Everything's better with the right soundtrack backing it up, whether that's studying, working, or household tasks — most notably for today's discussion, cooking! Whether our panel on this episode was channeling energy for a flavorful Spanish chicken dish or some chill tunes to prepare cozy desserts, we got to showcase the diverse range of music that each of us likes to accompany our time in the kitchen. Featuring: Mike Salbato, Audra Bowling, Tin Manuel, Jimmy Turner; Edited by Jonathan...

It's hard to go a few months without a remaster of a beloved RPG gracing our physical or virtual shelves, but when some of those are the quality of the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series or the recent Persona 3 Reload, we aren't complaining. This age of remasters also means updated or rearranged music is part of the package, so today we're showcasing some stellar new takes on music for eight RPG remasters released in recent years. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Audra Bowling, Gio Castillo,...

Huh? Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Wes Iliff, Kyle Cantelon; Edited by Mike Salbato Links for this episode: YouTube: Might and Magic VI, All Voice Acting Part 1YouTube: Might and Magic VI and VII: Creature SoundsPlayStation 2 Crystal Clock Tracklist0:03:32 - Level Up - Dragon Quest0:03:36 - Judgment Ring Hit - Shadow Hearts Covenant0:12:32 - Wizard Eye/other spell sounds - Might and Magic VI: The Mandate of Heaven 0:12:36 - Dark Space "blip" - Illusion of Gaia0:26:18 - Pokéball...

While RPGs have no shortage of high-energy moments requiring intense strategizing, quick reflexes, or simply a box of tissues for the more emotional moments, it's important to have downtime between those to balance everything out. This episode is about "safe spaces" in RPGs, and our panelists did not always choose the kinds of song we expected of one another. We enjoyed hearing the various ways each of us wanted to represent safe spaces through a variety of musical means, and we'd love to...

Previously on Rhythm Encounter, we have talked about some important first impressions, namely some of our favorite intro themes, and even title screen music. But what happens next is just as important: the opening hours of an RPG can really set the stage for what's to come. When thinking about our favorite games, it's fun to think back to how they began, and how well the mood and world is established through the narrative, characters, and of course, the music. Today we're sharing some of our...

Do we at RPGFan like Final Fantasy VII? Off course! That's why we're ready for…a reunion of tracks from across the expansive (and still growing) FFVII universe. The timing here is intentional to celebrate the fantastic music associated with FFVII as we all get ready to enjoy Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. Join our panel of savvy veterans and one newcomer SOLDIER: First Class news editor as we celebrate our favorite music from this (sub-)series in all its iterations and, of course, fight against...

It's finally time to celebrate the music of the (last) year! As you know by now, a great deal of incredible games released in 2023, and with them, many notable soundtracks. Our panel today brought some of their favorite songs of 2023, featuring music from some Square Enix heavy hitters to some lovely indie titles and others in between. As usual for Music of the Year, this episode is longer than usual, as each of us picked one more song than usual, giving us a total of 12, plus two special...

We're kicking off the new year on Rhythm Encounter with a brand-new kind of episode: Building a soundtrack from pieces of other games. We distilled our imaginary RPG down to eight core musical moments — title, overworld, town, dungeon, battle, emotional, final boss, and ending, to be specific — and pulled a song for each from eight different RPGs. While we were all prepared to justify how eight disparate tracks made sense together, the resulting "soundtrack" was more cohesive than we...

To celebrate the new year, we put together a special episode before we return to our regularly scheduled topics, with a short episode full of music dedications. We were inspired by the idea of radio DJs who take listener calls and offer up dedications on air, so we polled the RPGFan staff, asking them for songs and written dedications to read on the episode. We both offered some of our own as well, so we hope you enjoy everyone's heartfelt messages and musical choices. Featuring: Mike...

In farming games, typically the slowest part of the year is winter. So why did we record our farming music episode when it's winter for many of our listeners? Hey, I don't have all the answers... unless it's about work/life balance and the best Stardew Valley partner. But I digress. Today's panel is only three people, but we still have a full slate of music to share from some of our favorite farming and sim games. Some are more RPG than others, but what they have in common are great lineups...

It's time for another composer spotlight on Rhythm Encounter, and this time we're celebrating the works of Hiroki Kikuta. Many RPG fans know his work on the Mana series — particularly Secret of Mana and Trials of Mana — but there's much more to Kikuta than many people know. From a PSone game that never left Japan to his contributions to many indie games today, today's episode digs into the many hats Hiroki Kikuta has worn over the years. We hope you discover new facets to his work as some of...

We're knee-deep in fall leaves in some parts of the world, though much like our spring themes episode earlier this year, what autumn (or fall) means to each of our panelists varies. Some of us chose songs based on cozy evenings with a hot drink, and some of us used our imaginations since not everyone lives in parts of the world with the typical four seasons. So enjoy eight different musical approaches to autumn, and let us know which of these sound like autumn in your part of the...

We all know those big moments in RPGs. A place, a scene, or a pivotal battle that really makes the game and solidifies it in your memory. The scoring in those moments isn't always what makes it work, but it often plays a crucial role. In many cases, the music really does make the moment, if not the game. Today we are talking about songs that carry that burden of really defining the RPG they're in, making the whole experience better by just being there. We've been wanting to do this topic for...

From 2001 to 2005, the Game Boy Advance was Nintendo’s golden son. The Game Boy Advance brought gameplay depth and audio quality yet-unseen in a handheld gaming device, and gave us dozens of superb RPGs to enjoy over its run of success. Today, we celebrate the indigo blue machine with nine fabulous songs from a few of the GBA’s finest RPGs. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Greg Delmage, Patrick Gann, Peter Triezenberg; Edited by Jono LoganTracklistPart 1 - When something’s going wrong, you must...

"All this energy's got us inspired now/We couldn't stop it, just set it free and DANCE!" That's right! Today we're taking some advice from Persona 4: Dancing All Night and getting our dance on. Spin-off dancing games aside, danceable and electronic beats have permeated RPG soundtracks for a long time, whether that's special arrangement albums or soundtracks incorporating a more modern sound to high praise. We have a good representation of that trend in our setlist today, so join our panel of...

In summer of 2014, Rhythm Encounter episode 18 was all about town themes. Today, a coincidentally exact 100 episodes later, we finally revisit the topic with more favorite RPG town theme music. This time around, we have games that span quite a range, from the early 90s to just last month, with four new-to-Rhythm Encounter games making their debut, like opoona and Sea of Stars. These town themes range from chill listens, exciting bops, and many things in between. All of us agreed that we all...

When it comes to Final Fantasy music, for every "One-Winged Angel," there are a dozen lesser-known songs in a given game that don't always get their deserved time in the spotlight. Today's panel came loaded with eight songs they feel are overlooked, underrepresented, and, yes, underrated from across the Final Fantasy series. So take a seat, Sephiroth, today we're going to hear from Relm, Jecht, and some good avian friends. Note: One of us made a mistake when discussing a song in the third...

On Rhythm Encounter, we have celebrated several consoles' RPG music, including the SNES (Episode 89), NES (Episode 73), and Genesis (Episode 92). Isn't it about time the original PlayStation got some love? It's hard to understate the tectonic shift in RPG releases in the West that began during the PSone's lifetime, and there is a treasure trove of wonderful music from RPGs released for Sony's first console. Of course, these eight tracks only scratch the surface, but they're a good start, and...

To the dungeon with you! But don't worry, we'll be there with you. Dungeons are a staple of most RPGs, and good music can elevate the experience of any dungeon, even the dreaded sewers. Why we have never had a dungeon-specific episode before now, we couldn't tell you, so today we make up for it, featuring games dating back as far as 1988 all the way to just last month (and six other songs in between)! So come join us down here, the water's... well, murky and gross, and there's some weird...

Have you ever wanted an inside look at what it's like to write covers from classics like Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy VI, perform, and run a stream/YouTube channel? Then this episode is for you. It's another special interview episode here on Rhythm Encounter, and we're fortunate to be joined by talented pianist, streamer, and arranger Kara Comparetto! She joined us to discuss her work and performance-driven RPG music in general, from costume-making to learning the subtle differences in...

A podcast appears! Fight? Spell? Parry? Item? JAM. The music of Dragon Quest, largely composed by the late Koichi Sugiyama, combines a classical sensibility with a flair for the dramatic, with tracks ranging from serene world map tunes to pop-inspired tracks for naming your hero. And let's not forget the timeless fanfare, one of the most recognizable themes in RPGs. Today, four intrepid would-be heroes gathered at Ruida's tavern to discuss the music of Dragon Quest, eager to celebrate the...

It's time to get down! In this panel, the Rhythm crew has selected some favorite jazz and funk tracks in RPGs. Not styles of music that first come to mind when thinking of RPGs, and indeed, that's part of their charm and effect! How have game composers and arrangers adopted these styles while arranging or used them to build on the game itself? We consider those questions while listening to some excellent and catchy music. Join us as we add some creativity, improvisation, and fun to our RPG...

What defines a musical game? Videogames, and RPGs especially, are known for using a musical score to enhance the experience, so what parameters really define "musical games" and make their use of music especially notable? Today, our Rhythm panel is going on a journey to look at a wide variety of music that we feel fits into this category to tease out some of those important factors that mark a truly musical game. A game probably doesn't have to take place in the mind of an ailing composer...

We interrupt the expected "Musical RPGs" episode with a quick listen to some recent music, just as we did earlier in the year with episode 101. With new Zelda and Final Fantasy XIV music that came our way in May, Mike had to share those. But there's several other notable indie projects to share too, so enjoy what we're listening to, and let us know what's been in your ears lately! Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff; Edited by Jono Logan Links for this episode Retro Encounter 183 - Ys:...