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Welcome to GamesRadar's daily blast of all things pertaining to the ever-growing field of game music. Each post will introduce new sounds, games, composers and fan-made remixes of gaming's greatest aural achievements.
April 13, 2010
Above: Persona 4's memorable characters, excellent story, and brilliant battle system were all perfectly complimented by its amazing soundtrack
Game: Persona 4
Song: Reach Out to the Truth
Composer: Shōji Meguro
Above: A cut from “Reach Out to the Truth” from Persona 4
The best battle music never gets old, but it’s so easy to forget about it. This single track is one of the most important and memorable pieces of music in every RPG. It’s what keeps you motivitated to hang in there for that one last quest before you reach that final save point after a long session of leveling up for the day. But most importantly, it’s what keeps you pumped up to fight again and again no matter how many times you beat down the same bad guys with the same party of characters - and when it comes to battle music, Persona 4’s got one of the best tracks of all time.Fueled by hard power chords and tasty licks just before the catchy keyboard solo kicks in, Persona 4's battle score, "Reach Out to the Truth," grabs you by the throat and never lets go. Plus, it loops nicely, which is a must for any song that needs to carry you through the lengthly battles JRPGs are known for.
Above: Happiness is listening to "Reach Out to the Truth" while Kanji beats up a demon with his school desk
But despite high review scores and the series' loyal fan base, many RPG fans missed out on this amazing Atlus title and that’s a shame, because Persona 4 didn't just have one of the most overlooked soundtracks in JRPG history, it was one of the best JRPGs of all time. Period. The fact that it released so late in the PlayStation 2’s lifecycle couldn’t have helped either. North American fans didn’t get their localized version until December 9, 2008, and European fans had to wait till March 13, 2009 for their release. Strangers to the recent Persona titles are only beginning to get glimpses of the Persona 3 remake, "Persona 3 Portable," on the PSP - and with recent news that Atlus has just begun work on Persona 5, we're wondering if the series will always be doomed to delivering fanservice to just a select group of loyal fans.
Above: In case you can't tell, Chie is our favorite Persona 4 character. But Teddie was GamesRadar's choice for the sexiest character of 2008
That's why we're hoping to bring some Okami-like love to the great tracks in this RPG gem. In addition to this kickass battle track, all of Persona 4’s songs were composed by Shōji Meguro, who has done work for many Atlus games, including: Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey, Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner 2, and Persona 3. But his work in Persona 4 is by far our favorite. Give the battle music a listen and tell us what you think.
Above: An excellent cover of “Reach Out to the Truth” by shiningwizard327. Check out his YouTube channel, his rendition of “Heartbeat, HeartBreak,” and lots of other great game music guitar covers
April 13, 2010
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Game music of the day: Super Castlevania IV
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Game music of the day: seven amazing cover bands
The Advantage, Entertainment System and more!
