First Things First: Best Openings in Gaming - Part Four

Last week we took a look at some of the best gaming title screens in gaming's history. Today, we're gazing our eyeballs at the thing that usually come at the start of the game, those wondrous game openings! If a title screen is a like a book's cover, then would that make an interesting opening its prologue chapter? Ooh, the analogies go deep here! This edition of Best Openings in Gaming features Persona 5 (we can't seem to get away from that game!), Final Fantasy Tactics (a series in general we can't seem to get away from), and Super Street Fighter IV, to start things off!

Check out the three previous parts of Best Openings in Gaming with these links:

Best Openings in Gaming - Part One
Best Openings in Gaming - Part Two
Best Openings in Gaming - Part Three

(And just click on each game name to watch its opening!)

Persona 5 (PS4, PS3)

Let's begin with a recent release that oozes style, from its title screen, to its characters, to its menus, and yes, to its opening. Persona 5's opening shows off the main cast involved in dancing and other shenanigans throughout a red, black, and white color schemed city. The characters are introduced one by one as they paint, dance, move mysteriously, type furiously, and grind through Tokyo. All the while an insanely catchy vocal theme plays. Despite its relatively brief 1 minute and 35 second running time, Persona 5 packs a lot of vivid imagery and magic into its opening.

Super Street Fighter IV (Multi)

Starting off with a sensational confrontation between Ryu and Ken in a heavily artistic clash along the coast, waves pounding, Hadokens launching, Super Street Fighter IV's opening mixes with pure fist and foot fighting with some moments of levity. Showcasing countless characters in engaging scenes like Chun-Li and Cammy taking on Juri, the aforementioned Ryu and Ken battle, and Cody breaking out of jail to be part of the festivities, this opening is one that has stayed with me and many Street Fighter IV fans long after the game came out and will continue doing so even with Street Fighter V being the newest flavor.

Nier (PS3, 360, PC)

Searching for a cure to his deathly-ill daughter, our main character in Nier isn't the typical protagonist for a Japanese game. He's quite old, and Nier's opening isn't your typical opening either. It shows off both story elements (though without context) and gameplay sequences, including lots and lots of action. The haunting choir theme that plays during everything makes the scenes even more striking and strong to witness. It gets one pumped to play Nier, and as its successor Nier: Automata recently shipped 1.5 million copies across retail and digital, what better time than the present to jump into the rousing and riveting adventure that was the original Nier?

Final Fantasy Tactics (PS1)

Of all of the openings on this edition's list, Final Fantasy Tactics' opening is probably my favorite of the bunch. I'll never forget the chills down my spine as the music went into a crescendo, the Final Fantasy Tactics name appeared letter by letter, and the main theme blared as the full name appeared. The opening itself is a means to show off the main staff of the game while showing a squad of Chocobo-riding soldiers on their way to a destination. Through forests, rock beds, plains, and more, the squad closes in on their desired location which ends up being a monastery. This will be the beginning to the flashback chapters of Final Fantasy Tactics, one of my favorite openings and one of my favorite games in the franchise.

Phantasy Star Online: Episode I & II (GCN, XBX)

Shifting from fantasy to phantasy, Phantasy Star Online: Episode I & II released on the Nintendo GameCube and Xbox with a totally different opening compared to the Dreamcast original. While the Dreamcast opening focused a lot on the events leading up to the story in the game, Episode I & II puts its focus on the world of the game and its characters, particularly its classes. The different classes are highlighted, showcasing their abilities and all the various combinations of costumes and weaponry players can outfit their custom character with. This is accented by a slightly altered but still powerful rendition of The Whole New World (No, not the Aladdin one). 

Gran Turismo 4 - JPN ver. (PS2)

While the North American version of Gran Turismo 4's opening enters into its own jam (specifically Van Halen's Panama) after the introduction of series theme Moon Over the Castle plays, the Japanese version of the game plays the entire piece. Gran Turismo 4 starts out like an indie art film, with a director who really, REALLY loves race cars. The pans and rotations around the various cars in landmarks locations and seeing a white majestic car pull out of the garage while the chorus sings is a glorious start to the opening. Then the rocking part of Moon Over the Castle jams in as fast-paced imagery flies by, views of tracks, cars effortlessly taking corners and turns, and races of unimaginable excitement. An opening as solid as the driving simulator the game markets itself as, Gran Turismo 4 has got the goods and wraps up this edition of Best Openings in Gaming. 

SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs - Tuesdays With Philly Edition

It's time for a special Tuesday edition of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs! These are like being able to see Jupiter or Venus in the night sky-- they happen so rarely! Usually it's because I was swamped with work the previous day, and that sort of qualifies as my excuse for this week's VGM edition being late.

Anyway, I have some great music from a myriad of games and systems to share with you all this week. We start our journey through the land of video game music in Pokemon Black & White 2's Aspertia City. We then drive in one of the cars of Gran Turismo 2 while listening to Moon Over the Castle. Next, we take a side road to "JRPG Town" with Nier and Tales of Xillia. Finally, we trade our wheels for a set of wings with Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War. If you're ready to listen to the music, I'm ready as well!

v911. Pokemon Black & White 2 (DS) - Aspertia City

This Pokemon duo of games marks the first time the protagonist begins his or her adventure in a city as his hometown rather than a small countryside village. This song continues the Pokemon series's tradition of terrific town themes that are memorable, catchy, and can produce a warm feeling of nostalgia to the player.

v912. Gran Turismo 2 (PS1) - Moon Over the Castle

We've heard Moon Over the Castle's arrangement from Gran Turismo 4 on the PlayStation 2. This version comes from the sequel to the original Gran Turismo, as found on the original PlayStation. My, how technology has come since then. Gran Turismo has come far graphically, originally having very blurry and jaggy cars, and now the series has complex weather elements, amazingly detailed tracks to gawk at, and so much more!

v913. Nier (PS3, 360) - Hills of Radiant Wind (Piano Collections Ver.)

I already shared Nier's Hills of Radiant Wind on a previous edition of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs. However, that was the original theme as heard in the game. This piano arrangement comes from Kumi Tanioka of Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles and Ragnarok Odyssey fame. It's an amazing arrangement that seldom fails to resonate with me.

v914. Tales of Xillia (PS3) - The World Sinking into Darkness

How about some soft jazz to bring some emotion to your Tuesday afternoon? Motoi Sakuraba brought his "A" game to the soundtrack of Tales of Xillia, part of the Tales of RPG series that has been around for several decades now. Which Tales game do you like best? I'm still a fan of the very first one I played, the GameCube's Tales of Symphonia.

v915. Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War (PS2) - Zero

This song, Zero, has it all-- orchestral, choir, guitar-- everything you'd want out of an epic theme for a stellar game. Ace Combat: Zero brought with it intense dog-fighting action, the kind that makes the series so beloved with fans. My first Ace Combat game was on the Nintendo 3DS of all places, and it definitely made me a fan, going back to play the entries I missed out on.

SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs - A Sane Oasis in the Desert of Crazy Edition

I find it hard to care about writing about games when there's something much more infuriating happening about 15-20 miles away from my present location. I find it even harder to care about stupid little "outrages" like Ubisoft not pledging any more "mature-rated" content to Nintendo systems or how Samus Aran is wearing too skimpy of an outfit when there's far more important crap happening nearby. When you have an incident like the one in Ferguson occurring so close to you, it really puts the trivial garbage into perspective.

That said, I don't want to completely get consumed by what's happening near my location, 'else I'll lose what little is left of my mind. Therefore, here's SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs, bringing you and most importantly me, some video game tunes, something always sane in this always crazy world. This week's edition features music from Wild Arms, Nier, and The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds.

v686. Wild Arms (PS1) - Into the Wilderness

This plays during the pre-title cutscene in the original Wild Arms for the PlayStation. Of all the RPG franchises that have since laid dormant for a good while, one of the top series that I'd love to see make a return to a PlayStation home console is Wild Arms.

v687. Nier (PS3, 360) - Song of the Ancients Devola

To those who have played Nier, one of the most interesting and memorable parts of the game is the soundtrack, which is sensational. A lot of themes have a rustic feel to it or are supported by vocals. Coincidentally enough, both Nier themes represented on SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs have vocals of the female variety.

v688. Ragnarok Odyssey (PS3, Vita) - The Shining Plains

Ragnarok Odyssey's soundtrack was composed by Kumi Tanioka, who assisted in creating one of my favorite soundtracks, the original Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles soundtrack for the Nintendo GameCube. Ragnarok Odyssey is a more beginner-friendly Monster Hunter clone that received an expansion version in the form of Ragnarok Odyssey ACE. The latter will be the subject of a review later this week.

v689. Beyond Good and Evil (PS2, GCN, XBX) - Home Sweet Home

We're in an industry where old gameplay is masked as new IPs all the time. Big publishers release new franchises, yet these new franchises feel exactly like the old crap being released in the first place. Beyond Good and Evil was released at a time where budgets weren't as wild, creativity wasn't limited to mostly indies (whom hardly even existed back then), and new IPs were all about new gameplay and not just new characters and settings.

v690. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (3DS) - Lorule Castle

I did not expect to be as blown away with The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds as I was. The amount of freedom was rare for a modern-day Zelda game, the world was familiar yet fresh enough to feel great to explore, and the wall merge mechanic was absolutely awesome. And oh, my Hylia, the music! This theme, Lorule Castle, builds layer upon layer as each segment of the final dungeon is completed.

Most Overlooked PlayStation 3 Games - Part Seven

It's been over a year since we've looked at some of the more overlooked titles in the PlayStation 3's very impressive arsenal of games. As always, SuperPhillip Central desires to showcase some games that didn't get their due time in the sun. These next five games are ones that did not sell to their potential, were not talked about a lot, or were simply dismissed by critics or the gaming public at large. If you're ready to read, then we're ready to spotlight some overlooked games! Read on, dear friends!

PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale

There were plenty of rumors surrounding Sony having a developer create its own rival to Nintendo's popular Super Smash Bros. series. At the time, Sony neither confirmed nor denied these rumors, simply saying that don't comment on rumor or speculation. The game was finally revealed on an episode of GTTV in April of last year. The final product released that November to sales that were disappointing at best. It's a shame, too, as PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale isn't a mere imitator to Super Smash Bros.; it has its own identity, with characters using special moves called Supers to score points by obliterating opponents with them. Sure, the roster of characters wasn't the best, but the amount of love for Sony fans and faithfuls alike was incredibly apparent.

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed

The original Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing is one of our favorite kart racers of the generation, easily beating out Mario Kart. Its sequel, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, released last year with lots of critical claim. We here at SuperPhillip Central still prefer the original, as that game didn't have as many annoying glitches or problems with knowing where to go on a given track, but there's no denying that the game was a fun, exhilarating ride. The initial sales were sluggish, prompting the game to quickly drop towards budget price. It's unfortunate, as Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is definitely worth full price, as it's a heavily competent kart racer.

LittleBigPlanet Karting

Oriented more towards children and young teens, LittleBigPlanet Karting found a following with the LBP community, having them create some insanely good tracks with the in-game track creator. The creator allowed players to customize their own tracks to almost OCD-levels of great detail. The actual kart racing was something that a lot of players could take or leave, being difficult even on the so-called Easy Mode. Unfortunately, many PlayStation 3 owners did not have a need for speed with Sackboy and the crew, leaving LittleBigPlanet Karting to be discounted quite quickly.

Anarchy Reigns

As Platinum Games's latest project, The Wonderful 101, has released in several territories already, why not look back at one of their projects from earlier this year. Anarchy Reigns was the follow-up to the Nintendo Wii's MadWorld, offering a mayhem-filled multiplayer mode for online fun. The game had two storylines to follow, with each character's tale overlapping with the other until the final conclusion. Sadly, like MadWorld before it, Anarchy Reigns failed to find an audience on the platforms it was released on, the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It seems like Jack Cayman and the gang are forever fated to fall through the cracks and languish on retail shelves.

Nier

Released to middling reviews, Nier is actually a rather excellent action-RPG that forgoes the need to have a weird-garbed teenager as the primary protagonist and instead goes with a middle-aged man. His quest was to find a cure for the disease his young daughter was suffering the ill effects of. Along the way he explored a fully traversible world, battled monsters of all shapes and sizes, and participated in an immense number of optional side quests. While selling relatively well in its homeland of Japan, Nier failed to capture the attention of Western audiences, leading the game to be quickly discounted or taken off shelves entirely. Those who do take the plunge with Nier will find a journey that is quite unlike anything they have experienced.

SuperPhillip's Favorite VGMs - Winter Wonderland Edition

The season of winter is deep-seeded into North America, and with it comes chilly temperatures, snow, sleet, and a myriad of other inconvenient weather-related elements. Have no fear, however, as SuperPhillip's Favorite VGMs are here to save the day! On today's docket we have music from Katamari Damacy, Wild ARMS, and Tatsunoko VS. Capcom, for starters.

v16. Jet Force Gemini (N64) - Rith Essa


Jet Force Gemini was a third-person shooter with plenty of platforming elements to it. Juno, Vela, and Lupus took on the sinister alien bug known as Mizar in this sensational shooter. Some didn't like the forced Tribal collecting the game threw at you, but I didn't mind it at all. Then again, I was one of the brave souls who completed Donkey Kong 64 100%, so maybe collect-a-thons don't bother me that much. Regardless, JFG's soundtrack was and still is phenomenal to this day. It sounds like something out of space opera AAA blockbuster Hollywood movie. These were the times when Rare was still deemed a tremendous developer before being destroyed by Microsoft. Nonetheless, we will always have Rare's SNES, N64, and early 360 efforts to remember them by.

v17. Nier (PS3, 360) - Hills of Radiant Wind


This lovely vocal piece comes from Nier, an underrated RPG from Square Enix. It is rare that we see a Japanese-RPG that doesn't feature someone the age of twenty or under. Instead what we received was a JRPG starring a parent on a quest to heal his ill daughter. This theme, Hills of Radiant Wind, plays on the world map of sorts with the titular character taking down boars and enemies of all shapes and sizes. If you are looking for an above average RPG that is beyond the typical JRPG story and tropes, check out Nier for either the PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360.

v18. Katamari Damacy (PS2) - Que Sera Sera


Charlie Kosei lends his vocal talents to this jazzy piece from the eclectic Katamari Damacy soundtrack. It provides excellent music to roll everything from household objects like paper clips to pets, wildlife, and even people! Unfortunately, Namco Bandai opted to squeeze the Katamari Damacy sponge dry, even going so far as to make the creator of the series leave the company in disgust. The newest Katamari game will be coming out next month in the form of Touch My Katamari for the PlayStation Vita. Let's hope that there's more changes in store for this stagnant franchise.

v19. Wild ARMS (PS1) - Morning of the Journey


Capping off a tremendous adventure, Rudy, Jack, and Cecilia head home. This piece begins with an electric organ starting us off. Following that is the main beat accompanied with flutes and strings. Then comes an orchestrated version of Adlehyde Castle, one of the main themes of Wild ARMS, an underrated PlayStation One RPG. I never did beat the game legit. I always used the glitch where one could clone Might Apples (or whatever item gave you more strength), and cheat that way. Though to be fair I haven't played Wild ARMS since I was quite young. Regardless, the memories of this game still stay with me to this day.

v20. Tatsunoko VS. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars (Wii) - Orbital Ring Systems Cargo Bay


Did I hear someone say "rave?" This techno theme for Tekkaman Blade's stage gets the blood and adrenaline pumping as you duke it out against anime company Tatsunoko's and video game publisher and developer Capcom's characters. I find this theme to a perfect workout theme, personally. This could just be me, though. I also find that I liked Tatsunoko VS. Capcom way more than Marvel VS. Capcom 3 or its expansion pack. The combat was more enjoyable, the unlockables were more entertaining, and even if the voices weren't dubbed in English, the game was just better than Capcom's 2011 efforts.

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We have once again reached the point where must temporarily say "goodbye" to my favorite VGMs. No worries, though, as next Monday I will have five more fitting favorites to share from my collection of lovely VGMs.

Most Overlooked Xbox 360 Games - Part Three

We've reached the end of the work week, Friday, so let's end it with style with Most Overlooked Xbox 360 Games - Part Three! From Dynasty Warriors Gundam 3 to Child of Eden, we have a set of games that are criminally overlooked by Xbox 360 owners. Let's try to remedy that, shall we?

Dynasty Warriors Gundam 3


Gundams are go. With a plethora of Gundams to pilot through multiple battlefields full of enemies to hack, slash, and shoot, Dynasty Warrior Gundam 3 is a futuristic take on the Dynasty Warrior franchise. Newcomers include Deathscythe Hell, Knight Gundam, Double X, Tallgeese II, Unicorn, Physalis, Sinanju, and many, many more on top of the 30+ returning Gundam to control and unleash their power upon opponents. The all-new cel-shaded art style lends well to the universe and anime aesthetic, giving off a cartoon-like feel to the game. Those who don't mind repetition and short print runs should pilot themselves to a local video game retailer and nab a copy.

NIER


This Mature-rated action-RPG stars Nier as he struggles to find the cure for the Black Scrawl disease, an ailment that has struck his dying daughter. Through his journey he'll slay monsters and demons both big and small with unwavering resolve. NIER received middle of the road reviews which may have put off potential purchasers looking for an action-RPG on their HD system of choice. Not even the Square Enix name (which is slowly but surely losing traction in today's ever-changing game economy) could save this title from sluggish sales. Regardless, fans of RPGs that don't star effeminate young males and games that have rewarding gameplay would be amiss to not check out NIER.

No More Heroes: Heroes' Paradise


Travis Touchdown made his debut on the HD consoles with little fanfare. The Xbox 360 version relied on analog controls instead of the more fulfilling motion controls found on the Wii and PlayStation 3 versions which might be a reason this version sold so poorly. Nonetheless, those who sat down and persevered through the sloppy framerate and graphical glitches could discover an intriguing tale about a sex-crazed otaku who joined the assassin game with only a beam katana won in an online auction. Slicing the heads off unassuming enemies remains an entertaining experience to this day, and it's a shame that more Xbox 360 owners overlooked this gem.

Shadows of the Damned


In Shadows of the Damned players met Garcia Hotspur, a demon hunter searching for his long, lost love in the demented depths of Hell. In order to slay the various demons that stand in the way of his goal, Garcia wields the power of light as well as Johnson, a former demon who can shift-shape into a myriad of useful weapons. On his quest he'll have to face vicious bosses, solve mind-bending puzzles, and venture into the blackest part of Hell if he wants to save his love. This Suda 51-directed, EA-published game failed to capture the attention of consumers even with its unique premise. Unfortunate as there's a lot to be impressed by this hellish romp.

Child of Eden


Exactly what are people buying on their Kinects? Apparently not much as most software sales aren't stellar, and games like Child of Eden are cast to the wayside. It's a shame as this gorgeous game where players are put right in the heart of combat to save Project Lumi is breathtaking. Created by the same man who was behind the PlayStation 2 cult-classic, Rez, Child of Eden is a remarkable journey that utilizes the controls of the Kinect Xbox 360 peripheral in some incredibly unique ways. Along with the Dance Central and Kinect Sports series, it's one of the few games that are worth owning a Kinect for. Unfortunately, a limited print run and poor marketing sent this game out to die.

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That just about wraps up Part Three of the Most Overlooked Xbox 360 Games. Stay tuned in the coming weeks for further installments of your favorite SPC segments.

Underrated Soundtracks This Gen Part 2: And the Beat Goes On

If you recall, a week or two ago I listed a handful of games with under-appreciated soundtracks. Well, this evening I will be doing so again with some more new scores that invoke a warm, fuzzy feeling and were underrated. Let's begin, shall we?

Perfect Dark Zero (360)


David Clynick comes off the impressive Perfect Dark soundtrack with the ever-rocking Perfect Dark Zero score. Whether Jo's shooting through the subway system of the city or safariing through a hot, steamy jungle, there's a great sounding song to back up the ambiance and roar of her weaponry. Classic themes, rock anthems, pan flute melodies, and more await players who pick up this Xbox 360 launch title. Sure, the visuals look dated several years after the fact, but the music still reigns supreme in this writer's heart.

Combat Arena
Rooftops Escape
Subway Retrieval (Descent)

Kameo: Elements of Power (360)


From Hero's Theme to Thorn's Pass, the haunting choir backing these epic songs make up just a sampling of the Kameo: Elements of Power soundtrack. Kameo was another Xbox 360 launch title from Rare, and Rare's games make up a majority of the soundtracks broached about on these segments. Nonetheless, there's a lot to love about this game, and the score is just one of those things. It's always impressive when a game's soundtrack rivals that of big budget blockbuster movies, and Kameo is just another example of this in the video game industry.

Hero's Theme
Thorn's Pass
Castle Fight

NIER (PS3, 360)


GamesAndBiz, a reader of SuperPhillip Central, mentioned this game in the comments section of the original list. I just so happened to agree with his sentiments on the soundtrack. One could argue that NIER was an underrated gem itself, so it only makes sense that the game's score would be underrated, too. The titular character's journey to find the cure to his daughter's disease is only heightened by the powerful and gripping music accompanying his quest. Take a listen to the following trio of examples to understand why NIER makes my list.

Hills of Radiant Winds
The Lost Forest
Deep Crimson Foe

The Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces (Wii)


The Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces for Nintendo Wii is based off the anime of the same way. The game itself features intense dog-fighting, high-flying action, and a myriad of missions to play through. What accompanies the game is a stellar soundtrack which increases the tension as pilots protect precious cargo, take down enemy fighters, and escort a fleet to home base. Forgive the generic names of the songs as there is no official soundtrack was official names to these pieces. Regardless, these themes speak for themselves.

BGM (5)
BGM (14)
BGM (17)

Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift (DS)


Recently reviewed, Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift is a tremendous tactical RPG that oozes with charm. The soundtrack in part by Hitoshi Sakimoto (who coincidentally has composed the music for the other games in the series) is simply sensational with some themes borrowed from Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. However, most of the music is brand-new, and it sounds fantastic. These songs I have selected I believe best represent the new audio content offered of the FFTA2 soundtrack.

Crossing Over the Hill
A Time Eternal
Into the Fantasy

LocoRoco 2 (PSP)


This game is not only quirky gameplay-wise, but it's also off-the-wall in the music department as well. With childlike vocals, a capella tracks, gibberish noises, and much more, the LocoRoco 2 soundtrack is a carnival of surprisingly fun sounds. It's difficult to pick just three pieces of music, but I somehow managed to get by regardless. Just listen to the examples provided, and you, too, will understand just how awesomely bizarre the entire score of the game truly is.

Dadhi Dado Da
Muimui House
Moja's Song

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There you have it. Another installment of Underrated Soundtracks in the books. Do you have a personal favorite soundtrack that I have forgotten thus far? Enlighten me in the comments section. Your words are always appreciated.