[Update: The full song has been released! You can find it on YouTube as part of this Game Changer album playlist, as well as via the embedded video below. The album can be found on iTunes and BandCamp.]

The Grammy award-winning The 8-Bit Big Band and Lawrence are releasing a new cover of the Marvel vs Capcom 2 song "I Wanna Take You for a Ride." It's been covered many times by the VGM community, but in this instance, new verses and a bridge accompany the admittedly repetitive tune.

Marvel vs Capcom 2 jam gets taken for a ride

Despite the original release from Marvel vs Capcom 2 repeating the same line over and over again, it's one with a special place in fan memories with a funky beat too delicious to ignore. Thankfully, The 8-Bit Big Band and Lawrence bring their own vision to the bop with a full song based on the loop. This version adds new lyrics, verses, and a bridge next month on November 10.

The 45 seconds released on social media from The 8-Bit Big Band has an outstanding suite of brass instruments and thrilling vocals. Almost time for MAHVEL, baby.

Last year, the 8-Bit Big Band (and Button Basher) won a "Best Arrangement - Instrumental or A Capella" Grammy for its cover of "Meta Knight's Revenge" from Kirby Super Star. Since its release in 2021, the theme received over 1 million views on YouTube.

Perhaps with this upcoming Marvel vs Capcom 2 cover, they'll get another Grammy. Nevertheless, The 8-Bit Big Band has an upcoming show in New York on December 15. Its fourth album, "Game Changer," accompanies the Marvel jam on November 10.

The post The 8-Bit Big Band and Lawrence transform popular Marvel vs Capcom 2 song (Update) appeared first on Destructoid.

League of Legends publisher Riot Games debuted another in-universe music group called Heartsteel, and their debut single "Paranoia" dropped earlier this week on October 23. Alongside the single, several new skins are being added to the MOBA.

Despite the boy band being completely new to the LoL world, several members of Heartsteel may sound familiar. A few of Heartsteel's members are voiced by popular artists in real life; Kyan is voiced by Cal Scruby, K’Sante is voiced by Tobi Lou, Sett is voiced by Øzi, and Ezreal is voiced by Byun Baekhyun.

Heartsteel-inspired skins make a debut

Players of League of Legends will not only have a chance to enjoy Heartsteel’s music, but will also be able to mimic the looks of their favorite members with new skins for each member of Heartsteel in-game. Although each member will recieve their own skin, only Kayn and Yone will get different tiers of skins. Kayn is set to recieve a skin with a Legendary status while Yone is set to get a Prestige skin, in addition to their originals.

Fans can catch a glimpse of the new skins in Heartsteel's 'Paranoia' music video. Alongside the music video, an official skins trailer from Riot Games has also been released. The 'Paranoia' skins will be available to players on November 8.

Riot Games has been debuting in-universe music groups for a while now. Some of their most popular groups were virtual K-pop group K/DA (2018) and hip hop group True Damage (2019). The in-universe music group approach that Riot Games has been taking is seeing a lot of success. K/DA blew many away with their debut single "POP/STARS" in 2018, which truly kicked off the League of Legends band legacy.

Heartsteel is set to make a similarly large impact on the League of Legends universe through exciting music, entertaining visuals, and taking on the title of Riot’s first in-game boy band.

The post Heartsteel is the latest League pop crossover, with a new single and skins appeared first on Destructoid.

Longtime FromSoftware composer, Yuka Kitamura, has announced via Twitter that they will be leaving FromSoftware to work as a freelancer.

Kitamura has been with FromSoftware for over a decade, first appearing in the credits as Sound Designer for 2013’s Armored Core V. Their first composer credit was for 2014’s Dark Souls II, and they would continue on as a  FromSoftware composer through Bloodborne, Dark Souls III, Sekiro, and Elden Ring.

https://twitter.com/_Yuka_Kitamura_/status/1686310080512466944?s=20

Kitamura did not say if they would continue to work with FromSoftware in a contractor’s position. However, they did go on to say, “I would like to continue to express myself in-game music through various genres of music. I hope you will look forward to my music in the future!” So, whether or not they return for the next Souls-like FromSoftware title, it sounds like they plan to remain in the games industry, just not under FromSoftware's umbrella.

It still hasn’t been said if Kitamura will be doing the soundtrack for the upcoming Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree DLC or Armored Core 6. They have put up a new portfolio website that lists their previous credits, and neither is mentioned. However, that may just be because they haven’t been released yet.

_{Lead image via Yuka Kitamura.}

The post Composer Yuka Kitamura is leaving FromSoftware, going freelance appeared first on Destructoid.

Persona 4 has a treasured soundtrack with many great tunes that'll get you pumped for battle or grinning from ear to ear as you hear the Junes Theme playing. It also helps establish the season as the school year passes, like "Snowflakes," which plays during the final months of the game. While you're in battle, on the other hand, the rocking beat of "Reach Out To The Truth" keeps you focused on every attack. I am thou, thou art I, here are the best Persona 4 songs, ranked!

Note: This list includes Persona 4 and Persona 4 Golden tracks, no spin-off titles.

10. "Specialist"

https://open.spotify.com/track/0nAeo4gKT75vw5QmkZLdHB?si=da8e4145411d4e78

There are very few shopping video game themes that are cooler than this. This piece has a pleasant, chill melody highlighted by a jazzy piano and an awesome percussion beat that will put on a smile on your face. You can't help yourself while you bob your head up and down to the rhythm.

9. "Reverie"

https://open.spotify.com/track/28AYf50QPbB8AhC4OYU7uQ?si=2a4960c3020c43c7

Honestly, there's not much to say about this piece. "Reverie" plays when Yu and the gang reflect on what just happened. The piano plays a beautiful tune while whirring instrumentals that float above the piece give a melancholy vibe. It's a striking song that perfectly reflects the situation the team is in whenever it plays.

8. "Never More"

https://open.spotify.com/track/7wsNi1SE40YS9YYCj44EQ4?si=b3462e0c7a264256

This ending credits song is a wonderful track that establishes the strong bonds between Yu and the friends he's made along the way. The vocals are lovely as Shihoko Hirata sings about the memories the investigation team has made over the past year. The piano in the track also gives a neat reference to "A Corner of Memories" from the beginning of the game. As Persona 4 is such a long game, it actually feels nostalgic in a sense as you've known these characters for weeks, maybe months.

7. "Your Affection"

https://open.spotify.com/track/6idKSeBnFz49htgvyWoMro?si=44ac27cc45d54733

Rolling through Inaba, it was always a delight to listen to "Your Affection." It's a happy-go-lucky song as it encourages you to turn "your misery into meaningfulness" and take "pride from fear." This song is the levity we need after going through all the dungeons during the Midnight hour. During sunny days, it matches perfectly with the colorful visuals of this lovely small town.

6. "The Almighty"

https://open.spotify.com/track/2SzaLThldhzZgZBOLJoYuK?si=9ca468f6c8db4e3b

This song is steeped with so much drama. The strings and heavy bass at the beginning illustrate a great tension, and then the gripping main melody from the guitar seeps in. About a minute in, the percussion goes faster, adding stakes to the boss battle. You then get a soothing, echoed piano and guitar taking over the piece, likely showcasing who you're fighting for, like Nanako and all the residents of Inaba. Later on, the main guitar and the soothing section collide in an epic clash that somehow works together. It's a unique take on a boss battle theme as it switches between the two styles constantly; it's like a tug of war about who's winning the fight.

5. "Signs of Love"

https://open.spotify.com/track/32NyN0Tby1YpKObfd8nrzN?si=3554fce9e1514dfc

"Signs of Love" has everything I love about the Persona 4 soundtrack: a funky beat, charming lyrics, and some entertaining jazzy overtones that keep the track riveting. There are also strings in the background that reflect the slight tension that befalls the teenage protagonist. It's a great track that I'm happy to listen to over and over again as each in-game day passes.

4. "Reach Out To The Truth"

https://open.spotify.com/track/7JR73H8enwnGiYFS2I6eWW?si=183dea8a012f4691

"Reach Out To The Truth" is a fantastic battle theme. The rocking guitar gives tasty jams, while the jazzy keyboard provides more character to the piece. The drums also keep up the intensity while the Hirata nails her performance. It does get more repetitive than the other battle themes on the list, but it's still an exciting piece for many Persona 4 players.

3. "Snowflakes"

https://open.spotify.com/track/3Ybug08EbRV4RZfcw8WZMk?si=7f97b3f31c7e4ce9

Persona 4 Golden adds a beautiful track called "Snowflakes" that establishes the journey is almost over. It's a sad, yet calming track that fits into the winter season. It talks about the "friendship that is built to last" and the "laughter from this treasured place" that will stay in each character's memories. Similar to "Never More," it gives us a nostalgic feeling, reflecting on the past year, similar to thinking back on the past year during New Year's Eve. The tune from the piano, vocals, and beats are also stunning to listen to.

2. "Time to Make History"

https://open.spotify.com/track/3fHtkMIsiv9kC0Tv2iSS3h?si=f25f817629ac422b

Goodness, I love this song! The bass absolutely slaps as the delightful vocals get us hyped to "step on up to the plate" and "time to make history." It's an absolute jam.  It's fun how all of the instruments ramp up together during the chorus, and the drums once again make their presence known in the best way. When I played Persona 4 Golden, I was always more excited to hear this number over "Reach Out To The Truth."

1. "I’ll Face Myself (Reincarnation)"

https://open.spotify.com/track/1PraA0CrjHLo16lwUw6NSq?si=814328a804dd47bd

Drama. Intensity. High stakes. This is what "I'll Face Myself (Reincarnation)" brings to Persona 4. You have a slow unassuming beginning that ramps up quickly to an intense battle theme. The emotional strings play well with the intense drums. The flow also keeps changing, giving you unexpected twists and turns in this epic boss battle music. Composer Shoji Meguro wasn't afraid to include slower pieces to this boss battle theme, adding an emotional element to the track. He went all out with the ebb and flow of this piece. It's remarkable and is one of the best Persona 4 songs, absolutely.

The post Best Persona 4 songs, ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

Cblogs of 6/17 to 6/23/2023

-Exber analyzes the importance and impact of fourth-numbered sequels for game franchises in general.

-Eggs&BrewsterJr reviews Ico after playing it now for the first time.

-Queen of Philosophy discusses new details we learned about Mortal Kombat 1.

-ctg867 reflects on the death and legacy of E3.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Shining Force and classical music.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Shining Force 2 and Blues and Ragtime music.

-Inquisitive Raven reveals his 2023 Art Commission prices, take a look at his work.

-ChronoLynxx opens this week's TGIF community forum for random discussions.

Thanks for the blogs this week, folks, and thanks as always to Lord Spencer for the recap. If you wanna join in on the HOT TAKE party, then head on over to the Cblogs section right now. Spill your thoughts on all matters gaming, and you will find yourself recapped on this here front page next week.

The post What is your favorite Sega Mega Drive soundtrack? appeared first on Destructoid.

Cblogs of 6/9 to 6/17/2023

-Queen of Philosophy discusses new details we learned about Mortal Kombat 1.

-ctg867 reflects on the death and legacy of E3.

-UncannyKyle believes a Nintendo crash is inevitable, but wonders about its size and form.

-Taterchimp writes a detailed analysis of the pros and cons of the TRPG Triangle Strategy.

-Virtua Kazama bids farewell to Street Fighter V in welcoming the latest Street Fighter game.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Shining Force 2 and Blues and Ragtime music.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Shining Force and Folk music.

-Inquisitive Raven reveals his 2023 Art Commission prices, take a look at his work.

-ChronoLynxx opens this week's TGIF community forum for random discussions.

Thanks for the blogs this week, folks, and thanks as always to Lord Spencer for the recap. If you wanna join in on the HOT TAKE party, then head on over to the Cblogs section right now. Spill your thoughts on all matters gaming, and you will find yourself recapped on this here front page next week.

The post What are your early thoughts on Mortal Kombat 1? appeared first on Destructoid.

Cblogs of 6/3 to 6/9/2023

-Taterchimp writes a detailed analysis of the pros and cons of the TRPG Triangle Strategy.

-Virtua Kazama bids farewell to Street Fighter V in welcoming the latest Street Fighter game.

-Lord Spencer continues his retrospective of the Mega Man series with this blog focusing on Mega Man X5.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Shining Force 2 and Blues and Ragtime music.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Shining Force and Folk music.

-Inquisitive Raven reveals his 2023 Art Commission prices, take a look at his work.

-ChronoLynxx opens this week's TGIF community forum for random discussions.

Thanks for the blogs this week, folks, and thanks as always to Lord Spencer for the recap. If you wanna join in on the HOT TAKE party, then head on over to the Cblogs section right now. Spill your thoughts on all matters gaming, and you will find yourself recapped on this here front page next week.

The post Who is your favorite of the classic Mega Man villains? appeared first on Destructoid.

Cblogs of 5/13 to 5/19/2023

-Lord Spencer continues his retrospective of the Mega Man series with this blog focusing on Mega Man X5.

–Queen of Philosophy tries to predict the path to Mortal Kombat 12.

–Spazzzh20 writes a fully uncensored review of Sonic Frontiers.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Zelda 3 and bluegrass and ragtime music.

-TheBlondeBass updates us on the development progress of their game, Mirama, in this latest dev update blog.

-ChronoLynxx opens this week's TGIF community forum for random discussions.

Thanks for the blogs this week, folks, and thanks as always to Lord Spencer for the recap. If you wanna join in on the HOT TAKE party, then head on over to the Cblogs section right now. Spill your thoughts on all matters gaming, and you will find yourself recapped on this here front page next week.

The post Which Legend of Zelda game has your favorite soundtrack? appeared first on Destructoid.

Cblogs of 4/29 to 5/4/2023

-Queen of Philosophy tries to predict the path to Mortal Kombat 12.

-Spazzzh20 writes a fully uncensored review of Sonic Frontiers.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Super Mario World and early 20th-century piano music.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Mortal Kombat 2 and Dance music.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Mortal Kombat and Blues music.

-ChronoLynxx opens this week's TGIF community forum for random discussions.

Thanks for the blogs this week, folks, and thanks as always to Lord Spencer for the recap. If you wanna join in on the HOT TAKE party, then head on over to the Cblogs section right now. Spill your thoughts on all matters gaming, and you will find yourself recapped on this here front page next week.

The post Which classic Mario title has your favorite soundtrack? appeared first on Destructoid.

Cblogs of 4/29 to 5/4/2023

-Queen of Philosophy tries to predict the path to Mortal Kombat 12.

-Spazzzh20 writes a fully uncensored review of Sonic Frontiers.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Mortal Kombat 2 and Dance music.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Mortal Kombat and Blues music.

-Taterchimp celebrated their birthday by doing a charity gaming stream for kids.

-ChronoLynxx opens this week's TGIF community forum for random discussions.

Thanks for the blogs this week, folks, and thanks as always to Lord Spencer for the recap. If you wanna join in on the HOT TAKE party, then head on over to the Cblogs section right now. Spill your thoughts on all matters gaming, and you will find yourself recapped on this here front page next week.

The post Who would you like to see cast in the Mortal Kombat movie sequel? appeared first on Destructoid.

The game formerly known as We Are OFK

You might remember a certain indie-pop miniseries game called We Are OFK, which started in August 2022 and released episodes up through Sept. 8. OFK is getting a rebrand today, as the developer is changing the name of its episodic adventure to Pop. Love. Panic! The OFK Story.

Announced in a post today from the group's Twitter account, the band announces that its origin story game has a new name.

"We feel #PopLovePanic fits our story better!" said the band. "'We Are OFK' had a 'If You Know You Know' vibe, and we wanna be better about reaching out to people who haven’t already heard of our band."

The name change coincides with a sale on Steam, where you can get the full run of Pop. Love. Panic! for 30% off at the moment.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mu2iKC4fVDs

What's in a name?

Though it sounds strange, changing the name of a game isn't as uncommon an experience as you'd think. I started back-searching instances in which this has happened, and found plenty of recent examples. Inti Creates retitled Grim Guardians to Gal Guardians in March, and Ubisoft changed Gods & Monsters to Immortals: Fenyx Rising prior to its release. That's not even accounting for the differences in titles between regions, like how Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios is now doing away with the Western Yakuza moniker and unifying the series under Like a Dragon.

As for OFK and Pop. Love. Panic! The OFK Story, I hope the rebrand works well. We Are OFK has been on my backlog since reviews seemed warm on it. Though some were confused by the concept—an interactive fiction telling the origin story of a band, like video games meets The Gorillaz—it's unique and interesting. Whether OFK has more discography planned or not, it does seem like they've done something a bit outside the box already.

The post Indie music tale We Are OFK changes its name to Pop. Love. Panic! The OFK Story appeared first on Destructoid.

Splatoon musician takes leave after 17 years

Video game composer Ryo Nagamatsu announced that they have left Nintendo following a 17-year tenure that saw them produce music for titles franchises including Splatoon, Mario Kart, Super Mario, and Smash Bros.

Speaking in a succinct message on Twitter, Ryo Nagamatsu implied that he has left Nintendo (amicably) in order to spread his creative wings a little further across the industry.

"I have made a decision to leave the company of April 30, 2023," writes Nagamatsu. "I will work a little wider and more directly to help those who need my help and to help the industry. Thank you all for your kind support! I look forward to serve you in the future! (an amicable settlement)"

Joining the studio in 2006, Nagamatsu plied his trade on some of the biggest releases for Nintendo platforms, composing music for Wii releases Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Wii Sports Resort. 3DS titles The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, Mario Kart 8, and Mario Party: Star Rush, and in more recent years oversaw music composition and voice recordings for Switch titles Splatoon 3, Mario Party Superstars, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

We can very likely look forward to hearing his exciting and evocative compositions in future works.

The post Nintendo composer Ryo Nagamatsu has departed the studio appeared first on Destructoid.

The Sound of the Round

With Street Fighter 6, Capcom is looking to revitalize the energy and the aesthetic of its flagship fighting franchise — This is perhaps best demonstrated in the audio/visual style of the new sequel and its roster, every member of which is embodying a fresh "back to the streets" design style — A style equally reflected in their respective character themes.

Here is every Street Fighter 6 character theme released to date, as well as the hype-building title theme "Not on the Sidelines" by Rocco808 and Randy Marx. Which of the character themes are doing it for you? My personal favorites are Ken, Juri, Lily, and Kimberly. Let us know what you think.

Not on the Sidelines - Rocco808 and Randy Marx

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSRqA4igQCo&ab_channel=sakurabuffwhen

Ryu - Viator

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rie_1u6Ple8&list=PLs4LjNCY15zMxuymgNHp7oukvJ8wOgaJU&index=16&ab_channel=StreetFighter

Chun-Li - Not a Little Girl

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bg-nvvI9D0&list=PLs4LjNCY15zMxuymgNHp7oukvJ8wOgaJU&index=18&ab_channel=StreetFighter

Luke - Taking Aim

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MZPZFAaJ7w&list=PLs4LjNCY15zMxuymgNHp7oukvJ8wOgaJU&index=17&ab_channel=StreetFighter

Jamie - Mr. Top Player

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjALmQn5iKc&list=PLs4LjNCY15zMxuymgNHp7oukvJ8wOgaJU&index=15&ab_channel=StreetFighter

Guile - Sharpened Sonic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VchglFlNIvo&list=PLs4LjNCY15zMxuymgNHp7oukvJ8wOgaJU&index=14&ab_channel=StreetFighter

Kimberly - Ninjastar Pop

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06E2cBONuQw&list=PLs4LjNCY15zMxuymgNHp7oukvJ8wOgaJU&index=13&ab_channel=StreetFighter

Juri - ÅrachniD**

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TcaWC551bw&list=PLs4LjNCY15zMxuymgNHp7oukvJ8wOgaJU&index=12&ab_channel=StreetFighter

Ken - Spirit of the Flame

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbPoYZbk_jM&list=PLs4LjNCY15zMxuymgNHp7oukvJ8wOgaJU&index=11&ab_channel=StreetFighter

Blanka - Zilra Zilra

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDL--2iU6yU&list=PLs4LjNCY15zMxuymgNHp7oukvJ8wOgaJU&index=10&ab_channel=StreetFighter

Dhalsim - The Great Sunlight

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EELQyo7FX4k&list=PLs4LjNCY15zMxuymgNHp7oukvJ8wOgaJU&index=9&ab_channel=StreetFighter

E. Honda - Kumadori

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWp8cFo5IFc&list=PLs4LjNCY15zMxuymgNHp7oukvJ8wOgaJU&index=8&ab_channel=StreetFighter

Marisa - Pankration

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4JKiW19weE&list=PLs4LjNCY15zMxuymgNHp7oukvJ8wOgaJU&index=7&ab_channel=StreetFighter

Manon - Walk With Grace

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6k5XctUu0Dw&list=PLs4LjNCY15zMxuymgNHp7oukvJ8wOgaJU&index=6&ab_channel=StreetFighter

Dee Jay - All Right!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeykLp88FqU&list=PLs4LjNCY15zMxuymgNHp7oukvJ8wOgaJU&index=5&ab_channel=StreetFighter

JP - The Plunderer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMZq8Ycgo6U&list=PLs4LjNCY15zMxuymgNHp7oukvJ8wOgaJU&index=4&ab_channel=StreetFighter

Zangief - R.E.D.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6caXwwXbjk&list=PLs4LjNCY15zMxuymgNHp7oukvJ8wOgaJU&index=3&ab_channel=StreetFighter

Lily - Diosa Del Sol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMgyoSS6hO8&list=PLs4LjNCY15zMxuymgNHp7oukvJ8wOgaJU&index=2&ab_channel=StreetFighter

Cammy - OverTrip

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_-2qMyfj5A&list=PLs4LjNCY15zMxuymgNHp7oukvJ8wOgaJU&index=1&ab_channel=StreetFighter

Street Fighter 6 launches June 2 on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms.

For more reading on Street Fighter 6, check out our previous articles. These include our early thoughts on the game, 50 things we loved about the beta, a look at the staying power of new protagonists Jamie and Luke, and 10 characters we think would fit right in as DLC.

The post Here are all of the Street Fighter 6 character themes. Which is your favorite? appeared first on Destructoid.

Brit Pop

Capcom has released the Street Fighter 6 theme for one of the upcoming sequel's most anticipated characters, the former special forces and Delta Red operative, Cammy White. With the addition of Cammy's theme, the publisher has now debuted all of the themes for every member of SF6's 18-strong launch roster

Cammy - OverTrip

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_-2qMyfj5A&ab_channel=StreetFighter

Understandably, given Cammy's espionage expertise and devotion to all things Black Ops, "OverTrip" is a little subtler than most of the roster's themes, with a definitive "undercover operation" vibe befitting the top-tier agent. The electronically charged theme conjures up images of stealing through enemy territory, surveilling from dark alleyways, and ascertaining hidden info from server mainframes, suitably fitting for Cammy's unparalleled skills.

After a mellow bridge, perhaps reflecting the more wistful elements of Ms. White's troubled life, the tune transitions to a more impactful central melody, as if the agent has been discovered in the midst of shenanigans and must now take flight in a hail of blaring lights and flashing gun barrels. The tune then fades into nothingness, as Cammy exits the scene as if she was never even there. Mission accomplished.

Now that all 18 characters have had their themes revealed, I personally think it's been a bit of a mixed bag. Some themes, such as Dee Jay's and Zangief's, are perfectly fitting of their characters, while others seem a little "This will do for anybody". If asked to commit, I think my personal favorite themes are Ken's, Lily's, Juri's, Cammy's, and Kimberly's, though I dig the general audio/visual aesthetic of SF6 in its entirety, afforded a fresh new vibe that was most sorely needed.

Street Fighter 6 launches June 2 on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox. Be sure to check out the themes for Ryu, Chun-Li, Luke, and Jamie, Juri and Kimberly, Blanka and Dhalsim, DeeJay and JP, Manon, Marisa, Zangief, and Lily.

The post Cammy’s sneaky Street Fighter 6 theme rounds out roster bangers appeared first on Destructoid.

Cblogs of 4/8 to 4/14/2023

-UncannyKyle defends Square Enix's Marvel's Avengers.

-CaiusRV wonders how chill games like Stardew Valley can still be stressful.

-MinhazFahme explores the dark arts in Hogwarts Legacy.

-GoofierBrute is back to highlighting Games that Time Forgot, with this blog featuring Super Mario Land.

-TheCooperators reviews the indie game, Cult of the Lamb.

-Virtua Kazama writes about the return of EVO tournament to Japan.

-Xeo writes a very personal blog about the star in his life.

-TheBlondeBass thinks deeply about the nature of "content creation".

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Mickey Mania and several music genres.

-ChronoLynxx opens this week's TGIF community thread for random discussions.

Thanks for the blogs this week, folks, and thanks as always to Lord Spencer for the recap. If you wanna join in on the HOT TAKE party, then head on over to the Cblogs section right now. Spill your thoughts on all matters gaming, and you will find yourself recapped on this here front page next week.

The post Did you ever check out Marvel’s Avengers? appeared first on Destructoid.

The Voice of the Spirit, now you can hear it

Are you looking forward to Lily? I'm sure looking forward to Lily. Street Fighter 6 has done a great job in ramping up the hype factor for its party of newcomers, with Manon, Marisa, Jamie, Kimberly, and others already winning over fans in the fighting game community, despite being yet to put their respective abilities in the hands of the players. Capcom has released Lily's Street Fighter 6 theme, allowing her new posse of eager new fans to learn a little more about the exciting World Warrior.

Lily is something of an anomaly, a character that appears to define physics, (and gravity), itself. A descendant of the Thunderfoot tribe, Lily is a happy-go-lucky youngster who carries with her the pride of the land itself. Though diminutive in stature, Lily makes up for her size with an acrobatic air assault and deft use of her weighted clubs, which offer her both deceptive range and seemingly supernatural strength.

Lily - Diosa Del Sol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMgyoSS6hO8&ab_channel=StreetFighter

Diosa Del Sol, (literally "Goddess of Sun"), is an absolutely delightful, and thoroughly festive theme that depicts the youthful energy of our girl, emboldened by the Latin vibes of her Mexican heritage. Driven by a fantastic bass line, Diosa Del Sol features the rabid percussion and party atmosphere frequently associated with Latin American music.

The initial "street party" melody gives way to a synthesized steel drum midsection, before bringing the beat back with a frenzied and brass-heavy climax. Despite the old-school vibes, however, the composition is sure to add elements of deck-mixing hip-hop flavor that embodies Street Fighter 6's entire vibe. Personally, I think this is in the Top Three of all themes revealed for SF6 so far.

Street Fighter 6 launches June 2 on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox. Be sure to check out the themes for Ryu, Chun-Li, Luke, and Jamie, Juri and Kimberly, Blanka and Dhalsim, DeeJay and JP, Manon, Marisa, and Zangief.

The post Street Fighter 6 newcomer Lily has one of the sequel’s best themes yet appeared first on Destructoid.

Cblogs of 3/25 to 04/08/2023

-CaiusRV wonders how chill games like Stardew Valley can still be stressful.

-MinhazFahme explores the dark arts in Hogwarts Legacy.

-GoofierBrute is back to highlighting Games that Time Forgot, with this blog featuring Super Mario Land.

-TheCooperators reviews the indie game, Cult of the Lamb.

-UncannyKyle defends Square Enix's Marvel's Avengers.

-Virtua Kazama writes about the return of EVO tournament to Japan.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Super Mario World and Blues music.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Mickey Mania and Ragtime music.

-Xeo writes a very personal blog about the star in his life.

-TheBlondeBass thinks deeply about the nature of "content creation".

-ChronoLynxx opens this week's TGIF community thread for random discussion.

Thanks for the blogs this week, folks, and thanks as always to Lord Spencer for the recap. If you wanna join in on the HOT TAKE party, then head on over to the Cblogs section right now. Spill your thoughts on all matters gaming, and you will find yourself recapped on this here front page next week.

The post Have you ever bailed on a game simply because it was too stressful? appeared first on Destructoid.

Cblogs of 3/18 to 03/25/2023

-TheCooperators shares their thoughts on 2022 hit Cult of the Lamb.

-Lord Spencer reviews The Granstream Saga as part of his PS1 REVIEWS blogging series.

-Egg&BrewsterJr discusses 10 games they are very close to finishing now.

-Skazfest thinks the reception of Metroid Prime 2 would be better in a post-Dark Souls world.

-Grethiwha shares their first impressions on PSVR 2.

-Lord Spencer continues their retrospective on the Mega Man series with this blog about Mega Man X4.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Metal Gear and Jazz/Blues music.

-TheBlondeBass shares some odds and ends writing with the community.

-ChronoLynxx opens this week's TGIF community thread for random discussion.

Thanks to Lord Spencer for taking the time out of their week to recap this week's blogs for the front page. As always, if you wanna join in on the HOT TAKE party, then head on over to the Cblogs section right now.

We are aware that the Cblog editor is not uploading images at the moment. We apologize. We are hoping we can encourage someone more tech-savvy than ourselves to take a look at it soon.

The post Which is your favorite in-game cult? appeared first on Destructoid.

Cblogs of 3/11 to 03/17/2023

-Egg&BrewsterJr discusses 10 games they are very close to finishing now.

-The Cooperators write an analytical blog about Hades.

-Skazfest thinks the reception of Metroid Prime 2 would be better in a post-Dark Souls world.

-Grethiwha shares their first impressions on PSVR 2.

-Isay Isay reviews One Piece: Odyssey.

-Lord Spencer continues their retrospective on the Mega Man series with this blog about Mega Man X4.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Breath of Fire II and Sacral music.

-TheBlondeBass shares some odds and ends writing with the community.

-ChronoLynxx opens this week's TGIF community thread for random discussion.

Thanks to Lord Spencer for taking the time out of their week to recap this week's blogs for the front page. As always, if you wanna join in on the HOT TAKE party, then head on over to the Cblogs section right now.

We are aware that the cblog editor is not uploading images at the moment. We apologize. We are hoping we can encourage someone more tech-savvy than ourselves to take a look at it soon.

The post What started-but-unfinished games are hanging over your backlog? appeared first on Destructoid.

Cblogs of 3/04 to 03/10/2023

-The Cooperators write an analytical blog about Hades.

-Skazfest thinks the reception of Metroid Prime 2 would be better in a post-Dark Souls world.

-Grethiwha shares their first impressions on PSVR 2.

-Isay Isay reviews One Piece: Odyssey.

-Lord Spencer continues their retrospective on the Mega Man series with this blog about Mega Man X4.

-Darrenhupke is back with another video gaming book; about Namco's PS1 library of games.

-Boxman214 reports on their solo playthrough of the table-top game, Ironsworn: Starforged.

-ChronoLynxx opens this week's TGIF community thread for random discussion.

Thanks to Lord Spencer for taking the time out of their week to recap this week's blogs for the front page. As always, if you wanna join in on the HOT TAKE party, then head on over to the Cblogs section right now. We are aware that the cblog editor has been incredibly testy of late. We apologize. We are hoping we can encourage someone more tech-savvy than ourselves to take a look at it this year.

The post If any Hades characters return for the sequel, who would you like to see? appeared first on Destructoid.

Cblogs of 2/25 to 03/03/2023

-Grethiwha shares their first impressions on PSVR 2.

-Isay Isay reviews One Piece: Odyssey.

-Virtua Kazama shares their thoughts on the EVO 2023 games lineup.

-Lord Spencer continues their retrospective on the Mega Man series with this blog about Mega Man X4.

-Siddartha85 shares a list of their top music of 2022 in this A-List.

-Siddartha85 shares a list of their top music of 2022 in this B-List.

-Boxman214 reports on their solo playthrough of the table-top game, Ironsworn: Starforged.

-ChronoLynxx opens this week's TGIF community thread for random discussion.

A healthy batch o' blogs this week, thanks a lot! Thanks to Lord Spencer for taking the time out of their week to recap them for the front page. As always, if you wanna join in on the HOT TAKE party, then head on over to the Cblogs section right now.

We are aware that the cblog editor has been incredibly testy of late. We apologize. We are hoping we can encourage someone more tech-savvy than ourselves to take a look at it this year.

The post What is your own level of interest in PlayStation VR 2? appeared first on Destructoid.

Cblogs of 2/18 to 02/24/2023

-SlimeyBearXXL979990 picks a number of cool-looking indie games scheduled to be released in 2023 or slightly beyond.

-TheCooperators think that Hogwarts Legacy is a bit too safe and boring in its game design.

-Lord Spencer reports on games A40-A31 on the addendum list to his Top 100 PS1 REVIEWS blogging series.

-Lord Spencer reviews C-12: Final Resistance as part of his PS1 REVIEWS blogging series.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Goonies II and Ragtime music.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Golden Axe 2 and Jazz music.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of A Link to the Past and Ragtime music.

-Sleeeves shares a short story with us.

-ChronoLynxx opens this week's TGIF community thread for random discussions.

Thanks for all of your fine blogs, opinions, and write-ups, folks. We appreciate each and every one of them. Thanks to Lord Spencer for taking the time out of their week to recap them for the front page. As always, if you wanna join in on the HOT TAKE party, then head on over to the Cblogs section right now.

We are aware that the cblog editor has been incredibly testy of late. We apologize. We are hoping we can encourage someone more tech-savvy than ourselves to take a look at it this year.

The post What’s your favorite Sega Mega Drive soundtrack? appeared first on Destructoid.

Cblogs of 2/11 to 02/17/2023

-SlimeyBearXXL979990 picks a number of cool-looking indie games scheduled to be released in 2023 or slightly beyond.

-Lord Spencer reports on games A40-A31 on the addendum list to his Top 100 PS1 REVIEWS blogging series.

-Lord Spencer reviews C-12: Final Resistance as part of his PS1 REVIEWS blogging series.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Goonies II and Ragtime music.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Golden Axe 2 and Jazz music.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of A Link to the Past and Ragtime music.

-ChronoLynxx opens this week's TGIF community thread for random discussions.

Thanks for all of your fine blogs, opinions, and write-ups, folks. We appreciate each and every one of them. Thanks to Lord Spencer for taking the time out of their week to recap them for the front page. As always, if you wanna join in on the HOT TAKE party, then head on over to the Cblogs section right now.

We are aware that the cblog editor has been incredibly testy of late. We apologize. We are hoping we can encourage someone more tech-savvy than ourselves to take a look at it this year.

The post What upcoming indie games are you excited for? appeared first on Destructoid.

If this fancy lad isn't the main villain...

Capcom has rolled out two more character themes for its upcoming scrapper Street Fighter 6, which is headed our way ever so slowly on PC and console platforms — This time around, the new themes herald the return of Jamaican superstar Dee Jay Maximum, and the debut of a wealthy industrialist, clouded in intrigue and shrouded in mystery, who goes by the simple moniker of "JP"

With the release of these pieces for Dee Jay and JP, we now have heard the themes for all of the revealed characters to date. Incredibly, we are still waiting on our first gameplay glimpses of Russian wrestler Zangief, British special agent Cammy, and Mexican newcomer Lily. Hopefully, we'll be seeing these three characters in action soon, rounding out the launch roster for the highly anticipated fighter.

Dee Jay - All Right!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeykLp88FqU&ab_channel=StreetFighter

Of absolutely no surprise to anybody, Dee Jay's theme, "All Right!" is a proud reflection of the hometown hero's Jamaican heritage, featuring lightweight Caribbean beats and strong steel drum percussion. Layed over the top of a happy-go-lucky vibe, personifying Dee Jay's infectiously upbeat attitude, record-scratch samples represent Dee Jay's fame as a master musician and keeper of the wheels of steel. Much like his original Super Street Fighter II theme, All Right is all about having a good time with good folks. Keeping the party going long into the night before the dawning sun rises on the shores of Jamaica.

JP - The Plunderer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMZq8Ycgo6U&ab_channel=StreetFighter

While Capcom is yet to reveal a true "villain" for Street Fighter 6, the immaculately dressed JP is fast becoming the lead contender. With a background cloaked in mystery, seemingly endless resources, and command of a mythic skill that looks worryingly like Psycho Power, JP's role in the new sequel is yet to be confirmed. JP's theme, "The Plunderer", carries a vibe of doom that suggests this is not a man to be trifled with, and after a piano-driven opening, the tune becomes increasingly hurried, ultimately settling into a fast-paced battle anthem. Suspicious? Highly, But he likes cats, so he can't be all bad, right?

Street Fighter 6 launches June 2 on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox. Be sure to check out the themes for Ryu, Chun-Li, Luke, and Jamie, Juri and Kimberly, Blanka and Dhalsim, Manon, and Marisa.

The post Check out the Street Fighter 6 themes for Dee Jay and the mysterious JP appeared first on Destructoid.

Not every Final Fantasy game is great, but maybe every Final Fantasy game is great

Last year, I visited Heinz Hall in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to see the 35th-anniversary edition of the Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy concert series. I don't love every Final Fantasy game, but sitting in that concert hall, with a comically overpriced music box in a bag at my feet, for a couple of hours, I did. And when I play Theatrhythm Final Bar Line, I love every Final Fantasy game again.

Depending on which games you want to count, Theatrhythm Final Bar Line, a mechanical celebration of the music of Final Fantasy, is somewhere between the third and seventh Theatrhythm game. I love the series — developer indieszero has an impressive understanding of what makes music interesting, and these games have always done a fantastic job of translating songs from the ears to the fingers. Unsurprisingly, the studio has done its thing once more, and Final Bar Line feels amazing.

Theatrhythm Final Bar Line (PS4, Switch [Reviewed])
Developer: indieszero Corporation, Ltd.
Publisher: Square Enix
Released: February 16, 2023
MSRP: $49.99

The first thing I noticed when I started playing Final Bar Line was just how much stuff there is. The game's campaign mode, dubbed "Series Quests", features 29 "Title" banners. Each of these banners features a series of quests (oh, hey, that's why they're called Series Quests) full of music from a single Final Fantasy game or, in some instances, a small handful of related titles; the shortest of these questlines features five stages, and the longest boasts 32, with most of them leveling out somewhere in the 10-20 range.

Immediately, I was worried. The last Theatrhythm Final Fantasy game featured 221 tracks at launch. My favorite indieszero rhythm game, Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory, features just 143 songs. This one comes with 385 tracks in the base game. Square Enix provided Destructoid with the Premium Digital Deluxe edition, which adds over two dozen additional tracks. Every single song has between three and four beatmaps corresponding to different difficulty levels. It's an absurd amount of content, and I was concerned that it would spread itself too thin by playing with this "more-is-more" mentality.

As far as I can tell, though, that didn't happen at all. I haven't unlocked every single track yet, but everything I've played has felt carefully crafted and meaningful. A lot of love has gone into examining Nobuo Uematsu's Final Fantasy VI soundtrack, obviously, but the same reverence has been applied to Kumi Tanioka's work on Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon. It seems as though every song featured in Final Bar Line is there not simply because a higher track count looks good on a store page, but because the developers found something interesting in a song and wanted to share it with the player. It's incredibly addictive, but it's also very intentional.

https://youtu.be/3EktIGradBI

Paying attention to the little things

I think that's central to what makes Theatrhythm Final Bar Line great. Often, people will suggest that rhythm games can help a player become better at playing music — this is the philosophy behind something like Rocksmith, which uses rhythm gaming mechanics to teach players how to play the guitar. But Theatrhythm Final Bar Line has a different proposition: maybe rhythm games like this make the player better at listening to music. When tapping to the beat reveals something unheard in a composition, it makes the music itself better. Everything in Final Bar Line feels so good because it's apparent that the game wants you to experience the music through a new lens, not to play it on an instrument, but simply to understand the finer intricacies of the piece.

In laid-back Field Music Stages like Final Fantasy XV's "Somnus," certain notes require that you hold a button down and move the joystick, to feel the flow and understand why separate notes feel so connected, and why that connection translates into serenity. Battle Music Stages like Final Fantasy II's iconic "Battle Theme 1" ask that you tap and flick the joystick rapidly, to recognize the abrupt stop-and-start found in so much of Final Fantasy's action-oriented music. Some infrequent Golden Globes-level category fraud aside (why is "Aerith's Theme" considered a Battle Music Stage?), everything works astonishingly well.

It expertly tailors its mechanics to demand that you feel the music, and, more importantly, that you get it. The game wants you to notice the decisions being made in the composition, to appreciate why the soundtrack to a game is the way it is. When you unlock Event Music Stages, which show you moments from a game to accompany the tunes, it feels like you have a better understanding of why certain songs fit into their respective games, and why accompaniment is so important on a mechanical level.

[caption id="attachment_362844" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

In addition to being a very deliberate, thoughtful meditation on how music works and how it enhances a game, Final Bar Line is also just fun. It's immensely satisfying to land a perfect chain, and every time I came up just a couple of notes short, I immediately restarted a track and tried again. I've taken to plucking away at Field Music Stages to wind down before bed, although I almost always keep myself up chasing a higher score. As always, indieszero is great at doling out dopamine when you've earned it and withholding it in all the most engaging ways.

The game forces you to understand the music, but it also encourages you to enjoy it. Between the (admittedly redundant) music player, the precise beatmaps, and the playful controls, it feels like it wants the player to see music as an art, a machine, and a toy. It's an enriching time and a fun time, a rare but potent combination. It won't teach you any real music theory, but Theatrhythm Final Bar Line clearly loves music, and it's hard not to feel and reflect that love.

Sorry, still not an RPG

I'm not sure if Theatrhythm Final Bar Line loves RPGs, though. If the beatmaps betray an infectious fondness for music, then the indifference towards RPG systems is downright contagious. There's nothing remotely interesting about the ability-based progression systems. As you complete levels, your unlockable doll-like Final Fantasy characters will level up, earning more and more abilities as they go.

[caption id="attachment_362832" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

But actually "using" these abilities is a totally passive affair. Most abilities are triggered by simply hitting a lot of notes or getting halfway through a song, which you'll be doing anyways (this is a rhythm game, after all). They also don't feel impactful when they automatically occur — the only abilities that seem to affect the active gameplay are healing skills. Every other ability only changes what's happening in the "battles," so once you have a healer or two in your party, there's no real reason to think about that system ever again. The only time you'll have to worry about your party at all is when a track comes with a specific goal asking you to deal lots of damage or kill a certain boss, and even then, once you've swapped your characters out accordingly, literally nothing will change about the way you approach the song.

Of course, Theatrhythm Final Bar Line is a rhythm game, not an RPG. If I want a complex battle system that demands intensive player input, I can wait for Final Fantasy XVI. Still, it would have been nice if this concept was just a little more fleshed-out. As it stands, it feels like a vestigial wink at its parent franchise that doesn't say or do anything. It's only frustrating because the actual moment-to-moment gameplay feels as though it's saying and doing so much. When love defines the core, it's a bit of a bother that disinterest defines the surroundings.

More money, please

I also want to quickly comment on Final Bar Line's pricing model. For the most part, I think it's a pretty good example for rhythm games to follow — the base game is rich with almost everything a casual fan could want, the Digital Deluxe edition includes treats for superfans like alternate compositions and rearrangements of different songs, and future song packs will focus on other franchises. If you only want to pay for the base game, you'll get a full experience, and one that's well worth the price of admission. If you're the type who wants to shell out a little more money, you get access to stuff you'll actually appreciate. I was really glad to see music by The Primals, Final Fantasy XIV composer Masayoshi Soken's heavy metal Final Fantasy cover band. Most of the bonus content here won't mean much to a layman but will still be rewarding to the kind of person who buys a Digital Deluxe edition.

[caption id="attachment_362854" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

But one thing bugs me: "Zanarkand" is exclusive to the Digital Deluxe edition of Theatrhythm Final Bar Line. Normally, I wouldn't call attention to this at all. The absence of a single track doesn't harm the value of a project this massive. But this song from Final Fantasy X is incredibly iconic. Where the other deluxe offerings are generally niche prizes for dedicated fans, "Zanarkand" is such an obvious crowd-pleaser that it was part of the encore at that concert I mentioned earlier. Locking it behind a second paywall just calls to mind Square Enix's other slimy business practices of late.

While the rest of the game reminds me of the best moments in the studio's history, this one element makes me think of the studio's penchant for NFT-shilling and FOMO marketing. It's a little detail, but it almost feels like Square Enix poking at the outer limits of what consumers will allow, and it just leaves a bad taste in my mouth. If you can get past the subpar RPG bits and standard Square Enix business, though, Theatrhythm Final Bar Line will reward you with a truly brilliant experience. It's a very good rhythm game on its own, but it also acts as a lovely companion piece to the Final Fantasy franchise at large.

Every Final Fantasy game is enhanced by its association with Theatrhythm Final Bar Line, because every Final Fantasy soundtrack is given definition and thus made more beautiful. As I've been playing Theatrhythm, I've been going back and revisiting some of my less-beloved Final Fantasy games — I won't name them here for fear of inciting war — and I sincerely appreciate those games more now. Theatrhythm Final Bar Line is a testament to the power of a soundtrack, and it's well worth the attention of any fan of Final Fantasy, music, or Final Fantasy music.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: Theatrhythm Final Bar Line appeared first on Destructoid.

Cblogs of 1/29 to 02/04/2023

-FTM thinks that games like Hi-Fi Rush may herald the rebirth of Xbox.

-SlimeyBearXXL979990 picks a number of cool-looking indie games scheduled to be released in 2023 or slightly beyond.

-Lord Spencer reviews C-12: Final Resistance as part of his PS1 REVIEWS blogging series.

-TheBlondeBass updates us on the progress of developing his game, Mirama, in this developer's blog.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of A Link to the Past and Ragtime music.

-ChronoLynxx opens this week's TGIF community thread for random discussions.

Thanks for all of your fine blogs, opinions, and write-ups, folks. We appreciate each and every one of them. Thanks to Lord Spencer for taking the time out of their week to recap them for the front page. As always, if you wanna join in on the HOT TAKE party, then head on over to the Cblogs section right now.

We are aware that the cblog editor has been incredibly testy of late. We apologize. We are hoping we can encourage someone more tech-savvy than ourselves to take a look at it this year.

The post What do you think about the ‘sudden drop’ releasing of titles like Hi-Fi Rush? appeared first on Destructoid.

Cblogs of 1/29 to 02/04/2023

-FTM discusses the existential game design themes in Muramasa.

-Kerrik52 shares his countdown of the top games in 2022.

-Lord Spencer analyzes Mega Man X3 as part of his Mega Man Lordspective blogging series.

-Spazzzh20 reviews "The Worst Sonic Game Ever" in Sonic Frontiers.

-Exber discusses similar themes in three very different games.

-Xeo explores the concept of the Horror genre.

-RoomWithaMoose shares their own gaming award prizes for 2022 in this blog.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of A Link to the Past and Ragtime music.

-ChronoLynxx opens this week's TGIF community thread for random discussions.

Thanks for all of your fine blogs, opinions, and write-ups, folks, not just this week. We really do appreciate each and every one of them. And thanks to Lord Spencer, as always, for taking the time out of their week to recap them for this here front page. As always, if you wanna join in on the HOT TAKE party for the discourse of 2023, (and there will be discourse), then head on over to the Cblogs section right now. We are aware that the cblog editor has been incredibly testy of late. We apologize. We are hoping we can encourage someone more tech-savvy than ourselves to take a look at it this year.

The post What are your favorite ‘existential’ video games? appeared first on Destructoid.

Wherever I May Rome...

Of all of Street Fighter 6's new World Warriors, perhaps none has quite made the impact on social media as the mountainous warrior and lover of all things beautiful, Marisa. Ever since Street Fighter fans first saw her in action, Marisa fast became one of the most talked-about characters, complete with a vast array of fan art and more than few fluttering hearts.

An Italian woman of Greek ancestry, Marisa (Ma-Ritz-ah) claims to have lineage traced to the warriors of old, reflected in her stoic visual appearance, golden laureled gear, and the biggest case of literal "helmet hair" in history. But, despite her domineering smash-mouth appearance, Marisa works in the intricate arts, creating jewelry for the fashion market. With Marisa, Manon, JP, and Kimberly, one can certainly see Capcom's Fashion-Foward aims with Street Fighter 6.

https://youtu.be/nkmtV54XsJo

As you can see from the above matchup, Marisa is not messing around when it comes to her fighting style — pressing forward with devastating punches and forearm strikes, hitting with the power of a mack truck with speed to match. While Marisa is a kind and noble woman at heart, her fighting style suggests a no-nonsense, "Sorry, but you showed up" approach to the scrap. Combining raw power and relentless forward momentum, I expect Marisa to be one of SF6's most popular characters in the early going.

Marisa - Pankration

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4JKiW19weE&ab_channel=StreetFighter

Like many of the Street Fighter 6 World Warrior themes, "Pankration" is a beat-heavy track, punctuated by horns and synth melodies. An opening salvo eventually gives way to breakdowns heralding Marisa's Grecian roots, before the beat drops back in as heavily as our gurl's fists on the ol' noodle. I don't think this track quite captures Marisa as well as some of the other themes, but I do think it's a pretty infectious piece all the same.

Street Fighter 6 launches June 2 on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox. Be sure to check out the themes for Ryu, Chun-Li, Luke, and Jamie, Juri and Kimberly, Blanka and Dhalsim, and Manon, in our previous articles.

The post The mighty Marisa breaks hearts/bones in Street Fighter 6 matchup appeared first on Destructoid.

A teaser before the album drop

The latest Final Fantasy song-battler arrives later this month. But for those who want to try out Theatrhythm Final Bar Line before it arrives, or maybe just can't wait, there's a demo out tomorrow.

The Theatrhythm Final Bar Line demo goes live on February 1, 2023 for PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch. And good news: it is a demo that carries over progress into the full game, so you won't lose out on any solid scores you tally up now.

There are 30 tracks in store for the demo, and it's a pretty good line-up of music. For those unfamiliar, Theatrhythm combines the music of Final Fantasy and other Square RPGs from throughout history with musical battles. You gather a party and venture out in one of three modes: Battle Music Stage, Field Music Stage, or Event Music Stage. While a Battle stage might have you defeating wave of enemies, the Field will see the party traverse a themed, relaxing landscape, while the Event battles will put you in the middle of classic scenes.

Here's the full list of songs included in the Theatrhythm demo.

Theatrhythm Final Bar Line demo tracklist

FINAL FANTASY II

• The Rebel Army (BMS)
• Battle 1 (BMS)
• Town (FMS)
• Main Theme (FMS)

FINAL FANTASY V

• Main Theme of Final Fantasy V (BMS)
• Four Hearts (FMS)
• Battle 1 (BMS)
• Battle 2 (BMS)
• Mambo de Chocobo (FMS)
• Harvest (FMS)

FINAL FANTASY VII

• Opening - Bombing Mission (BMS)
• Let the Battles Begin! (BMS)
• Fight On! (BMS)
• The Chase (FMS)
• Main Theme of Final Fantasy VII (FMS)

FINAL FANTASY XIII

• Defiers of Fate (BMS)
• Saber’s Edge (BMS)
• Blinded by Light (BMS)
• March of the Dreadnoughts (FMS)
• Desperate Struggle (BMS)

FINAL FANTASY XIV

• Hard to Miss (BMS)
• On Westerly Winds (FMS)
• The Land Breathes (BMS)
• Serenity (FMS)
• Torn from the Heavens (BMS)
• To the Sun (FMS)
• Nemesis (BMS)

FINAL FANTASY XV

• Stand Your Ground (BMS)
• The Fight Is On! (BMS)
• APOCALYPSIS NOCTIS (Uncovered Trailer) (BMS)

The demo is already live in some regions as of this writing, due to time zone differences. But it's important to note that if you want to carry over save data, it's probably a good idea to play the demo in your region.

Theatrhythm Final Bar Line arrives for PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch on February 16, 2023.

The post Theatrhythm Final Bar Line gets a free demo ahead of launch appeared first on Destructoid.

Cblogs of 1/19 to 01/28/2023

-GoofierBrute continues their Games That Time Forgot blogging series with this write-up on Fire Emblem: Fates.

-Spazzzh20 reviews "The Worst Sonic Game Ever" in Sonic Frontiers.

-Exber discusses similar themes in three very different games.

-RoomWithaMoose shares their own gaming award prizes for 2022 in this blog.

-Siddartha85 shares their A-list of games released in 2022.

-Siddartha85 shares their B-list list of movies released in 2022.

-Lord Spencer reviews One as part of his PS1 REVIEWS blogging series.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Chrono Trigger and Latin music.

-Xeo explores the concept of the Horror genre.

-ChronoLynxx opens this week's TGIF community forum for open discussion.

Thanks for all of your fine blogs, opinions, and write-ups, folks, not just this week. We really do appreciate each and every one of them. And thanks to Lord Spencer, as always, for taking the time out of their week to recap them for this here front page. As always, if you wanna join in on the HOT TAKE party for the discourse of 2023, (and there will be discourse), then head on over to the Cblogs section right now. We are aware that the cblog editor has been incredibly testy of late. We apologize. We are hoping we can encourage someone more tech-savvy than ourselves to take a look at it this year.

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