KOEI

Game Music, Reviews

Basiscape to the Rescue: Opoona Soundtrack Is Finally Here (Review)

February 7, 2011 | Jayson Napolitano | 3 Comments Share this

Yeah, I know we posted our unboxing video some time ago, but with the busy holiday season and the OSVOSTOTY 2010 Awards, we got a little behind on posting this review! But it’s finally here. I know many of our readers were looking forward to the Opoona soundtrack as a nice Christmas gift from Basiscape Records, and it is indeed a treat to finally have soundtrack release at last.

I think most fans already know what’s in store for them: some early Basiscape goodness covering a lot of quirky electronic music and upbeat themes. Maybe you played Opoona and loved it, maybe you hated it, and maybe you didn’t play it at all, but regardless of what can be said about the game, the music is fantastic, and you should read our review to find out why! (more…)
Game Music

Contest Reminder: Win The Opoona Soundtrack From Basiscape Records!

January 11, 2011 | Jayson Napolitano | 3 Comments Share this

There are two more days to enter our Opoona giveaway contest. In our unboxing video last week, we showed you an additional copy that Basiscape Records sent us to give away to our readers, and all you have to do to enter is respond to this post, the original contest post, or respond on our Facebook fan page with your favorite Opoona moment. Maybe it was hearing a particular track, or perhaps a specific event from the game.

We’re accepting entries up through 11:59 PST on Thursday, January 13, 2011. At that time, we’ll select a winner at random to receive a sealed copy of the soundtrack. Good luck, and thanks once again to Basiscape Records for making this giveaway possible.
Game Music

A Blast From the Past: Rock out with MASA and Dynasty Warriors 6

June 10, 2010 | Jayson Napolitano | Comments Off on A Blast From the Past: Rock out with MASA and Dynasty Warriors 6 Share this

It’s that time of month again, and we’re here with another Blast from the Past. For those who haven’t been keeping up, this is a series of interviews from my time at Music4Games which are no longer available online. I couldn’t just stand by and let this happen! So here they are once again for your reading pleasure.

This month we’re reliving a chat with rock ‘n’ roll maestro MASA, who you may know from his long-time contributions to KOEI’s Dynasty Warriors series (Shin Sangokumusou
in Japan) as well as an appearance on the Wild ARMs Music the Best -rocking heart- album. At the time this interview was conducted, the release of Dynasty Warriors 6 was on the horizon, and we were wondering how his amazing brand of American-style rock had made its way into the franchise. He provided some excellent responses, and even though not many people know his name, I always thought this was one of the best Japanese composer interviews that Music4Games published. I also want to say thanks to J.P. Arevallo for contributing questions to this interview, as I wasn’t overly familiar with the games.

Hit the jump for this classic interview with MASA. (more…)
Game Music

A Blast From the Past: Revisit Opoona with Hitoshi Sakimoto

May 6, 2010 | Jayson Napolitano | 3 Comments Share this

We’re back with another blast from the past, an interview series that revisits classic interviews I conducted while writing for Music4Games. Thus far we’ve featured Tomoko Sasaki and Naofumi Hataya of NiGHTS as well as Mahito Yokota and Koji Kondo of Super Mario Galaxy. This time we’re going to take a look at what Hitoshi Sakimoto had to say about Basiscape’s involvement with Opoona shortly before the game’s North American release date.

Not only do we discuss Sakimoto’s inspiration for the title, but also the contributions of the other members of the Basiscape team. At the time Opoona was released in the United States, Basiscape was a relatively new company, so the details of the studio and its employees also come up. It’s interesting to hear just how emotionally involved Sakimoto and the other Opoona staff members were, and I think it’s about time this amazing soundtrack made its way to the fans.

Hit the jump and take a step back in time! (more…)
Game Music

Basiscape Makes Dreams Come True: Opoona Soundtrack Coming in 2010

April 18, 2010 | Jayson Napolitano | 6 Comments Share this

While Opoona wasn’t the greatest game, it definitely had one of my favorite soundtracks of recent years. Composed by Hitoshi Sakimoto and the whole team over at Basiscape, it combined electronic, pop, experimental, and orchestral into a fun and majestic soundscape. To be honest, the only reason I even picked up Opoona was due to the fact that the Basiscape team was handling the music, and it ended up being, hands down, the best aspect of the game.

I’ve been bugging Sakimoto about a soundtrack release for since the game was released, and now it’s finally here. Interestingly, this announcement was made via Basiscape’s Twitter account, along with the release of Terra Driver. We’ll be sure to provide coverage of the release when it’s available, and we may be bringing you a certain blast from the past about Sakimoto’s work on the game in the near future. Now I’m just wondering how many discs it will be, as the score is pretty massive as I recall.

Are you surprised by this announcement? Will you be picking up the soundtrack when it’s released?

[via Basiscape’s Twitter, thanks Demetri!]
Game Music

Soundtrack of the Month 11/2008: Uncharted Waters II (and I)

November 3, 2008 | Patrick Gann | 4 Comments Share this

Do you know the music of Yoko Kanno? Even if you don’t know her name (and shame on you if you don’t), you’ve probably heard her work before. She is probably best known for her work on high-profile anime such as Escaflowne, Gundam Wing, and Cowboy Bebop. But Kanno’s game scores are equally impressive.

Kanno composed at least a dozen soundtracks for game developer KOEI in the 1990s. Her work on the Nobunaga’s Ambition series is noteworthy, but if there’s one soundtrack the VGM community can’t get enough of, it’s “Uncharted Waters II Special Edition.” If you know the album, expect some ranting and raving. If you don’t know the album, prepare to be schooled. Orchestra, jazz, world/ethnic, and more jazz await you.

Take the jump. (more…)