Monthly Archives: January 2025

Videogame Radio and Soundtrack Spotlight

Over the holidays I’ve been listening to a lot of retro VGM, as well as catching up with some newer soundtracks. A recurring favorite of mine in this context is the RPGamer Network radio channel that has been around for a very long time and is my go-to when doing chores or creative projects at home. It happens a lot that I check the track list to confirm my guess is right when a random tune comes up. When in doubt, guess Nobuo Uematsu and you’ll be correct 50% of the time. Over the years they have added newer indie soundtracks and the odd MMORPG music too which go along nicely with the more oldschool database.

After all this time appreciating the channel, I’ve finally gotten in touch with the folks behind the scenes on Discord and donated to the cause. I really don’t know why I haven’t done this sooner. Just like many of us olde VGM fans, the person running it is now in their 40ies and wrapped up in jobs and careers and adulting but refusing to give up the little labor of love that is RPGamer Network radio. I respect that and really recommend the channel to anyone into retro VGM tunes. Spreading the word is vital for small, free ventures such as this.

Sea of Stars cover

New soundtrack discoveries

While I don’t keep regular tabs on everything that is releasing, I’ve come across several to-me new game soundtracks more recently that have managed to delight. The majority of the games have come out in the past 2-3 years and are worth checking out for the music alone:

  1. Sea of Stars (YT link): The much celebrated Sea of Stars is a big homage to classic JRPGs. While it’s definitely not Chrono Trigger’s second coming, it has taken strong inspiration from the 90ies Squaresoft greats and even managed to catch the attention of Japanese videogame royalty that initially worked on Chrono Trigger. Furthermore the Canada-based developer also somehow got Yasunori Mitsuda to contribute a few compositions for the game and speak on its behalf which is WILD to say the least!
  2. AFK Journey (YT link): Ironically, I will probably never have time to play AFK Journey in any serious fashion but it certainly is as gorgeous and smooth a mobile RPG as they come. The music is fabulous and was actually recorded by live orchestra in L.A.
  3. Lost in Random (Bandcamp link): I have waxed lyrical about the composer genius that is Blake Robinson and his Synthetic Orchestra before. Known for his Chrono Trigger cover work as well as Portal Knights, he was the perfect choice for the delightfully spooky adventure that is Lost in Random. The game is so much fun!
  4. Astral Ascent (YT link): I have been following Dale North for a couple of years now, ever since his work for Wizard of Legend. He is a student of JRPG music and as such, the whimsy and magic in his compositions have always been strong. Strong enough in fact for Nintendo to hire this indie composer to do work for them – not bad!
  5. Death’s Door (YT link): One of the best indie soundtracks I have heard in recent years, easily up there with Crypt of the Necrodancer, Transistor or Hollow Knight.
  6. Fable Legends (YT link): Here comes the oddball! Most people, myself included, were probably unaware the last canceled Fable game had a soundtrack, much less of this size and quality! Once again Russell Shaw brought the familiar and beloved Fable themes to life – what a bummer it never saw the light of day.

As is usually the case with great VGM, many of the mentioned titles are actually really good games too that deserve a (re-)visit. That is, once I find the time anyway…at least I don’t have to feel bad slacking on AFK Journey!

Happy New Year & 2024 in Review

I wish everybody a happy 2025 and hope you have spent a peaceful holiday season! I usually look forward to the Xmas break a lot but I’m also glad when the special events and celebrations are finally done. It’s been snowing over Xmas here in Switzerland which made for picture perfect holidays, so nobody gets to complain about that for a change.

It’s been a bit of a dreadful time at work the past two months which is why my November and December were quieter here on the blog. I don’t know how it is for other people but when times are stressful and full of meetings and deadlines, I lack the energy and muse required to write. I did get some gaming in over the holidays however and had a surprisingly good time with two new games which deserve a special mention.

Tiny Glade

Tiny Glade is officially called a ‘diorama maker’ and it’s the most gorgeous little builder I’ve ever played. The sandbox aspect is limited and yet surprisingly versatile once you grasp the basics and all possible building block combinations. As usual, the community comes up with the wildest creations but I’m quite happy building simpler things while enjoying the beautiful colors and light changes in the game. There’s something very whimsical about Tiny Glade and hopefully the developers will keep it alive by adding few more features (such as bigger plots) and assets to keep players going for a long time. The game is made for modding and if they have good sense, they will allow the community to add to it.

Path of Exile 2

Having missed the opportune window to join its predecessor, I’ve jumped into the (paid for) early access of PoE2 somewhat oblivious to the fact that the game’s free-to-play official launch is set sometime in mid-2025. After some growing pains with its many complicated systems and infamous skill tree, which are poorly explained, playing the Sorceress has been a blast; combat in PoE2 is extremely satisfying and the game presents a proper challenge with just the right difficulty for my taste and a good learning curve. Some of the bosses feel like MMO raid bosses which will require you to adjust your playstyle, active skills and gear resistances.

The game also looks and feels excellent with an atmospheric soundtrack to go along. That said, approaching the end of Act 3 I don’t expect to bother with anything above Standard campaign difficulty or the higher levels of Ascension – I am not a Souls-type player or sucker for punishment. As far as I understand the early access league will also not be merged with the future player base post official release, so I might not bother re-creating a new character at all. I guess I’ll just have to see what future patches and adjustments will bring.

Last year in review

According to Steam, Palworld and Enshrouded were the other two titles I’ve spent the most time exploring in 2024. Overall it really wasn’t too much of a gaming year for me personally which has been the trend ever since I stopped playing MMORPGs more regularly. There are many titles waiting patiently in my backlog and wishlist however and I look forward to returning to Palworld and some of the other games. The future is variety gaming!