RPGFan's Rhythm Encounter

174 - Music of the Year 2025

RPGFan.com — Tue, 13 Jan 2026 13:03:34 -0500

Well hello there, and yes, it is time for a super-sized episode of Rhythm Encounter to celebrate many of the excellent RPG soundtracks, arrangements, and more from 2025. That's right, it's Music of the Year 2025 time! With four panelists who each brought on three songs, this is certainly our longest episode in awhile. That's why we're releasing it a bit ahead of schedule, so there's more time to listen before our next episode. So join us for a walk down a very recent memory lane, and be sure to let us know what your favorite 2025 music was!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Patrick Gann, Matt Wardell, Paul Skevington; Edited by Jono Logan

Tracklist
Pat's Picks
0:03:24 - Battle Theme / Final Fantasy XI (comp. Naoshi Mizuta, arr. Kyota.) - #SQkawaii Sounds -Final Fantasy-
0:17:21 - Field of Hopes and Dreams (comp. Toby Fox, arr./perf. Trevor Alan Gomes) - Deltarune Piano Collections: Volume 1
0:28:33 - Spiritual Rainstorm (Kazuki Yanagawa) - Atelier Yumia ~The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land~

Paul's Picks
0:43:21 - Lune (Lorien Testard, Alice Duport-Percier) - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
1:01:02 - Doomed City (Darren Korb) - Hades II
1:24:31 - KIKIKAITAI (Murasaki & Kanna Katata) - Urban Myth Dissolution Center

Matt's Music
1:37:11 - Toward Unseen Horizons (Miwako Chinone) - Monster Hunter Wilds
1:50:04 - The Clear Blue Sky (Tsukasa [aka Yosuke Hatakeyama]) - Lies of P: Overture
2:05:22 - Emil (comp. MONACA, arr. Hiroyuki Nakayama) - NieR: Piano Journeys

Mike's Music
2:22:14 - Lavos' Theme (comp. Yasunori Mitsuda, arr. Shogo Nomura) - Chrono Trigger Piano Soundscape Arrangement
2:36:55 - The Baron of Mount Holly (Trigg & Gusset) - Blue Prince
3:00:38 - Roses of May (Dawntrail) (comp. Nobuo Uematsu, arr. Masayoshi Soken) - Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail EP 6
3:24:32 - Group Bonus Track!

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.

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173 - Investigating Fall Music

RPGFan.com — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 08:00:00 -0500

Given the monumental releases throughout most of 2025, it would be easy to think we saw the best of what last year had to offer by September. But nay! The last quarter of 2025 graced us with many excellent releases, and today we discuss a couple of arrangement albums worth your time, plus four brand-new games and their associated soundtracks that you won't want to miss out on. As always, find links in our show notes and on RPGFan.com to see all of our Q4 considerations, places to buy and stream, and more!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Patrick Gann; Edited by Mike Salbato

Tracklist
0:16:10 - Legendary Hero (comp. Koji Kondo, arr. ROZEN) - Ballads of Hyrule III
0:25:41 - Into the Thick of It (comp. Hiroki Kikuta, arr. Torsten Rasch, perf. Mischa Cheung) - Piano Fantasies – music from SQUARE ENIX
0:42:03 - Tuesday Overworld (Investigation) (Kurt Feldman) - Demonschool
0:51:58 - Searching Room (Joey Lopes) - Detective Instinct: Farewell, My Beloved
1:02:55 - Intergalactic Convertible (Andrew Arcadi) - Dispatch1:16:07 - Green River (Gareth Coker) - Absolum

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.

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172 - Happy Jólabókaflóðið!

RPGFan.com — Mon, 22 Dec 2025 08:00:00 -0500

We're getting festive today on Rhythm Encounter, but maybe not in the way you'd expect. It's the end of year holiday season, and we are taking inspiration from a holiday that celebrates another thing I like as much as video game music: books! Jólabókaflóðið — which roughly translates to "Christmas book flood" — is an Icelandic Christmas Eve tradition where people gift each other books and stay up reading them, possibly with a nice hot cocoa. We thought this was a great opportunity to provide some excellent video game music to pair with various authors, genres, and specific reads. Please join our assembled panel of connoisseurs as we discuss the two together. Happy reading, listening, and holidays!

Featuring: Hilary Andreff, Rob White, Audra Bowling, and Matt Wardell; Edited by Mike Salbato

Links and books mentioned in this episode

Jólabókaflóðið official site
Between Two Fires - Chris Buehlman (The Road x Dark Souls)
Blade Runner “Ash” Comic Series (2019, 2029, 2039) - Michael Green and Mike Johnson
Brave Story - Miyuki Miyabe
Chronicles of the Avatar Series - F.C. Lee (Kyoshi and Yangcheng duologies) and Randy Ribay (Roku duology)
The City and the City - China Miéville (Disco Elysium adjacent)
Colourless Tsukuru Tazaki and his Years of Pilgrimage - Haruki Murakami
Fifteen Dogs - Andre Alexis (Gods give dogs human intelligence)
Legend of Exorcism: Tianbao Fuyao Lu Series - Fei Tian Ye Xiang
Legends & Lattes - Travis Baldree
The Little Prince - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
The Midnight Library - Matt Haig
Norwegian Wood - Haruki Murakami
Pandora’s Star - Peter F. Hamilton
The Pillars of the Earth - Ken Follett
Piranesi - Susanna Clarke
The Shadow on the Glass - Ian Irvine
Shakespeare’s Tremor and Orwell’s Cough - John J. Ross, M.D.

Tracklist

In Search of Lost Time
0:12:26 - Before the Fall (Laurence Chapman) - Heaven’s Vault
0:23:05 - Last Silhouette (Masafumi Takada) - Digimon Story: Time Stranger

The Canterbury Tales
0:33:55 - Adventure of the Would-be Hero (Oliver Good) - Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars
0:45:32 - Sic arsit historia kiersis (Alkemie) - Pentiment

The Left Hand of Darkness
0:57:42 - Voices from the Abyss (Izumi Wu, Rizet Tseng, Hong Zhang Su) - Xuan-Yuan Sword 7
1:12:29 - The Insulindian Miracle (Sea Power) - Disco Elysium

A Scanner Darkly
1:23:55 - Signal Haze (Amos Roddy) - Citizen Sleeper
1:35:17 - When Mother Was There (Shoji Meguro) - Persona 5
1:52:40 - Matt's Bonus Track!

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.

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171 - Une Vie À Musique

RPGFan.com — Wed, 10 Dec 2025 08:00:00 -0500

Well we finally did it: An episode all about one of this generation's most stunning soundtracks, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. We talk about the beauty, the melancholy, the cellos, the feelings, and really, the feelings that Lorien Testard and Alice Duport-Percier evoke every time we play the game or listen to the soundtrack. If you know, you know, but even if you don't, we welcome you on this journey!

Though please note that the second half (Act?) of this episode delves into major spoiler territory, so proceed with caution if you continue to listen!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Zach Wilkerson, Hilary Andreff, Aleks Franiczek; Edited by Mike Salbato

Tracklist
0:07:40 - The Manor - Our Painted Family (Lorien Testard)
0:18:49 - Flying Waters - Goblu (Lorien Testard, Alice Duport-Percier)
0:28:12 - Monoco (Lorien Testard)
0:37:24 - ‌Forgotten Battlefield - Dualliste (Lorien Testard, Alice Duport-Percier)

Spoiler Warning for the rest of these songs!
0:51:16 - Verso (Lorien Testard)
1:03:01 - Une vie à t'aimer (Lorien Testard, Alice Duport-Percier, Victor Borba)
1:24:13 - Alicia (Lorien Testard, Alice Duport-Percier)
1:36:40 - ‌Aline (Lorien Testard, Alice Duport-Percier, perf. Orchestre Curieux) - Orchestral Sessions
1:55:29 - Mike's Bonus Track!

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170 - Elements of the Rhythm Nation

RPGFan.com — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 13:00:00 -0500

In the distant past of 2021, our panel on Rhythm Encounter 74 chose songs based around eight elements of their choosing. Today we follow up on this elemental idea, but focused on four core elements of water, earth, fire, and air. With each element represented by two people, we compare and contrast each others' approaches. Where could we take the concept next? Let us know!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Matt Wardell, Audra Bowling; Edited by Mike Salbato

Links for this episode

Tracklist
Water (Go With the Flow!)
0:11:56 - Verdant Overflow (Darren Malley) - Mythic Ocean
0:14:37 - Currents (Miki Higashino, arr. Yoko Ueno, vocals KOKIA) - Genso Suikoden II Music Collection ~Orrizonte~/Genso Suikogaiden Vol. 1: Swordsman of Harmonia

Earth (We Will Rock You!)
0:30:04 - Earth Dancer (Noriyuki Asakura) - Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma
0:36:03 - Vagrant Song (Appalachia) [feat. Jillian Aversa] (Ryan Ike) - Where the Water Tastes Like Wine

Fire (Get Out of the Kitchen!)
0:54:02 - Destiny of Love (Inon Zur feat. Aubrey Ashburn) - Dragon Age II: Epic Times
0:57:27 - Bhangra Battle (Marskye) - Thirsty Suitors

Air (This Will Blow Your Socks Off!)
1:14:41 - Dragonhead Island (Tsukasa Usui) - The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
1:18:00 - A Moment with Zelda (Takeshi Hama) - The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
1:41:32 - Matt's Bonus Track!

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169 - Electro-Bangers Galore!

RPGFan.com — Mon, 10 Nov 2025 08:00:00 -0500

Throughout the planning for this episode, we jokingly used the term "Electro-Bangers," with credit to panelist Rob White, knowing full well we wouldn't use it in the end. But then we figured... why not? This episode is full of excellent electronic music and they are all bangers, so there you have it. Some are from places you'd expect like Yakuza: Like a Dragon, Stellar Blade, and Shin Megami Tensei V, but others may surprise you!

We were also supposed to encourage you to revisit Rhythm Encounter 119 - RPG Dance Party, but since we all got too invested in today's picks, consider THIS your reminder to listen to that episode as a followup. Get yourself revved up and join us!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Gio Castillo, Audra Bowling, Rob White; Edited by Jono Logan

Tracklist
Dance Off!
0:05:35 - Battle -dancing crazy murder- (Ryota Kozuka) - Shin Megami Tensei V
0:10:03 - Red's Dance - Two Legs, Nothin' To it (Nobuo Uematsu, Mitsuto Suzuki) - Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

Clubs & Cupcakes
0:28:00 - ‌Techno Madness (Jesse Allen) - Mass Effect 2 Unreleased OST
0:30:18 - Spider Dance (Toby Fox, arr. by arthur x medic, VOIA) - Straight from the Underground (Undertale)

The GoCho Special
0:45:24 - Scarlet (Phase 2) (Hyunmin Cho) - Stellar Blade Original Soundtrack PLUS
0:49:08 - ‌The Butterfly’s Invitation (Go Shiina) - God Eater 2 Rage Burst

Urban Beats
1:05:53 - Primal Perspective (Parasite Eve) (Yoko Shimomura, arr. by Xavier "mv" Dang) - World 1-2: Encore
1:12:46 - Receive You the Hyperactive (Hidenori Shoji, arr. 83key) - Yakuza: Like a Dragon
1:35:07 - Rob's Bonus Track!

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168 - Dear me, I was... Not Born Yet in 1995

RPGFan.com — Mon, 13 Oct 2025 08:00:00 -0400

With another quarter come and gone, we reflect on the games and music released in the last three months to showcase some of our favorite discoveries! From new takes on classics, to brand new music IN classics, alongside straight up new games, there have been several notable happenings in RPG music. Check out our six picks, and don't miss the list of links for everything we considered in the show notes, since there are many worthwhile musical releases you won't want to miss.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Matt Wardell, Patrick Gann; Edited by Mike Salbato

Links for this episode

Tracklist
0:03:45 - Alexandra’s Shop (Tyler Mire) - Quartet
0:14:43 - Düstersee (comp. Masashi Hamauzu, arr. Junnosuke Usui) - SaGa Frontier 2 Remastered
0:28:05 - Shadow of You (Satoshi Okubo) - Dear me, I was...
0:41:20 - Wind Scene (Chrono Trigger) (comp. Yasunori Mitsuda, arr. & perf. Ohta Mitsuhiro) - Guitar Cover Collection from SQUARE ENIX MUSIC Channel
0:58:37 - Kookai Foundation (comp. Yasunori Mitsuda, arr. Hiroyuki Nakayama, perf. Benyamin Nuss) - Across the Kosmos ~ Xenosaga Piano Collection
1:08:05 - Cradle of the Abyss (Leenzee, 8082Audio) - Wuchang: Fallen Feathers

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.

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167 - Naoshi Mizuta Spotlight

RPGFan.com — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 08:00:00 -0400

Today we highlight a composer and games that don't often appear on the show. Naoshi Mizuta's music credits span 30 years, and much of that time has been with Square Enix leading the charge on Final Fantasy XI's soundtrack. That Final Fantasy XI, which launched in 2002 on PC and the PlayStation 2 (TWO!), is still running today is a feat in itself. But so are Mizuta's continued efforts to create music for it and many other games over that time. Today we feature several different types of FFXI tracks among other great works by this talented composer and arranger.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Audra Bowling, Patrick Gann; Edited by Jono Logan

Tracklist
Thirteensies
0:13:11 - Eternal Winds - The Dead Dunes (English Ver.) (comp. Nobuo Uematsu, arr. and lyrics Naoshi Mizuta, perf. Kenneth Pinyopusarerk) - Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII: Original Soundtrack PLUS
0:16:03 - Noel's Theme (Naoshi Mizuta) - Final Fantasy XIII-2

Elevensies
0:40:17 - Ragnarok (Naoshi Mizuta) - Final Fantasy XI: Treasures of Aht Urhgan (found on Wings of the Goddess OST)
0:43:09 - Xarcabard (Naoshi Mizuta) - Sanctuary: FINAL FANTASY XI Music from the other side of Vana'diel

RPG Staples
1:06:18 - Dragon Riding (Naoshi Mizuta) - Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light
1:09:12 - ‌Heavens Tower (Naoshi Mizuta) - Final Fantasy XI

Nanaa Mihgo's Celebration
1:32:24 - Clash of Wills (2023 OST Mix) (Naoshi Mizuta, perf. by Nanaa Mihgo’s) - Final Fantasy Grandmasters
1:36:18 - ‌Goddesspeed (Naoshi Mizuta, perf. Nanaa Mihgo's) - Final Fantasy XI Gifts from Vana'diel: Prime Memories
2:00:52 - Pat's Bonus Track!

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.

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166 - Echoes of Eorzea: Final Fantasy XIV

RPGFan.com — Wed, 17 Sep 2025 08:00:00 -0400

It sure is weird to think that our last dedicated Final Fantasy XIV episode was almost four years ago, with Episode 69: What Moogle Wakes Me? Today, with a 75% different set of panelists, we return to "RPGFan's Favorite MMORPG" with selections from several of FFXIV's expansions, including fan favorites like Endwalker and Shadowbringers, up through 2024's Dawntrail. Join us as we adventure throughout Eorzea, The First, and beyond!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Mario Garcia, Matt Wardell, Wes Iliff; Edited by Mike Salbato

Links for this episode

Misheard Lyrics: Alphascape v3.0 [O11] - YouTube

Tracklist
Towers and Giants
0:14:25 - A Long Fall (Masayoshi Soken) - Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers
0:16:40 - In the Belly of the Beast (Masayoshi Soken) - Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers

Serenity
0:33:58 - Skybound Emerald (Daiki Ishikawa) - Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail
0:38:22 - Sands of Amber (Masayoshi Soken) - Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers

Lord of the Castle
0:58:02 - A Trail Unending (Masayoshi Soken) - Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail
1:01:02 - Amatsu Kaze (Masayoshi Soken) - Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood

Peaceful Days
1:21:39 - The Day Will Come (Endwalker) (comp. Nobuo Uematsu, arr. Takafumi Imamura) - Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker
1:24:51 - Coffee Break (Masayoshi Soken) - Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail
1:51:48 - Matt's Bonus Track!

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165 - It's Wild Arms, Pardner!

RPGFan.com — Mon, 01 Sep 2025 15:20:00 -0400

We last celebrated the beloved Wild Arms series in 2022's episode 93, where we paired its Western stylings with Shadow Hearts, in honor of the then-new Armed Fantasia/Penny Blood Kickstarter. Now, almost exactly three years later, we are talking exclusively about Wild Arms. This series of RPGs from Media.Vision and Sony featured a distinctive Wild West flair, with exciting soundtracks to boot.

While there sadly have been no new games in the series since 2007's Wild Arms XF (unless you count Wild Arms: Million Memories and its less-than-two-year mobile game lifespan, which we aren't!), we still have five main games, a remake, and a tactical spinoff packed with memorable music, almost all of which feature on today's show. Saddle up pal, it's Wild ARrms!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Audra Bowling, Matt Wardell, Wes Iliff; Edited by Mike Salbato

Links for this episode

Andrew W.K. - Gundam Rock (YouTube)

Tracklist
The Warmth of a Desert Morning Stirs My Heart
0:13:35 - A Person's Warmth (Michiko Naruke) - Wild Arms 3
0:16:33 - The Shaman Princess' Feelings (Michiko Naruke) - Wild ARMs

The Remnants of Determined Relaxation
0:33:52 - A Town Where the West Wind Blows (Michiko Naruke) - Wild ARMs 2
0:34:55 - Courage (Michiko Naruke) - Wild Arms Alter Code: F

The Whistle of Memory - Blazing Suns
0:56:02 - ‌Migratory Birds-Scoundrels (Michiko Naruke) - Wild Arms 3
0:59:35 - When the Heart Ignites (Noriyasu Agematsu) - Wild Arms 5

A Voice in the Desert Calls to Me
1:21:05 - ‌as time goes by ~We Won't Forget~ (Michiko Naruke, vocals by Franki Love) - Wild Arms 4
1:25:05 - Because You Are Here Looking Up at the Sky (Opening Theme) (Michiko Naruke, vocals by Kaori Aso) - Wild Arms 4
1:44:14 - Wes' Bonus Track!

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.

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164 - Sean Schafianski: The Sequel

RPGFan.com — Mon, 18 Aug 2025 08:00:00 -0400

It's been almost exactly 11 years to the day since we last welcomed video game arranger, producer, and saxophonist Sean Schafianski onto Rhythm Encounter, so it's long past time we had him on again! With a string of excellent new arrangement albums throughout last year and this year, there's so much to talk about. From his work on Jazz Arrange Version: Chrono Cross to a 3 "disc" full remaster arrangement of Final Fantasy VI and so much more that even two hours only covered so much of it!

But it was a great conversation with music you don't want to miss. Be sure to check below for links on where you can listen to more of Sean's work as well.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Patrick Gann, Sean Schafianski; Edited by Jono Logan

Links

Tracklist
Clowns, Gods, and Bird Folk
0:12:36 - Dancing Mad (comp. Nobuo Uematsu) - Remastered Soundtrack: Final Fantasy VI, Disc 3
0:16:15 - Island (comp. Yoshino Aoki) - Letters from Wyndia: Music from Breath of Fire III

Time & Space
0:45:13 - Primitive Mountain (comp. Nobuo Uematsu) - Remastered Tracks: Chrono Trigger
0:47:20 - Fields of Time (Home) (comp. Yasunori Mitsuda) - Jazz Arrange Version: Chrono Cross

Storm Clouds
1:09:16 - Matataki Village (comp. Tomohito Nishiura) - Remastered Tracks: Dark Cloud
1:10:58 - Distant Thunder (from Secret of Mana) (comp. Hiroki Kikuta) - Remembrance: A Game Music Tribute
1:48:09 - Sean's Bonus Track!

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.

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163 - Princes, Expeditions, Dating, the 1980s, and More

RPGFan.com — Mon, 04 Aug 2025 08:00:00 -0400

Call it spring, some spring and some summer, or the most accurate but boring moniker, "Q2 2025," but the second quarter of this year saw the release of some VERY musically important titles in RPGFan's coverage. While Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 looms over everything in the RPG space for this time period, there were many notable other releases that also deserve your time, from RPGs to adventure games and visual novels.

Oh, and classic RPG fans, just for the record, Mike would have included a song in honor of the overdue release of the Super Mario RPG (Remake + SNES) OST if he hadn't featured that game in our prior episode!

As usual, we also have a longer list below of the many albums and releases we considered for this episode, so don't miss it!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff; Edited by Mike Salbato

Links for this episode

Tracklist
0:07:51 - The 80s Called (Thomas Regin) - Old Skies
0:13:23 - Encounter Elite! (Narcis Version) (Eric W. Brown) - Sea of Stars: Throes of the Watchmaker
0:19:05 - Ever Higher (Toby Fox) - Deltarune Chapters 3+4
0:24:14 - Theme from Capriccio Infernal (John Michael Tatum) - Date Everything
0:32:46 - Éveil (Lorien Testard) - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
0:40:09 - Under the Black Bridge (Trigg & Gusset) - Blue Prince

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.

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162 - A Very Nintendo Summer

RPGFan.com — Sun, 20 Jul 2025 15:00:00 -0400

The Switch 2 is here! Is what we would have opened with had this episode gone up on time. Still, Nintendo's latest is the newest console on the market and it's doing pretty well, so we gathered up some fans of Nintendo music for this one. To try something new and to celebrate a wider range of Nintendo music history, each panelist was allowed to choose one non-RPG song, which resulted in a great episode of both expected and unexpected musical choices.

Even branching out like this barely scratches the surface of Nintendo's long music history, but we gotta start somewhere! If you're still reading this, we both know there's only one way to kick this off: Let's-a-go!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Gio Castillo, Matt Wardell, Tom Cox; Edited by Mike Salbato

Tracklist
Block of Affection
0:27:38 - ‌Because I Love You (Keiichi Suzuki, arranged by Kenji Kondo) - Mother 1+2
0:31:01 - Caring (Kazuki Komai) - Fire Emblem Engage

Giants and Monsters
0:47:24 - ‌Yellow Giant (2023 Remaster) (Tatsuhiko Asano) - Doshin the Giant
0:49:54 - Ecruteak City (Go Ichinose) - Pokémon HeartGold & SoulSilver

Butter Galaxy
1:16:46 - ‌Gusty Garden Galaxy (Mahito Yakota) - Super Mario Galaxy
1:19:10 - Butter Building (Tomoya Tomita, Jun Ishikawa, Hirokazu Ando) - Kirby's Epic Yarn

From the Stars
1:38:08 - ‌Title (Kenji Yamamoto) - Metroid Prime
1:40:16 - Fight Against Smithy (Yoko Shimomura) - Super Mario RPG (Remake)
2:09:40 - Tom's Bonus Track!

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.

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161 - Mobile RPG Music Medley

RPGFan.com — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 08:00:00 -0400

Say what you want about your average mobile game, but there are a growing number of great RPGs you can play on your phone. Sure, some have hostile gacha mechanics, and many of the best get shut down eventually, but the care, budget, attention, and talent that goes into some mobile RPG soundtracks is no less than their console or PC brethren. In some cases, it's even tragic (or tragedic...) that we may only have a collection of music to remember some games by. So join us today as we cover a bunch of music for games that rarely, if ever, make their way into typical episodes of Rhythm Encounter!

(Please note this episode was recorded far in advance of publication, so the notes about recent episodes of our other podcasts are outdated, but you should listen to them anyway!)

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Patrick Gann, Audra Bowling, Pete Leavitt; Edited by Jono Logan

Links for this episode

Tracklist
What's in a Name, Anyway?
0:09:54 - ‌Smoke Signals at Sea (Yasunori Nishiki) - Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent OST vol.2
0:13:20 - Tragedic Paramours (Shunsuke Tsuchiya) - Another Eden OST 2

Boisterous Relaxation
0:30:30 - The story so far (Shuhei Naruse, perf. Chisato Akita) - The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel - Northern War
0:34:44 - Jinzhou (maybe jixwang) - Wuthering Waves

Heartbreak Block
0:51:50 - Smooth White (Takeharu Ishimoto, Devin Kinoshita) - Final Fantasy Record Keeper OST Vol. 5
0:56:08 - ‌Entrance: Celestial Fulcrum (Kenji Ito, arr. Kohei Tanaka, perf. Ayano Nonomura) - Romancing SaGa Re;univerSe

Flow and Deepspace
1:12:47 - Whence the Flow Cometh / Springvale I (Yu-Peng Chen) - Genshin Impact
1:14:12 - ‌Love and Deepspace (Sarah Brightman) - Love and Deepspace
1:39:23 - Pete's Bonus Track!

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160 - Foliage Ocean: The Second Story

RPGFan.com — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 08:00:00 -0400

It's been nearly nine years since we published our first episode about RPG forest music, so it is high time we revisited the topic! Forest music comes in several varieties, from contemplative to mysterious, upbeat to foreboding, and many more. Today's long-awaited episode covers RPG music with a real range, both in terms of styles but also in that the games span many years, between 1995 and 2022! Give it a listen and let us know what some of your favorite forest music is.

Also, an important note to our listeners: We apologize for the delay in publishing this episode! We have recently been short staffed in the audio editing department. So while we have continued to record Rhythm Encounter episodes during this unplanned hiatus, it has taken longer than planned to edit them. We are hoping to be back on our regular bi-weekly schedule starting here, though! We appreciate your patience, and hey, if you or anyone you know would want to help us with editing our podcasts, let us know! And thank you to Jono Logan for stepping in to edit!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Gio Castillo, Audra Bowling; Edited by Jono Logan

Links for this episode

Tracklist
Arboreal Aspirations
0:09:04 - ‌In the Deep Woods (ConcernedApe) - Stardew Valley
0:11:08 - ‌As I Feel, You Feel (Nobuo Uematsu) - Final Fantasy V: Dear Friends

Bacon & Eggs
0:33:03 - ‌Starting Over (Naoshi Mizuta, perf. by Joelle) - Final Fantasy XIII-2
0:38:20 - ‌Secret of Forest (Yasunori Mitsuda, arr. by Guido - Hiroshi Hata and Kalta Ohtsuki) - Chrono Trigger: The Brink of Time

Great Silence
1:04:50 - ‌Silence of the Forest (Revo) - Bravely Default
1:09:15 - Dungeon1 The Great Forest (Takashi Tsuzuki and Seitaro Tsuzuki) - Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising

Devilish Visitors
1:22:26 - ‌A Visitor in the Forest (Marika Suzuki) - Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin
1:24:18 - ‌Devil Forest (Hiroyuki Yanada) - Last Bible III
1:45:11 - Audra's Bonus Track!

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159 - Press Start Again: More RPG Title Screen Music

RPGFan.com — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 19:27:00 -0400

RPG title screens bear a heavy burden. They're one of the first things we see in a game, making them one of the best places to leave a strong first impression. And often, a key component of that is the music. Several years ago, we highlighted eight standout title screen tracks in episode 71, and today, with a new panel, we're highlighting eight more! Come in and enjoy the music of several games you may know and some you likely don't. Welcome Matt to his first episode, and learn why there's an Elvis song in our links below, in this jam-packed episode of, well, jams!

As a side note, this episode's publish date was moved back, so some of the info near the end about Random Encounter and Retro Encounter's schedule is accurate, if behind where the shows currently are.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Gio Castillo, Tin Manuel, Matt Wardell; Edited by Mike Salbato

Links for this episode

Tracklist
Peaceful Beginnings
0:11:20 - ‌Somnus (Instrumental Version) (Yoko Shimomura) - Final Fantasy XV
0:13:46 - Dearly Beloved -KINGDOM HEARTS III Version- (Yoko Shimomura) - Kingdom Hearts III

Cheerful Beginnings
0:32:30 - ‌Solramimi (Kazuki Yanagawa) - Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout
0:34:27 - Title (Hideki Tobeta) - Community Pom

Emotional Beginnings
0:56:01 - Dragon Age: Origins (Inon Zur) - Dragon Age: Origins
0:58:46 - ‌Off-Seer (Yasunori Mitsuda) - Xenoblade Chronicles 3

There's-no-time-for-backup Beginnings
1:20:49 - Metropolitan Edge (Akira Yamaoka) - The 25th Ward: The Silver Case
1:23:47 - Invitation to the Overworld‌ (Yukihide Takekawa) - Soul Blazer
1:53:10 - Matt's Bonus Track!

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158 - Winter 2025: Pirates, Urban Myths, Magnolias, and More

RPGFan.com — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 08:00:00 -0400

Continuing our new run of quarterly new music updates is our first episode for 2025, and it's a truly notable start. We have a range of new music today, from well composed soundtracks that play homage to earlier console generations to new projects from popular Minecraft composer C418. We also continue to take our definition of music from a certain timeframe liberally and even have music for a game that doesn't exist (anymore). May these episodes help you learn more about new game music releases, and we'll be ready for more next quarter!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff; Edited by Mike Salbato

Links for this episode

Extremely OK Games: Final Earthblade Update

Tracklist
0:04:58 - ‌Batten Down the Hatches (Winifred Phillips) - Flint: Treasure of Oblivion
0:12:08 - Child of the Earth (Lena Raine) - Earthblade ~ Across the Bounds of Fate
0:23:28 - ‌Acoustic: Main Theme of FFVII - Battle Edit (Nobuo Uematsu, arr. Takaaki Nakagawa) - Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Acoustic Arrangements
0:34:00 - A Different Sun (Amos Roddy) - Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector
0:43:22 - Truth (Ada-P) - Urban Myth Dissolution Center
0:52:08 - Main theme (Mili feat. Cassie Wei) - ENDER MAGNOLIA: Bloom in the Mist
1:09:02 - Hilary's Bonus Track!

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157 - Visual Novel Soundscapes

RPGFan.com — Tue, 18 Mar 2025 16:00:00 -0400

It's visual novel day at Rhythm Encounter! Following one of the quickest sign-up processes ever for our show, four visual novel fans have come together to share thoughts on the music of eight visual novels, but they discuss so many more in the process. We all quickly learned that this topic will have to make an appearance again because the well of inspiration is so very deep. But for today, listen as our panel digs in to Suikogaiden, Ever17, YU-NO, and much more!

Featuring: Patrick Gann, Neal Chandran, Audra Bowling, Gio Castillo; Edited by Mike Salbato

Links for this episode

Tracklist
Don’t Go Away, We’re Just Getting Started!
0:24:17 - went away (Kazuya Takase, perf. KOTOKO) - Hourglass of Summer
0:30:58 - You Can’t Hurry Love (Kazuya Nishioka, perf. The Biscats) - Cupid Parasite

Feelin’ Indie
0:47:32 - Summer Night (Crystal Cola) - A Summer's End - Hong Kong 1986
0:50:45 - Bonds (Low) - Fatal Twelve

Names To Remember
1:04:40 - Impatience 1 (Ryu Umemoto, arr. Keishi Yonao) - YU-NO: A girl who chants love at the bound of this world. Soundtrack [Remake Version]
1:08:19 - Karma (Takeshi Abo) - Ever17

PSOne VNs
1:28:35 - The Boundless Dream (Ending Theme) (Miki Higashino, perf. Yumiko Takahashi) - Genso Suikogaiden Vol.2: Last Duel at Crystal Valley
1:33:13 - Dreaming Robot (Multi) (Shinya Ishikawa, arr. Yaco) - To Heart (from the arrangement album Melty Kiss)
2:00:48 - Neal's Bonus Track!

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156 - (Xenoblade) X Gon' Give It To Ya

RPGFan.com — Thu, 06 Mar 2025 08:00:00 -0500

Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition is almost here, so what better time to dive into this musically fascinating "side" tale from 2015? Many fans were surprised that the first Xenoblade Chronicles was not followed by a "2" (though that happened later), but by Xenoblade Chronicles X. The name and looks alone made it clear this was a different beast: XCX features some now-familiar Xenoblade components and scale, but the more "worldly" nature of its story outside of the "main" plot thread was almost as divisive as its soundtrack to some players.

When your first game features music by Yoko Shimomura, ACE+, Manami Kiyota, and Yasunori Mitsuda, pivoting soundtrack duties to "Attack on Titan guy," Hiroyuki Sawano, makes people take notice. The whole Xenoblade series is packed with unforgettable music, but there's no denying that none of them sound quite like the sometimes weird, often catchy, and above all, wholly unexpected, Xenoblade Chronicles X.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Wes Iliff, Stephanie Sybydlo, Sean Cabot; Edited by Mike Salbato

Tracklist
Uncontrollable Wes
0:08:25 - ‌Uncontrollable
0:11:05 - Don't worry

Z5 Sean
0:25:55 - ‌Black tar
0:29:55 - ‌Z5 Mira

Wir Stephegen
0:43:03 - ‌Wir fliegen
0:46:25 - Manon

Mike X
1:00:44 - Shiro no Tairiku
1:05:44 - ‌Theme X
1:32:44 - Everyone's Bonus Track

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155 - Music of the Year 2024: Part II

RPGFan.com — Mon, 17 Feb 2025 08:00:00 -0500

It's time for more of 2024's best RPG music! In the last episode, we featured nine excellent songs from last year, and today we return with Part II, bringing nine more tracks! Look for some Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance, Flowstone Saga, a double dose of Stellar Blade, and more! Scarlet Moon's Jayson Napolitano joins us to share some of his picks as well, so don't miss out.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Michael Sollosi, Gio Castillo, Patrick Gann, Jayson Napolitano; Edited by Mike Salbato

Links for this episode

Tracklist
Gio's Picks
‌0:02:16 - Raven (Oliver Good) - Stellar Blade
0:04:56 - ‌Battle -no hypocrisy- (Ryota Kozuka) - Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance
0:08:13 - Detective Theme (Takeshi Abo) - Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club

Mike Salbato's Picks
‌0:35:29 - The Climb (Andrew Luers) - Flowstone Saga
0:38:40‌ - A Turn of the Page (Failpositive) - Paper Perjury
0:40:58 - Sword Search (Minako Hamano, arr. The Deku Trio) - Zelda & Jazz II

Jayson's Picks
1:04:23 - Charred Passage (Tsuyoshi Sekito) - Visions of Mana
1:06:23 - Silent Street (Battle) (Hyunmin Cho, seibin, Youngkyoung Choi) - Stellar Blade
1:09:53 - Penny's in a Pinch (Sean Bialo) - Penny's Big Breakaway

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154 - Music of the Year 2024: Part I

RPGFan.com — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 08:00:00 -0500

It's time for Music of the Year! 2024 was absolutely stacked with game releases. Some even felt it was one of the all-time best years in gaming. And the side effect of a year filled with excellent games means a year of excellent soundtracks. For this annual special, we let each panelist bring on three songs. Even so, how did we pick just nine today? It wasn't easy.

2024 being such a great year for RPG music meant that one episode could not contain our Music of the Year celebrations, so we have split it into two back-to-back episodes. Enjoy the likes of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Arco, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, and much more today. Then come back next week for three more panelists' highlights of the year!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Michael Sollosi, Gio Castillo, Patrick Gann; Edited by Mike Salbato

Links for this episode

The End of Service: A NieR Re[in]carnation Postmortem Retrospective

Pat's Picks
0:02:58 - The World's Heartbeat (comp. Kenji Ito, arr. Tsutomu Narita) - SaGa Emerald Beyond
0:04:49 - Battle! (Terapagos - The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero) (comp. Toby Fox, Go Ichinose, Rei Murayama, arr. Go Ichinose) - Pokémon Scarlet & Violet
0:08:16 - Lantern&End (Keiichi Okabe) - SINoALICE

Hilary's Picks
‌0:39:58 - Renoir (Lorien Testard) - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
0:42:55 - Moiety Theme (Robyn Miller) - Riven (2024)
0:45:01 - Nadie Los Podrá Salvar (José Ramón "Bibiki" García) - Arco

Michael Sollosi's Picks
‌1:17:52 - Impregnable Triangle (Chihiro Aoki) - Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
1:20:59 - Coral Crown (Darren Korb, feat. Erin Yvette, Ashley Barret, Judy Alice Lee) - Hades II
1:25:04 - Queen's Blood - Prodigious Pedigree (Mitsuto Suzuki) - Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

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153 - Build Your Own RPG Soundtrack: Hard Mode

RPGFan.com — Mon, 27 Jan 2025 08:00:00 -0500

Almost exactly a year ago, four panelists came together to build a soundtrack to an imaginary RPG out of 8 fragments of other RPGs. Today, we're doing it again, except our "Hard Mode" rules dictate that we must choose songs from our source games with different use cases. So our Town Theme could be anything except another game's town theme, and so on. What kind of RPG will we assemble this time? Find out with us!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Gio Castillo, Lucas Greene; Edited by Mike Salbato

Links for this episode

Tracklist
0:16:41 - Title Theme: Hollow Charge (Chris Geehan, Dan-Byrne McCullough) - Cosmic Star Heroine
0:26:30 - Map/Overworld Theme: Vana'diel March #2 (Naoshi Mizuta) - Final Fantasy XI
0:39:33 - Town Theme: Title Screen (Tsuyoshi Tanaka) - Harvest Moon 64
0:47:29 - Battle Theme: communication breakdown (Yuki Kajiura) - Xenosaga Episode II: Jenseits von Gut und Böse
0:58:03 - Dungeon Theme: One Small Step (Masayoshi Soken) - Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker
1:10:20 - Sad/Emotional Theme: Bloom Outro (Mili) - ENDER LILIES: Quietus of the Knights
1:21:16 - Final Boss Theme: Touch It - FINAL FANTASY BRAVE EXVIUS Remix (Ariana Grande) - Final Fantasy Brave Exvius
1:36:02 - Ending Theme: Welcome to our Town (Motoaki Takenouchi) - Symphonic Suite Shining Force II ~ Ancient Sealing ~

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152 - New Year, New Music

RPGFan.com — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 08:00:00 -0500

Between our recent milestone of 150 episodes and the start of a new year, we will have some fun changes coming to Rhythm Encounter, starting with this episode. New games and music release all the time that don't always fit with our episode themes. Starting today, we will release a "new music" episode every few months to spotlight the latest in RPG music. These episodes will typically be a shorter listen with a smaller panel, featuring 6–8 songs each. Today, Mike and Hilary highlight Metaphor: ReFantazio, Ys X: Nordics, Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake, and more!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff; Edited by Jonathan Logan

Links for this episode

Tracklist
0:00:47 - Warriors in Arms (Shoji Meguro) - Metaphor: ReFantazio
0:09:35 - Ceruleum Smoke at High Noon (Takafumi Imamura) - Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail
0:21:31 - Heroes in Training (Winifred Phillips) - Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord (Remaster)
0:30:27 - Alefgard (Koichi Sugiyama) - Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake
0:35:44 - Facing the Distant Horizon (Falcom Sound Team jdk) - Ys X: Nordics
0:41:34 - VS. The Rutile All-Stars (Lena Raine) - Beastieball
0:57:09 - Mike's Bonus Track!

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan. This post also contains a bonus listing of more recent music that were considered for this episode, so don't miss it!

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151 - Slay the Princess with Composer Brandon Boone

RPGFan.com — Mon, 30 Dec 2024 08:00:00 -0500

WARNING: This episode contains major spoilers for Slay the Princess, so listen at your own risk if you have not yet played the game!

Every now and again at Rhythm Encounter, we have the chance to bring on a special musical guest. For today’s episode, RPGFan Music editor Patrick Gann sits down with Brandon Boone, composer for the indie visual novel hit Slay the Princess. The interview includes Brandon’s insights and reflections on the process of building the game’s score from the ground up, then expanding the soundtrack for its newer form, The Pristine Cut. Brandon also provides some interesting background information on how he got his start in music, his ties to studio Black Tabby Games (Abby Howard & Tony Howard-Arias), and his recent win at the World Soundtrack Awards!

Featuring: Patrick Gann, Brandon Boone, Mike Salbato; Edited by Jonathan Logan

Tracklist
0:24:13 - The Princess (Brandon Boone) - Slay the Princess Original Soundtrack
0:40:44 - The Shifting Mound Movement V (Live) (Brandon Boone) - Slay the Princess Live
1:23:26 - Brandon’s Bonus Track! House of Woodcock (Johnny Greenwood) - Phantom Thread Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

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150 - Name That (RPG) Tune

RPGFan.com — Sat, 21 Dec 2024 08:00:00 -0500

Retro Encounter can't be the only one making quiz show episodes. Rhythm Encounter had to get in on the action to celebrate our 150th episode milestone! Which of course means making our contestants identify songs, composers, and more across five themed rounds. Who will triumph? Feel free to play along too and see how you do! We had enough fun with this one that we don't want to wait another 150 episodes to bring it back. But for now, put your quiz show hats on (those are a thing, right?), make some guesses, and ring in 150 episodes with us!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Patrick Gann, Hilary Andreff, Gio Castillo; Edited by Jonathan Logan

Rounds
0:05:31 - Round 1: Better Together
0:16:45 - Round 2: This One's for the Girls
0:35:35 - Round 3: This, That, or the Other: Sakuraba Edition
0:51:50 - Round 4: Final Fantasy Arrangements
1:13:10 - Round 5: Know Your Eras
1:31:06 - Round 6: Final Question

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149 - RPG Music Origin Stories

RPGFan.com — Mon, 02 Dec 2024 08:00:00 -0500

We all have origin stories about how we got into RPGs (several of us shared them almost six years ago in this feature!), so today our panel discusses music origins — what RPGs attuned us to the RPG music scene or otherwise elevated our senses and made us take notice. For some of us, this dates back to the days of the NES, and sometimes our awakening happened during the days of the GameCube. Whenever these songs hail from, they each hold a special place in our hearts.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Wes Iliff, Gio Castillo, Rob White; Edited by Paul Dennis

Warm Beginnings
0:05:01 - Diddle's Organ (Yoko Shimomura) - Legend of Mana
0:05:53 - Godot - The Fragrance of Darkness; That is Coffee (Noriyuki Iwadare) - Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Trials & Tribulations

16-Bit Vibes
0:25:35 - Kids Run Through the City (FFPR ver.) (Nobuo Uematsu) - Final Fantasy VI Pixel Remaster
0:28:11 - Frog's Theme (Yasunori Mitsuda) - Chrono Trigger

Round 3: Fight!
0:44:50 - Colosseum Round 3 (Tsukasa Tawada) - Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness
0:49:05 - Battlefield Without Light -War Theme 2- (Miki Higashino) - Suikoden II

Iconic Themes
1:11:11 - Tantagel Castle (Koichi Sugiyama) - Symphonic Suite Dragon Quest I
1:14:31 - Fear of the Heavens (Hiroki Kikuta) - Secret of Mana
1:46:22 - Gio's Bonus Track!

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148 - Tales of Rhythm

RPGFan.com — Mon, 18 Nov 2024 08:00:00 -0500

We're no strangers to game series-themed episodes on Rhythm Encounter, such as our Mario RPGs or Dragon Quest shows. Now, it's time for the Tales series! Bandai Namco's long-running series turns 30 next year, and the mainline series alone contains 17 games (or 18 depending on which ones you count). That's more than enough material to showcase on an episode, wouldn't you say? Join our panel as we talk about the oldest, newest, and several Tales games in between, and listen to music by the venerable Motoi Sakuraba and company.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Michael Sollosi, Wes Iliff, Stephanie Sybydlo; Edited by Paul Dennis

Tracklist
Tales of Strings
0:09:30 - Risk It All (Takao Ogi) - Tales of Crestoria
0:12:35 - Flame of Hope (Motoi Sakuraba) - Tales of Arise

Tales of Battle
0:30:09 - Fighting of the Spirit Remix (Motoi Sakuraba, arr. S.S.H) - Tales of Phantasia
0:34:17 - The Arrow was Shot (Motoi Sakuraba) - Tales of the Abyss

Tales of Resolve
0:55:12 - White Light (comp. Koichi Tsutaya, Shiho Ochi, perf. Superfly) - Tales of Zestiria
0:57:21 - Theme of Velvet (Motoi Sakuraba) - Tales of Berseria

Tales of Forest
1:14:09 - Mystic Forest (Motoi Sakuraba and Shinji Tamura) - Tales of Phantasia
1:16:59 - Sunlight Filtering through the Trees (Go Shiina) - Tales of Legendia
1:53:16 - Wes' Bonus Track!

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147 - Woodwind Quartet

RPGFan.com — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 08:00:00 -0500

It's been awhile since our last instrument spotlight, so in this episode, we're sharing some favorite RPG songs featuring woodwinds, like flutes, ocarinas, and more! Whether it's the incredibly moving sounds of Xenoblade Chronicles 3, the adventurous Dark Cloud 2, or Final Fantasy III's Maiden of Water, we have a lot to cover, so join us on this lovely journey, won't ya?

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Gio Castillo, Tin Manuel; Edited by Paul Dennis

Links for this episode

What is a zurna?

Tracklist
Calming Melodies
0:09:48 - Village of the Elw (Michiko Naruke) - Wild ARMs
0:11:18 - A Life Sent On (Yasunori Mitsuda) - Xenoblade Chronicles 3

Open Plains and Seas
0:27:27 - Shinshu Plains (Masami Ueda arr. Tomomichi Takeoka) - Okami Goju no Onchou
0:31:28 - Elia, the Maiden of Water (comp. Nobuo Uematsu, arr. Takashi Hoshide, perf. Siena Wind Orchestra) - BRA★BRA FINAL FANTASY BRASS de BRAVO 3 (FFIII)

Slippery & Drippy
0:53:40 - Price (Shoji Meguro) - Persona 5
0:55:25 - Ding Dong Dell -The Cat King's Castle- (Joe Hisaishi) - Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch

Your Big Chance
1:15:30 - The Adventure that Never Ends (Rush Theme) (Tomohito Nishiura) - Dark Cloud 2
1:17:09 - Field (With Marin version) (Normal) - (Ryo Nagamatsu) - The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
1:47:23 - Hilary's Bonus Track!

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146 - Spooky Edition 2024

RPGFan.com — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 08:00:00 -0400

Somehow it's been four years since Rhythm Encounter's last Halloween episode, back in 2020's episode 56. Well, it's time we rectified that. A sequel to that episode and a spiritual successor to our previous episode about the works of Michiru Yamane, our panel dug into our gaming experiences to find music for the most spooky time of year. You'll find one of Pokémon's most iconic themes, and everything from old PC adventures to SNES, PS4, and more. If you need some tunes while carving pumpkins, or you're baking some Halloween treats... well, first of all, send us some. But either way, join us for a spooky good time!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Mario Garcia, Wes Iliff; Edited by Paul Dennis

Tracklist
What Lurks Beneath
0:04:34 - Forest Temple (Koji Kondo) - The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
0:08:14 - The Surface of the Water (Yoko Shimomura) - Parasite Eve

Let's Have Some Fun
0:25:01 - Heart of the Idol (Robert Holmes arr. Space Quest Historian/Troels Pleimert) - Gabriel Knight: Synths of the Fathers
0:29:47 - Amusement Park (Keigo Hoashi) - NieR: Automata

Witchy Vibes
0:52:49 - Lavender Town (Junichi Masuda) - Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen
0:54:40 - Freshly Glazed Porxie (Masayoshi Soken, Nobuo Uematsu, and Daiki Ishikawa) - Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers

Unsettling Ambiance
1:14:45 - Magus' Castle & Confusing Melody (Yasunori Mitsuda) - Chrono Trigger
1:16:43 - Firelink Shrine (Motoi Sakuraba) - Dark Souls
1:42:35 - Mario's Bonus Track!

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145 - Nocturnes & Counterpoint: Michiru Yamane

RPGFan.com — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 08:00:00 -0400

We are at the beginning of "spooky season," and while this isn't (yet) our Halloween episode, October is a fine time to shine a spotlight on composer Michiru Yamane, known in our parts for her excellent work on the Castlevania and Suikoden series. That means some games you may expect, but definitely some you wouldn't, from this talented composer. So dim the lights, summon your favorite fairy companion, and get ready.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Audra Bowling, Patrick Gann; Edited by Paul Dennis

Tracklist
Come See the Softer Side of... Oh
0:06:45 - Searching for a Past Hero (Flame Champion Waiting Ground BGM) (Michiru Yamane) - Suikoden III
0:09:36 - Nocturne (comp. Michiru Yamane, vo. Hekiru Shiina) - Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

Perplexing 3D Attacks
0:29:04 - Unknowable Geometry (Symphony Mix) (comp. Jim Guthrie, arr. Michiru Yamane) - The Scythian Steppes: Seven #Sworcery Songs Localized for Japan
0:33:06 - Reincarnation of Light and Darkness ~ Shagaru Magara (comp. Marika Suzuki, arr. Michiru Yamane) - Monster Hunter 10th Anniversary Compilation Album [Tribute]

House of Fortune
0:57:04 - House of Sacred Remains (Michiru Yamane) - Castlevania: Lament of Innocence
1:00:55 - Gears of Fortune (Michiru Yamane) - Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night

Ecclesia the Elder
1:16:03 - Screen Credit (Staff Roll) (Michiru Yamane) - Elder Gate
1:19:54 - Wandering the Crystal Blue - Arranged (Michiru Yamane) - Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia
1:39:34 - Pat's Bonus Track!

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144 - Inspiring RPGs FTW

RPGFan.com — Mon, 23 Sep 2024 08:00:00 -0400

There are countless reasons we play and love RPGs, and often those that become our favorites have powerful stories and characters. But pitting your party against often overwhelming odds requires inspirational music for the optimal effect. In this episode we share both music and RPGs that have inspired US in turn, whether it's through bombastic battle music or lively energy. What RPG soundtracks inspire you? Let us know!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Lucas Greene, Tin Manuel, Rob White; Edited by Paul Dennis

Tracklist
Familiar Territory
0:05:52 - Weight of the World - Prelude Version (Keiichi Okabe, Nobuo Uematsu) - Death Unto Dawn: Final Fantasy XIV (Shadowbringers)
0:08:23 - Color Your Night (comp. Atsushi Kitajo, lyrics by Lotus Juice) - Persona 3 Reload

Soldiers (but not SOLDIERS) and SEEDs
0:27:45 - The Landing (Nobuo Uematsu) - Final Fantasy VIII
0:32:18 - Revolt / Thunder (Hitoshi Sakimoto and Masaharu Iwata) - Tactics Ogre: Reborn

Stellar Days
0:53:46 - The Song of the Sirens (Mothervibes) - Stellar Blade
0:57:47 - Halcyon Days -Branched- (Yoshimi Kudo) - 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim Remix and Arrange Album -The Branched-

Like a Boss
1:20:22 - Tumult - Raise Thy Sword in Pride (Yuzo Koshiro) - Etrian Odyssey III HD
1:22:00 - Hopes and Dreams (Toby Fox) - Undertale
1:49:32 - Rob's Bonus Track!

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143 - Lo-fi for RPG Fans (Only)

RPGFan.com — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 08:00:00 -0400

With fall (or autumn, if you prefer) around the corner for many of us, it feels like a good time for relaxing music. While we did a pair of episodes focused on relaxing RPG music about four years ago (see Episode 54 and Episode 55), this time, RPGFan's biggest lo-fi fans got together to listen and chat about lo-fi RPG music. Sometimes these are straight from games, but often they come from the incredible community of independent musicians and arrangers. We have both of these and more covered today, to put on your favorite comfy Lofi Girl merch and chill out with us.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Gio Castillo, Wes Iliff; Edited by Paul Dennis

Special Credit: Our title this episode is inspired by and in honor of Homework Radio's excellent fantasy-themed lo-fi playlists. Check 'em out!

Tracklist
Square Enix & Chill
0:09:04 - Fisherman's Horizon (Nobuo Uematsu, arr. by Kilikabeats) - Final Fantasy VIII Lo-fi Cover
0:12:58 - Roman (Minstrel Mix Version) (Masashi Hamauzu, arr. Takegorou Kobayashi) - SQUARE ENIX - Mellow Minstrel Mix Vol.3 (SaGa Frontier 2)

Defying Expectations
0:31:28 - Sweetheart Latte (Andrew Jeremy) - Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus and Butterfly
0:36:57 - Starless Skyline (Maybe Masayoshi Soken?) - Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail

Game Changers
1:03:23 - Dark World (Koji Kondo, arr. Mikel) - Zelda & Chill
1:05:58 - Beneath the Mask -Rain- (Shoji Meguro, vocals Lyn) - Persona 5

Toss a Coin
1:31:48 - Day at the Academy (Yuki Ichiki, Tsukasa Saitou, Ayako Minami, Shouhei Tsuchiya, Daisuke Matsumoto) - Enchanted Arms
1:33:18 - Blood and Wine (Marcin Przybyłowicz, arr. bits & hits) - The Witcher but it's lofi beats
1:58:27 - Wes' Bonus Track!

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142 - Seize the Artifact For Tallness

RPGFan.com — Mon, 26 Aug 2024 08:00:00 -0400

So many of our beloved RPG soundtracks are filled with great music, and often have songs named in the same dramatic flair as the games and their narratives. And then sometimes, we find great tracks in our RPGs with names like "No No I don't die Noooo!" or "Rouen 'But-dad-dead-bed'," and those are the songs we are showcasing in this episode. It's always entertaining coming across these songs when listening to music, so for this episode, our panelists all chose music we love with offbeat, weird, or otherwise amusing titles.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Patrick Gann, Audra Bowling; Edited by Paul Dennis

Tracklist
The Fantasy of Being Tall

0:06:32 - A Sunbaked Throb (Masanori Osaki of Falcom Sound Team jdk) - Ys SEVEN

0:09:23 - Seize the Artifact For Tallness (Motoi Sakuraba) - Eternal Sonata

Shopping and Slaughter

0:24:18 - Holy Death Strike of Slaughter (ACE) - Code of Princess

0:27:49 - When We Laugh About Forgetting to Buy Something (Kazuki Yanagawa) - Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key

Modern Villains

0:46:45 - It's On Like Necronomicon (Ryan Ike) - Shadows Over Loathing

0:50:00 - Fish Force (HyperDuck SoundWorks) - Penny Arcade’s On The Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 4

Science Fantasy

1:09:36 - So nah, so fern (comp. Hiroyuki Sawano, vocals Mika Kobayashi) - Xenoblade Chronicles X

1:14:13 - EXEC_CUTYPUMP/. (comp/arr Maiko Iuchi, vocals au) - Ar tonelico Qoga: Knell of Ar Ciel

1:41:12 - Pat's Bonus Track!

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141 - Best PSP RPG Music

RPGFan.com — Mon, 12 Aug 2024 08:00:00 -0400

Part two of our handheld RPG music celebration continues — and concludes — today! Last time, we brought you some of our favorite tracks from Nintendo DS RPGs, and this time we talk about the DS' competition, the Sony PSP. The PSP was a haven for RPGs, especially considering its support of playing PSOne/PSN titles. From a surprise track by Nobuo Uematsu, beautiful vocal tracks, to the second and last Mega Man Legends title, we have a great lineup today. Let us know what some of your favorite PSP music is!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Patrick Gann, Audra Bowling, Gio Castillo; Edited by Paul Dennis

Tracklist
Toneless Feelings
0:03:51 - Tears of Feelings (evbtl08) (comp.&arr. Chikayo Fukuda / vocal Tomoyo Mitani) - .hack//Link
0:07:53 - Toneless (comp. Nobuo Uematsu / arr. Kimio Itoyama / vocal YVONNE) - Anata wo Yurusanai

Snowy Jungle
0:29:01 - ‌Calinca Tundra & Calinca Ruins (vs Reaverbots) (Makoto Tomozawa) - Mega Man Legends 2
0:31:13 - ‌Shibuya - Jungle Navigation (Yuzo Koshiro) - 7th Dragon 2020

Written in the Stars
0:51:02 - Crimson Star {PSP “Growlanser” OP2 (Male Version)} (Noriyasu Agematsu {Elements Garden}) - Growlanser PSP
0:54:59 - Rendezvous of the Stars - Ready to Fly - (English Version) (Chiaki Fujita {Sing Like Talking}, Additional Music by Bill King) - Summon Night 5

Extra Gurumin
1:06:26 - Sight of Silence (Falcom Sound Team jdk) - Gurumin
1:10:05 - Battle (Shinji Hosoe) - Fate/EXTRA
1:35:36 - Gio's Bonus Track!

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140 - Best Nintendo DS RPG Music

RPGFan.com — Wed, 31 Jul 2024 19:33:38 -0400

It's a handheld celebration! We had so much fun with our Game Boy Advance music episode last fall, we're back for two more handheld episodes, starting with the Nintendo DS! Nintendo's little experimental handheld made waves upon its announcement, and once the dust settled on many gimmicky titles, some great games made their way into our hearts. And as you'll hear today, some great music as well, featuring the likes of Hitoshi Sakimoto, Michiru Yamane, Yasunori Mistuda, and more. Give it a listen and come back for the next one too, where we'll be discussing PSP music!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Michael Sollosi, Patrick Gann, Gio Castillo; Edited by Paul Dennis

Links for this episode

Tracklist
Legends in Obscurity
0:06:09 - ‌Amaty, the Ancient City (Yasunori Mitsuda) - Soma Bringer
0:09:39 - Yellow Brick Road (Hitoshi Sakimoto) - The Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road

A Good Mana Is Hard to Find
0:28:48 - ‌The Guitar's Serenade (Shu Takumi, arr. Noriyuki Iwadare) - Gyakuten Saiban Tokubetsu Hōtei 2008 (Apollo Justice)
0:33:22 - Beyond the Pale Blue Sky (Kenji Ito) - Children of Mana

Darkness and Soul DS
0:51:10 - The Unknown Floor (Arrange Version) (Kenichi Arakawa) - The Dark Spire
0:54:33 - ‌Demon Castle Pinnacle (Michiru Yamane) - Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow

I'm not gonna spend my life being a color.
1:18:07 - Scene - Blue and White [Event: Truth] (Yuzo Koshiro) - Etrian Odyssey
1:20:33 - ‌Anville Town (Go Ichinose) - Pokémon Black & White
1:50:50 - Mike's Bonus Track!

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139 - Indie RPG Music Spotlight

RPGFan.com — Mon, 15 Jul 2024 08:00:00 -0400

The indie RPG scene is ever expanding, and while indie RPG music makes its way into many a Rhythm Encounter episode, we wanted to make an episode just about celebrating the music from indie devs. We enjoyed it so much, we may even make this a regularly recurring topic! But, for now, come journey through a wide variety of music from some of our favorite indie games, showcasing many types of instruments, vocals, and musical stylings!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Audra Bowling, Lucas Greene, Neal Chandran; Edited by Paul Dennis

Tracklist
Drama School
0:09:14 - It's Showtime! - Gilda's Theme (Aivi & Surasshu, Renko) - Ikenfell
0:10:55 - Too Dramatic (Elektrobear) - Virgo Versus the Zodiac

French Quarter
0:27:21 - Clair-Obscur (Lorien Testard feat. Alice Duport-Percier) - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
0:30:56 - Forest of Torment (Jean Yves Bassangna) - Aurion: Legacy of the Kori-Odan

Connection and Memories
0:51:43 - Echoes ~ Numina Part II Theme ~ (Manuel Schmuki) - Numina ECHOES Soundtrack
0:57:04 - To the Moon - Main Theme (Kan Gao) - To the Moon

Airborne Adventure
1:13:36 - Field of Wind (Aaron Walz) - From Another Shore Aveyond & Beyond
1:17:08 - Claret's Theme (Phil Hamilton) - Skyborn

1:36:24 - Lucas' Bonus Track!

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138 - City Poppin'

RPGFan.com — Tue, 02 Jul 2024 08:00:00 -0400

Almost exactly a year ago, we published a fun episode on jazz and funk RPG music. Today we are back with a spiritual sequel, talking about jazz, funk, but especially city pop. All our tracks in this episode represent one or more of these genres, but all are excellent listens. So sit back and listen to some great tunes from the likes of Shin Megami Tensei NINE, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, space casinos, jazz-loving parents, and much more!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Gio Castillo, Tin Manuel; Edited by Paul Dennis

Links for this episode

Tracklist
Wind In My Hair Block
0:10:30 - Prince of the Wind (From Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes - Town) (Falcom Sound Team J.D.K., arr. Etsuko Yamakawa) - Falcom SPECIAL BOX '91
0:14:51 - Honolulu City Lights Full Spec Edition (Chihiro Aoki) - Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth

Neon City Block
0:34:15 - ‌Karmotrine Dream (Garoad) - VA-11 HALL-A
0:36:33 - Harajuku (Tsukasa Masuko, arr. Masaki Kurokawa and Takahiro Ogata) - Shin Megami Tensei NINE

Casino Block
0:52:45 - Serendipity (Naoshi Mizuta) - Final Fantasy XIII-2
0:57:19 - Casino Calavera (Peter McConnell) - Grim Fandango Remastered

Contemporary Block
1:20:54 - Diamonds (Marskye; vocals and lyrics by Madeleine Mcqueen) - Boyfriend Dungeon
1:24:06 - 07:41 The Beginning of Something (Danger) - Haven
1:47:00 - Mike's Bonus Track!

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137 - Pirates Ahoy!

RPGFan.com — Mon, 17 Jun 2024 20:59:39 -0400

Avast, ye scurvy dogs! This here episode of Rhythm Encounter be now the property of RPG Pirates. (Note: episode actually contains only a minimal amount of pirate speak.) Join the crew with Captain Hilary, Audra "Quick Draw" Bowling, "Gemstone" Jim Turner, and Kyle "Feat of Strength" Cantelon as they plunder the very best of RPG pirate themes from across the vast sea of game music within our coverage. There are pirate tunes for every mood, so listen now or prepare to say hello to the briny depths.

Featuring: Hilary Andreff, Audra Bowling, Kyle Cantelon, Jimmy Turner; Edited by Mike Salbato

Links for this episode

Banjo Guy Ollie - Monkey Island main theme cover (YouTube)

Tracklist
0:04:19 - Prismelody: Pirates Ahoy (comp. Nobuo Uematsu, arr. Shingo Kataoka) - World of Final Fantasy
0:05:57 - The Sea and Her Love (Justin E. Bell) - Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire
0:17:46 - Sailing (Masahiko Kimura) - Suikoden IV
0:19:03 - Blue Sky Pirates' Ship (~Nasrad, ~Ixa'taka, ~Valua) (Yutaka Minobe) - Skies of Arcadia
0:30:53 - The Queen's High Seas- Beast's Theme (Borislov Slavov) - Divinity: Original Sin II
0:33:24 - Tavern Music (Inon Zur) - Dragon Age II
0:45:52 - ‌Monkey Island Main Theme (Michael Land, arr. Banjo Guy Ollie) - The Secret of Monkey Island
0:48:00 - Cap’n Orla’s Swashbucklers - Oh, We Be Pirates (Noriyuki Iwadare) - Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies
1:12:19 - Everyone's Bonus Track!

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136 - Same Name Game

RPGFan.com — Tue, 04 Jun 2024 08:00:00 -0400

We're trying something new here on Rhythm Encounter. While there is no end to the variety of RPG music out there, sometimes we spot similar song titles on different soundtracks, which gave us an idea. For this episode, each panelist chose a pairing of two (near) identical track names from different games, so we could compare and contrast each version. As we learned, this is a topic that could repeat, as there's no shortage of potential songs that fit this theme. Give it a listen and let us know what pairings you have discovered!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Audra Bowling, Gio Castillo, Tin Manuel; Edited by Paul Dennis

Tracklist
0:13:26 - A New World (Go Shiina) - God Eater
0:16:25 - Final Fantasy V: A New World (Nobuo Uematsu, arr. Arnie Roth & Distant Worlds Philharmonic Orchestra) - Distant Worlds VI: More Music from Final Fantasy
0:27:37 - Big Shot's Theme (Shogo Sakai) - Mother 3
0:29:22 - BIG SHOT (Toby Fox) - DELTARUNE Chapter 2
0:41:17 - ‌End of the World (Yoko Shimomura) - Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 ReMIX
0:44:28 - End of the World (Barry "Epoch" Topper) - Paradise Killer
0:56:09 - A Safe Haven (Koichi Sugiyama) - Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past
0:58:20 - Safe Haven (Yoko Shimomura) - Final Fantasy XV
1:17:15 - Mike's Bonus Tracks!

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135 - Super Mario RPGs

RPGFan.com — Mon, 20 May 2024 08:00:00 -0400

It's-a-us, the Rhythm Encounter crew! With the impending launch of the remaster for the beloved sequel, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, we decided it was high time to talk about Mario's illustrious RPG career. Starting with 1996's Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars and extending through the Mario & Luigi and Paper Mario games, the idea of a Mario-based RPG went from an unheard of collaboration between Nintendo and then-Squaresoft to multiple styles of games across several generations of consoles. And, as it turns out, incredibly talented composers are attached to every game's soundtrack. So strap on your overalls and join us for some of our favorite Mario RPG music!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Mario Garcia, Jimmy Turner; Edited by Paul Dennis

Links for this episode

Tracklist
World 1 - Dream City
0:08:53 - Dreamy Castle Rendezvous (Yoko Shimomura) - Mario & Luigi: Dream Team
0:11:25 - Rogueport (Yoshito Hirano and Yuka Tsujiyoko) - Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

World 2 - Mushroom Stomp
0:26:25 - Beware of Forest Mushrooms (Yoko Shimomura) - Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
0:28:31 - Battle (Yoko Shimomura) - Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time

World 3 - And My Name's Birdo
0:46:42 - ‌Enter Birdo (Yoshito Sekigawa, Shoh Murakami, Yoshiaki Kimura, Hiroki Morishita, and Fumihiro Isobe) - Paper Mario: The Origami King
0:48:39 - This is Booster Tower (Yoko Shimomura) - Super Mario RPG (Remake)

World 4 - Bowser's Castle 4
1:06:25 - ‌Game Point (Motoi Sakuraba) - Mario Tennis (GBC)
1:08:16 - The Grand Finale (Yoko Shimomura) - Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story
1:30:34 - Mario's Bonus Track!

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134 - Masashi Hamauzu Spotlight

RPGFan.com — Mon, 06 May 2024 08:00:00 -0400

Whether or not you need an introduction to Masashi Hamauzu's music, we've got something for you. From some well-known to lesser-known Final Fantasy pieces to some classic Square Enix games, our panel dug in to ensure we covered a lot of ground in Hamauzu's history as a composer and arranger. So join us as we discuss fantasies, legacies, remakes, a guy named Todd, and way too much about how we're meant to pronounce "Archylte."

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Patrick Gann, Zach Wilkerson, Greg Delmage; Edited by Paul Dennis

Tracklist
0:06:51 - The Star Graal - The Legend of Legacy
0:11:38 - Frenzy Under Pressure (comp. Masashi Hamauzu, perf. Benyamin Nuss, Lisa Schumann & Kana Shirao) - Masashi Hamauzu Opus 4 Piano and Chamber Music Works
0:39:23 - End of the World (comp. Nobuo Uematsu, Masashi Hamauzu, arr. Masashi Hamauzu) - Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
0:42:16 - Jessie’s Theme - Final Fantasy VII Remake
1:03:33 - The Archylte Steppe - Final Fantasy XIII
1:07:41 - A Fleeting Dream (comp. Nobuo Uematsu, arr. Masashi Hamauzu) - Final Fantasy X
1:39:43 - Todfeind - SaGa Frontier 2
1:41:51 - A Dream in Flight - Chocobo's Mystery Dungeon
2:16:55 - Mike's Bonus Track!

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133 - The Great Culinary Encounter

RPGFan.com — Mon, 22 Apr 2024 08:00:00 -0400

Everything's better with the right soundtrack backing it up, whether that's studying, working, or household tasks — most notably for today's discussion, cooking! Whether our panel on this episode was channeling energy for a flavorful Spanish chicken dish or some chill tunes to prepare cozy desserts, we got to showcase the diverse range of music that each of us likes to accompany our time in the kitchen.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Audra Bowling, Tin Manuel, Jimmy Turner; Edited by Jonathan Logan

Tracklist
0:05:20 - Balamb Garden (Nobuo Uematsu) - Final Fantasy VIII
0:08:48 - vital signs (universa’s theme) (Milk & Bone) - Invincible Presents: Atom Eve
0:23:09 - Challenging a Queen (Tripod & Austin Wintory) - Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical
0:28:39 - 10:27 Appledew Stew (Danger) - Haven
0:48:58 - Dance of 1,000 Suns (Eric W. Brown) - Sea of Stars
0:51:16 - Crimson Valley -Night- (Daisuke Achiwa) - Atelier Sophie: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Book
1:05:39 - Life at Garreg Mach Monastery - Piano Arrangement (Takeru Kanazaki, arr. PurpleSchala) - Fire Emblem Three Houses for Solo Piano
1:09:50 - Farm Boy (Nobuo Uematsu, arr. Shotaro Shima) - Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
1:31:34 - Mike's Bonus Track!

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132 - Remasterpiece Theatre

RPGFan.com — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 15:54:21 -0400

It's hard to go a few months without a remaster of a beloved RPG gracing our physical or virtual shelves, but when some of those are the quality of the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series or the recent Persona 3 Reload, we aren't complaining. This age of remasters also means updated or rearranged music is part of the package, so today we're showcasing some stellar new takes on music for eight RPG remasters released in recent years.

Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Audra Bowling, Gio Castillo, Lucas Greene; Edited by Mike Salbato

Tracklist
Block 1 - Final Fantasy Anthology
0:06:02 - Battle on the Big Bridge (Nobuo Uematsu) - Final Fantasy V Pixel Remaster
0:08:32 - Aria di Mezzo Carattere {English Language Version} (Nobuo Uematsu) - Final Fantasy VI Pixel Remaster

Block 2 - Yoko! Oh no!
0:25:09 - Agniratha, Mechonis Capital/Night (Definitive Edition ver.) (arr. Kenji Hiramatsu) - Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition
0:27:56 - Danger Aplenty on the Journey (Yoko Shimomura) - Super Mario RPG Remake

Block 3 - Samurai Secrets and Space Spectres
0:43:11 - Collisions of our Swords (arr. unknown) - Like a Dragon: Ishin! (2023)
0:47:48 - Resynthesis (Sam Hulick) - Mass Effect: Legendary Edition

Block 4 - Masked Faces in Dark Places
01:02:15 - When the Moon’s Reaching Out Stars -Reload- (arr. Atsushi Kitajoh) - Persona 3 Reload
1:05:36 - Face Shrine (arr. Ryo Nakamatsu) - The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (2019)
1:28:58 - Gio’s bonus track!

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131 - Sounds of the Season

RPGFan.com — Mon, 01 Apr 2024 17:19:31 -0400

Huh?

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Wes Iliff, Kyle Cantelon; Edited by Mike Salbato

Links for this episode:

Tracklist
0:03:32 - Level Up - Dragon Quest
0:03:36 - Judgment Ring Hit - Shadow Hearts Covenant
0:12:32 - Wizard Eye/other spell sounds - Might and Magic VI: The Mandate of Heaven
0:12:36 - Dark Space "blip" - Illusion of Gaia
0:26:18 - Pokéball Wobble - Pokémon series
0:26:23 - Disc Sounds - PlayStation 2
0:41:30 - Start of the Search (Fumiyoshi Shimohara) - Yakuza 0
0:41:38 - Cursor Movement - Final Fantasy VII

Sound Sources: Final Fantasy VII, PlayStation 2, Dragon Quest, Shadow Hearts Covenant, Might and Magic VI

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130 - RPG Safe Spaces

RPGFan.com — Mon, 25 Mar 2024 08:00:00 -0400

While RPGs have no shortage of high-energy moments requiring intense strategizing, quick reflexes, or simply a box of tissues for the more emotional moments, it's important to have downtime between those to balance everything out. This episode is about "safe spaces" in RPGs, and our panelists did not always choose the kinds of song we expected of one another. We enjoyed hearing the various ways each of us wanted to represent safe spaces through a variety of musical means, and we'd love to hear your favorite music in this vein as well!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Audra Bowling, Gio Castillo, Tin Manuel; Edited by Paul Dennis

Links for this episode

Tracklist
0:06:31 - Maiden in Black (Shunsuke Kida) - Demon’s Souls
0:10:51 - Yohan Romantic (Spencer Bambrick) - Eternights
0:26:48 - By the Campfire (Norikazu Miura) - Suikoden Tactics
0:28:23 - Our Terms (Takafumi Imamura) - Final Fantasy XVI
0:49:20 - Brink of Time (Yasunori Mitsuda) - Chrono Trigger
0:51:44 - New Serena (Yuichi Kanatani) - Yakuza 4
1:23:30 - Song of the Ancients / Hollow Dreams (Keiichi Okabe, arr. Keigo Hoashi) - NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139...
1:26:57 - Stand By Me (Ben E. King, perf. by Florence and the Machine) - Final Fantasy XV
2:00:30 - Audra's Bonus Track!

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129 - Level One: RPG Beginnings

RPGFan.com — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 08:00:00 -0400

Previously on Rhythm Encounter, we have talked about some important first impressions, namely some of our favorite intro themes, and even title screen music. But what happens next is just as important: the opening hours of an RPG can really set the stage for what's to come. When thinking about our favorite games, it's fun to think back to how they began, and how well the mood and world is established through the narrative, characters, and of course, the music. Today we're sharing some of our favorite early game tunes that were instrumental (sorry not sorry) in getting us into some great games.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Michael Sollosi, Patrick Gann, Wes Iliff; Edited by Paul Dennis

Tracklist
0:06:23 - Reminiscence (Miki Higashino) - Suikoden II
0:08:11 - Dream of the Shore Bordering Another World (Yasunori Mitsuda) - Chrono Cross
0:31:30 - City of Bells (Ken Nakagawa) - Atelier Iris ~Eternal Mana~
0:33:32 - Caravan Crossroad (Kumi Tanioka) - Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles
0:57:24 - Autumn’s Rise (Deniz Akbulut) - CrossCode
1:00:14 - Garland Office (Yoshitaka Hirota) - Shadow Hearts: From the New World
1:16:50 - Unary Game (Shinji Hosoe) - 9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors
1:19:04 - Pledge of Demon (Hidenori Shoji) - Yakuza 0
1:51:57 - Sollosi's Bonus Track!

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128 - Compilation of Final Fantasy VII

RPGFan.com — Mon, 26 Feb 2024 20:00:00 -0500

Do we at RPGFan like Final Fantasy VII? Off course! That's why we're ready for…a reunion of tracks from across the expansive (and still growing) FFVII universe. The timing here is intentional to celebrate the fantastic music associated with FFVII as we all get ready to enjoy Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. Join our panel of savvy veterans and one newcomer SOLDIER: First Class news editor as we celebrate our favorite music from this (sub-)series in all its iterations and, of course, fight against Shinra. We hope these tracks will get you ready to battle on!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Audra Bowling, Kyle Cantelon; Edited by Jono Logan

Tracklist
0:07:40 - Those Who Fight (Nobuo Uematsu, arr. Shiro Hamaguchi) - Piano Collections Final Fantasy VII
0:11:33 - Judgement Funkadelic (Nobuo Uematsu, arr. Sean Schafianski) - MATERIA: Final Fantasy VII Remixed
0:31:49 - Crazy Motorcycle (Nobuo Uematsu) - Final Fantasy VII
0:35:23 - Dear to the Heart (Nobuo Uematsu) - Final Fantasy VII
0:54:29 - Why (Yoshihiko Nishio & Ayaka) - Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
0:58:52 - AVALANCHE (Nobuo Uematsu, arr. Mega Ran) - Black Materia
1:24:56 - Bombing Mission - Infiltration (Nobuo Uematsu) - Final Fantasy VII Remake OST Plus
1:31:43 - Advent: One-Winged Angel (Nobuo Uematsu) - Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
2:04:01 - Mike's Bonus Track!

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127 - Music of the Year 2023

RPGFan.com — Fri, 02 Feb 2024 08:00:00 -0500

It's finally time to celebrate the music of the (last) year! As you know by now, a great deal of incredible games released in 2023, and with them, many notable soundtracks. Our panel today brought some of their favorite songs of 2023, featuring music from some Square Enix heavy hitters to some lovely indie titles and others in between.

As usual for Music of the Year, this episode is longer than usual, as each of us picked one more song than usual, giving us a total of 12, plus two special bonus tracks from Rhythm Encounter's co-founders. It still isn't enough to cover it all, but we packed in as much musical greatness as possible! What are some of your favorite songs and soundtracks from 2023?

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Michael Sollosi, Patrick Gann; Edited by Jono Logan

Pat's Picks
0:05:05 - Toto’haha (Yasunori Nishiki) - Octopath Traveler II
0:08:38 - The Apotheosis (Brandon Boone) - Slay the Princess
0:11:21 - Celestial (Toby Fox Remix) (comp Ed Sheeran, arr Toby Fox) - Pokémon Scarlet & Violet - The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero DLC

Mike Salbato's Picks
0:38:00 - Dedicated to Moonlight (Masayoshi Soken) - Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker
0:43:44 - World Map (Reo Uratani) - Meg's Monster
0:45:53 - Colgera Battle (Manaka Kataoka, Maasa Miyoshi, Masato Ohashi, Tsukasa Usui) - The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Bonus Track 1: Stephen Meyerink
1:11:33 - Normal Battle I (Yasunori Nishiki) - Octopath Traveler II

Michael Sollosi's Picks
1:17:30 - Preserved Realm (D’Anthoni Wooten) - Dave the Diver
1:20:56 - Ascension (Masayoshi Soken) - Final Fantasy XVI
1:25:04 - Mr. Top Player (Shigeyuki Kameda) - Street Fighter 6

Hilary's Picks
1:48:14 - The Way I See (Andrew Jeremy) - Coffee Talk Episode 2 - Hibiscus and Butterfly
1:54:46 - Down by the River (Borislav Slavov) - Baldur’s Gate III
1:57:05 - Lux Tizer (Norihiko Yamanuki) - The 7th Saga Soundtrack Composer’s Edition

Bonus Track 2: Derek Heemsbergen
2:33:17 - Main Theme (Tsutomu Narita?) - Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising

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126 - Build Your Own RPG Soundtrack

RPGFan.com — Mon, 15 Jan 2024 08:00:00 -0500

We're kicking off the new year on Rhythm Encounter with a brand-new kind of episode: Building a soundtrack from pieces of other games. We distilled our imaginary RPG down to eight core musical moments — title, overworld, town, dungeon, battle, emotional, final boss, and ending, to be specific — and pulled a song for each from eight different RPGs. While we were all prepared to justify how eight disparate tracks made sense together, the resulting "soundtrack" was more cohesive than we expected!

We hope you like this musical experiment, because we already have plans for a future sequel. Stay tuned!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Gio Castillo, Lucas Greene; Edited by Paul Dennis

Tracklist
0:07:45 - Title Theme: Breath of Fire IV ~Opening Animation~ (Taro Iwashiro) - Breath of Fire IV
0:09:13 - Map/Overworld Theme: Quatera Woods (Yukihiro Jindo) - Falcom Field Zanmai (originally Ys VI: The Ark of Napishtim)
0:31:51 - Town Theme: Hateno Village (Yasuaki Iwata) - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
0:37:35 - Dungeon Theme: Pyramid (Yuzo Koshiro) - Actraiser Symphonic Suite
0:58:34 - Battle Theme: Battle 1 (Yasunori Shiono) - Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals
1:01:32 - Sad/Emotional Theme: The Sandy Beach of Gumbo (Noriyuki Iwadare) - Grandia
1:25:52 - Final Boss Theme: On Blade’s Edge (Masayoshi Soken) - Endwalker: Final Fantasy XIV
1:30:11 - Ending Theme: Journey’s End (Rich Douglas ft. Jillian Aversa) - Shadowgate (2014)

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125 - Long Time Listener, First Time Caller

RPGFan.com — Tue, 02 Jan 2024 08:00:00 -0500

To celebrate the new year, we put together a special episode before we return to our regularly scheduled topics, with a short episode full of music dedications. We were inspired by the idea of radio DJs who take listener calls and offer up dedications on air, so we polled the RPGFan staff, asking them for songs and written dedications to read on the episode. We both offered some of our own as well, so we hope you enjoy everyone's heartfelt messages and musical choices.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff; Edited by Paul Dennis

Links for this episode

Tracklist
0:05:31 - Wind Crest ~The Three Trails~ (Takahito Eguchi & Noriko Matsueda) - Piano Collection Final Fantasy X-2
0:10:11 - Boss Battle Theme (Shigeki Sako) - Vay
0:14:56 - Prelude (Nobuo Uematsu, cover by Patti Rudisill & Paula Bressman) - Final Fantasy series
0:23:32 - A Sailor Never Sleeps (Masayoshi Soken) - Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn
0:31:20 - My Mind (Nobuo Uematsu, cover by Sebastien Skaf) - Final Fantasy VIII
0:36:17 - New Days (Shoji Meguro) - Persona 4
0:39:59 - Land of Radiant Flowers (Revo) - Bravely Default
0:47:17 - Zelda Heineken (Main Theme) (Koji Kondo, arr. & perf. by Mattias Holmgren) - The Legend of Zelda
0:52:33 - Overworld Theme (Koji Kondo) - The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.

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124 - Hoedown Showdown: Farming RPG Music

RPGFan.com — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 18:30:00 -0500

In farming games, typically the slowest part of the year is winter. So why did we record our farming music episode when it's winter for many of our listeners? Hey, I don't have all the answers... unless it's about work/life balance and the best Stardew Valley partner. But I digress. Today's panel is only three people, but we still have a full slate of music to share from some of our favorite farming and sim games. Some are more RPG than others, but what they have in common are great lineups of music to set a mood for every season. Grab your watering can and your straw hat and let's go visit the farm!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Tin Manuel; Edited by Jono Logan

Tracklist
Winter
0:07:38 - Quiet Winter (Dai Nakajima) - Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life
0:10:55 - Winter (Nocturne of Ice) (ConcernedApe, arr. Matthew Bridgham, perf. Augustine Mayuga Gonzales) - Stardew Valley Piano Collections

Spring
0:30:56 - Spring (Town) (Manual of Errors) - Harvest Moon: Save the Homeland
0:33:46 - Bird’s Eye Brae (Day) (Go Shiina) - Harvestella

Summer
1:00:35 - Summer Day 4 (Yugo Pratomo) - Coral Island
1:03:57 - New Life in the Desert (Claude Ruelle) - My Time at Sandrock

Chill
1:23:56 - Starry and Calm (Night) (Bashi Boizu) - Littlewood
1:26:00 - Whale Island Outside (Tomoko Morita) - Rune Factory Frontier
2:00:28 - Tin's Bonus Track!

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123 - The Secret Trials of Hiroki Kikuta

RPGFan.com — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 15:38:02 -0500

It's time for another composer spotlight on Rhythm Encounter, and this time we're celebrating the works of Hiroki Kikuta. Many RPG fans know his work on the Mana series — particularly Secret of Mana and Trials of Mana — but there's much more to Kikuta than many people know.

From a PSone game that never left Japan to his contributions to many indie games today, today's episode digs into the many hats Hiroki Kikuta has worn over the years. We hope you discover new facets to his work as some of us did on this episode!

If you want more composer episodes when you are done, check out episodes 108 and 61, where we spotlighted Hitoshi Sakimoto and Yoko Shimomura, respectively.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Patrick Gann, Greg Delmage; Edited by Paul Dennis

Links for this episode

Tracklist
Fiji Block
0:08:13 - Where Angel Fear to Tread (Hiroki Kikuta, arr. Sachiko Miyano) - Trials of Mana (2020)
0:10:54 - Into the Thick of It (GENTLE LOVE) - Prescription for Sleep: Lullabies of Mana

Indie Darling Block
0:36:59 - Ajna (comp/arr Hiroki Kikuta) - Indivisible
0:39:44 - Land of Blooming Mushrooms (Hiroki Kikuta) - Tangledeep

Cinematic Block
1:04:31 - The Essentia 2000 Arrives (aka Exploring the Wilderness) (Hiroki Kikuta) - YIIK: A Postmodern RPG
1:07:05 - Halls of Karba (Hiroki Kikuta) - Earthlock: Festival of Magic

"I'll do it myself" Block
1:26:07 - Requiem (Hiroki Kikuta) - Koudelka
1:27:29 - Quake (comp/arr Hiroki Kikuta) - Soukaigi
2:02:20 - Mike's Bonus Track!

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122 - The Sounds of Autumn: Pumpkin Spice II

RPGFan.com — Mon, 20 Nov 2023 16:00:00 -0500

We're knee-deep in fall leaves in some parts of the world, though much like our spring themes episode earlier this year, what autumn (or fall) means to each of our panelists varies. Some of us chose songs based on cozy evenings with a hot drink, and some of us used our imaginations since not everyone lives in parts of the world with the typical four seasons. So enjoy eight different musical approaches to autumn, and let us know which of these sound like autumn in your part of the world!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Audra Bowling, Gio Castillo, Jimmy Turner; Edited by Paul Dennis

Links for this episode

Rhythm Encounter 11 - Pumpkin Spice

Tracklist
0:08:35 - 日常 (Everyday) (Ayako Minami, Makoto Asai) - DAEDALUS: The Awakening of Golden Jazz
0:14:10 - Fall (The Smell of Mushroom) (ConcernedApe, arr. by GENTLE LOVE) - Prescription for Sleep: Stardew Valley
0:31:32 - Old Familiar Scent of Iselia (Motoi Sakuraba) - Tales of Symphonia
0:34:18 - Thank You (Jason Chen) - Autumn’s Journey
0:45:30 - Mages In Their Chantry (Inon Zur) - Dragon Age: Origins
0:47:13 - Works and Ways Unseen (Ryan Ike) - Shadows Over Loathing
1:00:11 - Branch-Colored Past (Time) ~First Chapter - One Hundred Years Ago~ (SOLIDTUNE [Seiichi Takamoto]) - Suikoden: The Woven Web of a Century
1:02:55 - National Park (Go Ichinose) - Pokémon HeartGold & SoulSilver
1:18:02 - Audra's (and Jimmy's) Bonus Track!

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121 - Game-Defining RPG Music

RPGFan.com — Mon, 06 Nov 2023 17:00:00 -0500

We all know those big moments in RPGs. A place, a scene, or a pivotal battle that really makes the game and solidifies it in your memory. The scoring in those moments isn't always what makes it work, but it often plays a crucial role. In many cases, the music really does make the moment, if not the game. Today we are talking about songs that carry that burden of really defining the RPG they're in, making the whole experience better by just being there.

We've been wanting to do this topic for over four years, and there's certainly more music that fits the bill than we had time for, but we are thrilled to talk about these eight songs. Be sure to get in touch with us and let us know some of your game-defining music!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Zach Wilkerson, Wes Iliff, Stephanie Sybydlo; Edited by Paul Dennis

Tracklist
0:05:54 - Transcending Love (HIMEKAMI) - Suikoden III
0:08:59 - Dynamis (Masayoshi Soken) - Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker
0:26:56 - Theme of Grandia (Noriyuki Iwadare) - Grandia
0:31:32 - Arc the Lad Theme (Masahiro Andoh) - Arc the Lad
0:48:09 - Star Ocean Forever - Jazz Ver. (Motoi Sakuraba) - Star Ocean: Till The End of Time
0:55:15 - Battle 3 (Yasunori Shiono) - Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals
1:14:33 - Weight of the World / The End of YoRHa (Keichii Okabe) - NieR: Automata
1:20:02 - Carrying the Weight of Life (Kenji Hiramatsu & Yasunori Mitsuda) - Xenoblade Chronicles 3
1:49:26 - Wes' bonus track!

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120 - Party in the GBA

RPGFan.com — Mon, 23 Oct 2023 08:00:00 -0400

From 2001 to 2005, the Game Boy Advance was Nintendo’s golden son. The Game Boy Advance brought gameplay depth and audio quality yet-unseen in a handheld gaming device, and gave us dozens of superb RPGs to enjoy over its run of success. Today, we celebrate the indigo blue machine with nine fabulous songs from a few of the GBA’s finest RPGs.

Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Greg Delmage, Patrick Gann, Peter Triezenberg; Edited by Jono Logan

Tracklist
Part 1 - When something’s going wrong, you must shrink it.
0:15:43 - Awake (Sotaro Tojima) - Castlevania: Circle of the Moon
0:18:04 - Minish Woods (Mitsuhiko Takano) - The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap

Part 2 - I’m starting with the Mana in the mirror
0:37:37 - Mana Shrine / Mana Sanctuary (Kenji Ito) - Sword of Mana
0:39:45 - Within the Stars (The Elemental Stars) (Motoi Sakuraba, arr. Sam Dillard) - Golden Sun

Part 3 - Get in the tank, loser. We’re getting coffee.
1:01:59 - Boss Battle (Yoko Shimomura) - Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
1:03:51 - Jess’s Theme (Yoshito Hirano) - Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising

Part 4 - And I’ve seen the promised Landorus-Therian.
1:27:11 - Heaven’s Gate of Darkness / Dark Gate (Minako Adachi) - Riviera: The Promised Land
1:29:07 - Elite Four (Junichi Masuda, Go Ichinose and Morikazu Aoki) - Pokémon Ruby & Sapphire
1:53:50 - Patrick's Bonus Track!

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119 - RPG Dance Party!

RPGFan.com — Mon, 09 Oct 2023 19:47:07 -0400

"All this energy's got us inspired now/We couldn't stop it, just set it free and DANCE!"

That's right! Today we're taking some advice from Persona 4: Dancing All Night and getting our dance on. Spin-off dancing games aside, danceable and electronic beats have permeated RPG soundtracks for a long time, whether that's special arrangement albums or soundtracks incorporating a more modern sound to high praise. We have a good representation of that trend in our setlist today, so join our panel of makeshift DJs as we attempt to bring the house down and spread some of that infectious energy. Maybe we'll even discuss headphone protagonists and their musical powers.

Note: In the episode, we initially mentioned "Obsession" as appearing in .hack//INFECTION, but the song was composed for the .hack//SIGN anime before also appearing in the .hack//Link game.

Featuring: Hilary Andreff, Audra Bowling, Mario Garcia, Steph Sybydlo; Edited by Jono Logan & Mike Salbato

Links for this episode

Rhythm Encounter Episode 52 - Undertale Turns Five

Tracklist
0:09:14 - ASGORE (Toby Fox arr. Rob Gasser) - Undertale: Straight from the Underground
0:13:04 - A Way of Life (ATLUS Kitajoh Remix) (Atsushi Kitajoh, Shoji Meguro, Ryota Kozuka) - Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight
0:32:40 - Satisfy (Takeharu Ishimoto) - The World Ends With You
0:36:35 - Pulse: Thunder Rolls (Masayoshi Soken, remixed by Daiki Ishikawa) - Pulse: Final Fantasy XIV Remix Album
0:59:17 - TIGAR - Otto (Hayato Asano) - Blue Reflection
1:03:26 - Staggered Injection (Ekstrak) - Mass Effect 3
1:25:07 - A New Hope (Masashi Hamauzu) - Musashi Samurai Legend
1:27:43 - Obsession (Yuki Kajiura) - .hack//SIGN
1:56:32 - Hilary's Bonus Track!

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118 - RPG Town Themes II: Urban Expansion

RPGFan.com — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 12:00:00 -0400

In summer of 2014, Rhythm Encounter episode 18 was all about town themes. Today, a coincidentally exact 100 episodes later, we finally revisit the topic with more favorite RPG town theme music. This time around, we have games that span quite a range, from the early 90s to just last month, with four new-to-Rhythm Encounter games making their debut, like opoona and Sea of Stars. These town themes range from chill listens, exciting bops, and many things in between. All of us agreed that we all discovered something new from each other, and we hope the same is true for you! Tell us some of your favorite town themes!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Gio Castillo, Tin Manuel, Audra Bowling; Edited by Jono Logan

Tracklist
0:07:40 - Forgotten Days (Miki Higashino) - Suikoden
0:10:56 - Sultana Dreaming (Masayoshi Soken) - Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn
0:33:56 - The Village Without Memories (Noriyuki Kamikura) - opoona
0:37:42 - Village Theme (Khrumble Dun) (Koichi Sugiyama) - Dragon Quest Builders 2
0:56:38 - Black Mage Village (Nobuo Uematsu) - Final Fantasy IX
0:58:31 - Mabe Village (Kozue Ishikawa, arr by Dj CUTMAN, Spamtron) - MeowMeow & BowWow: A Tribute to Link's Awakening
1:11:30 - Seiran - The Blue Reflection (Hayata Takeda, Masato Nakamura) - Scarlet Nexus
1:16:05 - Port Town (Day) (Eric W. Brown, Vincent Jones) - Sea of Stars
1:38:32 - Gio's Bonus Track!

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117 - Underrated Final Fantasy Music

RPGFan.com — Mon, 11 Sep 2023 17:00:50 -0400

When it comes to Final Fantasy music, for every "One-Winged Angel," there are a dozen lesser-known songs in a given game that don't always get their deserved time in the spotlight. Today's panel came loaded with eight songs they feel are overlooked, underrepresented, and, yes, underrated from across the Final Fantasy series. So take a seat, Sephiroth, today we're going to hear from Relm, Jecht, and some good avian friends.

Note: One of us made a mistake when discussing a song in the third block, but please continue listening before writing in, as we figured out the issue during the song break! Apologies for any confusion there, but enjoy the music nonetheless.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Tin Manuel, Lucas Greene, Jimmy Turner; Edited by Jono Logan

Tracklist
0:09:38 - The Selkie Guild (Hidenori Iwasaki & Ryo Yamazaki) - Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles The Crystal Bearers
0:12:03 - Galdin Quay (Yoko Shimomura) - Final Fantasy XV
0:27:42 - Damcyan Castle (Nobuo Uematsu, arr. Yuko Komiyama) - Final Fantasy IV Pixel Remaster
0:30:17 - Horror of the Abyss (Takeharu Ishimoto) - Final Fantasy Type-0
0:48:26 - Coin Song (Nobuo Uematsu, arr. Shiro Sagisu) - Final Fantasy VI Piano Collections
0:53:08 - God's Cradle (JP: Kami no Yurikago), Relm’s Theme (Nobuo Uematsu, arr. Risa Ohki) - Final Fantasy Vocal Collections II “Love Will Grow”
1:16:54 - On Our Fates Alight (Masayoshi Soken) - Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers
1:20:50 - Otherworld (Bill Xtillidiex Muir, Nobuo Uematsu) - Final Fantasy X
1:51:51 - Jimmy's Bonus Track!

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116 - U R Not (red) E: PlayStation RPG Music Favorites

RPGFan.com — Mon, 28 Aug 2023 18:00:00 -0400

On Rhythm Encounter, we have celebrated several consoles' RPG music, including the SNES (Episode 89), NES (Episode 73), and Genesis (Episode 92). Isn't it about time the original PlayStation got some love? It's hard to understate the tectonic shift in RPG releases in the West that began during the PSone's lifetime, and there is a treasure trove of wonderful music from RPGs released for Sony's first console. Of course, these eight tracks only scratch the surface, but they're a good start, and we will doubtlessly revisit this topic later. Be sure to let us know some of your favorite PSone songs!

Oh, and if you don't remember the uh... memorable PSone ad campaign that inspired this episode's title, you're probably lucky. But here is a link anyway. (Flashing light and poor video... and poor taste warning.)

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Audra Bowling, Wes Iliff; Edited by Jono Logan

Links for this episode

Tracklist
0:06:37 - Opening BGM (Miki Higashino) - Suikoden II OST
0:09:14 - Primal Eyes (Yoko Shimomura) - Parasite Eve OST
0:27:05 - Casually (Akari Kaida) - Breath of Fire III OST
0:29:41 - DISC 1 Opening "Wild Arms 2nd Ignition ~You'll Never Be Alone~” (Michiko Naruke) - Wild ARMs 2 OST
0:45:27 - Anxious Heart (Nobuo Uematsu) - Final Fantasy VII OST
0:49:27 - October Mermaid (Yasunori Mitsuda) - Xenogears OST
1:03:51 - The Wind Sings, For the Journey (Yoko Shimomura) - Legend of Mana OST
1:05:50 - All Becomes Twilight (Motoi Sakuraba) - Valkyrie Profile OST
1:31:25 - Mike's Bonus Track!

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115 - Dirge of Dungeon

RPGFan.com — Mon, 14 Aug 2023 08:00:00 -0400

To the dungeon with you! But don't worry, we'll be there with you. Dungeons are a staple of most RPGs, and good music can elevate the experience of any dungeon, even the dreaded sewers. Why we have never had a dungeon-specific episode before now, we couldn't tell you, so today we make up for it, featuring games dating back as far as 1988 all the way to just last month (and six other songs in between)! So come join us down here, the water's... well, murky and gross, and there's some weird thing floating over there... but the music's fine!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Audra Bowling, Peter Treizenberg; Edited by Jono Logan

Tracklist
0:09:48 - Ruined Sparkling City (Yoko Shimomura) - Legend of Mana OST
0:13:10 - Rosenthorne OC Remix (Masatomo Miyamoto, Takeshi Santo, arr. The Wingless) - The Guardian Legend
0:31:34 - Steel Fortress (Mitsuo Singa) - The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie OST
0:33:53 - Geo-Front (Saki Momiyama/Falcom Sound Team jdk) - The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero OST
0:47:38 - Secrets: Leave Time for Love (Hiroki Kikuta) - Secret of Mana Genesis Arrange Album
0:50:25 - Stella Nursery (Go Shiina) - HARVESTELLA Original Soundtrack
1:12:14 - Grecliff (Masanori Hikichi, Miyoko Kobayashi, arr. by Martin Denk) - Terranigma Unofficial Soundtrack
1:15:17 - Mortal Instants (Masayoshi Soken) - Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers OST
1:48:48 - Audra's Bonus Track!

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114 - Incomparettable: Piano Covers with Kara Comparetto

RPGFan.com — Mon, 31 Jul 2023 08:00:00 -0400

Have you ever wanted an inside look at what it's like to write covers from classics like Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy VI, perform, and run a stream/YouTube channel? Then this episode is for you. It's another special interview episode here on Rhythm Encounter, and we're fortunate to be joined by talented pianist, streamer, and arranger Kara Comparetto! She joined us to discuss her work and performance-driven RPG music in general, from costume-making to learning the subtle differences in playing piano, pipe organ, and harpsichord (including recording yourself doing different parts of the same song to fit them together beautifully). And, of course, we have some of her tracks to listen to and discuss!

Featuring: Hilary Andreff, Patrick Gann, with special guest Kara Comparetto; Edited by Jono Logan

Links for this episode
This episode's links are all about Kara. Find her on:

Tracklist
0:08:51 - Dancing Mad (Nobuo Uematsu, arr/perf. Kara Comparetto) - Final Fantasy VI
0:37:52 - Chrono Trigger (Yasunori Mitsuda, arr/perf. Kara Comparetto) - Chrono Trigger
1:06:37 - Kara's Bonus Track: Peaceful Days (Yasunori Mitsuda, arr/per. Kara Comparetto) - Chrono Trigger

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113 - Dragon Quest: Symposium of Sound

RPGFan.com — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 08:00:00 -0400

A podcast appears! Fight? Spell? Parry? Item? JAM.

The music of Dragon Quest, largely composed by the late Koichi Sugiyama, combines a classical sensibility with a flair for the dramatic, with tracks ranging from serene world map tunes to pop-inspired tracks for naming your hero. And let's not forget the timeless fanfare, one of the most recognizable themes in RPGs. Today, four intrepid would-be heroes gathered at Ruida's tavern to discuss the music of Dragon Quest, eager to celebrate the music of the first Japanese RPG series.

Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Audra Bowling, Gio Castillo, Mario Garcia; Edited by Jono Logan

Tracklist
Part 1 - “Angels, Demons, and Dragons, oh my!”
0:10:02 - Light through the Leaves of Love [Symphonic] (Koichi Sugiyama) - Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Definitive Edition
0:12:11 - Audra - Protectors of the Starry Sky (Koichi Sugiyama) - Dragon Quest IX OST

Part 2 - “Do Dragons Dream of Electric Slimes?”
0:31:01 - Happy Humming (Koichi Sugiyama) - Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation
0:33:47 - Battle for the Glory (Koichi Sugiyama) - Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen DS OST

Part 3 - “Dragon Quest III’s Company”
0:49:13 - Adventure (Koichi Sugiyama) - Dragon Quest III Symphonic Suite (2005 Tokyo Metropolitan Orchestra version)
0:52:28 - Town (Night) (Koichi Sugiyama) - Dragon Quest III

Part 4 - “Dragon Quest: Origins”
1:10:13 - Only Lonely Boy (Koichi Sugiyama) - Suite Dragon Quest II (1987 Tokyo Strings Ensemble version)
1:13:29 - Town of Alefgard (Koichi Sugiyama) - Dragon Quest (Game Boy Color)
1:34:26 - Gio’s bonus track!

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112 - With Jazz in Our Hearts and Funk in Our Souls

RPGFan.com — Mon, 03 Jul 2023 08:00:00 -0400

It's time to get down! In this panel, the Rhythm crew has selected some favorite jazz and funk tracks in RPGs. Not styles of music that first come to mind when thinking of RPGs, and indeed, that's part of their charm and effect! How have game composers and arrangers adopted these styles while arranging or used them to build on the game itself? We consider those questions while listening to some excellent and catchy music. Join us as we add some creativity, improvisation, and fun to our RPG music intake. Even Motoi Sakuraba is getting on this, so we hope you will too and enjoy the range of songs we have for you today!

Featuring: Hilary Andreff, Gio Castillo, Michael Sollosi; Edited by Jono Logan

Links for this episode

Tracklist
0:08:39 - Tifa's Theme Jazz Arrangement (Eijiro Nakagawa) - Square Enix Jazz Final Fantasy VII (also Final Fantasy VII Remake)
0:15:14 - Glass in One Hand (Satoshi Okubo) - Last Window: The Secret of Cape West
0:31:27 - HAIA (D.T.Construction) - moon
0:36:27 - Pollyanna (I Believe In You) (Keiichi Suzuki, arr. 8-Bit Big Band) - Mother series
0:57:17 - Rydia (Nobuo Uematsu arr. Sean Schafianski) - Final Fantasy IV Jazz Arrange Version
0:59:35 - A City of Another Civilization (Motoi Sakuraba) - Tales of Xillia OST
1:17:33 - Sophisticated Fight (Wataru Ishibashi, arr. Noriyuki Kamikura) - The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky FC (from Sora no Kiseki Zanmai)
1:21:55 - Last Surprise (Shoji Meguro) - Persona 5 OST
1:25:48 - Be the Star!! (Chihiro Aoki) - Yakuza 5 OST
1:55:34 - Sollosi's Bonus Track!

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111 - Musical Games: From Classical Composers to Singing Pirates

RPGFan.com — Mon, 19 Jun 2023 08:00:00 -0400

What defines a musical game? Videogames, and RPGs especially, are known for using a musical score to enhance the experience, so what parameters really define "musical games" and make their use of music especially notable? Today, our Rhythm panel is going on a journey to look at a wide variety of music that we feel fits into this category to tease out some of those important factors that mark a truly musical game. A game probably doesn't have to take place in the mind of an ailing composer from our reality and include many facts about his life to be considered a musical game, but it also doesn't hurt. We also consider musical gameplay elements, games with musician characters, and interactive music in games.

Featuring: Hilary Andreff, Patrick Gann, Wes Iliff, Jono Logan; Edited by Jono Logan

Links for this episode

Tracklist
0:11:37 - A Pirate I Was Meant to Be (Michael Land) - The Curse of Monkey Island
0:16:08 - The Overture 2 (Pytor Illyich Tchaikovsky) - LOOM: Game Soundtrack
0:39:57 - Difficult Love Puzzle (Tenpei Sato, vocal Kaoru Fujino) - Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure
0:44:40 - Dream☆Catcher (KOH) - Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE
1:00:32 - Train Train (Lynda Carter, John Jarvis & Kerry Marx) - Fallout 4
1:02:42 - Setting Sail, Coming Home (Darren Korb) - Bastion
1:24:06 - Your truth is my false (Motoi Sakuraba) - Eternal Sonata
1:27:16 - EXEC_PAJA/.#Orica (comp/arr/vocal Akiko Shikata) - Ar tonelico: Melody of Elemia
2:00:16 - Pat's Bonus Track!

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110 - Melodious May Music (in June)

RPGFan.com — Mon, 05 Jun 2023 08:00:00 -0400

We interrupt the expected "Musical RPGs" episode with a quick listen to some recent music, just as we did earlier in the year with episode 101. With new Zelda and Final Fantasy XIV music that came our way in May, Mike had to share those. But there's several other notable indie projects to share too, so enjoy what we're listening to, and let us know what's been in your ears lately!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff; Edited by Jono Logan

Links for this episode

Tracklist
0:03:10 - Set the Stage on Fire (The Stage Is Set)(Nobuo Uematsu, arr. by Zack Parrish) - Final Fantasy VIII: SeeDs of Pandora
0:07:29 - Stargazing (Andrew Jeremy) - Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus and Butterfly OST
0:26:24 - Water Dungeon (Maybe Toru Minegishi) - The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
0:41:08 - Trading Town of Redmont (Ys III: Wanderers from Ys) (Falcom Sound Team jdk, arr. GENTLE LOVE) - Prescription for Sleep: Game Music Lullabies Volume III
1:03:55 - Mysterious Place (Deniz Akbulut, arr. by Takahiro Eguchi) - CrossCode ~ The Ultimate Arrange
1:06:55 - Golbez Theme (Nobuo Uematsu, arr. by Masayoshi Soken?) - Final Fantasy XIV Patch 6.4: The Dark Throne

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109 - Character World: RPG Character Themes II

RPGFan.com — Tue, 23 May 2023 08:00:00 -0400

Welcome to our long-awaited followup to 2014's Theme Park episode! Episode 21 of Rhythm Encounter was all about character themes, and we knew it was time to do this topic again, because there has been no shortage of characters with their own themes in RPGs since then. We've got Dragon Quest, Dragon Age, and even games without dragons in their names, like The Legend of Heroes, Deltarune, and more!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Gio Castillo, Audra Bowling, Greg Delmage; Edited by Jono Logan

Links for this episode

Tracklist
0:07:49 - Spamton (Toby Fox) - Deltarune Chapter 2
0:08:30 - Sera (Rayne Shockney, Elizaveta Stoubis, Nick Stoubis) - Dragon Age: Inquisition -The Bard Songs-
0:22:30 - Within Living Memory (or Kalen or Karen) (Noriko Matsueda) - What's His Name (Front Mission)
0:27:19 - Elle’s Theme (Miyoko Kobayashi & Masanori Hikichi, arr. Martin Denk) - Terranigma Unofficial Soundtrack
0:49:24 - Fight With Seymour (Nobuo Uematsu) - The Black Mages (Final Fantasy X)
0:54:28 - The Girl Who Stole the Stars (Yasunori Mitsuda, arr. Sam Griffin) - Our Cerulean Skies (Chrono Cross)
1:16:17 - The Tomboy Princess' March (Koichi Sugiyama) - Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen
1:17:57 - Grimcats the Phantom Thief {”I’m Grimcats!”} (Original Composer: Yukihiro Jindo, Arrangement: Mitsuo Singa, Performance: jdk BAND) - The Legend of Heroes: Kuro no Kiseki Super Ultimate
1:43:54 - Greg's Bonus Track!

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108 - Hitoshi Sakimoto: Person of Musical Caliber

RPGFan.com — Mon, 01 May 2023 08:00:00 -0400

Whether you know him from his legendary work on Final Fantasy Tactics or elsewhere, odds are you at least know composer Hitoshi Sakimoto's name. And while he often gets talked about for his work in those Ivalice titles like FFT, Final Fantasy XII, and Vagrant Story, Sakimoto has worked on a fascinating variety of game soundtracks, dating back to 1988!

As fascinating as it is that he worked on music for Radiant Silvergun and Gradius V, today we are, of course, discussing Sakimoto's music in RPGs, including four new-to-Rhythm Encounter game debuts. There are sure to be some surprises, but there's only one way to know for sure — find out!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Audra Bowling, Greg Delmage; Edited by Jono Logan

Links for this episode

Tracklist & Order
0:16:05 - Brand Logo ~ Title Back (Hitoshi Sakimoto) - Final Fantasy Tactics OST
0:17:12 - Dawn on Leá Monde - Vagrant Story (Hitoshi Sakimoto) - Vagrant Story OST
0:36:56 - Revolt (Hitoshi Sakimoto) - Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber OST
0:40:10 - Limitation (Hitoshi Sakimoto) - Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together OST
1:06:37 - A World Where Magic Never Was (Hitoshi Sakimoto) - Crimson Shroud OST
1:09:15 - The Middle Layer Area (Hitoshi Sakimoto) - Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter OST
1:34:55 - The Ones Who Obtain Tomorrow (Hitoshi Sakimoto) - Legaia 2: Duel Saga OST
1:37:21 - Brat Overflow -Branched- (Hitoshi Sakimoto) - 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim Remix & Arrange Album -The Branched-
2:03:50 - Hilary's Bonus Track!

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107 - Springtime Serenade

RPGFan.com — Mon, 17 Apr 2023 08:00:00 -0400

At Rhythm Encounter, we've created episodes around seasons in the past — Episode 6 was about summer, while Episode 23, Winter Warmer, was popular enough that we revisited winter in Episode 59. And yet, we've somehow never had episodes about spring or fall/autumn. Well, today we address one of those missing seasons, with four panelists and eight songs about springtime! Or rather, songs that we feel have a "spring feel," and in some cases, what some people who have never experienced "spring" imagine what its soundtrack should be. Our cast turned out to approach this fun topic from more directions than we knew going in, and it made for some great discussion about wonderful RPG music.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Gio Castillo, Audra Bowling, Tin Manuel; Edited by Jono Logan

Links for this episode

Bambi - Little April Shower

Tracklist
0:09:14 - Dawn of Mana - opening theme (Ryuichi Sakamoto) - Dawn of Mana OST
0:14:06 - Rainbow Butterfly Woods (Tomohito Nishiura) - Dark Cloud 2 OST
0:34:42 - Gazing Over the Great Plain (Yasunori Nishiki) - Octopath Traveler OST
0:38:00 - The Plain and the Sky ~Citro Plain BGM~ (Yoshino Aoki, Norikazu Miura, Masaharu Iwata, Kaori Komuro and Hiroaki Tomuno) - Suikoden Tierkreis OST
0:51:15 - A Moment of Calm (Genso Suikoden Music Team) - Suikoden V OST
0:54:18 - Spring (Wild Horseradish Jam) (ConcernedApe) - Stardew Valley OST
1:15:36 - Have You Ever Seen Me? (Nobuo Uematsu; arr. Yuichiro Goto, based on “Tozas, The Dwarves’ Village” from FFIII) - Final Fantasy Vocal Collections II “Love Will Grow”
1:18:20 - Breeze With U (Barry "Epoch" Topping) - Paradise Killer OST
1:38:51 - Tin's Bonus Track!

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106 - Rhythm de Chocobo

RPGFan.com — Mon, 03 Apr 2023 08:00:00 -0400

In preparation for April Fool's Day, someone at RPGFan suggested we finally tackle a long-standing idea: a joke episode that features only chocobo music from Final Fantasy. We loved the idea, but then a funny thing happened — a perfectly normal episode celebrating Nobuo Uematsu's iconic theme and its many, many iterations over the years. The idea was funny, but we love this little ditty too much for our praise to be anything but sincere. So gas up your chocobo with some greens and let's go!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Jono Logan, Patrick Gann, Ben Schuster; Edited by Jono Logan

Links for this episode

Compi de Chocobo Music Review | RPGFan
The History of Final Fantasy Music | RPGFan
Kara Comparetto: Chocobo Medley (in Costume!) from Final Fantasy
BRA★BRA FINAL FANTASY BRASS de BRAVO (Official YouTube Playlist)
BRA★BRA FINAL FANTASY BRASS de BRAVO 3 (Official YouTube Playlist)
BRA★BRA FINAL FANTASY VII BRASS de BRAVO (Official YouTube Playlist)

Tracklist
Origins de Chocobo
0:06:22 - Jono - Chocobo Theme (Nobuo Uematsu) - Final Fantasy II
0:06:57 - Jono - Chocobo-Chocobo (Nobuo Uematsu) - Final Fantasy IV

Whiplash de Chocobo
0:26:14 - Pat - Crazy Chocobo (arr&perf Shootie HG) - Final Fantasy XIII-2
0:28:06 - Pat - Cinco de Chocobo (arr Shiro Hamaguchi, perf Seiji Honda) - Piano Collections Final Fantasy VII

Bop de Chocobo
0:53:31 - Mike - Mambo de Chocobo (Nobuo Uematsu, arr. Yasumasa Sato, performed by the Siena Wind Orchestra) - BRA★BRA FINAL FANTASY BRASS de BRAVO 2 (and FFV)
0:56:45 - Ben - Pulse de Chocobo (Masashi Hamauzu) - Final Fantasy XIII

Chill de Chocobo
1:17:48 - Mike - Bluesy Chocobo (Nobuo Uematsu, arr. Naoshi Mizuta & Masashi Kimura) - Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII
1:22:18 - Ben - Rodeo de Chocobo (Yoko Shimomura) - Final Fantasy XV

1:53:14 - Mike's Bonus Track!

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105 - Chained Echoes with Composer Eddie Marianukroh

RPGFan.com — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 08:00:00 -0400

There is nothing quite as exciting as having a composer as a guest on Rhythm Encounter. After offering much praise for Chained Echoes and its soundtrack, we wanted to get to know up-and-comer Eddie Marianukroh, the composer of said game. In today’s episode of Rhythm Encounter, we talk to Eddie regarding his work as a composer, and ask him to share some game music that matters to him. In contrast, co-hosts Patrick Gann and Greg Delmage share two of their favorite Chained Echoes tunes and get some behind-the-scenes factoids from Eddie regarding these tracks and more!

Featuring: Patrick Gann, Greg Delmage, with special guest Eddie Marianukroh; Edited by Jono Logan

Links for this episode

Tracklist
0:10:54 - A World Betwixt (Yasunori Mitsuda, arr. John Paul Hayward) - Cross Symphonic: A Symphonic Tribute to "Chrono Cross"
0:14:50 - Flower Fields of Perpetua (Eddie Marianukroh) - Chained Echoes
0:56:12 - Trisection (Hitoshi Sakimoto, arr. Ruby “PurpleSchala” Toung) - Final Fantasy Tactics Piano Collections Vol.1
0:58:57 - Standing Tall (The Mountains of Kortara) (Eddie Marianukroh) - Chained Echoes
1:42:55 - Eddie’s Bonus Track!
1:44:59 - Pat's Bonus Bonus Track - “Full Speed Ahead” (ZILF) - Chained Echoes' tortoise race

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104 - Like a Dragon: Rhythm!

RPGFan.com — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 08:00:00 -0500

With eight mainline entries, six side stories, and an entire spin-off series, Yakuza/Like a Dragon has an incredible history behind it. And what’s even more incredible is the stunning quality of music that comes with each new title. Since 2005, Yakuza has been gifting us pulse-pounding boss tracks, jaw-dropping series themes, and some of the best toe-tapping karaoke songs in video game history. On this week’s episode of Rhythm Encounter, our panel will finally be taking a deep dive into the musical legacy of this incredible RPG series! (And if you ever want to get into Yakuza, check out our series primer!)

Featuring: Jono Logan, Michael Sollosi, Gio Castillo; Edited by Jono Logan

Links for this episode

Tracklist
0:09:09 - Friday Night (Kensuke Inage, Yoshihiro Arai) - Yakuza 0 OST
0:10:42 - Outlaw’s Lullaby (Hidenori Shoji) - Yakuza 2 OST
0:34:07 - As You Like (Saori Yoshida feat. Mio (Castledoor)) - Yakuza 0 OST
0:36:42 - Long Drill on the Beach (Hidenori Shoji) - Lost Judgment OST
0:56:56 - So Much More ~feat. Haruka~ (Yuya Saito, Rie Kugimiya) - Yakuza 5 OST
1:02:06 - Atom no Ko (Tatsuro Yamashita) - Yakuza 6 OST
1:24:00 - Fly (Hidenori Shoji) - Yakuza 3 OST
1:29:13 - Destiny (Saori Yoshida) - Yakuza 6 OST
2:06:41 - Gio’s Bonus Track!

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.

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103 - Xeno Series Music Spotlight

RPGFan.com — Mon, 20 Feb 2023 09:30:00 -0500

The Xeno games do not make up a traditional series, with multiple sub-series and some games connected loosely and some more directly. But whether you favor Xenogears, Xenosaga, or Xenoblade, there's no denying the games' popularity in the RPG crowd. And for us on Rhythm Encounter, we have been enjoying the likes of Yasunori Mitsuda, Yuki Kajiura, Shinji Hosoe, ACE+, and many more talented composers' works in these games for nearly 25 years. So please enjoy today's Xeno-filled episode where we touch on every major game in the series (even as Mike asks where the Xenosaga: Pied Piper music is).

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Tyler Trosper, Gio Castillo, Patrick Gann; Edited by Jono Logan

Links for this episode

Jesse's Auditorium: Reacting To Video Game Music! | Xenoblade Chronicles DE - Mechanical Rhythm (YouTube)

Tracklist
0:13:25 - MELKABA (Yasunori Mitsuda) - (Xenogears) CREID
0:20:44 - Kokoro (Yasunori Mitsuda, ft. Joanne Hogg) - Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht
0:47:21 - Godsibb (Yuki Kajiura) - Xenosaga III: Also Sprach Zarathustra
0:50:39 - fatal fight (Jin & Margulis) (Yuki Kajiura) - Xenosaga Episode II: Jenseits von Gut und Böse
1:08:34 - Re:Arr X (Hiroyuki Sawano) - Xenoblade Chronicles X
1:14:43 - Mechanical Rhythm (ACE+) - Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition
1:35:37 - Mor Ardain - Roaming the Wastes (Kenji Hiramatsu) - Xenoblade Chronicles 2
1:38:40 - Battle!!/Torna (Kenji Hiramatsu) - Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna ~ The Golden Country
2:05:07 - Tyler's Bonus Track!

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.

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102 - Airships, Buses, and Cannons

RPGFan.com — Mon, 06 Feb 2023 08:00:00 -0500

Released in 2015, episode 27 of Rhythm Encounter was all about RPG transportation themes, like chocobos, airships, mechas, and boats. Because of the variety of creative vehicles and travel in our favorite genre — and because it's been nearly eight years — it's high time for another take on this topic. Hop in your spaceship, sentient boat, or tour bus, and join our four-person panel on this journey!

Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Audra Bowling, Mario Garcia, Greg Delmage; Edited by Jono Logan

Links for this episode

Rhythm Encounter Episode 27: Planes, Trains, and Chocobos

Tracklist
Part 1 - “Take Me Home, Country Roads”
0:03:19 - Nekaroo Races (Cedric Menendez) - Edge of Eternity OST Vol. II
0:05:46 - Land of Blue Skies (Takahiro Unisuga) - The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel OST

Part 2 - “Leaving on a Jet Plane”
0:24:33 - Aboard the Hilda Garde (Nobuo Uematsu) - Final Fantasy IX OST
0:28:38 - Fight or Flight (1999 AD) (Yasunori Mitsuda, arr. by Wiesty, The OC Jazz Collective) - Chronology: A Jazz Tribute to Chrono Trigger

Part 3 - “On the Good Ship Lollipop”
0:47:05 - Ocean (Koji Kondo, Toru Minegishi, Hajime Wakai, and Kenta Nagata) - The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker OST
0:49:45 - Departing for Death (Natsumi Kameoka) - God Eater 3 Soundtrack

Part 4 - “Groove is in the Heart”
1:10:30 - Get on the Bus! (Keiichi Suzuki and Hirokazu Tanaka) - EarthBound OST
1:12:06 - Flight into the Unknown (Hiroki Kikuta, arr. by Jorito feat. Sagnewshreds) - Bits & Bops Vol. 1 (Secret of Mana)
1:33:07 - Audra’s bonus track!

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.

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101 - Recent RPG Music 101

RPGFan.com — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 08:00:00 -0500

We interrupt your regularly scheduled Rhythm broadcast to bring you some exciting new music that is worth listening to with some urgency! While the transportation episode is making its journey here and the Xeno episode is leveling up to handle its high-level composers effectively, we decided to bring a selection of music that's come out over the past year, with an emphasis on more recent releases in the last few months. We're covering a wide range of game types/series, and more than one series may be making its Rhythm debut. I'll stop trying to make WRPG Radio happen, though...as important as public radio is and however tempting the semi-ironic station name is for a site that primarily covers JRPGs. Please enjoy!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff; Edited by Jono Logan

Links for this episode

Tracklist
0:06:28 - Frog's Theme Jazz Arrangement (Yasunori Mitsuda, arr. by Ryu Kawamura) - Square Enix Jazz -Chrono Trigger-
0:10:41 - Character Theme Sample Medley (Yasunori Nishiki) - Octopath Traveler II OST
0:27:28 - Shadow Hunter (Robert Holmes, arr. Troels Pleimert) - Gabriel Knight: Synths of the Father
0:35:51 - Song of Storms and Flame (Koji Kondo, arr. by ROZEN) - Shadows of Hyrule
0:49:43 - Nemea Town (Day) (Go Shiina) - Harvestella OST
0:52:57 - Freya's Theme (Nobuo Uematsu, arr. by Super Guitar Bros.) - Gentle Video Game Guitar Covers For Relaxation
1:13:23 - Hilary's Bonus Track!

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.

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100 - Return of the Kings

RPGFan.com — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 08:00:00 -0500

Rhythm Encounter launched its first episode in February 2013. Nearly ten years later and after some changes in leadership and a multi-year break, we have hit a milestone with our 100th episode! We decided early last year that we wanted to celebrate this occasion by inviting back our show's founders, Stephen Meyerink and Derek Heemsbergen. Their love of music birthed a (wow, this is getting weird, but...) podcast to celebrate RPG music, and we carry on to this day based on their vision.

Since leaving RPGFan, Stephen and Derek have excelled in their careers in localization, but still love RPG music. For this special episode, our guests and I (Mike) each chose three songs from 2022 releases we loved. This episode was a blast to record, as we talk about what Stephen and Derek have been doing post-RPGFan, the origins of Rhythm Encounter, and some thoughts about where the show may go in the future.

Also, we have a ton of awesome music to listen to and discuss!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Stephen Meyerink, Derek Heemsbergen; Edited by Jono Logan

Links for this episode

Tracklist
0:27:56 - Fons Sapientiae (Eddie Marianukroh) - Chained Echoes OST
0:31:22 - Little Blue (Grant Graham) - Ghost Song OST
0:33:49 - First Skirmish / Open the Shard! (Falcom Sound Team jdk) - The Legend of Heroes: Kuro no Kiseki OST
1:03:02 - The Dardala Company (mentioned as "ScalCap's Theme" in the show) (ACE (TOMOri Kudo, CHiCO)) - Atelier Online: Alchemist of Bressisle OST
1:07:20 - Battle 01 (Go Shiina) - Tales of Luminaria OST
1:10:34 - Triplet after Triplet (Hidenori Shoji) - Yakuza: Like a Dragon OST
1:34:41 - Heroic Struggle (Yoko Shimomura; Arr: Noriyuki Kamikura) - LIVE A LIVE HD-2D Remake OST
1:41:21 - In the Balance (Masayoshi Soken) - Endwalker: Final Fantasy XIV
1:45:46 - Moebius Battle M (All parts) (Yasunori Mitsuda (PROCYON STUDIO), ACE (TOMOri Kudo, CHiCO), Kenji Hiramatsu, Manami Kiyota, Mariam Abounnasr (PROCYON STUDIO), Yutaka Kunigo) - Xenoblade Chronicles 3
2:30:41 - Derek's Bonus Track!

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.

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99 - Music of the Year 2022

RPGFan.com — Mon, 26 Dec 2022 12:00:00 -0500

It's that time of year! A time of both reflection and celebration of 2022's best RPG music, and we had no shortage of great options this year. From major titles like Xenoblade Chronicles 3 to long-awaited releases like the LIVE A LIVE HD-2D remake, to indie titles like Chained Echoes and Citizen Sleeper, our five panelists today had some tough choices narrowing down their picks.

Because Music of the Year is a time to celebrate, we have a bigger-than-usual panel today, and each person got to pick one extra song compared to regular episodes, giving you sixteen wonderful songs to check out. Enjoy our selections, and be sure to let us know yours, and be on the lookout for our full Music of the Year feature soon on RPGFan!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Patrick Gann, Gio Castillo, Audra Bowling; Edited by Jono Logan

Tracklist

Audra's Picks
0:06:22 - Die Gefallenen ~A Duel of Friends~ (Thomas J. Peters) - Numina OST
0:10:23 - Reborn To Be a Survivor (Shunsuke Tsuchiya, Vocals/Lyrics: Shihoko Hirata) - even if TEMPEST OST
0:12:10 - In Search of Stars: The Ones I Found (Shotaro Seo) - Voice of Cards: The Beasts of Burden

Pat's Picks
0:28:01 - Live for Live (Yoko Shimomura) - Live A Live HD2D Remake Original Soundtrack
0:34:40 - Red (Grant Graham) - Ghost Song (Original Game Soundtrack)
0:37:59 - Wild Beat (Falcom Sound Team jdk (Hayato Sonoda, Takahiro Unisuga, Shuntaro Koguchi), Yukihiro Jindo, Mitsuo Singa) - The Legend of Heroes: Kuro no Kiseki OST

Gio's Picks
0:57:53 - Moebius Battle (Tomori Kudo) - Xenoblade Chronicles 3
1:03:04 - Great Cotte Falls (Day) (Manami Kiyota) - Xenoblade Chronicles 3
1:09:23 - Clue Investigation (Keisuke Ito) - AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES -nirvanA Initiative- Complete Soundtrack

Mike's Picks
1:33:38 - Never Forget Our Promise (Eddie Marianukroh) - Chained Echoes OST
1:36:33 - Flow Together (Masayoshi Soken, vocals by Amanda Achen) - Endwalker: Final Fantasy XIV OST
1:40:50 - The First City (Wobblersound) - Loot River OST

Hilary's Picks
1:57:16 - Main Theme (Ryan Ike) - Shadows Over Loathing OST
2:03:45 - Whipped Into Shape (Marskye feat. Madeleine McQueen) - Boyfriend Dungeon: Secret Weapons
2:08:40 - Shipwatching (Amos Roddy) - Citizen Sleeper OST

2:32:50 - Mike's Bonus Track!

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.

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98 - Persona Songs for Everyone's Souls

RPGFan.com — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 08:00:00 -0500

Welcome to a podcast between dreams and reality, mind and matter...

Okay, so it's not the Velvet Room, but it's a dedicated episode of Rhythm Encounter to celebrate it and the far-reaching and varied music in the Persona series. Join Gio of the Justice Arcana, Neal of the Death Arcana, Sollosi of the Hierophant/Hermit Arcana, and Hilary of the Strength/Fortune arcana on a journey from the first Persona game to the latest in the series and beyond to the spinoffs. We've had some Persona music on the podcast before, but there's so much more to reveal. Listen in for tracks both iconic and surprising. And Lotus Juice. Never forget Lotus Juice.

Featuring: Hilary Andreff, Michael Sollosi, Gio Castillo, Neal Chandran; Edited by Jono Logan

Tracklist
0:17:12 - School Infirmary (Former Dungeon ~ Saeko-Sensei) (Hidehito Aoki, Kenichi Tsuchiya, Misaki Okibe and Shoji Meguro) - Persona OST
0:20:14 - Mt. Katatsumuri (Toshiko Tasaki, Kenichi Tsuchiya, and Masaki Kurokawa) - Persona 2: Innocent Sin OST
0:39:09 - Memories of You (Shoji Meguro feat. Yumi Kawamura) - Persona 3 OST
0:45:06 - Time (Shoji Meguro, Mayumi Fujita, Reiko Tanaka) - Persona 3 Portable OST
1:03:44 - Pursuing My True Self (Shoji Meguro feat. Shihoko Hirata) - Persona 4 OST
1:06:47 - Princess Amagi (Traditional Taste Mix) (Atsushi Kitajoh and Toshiki Konishi) - Persona 4 Arena Original Arrange Soundtrack
1:30:47 - No More What Ifs (Shoji Meguro, Lyn, Lotus Juice) - Persona 5 Royal OST
1:34:45 - Pull the Trigger (Atsushi Kitajoh, feat. Mayumi Fujita and Lotus Juice) - Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth OST
2:00:33 - Hilary's Bonus Track!

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.

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97 - Fast Travel: Songs for your Commute

RPGFan.com — Mon, 28 Nov 2022 18:30:00 -0500

Commuting comes in several forms, especially over the last few years. Whether you drive to work or school, take a train or bus, or simply walk, many of us have a soundtrack or playlist for our daily journeys. Whether you're pumping yourself up for the day ahead, or winding down on the ride home, what you may listen to on your commute could have as much variety as everyone's songs in today's episode! So buckle up and give it a listen - bonus points if you listen to this very episode during your commute.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Audra Bowling, Mario Garcia, Gio Castillo, Tin Manuel; Edited by Jono Logan

Links for this episode

The world doesn't change even so music video (YouTube)

Tracklist
0:13:01 - Traveling With Friends (Koichi Sugiyama) - Dragon Quest II
0:15:37 - The Sunleth Waterscape (Masashi Hamauzu) - Final Fantasy XIII OST
0:30:58 - Be Honest (Mazorski, vocals: Yoo SuBin) - Buried Stars OST
0:34:13 - Daughter of the Dark God (Yasunori Nishiki) - Octopath Traveler OST
0:50:18 - Beyond the Journey (Mitsuo Singa, lyrics: Kyo Hifumi, vocals: Megumi Sasaka) - The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III OST
0:54:59 - Locus (Masayoshi Soken) - Heavensward: Final Fantasy XIV OST
1:14:35 - Your Affection (Shoji Meguro, Atsushi Kitajo, and Ryota Kozuka) - Persona 4 OST
1:17:25 - The world doesn't change even so (Aika Ohno, Hitoshi Okamoto) - The world doesn't change even so / Aya Kamiki (428: Shibuya Scramble)
1:36:26 - Tin's Bonus Track!

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.

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96 - The Very Best of Pokémon

RPGFan.com — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 08:00:00 -0500

It's 2022 and 10-year-old Ash Ketchum has finally won a Pokémon Championship after 25 years. Don't think about the math too much, or you'll end up feeling the need to Go Home and Sleep. Instead, we recommend listening to a lineup of great Pokémon music, and today's panelists have you covered! From way back in the days of Pokémon Gold & Silver all the way to an arrangement just released for the current events in Pokémon Masters EX, we've got you covered. Gather your best team and enjoy a peek into the soundtrack of a Pokémon Trainer.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Gio Castillo, Niki Fakhoori, Patrick Gann, Mario Garcia; Edited by Jono Logan

Links for this episode

8-Bit Music Theory explains Metric Modulation using Pokemon D/P Lake Theme

Tracklist
0:08:41 - Goldenrod City (Junichi Masuda, Go Ichinose, and Morikazu Aoki) - Pokémon Gold & Silver
0:10:20 - Lively Lillie! (Minako Adachi, Hitomi Sato) - Pokémon Sun & Moon
0:23:35 - In the Morning Sun (Arata Iiyoshi, Hideki Sakamoto, Keisuke Ito, Kenichi Saito, and Yoshihiro Maeda) - Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky
0:37:33 - Phenac City (Tsukasa Tawada) - Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness
0:51:12 - Lake (Go Ichinose) - Pokémon Diamond & Pearl
0:53:33 - Battle! (Lear) (Composer/Arranger: Haruki Yamada (ATTIC INC.)) - Pokémon Masters EX
1:12:15 - Battle! Champion Iris (Hitomi Sato) - Pokémon Black 2 & White 2: Super Music Collection
1:15:39 - Decisive Battle! (N) (Arranger: Haruki Yamada (ATTIC INC.)) - Pokémon Masters EX
1:41:10 - Niki's Bonus Track!

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.

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95 - Castlevania: Rhythm of the Night

RPGFan.com — Mon, 31 Oct 2022 08:00:00 -0400

While our friends at Retro Encounter just wrapped a month of graphic adventures — and by extension, a month of games featuring wolves — we wanted to record a Halloween-appropriate episode. The gothic halls of Dracula's Castle are a popular spot for spooky adventure, and the Castlevania series is known for its excellent music. The Castlevania titles that RPGFan covers began with the legendary Symphony of the Night, and in many of our choices today, are scored by the talented Michiru Yamane. Join us for some vampire killing tunes, and we promise, no tricks are in store for you today; only treats.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Michael Sollosi, Wes Iliff; Edited by Jono Logan

Links for this episode

Rhythm Encounter 76: Smashing Tunes

Tracklist
0:13:47 - Dracula's Castle (Michiru Yamane) - Castlevania: Symphony of the Night OST
0:15:31 - Invitation of a Crazed Moon (Yuzo Koshiro) - Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin OST
0:31:10 - A Town Called Cordova (Michiru Yamane) - Castlevania: Curse of Darkness OST
0:35:30 - Wandering the Crystal Blue (Michiru Yamane) - Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia OST
0:56:55 - Anti-Soul Mysteries Lab (Michiru Yamane) - Castlevania: Lament of Innocence OST
1:00:58 - Ebony Wings (comp. Yasuhiro Ichihashi, arr. Atsushi Sato) - Castlevania: Harmony of Despair OST (orig. Order of Ecclesia)
1:27:05 - Sollosi's Bonus Track!

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.

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94 - Masafumi Takada: Trigger Happy Cyber Sleuth

RPGFan.com — Mon, 17 Oct 2022 17:51:41 -0400

Composer Masafumi Takada is likely not as well known as some VGM composers by name, but it's very likely you have at least heard of the games he has worked on, especially the Danganronpa series. It's been awhile since our last composer-centric episode—we gushed about the wonderful Kumi Tanioka in episode 79—so we knew it was time to do another. Join us on a journey of strategy, murder, digital monsters, and possibly more murder. Happy Pre-Halloween!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Patrick Gann, Neal Chandran, Gio Castillo; Edited by Mike Salbato

Tracklist
0:08:39 - Climax Reasoning/Closing Argument (Masafumi Takada) - Danganronpa OST
0:12:41 - Something Eroding (Masafumi Takada) - Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth OST
0:31:00 - Welcome to this Wonderful Space (Masafumi Takada) - Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth OST
0:35:38 - La fille aux cheveux de lin (Masafumi Takada and Torn) - Flower, Sun, and Rain
0:57:03 - Tomorrow to start (Masafumi Takada) - Epica Stella (Vanguard Bandits) OST
1:00:00 - HOPPER's vol.1 [Bonus Track] (Masafumi Takada) - The Silver #02 + PARADE
1:30:02 - Gio's Bonus Track!

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.

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93 - Wild HEARTs

RPGFan.com — Mon, 26 Sep 2022 08:00:00 -0400

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As soon as we learned that the creators of the Wild ARMs and Shadow Hearts series were launching a Kickstarter for two new projects, Armed Fantasia and Penny Blood, we knew it was the perfect time to talk about the music of the teams' legacy. Also, how else would we get away with combining the music of Wild ARMs and Shadow Hearts into a single episode? So sit back and take a musical journey with us across the wild west of Filgaia, France, Japan, and more, as we enjoy the music of Michiko Naruke, Yoshitaka Hirota, and Yasunori Mitsuda.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Wes Iliff, Tyler Trosper, Audra Bowling; Edited by Jono Logan

Links for this episode

Tracklist
0:03:39 - Into the Wilderness (Michiko Naruke) - Wild ARMs OST
0:05:50 - ~ICARO AGAIN (Advertise II) (Yoshitaka Hirota) - Shadow Hearts: Covenant OST
0:16:48 - Battle Knight Blazer (Michiko Naruke, Arranged by Noriyasu Agematsu and Masato Kouda) - Wild Arms the Vth Vanguard (Wild Arms 5) Original Score Vol. 2
0:20:38 - Astaroth (Fallen Angel Battle) (Yasunori Mitsuda) - Shadow Hearts: Covenant OST
0:36:01 - Lone Bird in the Shire (Michiko Naruke) - Wild ARMs OST
0:37:39 - The Fate (Cluster Amaryllis / Spider Lily) (Yoshitaka Hirota) - Shadow Hearts: Covenant OST
0:54:12 - Their Name Is Schrodinger Family (Michiko Naruke) - Wild ARMs Advanced 3rd OST
0:57:28 - Alice - Piano Arrangement (Yoshitaka Hirota) - Shadow Hearts: Covenant OST
1:15:58 - Mike's Bonus Tracks!

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.

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92 - Blast Processing: SEGA Genesis RPGs

RPGFan.com — Mon, 12 Sep 2022 08:00:00 -0400

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Last month, we celebrated the music of the SNES with The Road SNES Traveled (episode 89), and today we turn our ears to Nintendo's then-competition, the SEGA Genesis! While SEGA's 16-bit console didn't have the sheer number of RPGs found on the SNES, there are plenty of gems to be found in the likes of Phantasy Star, Shining Force, and more. Come listen to some great music that Nintendidn't have.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Wes Iliff, Patrick Gann; Edited by Jono Logan

Links for this episode

Tracklist
0:03:51 - Thray (aka "Rune") (Masaki Nakagaki) - Phantasy Star IV
0:05:22 - Ally 1 [Neo-Holy War] (Noriyuki Iwadare) - Langrisser II
0:21:42 - Wandering Warriors (Motoaki Takenouchi) - Shining Force II
0:25:58 - Battle Theme (Zable Fahr) - Pier Solar and the Great Architects
0:46:38 - Stone place (Yuzo Koshiro) - Beyond Oasis
0:50:48 - Erias (Hiro aka Hiroshi Kawaguchi) - Sword of Vermilion
1:14:12 - Mike's Bonus Track!

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.

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91 - At Least the Music is Great

RPGFan.com — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 08:00:00 -0400

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On Rhythm Encounter, we enjoy discussing games and music we love, but sometimes excellent RPG music comes from unlikely places. Our panelists' challenge this time around was to find games that generally don't make it to any "best of" lists, whether based on our personal preferences or a wider critical or player consensus. But just because a game was — or should be, in some cases — overlooked doesn't mean the music isn't worthwhile! So join us as we talk about RPGs where the music is perhaps the most redeeming part of the overall package.

Also, because we forgot to answer the "repeat appearance" title mentioned during the intro, the answer is Shadow Hearts: From the New World!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Michael Sollosi, Peter Triezenberg; Edited by Jono Logan

Links for this episode

Tracklist
0:08:43 - Atland (ZOOM Sound Team) - Lagoon OST
0:11:08 - Fight Tune "Girl Named Shelke" (Masashi Hamauzu) - Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII OST
0:36:36 - Battle Theme I (Masashi Hamauzu) - UNLIMITED:SaGa OST
0:38:42 - Second Armageddon (Hirokazu Ando) - Arcana OST
0:57:10 - Wonder of Electron (Yoko Shimomura) - Kingdom Hearts Re:coded
0:59:12 - Cipher Peon Battle (Tsukasa Tawada) - Pokémon Colosseum OST
1:19:56 - Altar of the Barrier (Miyoko Kobayashi) - The Granstream Saga OST
1:22:17 - Adios (Yoshitaka Hirota) - Shadow Hearts: From the New World OST
1:45:41 - Hilary's Bonus Track!

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.

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90 - Tropical Tunes

RPGFan.com — Mon, 15 Aug 2022 17:20:00 -0400

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As the summer heat goes on for many of us, what's a better way to chill out than with a cold drink? A cold drink AND an episode of Rhythm Encounter packed full of summer-y tropical music! Today we sail the seas, spend time in port, and visit an oasis, island, and even an archipelago, with music spanning several generations of RPGs. Crack open a coconut and have a listen!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Stephanie Sybydlo, Peter Triezenberg, Greg Delmage; Edited by Mike Salbato

Links for this episode

Tracklist
0:05:17 - Peter - Oho Oasis (Yoko Shimomura) - Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions OST
0:06:26 - Mike - Summer (The Sun Can Bend An Orange Sky) (ConcernedApe) - Stardew Valley OST
0:28:00 - Greg - Veniccio (Tomohito Nishiura) - Dark Cloud 2 OST
0:29:16 - Steph - Ligou Isle From A Window (Kenji Ito) - Romancing SaGa Minstrel Song OST
0:45:50 - Steph - Seaport City of Ruan (Falcom Sound Team jdk) - The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky OST
0:47:49 - Greg - Apojii Archipelago (Motoi Sakuraba) - Golden Sun: The Lost Age OST
1:04:45 - Mike - Ocean World Map (Yoshio Hirai) - StarTropics
1:07:39 - Peter - Besaid Island: Narukami Chillhop Remix (originally by Masashi Hamauzu) - Narukami Music
1:35:27 - Peter's Bonus Track!

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.

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89 - The Road SNES Traveled

RPGFan.com — Mon, 01 Aug 2022 08:00:00 -0400

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Look out, you podcasters! It’s an extended ROBERT FROST REFERENCE. But at least it describes this episode.

Several games in an afternoon,
And sorry I could not play them all
And be one gamer, long I paused
And stared one down, to start it soon
Noting its lauded soundtrack’s call;

Then took the other, music less represented
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it’s novel and less frequently mentioned;
As for inspiring podcast discourse
Both are worthy, one a less familiar refrain,

This quandary before our panel lay
Each panelist with the SNES catalogue in full display
Oh, keep Chrono and FFVI for another day!
Yet knowing how each episode has its life,
We step boldly onward without looking back.

We’ll be fielding questions with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Yes, there is excellent music that is not here, and we–
We’re taking the road SNES traveled by,
And for this episode, that has made all the difference.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Michael Sollosi, Greg Delmage; Edited by Jono Logan

Links for this episode

Tracklist
0:06:13 - Title Theme (Charles Deenen) - J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I
0:08:32 - Be Absentminded (Motoi Sakuraba) - Tales of Phantasia OST
0:29:45 - Theme of Onett (Keiichi Suzuki) - EarthBound OST
0:32:18 - Still, the Road is Full of Dangers (Yoko Shimomura) - Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars OST
0:51:02 - Powell (Hiroki Kikuta) - Trials of Mana OST
0:55:13 - Underground Castle (or The Mines) (Yukihide Takekawa) - Soul Blazer OST
1:14:54 - Impregnable Defense (Masaharu Iwata) - Ogre Battle: The March of the Black Queen OST
1:17:16 - For the Savior (Yasunori Shiono) - Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals OST
1:42:35 - Greg's bonus track!

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.

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88 - Square Dance

RPGFan.com — Mon, 18 Jul 2022 08:00:00 -0400

You don't need to couple up for this square dance, since today we talk about strategy RPG music. Strategy RPGs don't always set their battles on a square-based grid, but since there's only so many that use circles, hexagons, and other non-square shapes, we felt the name was apt. Our four panelists brought a diverse range of music from some strategic games, so there's sure to be something for everyone. You may be surprised by some selections, too! So sit back and listen to us discuss strategy RPG music and the sorrows of the common man.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Michael Sollosi, Audra Bowling, Niki Fakhoori; Edited by Mark Mahler

Tracklist
0:04:00 - Desert Land (Hitoshi Sakimoto) - Final Fantasy Tactics OST
0:06:42 - Allies of Fate (Noriyuki Iwadare) - Langrisser I & II OST
0:28:28 - Honki no Uso (Ver. true heart) (Vocals: Kaori Oda, Lyrics: Michiko Naruke, Composer: Noriyasu Agematsu) - Wild ARMs XF OST
0:33:03 - True Courage (Tenpei Sato, vocals by Sara Thomas & Jody Fleischer) - Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure OST
0:55:19 - Running Fire (Tenpei Sato) - Disgaea: Hour of Darkness OST
0:59:05 - Battle 1 (Atsushi Fukase and/or Tatsuya Fujiwara) - Rondo of Swords
1:21:49 - Kiss Twice (Hiroki Kikuta) - Koudelka
1:28:18 - Leif's Army, Seeking Victory - Base (from "Fire Emblem: Thracia 776") (Yuka Tsujiyoko) - Shippuujinrai Sounds of Fire Emblem from Cipher Festival
1:55:50 - Sollosi's bonus track!

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87 - Lunar Encounter

RPGFan.com — Mon, 04 Jul 2022 08:00:00 -0400

If you know your RPGFan history very well, you'll know that when we started in 1997, we started under the name of LunarNET. While we didn't exclusively cover Lunar, the love of this series and Grandia (also from Game Arts) was essential to our founding. Since the SegaCD version of Lunar: The Silver Star just celebrated its 30th anniversary on June 26th, 2022, we decided it was the perfect time to dedicate an episode to Noriyuki Iwadare's timeless work on the series.

While Lunar is admittedly a small series with only two main games and a pair of spin-offs, the two main games have been remade — multiple times in the case of The Silver Star. Each version brought with it new musical arrangements, so don't let the smallness of the series fool you — there is a lot of wonderful music to experience!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Patrick Gann, Zach Wilkerson, Scott Clay; Edited by Jono Logan

Links for this episode

Tracklist
0:06:32 - LUNAR (Noriyuki Iwadare) - Lunar ~The Silver Star~
0:09:39 - Opening Credits Remastered (Noriyuki Iwadare, arr. Sean Schafianski) - Lunar Eternal Blue (Sean Schafianski Remastered ver)
0:25:11 - A Boy Undeterred by the Unknown (Noriyuki Iwadare) - Lunar Silver Star Harmony OST
0:26:50 - Wind's Nocturne (The Boat Song) (Noriyuki Iwadare) - Lunar Silver Star Story Complete OST
0:46:30 - Footsteps of the Decisive Battle (Noriyuki Iwadare) - Lunar ~ Eternal Blue
0:50:21 - Boss Battle (Noriyuki Iwadare) - Lunar 2: Eternal Blue Complete OST
1:05:05 - Eternal Blue [Rondo - Light and Shadows] (Noriyuki Iwadare) - Lunar 2: Eternal Blue Complete OST
1:10:05 - Betrayal (Part of Ending Theme) (Noriyuki Iwadare) - Lunar Silver Star Story Complete OST
1:27:07 - Pat's bonus track!

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86 - RPG Music from the Future

RPGFan.com — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 08:30:00 -0400

I am here in the present with a podcast recorded in the not-too-distant past because we all had an urgent need to discuss SONGS FROM THE FUTURE. Not really sure what sort of fate we're trying to promote or avoid by bringing you these tunes, but rest assured this music is an enjoyable listen. We've picked a range of music, from hacking tunes to futuristic towns and gardens, to discuss what makes music and media "futuristic" and maybe get you thinking about the future in a positive way. Get your jetpacks, lasers, and extra computer monitors ready and join our stalwart panel on this (sort of) time travel journey.

Featuring: Hilary Andreff, Audra Bowling, Greg Delmage, Mario Garcia; Edited by Jono Logan

Tracklist
0:05:55 - Access the Grid (Takeharu Ishimoto) - Kingdom Hearts 3D Dream Drop Distance OST
0:10:24 - A Beautiful Song (Keiichi Okabe, arr. Shotaro Seo) - NieR:Automata Original Soundtrack HACKING TRACKS
0:26:15 - Gaia's Garden (Deniz Akbulut) - CrossCode OST
0:28:25 - Silence and Motion (Nobuo Uematsu) - Final Fantasy VIII OST
0:50:02 - A Trail of Hope (John Paesano) - Mass Effect: Andromeda Original Score
0:52:41 - Sarif Industries (Michael McCann) - Deus Ex Human Revolution OST
1:13:03 - The Dead Sea -Tower of Geddon- (Yasunori Mitsuda) - Chrono Cross OST
1:16:10 - Robo's Theme (Yasunori Mitsuda) - Chrono Trigger Symphony Vol. 2 - The Blake Robinson Synthetic Orchestra
1:41:23 - Mario's bonus track!

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.

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85 - Analyzing RPG Music with 8-bit Music Theory

RPGFan.com — Sat, 28 May 2022 19:00:00 -0400

Here at Rhythm Encounter, we have the unique opportunity to bring listeners two interview episodes in a row! No, it's not MAGFest (though we do enjoy going there when we get the opportunity). We had the chance to chat with 8-Bit Music Theory, head of the fascinating and fun YouTube channel about music theory through a video game lens. He was generous enough to share information about his new arrangement album of GameCube songs, walk us through some music theory vocabulary using some of his RPG applicable videos, and do some analysis of (relatively?) obscure RPG music that we've chosen on the spot!

Featuring: Hilary Andreff, Patrick Gann; 8-Bit Music Theory, Edited by Jono Logan

Links for this episode

8-Bit Music Theory YouTube Channel
Purchase "Let's Play" on Bandcamp or Amazon

Tracklist
0:03:02 - 8-bit discusses his new album, Let's Play
0:18:06 - Musical terminology primer
0:57:55 - 8-bit's creative process for videos
1:15:34 - On the spot analysis
1:16:16 - Furious Battle - The Final Fantasy Legend (Makai Toushi SaGa)
1:25:43 - Epic Poem to Sacred Death - Valkyrie Profile OST
1:41:23 - A Maiden's Thoughts (from Chibi-Robo!) - Let's Play

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.

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84 - VGM for Life Events: Wedding Special!

RPGFan.com — Mon, 09 May 2022 14:30:00 -0400

It's spring, and I suppose that means wedding season is beginning soon? In any case, it's the perfect time to debut a new series of episodes here on Rhythm Encounter: VGM for life events. Especially with the increased capacity for intricate instrumental music within soundtracks, RPGs are able to convey a variety of moods, emotions, and tones throughout your adventures. This gives fans a great opportunity to be thoughtful about how to use VGM in their daily lives and for major life events. As teased above, we're starting this series with a monumental life milestone–weddings. RPG music has always held a special place for Dr. Justin Lyn, so he and his wife incorporated it throughout their special day. Today, he's here to discuss and guide us through their process for this lovely life event.

Featuring: Hilary Andreff, Dr. Justin Lyn

Tracklist

BLOCK 1: THE CEREMONY!
0:14:43 - Wedding Ceremony Entrances: Faraway Promise - Xenogears – Shattered Memories
0:15:42 - Terra's Theme - Distant Worlds II: more music from FINAL FANTASY
0:17:21 - Eternity - Memory of Lightwaves - Final Fantasy X-2 OST
0:25:25 - Wedding Ceremony exit - Final Fantasy IV (Distant Worlds ver.)

BLOCK 2: THE RECEPTION
0:36:18 - First Dance: Melodies of Life - Final Fantasy IX OST
0:42:22 - Terra in Black - Final Fantasy VI / OC Remix

BLOCK 3: PERIPHERALS
0:57:40 - Highlight video: Don't Think Twice - Kingdom Hearts III OST
1:02:14 - Slideshow: Simple and Clean - Kingdom Hearts OST
1:05:34 - Face my Fears - Kingdom Hearts III OST

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.

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83 - Café Vibes

RPGFan.com — Mon, 25 Apr 2022 08:00:00 -0400

Café music? You may be thinking this is more relaxing music, but it isn't — technically. We did do that 29 episodes ago (check out parts 1 and 2 in the links below), but this time, our panelists chose music from some of our favorite video game cafés. Sometimes that's relaxing, and sometimes it brings us music in a very different direction than we may expect. Grab a cup of coffee or tea and come hang out with us at the Emerald Café.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Audra Bowling, Mario Garcia; Edited by Jono Logan

Links for this episode

Tracklist
0:05:32 - Moon Bright (Andrew Jeremy) - Coffee Talk OST
0:10:32 - The Last Stand (Masayoshi Soken) - Endwalker: Final Fantasy XIV OST
0:26:58 - Bar "Dandelion" (Hayato Sonoda? {falcom sound team jdk}) - Ys IX -Monstrum NOX- OST
0:28:26 - You've Got Me (Garoad) - VA-11 HALL-A - Second Round
0:42:57 - Cafe Latte, the Color of Autumn Leaves (love solfege) - Café Enchante OST
0:46:04 - Chagall Cafe (Shoji Meguro and Atsushi Kitajoh) - Persona 4 Golden OST
1:02:31 - Professor E. Gadd (Yoko Shimomura) - Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga OST
1:04:01 - Dragon (Tor Linløkken) - The Longest Journey OST
1:29:08 - Mario's Bonus Track!

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.

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82 - Final Fantasy XIII Trilogy

RPGFan.com — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 08:00:00 -0400

Final Fantasy XIII isn't the only divisive entry in Square Enix's long-running series, but it sure evokes some passionate discussion amongst RPG fans. Love it, hate it, or in between it, the three games that follow Lightning and company's saga all have one thing that few people can refute: absolutely killer soundtracks thanks to people like Masashi Hamauzu, Naoshi Mizuta, Mitsuto Suzuki, and more. Join us as we discuss the music of the Final Fantasy XIII, Final Fantasy XIII-2, and Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII and generally restrain ourselves discussing the games themselves!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Wes Iliff, Audra Bowling, Peter Triezenberg; Edited by Jono Logan

Links for this episode:

Tracklist
0:07:47 - The Promise (Masashi Hamauzu) - Final Fantasy XIII OST
0:09:16 - Blinded by Light (Masashi Hamauzu) - Final Fantasy XIII OST
0:23:26 - Fang's Theme (Masashi Hamauzu) - Final Fantasy XIII OST
0:26:54 - Dust to Dust (Masashi Hamauzu) - Final Fantasy XIII OST
0:42:04 - Plains of Eternity (Naoshi Mizuta, Joelle) - Final Fantasy XIII-2 OST
0:45:38 - Worlds Collide (David Whitaker · Naoshi Mizuta) - Final Fantasy XIII-2 OST
0:58:20 - Death Game (Mitsuto Suzuki) - Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII OST
1:03:20 - Lightning Returns (Mitsuto Suzuki) - Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII OST
1:23:28 - Mike's Bonus Track!

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81 - April Fool’s Karaoke Day!

RPGFan.com — Fri, 01 Apr 2022 08:00:00 -0400

Do you miss the days when you and your friends would be sitting around, bored out of your minds on a Friday night, until someone randomly said “Hey! Let’s go to karaoke!” Well, you’re in luck cause the crew at RPGFan is inviting you on an RPG karaoke night you’ll never forget! To celebrate April Fool’s Day, we have eight staff members sharing their talents and singing some of your favorite songs from RPG history! Just remember, it’s karaoke, so singing along is welcome!

Featuring: Jono Logan, Hilary Andreff, Scott Clay, Greg Delmage, Patrick Gann, Mario Garcia, Lucy Gray, Michael Sollosi; Edited by Jono Logan

Tracklist
0:00:14 - Baka Mitai (I've Been a Fool) (Ryosuke Horii, Mitsuharu Fukuyama) - Yakuza Series
0:05:25 - Heaven (Reiko Tanaka, Shoji Meguro) - Persona 4 Golden
0:13:10 - Setting Sail, Coming Home (Darren Korb) - Bastion
0:20:51 - Aria di Mezzo Carattere (Yoshinori Kitase, Nobuo Uematsu) - Final Fantasy VI
0:27:07 - Simple & Clean (Utada Hikaru) - Kingdom Hearts Series
0:38:22 - No Scared (One OK Rock) - Black Rock Shooter: The Game
0:44:36 - Luna’s Boat Song (Noriyuki Iwadare) - Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete
0:55:00 - Pokémon Theme (John Siegler and John Loeffler) - Pokémon Cartoon

Listen and comment on our post on RPGFan.

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80 - Final Fantasy: Remastered Pixels

RPGFan.com — Mon, 28 Mar 2022 08:00:00 -0400

Once we heard some of the music in the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster titles, we knew they would warrant their own episode. With Final Fantasy VI finally releasing last month, we we able to listen to the updated soundtracks to all six games, and each one is a delight. In today's episode of Rhythm Encounter, our four panelists brought songs to represent all six titles in the series. With only 8 total tracks, it was hard to pick the best ways to represent our favorites, but we did our best!

Let us know what you think and your favorite musical moment from the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Zach Wilkerson, Audra Bowling, Jono Logan; Edited by Jono Logan

Links for this episode:

Rhythm Encounter 54 - Relaxing Rhythm Part 1

Tracklist
0:09:30 - Chaos Shrine (Nobuo Uematsu) - Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster
0:12:12 - Main Theme of FINAL FANTASY IV (Nobuo Uematsu) - Final Fantasy IV Pixel Remaster
0:36:23 - Home, Sweet Home (Nobuo Uematsu) - Final Fantasy V Pixel Remaster
0:38:55 - Celes’ Theme (Nobuo Uematsu) - Final Fantasy VI Pixel Remaster
0:55:55 - The Crystal Tower (Nobuo Uematsu) - Final Fantasy III Pixel Remaster
1:00:13 - Searching for Friends (Nobuo Uematsu) - Final Fantasy VI Pixel Remaster
1:18:20 - The Decisive Battle (Nobuo Uematsu) - Final Fantasy VI Pixel Remaster
1:22:19 - Finale (Nobuo Uematsu) - Final Fantasy II Pixel Remaster
1:46:20 - Jono's Bonus Track!

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79 - A Toast to Tanioka

RPGFan.com — Mon, 14 Mar 2022 19:00:00 -0400

Maybe you know Kumi Tanioka as a composer, arranger, or pianist, or maybe you don't know her at all! But considering her immense contributions to Final Fantasy XI and the Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles series over the years, you may have heard her work, regardless. Today our small panel convenes to discuss some of Tanioka's well-known work and lesser-known contributions to the music scene. Each of these songs feature her as a composer, performer, arranger, or even a combination. Kumi Tanioka is truly a multi-talented musician worth celebrating.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Patrick Gann; Edited by Jono Logan

Links for this episode:

Tracklist
0:05:00 - Gustaberg (Kumi Tanioka) - Final Fantasy XI OST
0:09:10 - Monster Ronde (Tanioka and Yui Morishita, piano duet!) - Piano Collections Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles
0:33:50 - Wish... (comp. by Ryuji Iuchi, arr. and piano by Kumi Tanioka, vocals by Emi Evans) - Shenmue Piano Collection
0:39:12 - Zaurak Terminal ★ (comp. by Kumi Tanioka) - Code Age Commanders OST
0:55:27 - The Girl Who Stole the Stars (Piano Duo ver) (Yasunori Mitsuda, arr. Yui Morishita) - CHRONO ORCHESTRA Arrangement BOX
1:00:23 - Dungeons of Lost Time (comp. by Kumi Tanioka) - Chocobo’s Mystery Dungeon: EVERY BUDDY! OST
1:27:07 - Hilary's Bonus Track!

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.

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78 - The Power of Feelings, Baby

RPGFan.com — Mon, 14 Feb 2022 18:00:00 -0500

Ah, Valentine's Day. That day when a little cherub works as hard as Santa Claus, flying around the world and launching volleys of heart-tipped arrows into the buttocks of potential lovers. That's how it works, right? In this episode, our panel brings eight tracks to represent several forms of love across time (seriously, we have games represented from as far back as 1991 with Final Fantasy IV, up to 2019's Hades), including people from other worlds, dreams, or even the castle next door. So grab a loved one — whether that's a person, pet, or favorite tea — and enjoy the romance.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Alana Hagues, Audra Bowling; Edited by Jono Logan

Tracklist
0:06:04 - Theme of Love (Final Fantasy IV) (Nobuo Uematsu, arr. Shiro Hamaguchi, Arnie Roth, Sachiko Miyano, Naoshi Mizuta and Hiroyuki Nakayama) - Distant Worlds: music from FINAL FANTASY
0:11:26 - Crono & Marle -A Distant Promise- (Yasunori Mitsuda, arr. Aaron Manca) - EPOCH: A Tribute to Chrono Trigger
0:37:00 - Lucia's Theme (Noriyuki Iwadare and Victor Ireland, vocals by Jennifer Stigile) - Lunar 2: Eternal Blue Complete OST
0:43:00 - Good Riddance (Darren Korb, vocals by Ashley Barrett and Darren Korb) - Hades OST
1:03:22 - For River - Piano (Sarah & Tommy's Version) (Kan Gao) - To the Moon OST
1:06:23 - English promotional version of "Ballad of the Wind Fish" (Ryo Nagamatsu) - The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (2019)
1:25:49 - Hikari - PLANITb Remix - [Short Edit] (Utada Hikaru) - Kingdom Hearts OST
1:28:20 - 1000 Words (Orchestra Version) [Kazushige Nojima, Noriko Matsueda, and Takehito Eguchi with vocals by Jade from sweetbox] - Final Fantasy X-2 International + Last Mission OST
2:01:50 - Audra's Bonus Track!

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.

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77 - Music of the Year 2021

RPGFan.com — Mon, 31 Jan 2022 08:00:00 -0500

Over on Random Encounter & Retro Encounter, we've talked about our favorite games of 2021, and now it's time to discuss our favorite music! Four panelists come together with an extra-large playlist today, covering a wide range of music released throughout the year.

Yes, Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker is here, but so is Ys IX, ENDER LILIES, Impostor Factory, and more! We hope this helps you discover some highlights that you may have missed, because there was no shortage of amazing music released during 2021. What are some of your favorites?

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Patrick Gann, Peter Triezenberg; Edited by Jono Logan

Tracklist
0:04:50 - Endwalker (Masayoshi Soken, The PRIMALS, Sam Carter) - Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker Single
0:07:40 - Battle - Da'at (Ryota Kozuka) - Shin Megami Tensei V OST
0:10:42 - Village Pride (TPR) - To The End of the World: Melancholy Music from Xenogears
0:28:04 - Besessenheit (comp. Masashi Hamauzu / arr. Noriyuki Kamikura) - DESTINY 8: SaGa Band Arrangement Album Vol.2
0:31:28 - Norse Wind (Falcom Sound Team jdk (Mitsuo Singa for this particular track)) - Ys IX Monstrum NOX OST
0:33:58 - Earth or Sky (Day Version) (Kan Gao) - Impostor Factory OST
0:51:23 - Deeplurker (Gareth Coker) - Ruined King: A League of Legends Story OST
0:54:06 - Follow Fi / The Spirit's Guidance (Takeshi Hama) - The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD OST
0:57:12 - Everyday Life (Lena Raine) - Moonglow Bay OST
1:17:26 - Forest Kingdom (Keiichi Okabe, arr. ROZEN + REVEN) - NieR: Become as Gods
1:21:06 - Sky Temple (Yuzo Koshiro) - Actraiser Renaissance OST
1:28:13 - Harmonious (Yamato Kasai) - ENDER LILIES: Quietus of the Knights OST
1:54:23 - Pat's Bonus Track!

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.

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76 - Smashing Tunes

RPGFan.com — Mon, 17 Jan 2022 09:15:00 -0500

Whether or not you play Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, you may know that Nintendo's latest entry in its fighter series features more than a few characters from RPGs: 31 of its 82 characters are from our beloved genre, and that number grows if you want to bend the rules and include Mario characters because of games like Super Mario RPG and Mario & Luigi.

For our purposes here on Rhythm Encounter, it's also important that the Smash Bros. games contain an epic amount of music and arrangements of these RPG songs, specifically created for Smash. There's so many songs — Ultimate contains 1,068 tracks — we asked our panelists to pick arrangements from any Smash Bros. game that comes from a game we cover. The result is sure to be, well, a smashing good time.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Alana Hagues, Peter Triezenberg; Edited by Jono Logan

Tracklist
0:10:51 - Hyrule Temple (Akito Nakatsuka, arr. Shogo Sakai) - Super Smash Bros. Melee & Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
0:13:45 - Snowman (Keiichi Suzuki and Hirokazu Tanaka, arr. Shogo Sakai) - Super Smash Bros. Brawl & Mother Series
0:33:55 - Unfounded Revenge/Smashing Song of Praise (comp. and arr. Shogo Sakai) - Super Smash Bros. Brawl & Mother 3
0:37:47 - Route 10 - Pokémon Black / Pokémon White (GAME FREAK, arr. Yoko Shimomura) - Super Smash Bros. 3DS / Wii U & Pokémon Black & White
0:54:18 - Lament of Innocence (Michiru Yamane, arr. ACE) - Super Smash Bros. Ultimate & Castlevania: Lament of Innocence
0:57:03 - Lost in Thoughts All Alone (Hiroki Morishita, arr. by Masato Coda) - Super Smash Bros. Ultimate & Fire Emblem Fates
1:13:43 - Cosmo Canyon (Nobuo Uematsu, arr. Yoko Shimomura) - Super Smash Bros. Ultimate & Final Fantasy VII
1:16:00 - Aerith's Theme (Nobuo Uematsu, arr. Keiichi Okabe) - Super Smash Bros. Ultimate & Final Fantasy VII
1:40:14 - Mike's Bonus Track!

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.

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75 - Cocktail Concerto

RPGFan.com — Mon, 03 Jan 2022 16:45:00 -0500

Once upon a time, an RPGFan editor remarked that Chrono Cross (where’s that remaster?) smelled like a piña colada. This little side comment sparked an idea with our own Michael Sollosi about what other RPG and drink pairings might sound and taste like. Over a year later, four panelists have chosen some RPG music and drink pairings that are sure to delight.

Of course, you don’t have to drink to enjoy this music, and we obviously recommend NOT trying all 8 of these pairings in one (or even three) sittings, so if you drink at all, please drink your sidecars and warm milk responsibly.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Michael Sollosi, Quinon O’Connor; Edited by Jono Logan

Tracklist
0:06:54 - Grandport, City of Commerce (Yasunori Nishiki) - Octopath Traveler OST (pairing: Sangria Ala Felicia)
0:10:35 - Zelda's Lullaby (Milk Bar) & Hilda's Theme (Milk Bar) (Koji Kondo, Ryo Nagamatsu) - The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds Sound Selection (pairing: Warm Milk)
0:29:32 - Gothic Neclord (Miki Higashino) - Suikoden II OST (pairing: Bloody Mary)
0:33:46 - Draw! (Ryan Ike) - West of Loathing Original Soundtrack (pairing: A shot of bourbon)
0:53:21 - 04:42 Still Free (Danger) - Haven Original Soundtrack (pairing: Stormalong's "Red Skies at Night" cider)
0:56:30 - Crossroads (Atsushi Kitajoh) - Persona 5 OST (pairing: Sidecar)
1:17:16 - Chrysanthemum In Winter (Motoi Sakuraba) - Star Ocean: Till the End of Time OST (pairing: Bailey's Sundae)
1:20:00 - Lonely Space (Andrew Jeremy) - Coffee Talk OST (pairing: Espresso Martini)
1:47:45 - Hilary's Bonus Track!

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.

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74 - It's Elemental, My Dear Watts

RPGFan.com — Mon, 20 Dec 2021 16:00:00 -0500

Long ago, the two podcasts of RPGFan lived in harmony. But then, everything changed when the Rhythm Nation attacked. Actually, that's not true. Rhythm Encounter was actually around before Retro Encounter, but Janet Jackson didn't record a song called Retro Nation, did she? (Did she?)

Today we are getting elemental. Any RPG fan knows how important the elements often are in our games, whether they're core to the plot like in the Mana series, or important in battle like in the MegaTen games. We have chosen four songs for some of the classical elements — with mild influence from Avatar: The Last Airbender — then things get interesting in the second half. What elements resonate with you? Let us know.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Alana Hagues, Hilary Andreff, Michael Sollosi; Edited by Jono Logan

Links for this episode

YouTube: Konami's E3 2010 Press Conference ("Director's Cut" version)

Tracklist
0:03:29 - WATER - The Floating Imperial City (Motoi Sakuraba) - Tales of the Abyss OST
0:06:53 - EARTH - Few Paths Forbidden (Hiroki Kikuta) - Trials of Mana / Seiken Densetsu 3 OST
0:28:57 - FIRE - 96-:rip, or Cauldros' Day Theme (Hiroyuki Sawano) - Xenoblade Chronicles X OST
0:31:53 - AIR - Eternal Wind (Nobuo Uematsu, arr. Rei Yamashita, YUTAKA) - FINAL FANTASY III -Four Souls-
0:56:04 - MOON - V. Moon (Norihiko Yamanuki arr. Sebastian Freij) - Seven Songs for Seventh Saga
0:58:35 - LIGHT - Flowers Blooming in the Church (Nobuo Uematsu) - Final Fantasy VII Remake OST
1:31:17 - DRAGON - (Reo Uratani) - Monster Hunter Generations: Ultimate OST
1:35:31 - TIME - The Tragic Prince (Michiru Yamane) - Castlevania: Symphony of the Night OST
2:10:46 - Alana's Bonus Track!

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.

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73 - NES Side Story

RPGFan.com — Mon, 06 Dec 2021 11:30:00 -0500

Marty, we've got to go back! Back to the... past. That didn't work. But on this episode of Rhythm Encounter, we're doing a console-specific episode, for the first time since Episode 1 (which debuted way back in February 2013). The Nintendo Entertainment System wasn't the first game platform, but its impact on the gaming landscape can't be understated. Plus, for many of us of a certain age, it was likely the console that really got us into gaming — if not RPGs specifically — thanks to the debut of both Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy, among others. And that's why the NES was the perfect place to visit next for a console episode.

We hope you enjoy listening, and if you have thoughts on a console you'd like us to cover in the future, please drop us a line!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Michael Sollosi, Jono Logan; Edited by Jono Logan

Links for this episode

Tracklist
0:11:29 - Overworld (Akito Nakatsuka) - Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
0:13:09 - Snowy Fields (Masatomo Miyamoto) - The Guardian Legend
0:33:08 - Warriors of Sorrow (Akio Dobashi) - Lagrange Point
0:35:11 - The Boys are Still Back (Dave's Theme) (David Hayes) - Maniac Mansion (NES Version)
0:56:40 - Theme of Xemn (Yuzo Koshiro) - Legacy of the Wizard, NES Version [Dragon Slayer IV: Drasle Family (JP)]
0:58:38 - Priestess Aria (Nobuo Uematsu) - Final Fantasy III (Pixel Remaster)
1:33:48 - Sollosi's Bonus Track!

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.

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72 - Game Music Concerts

RPGFan.com — Tue, 23 Nov 2021 09:50:00 -0500

Once upon a time, the idea of going to a theater or other venue to see video game music performed live was unheard of. But as gaming grew in popularity, live performances have become more frequent, and fans have had the opportunities to hear the likes of The Legend of Zelda and Final Fantasy performed in various forms over the years. Add in music cons like MAGFest, and the proliferation of online concerts in the last couple years (such as last fall's Undertale Live), and there's no shortage of options to hear some of our favorite music in a new way. Today on Rhythm Encounter, our three panelists celebrate just some of these live renditions, to show the breadth of performances that are out there, waiting to be heard.

Featuring: Hilary Andreff, Mike Salbato, Jono Logan; Edited by Jono Logan

Links for this episode

Tracklist
0:11:12 - Guldove (Yasunori Mitsuda) - CHRONO CROSS 20th Anniversary Live Tour 2019
0:14:48 - Matoya's Cave (Nobuo Uematsu) - THE BLACK MAGES LIVE "Above the Sky"
0:39:20 - Myst Medley (Robyn Miller, Jack Wall, performed by Video Games Live) - Video Games Live Level 1
0:45:24 - Poem For Everyone's Souls (Shoji Meguro) - Persona 20th Anniversary Concert
1:11:30 - Jun'ai Juuji Houka (Love in the Crossfire) (Revo) - Bravely Default - Linked Horizon - Luxendarc Rukusendaruku Kiko -
1:16:50 - Pokémon - "Gotta Catch 'Em All" (John Siegler and John Loeffler) - Video Games Live Level 6 (Audio credit: Game Buffet on YouTube)
1:43:35 - Hilary's Bonus Track!

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.

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71 - Press Start: Title Screen Music

RPGFan.com — Mon, 08 Nov 2021 07:30:00 -0500

Title screens are among the first things we see when we turn on our favourite RPGs, and they're incredibly unique to the medium of video games. So it seems criminal that we haven't had an episode devoted exclusively to them! From setting the tone to weaving a story, a title screen (and its accompanying music) can say a thousand things about the video game it precedes. On today's show, we leave the start button alone to soak in our favourite title screen songs, marrying images, nostalgia, and themes from the games to each piece. From modern classics to childhood favourites and fan favourites, there's an eclectic mix of music on offer!

Featuring: Alana Hagues, Zach Wilkerson, Greg Delmage, Wes Iliff; Edited by Jono Logan

Links for this episode

Bit Brigade Live at PAX Prime 2014 (YouTube)
Grandia II Title Screen [Unofficial] (YouTube)
A Deus - Grandia II Original Soundtrack (YouTube)

Tracklist
0:05:00 - Title (Koji Kondo, arr. Bit Brigade) - The Legend of Zelda
0:06:32 - Octopath Traveler -Main Theme- (Yasunori Nishiki) - Octopath Traveler
0:27:22 - Brat Overflow (Hitoshi Sakimoto [Basiscape]) - 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
0:29:17 - Into Free ~Dangan~ (Takahiro Matsumoto, performed by B'z) - Dragon's Dogma
0:54:37 - Beginnings (Hidenori Iwasaki) - Front Mission 4
0:56:33 - Title Screen [Unreleased] (Noriyuki Iwadare) - Grandia II
1:16:10 - Main Theme (Yutaka Minobe) - Skies of Arcadia
1:17:47 - Main Theme (Yoko Shimomura) - Xenoblade Chronicles
1:45:54 - Wes' bonus track!

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.

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70 - Black and White Magic

RPGFan.com — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 08:01:34 -0400

When it comes to instrumentation, it doesn’t get more fundamental than the piano. Not only is it often the first instrument that musicians learn, but its 88-note range and ability to play both melody and accompaniment give it unmatched versatility. Piano albums of RPG soundtracks have been popular for decades, and in today’s episode, our panel is going to take a deep dive into some of our favorite songs! From the soundtracks of indie darlings to the best arrangements that Square Enix has to offer, join us in a piano lesson you’ll never forget!

Featuring Jono Logan, Kaleb Curry, Patrick Gann, Pete Leavitt: Names; Edited by Jono Logan

Links for this episode

Radiant Historia - Mechanical Kingdom - Piano Arrangement by Mark Andrews

Tracklist
0:06:30 - To Zanarkand (Nobuo Uematsu) - Final Fantasy X
0:09:35 - Mechanical Kingdom (Yoko Shimomura, arr. Mark Andrews) - Radiant Historia
0:32:22 - Ripples of Daydream (Yu-Peng Cheng) - Genshin Impact
0:33:43 - Field (Night) (Manaka Kataoka) - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
0:57:46 - H'aanit, the Hunter (Yasunori Nishiki) - Octopath Traveler
1:00:40 - Snowy (Toby Fox, arr. David Peacock) - Undertale
1:23:40 - Crystal Cave (Nobuo Uematsu, arr. Hiroyuki Nakayama) - Final Fantasy III
1:27:00 - Chrono Trigger (Piano Duo Ver) (Yasunori Mitsuda, arr. Takuro Iga) - Chrono Trigger
2:01:34 - Patrick’s Bonus Track!

Album Links

Chrono Orchestra Arrangement Box

Final Fantasy X Original Soundtrack

Genshin Impact – The Shimmering Voyage

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Original Soundtrack

Octopath Traveler Original Soundtrack

Piano Collection Final Fantasy X-2

Piano Opera Final Fantasy I/II/III

Undertale Piano Collections

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69 - Final Fantasy XIV: What Moogle Wakes Me?

RPGFan.com — Mon, 11 Oct 2021 07:30:00 -0400

How many Shakespeare references can Yoshi-P's team pack into a Final Fantasy XIV expansion? How many of said references will we reference today? And what angel wakes Mike Salbato? The answer to some of these questions lie within our new dedicated Final Fantasy XIV episode of Rhythm Encounter. Because the show was on hiatus during the releases of Stormblood and Shadowbringers, we have not been able to feature as much from those expansions as we'd like. Today we played catch up. Glorious, literal-music-to-the-ears catch up. For a game featuring hundreds of songs, it's hard to narrow it down to eight, but we think you'll like what our musicbringers have in store for you.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Alana Hagues, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Jono Logan

Links for this episode

Crimson Sunset performance from Piano Collections: Final Fantasy XIV (YouTube)
Dragonsong from Distant Worlds IV (YouTube)
Tomorrow and Tomorrow Annotated Lyrics (Spoilers, Unofficial)
To the Edge Annotated Lyrics (Spoilers, Unofficial)

Tracklist
0:04:47 - Beyond the Wall (Masayoshi Soken) - Stormblood: Final Fantasy XIV
0:08:18 - Full Fathom Five (Ken Ito) - Shadowbringers: Final Fantasy XIV OST
0:37:25 - Crimson Sunset (Masayoshi Soken, arr. Keiko) - Piano Collections Final Fantasy XIV
0:43:06 - What Angel Wakes Me (Masayoshi Soken, arr. Takafumi Imamura) - Pulse: FINAL FANTASY XIV Remix Album
1:03:15 - Dragonsong (Nobuo Uematsu) - Heavensward: Final Fantasy XIV OST
1:08:52 - Nightbloom (Kenichi Kuroda, Masayoshi Soken) - Stormblood: Final Fantasy XIV OST
1:35:31 - To the Edge (Masayoshi Soken) - Death Unto Dawn: Final Fantasy XIV OST
1:42:57 - Tomorrow and Tomorrow (Masayoshi Soken, vocals Amanda Achen-Keenan, lyrics by Michael-Christopher Koji Fox and Natsuko Ishikawa) - Shadowbringers: Final Fantasy XIV
2:15:46 - Mike's Bonus Track!

Album Links

Death Unto Dawn: Final Fantasy XIV OST

Heavensward: Final Fantasy XIV OST

Piano Collections Final Fantasy XIV

Pulse: FINAL FANTASY XIV Remix Album

Shadowbringers: Final Fantasy XIV OST

Stormblood: Final Fantasy XIV OST

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68 - Joe Zieja On Fire Emblem and Saxophones

RPGFan.com — Mon, 27 Sep 2021 11:30:00 -0400

In this special surprise episode of Rhythm Encounter, we are joined by musician and actor Joe Zieja! RPG fans may know Joe from a multitude of roles, especially for his work in Fire Emblem: Three Houses as Claude, leader of the Golden Deer house. Recently, we posted an article about Joe's musical Kickstarter project, in which he plans to reimagine a portion of the Three Houses soundtrack in saxophone quartet fashion. Oh, and he is playing all four saxophones.

We invited Joe on the show to dish on the campaign, and we talked about his life as a musician, actor, and writer, to sandwiches, Transformers, the military... well, let's just say we had a lot to talk about!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Stephanie Sybydlo, Niki Fakhoori as Niki Fakhoori, Niki Fakhoori as Quinton O'Connor, with special guest Joe Zieja; Edited by Mike Salbato

Links for this episode

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67 - NieR: Sounds of the World

RPGFan.com — Mon, 13 Sep 2021 17:30:00 -0400

It's hard to deny the power of NieR's music. Keiichi Okabe (and his company MONACA) created something remarkable in 2010 with the music of NieR Gestalt & Replicant. In 2017, lightning struck again with the soundtrack for NieR: Automata, a masterwork of instrumentation and emotion. There's a reason you can search for "NieR" on VGMdb and get over fifty results worth of albums. Original soundtracks, arrangements, multiple concert performances, and rare albums begin to cover the official releases. Then with people like Sean Schafianski, ROZEN + REVEN, and Ferdk, there's a wide variety of unofficial arrangements as well.

The point is, there's a reason NieR and its music is so widely celebrated, and it's high time Rhythm Encounter had a show about it. So join Mike and the RPGFan NieR megafans Alana, Zach, and Patrick for a peek into the wide and varied world of music found in the NieR series.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Alana Hagues, Zach Wilkerson, Patrick Gann; Edited by Jonathan Logan

Links for this episode

Tracklist
0:03:53 - Kainé (Salvation) (Keiichi Okabe) - NieR OST
0:06:53 - Mourning (Keiichi Okabe) - NieR:Automata OST
0:37:07 - Repose (arranged by SEXY-SYNTHESIZER) - NieR Tribute Album -echo-
0:43:34 - Ikō (Authority) (Keiichi Okabe) - NieR Re[in]carnation
1:09:04 - Vague Hope - Cold Rain (arranged by Sean Schafianski) - CHAMBER WORKS - NieR Automata
1:12:31 - Gods Bound by Rules (arranged by Kumi Tanioka) - Piano Collections NieR Gestalt & Replicant
1:39:27 - The Sound of the End (MONACA) - NieR Music Concert Blu-ray <>
1:42:50 - Orchestra: Weight of the World (Keiichi Okabe) - NieR:Automata Orchestral Arrangement Album
2:20:25 - Zach's Bonus Track!

Album Links

CHAMBER WORKS – NieR Automata

NieR: Automata Orchestral Arrangement Album

NieR: Automata Original Soundtrack

NieR Gestalt & Replicant Original Soundtrack

NieR Music Concert Blu-ray <>

NieR Re[in]carnation Original Soundtrack

NieR Tribute Album -echo-

Piano Collections NieR Gestalt & Replicant

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66 - Ace Attorney Arpeggio

RPGFan.com — Mon, 30 Aug 2021 07:00:00 -0400

Hold it! For Ace Attorney fans, it was a long wait since the last mainline game in the series was released in 2016. But now, with the recent release of The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles in July 2021, Ace Attorney looks to be getting the attention in the West that it deserves! Though the series is known for its chaotic courtroom battles, bizarre witnesses, and unique “Japanifornia” setting, many would argue that it’s the incredible music that ties everything together.

With its brilliant character themes and dramatic courtroom suites, the music of Ace Attorney brings the larger-than-life battles between defense attorneys and prosecutors to life. Join Jono, Niki, and Patrick as they delve into the tunes that make the Ace Attorney series and its characters so unforgettable! Take that!

Featuring: Jonathan Logan, Niki Fakhoori, Patrick Gann; Edited by Jonathan Logan

Links for this episode

Tracklist
0:10:31 - Dick Gumshoe - That's "Detective Gumshoe," Pal! (Masakazu Sugimori) - Gyakuten Saiban 1+2 OST
0:12:29 - Sherlock Holmes: The Great Detective of the Foggy Town (Yasumasa Kitagawa) - Dai Gyakuten Saiban (The Great Ace Attorney) Soundtrack
0:32:25 - Cross-Examination ~ Allegro 2007 (Toshihiko Horiyama) - Gyakuten Saiban 4 Original Soundtrack
0:34:04 - A Defense Attorney's Knowledge (Noriyuki Iwadare, arr. Noriyuki Iwadare & Natsumi Kameoka) - Gyakuten Kenji 2 Orchestra Arrangement Collection
1:03:30 - Uendo Toneido - Whirlwind of Laughter (Masami Onodera) - Gyakuten Saiban 6 Original Soundtrack
1:05:28 - Phoenix Wright 6 Courtroom Suite -- Ema Skye ~ Forensic Scientist 2016 (Noriyuki Iwadare & Toshihiko Horiyama, arr. Noriyuki Iwadare) - Gyakuten Saiban 15th Anniversary Orchestra Concert
1:39:53 - Jono's Bonus Track!

Bonus background tracks
0:00:52 - Phoenix Wright ~ Objection! (Masakazu Sugimori, Akemi Kimura & Noriyuki Iwadare, arr Noriyuki Iwadare) - Gyakuten Saiban 15th Anniversary Orchestra Concert
0:04:46 - Maya Fey ~ Turnabout Sisters' Theme (Masakazu Sugimori, arr. Noriyuki Iwadare) - Gyakuten Saiban 15th Anniversary Orchestra Concert
0:08:12 - 24-Hour Cinderella (ZENTA, Ryosuke Horii) - Ryu ga Gotoku Zero 80's Hits! Collection
0:24:11 - Investigation - Mystery Suite (Masakazu Sugimori, arr. Naoto Tanaka) - Gyakuten Saiban Orchestra Album ~Gyakuten Meets Orchestra~
0:45:18 - Seeing Through ~ Surge, Eyes (Toshihiko Horiyama) - Gyakuten Saiban 4 Original Soundtrack
0:50:21 - Great Revival ~ Miles Edgeworth (Akemi Kimura, arr. Noriyuki Iwadare) - Gyakuten Saiban 15th Anniversary Orchestra Concert
1:21:22 - Ema Skye - Turnabout Sisters 2005 (Akemi Kimura) Gyakuten Saiban Sound BOX

Album Links

Gyakuten Saiban + Gyakuten Saiban 2 Original Soundtrack

Dai Gyakuten Saiban (The Great Ace Attorney) Soundtrack

Gyakuten Saiban 4 Original Soundtrack

Gyakuten Kenji 2 Orchestra Arrangement Collection

VGMdb

Gyakuten Saiban 6 Original Soundtrack

Gyakuten Saiban 15th Anniversary Orchestra Concert

VGMdb

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65 - Adventure Game Classics

RPGFan.com — Mon, 16 Aug 2021 07:30:00 -0400

Once one of the most popular genres of video games, adventure games have become much more niche in recent years. But thankfully, it’s a niche with some absolutely fantastic music!

From the mid-80s to the early 2000s, adventure games were at the forefront of narratives in interactive entertainment. In a time before RPGs embraced cinematic CGI cutscenes and voice acting, LucasArts, Sierra, and other adventure game developers were pioneering multimedia in video games, presenting audiences with expansive stories, fully-voiced casts of characters, full-motion video, and some truly memorable “moon logic puzzles.” They also created some incredible music! Join Adam, Hilary, and Jono as they move through adventure game history, highlighting some of their favorite music tracks from classics of the genre (and there might be some talk of musical theater thrown in there for good measure)!

Featuring: Hilary Andreff, Jonathan Logan, Adam Luhrs; Edited by Jonathan Logan

Links for this episode

YouTube - How Octopath Traveler Hypes its Boss Battles - Game Score Fanfare

Tracklist
0:15:48 - The Magic Meadow (Mark Seibert) - Sierra Soundtrack Collection
0:19:43 - Deep in the Caribbean… (Michael Land) - The Secret of Monkey Island
0:34:16 - Atrus' Study (Jack Wall) - Myst III: Exile Soundtrack
0:37:03 - Grim Fandango (Peter McConnell) - Grim Fandango Remastered Original Soundtrack
0:59:36 - Gyakuten Saiban 1~3 Courtroom Suite (Masakazu Sugimori, Noriyuki Iwadare) - Gyakuten Saiban 15th Anniversary Orchestra Concert
1:08:26 - Crusin’ (Jared Emerson-Johnson) - Sam & Max Save the World Soundtrack
1:48:34 - Adam’s Bonus Track!

Bonus Background Tracks
0:00:39 - Courtroom Lounge ~ Opening Prelude (English Turnabout Mix)(Masakazu Sugimori) - Professor Layton VS Gyakuten Saiban Magical Mystery Music
0:02:13 - You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (Clark Gesner, Andrew Lippa) - You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (1999 Broadway Cast)
0:02:31 - Game of Life (Michael Kooman, Christopher Dimond) - Dani Girl (Demo)
0:03:14 - Overture (Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tim Rice) - Jesus Christ Superstar (1970 Concept Cast)
0:03:37 - The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (William Finn) - The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (2005 Original Cast)
0:03:57 - Three Coins in the Fountain (Jule Styne, Sammy Cahn) - Forever Plaid (1990 Off-Off-Broadway Cast)
0:04:26 - Hot Stuff (Pete Bellotte, Harold Faltermeyer and Keith Forsey) - Disaster (2016 Original Broadway Cast)
0:05:13 - Overture (Work Song) (Claude-Michel Schönberg, Alain Boublil, Jean-Marc Natel) - Les Misérables (1987 Original Broadway Cast)
0:05:33 - Prologue (We Might Play All Night) (Heidi Rodewald, Stew) - Passing Strange (2008 Original Broadway Cast)
0:06:31 - Karnak’s Dream of Life (Brooke Maxwell, Jacob Richmond) - Ride the Cyclone (2021 Studio Cast)1:39:35 - Title Theme - Star Trek: 25th Anniversary

Album Links
Sierra Soundtrack Collection

VGMdb

Myst III: Exile The Soundtrack

Grim Fandango Remastered Original Soundtrack

Gyakuten Saiban 15th Anniversary Orchestra Concert

Sam & Max Save the World Soundtrack

Professor Layton VS Gyakuten Saiban Magical Mystery Music

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64 - Bravely New World

RPGFan.com — Mon, 02 Aug 2021 07:30:00 -0400

Bravely Default and Bravely Second are two 3DS throwback RPGs from Square Enix, with a new 2021 entry for the Switch in Bravely Default II. To celebrate the Bravely series and its excellent soundtracks, Rhythm Encounter assembled a panel of three Revo-and-Ryo superfans to discuss this preeminent pair of RPG musical scores, from sea shanties in the sky to live rock opera concerts to sea shanties in the sky to live rock opera concerts to...

Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Kaleb Curry, Jonathan Logan; Edited by Micah Coates

Tracklist:
1st Movement - We’re on a Boat
0:08:11 - Ship Soaring Through the Heavens - Bravely Default: Flying Fairy OST
0:11:04 - The Grand Ship (Sea Shanty) - Bravely Second: End Layer OST

2nd Movement - Lovers and Fighters
0:30:15 - That Person’s Name Is - Bravely Default: Flying Fairy OST
0:35:52 - Theme of Altair and Vega - Bravely Second: End Layer OST

3rd Movement - Wake Me Up Before You Kikou
0:53:44 - You Are My Hope [Vocalized Version] - Luxendarc Kikou / Linked Horizon
0:58:58 - Prayer of the Vestal [String Quartet Version] - Luxendarc Daikikou / Linked Horizon
1:24:08 - Sollosi's Bonus Track!

Album Links:
Bravely Default: Flying Fairy Original Soundtrack

Bravely Second End Layer Original Soundtrack

Bravely Default II Original Soundtrack

Luxendarc Daikikou / Linked Horizon

Our Review (Standard)
Our Review (Limited Edition)
VGMdb

Luxendarc Kikou / Linked Horizon

VGMdb

Get in Touch:
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63 - Endings and Beginnings

RPGFan.com — Mon, 19 Jul 2021 07:00:00 -0400

RPGs can offer a surprising variety of stories, which are definitely reflected in their opening and ending sequences and, of course, the memorable music to go along with them! What makes a good overture and why is it good to have high standards about them? How do you reflect the end of a complex and sweeping tale like Xenosaga musically? Our panel this week has framed their own little RPG story segments by each picking an opening and ending theme. Will we be able to handle the epic riffs and rampant sentimentality? Find that out, along with our favorite selections and more in this episode of Rhythm Encounter.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Patrick Gann, Peter Triezenberg; Edited by Jonathan Logan

Links for this episode

Tracklist
Patrick Block
0:04:30 - DISC2 Opening "Resistance Line" (Full Chorus Version) (Michiko Naruke) - Wild Arms 2 OST
0:08:32 - We form in crystals (Motoi Sakuraba) - Star Ocean: The Second Story OST
Peter Block
0:26:00 - Heavensward (Masayoshi Soken) - Heavensward: Final Fantasy XIV OST
0:30:13 - maybe tomorrow (Xenosaga III ending theme) (Yuki Kajiura) - FICTION II
Mike Block
0:52:36 - Opening Theme (Arranged) (Miyoko Kabayashi & Masanori Hiki) - Tenchi Sozo/Terranigma Creative Soundtracks
0:55:12 - Ending ～ Staff Roll (Ryo Nagamatsu) - The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening Original Soundtrack
Hilary Block
1:12:21 - Stardew Valley Overture (ConcernedApe) - Stardew Valley OST
1:14:45 - Love Moon Flower (Tomoko Kobayashi) - SHADOW HEARTS II Original Soundtracks
1:41:46 - Mike's Bonus Track!

Album Links

FICTION II

Heavensward: Final Fantasy XIV OST

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening Original Soundtrack

SHADOW HEARTS II Original Soundtracks

Stardew Valley OST

Star Ocean: The Second Story OST

Tenchi Souzou/Terranigma Creative Soundtracks

Wild Arms 2nd Ignition OST

Get in Touch:
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62 - J'Nique Nicole Interview ver.1.9871269874...

RPGFan.com — Mon, 01 Feb 2021 15:55:00 -0500

NieR: Automata has sold over 5 million copies, and we're awaiting the release of the mobile game, NieR Re[in]carnation, and the updated version of NieR Replicant this spring. And today, Hilary and Patrick are talking NieR music and more with a very special guest, the one and only J'Nique Nicole. She joined the NieR team to lend her voice to Automata, and here she talks about that experience, performing NieR music live, all the NieR arrangement albums out there, and importantly, her recent solo song releases. We're delighted to speak with her and hope you all enjoy! No knowledge of Chaos language necessary.

Note: There are some spoilers for some side characters in both NieR titles between 23:07 and 24:38 or so.

Featuring: Hilary Andreff, Patrick Gann, J'Nique Nicole; Edited by Mike Salbato

J'Nique Nicole Links

More links for this episode!

RPGFan Episode Post
Toshinobu Kubota on Apple Music & Spotify
AI's official website, Apple Music & Spotify
"Doushite" by AISHA on Amazon
"Beautiful Life" by AI on Apple Music & Amazon

Tracklist (Background Music)
0:00:23 - Piano: Weight of the World (Keiichi Okabe) - NieR: Automata Piano Collections
0:31:36 - Orchestra: Weight of the World (Emi Evans & J'Nique Nicole Vocals) (Keiichi Okabe) - NieR Orchestral Arrangement Album - Addendum
0:43:04 - Copied City (Keiichi Okabe) - NieR: Automata OST
1:00:30 - Doushite (AISHA) - Love Sick

Album Links
Face My Fears / Hikaru Utada
Our Review
VGMdb

Buy/Stream:

NieR: Automata Original Soundtrack
Our Review
VGMdb

Buy/Stream:

NieR: Automata Piano Collections
Our Review
VGMdb

Buy/Stream:

NieR Orchestral Arrangement Album - Addendum
VGMdb

Buy/Stream:

Get in Touch:
RPGFan.com
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Twitter: @rpgfancom
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61 - A Very Yoko Shimomura January

RPGFan.com — Wed, 27 Jan 2021 11:50:00 -0500

We're back with a panel of four this time, and how else could we follow up our primer to female game composers than to discuss the inimitable Yoko Shimomura and her many contributions to RPG music? We've got Live A Live, Kingdom Hearts, Mario RPGs, and more...not to mention a large amount of Legend of Mana. Shimomura has been a force helping game music gain recognition as an art form, so join Hilary, Pat, Peter, and Greg as they delve into her legacy, performances, interpretations of her work, and her many years in the industry as well! This episode also features several notable related links below, all of which come up in the episode. Don't forget to take a peek!

Featuring: Hilary Andreff, Greg Delmage, Patrick Gann, Peter Triezenberg; Edited by Mike Salbato

Links for this episode:

Tracklist
0:10:13 - MEGALOMANIA - Live A Live OST
0:11:47 - APOCALYPSIS NOCTIS Jazz Arrangement (Arr. Eijiro Nakagawa) - SQUARE ENIX JAZZ Vol. 2
0:33:39 - Colored Earth - Legend of Mana OST
0:38:05 - Arise Within You - Parasite Eve OST
0:54:30 - Sad Song - Super Mario RPG Original Sound Version
0:55:27 - Nachtflügel - Kingdom Hearts - III, II.8, Unchained χ & Union χ - Original Soundtrack
1:17:22 - Going Through the Flame ~Seiken Densetsu Legend of MANA Dragon Killer Medley~ (arr. Sachiko Miyano) - Memória! - The Very Best of Yoko Shimomura
1:23:21 - Elegie (Front Mission) (arr. Sachiko Miyano) - Memória! - The Very Best of Yoko Shimomura
1:58:18 - Bonus Track!

Bonus background track
1:49:12 - Hometown - Xenoblade OST

Album Links
Kingdom Hearts - III, II.8, Unchained χ & Union χ - Original Soundtrack
VGMdb

Buy/Stream:

Legend of Mana Original Soundtrack
Our Review
VGMdb

Buy/Stream:

Live A Live Original Soundtrack
Our Review
VGMdb

Buy/Stream:

memória! - The Very Best of Yoko Shimomura
Our Review
VGMdb

Buy:

CDJapan

Parasite Eve Original Soundtrack
Our Review
VGMdb

Buy:

CDJapan

SQUARE ENIX JAZZ Vol.2
VGMdb

Buy/Stream:

Super Mario RPG Original Sound Version
Our Review
VGMdb

Get in Touch:
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60 - The Lost Years

RPGFan.com — Wed, 06 Jan 2021 13:25:49 -0500

Every year we get introduced to new games and new music. The ever-growing bounty of RPG music out there has grown quite a bit, with 2020 alone giving us amazing soundtracks like Final Fantasy VII Remake, Haven, Paradise Killer, 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, and more. And while we've been enjoying introducing music to people again on Rhythm Encounter since our return, we couldn't ignore the music we weren't able to feature between summer 2017 and fall 2020. Today we start rectifying that, with a selection of music released specifically during Rhythm Encounter's "Lost Years." Yes, of course NieR: Automata is here, along with a powerful lineup of other recent games. Join Mike, Mike, and Zach as we discuss these gems, and let us know which "lost" music you'd like to see in future episodes!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Michael Sollosi, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Mike Salbato

Links for this episode:

Tracklist
0:02:08 - The Invading Tyrant Bazelgeuse (Akihiko Narita) - Monster Hunter: World OST
0:06:01 - Counterattack (Kenji Hiramatsu) - Xenoblade Chronicles 2 OST
0:21:13 - City Ruins (Shade) (Keiichi Okabe) - NieR: Automata OST
0:28:40 - Tifa's Theme - Seventh Heaven (Nobuo Uematsu) - Final Fantasy VII Remake OST
0:48:53 - A Scattered Moment (Hidenori Shoji) - Yakuza Kiwami 2 OST
0:53:34 - Surpassing Authority (Jeff Ball) - Timespinner OST
1:22:05 - Zach's Bonus Track!

Bonus background tracks
1:11:56 - Zora's Domain (Yasuaki Iwata) - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild OST

Album Links
Final Fantasy VII Remake Original Soundtrack
VGMdb

Buy/Stream:

Monster Hunter: World Original Soundtrack
VGMdb

Buy/Stream:

NieR: Automata Original Soundtrack
Our Review
VGMdb

Buy/Stream:

Ryu ga Gotoku KIWAMI / Ryu ga Gotoku KIWAMI 2 Sound Track
VGMdb

Timespinner Original Game Soundtrack
Our Review
VGMdb

Buy/Stream:

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Original Soundtrack
Our Review
VGMdb

Buy/Stream:

Get in Touch:
RPGFan.com
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59 - Winter Warmer II: The Wintering

RPGFan.com — Tue, 22 Dec 2020 21:48:04 -0500

Today we're getting cozy and seasonally appropriate as the two Mikes and Alana discuss some excellent wintery tracks. It's amazing how various instruments can come together to convey a wide variety of winter atmospheres; that and the abundance of good winter/snow themed music make this a topic worth revisiting. Get your mittens and hats ready, because we're discussing tumultuous wintery tracks as well as some more peaceful favorites! We can all enjoy them with the knowledge that listening to these songs will NOT result in having to shovel the driveway.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Alana Hagues, Michael Sollosi; Edited by Mike Salbato

Links for this episode:

Tracklist
0:05:49 - Land of Immortality (Revo) - Bravely Default OST
0:09:39 - Winter Journey's Tale (Tomoki Miyoshi) - I am Setsuna OST
0:29:53 - Ice Town (Tatsuyuki Maeda) - Eternal Arcadia / Skies of Arcadia Original Soundtrack
0:31:44 - Return to Oblivion (Masayoshi Soken) - Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers
0:58:30 - Flamesgrace, Guiding Light (Yasunori Nishiki) - Octopath Traveler OST
1:00:28 - White mirror (Motoi Sakuraba) - Trusty Bell ~Chopin no Yume~ Original Score / Eternal Sonata Original Score
1:25:22 - Sollosi's Bonus Track!

Bonus background tracks
0:51:36 - Footsteps in the Snow (Masayoshi Soken) - Before the Fall: Final Fantasy XIV OST

Album Links
Bravely Default Original Soundtrack
Our Review
VGMdb
Buy:

CDJapan

Eternal Arcadia / Skies of Arcadia Original Soundtrack
Our Review
VGMdb

Buy/Stream:

iTunes Store / Apple Music: Volume 1 and Volume 2
Spotify: Volume 1 and Volume 2

Eternal Sonata Original Score
Our Review
VGMdb

Buy/Stream:

CDJapan

Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers
VGMdb

Buy:

CDJapan
Square Enix Online Store (NA)
iTunes Store / Apple Music
iTunes Store / Apple Music (Shadowbringers EP2)

I am Setsuna Original Soundtrack
Our Review
VGMdb

Buy:

Square Enix Online Store (NA)

Octopath Traveler Original Soundtrack
Our Review
VGMdb

Buy/Stream:

Get in Touch:
RPGFan.com
Email us: music@rpgfan.com
Twitter: @rpgfancom
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58 - Female Game Composers: A Primer

RPGFan.com — Mon, 07 Dec 2020 22:59:29 -0500

They sing, they form bands (and companies), and several of them play piano so well it will knock your socks off. And that's just what they do in addition to writing music. In this episode, Alana, Eva, and Hilary delve into the rich and unique world of game compositions from female composers. From the incomparable Yoko Shimomura to Persona guest composer/vocalist Elisha La'Verne, get ready for a wonderful journey! We hope this episode serves as a good starting point that garners them some recognition — they've been contributing since the '80s, after all — and that it inspires you to learn more about them and their work.

Featuring: Hilary Andreff, Alana Hagues, Eva Padilla; Edited by Mike Salbato

Further reading and related links

Tracklist
0:05:58 - Change Your Way (Elisha La'Verne) - Persona 2: Eternal Punishment OST
0:10:24 - U.B. (Yoko Shimomura) - Parasite Eve Original Soundtrack
0:30:23 - Mutant Species 1 (Saori Kobayashi) - Resurrection: Panzer Dragoon Saga 20th Anniversary Arrangement Soundtrack
0:33:45 - Endings and Beginnings (Yoshino Aoki) - Breath of Fire IV OST
0:49:24 - Riding (Night) -(Arranged by Manaka Kataoka) - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Original Soundtrack
0:51:12 - Starry Moonlit Night ~Arrange Version~ (Kumi Tanioka) - Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles OST
1:22:02 - Alana's Bonus Track!

Bonus background tracks
1:12:09 - Lament of Innocence ~Leon's Theme~ (Michiru Yamane) - Castlevania: Lament of Innocence OST
1:16:28 - The Battle for Your Soul (Yuki Kajiura) - Xenosaga III Original Sound Best Tracks
1:18:34 - Parting Ways (Yukiko Takada) - Stormblood: Final Fantasy XIV OST

Album Links
Persona 2: Eternal Punishment Original Soundtrack
Our Review
VGMdb

Buy/Stream:

Parasite Eve Original Soundtrack
Our Review
VGMdb

Buy:

CDJapan

Resurrection: Panzer Dragoon Saga 20th Anniversary Arrangement Soundtrack
Our Review
VGMdb

Buy/Stream:

Breath of Fire IV Original Soundtrack
Our Review
VGMdb

Buy:

Steam (!?)

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Original Soundtrack
Our Review
VGMdb
Buy/Stream:

CDJapan

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles OST
Our Review
VGMdb

Buy:

CDJapan

Get in Touch:
RPGFan.com
Email us: music@rpgfan.com
Twitter: @rpgfancom
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57 - Final Fantasy IX-20

RPGFan.com — Tue, 17 Nov 2020 22:17:13 -0500

Final Fantasy IX saw the light of day in North America almost exactly twenty years ago today. It was on November 13, 2000 that the crystals returned, and Final Fantasy took a reprieve from the realism and sci-fi or steampunk overtones to harken back to castles, kingdoms, and big heads. Since FFIX has somehow only lightly featured on Rhythm Encounter in the past, this anniversary was the perfect time to celebrate Nobuo Uematsu's extensive soundtrack(s) for the adventures of Zidane, Garnet, and company.

Featuring: Eva Padilla, Greg Delmage, Mike Salbato; Edited by Mike Salbato

Tracklist
0:03:15 - Behind the Door (Nobuo Uematsu) - Final Fantasy IX OST
0:05:14 - Ukelele de Chocobo (Nobuo Uematsu) - Final Fantasy IX OST
0:22:06 - Rose of May (Erutan) - A Bard's Side Quest
0:26:36 - Freya's Theme (Nobuo Uematsu) - Final Fantasy IX OST
0:43:55 - Vamo alla Django: Vamo alla Flamenco Overclocked Remix (Andy Pearce, Cain McCormack and Dan Bryant) - OC Remix / Final Fantasy IX: Worlds Apart
0:46:51 - Melodies of Life - Piano Collections: Final Fantasy IX
1:09:15 - Greg's Bonus Track!

Bonus background tracks
0:29:42 - Roses of May - Final Fantasy IX OST
1:03:25 - Not Alone - Final Fantasy IX OST

Links for this episode
RPGFan Episode Post

Get in Touch:
RPGFan.com
Email us: music@rpgfan.com
Twitter: @rpgfancom
Instagram: @rpgfancom
Facebook: rpgfancom
Twitch: rpgfancom

Album Links
Final Fantasy IX Original Soundtrack
Our Review
VGMdb

Buy/Stream:

A Bard's Side Quest
VGMdb

Buy/Stream:

Final Fantasy IX - Piano Collections
Our Review
VGMdb

Buy/Stream:

iTunes Store / Apple Music

Final Fantasy IX: Worlds Apart
VGMdb
OC Remix Album Page

Stream:

Soundcloud

56 - OoooOOoooOooO!

RPGFan.com — Sat, 31 Oct 2020 20:36:00 -0400

HAPPY HALLOWEEN! We're getting in the spirit this spooky season with a collection of chilling tracks to help make the season memorable. Submitted for the approval of the Midnight Society... er, RPGFan listeners, we have spooky soundscapes from Final Fantasy haunted libraries to the deeply unsettling worlds of Bloodborne and the Souls series. Give it a listen, if you dare! The bonus track is sure to absolutely terrify you.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Eva Padilla, Peter Triezenberg; Edited by Mike Salbato

Tracklist
0:03:49 - The Ancient Library (Nobuo Uematsu) - Final Fantasy V OST
0:06:18 - Barren Corridors (Jeff Ball) - Timespinner OST
0:20:50 - The Color of Depression (Keichii Okabe) - NieR Automata OST
0:23:55 - Voices (Kei Wakakusa) - Elemental Gearbolt OST
0:38:38 - Rosencrantz (Hitoshi Sakimoto) - Vagrant Story OST
0:40:30 - The Hunter (Ryan Amon) - Bloodborne OST
0:53:53 - An Empire in Ruins (Yoko Shimomura, Shota Nakama) - Final Fantasy XV OST
0:57:43 - Epitaph for Boletaria (Shunsuke Kida, arr. by RoeTaKa) - Demon's Souls OST / OC Remix
1:22:08 - Mike's Bonus Track!

Bonus background track
1:14:43 - Ink Long Dry (Masayoshi Soken) - Heavensward: Final Fantasy XIV OST

Links for this episode
RPGFan Episode Post

Get in Touch:
RPGFan.com
Email us: music@rpgfan.com
Twitter: @rpgfancom
Instagram: @rpgfancom
Facebook: rpgfancom
Twitch: rpgfancom

Album Links
Timespinner Original Game Soundtrack
Our Review
VGMdb

Buy/Stream:

Elemental Gearbolt Original Sound Track & Drama
VGMdb

Vagrant Story Original Soundtrack
Our Review
VGMdb

Buy/Stream:

iTunes Store / Apple Music

Bloodborne Original Soundtrack
Our Review
VGMdb

Buy/Stream:

Final Fantasy XV Original Soundtrack
Our Review
VGMdb

Buy/Stream:

Demon's Souls Original Soundtrack
Our Review
VGMdb
OC Remix song download

Stream:

Spotify

NieR Automata Original Soundtrack
Our Review
VGMdb

Buy/Stream:

Final Fantasy V Original Soundtrack
Our Review
VGMdb

Buy/Stream:

55 - Relaxing Rhythm Part 2

RPGFan.com — Mon, 26 Oct 2020 20:14:16 -0400

We're just here to vibe...again. There's so much good relaxing music within our favorite genre that we needed two episodes to cover it. We delve into a nice assortment here (from 16-bit to recent releases) and discuss how these relaxing picks fit into their in-game settings, whether it's a nice underwater atmosphere or around a campfire. Relax and be well, listeners, but also remember that ambiance is important.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Peter Triezenberg; Edited by Mike Salbato

Tracklist
0:03:55 - Slumber in Stillness (Ryan Roth & Halina Heron) - Moon Hunters OST
0:05:33 - Gardens and Ruins (Darren Malley) - Mythic Ocean OST
0:19:50 - Hepatica (KOS-MOS) (Yuki Kajiura) - Xenosaga Episode III Original Sound Best Tracks
0:24:55 - In the Earthen Womb (Yasuhiro Kawasaki) - Illusion of Gaia
0:44:11 - Calming Drizzle (Andrew Jeremy) - Coffee Talk Official Soundtracks!
0:49:30 - Crystalline Chill (Yoko Shimomura/Nobuo Uematsu) - Final Fantasy XV OST
1:10:45 - Hilary's Bonus Track!

Bonus background tracks
1:05:29 - Daguerreo, The Hermit's Library (Nobuo Uematsu) - Final Fantasy IX OST
1:07:00 - Across the Ages (Zach Parrish) - Sakura Fantasy OST

Links for this episode
RPGFan Episode Post

Get in Touch:
RPGFan.com
Email us: music@rpgfan.com
Twitter: @rpgfancom
Instagram: @rpgfancom
Facebook: rpgfancom
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Album Links
Coffee Talk Official Soundtracks!
VGMdb

Buy/Stream:

Moon Hunters Original Soundtrack
VGMdb

Buy:

Xenosaga Episode III: Also Sprach Zarathustra Original Sound Best Tracks
Our Review
VGMdb

Final Fantasy XV Original Soundtrack
Our Review
VGMdb

Buy/Stream:

Mythic Ocean Original Game Soundtrack
VGMdb

Buy/Stream:

Note: An official soundtrack was never released for Illusion of Gaia. In addition, the Xenosaga Episode III soundtrack is out of print.

54 - Relaxing Rhythm Part 1

RPGFan.com — Tue, 20 Oct 2020 19:41:39 -0400

Chill out with Rhythm Encounter! This is not the first time we've presented a chillout or relaxing topic—though the last time was seven years ago (!) in Episode 6: Summer Chill—but if there's one thing we could all use right about now is some damn fine coffee... er, relaxation, but coffee may also make an appearance. Who can say? Since Rhythm Encounter's return earlier this season, one of the team's most wanted topics was relaxing music. In fact, it was such a popular topic, we are doing two back-to-back episodes! Today, Mike is joined by two star members of our review team, and chats relaxing music with Alana and Jono.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Alana Hagues, Jonathan Logan; Edited by Mike Salbato

Tracklist
0:04:11 - Chill - Town Theme [Makai Tōshi Sa・Ga (1989)] (Composed by Nobuo Uematsu; Arranged by Namiko Mori) - SQUARE ENIX Chill Out Arrangement Tracks - AROUND 80's MIX
0:08:34 - Scene VII - FFII Rebel Army's Theme (Nobuo Uematsu) - Symphonic Suite Final Fantasy
0:32:14 - Temple of the Lake (Deniz Akbulut) - CrossCode OST
0:34:40 - Riverstone Reprieve (Town Theme) (Andrew Aversa) - Tangledeep OST
0:54:03 - Sunrise in Limbo (Kevin Penkin & Jeremy Lin) - Necrobarista
0:55:42 - Godot - The Fragrance of Dark Coffee (Noriyuki Iwadare) - Gyakuten Saiban Meets Jazz
1:29:31 - Jono's Bonus Track!

Links for this episode
RPGFan Episode Post
Rhythm Encounter 25 - Music of the Year 2014 - Second Movement

Get in Touch:
RPGFan.com
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Twitter: @rpgfancom
Instagram: @rpgfancom
Facebook: rpgfancom
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Album Links
SQUARE ENIX Chill Out Arrangement Tracks – AROUND 80's MIX
VGMdb

Buy/Stream:

CrossCode Original Soundtrack
VGMdb

Buy/Stream:

Necrobarista Original Soundtrack
VGMdb

Buy/Stream:

Tangledeep Original Soundtrack

VGMdb

Buy/Stream:

Symphonic Suite Final Fantasy
Our Review
VGMdb

Gyakuten Saiban Jazz Album ~Gyakuten Meets Jazz Soul~
Our Review
VGMdb

53 - Feel the Burn!

RPGFan.com — Mon, 05 Oct 2020 18:57:46 -0400

RPG music can be very helpful in daily life, and our panel has met today to discuss workout music. Making those gains can certainly be a journey, so Mike Salbato, Mike Sollosi, Greg, and Hilary share some picks for different types of workouts. The episode has four sections: Warm Up, Arm Day/Core Workout, Leg Day/Cardio Workout, and Cool Down. It’s a high concentration of podcast hosts to help motivate and encourage us all to stay healthy and balanced in our workouts and life. Wii Fit Trainer would be proud.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Michael Sollosi, Greg Delmage; Edited by Mike Salbato

Tracklist
Warm Up
0:07:20 – The Witching Hour – Castlevania SotN/Overclocked University Spring Break DJ Set
0:12:17 – Gerudo Valley – Zelda 25th Anniversary Concert

Arm Day / Core Workout
0:32:05 – Battle 1 (Sean Schafianski feat. PirateCrab) – Final Fantasy Mystic Quest: Remastered Soundtrack
0:34:18 – Banquet of Massacre – SINoALICE OST

Leg Day / Cardio Workout
0:52:50 – Sunshine Coastline – Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of DANA OST
0:55:56 – Pollyanna Bounce (The Bad Dudes) – PsychoKinetic

Cool Down
1:12:03 – River of Life – Octopath Traveler OST
1:15:31 – A Premonition of Battle (Saori Kobayashi) – Resurrection: Panzer Dragoon Saga 20th Anniversary Arrangement

Links for this episode
RPGFan Episode Post
Webamp.org (Winamp skin museum)

Get in Touch:
RPGFan.com
Email us: music@rpgfan.com
Twitter: @rpgfancom
Instagram: @rpgfancom
Facebook: rpgfancom
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Album Links
Overclocked University Spring Break DJ Set by Overclocked University

VGMdb

Buy/Stream:
Bandcamp
iTunes Store / Apple Music
Spotify

Zelda 25th Anniversary Concert by Koji Kondo, Toru Minegishi, Kenta Nagata, Asuka Ohta, Hajime Wakai
Our Review
VGMdb

Stream:
Spotify

Final Fantasy Mystic Quest: Remastered Soundtrack by Sean Schafianski
Our Review
VGMdb

Buy/Stream:
Bandcamp
iTunes Store / Apple Music
Spotify

SINoALICE Original Soundtrack by MONACA
Our Review
VGMdb

Buy/Stream:
iTunes Store / Apple Music
Spotify

Ys VIII – Lacrimosa of DANA (Original Soundtrack – Complete) by Falcom Sound Team jdk
Our Review
VGMdb

Buy/Stream:
iTunes Store / Apple Music
Spotify

Psychokinetic EarthBound Album by Mustin and The Bad Dudes
VGMdb

Buy/Stream:
Bandcamp
iTunes Store / Apple Music
Spotify

OCTOPATH TRAVELER Original Soundtrack by Yasunori Nishiki
Our Review
VGMdb

Buy/Stream:
iTunes Store / Apple Music
Spotify

Resurrection: Panzer Dragoon Saga 20th Anniversary Arrangement by Saori Kobayashi
Our Review
VGMdb

Buy/Stream:
Bandcamp
iTunes Store / Apple Music
Spotify

52 - Undertale Turns Five

RPGFan.com — Mon, 21 Sep 2020 08:45:00 -0400

We featured Undertale across all three parts of our Music of the Year 2015 podcast trio (see links below), but the indie darling didn't often make Rhythm Encounter appearances afterwards, so we thought it was time to change that. Because this month marks exactly 5 years since Undertale released in 2015, we knew we had little choice but to make our second comeback episode about Toby Fox's masterful soundscape. Mike, Alana, and Jo bring some of their favorite selections from not only the original Undertale soundtrack, but a sampling of some of the many stunning arrangements that have appeared in the last five years.

So get some nice cream and settle in for some choice Undertale tunes. And above all, stay determined.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Alana Hagues, Jo Padilla; Edited by Mike Salbato

Tracklist
0:05:10 - Once Upon A Time by Toby Fox - Undertale Soundtrack
0:06:30 - ASGORE by Laura Platt - Undertale - Fragments of a Heart
0:10:34 - Inner Monologue of a Bird Waiting on the Edge by Bonnie Bogovich - FALLEN: An Undertale Tribute
0:36:10 - His Theme by (千π (SenPi)) - Straight from the Underground
0:41:16 - MEGALOVANIA by Toby Fox - Undertale Soundtrack
0:43:51 - Waterfall by Jonas Munk Lindbo - Undertale & Chill
1:14:00 - Jo's Bonus Track

Bonus background track
1:07:24 - Quiet Winds by Damian Nguyen - FALLEN: An Undertale Tribute

Links for this episode
RPGFan Episode Post
Rhythm Encounter 33 – Music of the Year 2015 – First Movement
Rhythm Encounter 34 – Music of the Year 2015 – Second Movement
Rhythm Encounter 35 – Music of the Year 2015 – Final Movement
Homework Radio on YouTube: Lo-fi for Mermaids (only)
Homework Radio on YouTube: Lo-fi for Vampires (only)
Homework Radio on YouTube: Lo-fi for Witches (only)

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Album Links
Straight from the Underground by Tiny Waves
VGMdb Listing

Buy:
Bandcamp
iTunes Store

Stream:
Spotify
Apple Music

Undertale Soundtrack by Toby Fox
Our Review
VGMdb Listing

Buy:
Bandcamp
iTunes Store

Stream:
Spotify
Apple Music

FALLEN: An Undertale Tribute by Materia Collective
VGMdb Listing

Buy:
Bandcamp
iTunes Store

Stream:
Spotify
Apple Music

Undertale & Chill by Jonas Munk Lindbo
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Apple Music

Undertale - Fragments of a Heart by Laura Platt
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51 - The Yasunori Mitsuda Episode

RPGFan.com — Mon, 07 Sep 2020 04:50:00 -0400

To kick off what is essentially a new season of Rhythm Encounter, I enlisted proofreader and music aficionado Hilary Andreff along with musician Chris Porter to talk about one of our favorite composers, the baddest and coolest around, Yasunori Mitsuda. The result is an episode with an impressive musical range, fun discussion, and some great surprises. Listen to the episode and check out the time-stamped tracklist and related links for each album below, including links to our reviews and places to buy/stream the music.

One thing to note for fans of the show: We know that in the past we rarely kept the show to a schedule, but with a renewed focus and tighter episodes, we will be adhering to a bi-weekly schedule now, so you can enjoy this episode with confidence that the next one will be ready for you later this month! We appreciate your patience, and hope you enjoy listening to Rhythm Encounter as much as we enjoy recording them! It's good to be back.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Chris Porter; Edited by Mike Salbato

Tracklist
0:03:39 - Coffin Fetish/Blue Castle - Shadow Hearts Original Soundtrack
0:05:27 - Beautiful Day - Armodyne Original Soundtrack
0:17:36 - EPISODE IGNIS - The Main Theme - Final Fantasy XV OST Vol. 2
0:20:02 - To the Top-A New Beginning - Re:volvers8 Original Soundtrack (a.k.a. Revolve8)
0:35:42 - Shadow of the Lowlands - Xenoblade Chronicles 2 OST
0:38:30 - Creid - CREID Yasunori Mitsuda & Millennial Fair
1:02:55 - Bonus Track!

Bonus Background Tracks
0:00:32 - The Day the World Revived / Robo's Theme - Chrono Orchestra Arrangement Box
0:25:35 - A Lightless Journey - Final Fantasy XV OST Vol. 2
0:54:40 - October Mermaid - CREID Yasunori Mitsuda & Millennial Fair
0:56:48 - Corridors of Time / Schala's Theme - Chrono Orchestra Arrangement Box

Links for this episode
RPGFan Episode Post

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Album Links
Armodyne Original Soundtrack
Our Review
VGMdb Listing

Buy:
Amazon Japan

Final Fantasy XV OST Vol. 2
Our Review
VGMdb Listing

Buy:
Amazon
iTunes Store
CDJapan
Square Enix Store (NA)

Stream:
Spotify
Apple Music

Re:volvers8 Original Soundtrack
VGMdb Listing

Buy:
iTunes Store

Stream:
Spotify
Apple Music

Shadow Hearts OST
Our Review
VGMdb Listing

Buy:
CDJapan

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 OST
Our Review
VGMdb Listing

Buy:
Amazon
iTunes Store

(Xenogears) CREID Yasunori Mitsuda & Millennial Fair
Our Review
VGMdb Listing

Buy:
CDJapan

Chrono Orchestra Arrangement Box
Our Review
VGMdb Listing

Buy:
Amazon (JP)
CDJapan
Square Enix Store (NA)

Note: Some links above are affiliate links.

50 - Hazem Hawash and Shiness: The Lightning Kingdom

RPGFan.com — Sat, 29 Jul 2017 13:00:00 -0400

Note: We had to re-number our episodes several years after publishing. This was originally Episode 33, as reflected in the audio. Don't worry, you're not missing anything!

Many years later after a very successful Kickstarter campaign, Enigami brings to life Shiness: The Lightning Kingdom, a magical world of vivid sceneries and wonderful, alluring music. Creator and composer, Hazem Hawash, alongside his dedicated team, pored a great deal of love into Shiness, so it was only right to bring in Hazem to chat about this lovely game and its shining soundtrack. Enjoy the chat, dear readers!

Featuring: Marcos Gaspar, Hazem Hawash

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Show notes & post on RPGFan

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49 - Mustin and Psychokinetic

RPGFan.com — Fri, 07 Jul 2017 13:00:00 -0400

Note: We had to re-number our episodes several years after publishing. This was originally Episode 32, as reflected in the audio. Don't worry, you're not missing anything!

It's safe to say that EarthBound has a lot of fans, and that includes us at RPG...Fan. Bad jokes aside, where there are fans, there's often a demand for quality arrangements of classic RPG music. Mustin, of Mustin Enterprises (formerly OneUp Studios), and a group of excellent remix producers collectively known as Bad Dudes have provided just that for EarthBound fans with Psychokinetic. Join us as we chat with Mustin about the album and the timelessness of EarthBound.

Featuring: Marcos Gaspar, Mustin

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48 - Braxton Burks on Johto Legends

RPGFan.com — Fri, 02 Jun 2017 13:00:00 -0400

Note: We had to re-number our episodes several years after publishing. This was originally Episode 31, as reflected in the audio. Don't worry, you're not missing anything!

Are you a Pokémon fan? Have you always wanted to hear an orchestral arrangement of the music from Pokémon Gold & Silver? Well, you're in luck, because such an album is currently in the works, courtesy of Materia Collective! Join Marcos as he chats with Braxton Burks, the creative mind behind this exciting new arrangement!

Featuring: Marcos Gaspar, Braxton Burks

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47 - Interlude: Persona 5

RPGFan.com — Sun, 02 Apr 2017 13:00:00 -0400

Our third interlude is all about the music of Persona 5! With the long-awaited RPG just around the corner, we thought it would be a special treat to share some selections from the amazing soundtrack this time around. So grab your masks and get ready to steal some hearts!

Also, on a housekeeping note, Rhythm Encounter is going through a period of transition at the moment. As such, we're going to be on hiatus for a bit while we get things sorted. We hope you can bear with us during this time, and we'll let you know as soon as we're back in action!

Featuring: Caitlin Argyros, Mike Salbato, Marcos Gaspar; Edited by Mike Salbato

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Episode tracklist & post on RPGFan

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46 - Music of the Year 2016: Final Movement

RPGFan.com — Mon, 27 Feb 2017 21:45:00 -0500

The final movement of Rhythm Encounter's Music of the Year 2016 extravaganza is upon us. In true MOTY tradition, that means this episode is where we, your hosts, get to share with you some of our favorite music from the past year. We've got music from big names like Final Fantasy and Pokémon to indie titles like VA-11 HALL-A, and we even have some choice arrangements to delight you with as well. So sit back and enjoy one last hurrah as Music of the Year 2016 on Rhythm Encounter comes to a close.

Featuring: Caitlin Argyros, Mike Salbato, Marcos Gaspar

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Episode tracklist & post on RPGFan

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45 - Music of the Year 2016: Second Movement

RPGFan.com — Mon, 27 Feb 2017 12:00:00 -0500

If you're looking for more Music of the Year goodness, look no further than our second exceptional movement on Rhythm Encounter. On this episode, two longtime friends of the show, Michael Cunningham from RPGamer and Don Kotowski from Video Game Music Online, join us to share their favorite music from 2016.

Featuring: Caitlin Argyros, Michael Cunningham, Don Kotowski

Links for this episode:
Episode tracklist & post on RPGFan
RPGamer
VGMO

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44 - Music of the Year 2016: First Movement

RPGFan.com — Sat, 25 Feb 2017 18:00:00 -0500

What's that in the sky? It's a bird! It's a plane! No, it's Music of the Year 2016 on Rhythm Encounter! This year we've trimmed the fat a little to make each of our three MOTY podcasts a little easier to digest. Our first episode kicks things off with a few of our dedicated staff members sharing their favorite musical selections from 2016. Take a listen and you may just be able to remember the year fondly after all!

Featuring: Caitlin Argyros, Peter Triezenberg, Robert Fenner

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43 - Interlude: Deus Ex, Final Fantasy, Atelier, and Pokémon

RPGFan.com — Fri, 20 Jan 2017 12:00:00 -0500

In our second interlude, we check out music from the latest Deus Ex, the cutest little Final Fantasy out there, and the most recent entries in the venerable Atelier and Pokémon series. Join us for a short and sweet look at some excellent, recently released music!

Featuring: Caitlin Argyros, Mike Salbato, Marcos Gaspar; Edited by Mike Salbato

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42 - Evil Etudes

RPGFan.com — Fri, 30 Dec 2016 12:00:00 -0500

Note: We had to re-number our episodes several years after publishing. This was originally Episode 30, as reflected in the audio. Don't worry, you're not missing anything!

Love 'em or hate 'em, an RPG just isn't the same without a good villain. And every good villain needs a good theme song. On this episode of Rhythm Encounter, we explore some choice themes for evil empires and the bad guys who run them. Take a walk on the dark side with us, and don't forget to bring your doomsday weapon, ancient magic, or trained monster of choice!

Featuring: Caitlin Argyros, Marcos Gaspar, Peter Triezenberg

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41 - Interlude: Falcom, Sakuraba, Final Fantasy Greats

RPGFan.com — Sun, 20 Nov 2016 12:00:00 -0500

In our very first Interlude, we test the waters with music from Falcom, Motoi Sakuraba, and a bevy of Final Fantasy greats. Join us as we discuss these recent releases in our new Interlude format!

Featuring: Caitlin Argyros, Mike Salbato, Marcos Gaspar

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40 - Back to School

RPGFan.com — Sun, 06 Nov 2016 12:00:00 -0500

Note: We had to re-number our episodes several years after publishing. This was originally Episode 29, as reflected in the audio. Don't worry, you're not missing anything!

A new school year is upon us, and it brings with it countless hours of reading, classwork, and exams. But never fear! Rhythm Encounter is here with a collection of music perfect for the new scholastic year. Whether it's soothing music to listen to while studying, or tunes that remind us of our days in the classroom, Caitlin, Mike, and guest hosts Marcos and Peter bring a little something of everything to this RPGFan cram session.

Featuring: Caitlin Argyros, Mike Salbato, Marcos Gaspar, Peter Triezenberg, special appearance by Moe the Cat

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39 - Interview: Materia Collective on Hero of Time

RPGFan.com — Fri, 28 Oct 2016 13:00:00 -0400

The amazing group of musicians known as Materia Collective are working on a new orchestral album featuring music from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and Rhythm Encounter has the exclusive scoop! Join Marcos as he chats with Eric Buchholz and Sebastian Wolff about this exciting new arrangement!

Featuring: Marcos Gaspar, Eric Buchholz, Sebastian Wolff

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38 - Strange Wilderness

RPGFan.com — Sat, 01 Oct 2016 13:00:00 -0400

Note: We had to re-number our episodes several years after publishing. This was originally Episode 28, as reflected in the audio. Don't worry, you're not missing anything!

World maps have changed a lot over the last few decades. The overworld is now something of a rarity and players are much more likely to explore a game through a series of connected fields than to have the traditional world map experience. The spirit remains the same, though, and the music remains awesome. Caitlin, Mike, and guest host Alana Hagues explore a lot of maps and trek through a bunch of fields on this most excellent episode of Rhythm Encounter!

Featuring: Caitlin Argyros, Mike Salbato, Alana Hagues

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37 - Foliage Ocean in St. Louis

RPGFan.com — Thu, 25 Aug 2016 13:00:00 -0400

Note: We had to re-number our episodes several years after publishing. This was originally Episode 27, as reflected in the audio. Don't worry, you're not missing anything!

Forests are an interesting mainstay in RPGs today. So many games have them and there are so many different types. The music accompanying these locales is just as varied, giving us bright, happy forests; dark and sinister jungles; and mystical yet mysterious woodlands (to name just a few). Join Caitlin, Mike, and returning guest Stephanie Sybydlo as they explore the music of some of the best RPG forests out there!

Featuring: Caitlin Argyros, Mike Salbato, Stephanie Sybydlo

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36 - Bends of Time

RPGFan.com — Sat, 30 Apr 2016 21:40:00 -0400

Note: We had to re-number our episodes several years after publishing. This was originally Episode 26, as reflected in the audio. Don't worry, you're not missing anything!

We're a little late in celebrating the 20th and 15th anniversaries of Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross, but alas, we can't travel back in time to bring it out sooner...or can we? Kidding aside, the music of Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross is special to many RPG fans, and we at Rhythm Encounter are no exception. In addition to music from the original soundtracks, we also have selections from some of the fantastic arrangement albums that were released in celebration of these anniversaries. We also asked RPGFan Editor Emeritus Liz Maas, a fellow Chrono lover, to join us and share some of her favorite music, so there's a lot to love in this episode!

Featuring: Caitlin Argyros, Mike Salbato, Liz Maas

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35 - Music of the Year 2015 - Final Movement

RPGFan.com — Tue, 16 Feb 2016 20:40:00 -0500

It's our Music of the Year finale on Rhythm Encounter, which means it's time for your intrepid hosts to share their favorite music from 2015. We've got picks from some of the biggest games of the year, as well as indie gems and new arrangements of some classic themes, so tune in and enjoy! Once again, this finale episode features a host of bonus music played in the background, and while we don't discuss them during the episode, we listed each of these songs in a bonus tracklist to identify what's what.

Featuring: Stephen Meyerink, Caitlin Argyros, Mike Salbato

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34 - Music of the Year 2015 - Second Movement

RPGFan.com — Sun, 14 Feb 2016 20:00:00 -0500

Every year, we invite some special guests from outside RPGFan to join us for Music of the Year. For 2015, we've dedicated an entire episode just for them. Welcome back friends of the show Jayson Napolitano (Scarlet Moon Productions), Michael Cunningham (RPGamer), and Don Kotowski (VGMOnline)! They've brought some unexpected and undeniably catchy picks from 2015 to share with the RPGFan nation, so tune in and enjoy!

Featuring: Stephen Meyerink, Caitlin Argyros, Mike Salbato, Jayson Napolitano, Michael "Mac" Cunningham, Don Kotowski

Links for this episode:
Episode tracklist & post on RPGFan
RPGamer
VGMO
Scarlet Moon Productions
Don's interview with Final Fantasy Type-0 HD composer, Takeharu Ishimoto on VGMO

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33 - Music of the Year 2015 - First Movement

RPGFan.com — Sun, 14 Feb 2016 16:20:00 -0500

It's the most wonderful time of the year! No, not Christmas. It's Music of the Year again on Rhythm Encounter, and in keeping with tradition, we have a trio of episodes chock full of guests and awesome tunes from 2015. Starting things out with a bang are some truly swell selections from our very own Peter Triezenberg, Mike Sollosi, and Marcos Gaspar!

Featuring: Stephen Meyerink, Caitlin Argyros, Mike Salbato, Peter Triezenberg, Michael Sollosi, Marcos Gaspar

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32 - Terminus Est

RPGFan.com — Wed, 30 Dec 2015 12:00:00 -0500

Note: We had to re-number our episodes several years after publishing. This was originally Episode 25, as reflected in the audio. Don't worry, you're not missing anything!

It's been a long road, but Rhythm Encounter has finally reached the final boss in our miniseries on battle themes! The regular crew is joined by the awesome and social media savvy Stephanie Sybydlo as we listen to some choice music while saving the world (and sometimes, the galaxy too). We fight evil space aliens, would-be gods, and even the occasional primal in our quest to play amazing final boss tunes, and our recent music selection isn't too shabby either.

Featuring: Stephen Meyerink, Caitlin Argyros, Mike Salbato, Stephanie Sybydlo

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31 - Those Who Fight Further

RPGFan.com — Wed, 04 Nov 2015 12:00:00 -0500

Note: We had to re-number our episodes several years after publishing. This was originally Episode 24, as reflected in the audio. Don't worry, you're not missing anything!

The Rhythm Encounter crew are taking on big, bad bosses in our second of three episodes devoted to battle themes. Stephen lets the SNES live again with some lesser known picks, Caitlin has an uncontrollable love for crazy piano and strings, and Mike brings some explosively awesome tracks to round out the show. Don't miss our recent music section, which is awesome as always!

Featuring: Stephen Meyerink, Caitlin Argyros, Mike Salbato

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30 - Those Who Fight

RPGFan.com — Sat, 17 Oct 2015 13:00:00 -0400

Note: We had to re-number our episodes several years after publishing. This was originally Episode 23, as reflected in the audio. Don't worry, you're not missing anything!

Rhythm Encounter presents a trio of episodes devoted to battle music and we're kicking things off with regular battle themes! We've got some things old and some things new, some things well known and others more obscure. So join us for an hour (and change) of the music we love to fight bad guys and the occasional woodland creature with.

Featuring: Stephen Meyerink, Caitlin Argyros, Mike Salbato

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29 - Casual Fundays

RPGFan.com — Sat, 10 Oct 2015 13:00:00 -0400

Note: We had to re-number our episodes several years after publishing. This was originally Episode 22.9 (yes, really), as reflected in the audio. Don't worry, you're not missing anything!

While Stephen gets settled in Japan, Caitlin and Mike are joined by the always awesome Marcos Gaspar to present a special, express episode of casual themes. Whether it's chilling in outer space, grabbing a pint at the local tavern, or chatting with a friendly, weapon-selling bear, we've got tunes to suit just about every relaxation need. So sit back, kick your feet up, and casually welcome the fall with Rhythm Encounter!

Featuring: Caitlin Argyros, Mike Salbato, Marcos Gaspar

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28 - Quack Pack: An Interview with HyperDuck SoundWorks

RPGFan.com — Tue, 09 Jun 2015 13:00:00 -0400

Note: We had to re-number our episodes several years after publishing. This was originally Episode 22, as reflected in the audio. Don't worry, you're not missing anything!

Following in the hallowed footsteps of other awesome shows about ducks, Rhythm Encounter brings you its first interview podcast of 2015 with a discussion featuring the talented Irish composer duo HyperDuck SoundWorks. Chris Geehan and Dan Byrne-McCullough talk about their beginnings, their inspirations, the soundscape of the 1980s, and the best song in Mega Man X with Stephen and Mike 2. The HyperDuck fellows also break down their work on Dust: An Elysian Tail and Penny Arcade's On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 4, and preview some music from the upcoming Cosmic Star Heroine.

Featuring: Stephen Meyerink, Michael Sollosi, Chris Geehan, Dan Byrne-McCullough

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27 - Planes, Trains, and Chocobos

RPGFan.com — Sat, 16 May 2015 13:00:00 -0400

Note: We had to re-number our episodes several years after publishing. This was originally Episode 21, as reflected in the audio. Don't worry, you're not missing anything!

After a well-deserved break following our Music of the Year mega feature, Rhythm Encounter is back! This time we're talking about travel themes, from airships to giant mechs to all-powerful gods. Stephen flexes his music muscles with some classic ship themes, Caitlin gets really moved by some of her oldest and newest favorites, and Mike squeezes some clever picks into this jam-packed episode. Our recent music section is also supersized to give you that much more awesome to listen to, featuring tunes from Final Fantasy, Xenoblade, and Okami.

Featuring: Stephen Meyerink, Caitlin Argyros, Mike Salbato

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26 - Music of the Year 2014 - Final Movement

RPGFan.com — Sun, 05 Apr 2015 13:00:00 -0400

The grand finale of our Music of the Year podcast extravaganza features music selected by your intrepid Rhythm Encounter hosts and tunes requested by you, our faithful and awesome listeners. There's truly something for everyone here, with music from the classics, more recent releases, and even some rare games you probably have never heard of all getting their moment in the spotlight.

Featuring: Stephen Meyerink, Caitlin Argyros, Mike Salbato, John Tucker, Robert Steinman... and you!

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25 - Music of the Year 2014 - Second Movement

RPGFan.com — Thu, 02 Apr 2015 13:00:00 -0400

Music of the Year 2014 continues on Rhythm Encounter with even more guests and, you guessed it, more music! We thought about simply playing the rest of Dragon Age: Inquisition and Persona Q and calling it a night, but ended up throwing in some Square Enix and indie tunes for variety's sake. And be sure not to miss our very special guests, including Don Kotowski of Game Music Online, Kim Wallace of GameInformer, and Emily Reese of Minnesota Public Radio/Top Score Podcast!

Featuring: Stephen Meyerink, Caitlin Argyros, Mike Salbato, Don Kotowski, Pat Gann, Marcos Gaspar, Davi Tesnovich, Peter Triezenberg, Kimberley Wallace, Emily Reese

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24 - Music of the Year 2014 - First Movement

RPGFan.com — Mon, 30 Mar 2015 13:00:00 -0400

We may be well into 2015, but on Rhythm Encounter it's never too late to talk about our favorite music from the past year. We've got a full party of hosts and special guests, and so much awesome music to discuss that we couldn't fit it into just one episode. Join us for part one of a trilogy of episodes devoted to RPGFan's Music of the Year 2014!

Special Note: Due to an unforeseen technical error, you may hear a higher than normal amount of background audio interference in this episode. We apologize for this unfortunate situation, but hope that our sparkling conversation shines through regardless!

Featuring: Stephen Meyerink, Caitlin Argyros, Mike Salbato, Derek Heemsbergen, Rob Steinman, Zack Reese, Michael A. Cunningham, Michael Sollosi, Jayson Napolitano

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23 - Winter Warmer

RPGFan.com — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 12:00:00 -0500

Note: We had to re-number our episodes several years after publishing. This was originally Episode 20, as reflected in the audio. Don't worry, you're not missing anything!

Rhythm Encounter rings in the new year with an episode of chill tunes to warm up with. Stephen's got Etrian Odyssey (or at least series composer Yuzo Koshiro) on the brain, Caitlin rebels with a few unconventional picks, and Mike serves up some classic snowy tunes to round things out. As always, we also listen to some cool tracks from albums recently reviewed on RPGFan.

Featuring: Stephen Meyerink, Caitlin Argyros, Mike Salbato

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22 - String Quartet: An Interview with Taylor Davis

RPGFan.com — Wed, 10 Dec 2014 12:00:00 -0500

Note: We had to re-number our episodes several years after publishing. This was originally Episode 19, as reflected in the audio. Don't worry, you're not missing anything!

Surprise, podcast listeners! Bet you thought we were done with interviews for the year. Well, Mike still needed to get his fanboy on, so we got a hold of one of his favorite musicians, the talented violinist Taylor Davis. Tune in as we find out how Taylor got her start, how she develops her music, and-- most importantly-- what her favorite RPG soundtrack is. We also listen to some of Taylor's beautiful arrangements and original pieces, so make sure your ears can handle all the awesome.

Featuring: Stephen Meyerink, Caitlin Argyros, Mike Salbato, Taylor Davis

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21 - Theme Park

RPGFan.com — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 12:00:00 -0500

Note: We had to re-number our episodes several years after publishing. This was originally Episode 18, as reflected in the audio. Don't worry, you're not missing anything!

It's all about characters on this episode of Rhythm Encounter, and I'm not just talking about our colorful cast of charismatic hosts. Join us as we discuss some of our favorite character themes from RPGs both well-known and not-so-well-known. Featuring spiky-haired kids with Disney characters for friends (I'm sure you all know who picked that one), cursed princesses who hide in the shadows, one-eyed pirates piloting giant mechs, and plenty of other interesting personalities. Also, delight in some excellent new music, including tracks from the recently released Terra Battle and the eagerly anticipated Final Fantasy XV!

Featuring: Stephen Meyerink, Caitlin Argyros, Mike Salbato

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20 - New Beginnings

RPGFan.com — Thu, 09 Oct 2014 13:00:00 -0400

Note: We had to re-number our episodes several years after publishing. This was originally Episode 17, as reflected in the audio. Don't worry, you're not missing anything!

We're shaking things up a little in this episode of Rhythm Encounter with a new host, a (slightly) different approach to recent music, and a lot of "new game" tunes. We search RPGs both new and old, Japanese and Western for some of the finest tracks to start a fifty-hour quest with, from title screens to opening cutscenes to battle music. Stephen has a thing for vocal themes, new host Caitlin Argyros passes the rigorous Rhythm Encounter exam, and show regular Mike Salbato pays homage to the wonderful sounds of the SNES. Join us for a lot of feels, a huge helping of nostalgia, and the chance to hear Stephen rendered speechless (on several occasions) due to awesome music. And do note that we've now included timestamps on every track, for your listening convenience!

Featuring: Stephen Meyerink, Caitlin Argyros, Mike Salbato

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19 - Schmoozin' with Schafianski

RPGFan.com — Fri, 22 Aug 2014 13:00:00 -0400

Note: We had to re-number our episodes several years after publishing. This was originally Episode 16, as reflected in the audio. Don't worry, you're not missing anything!

Rhythm Encounter takes a break from the usual schmoozin' to schmooze with a special guest: Sean Schafianski, the man behind the curtain that is Video Game Music Remastered. I was able to pronounce his name right on the first try. Do I get a special prize? Whether you can say it or not, listener, you'll still want to tune in to the latest episode of Rhythm Encounter to hear our interview with Sean Schafianski, the talented arranger behind VGM Remastered. Sean's covers of beloved games like Final Fantasy VI, Chrono Trigger, NieR, and more will delight your ears.

Featuring: Stephen Meyerink, Derek Heemsbergen, Sean Schafianski

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18 - Hometown

RPGFan.com — Fri, 01 Aug 2014 13:00:00 -0400

Note: We had to re-number our episodes several years after publishing. This was originally Episode 15, as reflected in the audio. Don't worry, you're not missing anything!

In the spirit of travel, Stephen takes the Rhythm Encounter ship on a trek through some of our most beloved town themes. Listen as the team gets wild with Wild ARMs, toughens up with some Brave Fencer Musashi, grins hard with Grinsia, and commits original sin with Divinity: Original Sin, among many other exciting highlights! Derek, not with us due to a freak dogsledding accident abroad, is covered for by Mike Salbato and newcomer Caitlin Argyros!

Featuring: Stephen Meyerink, Mike Salbato, Caitlin Argyros

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17 - Inn Vogue

RPGFan.com — Thu, 03 Jul 2014 13:00:00 -0400

Note: We had to re-number our episodes several years after publishing. This was originally Episode 14, as reflected in the audio. Don't worry, you're not missing anything!

Don't just sleep there, let's get to it. Grab a pillow, there's nothing to it. The latest and laziest episode of Rhythm Encounter features a bevy of sleepy, gentle, relaxing RPG melodies. We bring you some of our favorite picks across a smattering of beloved games, from the tranquil world of Mana to the dark ambiance of Koudelka. And it wouldn't be an episode of Rhythm Encounter without Stephen including something from Yoko Shimomura and Derek fawning over Xenoblade Chronicles. Thankfully, guest Mike Salbato appears again to knock some sense into us and diversify the lineup. Keep those ears peeled (if such a thing is possible, although it sounds very painful) for the inn and/or resting jingles from classic RPGs that we've sprinkled throughout the episode, too-- and make sure to listen all the way to the end, because we're running a contest regarding those inn jingles which could net you free music!

Featuring: Stephen Meyerink, Derek Heemsbergen, Mike Salbato

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16 - Do Androids Dream of Electric Chocobos?

RPGFan.com — Sat, 24 May 2014 13:00:00 -0400

Note: We had to re-number our episodes several years after publishing. This was originally Episode 13, as reflected in the audio. Don't worry, you're not missing anything!

We're back! The dystopian future that is 2014 opens (a little late, as always) with our favorite tunes from our favorite science fiction games. We enlisted the aid of veteran RPGFanner John Tucker to seek out some of our favorite spacey, roboty, occasionally bound-to-the-earth tunes, so be sure to check out the latest and greatest Rhythm Encounter for all the delicious musical action!

Featuring: Stephen Meyerink, Derek Heemsbergen, John Tucker

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15 - Music of the Year 2013 - Final Movement

RPGFan.com — Sun, 16 Mar 2014 13:00:00 -0400

Closing off our coverage of the grand year that was 2013, we turn our ears to the music YOU most wanted to hear. Join the Rhythm Encounter crew (plus two) as we listen to absolutely anything you told us to, even if it wasn't from 2013! Blue Dragon, Sen no Kiseki, Baten Kaitos, Might and Magic—the mix here is crazy, so be sure to listen in!

Featuring: Stephen Meyerink, Derek Heemsbergen, Mike Salbato, Brian Tomlinson

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14 - Music of the Year 2013 - Second Movement

RPGFan.com — Thu, 13 Mar 2014 13:00:00 -0400

The Rhythm Encounter Strikes Back! Music of the Year 2013 continues as Stephen, Derek, and a gaggle (though this time, a different gaggle) of guests as they explore the best tunes that last year had to offer. Rogues leave legacies, Minotaurs smash faces, Derek goes Welsh, and Stephen doubles down on two of his favorite series in part two of the madness, featuring a decidedly non-Hollow Rob Steinman and fresh faced newbie editor Brian Tomlinson!

Featuring: Stephen Meyerink, Derek Heemsbergen, Mike Salbato, Rob Steinman, Brian Tomlinson

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13 - Music of the Year 2013 - First Movement

RPGFan.com — Mon, 10 Mar 2014 13:00:00 -0400

You might think it's a bit late to be talking "best of 2013," but we believe in doing things with style, and took the time to do just that!. Join Stephen, Derek, and a gaggle of guests as they explore the best tunes that last year had to offer. We had so much to listen to and quite a lot to say about it that we're splitting the celebration into three parts, so be sure to join us for part one of the extravaganza, featuring Michael "Mac" Cunningham of RPGamer and Don Kotowski of Square Enix Music Online!

Featuring: Stephen Meyerink, Derek Heemsbergen, Mike Salbato, John Tucker, Don Kotowski, Michael A. Cunningham

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VGMO

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12 - Red-Letter Date

RPGFan.com — Mon, 20 Jan 2014 12:00:00 -0500

It's about time. The Rhythm Encounter crew comes back to the future with editor Mike Salbato and more Back to the Future references than you can shake a flux capacitor at. Gates will open, FATE will be challenged, the Triforce will be protected, and time will kompressed before you make it to the end of our bigggest episode ever, so be sure to tune in and start thinking fourth-dimensionally... unless you've got a real problem with that.

Featuring: Stephen Meyerink, Derek Heemsbergen, Mike Salbato

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11 - Pumpkin Spice

RPGFan.com — Sun, 27 Oct 2013 13:00:00 -0400

It's in your coffee, it's in your candles, and now it's in your favorite RPG music podcast. We hope you enjoyed the fun, chatty atmosphere of our last episode, because this one's going to take you to some darker places. Pumpkin Spice is the flavor of the season, and we decided to pay tribute to the months of orange and gold by featuring some of the best music to accompany your autumnal adventures or Halloween playlist. Our picks range from warm and welcoming to cold and foreboding, making this episode wonderfully evocative for those cool October nights. Oh, and we apologize in advance for the nightmare fuel near the end of the episode…. or do we?

Of note is a special arrangement of the Rhythm Encounter theme music, making its debut in this episode courtesy of Sean Schafianski (@VGMRemastered on Twitter). We recently reviewed his Final Fantasy VII Remastered Tracks Vol. 1 album, and we've got more coverage of his music coming soon. Thanks for making us sound great, Sean!

As always, we welcome any feedback you may have, including topic suggestions, track requests, or ideas for how we can improve. (We also love fanmail! Hint hint.)

Featuring: Stephen Meyerink, Derek Heemsbergen, Kyle E. Miller

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10 - Falcom Tomfoolery

RPGFan.com — Mon, 07 Oct 2013 13:00:00 -0400

If you've ever had even a passing interest in Falcom (developers of the Ys and Legend of Heroes: Sora no Kiseki/Trails in the Sky series, among many others), you'll definitely want to tune in to Episode 10 of Rhythm Encounter.

What, exactly, is a "Vantage Master?" Is there a connection between Zwei!!, Zwei 2, and Nayuta no Kiseki? Why aren't there any dinosaurs in Dinosaur Resurrection? This episode of Rhythm Encounter features a lengthy discussion surrounding the music and games of Falcom, from recent titles to the most obscure games imaginable. Stephen and Derek are joined by Tom Lipschultz of XSEED Games, whose encyclopedic knowledge of the titular company is utterly unmatched. Tom also shares a couple of tracks from the newly-announced Silver Anniversary Edition of Ys: Memories of Celceta, so tune in for the exclusive details!

Featuring: Stephen Meyerink, Derek Heemsbergen, Tom Lipschultz

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9 - Wild Wild West

RPGFan.com — Wed, 21 Aug 2013 13:00:00 -0400

When you think "memorable RPG music," your mind might not wander beyond the Japanese classics many of us hold dear. We're here to take off those blinders by exposing you to some of our favorite music from Western-developed RPGs. Our selections run the gamut from indie darlings to big-budget blockbusters, spanning several decades of aural excellence. Except for that one King's Quest song. Come on, Stephen.

Featuring: Stephen Meyerink, Derek Heemsbergen, Kyle E. Miller

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8 - An Evening with Aivi Tran

RPGFan.com — Thu, 11 Jul 2013 13:00:00 -0400

Today's special episode mostly certainly won't make you cry a-more, because it's an interview with Cryamore/Soul Saga/The Black Box composer Aivi Tran! Stephen and Derek talk music, life, and Corridors of Time with the amiable Aivi, so be sure to check this one out!

Aivi spent her Saturday night chatting with us about all kinds of topics, and for that we are exceptionally grateful! To hear some of Aivi's music, as well as all the good stuff we chatted about, check out the show! To hear more of Aivi's music, you can also peep the links below: we've got links to her SoundCloud page, her album The Black Box, co-composed by the artist Surasshu, as well as the nearly-complete Kickstarter page for Soul Saga.

Featuring: Stephen Meyerink, Derek Heemsbergen, Aivi Tran

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Aivi Tran on SoundCloud

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Soul Saga on Kickstarter

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7 - Don't Tease the Octopus!

RPGFan.com — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 13:00:00 -0400

Yeeeeowch! I hope you've relaxed and recovered from Summer Chill, because Episode 7 of Rhythm Encounter is anything but chill. We've got a great spread of tracks, from SNES favorites to PlayStation legends and so much more. The tables have turned as Random Encounter host Robert Steinman joins us as a guest to discuss his picks—and before you ask, yes, he did select a track from Dark Souls. Prepare yourselves for the onslaught!

As always, we welcome any feedback you may have, including topic suggestions, track requests, or ideas for how we can improve. (We also love fanmail! Hint hint.)

Featuring: Stephen Meyerink, Derek Heemsbergen, Robert Steinman

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6 - Summer Chill

RPGFan.com — Sun, 26 May 2013 13:00:00 -0400

Summer's here (well, almost), and the heat grows more oppressive by the day. What better way to relax than with a bevy of our favorite summery RPG tunes? We visit sun-kissed beaches, bustling port towns, and arid deserts in a musical tour of the hottest season. School's out, kids, so pack a swimsuit, don your shades, and kick back. If you need us, we'll be swinging in that luxurious hammock just above the crystal-clear island water.

Featuring: Stephen Meyerink, Derek Heemsbergen, Kyle E. Miller

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5 - Ormond Alliance

RPGFan.com — Fri, 10 May 2013 13:00:00 -0400

So T.G. Cid, Al-Cid, and Dr. Cid walk into Migelo's Shop in Rabanastre... wait, no. The fifth episode of your friendly neighborhood music show delves deep into the world of the Ivalice Alliance, featuring Final Fantasy Tactics (and its sequels), Final Fantasy XII, and Vagrant Story! The music here was so rich, though, that we brought along a pro to help us break it all down: Piano Collections Final Fantasy XII arranger/performer Casey Ormond!

Featuring: Stephen Meyerink, Derek Heemsbergen, Casey Ormond

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4 - "IDOLA" The Phantasy

RPGFan.com — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 13:00:00 -0400

We promised you more Phantasy Star, and now we deliver. Welcome to episode 4 of the RPGFan music podcast.

♪ A whole new world / A brand new place I never knew ♪ Wait, that's Aladdin. Wrong new world. The Phantasy Star lovefest continues with a look at where the series went after leaving the Genesis. Our tracks come from an Online future, the furthest reaches of the Universe, and a Portable galaxy that travels wherever you do. You might just be surprised at how many musical connections these games share with the good ol' days.

On a special note, we're proud to debut the show's new theme music. This lovely piano arrangement of the Random Encounter theme was provided for us by Kan Gao, the talented composer for To the Moon and the upcoming A Bird Story. Thank you, Kan!

As always, we welcome any feedback you may have, including topic suggestions, track requests, or ideas for how we can improve. (We also love fanmail! Hint hint.)

Featuring: Stephen Meyerink, Derek Heemsbergen

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3 - Flights of Phantasy

RPGFan.com — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 13:00:00 -0400

Strap on your cyber-boots and pack a telepipe, because we're taking you on a ride through the early years of the beloved Phantasy Star franchise. Stephen and Derek wax nostalgic with their childhood Phantasy Star memories, while Stephen drops lore-bombs using his near-encyclopedic knowledge of the series. Whether you're a curious newbie or a longtime fan looking to relive your Genesis glory days, we've got you covered — and you might just learn some trivia, too! (And on that note, be warned that full spoilers for every game in the series lurk within!)

As always, we welcome any feedback you may have, including topic suggestions, track requests, or ideas for how we can improve. (We also love fanmail! Hint hint.)

Stay tuned for episode 4, where we'll discuss the series' musical evolution from the Dreamcast onwards.

Featuring: Stephen Meyerink, Derek Heemsbergen

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2 - World Revolution

RPGFan.com — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 12:00:00 -0400

We're pleased to bring you the second episode of RPGFan's newest podcast, Rhythm Encounter. We were thrilled with the feedback we received from the first episode, and your comments and criticism were both welcome and very helpful.

For episode 2, we've tried to work in some of your suggestions, and one thing we missed with the first episode was a more careful explanation of the show's tracklist and places where you can get the music. Every time we post a new episode, you'll be able to find links to our reviews of the albums (and from there, links to places where you can buy the music) and a full tracklist. And from here on out, each news post will be attached to its respective episode in the feed, so you'll always be able to access this information when you need it.

If you're feeling nostalgic for the days of giant people stomping around in disproportionately small worlds, then this episode is for you! Stephen and Derek are joined by the always eloquent Kyle E. Miller to talk classic world map themes. Featuring tunes from classics like Pokémon and Chrono Trigger, and some more modern twists like Mass Effect and Heavy Rain, there's a little something in here for everyone, so give it a listen!

As always, if you have topic suggestions, track requests, or suggestions for ways we can improve (or if you just want to tell us how much you love us), feel free to email us!

Featuring: Stephen Meyerink, Derek Heemsbergen, Kyle E. Miller

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1 - Fragile Dreamcast

RPGFan.com — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 12:00:00 -0500

We are very, very pleased to debut RPGFan's newest feature: Rhythm Encounter! Spun off from our special Music of the Year episode, Rhythm Encounter is a new, music-centric show that focuses squarely on the music we all know and love! Each episode will be broken down into a section discussing albums we've recently reviewed at RPGFan Music and a second section based on a "special topic." For our inaugural episode, we decided to take a listen to some of the greatest tunes from the greatest Dreamcast RPGs (and one adventure) of yesteryear! Stay tuned afterwards for some news and other music-related items of interest!

The first episode of our new music-centric podcast features a sampling of music from a wide variety of games, including such gems as Wadjet Eye's Primordia and NIS America's Mugen Souls. Our special topic for this episode's listening and discussing is "everything Dreamcast," so if you're a fan of SEGA's final foray into the hardware market, be sure to stick around!

If you have suggestions for topics you'd like to hear, questions you'd like us to address, criticisms or ways we can improve, or anything of that nature, be sure to send us an email!

Featuring: Stephen Meyerink, Derek Heemsbergen

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