Soundtracks You're Looking Forward To?

12/09/2009

Final Fantasy Crystal Bearers: http://vgmdb.net/album/15474

12/16/2009

Oboro Muramasa: http://vgmdb.net/album/15959

01/27/2009

Final Fantasy XIII: http://vgmdb.net/album/15980
Ar-Tonelico 3: http://vgmdb.net/album/16260
Ar-Tonelico 3 Hymnos Blue: http://vgmdb.net/album/15907
Ar-Tonelico 3 Hymnos Red: http://vgmdb.net/album/15908

...

I really hope Play-Asia is stocking these...

Any others we should know about?

What else are we all looking out for?

I want to believe that the fan-driven Contra 4: Rocked 'n' Loaded is still on schedule.  Same goes for Duane and BrandO's/The Adventurers' LP of Devastation, which still has the dubious release window of "around Christmas."

Other than that, Darius Burst Original Soundtrack if the music turns out good.  And Genso Suikoden Arrange Collection Vol.1 ~Vocal & Piano~ looks to be of some interest -- is it presumed that this isn't merely a compilation, but all new arrangements?

Waiting for Play-Asia to list those AT3 soundtracks so I can put them all in one order.

FFXIII already taken care of.

Ramza

FFXIII and Muramasa. Oh lord, I'm gonna nut all over Muramasa.

The Crystal Bearers soundtrack
Tekken 6
Suikoden Arrange Collection
Sota Fujimori's Synthesized 2
Konami's "Composers" (LC-1859)

And yeah, it'd be really nice if Contra 4: Rocked & Loaded is still alive.

Contra 4: Rocked & Loaded is indeed still alive, and it's finally wrapping up. There were outside forces that caused problems back in the summer when they wanted to release it, but their intent to bring it out has never waned. The goal is to not only complete the music very soon but to also have enough time to manufacture it in time to sell copies at Magfest. But even if that falls through, copies should be available for purchase online in the near future.

Of Bernhardt's listing, Ar-Tonelico 3 is probably my most anticipated unless deathsmiles II is sold at the upcomimg Cave Maturi (27th Dec). Wouldn't be surprised if FFXIII turns out good.

Not trying to be an ass, but there isn't one thing I can think of I'm looking forward to. However, I'll know it when I hear it.

Recently started playing Muramasa and I am DYING to get the soundtrack - I seriously can't believe that this stuff came out of Sakimoto and co. (whom I'm normally lukewarm at best to).  I'm also curious about the Crystal Bearers OST, though I've heard some music in the preview videos that just seems awful (but some seems quite good?).

Can I count Ys Seven and Ys I and II Chronicles since they just came out and I don't have them yet?  Some of what I've listened to from both sounds reeeeeally good, so I can't wait to get my hands on those discs.

Awesome news.  Thanks once again for the update, Tina!

Genso Suikoden Arrange Collection Vol.1 ~Vocal & Piano~

totally thrilled about this one.

Composers by Konami

Oboro Muramasa

that's all for now.

I'm amazed everyone's actually looking forward to this one; I was always told that the Suikoden Arrange albums were pretty pale interpretations of the original source material...

...

Yeah, I know what you mean.

Not really a lot of games coming out on the PS2 anymore, most franchises have already made their migration to the 360 and PS3, now, and I don't have those systems.

That, and I'm not really playing many games at all anymore; no games means no soundtrack purchases.

I'm only really maintaining loyalty to franchises that have established familiarity with me in the past, hence, FFXIII, Ar-Tonelico, and Oboro Muramasa (because of Odin Sphere).

It's probably going to be this generation switch that loses me.

Sure, I have the Wii, but between so many different games being released on either the 360 or PS3, or both, it's hard to decide which one to get, if you're only to just get one.

I fear what's going to happen is that I'll be getting a PS3 just for FFXIII and Ar-Tonelico 3, and everything else will be on the 360. That, and there's the faint worry that FFXIII and Ar-Tonelico 3 might not even be all that good, not to warrant the price of admission, especially...

- Oboro Muramasa
- Ar-Tonelico 3

And that's it for me. I actually haven't been looking forward to very many of the new releases as of late. There have definitely been some exceptions, but in general I just haven't been all that impressed by what I've heard. Instead I've been spending a lot of my time and money tracking down older soundtracks that I missed out on. I've found some real gems too.

I'm still hoping that 2010 will surprise me, but I'm not going to count on it.

Really? I'm not sure who told you that, but it definitely doesn't apply to Suikoden II Orrizonte, Suikoden III Rustling of the Wind (by Bosque Aroma), Suikoden Music Collection by Hiroyuki Namba and Yajuu Ookoku, Suikoden Vocal Collection 1 and Suikoden Asian Collection.

Not that there haven't been a few stinkers, like Vocal Collection 2 and Suikoden IV & Rhapsodia Music Collection, which was very mismanaged or just poorly produced in relation to the great original material. But those are in the minority, even the mid-tier arrange albums like the Celtic Collections have their successes.

Add me to the list of people anticipating the new Suikoden arrangement.

They are new arrangements, yes.  Samples are available on the Konamistyle page for this album.  I am pleasantly surprised, considering how that last Suikoden vocal album turned out.

I hope that this new album won't be sold only on Konamistyle.

so beautiful.

wish i could pre-order that album somewhere.

"Contra 4: Rocked & Loaded" is currently available for pre-order online.

http://www.rockednloaded.com/

Sounds awesome!

Edit: Ha! Looks like someone beat me to it. Score, ya guys!

DS? PSP?

Personally, I'm not terribly fond of DS soundtracks when sequenced, but much of the Japanese franchises are now moving to handheld platforms, and many of their soundtracks are indeed good when streamed. I'm watching Tokimeki Memorial 4 via Peer Cast lately, for instance, and the music is surprisingly good!

Couldn't care less.

Handheld titles have never struck me as being all that serious; just something to fiddle with while on a car / bus / train / plane ride, or while waiting some place, but I've never actually played a portable title just while sitting around home...and seeing as how I don't play portable titles anymore, couldn't really care about their soundtracks, either, seeing as how DS/PSP audio isn't all that great, either.

Honestly, I prefer SNES audio to DS or PSP audio...DS and PSP audio just sound that chintzy to me.

You... haven't really played anything for this generation of portables, have you...

Well, DS games are being given streamed soundtracks lately and most of PSP music is already streamed. It could sound muddy due to the speakers or the compression issue in the game, but when released as a soundtrack, it sounds identically as good as a console soundtrack. Two of my favorite soundtracks of 2009 are actually from PSP (Persona 3 Portable and Soulcalibur Broken Destiny). Not to mention the remastered releases such as SQEX. More essentially, Eastern developers recently focus on DS/PSP a great amount, and even many of the major franchised are moved. So, if you still want to enjoy good VGM, neglecting the handheld field isn't so a good decision (my personal opinion, of course). 

I agree, though, that most sequenced DS soundtracks are not appealing. It feels like the composers are just plagued by the limitation (which, for some reasons, would have worked better for VGM fans in the PSX/SNES/NES eras). I can't mention a single album I'd revisit (Soma Bringer or Inazuma Eleven included), but I'm sure I overlook possible good releases...

Have you listened to the Suikoden Tierkreis soundtrack? I agree that handheld music isn't so good all the time, like the Saga 2 DS game. Ugh. But I think it's more an issue of composition than sound quality. Even the GBA had something great like Golden Sun by Motoi Sakuraba, and there's no reason why "SNES quality" music couldn't be done on the handhelds, just look at Chrono Trigger DS. A good composition will go a long way and good headphones will go further, and you can get something like Space Invaders Extreme, but if the composer is slacking off, you'll get Blood of Bahamut by Naoshi Mizuta.

But I'll still rather have that than the situation on home consoles where games often don't have music at all or have some very boring licensed/background music because the developers think the gamer will just play a custom soundtrack or they're trying to create "ambiance", but ending up with boredom instead.

Also, Contra 4. HEART BATTLE!!!

Dragon Quest IX Symphonic suite set for release in Feb 2010.

I thought the remake of CV:Rondo of Blood in the Dracula X Chronicles soundtrack sounded really good. "Dreams of Triumph" (aka "Beginning") really rocked, though composition wise it didn't hold my attention too long.

I noticed that the page on the Konami Web site for the new Suikoden arranged album includes the label, "コナミスタイル限定販売," which according to Google translates to, "Konamistyle limited sale."  I suppose this does mean that the album will only be available from Konamistyle.

FFXIII, Darius Burst.. the usual suspects here