The best classic game music and more
Just finished listening to this one, and I'm quite impressed. It's just good all around and fun. GMR says it was done by Kaz Nakamura (I have no idea), and it's a welcome change from the Sakuraba/Tamura auto-pilot OSTs. It's also better than the overly anime-esque Tales of Legendia OST. Check it out.
I've never been too interested in the Tales series generally or musically. However, this OST has intrigued me because of change of composer and I didn't find Nakamura's Time Crisis soundtracks too bad. I don't care really if Motoi Sakuraba doesn't have much to do with the series as I enjoy his work on Star Ocean, Valkyrie Profile, and Baten Kaitos far more. As for Shinji Tamura, Tales of the Tempest indicates Abyss may have been his last... Anyway, glad to hear someone enjoyed this OST. I'll look forward to it.
Waitaminute, Tales of Legendia is Anime-esque!?
Odd, I don't like Anime music all that much, but I definitely consider this the best OST in the Tales series....
Doesn't sound like Anime to me at all.
Doesn't sound like Anime to me at all.
Doesn't sound like your usual VGM either. In any case, as Chris, I'll look forward to this. It sounds promising. The Tales of series is boring in all sorts of way, so if they decide to chage something, it must be welcomed warmly...
Well, a different composer on a Tales game just means that it was handled by a different development team. Sakuraba/Tamura generally only work on the games developed by Wolfteam/Namco Tales Studio; Innocence, on the other hand, was developed by Alfa System (which is also responsible for the Tales of the World spinoff series).
Sakuraba is definitely still involved with the series, as his website lists him as a composer for the upcoming Tales of Vesperia. I'm not sure about Tamura, though.
Well, a different composer on a Tales game just means that it was handled by a different development team. Sakuraba/Tamura generally only work on the games developed by Wolfteam/Namco Tales Studio;
You're right, but I'm not sure if everybody else also bars Tales of Tempest (which was, as is commonly known, developed by Dimps but still scored by Sakuraba) and concludes a different team = no Sakuraba.
Sakuraba is definitely still involved with the series, as his website lists him as a composer for the upcoming Tales of Vesperia. I'm not sure about Tamura, though.
The website is handled by my friend who I personally doubt post much in this thread, so it's based on a speculation or at least something he can't open. Basically, Cocoebiz has to rely on fan-research (or -speculation) for its update since it usually can't get info directly from the composers/their clients. That is, there has still been no official info on the game's composer(s), or the console(s).
Innocence? Vesperia? Dammit, why won't this series die already?
I guess the speculation started with the first trailer of the game, which features a music definitely composed by Sakuraba. I am not very knowledgeable about Tales of music, so I can't tell if this is a new piece or not. There are other tracks, though, and they do not really sound like Sakuraba to me.
http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=hrhPeyHVrME
Well, anyway, I have just listened to Tales of Innocence, and I must say I totally disagree with XLord007 in so that I consider the soundtrack for Tales of Legendia far better. Innocence is fine, but a lot of tracks are pretty weak.
What installment of the series follows Tales of the Abyss, and which console is it supposed to be on?
...
Me, Tales of Legendia is definitely one of my most favorite soundtracks ever; you have some premium orchestral work with highly memorable melodies, and then you have some contemporary-style work, too.
Tales of the Abyss is good too, but I'm sifting through it easily without playing the game; it's easy to point out town, dungeon, battle, gameplay, drama, etc. themes; Sakuraba's works are always like that, but honestly, I find Sakuraba to be one of my most favorite composers.
Those are the only two Tales soundtracks and games I've played at any length; what other good Tales soundtracks are out there, that you think I ought to listen to?
What installment of the series follows Tales of the Abyss, and which console is it supposed to be on?
Tales of the Abyss is apparently considered a side-story type of deal. Innocence is the latest game, for DS. Coming out this year are Vesperia (apparently for X-Box 360) and a sequel to Symphonia, for Wii.
Those are the only two Tales soundtracks and games I've played at any length; what other good Tales soundtracks are out there, that you think I ought to listen to?
Phantasia, of course. It's all been downhill from there.
Tales of Innocence was a pretty big disappointment for me. The sample editing (often called "synth") is bad even for DS standards, and most compositions are just cloning the "typical" Tales melodies/instrumentation without bothering with something like complex or often even any kind of accompaniment. I expected different from a composer new to the series. Any of the previous Tales composers would have done better imo.
Tales of the Tempest, while being developed by Dimps, had the Tales Studio's sound team (which besides Sakuraba included sound effects and voice editing) working for it as well as two no-names (likely trainees) directing who may appear again in the upcoming Tales of Symphonia: Knights of Ratatosk (if having the same Namco producer and being listed on Tales Studio's website is any indication).
The music in the Tales of Vesparia trailer is new. All the music (except the jpop piece obviously) in all the Tales of Symphonia: Knights of Ratatosk trailers so far are reused from Tales of Symphonia.
Personally (Sakuraba) composition and sound design wise I consider Tales of the Abyss the best, followed by Tales of Destiny PS2 and Tales of Phantasia SFC. People not liking Sakuraba's adaption in composing and mixing style after switching from sequenced to streamed music likely prefer Tales of Phantasia, Tales of Destiny PSX and Tales of Destiny 2 (Jp) over everything else Tales wise. Tamura is inconsistent in quality, best in ToP, lately focussing on odd kind of electronica. Tales of Legendia has its own kind of music carried by live performances (not done in any Tales game outside ToL), people liking that should look at the second part of the ToL soundtrack which was packed with the second ToL drama CD, the Mr. Driller console soundtrack, the diverse Idolm@ster pieces, Tales of Fandom 2 opening/ending piece as well as Kyo Kara Mao for PS2 (and by now possibly more I'm not aware of). Like Kazuhiro Nakamura (ToI) I don't consider Takuya Yasuda (ToI sound design/effects, Tales of the World: Narikiri Dungeon 2 & 3 & Radiant Mythology composer) worth mentioning at all.
Tales of Innocence was a pretty big disappointment for me. The sample editing (often called "synth") is bad even for DS standards, and most compositions are just cloning the "typical" Tales melodies/instrumentation without bothering with something like complex or often even any kind of accompaniment. I expected different from a composer new to the series. Any of the previous Tales composers would have done better imo.
Couldn't disagree more. It doesn't sound anything like a typical Tales OST to me.
This is really interesting, since I totally agree with Datschge here: while listening to Innocence, I also thought Nakamura was trying to "clone" (I like the word) other Tales of soundtracks (obviously those composed by Sakuraba and Tamura), especially in terms of melodies. And this is why... I think... this soundtrack is boring.