BEST SONG
Previous Winners
2012: “Main Theme” from Xenoblade Chronicles
2013: “Main Theme” from Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch
2014: “Strike the Earth” from Shovel Knight
2015: “MAZE OF LIFE” from Persona 4: Dancing All Night
What would playing a game without music be like? Well besides in the case of horror games or raising tension. Often, while playing just about any game with good action, there is music to help keep you pumped, make you want to engage in more battles or revisit the opening just to hear that catchy beat. And fortunately, there were plenty of games with some great soundtracks! However, this particular list is pointing out the very best song from a few particular games. Why? Because no matter how good an entire soundtrack is, some games tend to have one particular song you crave to hear again and again and will make you go to the ends of the Earth just to hear it one more time!
So without further ado, here are Operation Rainfall’s finalists for “Best Song” of 2016!
“Road Taken” from Fire Emblem Fates
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OShvQvG_Obw&t=121s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBmer-5NinI
NA Release Date: February 19, 2016
Platform(s): 3DS
First up is the “Road Taken” from Fire Emblem Fates, which actually has two versions. For the sake of this list, we decided to add both as there are only minor differences. The first version is calm with a pleasant melody. It’s a relaxing tune as you try to plan out your decisions in what can otherwise be very stressful battles unless maybe you are in Phoenix Mode. The “Roar” version however only kicks in when a fight between units is initiated. The song is much tenser than before, fitting the intensity of a fight with each instrument easy to identify. In fact, if I close my eyes, I can easily see a fight happening right before my eyes. Plus the transition from song to song helps immensely.
“Transcend Beat” from The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdt3I5-rtQ0
NA Release Date: September 6, 2016
Platform(s): PlayStation 3, PlayStation TV, PlayStation Vita
“Transcend Beat” is filled to the brim with fast beats throughout the song. Never once does it drop, keeping the pressure on you just like you have to keep the pressure on the foe as you all fight for your lives. It doesn’t play at all times, but that’s what helps make it stand out even more. Especially evident considering, well, the giant robots bashing the living hell out of each other. For fights like that, most would want that intense speed of a song to carry them forward as they cut their enemies in two!
“Special Battle” from Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE
NA Release Date: June 24, 2016
Platform(s): Wii U
Then we have the “Special Battle” theme of Tokyo Mirage Sessions, which manages to help keep a fairly catchy beat in the middle of a battle. It manages to strike a balance with both the normal combat theme, which tends to be very fast and the boss theme, which is a bit slower to draw more tension in a fight. It’s certainly fitting for those special moments in combat, helping to give minor tension, but just enough fast and repetitive beats to keep the player’s attention. And it’s overall very catchy just when listening to it without any gameplay.
“Those Who Serve The Kagura” from Senran Kagura: Estival Versus
NA Release Date: March 15, 2016
Platform(s): PlayStation 4, PlayStation TV, PlayStation Vita
“Those Who Serve The Kagura” from Senran Kagura: Estival Versus, belongs to one of the new characters, Renka. It’s very fitting for her character, given the theme of a festival and with her weapon: bachi and taiko drums which can expel lightning. The theme is an extremely fast paced one, followed along with slow drum beats to eventually rapid beats. The fast pace of the song when combined with the gameplay help add in her attacks giving that extra punch, especially with some of her special moves knocking away hordes of enemies.
“Kahuna Battle Theme” from Pokemon Sun and Moon
NA Release Date: November 18, 2016
Platform(s): 3DS
The “Kahuna Battle Theme” from Pokemon Sun and Moon on the other hand, while featuring drums, sounds much more intense and menacing with its beginning. Yet it changes to a faster song that seems much lighter than what it originally intended. From there, it occasionally switches back and forth. It’s a strange mix that oddly works depending on the intensity of a Pokemon battle. It especially works given the setting of the game. As Tyler points out in his review of the game: “It’s a fantastic mix of urgency and fun that you’d expect from such a pivotal battle.”
And the winner of the award for Best Song goes to…
“Transcend Beat” from The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II
“Transcend Beat” makes the top of the list for how it manages to keep those special battles very interesting. This is especially important given the turn-based gameplay and how it flows, making sure to keep the pace fast and not drag out. It’s very hard not to nod your head while you and your opponents exchange blows!
And that’s our list! What was your favorite song from a game coming from 2016? Be sure to list them in the comments below! Wouldn’t mind adding some more songs to my mp3 player!
