https://vipvgm.net I love remakes, because it gives me an excuse to add more tracks to the same game and doesn't break my semi-strict and loosely enforced 3-track limit. We also live in an age of remakes and remasters, because that's what the fans want: nostalgia! This update only covers Squeenix, because you can't go wrong with Squeenix music, right? Code: Trials of Mana (2020) - Where Angel Fear To Tread Trials of Mana (2020) - Meridian Child Trials of Mana (2020) - Return To Forever Trials of Mana (2020) - Sacrifice Part Three Trials of Mana - Juan Medrano - In a Thousand Years (Falcon) Trials of Mana - Keiichi Oku, Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra - Meridian Child exiled from VIP When I listened to the OST, there were a few stand-out tracks that clearly had an actual orchestra, and those tracks are the ones by Sachiko Miyano. I don't recognize her, but apparently she has a lot of experience. So ultimately, her arrangements are the best-sounding ones in the OST. They also happen to be the most iconic songs in the game, which is why I'm adding them. The "Meridian Child" arrangement in the VIP was too dynamic in terms of both sound and mood. The remake's arrangement has a constant excitement, like the original. I love the sweeping harmonic melody it has. "Return to Forever" sounds like a piece heard in a Miyazaki film, very fucking nice. For "Sacrifice Part Three", I haven't found a single arrangement I liked save for this one. I actually didn't like the original version tbh, but the remake made it sound awesome. The only downside is that it's 8 minutes long and sounds like it's looping 4 times when it's actually only looping twice. Code: Secret of Mana (2018) - Secret of the Arid Sands Secret of Mana (2018) - Did You See the Ocean Secret of Mana (2018) - Prophecy Secret of Mana - Fishy - Dragon Buster (Meridian Dance) replacing Secret of Mana - Meridian Dance It's a shame the SoM remake was mediocre, both game-wise and music-wise. It's not bad, but the quality is all over the place. However, if you think of the OST as a fan-made arrangement album, then it's pretty good. That's right, just lower your expectations and it'll be better! "Prophecy" is one of those rare musical tracks that switches between two different uncommon time signatures. Some music geeks love that, even though Kikuta composed the track in just 15 minutes. This arrangement sounds like it should be in an Ace Combat game, if Flammie was a playable aircraft. Make it happen, Bandai Namco! Code: Final Fantasy VII Remake - The Valkyrie Final Fantasy VII Remake - Hollow Final Fantasy VII Remake - The Airbuster Final Fantasy VII Remake - J-E-N-O-V-A -Quickening Final Fantasy VII - TetriminoVGBand - Tifa Funk Final Fantasy VII - pixietricks, zircon - Deliverance of the Heart (Heart of Anxiety) exiled from VIP FF7 Remake is not a remake. I, like most, actually consider it more of a reimagining. Even the game's description labels it as such, but I guess that word is too long for the title: Final Fantasy VII Reimagined. As a "reimagining", it's a very different game from the original. It has tons of filler content and is really 1/9th of the original game stretched to a full game. It managed to fit in Sephiroth and Jenova when they shouldn't even be there in the first place (not yet anyway). There's no teasing or anticipation, just pure fan service without the tits. There are even talks of the game having alternate timelines with a possible chance of actually saving Aerith. Goddammit, Nomura! FF7R owes everyone a pizza that may take far longer than a decade to fully bake. For now, we have us a stunning 10/10 OST that's 8 discs long! This is the moment I've been waiting for! It's strange that I'm more hyped for OSTs than actual games nowadays. One thing that got me hyped is Keiki Kobayashi, the Ace Combat god, appearing as one of the composers. "The Valkyrie" was immediately the first track I decided I wanted to add. It is a nearly-9-minute-long epic track for an epic battle with an aircraft, how appropriate. It's certainly not Keiki's best work or even the best track on the OST, but it's still damn good. "Hollow" sounds like a sad anime insert theme for an emotional arc-changing event that transitions into the episode's ending theme as the main characters mourn a special loss in their own archetypal ways. The song is apparently the ending theme to the game, how appropriate. "The Airbuster" and "J-E-N-O-V-A - Quickening" are arrangements of the original's boss themes. I'm sure there will be about a dozen different Jenova tracks in future installments. As of now, there are two Jenova tracks in the VIP, but they are done in very different styles. Now let's see how the Chrono Trigger remake will get butchered. Will it be shit like the SoM Remake? Will it be good like the ToM Remake? Or will it be chopped in installments and stretched out like the FF7 Remake?
Oh shit, I didn't even know about #BlackoutTuesday until it was Wednesday. To atone, I decided to donate $100 to BLM. No, this amount was not taken from the KACA fund.
