Dean's World

Anyone that knows me and likes me enough to pay attention to what I like knows I like video game music. From the smooth synth sounds of 16bit glory to the full symphonic soundtracks of today - I love it all.

One of the greatest game soundtracks ever written was for a little know title called Chrono Trigger for the SNES. In the heyday of sprite-based RPG goodness you couldn't go wrong with Square Soft on the Super Nintendo. Classics like Secret of Mana, Secret of Evermore, Breath of Fire, and Chrono Trigger were thrilling console RPG fans.

They weren't thrilling me because I owned the Sega Genesis and Sega CD but my friends were having a blast. But, I'm happy to report, Working Designs kept me going with RPGs as well.

The soundtrack for Chrono Trigger stands out for many reasons that are well known to fans of the game. The themes were memorable, simple, and most importantly, hummable. Frog's Theme, in my opinion, being the best example of this.

There are been a number of album releases for the Chrono Trigger soundtrack. Some straight lifts from the game while others mix arranged versions of these tracks in theirs. But what I'm writing to you today about is something I found that I think is most unique. Someone has penned a screenplay of the game and sought out various individuals to write a score to this script. The result is: Chrono Symphonic.

I happened upon the release while looking through the tubes of the interwebz for game soundtracks. I already own a few versions of the Chrono Trigger soundtrack and this one seemed interesting. I'm not going to opine on what I think of the work because I've listened to only a little of it but what I've heard sounds pretty good. I'm looking forward to the rest.

I find the idea of scoring a screenplay intriguing. Much for the same reasons I liked the idea (and result) of scoring the Star Wars novel Shadows of the Empire. It's not something you see very often.

So, if you like video game music, film music, or Chrono Trigger check the album out. It's a free download so it doesn't cost you anything beyond bandwidth.

(link)

Mark Erikson (mail):

And if you liked Chrono Symphonic, you need to download one of OCRemix's other major projects: Final Fantasy 7 Voices of the Lifestream. I'd never played FF7 before I listened to the soundtrack, but it is INCREDIBLE! It's got a great variety of songs, and it does an impressive job of conveying the atmosphere of the game. Highly recommended.

2.5.2008 1:40pm

Kevin D (mail) (www):

They did Voices of the Lifestream? I didn't know that. I downloaded that album some time ago but never got a chance to listen to it. I'll have to do that.

2.5.2008 2:00pm

Brian Tiemann (mail) (www):

Secret of Mana has been on my iPod since 2001, and I've had the ROM to revisit in emulators since before then, just because of the music.

There's just something about it...

2.5.2008 5:23pm

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