knows? Maybe there’ll be a third instalment to this series in another six month’s time. Just like last time, I am keeping it purely to the main series of Pokemon games, so no spinoffs like the Mystery Dungeon or Ranger series will be included.

Now, to the music zone.

11 – Accumula Town – Black/White/Black 2/White 2

Ok, yes, it’s the ‘Furret Walk’ song, but there’s so much more than that to love about this track, (although that is a pretty big draw).

As you’ll know if you’ve read the first instalment of this list (which, if you haven’t noticed, I’d like it if you to read), then you’ll know that I don’t usually go for the quieter or simpler tracks, it’s not my style. The reason this track stood out to me is that it’s somewhere in the middle. It’s got a smooth sweetness to it, especially in the middle section where the flute completely takes over the melody and we get a track that has a calming aura to it, despite a decent pace.

In Black/White, Accumula Town is the first town you arrive in after setting off on your journey, so I think it’s an excellent way to introduce you to the broader world if the first town you encounter has a theme that is happy and welcoming. Sandgem Town in the Sinnoh games does this well, but I’m giving the edge to Accumula Town because it makes me feel cheerier when listening to it. While it’s got a relatively fast pace, it doesn’t go too fast for its own good. It’s almost like the track is encouragingly pulling you along the first step of your journey.

I’ve always been amazed at how, even though both Sinnoh & Unova were made on the same limited hardware, they were still able to have very distinct audio styles. I’ll go into more detail with it a bit later, but Unova feels a lot more ‘urban’ with its music, and this is precisely the kind of music I’d expect to come out of a happy little suburb. It makes Accumula Town a track that never fails to get me in a good mood.

10 – Max Raid Battle – Sword/Shield

Perhaps the only thing that the larger Pokemon fanbase can agree on about Sword & Shield is that the soundtrack is incredible. There are so many tracks from those games that I wish I had room to include (and a couple that we’ll be covering shortly). I included Marnie’s battle music in my first list because it was what stood out to me the most upon playing through the game. However, truth be told, I hadn’t properly dived into the full soundtrack yet, so when I did, I found some amazing music. This track included.

Max Raid Battles were one of the key selling points for Sword & Shield, as they put the game’s main gimmick on full display and encouraged collaboration between players in a way the franchise had never tried before. As a result, the track that accompanies these battles feels like it was built from the ground up to fit the entire concept of Max Raid Battles perfectly.

It starts out with this very quiet and odd synth build-up. As the camera dramatically pans around to show who you’ll be battling alongside before finally revealing you Dynamaxed/Gigantamaxed opponent. Then things start to ramp up and get more intense as you bring your Pokemon out on to the field and, the music syncs up perfectly to kick everything off the moment the battle begins. If you’ve played Sword/Shield as I have, then you’ve done a lot of Max Raid Battles, and I’ll be honest, that moment where the music kicks into gear never gets old.

Once the battle begins, the music wastes no time throwing you into a chaotic track that is simultaneously terrifying and triumphant. All around the main melody, there are synth and drum beats that go off at an erratic pace, surrounding and immersing you in the chaos that is a Max Raid Battle. You’ve got four Pokemon against one humongous one, and there are attacks flying everywhere, from all sides as you fight desperately to take down your opponents protections and avoid disaster.

Underneath all of that chaos, you have a melody that mixes brass & synth effects to create a track that feels like this grand spectacle. It taps into that same feeling that ‘Revied Power’ from Shadow of the Colossus does, where the fact that you’re even able to hold your ground against a gargantuan monster like this is a feat worthy of celebration. Just imagine what a Max Raid Battle would be like to watch right before your eyes, I imagine it would be a spectacle like no other, which is exactly the feeling that I get from this track.

9 – Vast Poni Canyon – Sun/Moon/Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon

While Mount Lanakila is technically the true ‘Victory Road’ section of Alola, I always felt that distinction should’ve gone to Vast Poni Canyon instead. It was unquestionably my favourite area to traverse in-game. It had so many wide open caverns and canyons that had an incredible sense of scale to them, even though your camera was pointed towards the floor most of the time. It twisted and turned in interesting ways, and every little nook and cranny had ways for you to explore the area. It’s an exciting climb to the base of the Altar of the Sunne/Moone, not to mention your final (or penultimate if you’re playing Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon) trial.

Vast Poni Canyon is a track with everything an area like this needs. It’s exciting, but also intimidating. It’s threatening but also encouraging. The opening to track is easily my favourite bit. The way the synth echoes throughout the track makes it feel like it’s echoing around this gigantic and well…vast canyon that surrounds you. It gives a very real feeling of scale to the environment along with bringing in that intimidation factor I was talking about.

Then the main melody kicks in, and the tone picks up a lot. The acoustic guitar in the foreground on the track compliments the subtle electric guitar in the background to make a track that has quite a chill vibe to it, while still keeping a certain energy that you need for an area like this one. A flute then takes over the melody, and things shift to the more emotional side of the music. This is the build-up to the final section of the game, where you’ll travel through dimensions and do battle with legendary Pokemon, this makes it partly a time of reflection on your journey up until this point. However, this track knows that the climax is just around the corner and the fast-paced synth effects, combined with the rapid percussion keep a certain intensity to the track, drawing out the nerves that come with nearing the climax of an adventure like this one.

On top of that, this track SCREAMS ‘Alola’ to me. I’d argue that Alola has one of the most distinct musical styles out of any region, but this is the track where I think it stands out the most. The theme and culture of Alola have been poured into this track, and every beat brings it out. There’s no mistaking which game this track comes from.

8 – VS Team Plasma Grunt – Black/White

Team Plasma has always been quite an interesting case for me. I feel like the story they told of ideals and corruption was an interesting idea. I wish it had come from a more adult-leaning franchise so that they could’ve explored the manipulation at the centre of the organisation.

To that end, their battle theme has a bit of a duality to it. Almost like its at conflict with itself, it’s subtle, but it’s there. The main melody of the song is strong and resolute. The progression of the synth gives me these feels of strong ideals and infinite resolve. These grunts aren’t just petty criminals; they believe they’re fighting for a worthy, humanitarian (except with Pokemon…poketarian?) cause. The conflict comes with the beat that’s carrying the whole thing.

The slow, methodical percussion is there, and it feels just a little bit off. It fits the rhythm of the track, it’s ‘going along with it’ so to speak, but the tone is different. Where the main melody is strong and triumphant, the beat underneath it is dark and intimidating. Maybe I’m stretching things a bit here, but when I think about it like that, it feels like that beat is representing the dissension at the heart of Team Plasma. That fact that Ghetsis is really at the centre of it all, using their message of liberation and kindness to hide his own selfish ambitions for world domination.

Symbolism aside, this is just a really fun track. The main melody has a slightly intimidating presence while still feeling like a grand battle between skilled trainers. It’s light and bouncy in places, while still throwing in the minor keys to remind you that these are the bad guy’s that you’re fighting. Thematically, I think this is a really robust track, and it holds up against any of the great evil-team battle themes.

7 – Castelia City – Black/White/Black 2/White 2

For those who are unaware, the Unova region, in which the Generation 5 games are set, was based on New York and Castelia City is the city that most clearly resembles the state’s capital city.

While the whole track has an ‘urban’ feel to it, this where that style feels the most present. Castelia City is stuffed to the brim with tall and powerful skyscrapers, while the streets below are pouring with hordes of people rushing back and forth. One of my favourite details in the whole franchise was the little text bubbles that appeared while walking through the crowded streets of Castelia City. It felt so realistic to be overhearing the most random snippets of stranger’s conversations. It was the first time in Pokemon history that I’ve felt a city in the game world actually has a realistic population for a city that size.

I’m sure you’ve already guessed what I’m going to say next, which that this track complements that atmosphere perfectly. For one thing, the choice of instrument is so genius that I never would’ve thought of it. Saxophone was such a brilliant choice to lead the melody in this track. For one thing, Jazz music is so heavily associated with urban American environments in pop-culture that you’re already on the nose. Then, you add on the fact that it’s exactly the kind of melody you might hear being played by buskers on the street or in the subway.

It’s so simple, and yet I feel such power with the emotions it brings forth. It’s got a slightly quickened pace to it, capturing the sense of hustle-and-bustle that you get as the crowds of people rush past you. Yet, underneath it lies some more sombre emotions. The kind of longing for something more or different that can often come if you grow up in a densely populated area like that. I can’t quite describe what I mean when I say that it sounds like the concept of nostalgia, but that’s pretty much the only way I can think of to describe it.

6 – VS Gladion – Sun/Moon/Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon

When I first heard this track, I wasn’t too sure on it. I enjoyed the melody, but I didn’t understand how it fit Gladion as a character. He seemed to be a much more downtrodden personality, I would’ve expected him to have a more intense and slow track for his battle theme…but eventually, I worked it out.

It’s the downward chord progression. Unlike almost every other battle theme that progresses upward, every bar in this one goes downward. Gladion’s had a weird life. He was born into a rich family that had their fingers in some very messy pies. Eventually, he caught onto the horrors that his mother was involved in and ran away, taking nothing but the Pokemon he considered friends. He abandoned his sister and caused his mother to fall even deeper into over-protective insanity. He was taken in with a petty criminal gang that he hated, but couldn’t break free from them because where else could he go?

Then he meets you, a trainer his age, who is making their own way in the world and is great at what they do. In battling you, Gladion gets a vision of the life he could’ve had. A life where he got to go out and see the world, making friends and taking on Pokemon battles for the fun of it, not out of necessity. That’s why the track is so upbeat. Gladion finally gets the opportunity to let out those positive emotions that have been suppressed inside of him – partly through his own doing and partly through his circumstance – that’s why he still only has a Type: Null when we first meet him, only for it to have become a Silvally by the end of his adventure.

Yet there’s still that downward chord progression I was on about. That’s Gladion’s underlying tragedy. His encounters with you may have helped him understand his position in the world better, and he may be a happier and better person now, but that doesn’t erase his past. He knows that while his relationship with his mother and sister is fixable, it’s going to be a long struggle. Not just for him to find common ground with his family, but for him to find it in himself to accept them back into his life.

Not only is the melody to this track catchy, fast-paced and really fun to listen to, but it tells Gladion’s story. It represents those deep, dark emotions alongside the high emotions and the joy that battling against you brings out of him.

5 – Nimbasa City – Black/White/Black 2/White 2

Unova’s got a lot of good town themes.

Castelia Cit gave us the more melancholic, emotional side of big cities. It’s the area where everything’s very tightly compact, the population is dense, and there’s not much room for anything other than business. Nimbasa City is the exact opposite.

Nimbasa City is more like Broadway. It’s big, it’s bright, it’s loud & it’s fun. Castelia City is where people do some serious work, while Nimbasa City is the flashy counterpart where all the stars come out to play. They’ve got concert halls, a carnival and two separate sports stadiums right next to each other. Even that town’s Gym Leader, Elesa, is a fashionista/celebrity in town. There are a couple of houses tucked away in the corner, but the majority of the space in the town is given over to the grandeur of the loud and colourful entertainment industry.

This is all backed up by a track that knows exactly how to have fun. The synthesised trumpets carry the track so well that it basically doesn’t need anything else to back it up, other than a simple bassline and an energetic beat. It’s quite a small loop all things considered, but it doesn’t need to be anything special when it’s so enjoyable to listen to. I talked before about how the New York environment is one heavily associated with jazz music. While Castelia City brings out the more poetic side of the genre, this track finds the fun in it. To be entirely honest, all it would need is a good guitar riff over the top, and it would practically be a ska track.

This whole track feels like it could be the opening number for a broadway musical. It pulls you in, hits you with tonnes of energy, gets you pumped and into the groove of things with a catchy hook, then sends you on your way, ready for the show. Spectacular.

4 – Sunyshore City – Diamond/Pearl/Platinum

Sunyshore City’s theme is an interesting mix of one because it has to balance a mix of emotions. On the one hand, this is the fight of your life. This is the city where you will fight for your eighth and final gym badge, overcoming the final obstacle between you and the Pokemon League. On the other hand, it’s a bright and sunny town by the beach! Kick back, relax and enjoy the nice weather!.

The intensity is covered in such a short space of time, and yet it’s SO effective at what it does. The intro to the track has such an incredible sense of intimidation. The usually cheery piano chords are undercut by the deep brass notes and sharp percussive beats. It gives you this feeling that you’re stepping into a battleground you’re not quite ready for, but you’ve got to take the fight anyway. This is your final test before you take on the Elite Four, best not mess it up.

Then it kicks in, and suddenly all that intimidation evaporates, and you’re left with an upbeat, jolly track that creates a welcoming atmosphere. As I said, this is a beach town, with a resort just down the road. The place is filled with holiday-makers and people playing around having fun. It adds to the alive feeling of the franchise’s worlds. Sure, you’re on your way to a big and tough battle, but the world doesn’t revolve around you (no matter what the time/space God you just caught thinks). This is a town where people have a wonderful time, so this track is going to make sure you do too.

It balances your place in the narrative with the overall world it’s in and creates a track with a bit of a duality to it. The harsh percussion never really goes away, almost like a pounding heartbeat, but it’s overpowered by the sun and fun that surrounds you in this town.

3 – VS Team Galactic Commander – Diamond/Pearl/Platinum

I love this track because it proves that not all villain themes have to be slow and manacing. That’s not to say slow & menacing villain themes are bad; in fact, my previous list on this topic features several of those tracks. However, I think it’s important that no music in games should get ‘stuck in their ways’ so to speak. I believe that it’s more important for your music to fit its usage than anything else. Whether it’s a location, cutscene or character, what makes a good track into an amazing one is when it embodies the feel of that thing perfectly. Which is why I think this track is so much fun to listen to.

The thing about the Team Galactic Commanders is that they’re a bit silly. Not necessarily in the way that they’re written, but just look at them. They wear bodysuits that look they’re from an 80’s film about the year 2000; their hair is done up in over the top ways with bright colours; not to mention the fact that they all named themselves after planets ‘cos Galactic’. In many ways, that’s all part of their charm, but they’re the kind of characters that you’re never really going to take seriously.

Following that theme, this track doesn’t take itself too seriously. It still throws in an overall threatening tone. The bassline especially grounds the whole thing and gives it an extra layer of intensity that would be missing otherwise. However, the synthesised main melody that carries the whole thing is noticeably different in tone. It starts off so incredibly chaotic, leaving you no time to breathe before throwing you straight into a fast-paced, fun and slightly over-the-top melody that doesn’t seem to know where it’s going. That sounds like an insult, but it’s actually the reason I enjoy listening to it so much.

Much like the commanders themselves, this track never gives you time to stop and take stock of what is going on. They just want to fight you, and it’s your job to fight back, whether you like it or not.

2 – VS Gym Leader – Sword/Shield

When I first played through Sword & Shield, I never realised the genius of this track, and I can only profusely apologise because this track is incredible.

The track has three phases, which on its own is great, but when you break each of them down, that’s when I fall in love with it.

The first phase is the simplest of the three; as you’d expect. There’s the build-up as the battle begins and each trainer brings out their first Pokemon, then things get intense. The beat is quite basic, but it’s impactful enough and backed up by a style of synth that I can’t quite describe to create quite the atmosphere. You have to remember that in Galar, these gym battles are being watched by a stadium full of thousands of people. Could you imagine what it would feel like to do battle in that environment? This first phase is like the feeling-out process of the fight. Both competitors are gauging each other’s battling styles and devising strategies to win.

Then you take down the Gym Leader’s first Pokemon, and the music moves to the second phase, ramping all the way up again before the synth comes back at a much higher octave and the melody shifts slightly. Moving away from the synth that just goes along with the beat, we move into an electronic melody that changes the atmosphere of the track. Those nerves from the start of the battle are long gone, we’re right in the thick of the battle now. Each trainer has a plan which they’re doing their best to execute it. A rapport has formed, and the crowd can feel the excitement building.

Eventually, you back the Gym Leader into a corner, all they have left is their final and strongest Pokemon. This is where it gets real. The track takes a moment to build up again, and then it repeats the intro to phase two, except this time, the crowd are chanting over it. When I first heard this, I honestly nearly teared up at how utter brilliant of an idea this was. To actually include the roaring, chanting & singing on the massive live crowd into the melody of the track itself was a stroke of musical genius and it adds everything to the exciting and intense feel of these battles.

If you’ve ever been in a large crowd for any kind of sporting event in the UK (and maybe elsewhere, I wouldn’t know), this is EXACTLY the kind of thing you hear. The composers even made sure that the voices weren’t all perfectly synched up, so it felt like real people were making these noises. The synth finally takes a back seat, just interjecting the backing to give the whole thing its sense of rhythm; then it sits back and lets the roar of the crowd wash over the track and carry you to victory.

1 – VS Eternatus ~ Phase 3 – Sword/Shield

This track is more or less the whole reason I wanted to make another one of these lists.

The climax of Sword & Shield’s story is a bit of an odd one, letting you go all the way to the champion battle before the villain finally reveals themselves and puts their plan into action. It was a weird choice of pacing, and I’m not sure it quite worked, but FUCK ME, it was worth it for this track.

After having already gone through about six quite gruelling battles across two different tournaments to get to the champion, you’re suddenly thrown through a loop and have to save the Galar region from an ancient & eternal monster. The first two phases are rough. First, you have to fight Eternatus’ regular form on your own, which is no easy task. Then it transforms into its ‘Eternamax form’ (which is a dumb name but let’s not go there), and Hop finally does something noteworthy in the story to help you. Except…you can’t actually touch it. Literally none of your attacks with even scratch it.

Then, we get what may be my favourite cutscene in all of Pokemon, where you summon Zacian and Zamazenta to help you save the day. Once they show up, this music kicks in and man…I just have to let it wash over me every time. The way the piano starts things off, for the quiet violin to tease the main melody, for the lead guitar to burst into the track and get the battle going. It even includes the dogs themselves howling over it. Genuinely, I teared up. It’s such an incredible build and fits so perfectly to the moment of these legendary dogs finally awakening to come and help you.

The rest of the track has a triumphant feel to it. It fills you with this incredible sense of confidence. Just moments ago, all seemed lost, yet now you’ve turned the tide. The legendary Pokemon have risen and are fighting alongside you; there’s no way you can lose now. It almost strays into feeling fun, but there’s something in the way the melody progresses that holds the intensity and dumps on a whole heap of emotional stakes.

In it’s simplest form, this is a track that makes me so very happy whenever I listen to it. The emotion it carries is so incredibly powerful that I never get tired of listening to it. Even when I had it on loop for 20 minutes while putting this entry together, it has a lot of complexity to it and yet what it conveys is so very simple. It’s undoubtedly one of the best tracks the composers for Pokemon have ever put together.

So there you have it! Thank you very much for taking the time to read this. Please, let me know what music you love best from Pokemon, either in the comments below or on Twitter @10ryawoo. Finally, make sure you come back this time on Wednesday for the next instalment in my 100 Favourite Games series!

10 Best Tracks From Pokemon Soundtracks

2021 UPDATE: Since I’ve got nothing better to do, I’ve decided to start streaming over on twitch.tv/strongstylesmark. At 2PM GMT Tuesdays & Thursdays I’ll be trying out indie games I’ve never played before, and at 6PM GMT on Saturdays, I’ll be playing games I love. I’ll be starting Saturday 16th January, so please come over and give me a follow to be notified when I go live!

In case you haven’t noticed, I quite like video game music. I’ve covered my favourite music pieces from the wider gaming world a couple of times, along with an article entirely dedicated to the best of Octopath Traveler’s soundtrack, so now it’s Pokemon’s turn.

As a franchise that has spanned over 20 years, there’s been a lot of different styles of music, be it thanks to technical limitations or theming choices, the Pokemon franchise has just about every style of music you could possibly want in its main series games. I’ve had many of these tracks on playlists of mine for years and today’s the day that I run down my favourites.

10 – Jubilife City – Diamond/Pearl/Platinum

Listen Here (Daytime Version)
Listen Here (Nighttime Version)

Jubilife City’s theme is a very nostalgic one to me. For those unaware, my first ever Pokemon game was Platinum and Jubilife was the first big city you’d reach in that game and this music made it feel just wonderful.

Not only is it a jolly tune to welcome you into the big wide world of the Sinnoh region, but the melody finds a way to capture the sense of activity and liveliness a big city like this would have, without making it seem massive and crowded in scale. Jubilife is a big city, but it’s also a peaceful city, not like Castelia City where people in suits are marching back and forth everywhere you look.

The nighttime variation on this theme leans further into the sense of peace with a down-beat saxophone in the background of the main melody instead of the faster piano bringing an overwhelming sense of calm to the track. I can almost feel the atmosphere of a quiet city being lit only by street lamps and the lights from people’s houses and that slight sense of melancholy that I get from seeing a city at night.

9 – VS Gym Leader’s Final Pokemon – Black/White/Black 2/White 2

Listen Here

The music for Unova’s Gym Leader battles is great enough on its own, but when you battle your way down to their last Pokemon and this music kicks into gear is when things get epic.

Ramping things up in both key and tempo, this track brings the best out what Gym battles have to offer the franchise. The Gym Leaders in the Unova games are much more involved in the action than in other generations, so I think it’s appropriate that they should have such an emotionally charged track made specifically for them, hammering home how much these people care about Pokemon and their role in society as authority figures.

By the time you’ve got a Gym Leader down to their final Pokemon, it’s likely you’ve gone through a gruelling battle and their final Pokemon is usually the toughest to beat, so it’s only appropriate that things get more intense. On top of that, it gives a perfect sense as to what the Gym Leader’s emotions must be in that moment. Gym Leaders are the best of the best, very few are ever able to defeat them in battle and at the moment they unleash their final Pokemon, their backs are against the wall, but if you want their badge, they’re going to make sure you earn it.

It’s such a small touch on the surface, but it adds so much to the atmosphere of a gym battle and I was so glad when they re-implemented it for Sword & Shield.

8 – VS Lake Guardians – Diamond/Pearl/Platinum

Listen Here

As almost any Pokemon list I’ve ever made would tell you, I’m a big fan of Generation 4 and, trust me, we’re going to be seeing a lot more of it on this list, however one aspect of the generation I’m not a huge fan of, is the Lake Guardians. I understand the point of their design and I appreciate the lore behind them, but they’ve never really enthused me as Pokemon. However, I love battling them at any opportunity, because it means I get to hear this brilliant piece of music.

The opening fits in with Dialga & Palkia’s theme, with a slightly synthesised piano, only for one of the most exhilarating base-lines I’ve ever heard kick into gear. The drums quickly back it up to create a track that feels incredibly fast-paced, but still menacing and intimidating. The Lake Guardians are in no-way intimidating Pokemon, but I’ll be damned if this music doesn’t make it feel like they are.

It’s the little touches that make this theme great, like the three different tones & styles that carry the main melody, creating this feeling of each of the three Guardians having their own personality. There are even little hints of very quick piano sequences in the middle, creating the feel of these creatures scurrying around their caves as you battle them, doing their best to out-manoeuvre your Pokemon.

This track is great in its own right, but on top of that, it gives me very fond memories and feelings towards Pokemon that, all things considered, I’m not actually that keen on.

7 – VS Rainbow Rocket Lysandre – Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon

Listen Here

Lysandre’s original theme from X/Y is great as well, but I decided to go for this version as it turns the pace & chaos of the original up to 11.

In all honesty, I don’t think Lysandre is all that compelling of a villain. Admittedly in the anime, his character was a bit more interesting but in the games, I found him and all of Team Flare to be a bit lifeless and boring to battle against. So, when the opportunity to encounter him again in the Rainbow Rocket storyline of Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon arose, he was easily the villain I was the least interested in rematching. Then I started to battle him and realised his theme was a masterpiece.

Although it’s not made entirely obvious during his initial stint as a character in X/Y, Lysandre is truly a madman. He keeps a calm and composed demeanour at nearly all times, bottling up his raw emotional power to be let out in huge bursts and a Pokemon battle is exactly the kind of thing to trigger such an outburst.

The opening of the track is slow, grand and imposing as Lysandre readies himself for battle, throwing his Pokeball only for the track to suddenly devolve into fast-paced chaos as all of that bottled up rage and hatred come out for all to see. The choice of instruments keep that intimidation factor going underneath all that chaos and the track just keeps getting faster and faster, and I can almost feel that emotion overpowering me as I battle him. Even when the track slows down with the choir voices, it still feels fast and frantic, not even letting up for very long before diving right back into the insanity of Lysandre’s desires.

Although I don’t find Lysandre as a person interesting, listening to this track helps me to add so much to his character that I can’t help but become invested in my battles with him.

6 – VS Marnie at the Pokemon League – Sword/Shield

Listen Here

I chose this theme – and specifically this version of it – because I believe it perfectly encapsulates just about everything great from Sword & Shield’s soundtrack.

For one thing, this is the first soundtrack that I feel was able to fully utilize instruments like guitars to their fullest potential. Thanks to the limitation of software, whenever such sounds have been included in the music of Pokemon they’ve always been a bit synthesised or muted, which in some instances (which we’ve already discussed on this list) it had been used to great effect, however a lot of the complexities that the instrument can provide is lost in that. However, in this track  – and the Sword/Shield soundtrack as a whole – it’s clear the composers have finally been able to let loose with how they utilize them, in part thanks to heavy pop-punk/punk-rock that comes with the British aesthetic.

Much like Lysandre, I found it quite hard to get a firm grasp on Marnie’s character, her look and general first impressions stuck me as somewhat antagonistic, but as the game goes on, she’s actually quite a down-to-earth person that’s just kind of…there. Once again, like Lyandre, this music gives me a very clear idea of the elements from Marnie’s character. The consistency of the guitar backing track gives me the feel of someone who’s very focused and determined, while the synth melodies that play over the top tell me that she’s not taking it too seriously and is allowing herself to have fun as she battles, despite her more muted demeanour outside of battle.

The reason I specifically chose her Pokemon League battle theme, however, is because it adds a couple of brilliant elements on top of the original. Firstly, it hits those high-notes much more often and with a lot more power, the sense of emotion I get from this theme is so powerful, ESPECIALLY when combined with the other major difference, the crowd chanting along with the music. It happens in the gym battles too and it was an absolute genius addition to the tracks because it adds so much to the atmosphere of the battle. No longer are you standing in an empty room battling against your opponent, you’re being watched by thousands of people live and even more at home and it builds the epic feel of the major battles to something so special.

Aside from all fo that, the tune aligns really well with my music tastes and I think it’s a really fun track to listen to.

5 – VS Ultra Necrozma

Listen Here

Talk about a fight.

I don’t think I’m alone in saying that the fight against Ultra Necrozma was easily one of the hardest battles that series has had since about Generation 5 and I don’t know why I’m surprised when I listen to the music that backed it up. Nevermind how terrifying the thing actually looks when it breaks free of its prison, but the opening sting of the track almost sounds like funeral bells, like the game is tell you, “Oh…you picked a fight with THIS THING?!, You know you’re totally dead, right?”

Necrozma is a Pokemon that mixes together a lot of lore elements from previous Pokemon and turns them into something new and I get the same sort of feeling when listening to this track. There’s the element of disconnected chaos from Giratina’s theme, there’s the raw synthesised power from Xerneas’/Yveltal’s theme and even some hints of old GBA music & sounds in there.

The pace speeds and slows throughout the track to help embody this sense of chaos along with the flow of this battle, as you throw Pokemon after Pokemon its way and it barely takes a scratch, while it blasts your team away in one hit over and over again. Ultra Necrozma feels like a true monster when you battle is and its battle music is able to personify that feeling perfectly.

4 – VS Rainbow Rocket Giovanni – Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon

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Now THIS is a menacing villain’s theme.

When the Rainbow Rocket arch came about, it felt HUGE. This was the moment where all of the villains finally come together to take on the multi-verse and Giovanni was standing at the head of it all. Not just any Giovanni though, a Giovanni that WON, as far as bad dudes go, they don’t get much badder than this guy. This was also the first time Giovanni would get his own unique battle theme, so the pressure was really on for it to be something special that captured the feel of what a man like Giovanni, at the height of his power, would be like to face off against.

Safe to say, this track NAILS it.

This track is slow and heavy, the guitar sits to underline the beat of everything, as grand drums are pounded and various brass instruments cry out, showing you just what a powerhouse this guy is. Every beat of this track feels like a direct threat on you, as you do everything in your power to cut through his Pokemon. I don’t know if I’m alone in this belief, but I thought this battle was a tough one and this music only served to unline exactly what a challenge I had before me. Yeah, I’d beaten an interstellar being into submission earlier that day, but so what? This guy’s twice as powerful as they’ll ever be and right now, I’m standing in his way.

This music creates almost an aura of indestructibility around Giovanni and it raises the stakes of the battle with him so very much, I’ve never felt like I’m fighting for my life in a Pokemon game before, even when staring down Gods, but when I saw Giovanni and this music started playing, I was scared.

3 – Ending ~ To Each Future (Black & White Credits) – Black/White

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Black & White were incredibly story-focused games compared to the generations that preceded it. The team at Nintendo did all they could to push the limits of the Nintendo DS hardware in order to give this whole game a very cinematic feel, be that through the cutscenes themselves, or through other aspects like it’s music.

The music in Black & White is brimming with an intense sense of emotion. I’ve already discussed one such track on this list, but across the board when things get intense, the music builds right up to those high notes in order to build the scale of the moments to something you’d expect from a Hollywood drama. There were a whole bunch of tracks I could’ve picked to emphasise this, like N’s theme, Ghetsis’ theme and even the Rival battle theme (which are all honourable mentions for this list by the way) have these same ideas in there, but the track I think best exemplifies all of this is the credits theme.

Black & White’s ending is quite a sombre one. You may have just gone through three climatic and intense battles, but the cutscenes that follow them are quite introspective and emotional, as N discusses his philosophy and how it’s changed over the course of the journey, leading to an emotional goodbye. Then this music smashes in to wrap the whole thing up, leaving you to ponder the epic tale that has just happened in front of you. The transition alone is such a brilliant one that I think it may actually have increased the amount I like this track.

Once it gets going it’s definitely a track worthy of closing out a story as big as this one. It pulls in a bit from all over Black & White’s soundtrack, with the grand trumpets and spiritual choir voices mixed in with fast-paced synth beats and some grand drums. Despite both being on the DS, I’ve always thought the music styles of Gen 4 & Gen 5 sound extremely different and for a track like this to feel so squarely in the Gen 5 camp is honestly impressive given the relative limitations of the technology they had to work with.

Ending ~ To Each Future is a track that encapsulates the epic scale and the raw emotion that Black & White’s story is all about, making it the perfect way to end your adventure.

2 – VS Cynthia – Diamond/Pearl/Platinum

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To me, Cynthia has always been my absolute favourite Champion from the Pokemon games. Not only does she look cool as heck, but she’s incredibly strong and has this general aura around her of someone untouchable in what she does. She’s easily the most competent and tough person you meet in your journey throughout the Sinnoh region and the whole atmosphere as you begin your final battle against her always gets me pumped. So when it comes to giving her a theme worthy of her status, this track does not disappoint.

Some champion battle themes are upbeat and joyous, or more grandstanding like this is the culmination of all you’ve worked for and it’s finally time to earn your victory, but this theme doesn’t want to congratulate you TOO soon. It’s intense, it’s fast and it’s threatening. Sure, there’s only one more battle standing between you and eternal glory, but have you seen who’s standing in your way? Your journey isn’t over by a long shot.

To me, this is everything a final battle theme should feel like. It encapsulates the raw power and chaos of a Pokemon battle while amping up the scale and putting the pressure on you to succeed. It still keeps that sense of fun too, although it’s in smaller doses than other champion themes. Instead of a theme like Sun & Moon’s champion battle, where it feels like it’s congratulating you on your victory already, this reminds you that you’re facing off with the best of the best and the only way you’re going to become a champion is if you’re better than the best.

It even incorporates the sense of ebb-and-flow that a Pokemon battle has, where you go all out with your biggest move to take down opponents, only for things to slow down a little as both trainers take their breath, only for that sharp beat to kick in as your Pokemon engage once again. This is everything that a champion theme should be and, in my mind, affirms Cynthia’s status as the best champion the series has to offer.

1 – VS Cyrus – Diamond/Pearl/Platinum

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From my previous post: My Favourite Music From Video Games

Never have I ever heard a piece of music that better embodies a character from a video game.

Cyrus is a man with no emotions, he believes the human spirit is a weakness that should be destroyed and you hear it in this theme. The whole way through the track that baseline is there, staying unchanged and unmoved the whole time, it’s intimidating, it’s imposing, and it’s completely unemotional.

Then there’s the main melody of the track that plays over that baseline, which is the emotion of a Pokemon battle, the bond that exists between a trainer and their Pokemon, as Cyrus battles you he feels it coming through, and at certain points you can even sense this struggle between the baseline and the main melody, as if Cyrus is trying to ward off these emotions he’s beginning to feel.

At that point the main melody disappears, the drums begin to build up before a moment of silence…before everything comes back in a higher gear. You’ve made Cyrus mad, and he’s going to punish you for making him feel again.

As well as perfectly encapsulating who Cyrus is as a character, this track also stands as an extremely menacing villain theme in its own right. The way that baseline carries through the whole track, unrelenting, like a monster that just keeps stomping its way towards you, no matter what you do to try and stop it. At the time of Diamond & Pearl’s release, Cyrus’ plan was most definitely the biggest in terms of scale and this track made him feel like he was truly unstoppable as you battled against him.

The menace, the intensity, the emotion, this track really does have it all and that’s why I feel it stands out as the best track from any main-series Pokemon game.

So there you have it! Thank you very much for taking the time to read this, please let me know what some of your favourite tracks are, either in the comments below or on Twitter @10ryawoo. Finally, make sure to come back next weekend, where I’ll be covering NXT Takeover: Portland!

More of My Favourite Music From Video Games

Last year I talked about some of the pieces of music in video games that I enjoyed the most for one reason or another. The problem with doing something like that is I spent the next year coming up with music I forgot or wished I could’ve put on that list, it took all my brainpower but eventually, I came up with an ingenious solution. Write a second list.

Last time I didn’t include any tracks that featured a singer because it could often lead to confusion between the Soundtrack and the Score of the game which are two different things. This time I’m disregarding that rule and songs with lyrics are allowed, the only condition is that the song has to have been produced specifically for the game it was featured in, otherwise any song EA used for a game in the mid-2000s would be on the list.

Apart from that, the same rule as last time applies, which is just one track per franchise for obvious reasons and this isn’t really a ranked list because what I prefer in music shifts depending on my mood and such like. Also, there’ll be no tracks from Octopath Traveler on this list as I did a whole separate list on just that topic. So now all that’s out of the way, let’s listen to some tunes.

The Moonlighter – Moonlighter

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Moonlighter is very much a game of two sides, which is exactly what makes it so compelling. You can have plenty of fun diving into the dungeons and collecting all of the loot you could ever want, but you can have just as much fun with your day job selling all of that precious loot in your shop.

Similarly, there are two distinct layers to this track that plays as you tend to your shop and serve your customers all day. There are the quiet and peaceful tones of the Marimba that comes in and out of the track nailing the peace of running a shop in a small town, it puts me in such a good mood as I wander around my shop, watching how people are reacting to my prices and serving customers.

Then there’s the guitar that comes in which further conveys this sense of happiness, but also brings in a small sense of excitement that comes from the nature of obtaining all of these valuable items that everyone buys for…well I’m not entirely sure what they’re used for, but the point still stands.

This is the track that best encapsulates the feeling I get from playing Moonlighter, that sense of adventure and contentedness in both sides of the game.

Tetris Theme – Tetris

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No explanation required. You know you like this one. Even if you don’t like it, you still like it a bit.

Jump Up, Super Star! – Super Mario Odyssey

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There are very few games that can bring the same sense of joy out of me that I get from playing Super Mario Odyssey and this song is the perfect representation of that feeling. It’s loud and proud and absolutely brimming with personality and charm, which is exactly what Odyssey is all about.

The festival sequence in which this plays is easily one of the most fun parts of the game and once I had the option I found myself playing it frequently during several other sections of the game too. In SMO there is nearly a thousand unique challenges to complete and every single one of them was an absolute blast to collect thanks to the sheer joy that this song is absolutely brimming with.

Not only that, but it brings a sense of adventure to the world as well, not so much in the melody but in the lyrics. I’ve never been the biggest fan of the lyrical style of swingin’ jazz songs, but it worked for me here because of exactly the emotions that the game and the melody of the song bring to me. Nintendo has always been great at understanding the fact that games should be fun above all else and this song clearly communicates that philosophy in every beat.

Honor For All – Dishonored

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From a song that’s all about having a great time, to very much the opposite.

The world of Dishonored is a horrible place, it’s worn down, grey, corrupted and riddled with disease, arguably the game’s biggest strength is showing you every nasty corner of Dunwall as you seek to destroy at least part of what makes it so horrible. I honestly didn’t think it would be possible to distil that feeling into a song and have it be pleasant to listen to, but I just can’t help but adore this credits song for Dishonoured.

The way the bass and the drums come together with the violin create a simple but incredibly powerful tune that fits in fantastically with the rest of the soundtrack, capturing what has over the course of the game become the sound of Dunwall. It sinks to such grimey depths in places but still keeps the melody sounding smooth only to rise up into some really beautiful sounding peaks, showing the progression of how you can affect the city depending on your choices throughout the game.

What I think takes this from a good song to a brilliant one though is the lyrics. I don’t know much about the production of the song, but it feels to me like Jon & Daniel Licht had a perfect understanding of how the game’s story worked and exactly what points it was trying to get at because they come out so powerfully in these lyrics. Lines like “We live for today, but we die for the next” and “The darkness, it rises, as the sun glows” captures the feeling of the world so brilliantly and it shows an unmatched understanding of Dishonored was all about.

The Amaranth – Towerfall Ascension

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When talking about SMO I talked about the music amplifying the game’s sense of fun, well for my money, they don’t come any more fun than Towerfall Ascension.

This track is loud, bombastic and doesn’t slow down for anyone or anything and it only adds to the experience of the game. When playing on this map in the multiplayer versus, it created such an epic sense of scale to the battle, that kept the match moving at all times. I found matches on that particular map to move a lot faster and be a lot more fun because of that music adding so much to the experience.

Even in the singleplayer, it adds so much, these are your first steps into the Dark World and immediately upon hearing this music begin you know that this place isn’t going to mess around. Its melody reminds me subtly of the Pirates of the Carribean theme in some ways, which appropriate for the ghost ship setting, the way the pace speeds up and slows down at a moments notice very much mimics the idea of a stormy sea as you do battle.

Towerfall Ascension is an incredibly fun game as it is and a track like this serves only to enhance that feeling.

Still Alive – Mirror’s Edge

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No, it’s not that other video game song called “Still Alive”, it’s the one that’s actually good.

Baiting Portal fanboys aside this song is absolutely beautiful. What you see in Mirror’s Edge as you run around the city is a pristine city with with the sun shining brightly down on it at all times and this song does a brilliant job of capturing the feeling of standing in that city with its melody, while capturing the strong contrast of the corruption and tyranny weaved into the city’s culture with its lyrics.

Talking about how the city’s changed along with Faith herself, lamenting how everyone’s being silenced, as the city remains almost lifeless; the place is for intents and purposes, a veritable utopia, but the people pay a heavy price for that life which most probably don’t even know about. She’s fought against everything the city stands for, for so long; pretty much all her life as we later learn in the sequel. Yet, after all, she’s been through and everything she’s lost, all she has to say to this city, is that she’s still alive.

Even without all this meaning, the melody would still make it a joy to listen to, but the lyrics are what gives this song so much power and emotion.

Confronting Myself – Celeste

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I really struggled to decide which track to pick from Celeste and let me tell you “Reach for the Summit” was a very close second here, but in the end, this felt like the right choice.

Celeste isn’t a very story-heavy game, but what little there is goes quite deep and if you ask me the emotional peak of the story was in Chapter 6 – Reflection, during the “fight” with Badaline, which is where this song plays. This is the closest Celeste comes to a boss fight and that’s very important. You meet plenty of characters along your journey, some of which Madaline is at odds with, but the only person she ever actively has to fight is that part of herself.

I could ramble on for hours about how good Celeste is at capturing that sense of living with anxiety and how brilliant of a personification Badaline was for that, but we’re here to talk about the music.

Everything about this track screams with inner conflict to me. There’s chaos in the background of the track at all times, with the percussion and lower-pitched synth melody, it doesn’t let up at all. This whole sequence in the game is about Madaline trying to reach this part of herself, to make them whole again while Badaline is desperately trying to push her away and reject it and that feeling comes across so well in the main melody of the track.

The main synth is so similar to the sound effects used for Madaline’s voice throughout the game, to the point where it sounds to me like it’s Madaline herself who’s singing over the chaos in this track, almost screaming at certain points trying to get through to Badaline that they need to become whole again.

The end of Chapter 6 is where everything comes together for Madaline before she makes her final ascent, but before she can get to that point she has to go through this existential struggle with this living part of her psyche and this track is so perfect for bringing all the emotions Madaline would be feeling in that moment right to the forefront, creating one hell of an emotional climax for the game.

Pursuit ~ Cornered – Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney

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While the Ace Attorney games do have a level of depth that most in the genre don’t, they are still at their core, graphic novels. Don’t get me wrong I absolutely love investigating the crime scene and finding the contradictions in court and it’s what makes the game so special, but the crux of the game is its story, which generally advances regardless of the player. What this means is that you have to create a very specific atmosphere to make the constant stream of twists and turns that feature in an Ace Attorney case feel special, that’s where the music comes in.

The music in the Ace Attorney games is fantastic at setting the mood for any given scene and the designer’s knowledge of exactly what is the right time to change tracks, cut to silence or bring the music back in is what brings such strong emotion to every line in these games and this track, in particular, is one of the most powerful. Often in the Ace Attorney games a court session can become an exhausting uphill battle, it almost always feels like you’re on the back foot and the whole world’s against you when it comes to proving your client innocent and it’s all that build-up of emotion that makes the moment when this music hits so powerful.

This music hits when it comes down to the last-ditch attempt, it’s do or die and by God, you’ve done. This is the indication that after all your arguing and desperate attempts to clutch victory from the jaws of defeat, you’ve finally turned the tide. After all, you went through to get to a point where you have the advantage this music makes it so satisfying to lay your claims and watch as the prosecution falls to pieces as you effortlessly brush aside all of their baseless accusations.

In those moments nothing makes it sweeter than the feeling of pure vindication as you state you irrefutable claims while this intense and triumphant track plays at your back the entire time.

Weight of the World – NieR: Automata

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As I’ve said previously, NieR: Automata is a game that continues to weigh heavily on my mind, even this far out from finishing it and over time all of those feelings of uncertainty and introspection that the game instilled in me, is exactly what this song has become representative of to me.

The entire track has such a sense of melancholy to the whole thing and yet the lyrics have such a weird way fo being simultaneously depressive and triumphant. Thay idea of standing up and fighting for what you believe in, no matter how impossible victory comes through so powerfully and creates that mix of feelings because, at the end of the day, it’s what I came away from NieR: Automata feeling.

As far as I’m concerned, NieR: Automata’s story is unmatched and this song is the perfect encapsulation of all the emotions that I feel across the game. I’m not even sure how to describe the emotions that NieR: Automata instilled in me, but somehow this song captures them beautifully. This is also a case where I would recommend listening to both the English & Japanese versions as they both bring such different emotions, especially in the final chorus.

In the English version, the singer gives it all her power, bellowing the lyrics to the point where I can imagine her standing on top of a rooftop in the ruined city, singing out at loud as she can to the world, regardless if anyone’s listening. Then on the Japanese version, it’s much the opposite, the singer audibly brakes down and is singing the final chorus through tears which makes it just as powerful in a different way. In a way, they’re the representations of that depressive and triumphant nature of the song I referenced.

NieR: Automata has an almost infinite number of layers to its story and the meanings behind it and very similarly this song has just as many layers to its lyrics and melodies that it’s something I truly never get tired of hearing.

And that’s it! Thank you very much for taking the time to read this, I’d love to hear which tracks from games means so much to you either in the comments below or on Twitter @10ryawoo! Finally, make sure you come back here this time next week for a rundown of my favourite video packages in WWE history!

10 Best Tracks from Octopath Traveler

WARNING: This list will contain major SPOILERS for several traveler’s stories and post-game content.

Yes, I know I’m one week late to celebrate the 1 year anniversary of Octopath Traveler’s release, but there was a WWE Pay-Per-View on, so I had to cover that instead. Regardless, I’m making it up to you with not just one, but two articles all about Octopath Traveler this weekend, one today and one on Sunday.

The first of these is the part of a game that always sticks with me the longest. Moreso than the story, the characters or even the gameplay, what sticks with me for the longest time after I’m finished with a game is the music. With each passing year, my Spotify playlist is becoming more and more filled with game OST’s and Octopath Traveler’s soundtrack is most definitely my overall favourite.

The soundtrack has just about everything you could want, there are touching slow tracks, exhilaratingly fast tracks and just about everything in between and as of right now, it’s the only game soundtrack that I own a physical CD of, I love it that much.

Naturally, picking 10 tracks was always going to be a tricky task that led to me leaving some great tracks off of the list like H’annit, the Hunter; A Settlement in the Red Bluffs and Battle II, which are all honourable mentions. Also, I know it’s obvious, but this is the internet so I still need to stress that these are my opinions. Music is one of the most subjective things out there in the world and naturally, this list will revolve around my tastes (loud and fast over soft and slow, generally) so don’t feel insulted if I left off a track you really like.

Anyway, let’s get on with it, shall we?

10 – Tressa, the Merchant

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The traveler’s themes were an absolute stroke of genius by the composer of this soundtrack, Yasunori Nishiki. The idea of having an instrument to represent each of the travelers is such a great idea and I think they nailed which instrument should be used for each traveler.

In Tressa’s case, we have the harmonica, which seemed odd to me at first, but I realised how well it fits a travelling merchant. A harmonica is the kind of instrument you can fit in your pocket and, as far as instruments go, it’s one of the easier ones to get a base level understanding off, which is exactly the kind of oddity a travelling merchant might pick up in their journeys. On top of that, it strikes in me feelings of youth an innocent and since Tressa is the youngest of the travelers, it’s perfect.

The melody encapsulates who Tressa is so well, there’s the chimes and violin in the background that hint at her inquisitive and slightly cheeky nature, with the harmonica there going through highs and lows to convey her desire to break free of the small little town she’s in and see the world. Even when the harmonica sinks into those lower notes, there’s still this cheerful tone to it, Tressa would love to get out of her little town but she’s still happy living there and is determined to make the most of every day and get the best deal possible.

This track invokes those feelings of optimism in me and brings out that cheerful and cheeky side that so often gets dragged down in life.

9 – They Who Govern Reason

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I’ll level with you, a lot of this list is going to be battle themes.

The advanced job bosses were definitely my favourite battles in the whole game, they struck that perfect level of challenge where, even when I was over-levelled, I had to go in with a strategy and change it on the fly when things went wrong, not to mention the rewards were so great that I wanted to get them as soon as possible, so I was usually under-levelled instead.

This music fits the idea of these battles so well, the track can almost be split into two halves, the first half with the violins seems almost jovial, with how the melody bounces along, which makes sense in a way. These beings aren’t threatening to destroy the world, or even trying to kill you, they’re just testing you to see if you’re worthy of wielding the power they’re going to bestow upon you.

Then all of a sudden the track flips and becomes a lot more threatening and sinister as the drums and deep trumpets come in to remind you that, though they may not be out to get you, these beings your fighting are still Gods of some description, they’re not going to go down easy even in a situation like this.

This track manages to cut a great balance between bringing both the fun and the intensity of the battles that it plays in and it’s able to switch between the two so seamlessly to boot.

8 – Olberic, the Warrior

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Olberic is an inherently tragic character, not quite as tragic as Primrose admittedly, but he’s still a man with a past that troubles him, with failures he feels he’s responsible for.

This track is able to capture that sense of tragedy that lies in Olberic’s character, the whole thing has an innate sadness to the whole track mostly thanks to the violins that start off the track, they create this very downtrodden picture in my mind of that deserted battlefield where Olberic met his downfall. Then the trumpets start playing alongside the violin the image changes.

The violins swell into much higher notes as those trumpets kick in and I can just see Olberic staring out over that long-dead battlefield that he used to call home.  Those trumpets then become the main focus of the melody, representing Olberic as he stands tall, living to fight another day. Olberic is someone who takes a lot of pride in wielding his blade and I get that attitude when I listen to the trumpets in this song. They’re mighty and strong, but flawed and there’s this underlying sadness to them that hits me every time I hear this track.

7 – Battle III

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The random encounter themes in Octopath are all brilliant, but this is the one that stands out the most to me. Each one of the “Battle” tracks does such a good job of building and adding to the previous ones. The melodies aren’t the same of course, but the intensity and scale of the tracks slowly increase as you get into higher and higher levelled areas, culminating in this adrenaline fuelled piece of music.

First of all, the opening is my favourite opening to any track on the album, the quick lead in with the drums, the little taste of the main melody on the violins before everything stops so the trumpets can do their bit and then we’re right into the battle. The pace in this track is a mile a minute, which is exactly what it should be, because when you get to these high-level areas you start coming across some crazy enemies and you should have your strongest attacks to unleash by this point, meaning this is exactly what these battles feel like.

Not only that, but the track also does a good job of mimicking the ebb and flow of a battle through its melody. By the very nature of the turn-based combat, these fights have a lot of back and forth to them and I can feel that in the way the violins behave here. They’ll burst forth with energy for a few seconds before taking a quick breather and coming back in just as strong. I didn’t flee from many encounters while playing Octopath, and this music is one of the biggest reasons why.

6 – Cyrus, the Scholar

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Cyrus is an incredibly grandiose and joyous character. He’s bold and grand in everything he does, but he also takes a great deal of fun out of all of his work that’s exactly the emotions this tracks conveys to me.

I can imagine Cyrus standing there at the head of his class while this music plays, excitedly spouting all of the knowledge he’s gained over the years to these young people that sit before him because that’s what he loves to do. There’s an elegance to the track that completely fits with how I imagine Cyrus carries himself when teaching, how I imagine he reads and writes for days on end, buried in his studies so deeply that he barely even notices the passage of time.

The passion, the wisdom, the charm. Everything that makes Cyrus who he is is there in this track, elegantly gliding about the stage as the violins swell into those high notes, mimicking Cyrus’ many passionate (and slightly over the top) speeches he makes throughout the game of the value of knowledge and his desire to pass all his knowledge on to others.

Personally, I don’t think any of the other traveler themes capture the essence of who the character is quite as well as Cyrus’ track does here. Whenever this track hits my ears, I instantly think Cyrus and it makes the picture of him in my mind very clear.

5 – Daughter of the Dark God

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It was always going to be an opera singer, wasn’t it?

The final boss of Octopath Traveler always felt like a huge deal to me, after 50+ hours of bringing these travelers through to the conclusions of their journey’s, we’re faced with what all of the loose ends were drawing to, fighting the long-sealed away God of darkness Galdera.

As Lyblac steps into the darkness to unleash Galdera, I got that sense that everything had been building up this and what better music to back up this fight for the ages. That almost heavenly voice of the opera singer feels like it’s the soul of Galdera finally breaking free and being able to show the world it’s true power. I don’t know what the lyrics are, but I know there are words like “death” and “annihilation” scattered in there, it gives that sense of foreboding that this is Galdera’s time to shine, not yours, you’re just standing in their way.

Then, once the opera singer has finished the track moves into an epic crescendo, that is exactly what imagined the final boss battle of this game to sound like. The way those violins hit those high notes is that force of the travelers and their will to stop Galdera from wreaking havoc upon the world, only for the singer to come back in and the two fight each other for dominance in the track, mimicking the battle for the fate of the world you’re currently engaged in.

This is by far the toughest battle in the whole game and this music does a great job of capturing the menace of what stands before you, but keeping that sense of hope there throughout the fight.

4 – Decisive Battle II

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Decisive Battle II is a track that wastes no time in getting you pumped up for the boss battle ahead. While Decisive Battle I focuses more on being menacing, edition II of the track tries to intimidate you through sheer power and speed.

The track immediately hits you with sharp violin notes backed up by trumpets and cymbals, which is such a great intro for some of the boss battles in the game, it gets you straight in the mood for action while also being a shock to the system and somewhat intimidating. Then the orchestra kicks into full gear and we get another battle theme that is able to capture the ebb and flow of a battle, the main melody pushes back and forth between high and low notes so smoothly you can feel when the tide in the battle turns thanks to the movements.

Ever now and then the trumpets will kick back in, signalling those big power moves you can bust out in Octopath that do a crazy amount of damage. There’s also a slight elegance to the melody in between the grand moments with the trumpets, that I think really helps me picture what these battles would actually look like in real-time were this a film instead.

Decisive Battle II is a track that’s not afraid to go very big, very fast in order to capture the epic scale of some of the boss battles you face in Octopath, while still keeping a level of nuance in there that makes this soundtrack so great to listen to.

3 – Determination

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This track is most definitely the one that gets the strongest level of emotion out of me.

That’s partly thanks to how it generally plays during the most emotionally charged scenes of the stories, specifically when low characters are picking themselves up at long last. The melody is so simple and yet I find it incredibly powerful, the way the oboe slowly rises it’s notes until it transitions into the violins that carry on the melody as drums, and trumpets start to come in and back it up.

When it comes in at moments like when Primrose is standing on that stage, confronting Simeon I can’t help but well up as she makes her stand, not letting this horrible man put her down again and again. Drawing comparisons to movies, I can absolutely see this playing in the background as the protagonist makes their rousing speech to huge cheers from the audience.

I talk so much about how much I connected with the characters and stories in Octopath, but I don’t think I could’ve connected anywhere near as much without tracks like this.

2 – Main Theme

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This is the kind of track that I probably wouldn’t care that much for under any other circumstances, but the amount of emotion and connection that I now have thanks to this song makes it so wonderful to hear.

It starts off so peaceful and slow with the lone flute and the violins softly in the background and the whole thing slowly but surely builds up, looping the main melody three times throughout the track, but each time adding more and more to the orchestra, making everything feel so much grander, it almost mimics the pattern on the character’s journey. They start out on their own, setting off from their quiet home town, before slowly going out there and exploring the vast world, meeting so many new people and facing tougher challenges along the way.

Not only that, but I think this is the track that best encapsulates what the Octopath Traveler soundtrack is like, because as the track progresses and more and more instruments get added it really does seem to have a bit of everything. I remember listening to this music reach a climax as the credits rolled on my first playthrough of the game and it genuinely brought a tear to my eye.

This is the track that most resembles Octopath Traveler in my mind and listening to it brings back all these wonderful memories of the times I’ve had Orsterra.

1 – Battle at Journey’s End

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When Battle at Journey’s End begins to play emotions are always at the highest, this is the final battle, everything this traveler has suffered through in their journey has led up to this battle here where it’s all on the line (especially if you forgot to save beforehand), so these battles really needed a piece of music that captured that level of emotion so here we are.

Battle at Journey’s End is a closest a track from a video game comes to flawless if you ask me. The quick grand hits from the orchestra to start off the track gets us straight into the heat of things and then the violins that carry the melody instil the flow of the battle into the music while the bass guitar and drums in the background keep everything feeling extremely intense.

Then when the next section of the track hits, I always tear up because the raw power of the emotion behind this section is so strong that I can’t help but cry. The melody of the flute and trumpets as they reach their high notes click so well with me and when that melody repeats for a third time, with the lone flute hitting as high notes as are humanly possible as the drums and bass guitar in the background serve to emphasise it, I feel all of the emotions I’ve built up over the course of the journey pour out of me.

The track does an amazing job of capturing that sense of the final step in a journey, it’s always the toughest step of all, but it’s also the best one. This track manages to make the final battle feel epic, high stakes and threatening while keeping the emotions of everything that’s happened up until that point running high, truely investing me, in the journey’s end.

So that’s it! Those are my favourite tracks from the Octopath Traveler soundtrack. Thank you very much for taking the time to read this article and let me know what some of your favourite tracks are, either in the comments below or on Twitter @10ryawoo.

Make sure you come back this time on Sunday when I’ll be continuing the celebration by ranking all 8 travelers!