Battle Bards Episode 158: Winter returns

Do you feel a little… frozen this winter season? Winter is something amazing to behold, especially when video game composers attempt to capture its unique magic in their songs. Today, let the Battle Bards warm up your bones and your ears with tunes from the snowy vales and icy wastes of MMORPGs!

Episode 158 show notes (show page, direct download)

• Intro (feat. “Another World (Winter Journey)” from Aion, “The Long Winter” from Asheron’s Call 2, and “Sorceress of Melted Snow” from Allods Online)
• “Sea of Snow” from Runes of Magic
• “Violet’s First Adventure” from RuneScape
• “The Snow Falls” from Pantheon
• “Winter Night Crystal” from Black Desert
• “Ice Cave (Day)” from Trickster Online
• “A Perfect Snowball” from Spiral Knights
• “Dazzling Snow” from Ragnarok Online
• Which one did we like most?
• Listener notes: Liraven and Spookydonkey24
• Jukebox Picks: “Floor 2-2” from Streets of Rogue, “Main Theme” from The Invisible Hours, and “Holders of Power” from Ys 1 & 2
• Outro (feat. “Winter Wonderland” from Ashes of Creation)

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Battle Bards Episode 157: Chronicles of Spellborn

An odd, offbeat, and short-lived MMO, Chronicles of Spellborn hardly registered on most of the gaming community’s consciousness. However, this fantasy title has not escaped the attention of the Battle Bards, especially with Assassin Creed’s Jesper Kyd composing most of the score. It’s a strange score, with plenty of otherworldly tunes, but just perfect for this team to tackle!

Episode 157 show notes (show page, direct download)

• Intro (feat. “Main Theme,” “Lullaby,” and “Palace at Night”)
• “Armada Combat”
• “Stonedeep”
• “Aldenvault”
• “Silent Child”
• “Gleaming Cauldron Tavern”
• “Fountain”
• “Traitor’s Rest Tavern”
• Which one did we like most?
• Listener notes: Katriana
• Jukebox Picks: “Afterimage” from Einhänder, “Main Theme” from Yonder, and “Colored Engine” from FAR: Lone Sails
• Outro (feat. “Housing”)
• Stinger: Battle Bards’ t-shirt store

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Battle Bards Episode 156: Feeling blue

Is blue a color? An emotion? A song? An overused alien skin tone? One thing is for certain: Blue shows up an awful lot in MMORPG soundtrack, which is why the Battle Bards have mined their music libraries for the bluest of blue tunes to share. Will they come to a conclusion as to what “blue” means? And will Steff ever let go of a grudge? Probably never, but it’ll be a fun listen even so!

Episode 156 show notes (show page, direct download)

• Intro (feat. “Blue Dots” from Anarchy Online, “Limitless Blue” from FFXIV, and “Engage Blue” from Stargate Worlds)
• “Sapphire Basin” from Blade and Soul
• “The Tune of the Azure Light” from MapleStory
• “Synthquest Blue” from Star Citizen
• “Legend of the Blue Horizon” from WildStar
• “Blue Coral Dark” from Lime Odyssey
• “Blue Kojin Tribe” from Final Fantasy XIV
• “Cobalt Deep” from Vanguard
• Which one did we like most?
• Listener notes: Zinn and Zoward
• Jukebox Picks: “Brazil (Atomic Era)” Civilization VI, “Main Theme” from Old Man’s Journey, and “Interred Glory” from Bloodstained
• Outro (feat. “Blue Giant” from Elite Dangerous)
• Stinger: Battle Bards’ t-shirt store

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Battle Bards Episode 155: FFXIV Shadowbringers

Welcome to the “Cursed Episode” of Battle Bards, where you’ll be risking bad luck and poor RNG rolls just by hearing it! But it is totally worth it, because this week the trio is tackling the astounding Shadowbringers soundtrack and it’s impressive addition to the FFXIV music library. Also, if you listen very, very carefully, a certain “la-HEE” might make a cameo!

Episode 155 show notes (show page, direct download)

• Intro (feat. “Prologue,” “Amaro Mount Theme,” and “Figments”)
• “The Source”
• “Civilizations”
• “Kholusia Night”
• “The Dark Which Illuminates the World”
• “Vamo’ alla Flamenco”
• “Unwound”
• “Insatiable”
• Which one did we like most?
• Listener notes: Zinn and Katriana
• Jukebox Picks: “Hear Our Call” from Ancestor’s Legacy, “Gateway Galaxy” from Super Mario Galaxy, and “Menu (Ramp Mix)” from Tron Run_r
• Outro (feat. “Hades Theme”)

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Retro Reprise Episode 19: The music of Halloweens past

Do you remember what Halloween looked like when you were a kid? What about what it sounded like? In today’s special edition of Retro Reprise, Syp returns to the Halloweens of the past to listen to some of the best themes from horror video games. It might not all be scary, but don’t let your guard down too quickly — your doom might lurk just around the next note!

Retro Reprise Episode 19: The music of Halloweens past (direct download, show page)

• Intro
• “The Attic” from A Nightmare on Elm Street (NES)
• “Main Theme” from Alone in the Dark (PC)
• “Boss Battle” from Zombies Ate My Neighbors (SNES)
• “Don’t Cry, Jennifer” from Clock Tower (SNES)
• “Demon Forest” from Super Castlevania IV (SNES)
• “Stage One” from Ghosts ‘n’ Goblins (Arcade)
• “Save Room” from Resident Evil 2 (PS)
• “Not Tomorrow” from Silent Hill (PS)
• Outro (feat. “Ending Credits” from Night Trap)

Battle Bards Episode 154: Death and decay

Get an early jump on Halloween with the Battle Bards, as they grab the nearest shovel and start unearthing all sorts of morbid and macabre tunes from MMORPGs! In this grim grinning episodes, Syl, Steff, and Syp explore the musical side of the afterlife in online games. Listen to it… at your own peril.

Episode 154 show notes (show page, direct download)

• Intro (feat. “Paths of the Dead” from Lord of the Rings Online, “Graverobbing” from RuneScape, and  “Dead Forest” from Vanguard)
• “Crypt of Decay” from EverQuest
• “Secrets in a Shallow Grave” from Fallen Earth
• “Graveyard” from World of Warcraft
• “Silent Death” from The Secret World 
• “Korriban Tombs” from Star Wars: The Old Republic
• “Lullaby of Death” from Runes of Magic
• “Graveyard” from Neverwinter
• Which one did we like most?
• Listener notes: Mark
• Jukebox Picks: “Summer Day” from Radical Dreamers, “Create-a-Sim” from The Sims 4: Island Living, and “A New Adventure” from Hytale
• Outro (feat. “Death” from Ryzom)
• Stinger:

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Battle Bards Episode 153: Elder Scrolls Online Summerset

Gryphons, Elves, and gobs and gobs of singing people — that’s Elder Scrolls Online: Summerset for ya! The Battle Bards return to Tamriel to rate and review the second expansion soundtrack from ESO. Aside from practically non-stop choral contributions, the Bards quite enjoy this trip to a high fantasy land full of wonder and power.

Episode 153 show notes (show page, direct download)

• Intro (feat. “Even Paradise Has Shadows,”  “Here Be Wonders,” and “Interlude”)
• “From the Abysses Below and Beyond”
• “Past Defines Future”
• “Gryphons Soar in the Sun”
• “Dusk Song of the High Elves”
• “Sun-Blessed Alinor”
• “Masque of Reveries”
• “Three Hearts Afire”
• Which one did we like most?
• Listener notes: Castegere and Bhagpuss
• Jukebox Picks: “Main Theme” from Gears of War 5, “Outer Wilds” from Outer Wilds, and “The Wind Sings of a Journey” from Legend of Mana
• Outro (feat. “The Lullaby of Praxis”)
• Stinger:

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