Sakimoto

Game Music

Valkyria Chronicles 2 Soundtrack: Sakimoto Goes West (Reviews)

February 17, 2010 | Jayson Napolitano | 2 Comments Share this

We’ve known for awhile that Hitoshi Sakimoto has been actively seeking out projects in the West. A couple years ago he joined Bob Rice’s artist representation firm, FBI, although we’ve yet to see him score a Western game. But wait ‘till you hear what he’s done with Valkyria Chronicles 2… you’ll think you’re hearing music for one of those World War II games, but that’s not to say it’s unoriginal.

I suppose you could say it’s similar in style to his original Valkyria Chronicles soundtrack, which we loved immensely, so much so that we asked Sakimoto to provide us with exclusive liner notes. This time it’s more military goodness, but with a much larger and refined sound. It’s still classic Sakimoto, but taken to an all new level.

Check out our review of the Senjou no Valkyria 2 Gallian Royal Military Academy Original Soundtrack after the jump! (more…)
Game Music, Reviews

A Very Special Gift: The Breath of Fire Original Soundtrack Special Box (Review)

July 28, 2009 | Jayson Napolitano | 2 Comments Share this

Every once in awhile, game companies surprise us by giving us exactly what we want in terms of game music. While I admit that doesn’t occur often, Capcom is generally one of the companies that show game music fans some love, and I’m sure their in-house record label Suleputer has something to do with it. You guys know I am a huge fan of the Breath of Fire series, as Breath of Fire III served as our soundtrack of the month back in September, so you can imagine that I was pretty excited when Capcom released the Breath of Fire Original Soundtrack Special Box back in 2006.

What’s in it? Well, everything. Not only will you find the Breath of Fire IV and V soundtracks intact, but the original Breath of Fire, which never received an official soundtrack release, as well as additional music from Breath of Fire II and III, are also included, making this the end-all collection for Breath of Fire music fans. Even more, we recently learned that Capcom’s former Sound Director Tetsuya Shibata was responsible for putting the set together, often without the source files, so we should all be thankful for his diligence and Capcom in general for making this possible.

Our review of the massive, 11-disc box set is waiting for you after the jump. (more…)
Game Music

GDC 2009: Shooting The Breeze With Hitoshi Sakimoto

April 2, 2009 | Jayson Napolitano | 3 Comments Share this

It was the final day of GDC, and with no particular agenda, Tim and I strolled into our interview with Hitoshi Sakimoto. What we found is that he’s amazingly mellow and easy to talk to. We discuss a variety of topics ranging from Sakimoto’s many trips to the United States, some of Basiscape’s recent projects, their company philosophy, and the unacceptable lack of an Opoona soundtrack release.

We also get Sakimoto’s opinion on the underground game music scene (which you may be surprised to hear), and find out that we’re not the only guys who are fans of Ken Hirai! Finally, we discuss what’s next for Sakimoto and Basiscape before heading our separate ways.

Read our interview with Hitoshi Sakimoto after the jump. (more…)
Game Music

GDC 2009: Class Is In With Hitoshi Sakimoto and Norihiko Hibino

December 10, 2008 | Jayson Napolitano | 7 Comments Share this

GDC is one of the best times of year for people like us. The industry-only event is the premiere gathering of game audio professionals from around the world, and it looks as though the conference’s streak of bringing in speakers from abroad will continue this year with two guests from Japan.

Hitoshi Sakimoto will be discussing his 20 years in the gaming industry, while Norihiko Hibino will be talking up his work on the Metal Gear Solid series. I imagine both will be present at the Video Games Live show that will surely take place during the week of March 23-27, 2009, so even if you’re not an industry professional, you’re likely in for a treat!

Would you attend a VGL concert solely based on Sakimoto’s or Hibino’s appearance in the meet and greet line? Any ideas as to what Sakimoto may focus on while covering his lengthy career?
Anime

Soundtrack of the Month 12/2008: Romeo x Juliet Original Soundtrack

December 1, 2008 | Tim Sheehy | 7 Comments Share this

Last month we highlighted the music of Yoko Kanno, a composer famous for her work on various anime series. This month, we take a step in the opposite direction with Hitoshi Sakimoto’s score for the anime Romeo x Juliet. Sakimoto is known for his contributions to Final Fantasy XII, Odin Sphere, the recently released Valkyria Chronicles, as well as the upcoming action RPG Muramasa: The Demon Blade, and he’s often praised for his lush orchestrations and impeccable attention to detail. Does this trademark sound translate over into the world of anime? Well, there’s a reason it’s the soundtrack of the month.

Find out why after the jump. (more…)
Game Music

Valkyria Chronicles Review and Exclusive Liner Notes From Hitoshi Sakimoto

November 17, 2008 | Jayson Napolitano | 18 Comments Share this

A lot of people have been talking about Valkyria Chronicles, a visually-pleasing strategy title that SEGA is releasing in North America this month. Despite the game’s stunning visuals and engaging gameplay, the main draw for me was a soundtrack by Hitoshi Sakimoto, performed in part by the Eminence Symphony Orchestra.

Rather than hit you with a traditional review of the game’s score, we thought it would be a lot of fun to pick some of our favorite tracks and have Sakimoto himself pick some of his own favorites, then have him provide something similar to liner notes to give some insight into a few of the many amazing pieces featured on the game’s soundtrack. It’s always a lot of fun to get a dialogue going between composers and their fans, so we hope you enjoy this approach.

Read our Valkyria Chronicles coverage after the jump. (more…)