fredag 4. februar 2011

Nier - (Original Soundtrack), 15 Nightmares & Arranges Tracks



The Game:
 Genre: Japanese RPG, hack and slash
Developer: Cavia
Publisher: Square-enix

Nier was released last year on the ps3 and xbox 360.  The game follows Nier, a fairly ordinary person and a father who seeks to find a cure for the black scrawl disease which is infecting his daughter Yonah. Without revealing anything else that is the basics of the plot, but it certainly does go much deeper than this.

Its a game hardly any had much expectations before it was released. Neither did I really, but in the end it turned out to be one of the best games of the year for myself. The game might have some of the worst graphics on a next-gen game, and neither the gameplay or the world is spectacular in itself. It even has many tedious fetch quests you can do to pass time, which not necessarily are very fun.

So why would I regard the game as highly as I do? The game manages to create a very good story, spanning through 4 different endings, the writing/the dialogue is great and the characters are excellent and makes the game what it is. The gameplay also manages to be varying enough not to to bore you enough, and oh god the music is some of the best I've heard in a video game in the last 10 years, and ill come back to why exactly I'm off that opinion later on.

Its not an excellent game by any means, but it still is a very memorable game. I can only imagine how this game would be if Cavia actally had a higher budget to use to develop Nier.

Nier - The Original Soundtrack
 Genre: Video game music
Composed by:  Keiichi Okabe, Kakeru Ishihama, Keigo Hoashi, Takafumi Nishimura 
Lyrics and Vocals:  Emi Evans

DISC 1:
 1. "Snow in Summer" -  (4:59)
 2. "Hills of Radiant Winds" - (2:53)
3. "The Incomplete Stone" - (3:26)
4. "Blu-Bird" - (4:41)
5. "Cold-Steel Coffin" - (2:40)
6. "Grandma" - (3:40)
7. Song of the Ancients (Devola)" - (3:04)
8. "The Wretched Automatons"  - (4:48)
9. "City of Commerce" - (2:17)
10. "Song of the Ancients (Popola)" - (3:04)
11. "The Prestigious Mask" - (2:25)
12. "Temple of Drifting Sands" - (4:02)
13. "Gods Bound by Rules" - (4:37)
14. "The Ultimate Weapon" - (4:54)
15. "Deep Crimson Foe" - (2:20)
16. "Dispossession (Piano Version)" - (2:39)
17. "Dispossession (Strings Version)" - (2:13)
18. "Dispossession (Pluck Version)" - (2:57)
19. "Dispossession (Music Box Version) - (1:33)
20. "Yonah (Piano Version)" - (2:53)
21. "Yonah (Strings Version)" - (3:06)
22. "Yonah (Pluck Version 1)" - (2:38)
23. "Yonah (Pluck Version 2)" - (1:57)

First some general information about the soundtrack itself. As I've said earlier I highly rate this soundtrack, as it is a soundtrack with many memorable songs. The most unique about this soundtrack is that, almost all of the tracks have some form of vocals which isn't very often to see in an RPG. Only about 10 songs out of the 43 in total has no vocals at all, that means over 30 songs have vocals. 

All songs are performed by Emi Evans, and she has a really beautiful voice that fits the atmosphere of the Nier universe. As you might take notice, her lyrics is not a real language. It is a made up language based upon several languages.  These include Gaelic, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, French, English and Japanese.

It is also the vocal tracks that stands the most out in the soundtrack itself. On the first (and second as well), the most noticeable songs are the variations of "Songs of the Ancients". "Hills of Radiant Winds" is also a very nice field track, while "Grandma" is another solid song that has a more depressive atmosphere.




DISC 2:
 1. "The Dark Colossus Destroys All" - (3:02)
2. "Song of the Ancients (Hollow Dreams)" - (2:41)
3. "Kainé (Salvation" - (3:03)
4. "Kainé (Escape)" - (3:06)
5. "His Dream" - (1:57)
6. "This Dream" - (1:56)
7. "Repose" - (2:39)
8. "The Lost Forest" - (2:58)
9 . "Songs of the Ancients (Fate)" - (5:17)
10. "Shadowlord's Castle (Memory) - (2:50)
11. "Dance of the Evancescent" - (0:54)
12. "Shadowlord's Castle (Roar)" - (4:14)
13. "Emil (Karma)" - (3:21)
14. "Emil (Sacrifice)" - (3:27)
15. "Shadowlord" - (5:24)
16. "Ashes of Dreams (New)" - (6:17)
17. "Ashes of Dreams (Nouveau)" - (5:47)
18. "Ashes of Dreams (Nuadhaich)" - (5:46)
19. "Ashes of Dreams (Aratanaru)" - (6:28)
20. "Shadowlord - White (Note Remix)" - (4:55)

The second disc provides some of the best tracks in the game. Especially the character themes stands strong, both versions of "Emil" and "Kaine"  are among the very best tracks of the soundtrack.  The second also has the best "Songs of the Ancients (Fate)" on the whole soundtrack. "Ashes of Dreams" is also a really pretty songs, having 4 different versions for each ending.

I never intended on buying Nier, at least not until price was reduced heavily. Then I heard the soundtrack, and put an order into the game straight away. Even if the game was terrible, I know it would still be worth it due to the music. I'm very glad I decided to take a listen to this, and buying the game. For me this soundtrack stands as one of the greatest works within video game music, many may disagree with me and I understand that. I'd still recommend anyone to at least give either / both the game and music a chance.



Nier - 15 Nightmares & Arrange Tracks
Composed by:  Keiichi Okabe, Kakeru Ishihama, Keigo Hoashi, Takafumi Nishimura 
Lyrics and Vocals:  Emi Evans
Tracklist:
1. "Lost Androids Mixuxux" - (5:35)
2. "Blu Bird - Hansel und Gretel" - (5:05)
3. "Shadowlord's Castle - Iron Fist mix feat DJ-BKO" - (5:04)
4. "Emil - Ultimate Weapon No. 7" - (5:34)
5. "Shadowlord - Crying Yonah Version" - (5:38)
6. "Emil / Piano Ver." - (4:02)
7. "Kainé / Duet Ver."  - (4:17)
8. "The Wretched Automatons / a cappella" - (3:31)
9. "Song of the Ancients / Piano Ver." - (5:00)
10. "Shadowlord / Musix Box Ver." - (2:14)
11. "The Legend of Nier: 8-bit Heroes" - (8:38)

This soundtrack consists of arrangements and remixes of songs from the original soundtrack and can be essentially be split into two parts. The first part consists of electronic arrangements that personally aren't up to my taste, but if you enjoy the genres each song represent you might take a liking to it. The songs from 1-5 consists of this genre. Second part concerns itself more about the lighter elements.  Piano music, a string duet, a cappella and even an 8-bit version containing several different songs in one. The second half of it is very much to my taste, and makes it well worth to check out this release.

Now how about a Piano Collection next Cavia?


17 kommentarer:

  1. Oh~, the middle one is quite beautiful. Think I'll be getting the soundtrack, thanks! :3

    SvarSlett
  2. i love square enix til the end!!

    SvarSlett
  3. Absolutely beautiful! I can't force myself to stop listening to it!

    SvarSlett
  4. Gonna have to check these out sometime. :)

    SvarSlett
  5. Ohh man, great post! I loved this game.

    SvarSlett
  6. I wanna find this game now. I checked for a few songs from the sound track, and they are awesome.

    SvarSlett
  7. Awesome soundtrack, loved the game! I like your blog, I'll be following.

    SvarSlett
  8. Nice tunes, the game sounds good too!

    SvarSlett
  9. Definitely looking forward to more from your blog. Video games always have the best music. :3

    SvarSlett
  10. good story is essential will have to go pick it up!

    SvarSlett
  11. Amazing music, square hasn't lost his touch with game soundtracks.
    And where are my seiken densetsu series Square? Haven't seen a good one since Legend of Mana.

    SvarSlett
  12. I still have this game in shrinkwrap. I WILL give it a go at some point in my life... just need to find the time.

    SvarSlett
  13. I'll give it a listen. :)
    Following and supporting!

    SvarSlett