VGM Daily

“Buoy Base Galaxy” from Super Mario Galaxy

I don’t even have much to say about this one. It’s one of the most inventive, intuitive, and fun gaming experiences I’ve ever had. You’ve already heard all of the praise a million times over so I don’t need to beat it into your head all over again. I’m not a fan of generic orchestrated scores that just blend into the game without being noticed, but the decision to integrate orchestration into this game’s score benefited not only the music, but the emotion evoked from playing the game as well. It’s an incredible experience and this game is proof that in the event that Nintendo is on, they’re on.

“Lonely Rolling Star (Stage 04)” from Katamari Damacy

Few games bleed character quite like this one. With its unique art style, quirky humor, and eclectic soundtrack it isn’t difficult to understand why this game developed such a strong cult following. I remember it being somewhat hard to come by in game stores at the time; so when a friend of mine owed me some money I just had them order this for me from eBay. It’s a pity Namco milked the Katamari cow dry so fast, causing the series to quickly lose its charm and in turn making it feel kind of forced. But regardless, the first game is still fantastic and a testament to the fact that awesome things come from taking creative risks; something I wish more developers would take note of.

“Save Room” from Resident Evil

Today is the 15th anniversary of the release of one of the most groundbreaking and important games to the medium and its development. My introduction to Resident Evil came from a time when my father was a police officer. Our hometown had just opened its first Wal-Mart and one of the employees in the electronics department managed to steal probably 30-50 PlayStation and Nintendo 64 games. My father decided to let us take one game home from the box of stolen stuff to play for a few days before we had to return it, and I chose Resident Evil 2 without having ever played the first one. Long story short; I fell in love with it and pressured my parents into buying Resident Evil: Director’s Cut when I had to return the stolen copy of RE2 to my father. The series has been a favorite of mine ever since and I’ll always get kind of excited anytime a mainline Resident Evil game is announced.

“Interrupted by Fireworks” from Final Fantasy VII

The word ‘obsessed’ doesn’t begin to describe how crazy I was about this game for many years of my life. From waking up at 5 AM on weekdays so I could get a few hours in before school to reading articles about hidden features in my teenage years, it was something that got to me. Nowadays, I don’t even play many JRPGs and the Final Fantasy franchise itself doesn’t interest me in the slightest. I think if I were to play it now for the first time some of that fondness I feel for it would never enter my mind. Regardless, I played it at a time when it was able to sort of take me over and despite the cynical nature many take toward the game now (with some valid reasons), I’ll likely always love this game.

“Sewer Surfin’” from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time

I’ve always had quite the attachment to the TMNT arcade titles. They remind me of being inside Billy Bob’s Wonderland (a local Chuck-E-Cheese clone) as a kid and wanting to play the Turtles games over everything else. They completely nail the aesthetic of the TV series and it helps make an already solid beat ‘em up formula that much more enjoyable. Mutsuhiko Izumi’s fun, bombastic soundtrack only amplifies the enjoyment.

“Theme of Laura (Reprise)” from Silent Hill 2

The soundtrack was one piece of the puzzle that made Silent Hill 2 one of the most compelling games I’ve played. Aesthetically, the game takes hold of the console’s technical disadvantages and creates a wholly unique atmosphere that at times unbearably unsettling and calming all at once. Couple this with Akira Yamaoka fantastic score and themes most games wouldn’t touch and you get an experience that remains unmatched in the industry since the game’s release a decade ago.

“Pressure Cooker” from VVVVVV

Good morning, internet! I struggled with deciding whether or not to start the blog with something slower and moodier or with something a bit more upbeat. Eventually, I settled on the latter (although the former will be coming!). Terry Cavanagh’s VVVVVV released last January and today I still consider it to be one of my favorites of 2010. The soundtrack by SoulEye is definitely one of the game’s strong points.