Battle Bards

It has been a good long while since the Battle Bards walked the road that led them from the Shire to Mordor, but now they're back in Lord of the Rings Online -- and they have a lot of positive things to say about this beloved soundtrack. If the word "quaint" can ever be used as a recommendation for a score, it has to be done so here! Tune in as these three Minstrels share a few favorite tracks you...

Boy howdy, is it time for another highfalutin Battle Bards episode? Shucks, looks like! In this week's show, the trio saddle up for a ride through the tumbleweeds and mesas of western MMO tunes. It may be slim pickins, but the pickins are actually pretty good! Episode 138 show notes (show page, direct download) Intro (feat. "Renewal" from Fallen Earth, "Ashe" from Overwatch, and "Crimson Hills" fr...

The Amiga series of computers is renowned for its amazing sound -- and the terrific scores that video game composers were able to wrangle. In this episode of Retro Reprise, Syl joins Syp for a look and listen back at this machine and the tunes that carry on its legacy! Show notes  Intro (feat. "Space Ninja" from Lotus 3) "Theme" from Deflektor "Ending" from Fuzzball "Hymn to Aurora" from Horace Wi...

What's your hero's theme? If you play League of Legends, you know the answer to that already, because every hero in that game has his, her, or its own musical motif, from the dour to the delightful. In this episode of Battle Bards, the crew turns to this popular MOBA to see what heroic themes are pure ear candy. Episode 137 show notes Intro (feat. "Elementalist Lux," "Odyssey Login," and "Snowdown...

Ever feel like the Battle Bards have covered every MMO soundtrack in existence? It's actually far from true, and today's episode is Exhibit A to prove it. The team looks at seven online RPGs that have never had a single track featured on a Battle Bards show -- and it's a fun discovery process! So settle back as we roll out 100% debuts! Episode 136 show notes Intro (feat. "Terminus" from Pantheon a...

It's Battle Bards vs. Battle for Azeroth -- and only one victor will come out of this alive! Actually, the podcast trio is delighted to have another World of Warcraft expansion to explore and investigate. Will it be destined to obscurity as this x-pack apparently will be, or does the score rise above and beyond Blizzard's design flaws? Find out in today's show! Episode 135 show notes Intro (feat....

On this episode of Retro Reprise, Syl drags Syp back to her childhood playing on the Atari ST -- and the tunes that made this machine so memorable. Do these tracks withstand the test of time? Find out -- if you dare! Show notes Intro "Theme" from Wizball "Theme" from Toki "In-Game Music" from Bubble Bobble "Theme" from Wonderboy in Monsterland "Theme" from Mousetrap "Theme" from Xenon 2: Megablast...

It's beginning to sound a lot like Christmas! And, er, Halloween! Well, the Battle Bards were never much for subtlety, so you must excuse their efforts to sandwich two holidays -- and their related MMO soundtracks -- into one amazing yet confusing show. Whether you like to be spooked or Santa'd, this episode's got the score for you! Episode 134 show notes  Intro (feat. "Xmas Jazz Theme" from Linea...

The sparkling majesty of space beckons to the hearts of the Battle Bards -- and up there they discover the Star Citizen soundtrack! In today's episode, Syl establishes that she's not a "scifi nerd," Syp causes an international crisis, and the team comes together to hand out praise to this rich score.  Episode 133 show notes (show page, direct download) Intro (feat. "Main Theme," "A Symphony in Mot...

Steam-powered tech, airships, clockwork machines, and automata are the source of inspiration for this week's episode of Battle Bards! The team scrounged the landscape of MMOs for music from and inspired by steampunk games. It's a wild grab bag of themes, so fire up your phonographs and give it a listen! Episode 132 show notes Intro (feat. "Operation Gnomeregan" from World of Warcraft, "The Refugee...

It's been a year-and-a-half since Syl and Syp first dove into Final Fantasy music, but now the duo is back to discuss combat themes from four of the game's 1990s installments! From One-Winged Angel to The Man with a Machine Gun, it's all the classics you've been listening to -- and adoring -- for years, packaged with exclusive fan commentary! Show notes (episode download, episode page) Intro FFV:...

It may be a fairly grim MMOARPG, but Path of Exile features a surprisingly, well, grim soundtrack. Guess that wasn't that much of a surprise! This episode, the Battle Bards wade into the fracas of this rather expansive soundtrack to see what audio treasure has been dropped by the zerg of mobs. Episode 131 show notes Intro (feat. "Main Theme," "The Overseer's Tower," and "The Ascent" ) "Fall of Ori...

While every Battle Bards episode is a cavalcade of strangeness, this week the team is ratcheting it up with the return of "Oddball" MMORPG music tracks. If there's a piece of music that made one of the hosts tilt their heads to the side and go "whaaat the what is this?" then rest assured, it's on this show! Episode 130 show notes (show page, direct download) Intro (feat. "Robo Factory" from The Si...

In today's episode, the Battle Bards crew row their dinghy to the island of Vvardenfell, where there is a rumor of the legend of the return of Morrowind. Yes, it's a tour through Elder Scrolls Online's first expansion soundtrack. Will it be enough to reverse a few negative opinions of the base MMO's score? (spoiler: yes indeedy!) Episode 129 show notes Intro (feat.  "Ascadian Idyll," "Omens Prophe...

Why not sail up to our dock and tie your ship to ours for an hour? The Battle Bards return for another great episode examining MMORPG music, with the focus this time around being on harbor and port music. Does the sight of boats sailing out into the open ocean inspire you? Then this music may be the soundtrack to your next great adventure! Episode 128 show notes  Intro (feat. "Selbina" from Final...

When you sit down to make a list of the greatest heroes that humanity has ever known, obviously the Battle Bards will top that list. So who better to comment on the music to the sadly neglected superhero MMO Champions Online than they? The trio wiggle into their ill-fitting tights and see if they can make sense of this off-kilter soundtrack before they have to dash out and save the day, yet again....

It's time to boldly go where no podcast has gone before -- by exploring MMO space themes! It's perhaps the flat-out goofiest and silliest Battle Bards episode to date, so you're going to have to excuse a whole lot of diversions, arguments, and giggles. Because that's what space does to people? We do not know. This episode is also notable for Syl's all-time greatest quote, "Planets are usually in s...

The Battle Bards are always on the prowl for overlooked soundtracks from overlooked MMORPGs, and this week, they might have found a new one to share. Meet Archlord, a Korean title from 2005 that made very little waves in the west. Yet the music is pretty good and worthy of a listen. If you like epic high fantasy, then you're going to love today's episode! Episode 125 show notes  Intro (feat. "Main...

It's a catch-all, catch-up episode for the Battle Bards as they dig through new soundtrack releases from MMORPGs that they've covered in the past! You may be prepared for an eclectic and enjoyable mix of music -- but there is no way that you can steel yourself for the raw and heartfelt confessions that take place on this show. Episode 124 show notes (show page, direct download) Intro (feat. "Tirag...

With eagerness in their hearts, the Battle Bards rush toward another Guild Wars 2 soundtrack, ready to bask in the aural glory of this MMO that's known for its incredible music. But hark! What is this Path of Fire? Join us for a listen through a soundtrack that one unnamed soundtrack reviewer has termed "bland and generic." If that isn't a back-of-the-box quote, we don't know what is! Episode 123...

In peaceful villages and bubbly burgs, you just know that there's bound to be an abundance of happy music! Whenever the Battle Bards regroup to lick their wounds and drink the terrors away, they often find that happy town music is perfect to soothe jangled nerves and re-center one's heroism. There's plenty of those tunes in today's episode, so recoup with them as they listen to the songs of the co...

The world's first, best, and only MMORPG music podcast is back to venture into a rather obscure title, Myst Online ! The Battle Bards delve into this odd, atmospheric soundtrack that isn't quite like what we're used to hearing in online games. There's some love, some hate, some snark, and some indigestion. Also, we discover several of Syl's greatest fears and force her to live through them. Episod...

After an incredibly long absence, Retro Reprise is back for a kind of weird episode -- but aren't those the best? On this week's show, Syp listens to many video game studio logos and fanfares from the 1990s. These jingles may be short, but we heard them so many times they became burned into our brains! Which one was your favorite? Show notes Intro (Sega Scream commercial) Origin Systems Rare Capco...

Look down -- and it'll be the last thing you'll ever see! That's because fury and death arrive in the form of short character races in MMORPGs. Even if they hit below the belt, their music is sweet to the ears! In this episode of Battle Bards, the crew take on themes from Gnomes, Halflings, Dwarves, and other short races in MMOs. Episode 120 show notes  Intro (feat. "Dwarf Tavern" from World of Wa...

Believe it or not, it's the Battle Bards' fifth anniversary! From its weirdly humble beginnings back in 2013 to our arrogant ramblings here in 2018, coverage of MMO music must continue! In today's episode, we'll be listening to a surprisingly good soundtrack: Skyforge. Yes, that Russian sci-fi MMO from the Allods team that lets you grow into your ego as a god. Groove on these tunes and see if ther...