Soundtracks

• Game Music

  Run For Your Life: Canabalt Soundtrack Now Available

  January 29, 2010 | Joshua Kopstein | 1 Comment Share this Run For Your Life: Canabalt Soundtrack Now Available

  

  You don’t need to be jumping across rooftops to fully enjoy the music from Adam Atomic’s pixelated parkour game, Canalbalt. But then again, it probably helps. Composer Danny Baranowsky has released a mini-soundtrack for the hugely popular Flash/iPhone game through his Bandcamp music page, which can be streamed for free or downloaded for as low as $3 (you can name your own price). The soundtrack features both of the game’s pulse-pounding musical themes, including ringtone cuts for your mobile phone and an 8-minute long megamix of music from Fathom, another project by the Adam/Danny duo.

  If for some reason you still haven’t played Canabalt, you can try it out right now on Adam Atomic’s website. You can also download it on your iPhone for a mere $3. Trust me, it’s worth every penny. For more indie game music goodness, don’t forget to check out the VVVVVV soundtrack, which we have generously reviewed for you (SPOILERS: It’s really, really good).

• Game Music

  Go Go Go! Bionikku! Bionic Commando/Dead Rising Review

  January 25, 2010 | Audun Sorlie | 1 Comment Share this Go Go Go! Bionikku! Bionic Commando/Dead Rising Review

  

  As a kid, I was always really into Bionic Commando on the NES. The game offered something different from the other games at time, and captured my imagination and interest quickly with the swing hook game play and WW2 influences throughout the game. My father is a writer and WW2 historian, and it was one of the few games outside of racing games I can remember him looking up from his books at and being slightly interested; the game portrayed Nazis well enough for even my old man to pick up just by watching. The music, by Junko Tamiya, was memorable and still echos in my memories to this day with its militaristic approach and emotional melodies.

  In 2008, the now defunct Swedish game developer GRIN was commissioned by CAPCOM to make a remake of Bionic Commando titled Bionic Commando: Rearmed. In Japan, the remake was released as Bionic Commando: Master D Resurrection Project and while the marketing in the west relied on nostalgia and cross promotion with the development of an all new sequel, Japan took a different approach. Part of that approach was the release of a special promotional soundtrack, which also happens to be today’s review, Bionic Commando / Dead Rising.

  Read on to find out more about the musical promotion for Bionic Commando! (more…)

• Game Music, Reviews

  Ys SEVEN Original Soundtrack: Kicking 7 Shades of… (Review)

  December 9, 2009 | Wes Chung | 7 Comments Share this Ys SEVEN Original Soundtrack: Kicking 7 Shades of… (Review)

  

  In 1987, Nihon Falcom released a simple action-RPG with genre-defining music called Ys: Ancient Ys Vanished. 22 years, over ten games, and almost a googolplex of arranged CDs later, the franchise continues to adhere to these two elements. From rock-synth and memorable MIDI ditties to full orchestral arrangements, Ys will likely be remembered far more for its music than any other aspect, so we won’t open this review with any sort of query or cliff-hanger.

  Ys SEVEN’s soundtrack is great, and after the jump we’ll tell you why. (more…)

• Game Music

  Putting Some Shine On Toushinden Wii: DVD Pre-Order Bonus

  November 19, 2009 | Audun Sorlie | 1 Comment Share this Putting Some Shine On Toushinden Wii: DVD Pre-Order Bonus

  Remember Toushinden? It was one of the launch titles on PlayStation back in 1995 under the name Battle Arena Toshinden. The game was quite awesome in my opinion, as I always enjoyed fighters and took a special liking to ones that didn’t immediately fall into the Street Fighter II clone pit. The music was great too, done by Yasuhiro Nakano with some assistance from Makoto Mukai. Toushinden was followed by numerous sequels for PSX and Game Boy, and even got the anime treatment from Masami Oubari, the man who was also behind the Fatal Fury and Voltage Fighter Gowcaizer animes. The series eventually faded at the dawn of the PS2 release, and nothing has been heard since.

  Until now that is! Takaratomy have announced they are reviving the series on the Wii, and have released some promotional videos to showcase the game, which can be compared to Castlevania Judgment. They also announced that pre-orders will come with a limited edition DVD, containing a making-of, character profiles, artwork, voice actor interviews and the complete soundtrack! As of now the composer is not known, and it is unclear if they are bringing back Yasuhiro Nakano to score the game, but I wouldn’t hold my breath on the chance of that happening. Takaratomy have however revealed they are using the voice actor group AKB48 with talent like Sato Amina and Yui Matsushita. Another male voice actor who has been confirmed is Hikari Midorikawa, a well known voice actor fondly remembered by fans as Heero Yui in Gundam Wing. The game is out on December 10th.

  What do you think of Toushinden returning?

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