Tuesday, June 7, 2016

SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs - JRPG Battle Theme Edition

Welcome to another edition of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs. It's not usual for this series of articles to hit on a Tuesday, but it's done so two Tuesdays in a row. Regardless, this edition of the old VGMs is special, as it is entirely dedicated to awesome RPG battle themes. This kicks off with Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness, releasing at the end of the month in North America. Then, there's the Xbox 360 exclusive Lost Odyssey to rock out to. The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel and Breath of Fire IV soon follow, all ending with music from Final Fantasy Tactics Advance.

Take a listen to past VGMs featured with the VGM Database. For now, just click on the VGM volume title to be taken to its YouTube link!

v1156. Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness (PS4) - Face Off


Not only is this battle theme edition of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs filled with high octane tracks to get you ready for a good fight, but it's essentially a who's who of fantastic video game music composers. Motoi Sakuraba once again takes the helm for the latest in the Star Ocean franchise, a PS4 exclusive releasing at the end of the month. The violin in this battle theme is absolutely sensational.

v1157. Lost Odyssey (360) - Battle Conditions


From one composing juggernaut to another, we go from Motoi Sakuraba to the incomparable Nobuo Uematsu, best known for his work on the Final Fantasy series pre-Final Fantasy XI. Right from the offset of this battle theme, you know you're in for something action-packed. That's exactly what you get with the Xbox 360 exclusive's battle theme, Battle Conditions. It's like a rock concert going on while you're taking on foes both large and small in Lost Odyssey.

v1158. The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel (PS3, Vita) - The Glint of Cold Steel


The piano in this particular battle theme for The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel is so memorizing. The actual game itself is also quite good, delivering old school RPG goodness with a new school feel. Trails of Cold Steel is part of a planned trilogy with the first game already released and the second which is being localized as I type. Here's hoping the third gets to be enjoyed by those of us in the West as well.

v1159. Breath of Fire IV (PS1) - It's An Easy Win


For all intents and purposes, Breath of Fire IV is the last traditional Breath of Fire game in the series. The fifth installment, Dragon Quarter, releasing on the PlayStation 2, offered a much different feel in both gameplay and mood. And if you're a follower of the series recently, then you know that Breath of Fire VI is a mobile game which is fine on its own, but the actual game doesn't look too appealing as is. Still, that doesn't mean we can't think back fondly on when Capcom's RPG franchise was closer to the top of its game!

v1160. Final Fantasy Tactics Advance (GBA) - Undefeated Heart


We conclude this battle theme edition of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs with a song from the first Final Fantasy game to hit a Nintendo system in nearly a decade after Squaresoft's unfortunate break from Nintendo after Super Mario RPG. The game is Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, and it's a mighty marvelous tactical RPG with a fairy tale feel to it. The soundtrack by Hitoshi Sakimoto hits all the right notes including this particular battle theme, Undefeated Heart.

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