Battle Bards

"A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away..." With those words, you know you're in for a rollicking good adventure -- and some impressive and spellbinding music to match! On today's episode, the Battle Bards return to Star Wars: The Old Republic to look at the music of the recent expansions. Has the Force been with this MMO's soundtrack? I've got a bad good feeling about this! Episode 96 show not...

Are they music critics or funky spelunkers? Today, the Battle Bards are both as they delve into the secrets of MMORPG cave and cavern music. It may not be a part of these games that you think about muchly, but underground spaces tend to be assigned their own unique sounds and themes. Let's check them out! Episode 95 show notes Intro (feat. "Cave of Wonders" from Vanguard, "Cave of Life" from Maple...

Do you find the German language to be inherently terrifying? Then you're going to love the soundtrack to this German MMORPG! Actually, it's quite lovely and a diamond in the rough, at least according to some of the Battle Bards. Today's episode ventures into territory marked by a drakensang -- a "dragon's song" -- and emerges refreshed and renewed. Episode 94 show notes Intro (feat. "Overture," "W...

It's taken this long, but the Battle Bards have gone completely and irreversibly insane in the membrane! Today the team cracks open the door of the MMO music funhouse to see what off-kilter, crazy, and manic tunes may be found. WARNING: Once you've entered the asylum, you might find yourself a resident... for life! Episode 93 show notes Intro (feat. "Cutely Grotesque and Certifiably Insane" from W...

Strap in for a fiery ride across the skies in today's episode of Battle Bards! While Dragon's Prophet was not fated to last long -- at least in North America -- it did leave behind a treasure trove of music that we've only started to dig into. The bards get a little dragonish themselves for this show, perhaps of a different opinion of what constitutes the perfect score for giant flying lizards. Ep...

Take a stroll through the trees and become totally lost in the foliage, drinking in the sounds of the forest with today's show, as the Battle Bards go hiking through the woods to hear the music that they inspire. It's an hour of forest tales on this week's exploration of MMORPG soundtracks, so journey with us from Ultima X to Final Fantasy XI! Episode 91 show notes Intro (feat. "Southern Janost Fo...

Expecto MMOsium! The Battle Bards have donned their robes and taken to casting nasty spells on each other with their wands, all in the spirit of today's soundtrack -- Wizard101. This surprisingly expansive kid MMORPG visits a wide range of genres and has a score to match. But was the experience magical or mundane? Episode 90 show notes  Intro (feat. "Main Theme," "Home Sweet Home," and "Grizzlehei...

Candles will no longer haunt Syp's dreams -- Simon Belmont is here to whip them out of existence once and for all! Oh, and also Dracula. In today's show, Castlevania on the NES gets the star treatment as Syp dives into the music from the gothic horror platformer trilogy. Episode 9: 8-bit Castlevania Intro (feat. "Mansion" from Castlevania II) "Vampire Killer" from Castlevania "Starker" from Castle...

When the sun goes down, the Battle Bards' work has just begun! In this week's episode, the crew explores nighttime music cues in MMOs, chasing the ever-elusive feel of what that period between dusk and dawn sounds like in game. Don't fall asleep! Episode 89 show notes Intro (feat. "Shire Nights" from Lord of the Rings Online and "Moons of Evening Star" from Elder Scrolls Online) "Painted Skies" fr...

The new hotness on the MMO scene is Revelation Online, the Chinese import that has gamers abuzz with its flashy graphics and rounded theme park offerings. But how does its soundtrack hold up? The Battle Bards investigate an eastern game with a western composer -- World of Warcraft's Neal Acree. How does it come off? Episode 88 show notes Intro (feat. "Bamboo Thicket" and  "Imperial Camp" ) "Swamp...

It was the 8-bit console pretty much nobody owned -- and yet has endured longer than any console to date. The Sega Master System has a fascinating history and some (if not a ton of) great chiptunes. Give it a listen and you might learn a thing or two about the video game industry while rocking out to some great VGM! Episode 8: Sega Master System Intro "Side-Crawler's Dance" from Wonder Boy III "Br...

It's high time that the Battle Bards lay prostrate at the feet of their social and intellectual superiors, the high and mighty Elves! Yes, it's a full episode of elven music, a virtual rainbow of harps and swirly magic and slightly grumpy hosts who use this opportunity to unload their gripes against this fantasy race. Episode 87 show notes Intro (feat.  "Teldrassil"  from World of Warcraft and "El...

Jump to hyperspace and turn up the tunes, for Syp is going full-on into Star Control 2's amazing and bizarre soundtrack. It's an oddity among video game scores, even to this day, and much beloved because of it. Episode 7: Star Control 2 Intro "Starbase Commander" "Hyperspace" "Spathi Theme" "Zoq-Fot-Pik Theme" "Slylandro Theme" "Melnorme Theme" Outro ( "Yehat Theme" )

With all of the unbridled love for World of Warcraft's soundtrack on Battle Bards, historically, you know that we couldn't let a new expansion score go without commentary. In this show, the three co-hosts tackle the weighty and lengthy Legion OST, cherry-picking their favorite tunes and confessing all manner of gaming sins. Episode 86 show notes  Intro (feat.  "Kingdoms Will Burn" and "Dalaran Daw...

Syp doesn't hold a monopoly on retro VGM -- far from it! In this episode, he plays a melting pot of listener requests from many eras, platforms, and genres. Want to send in your own requests for a future show? Drop him a line on Twitter @Sypster! Episode 6: Listener requests!  Intro "Song of the Grid" from Ballblazer (Atari 7800) "Volcanic Stage" from Life Force (NES) "Stage Select" from Mega Man...

The desert is calling the Battle Bards, but are they willing to make the trek across these vast wastelands to see if the music is worthwhile or not? Guess co-host Scott joins Syl and Syp for a listen through several desert tracks to see what can be sifted from the sand. Is there treasure below or sun-bleached boredom? Episode 85 show notes Intro (feat.  "Tatooine, the Desert Sands"  from Star Wars...

The name's Syp. Just Syp. And I'm definitely not a super secret agent, nor a covert Russian spy, nor a particularly savvy podcaster. But I do know what I like when it comes to video game music, and 1997's Goldeneye 007 has probably my favorite Nintendo 64 score. It's the perfect soundtrack to all of life's activities, granted that you're infiltrating Cold War-era bases and blowing away scowling te...

Need a podcast with a world sampler? Look no further than this episode, where co-hosts from the USA, Switzerland, and New Zealand join forces to discuss the Ultima Online games -- and yes, there's more than just one! Scott AKA Mylin subs in for Steff this week as the Battle Bards explore three Ultima titles and the fantastic music behind each. Episode 84 show notes  Intro (feat.  "Stones"  from Ul...

One of the most beloved video game soundtracks of all time gets a capital treatment in this episode, thanks to special guest star Syl of Battle Bards. Syl and Syp talk about their memories of the game, favorite picks, and the legacy that this score produced in the 20-odd years since Chrono Trigger's release. Episode 3: Chrono Trigger  Intro (feat. "Title Screen" and "Gato's Song" ) "Battle Theme"...

Triumph and victory -- are they the same thing? Sometimes, but not always. On today's breathtaking episode of Battle Bards, the team tackles triumphant (and victorious!) themes from MMORPGs, trying to nail down what, exactly, makes a track fit in this category. Also, Syl totally breaks the rules of the show's format and she doesn't even apologize. That's how much of a rebel she is. Episode 83 show...

What do you get when you take a space janitor and throw him into head-imploding danger? He dies, an awful lot -- but it's pretty funny when he does! In this episode of Retro Reprise, Syp takes a journey through the Space Quest series and its decidedly quirky soundtrack. Episode 3: Space Quest Intro "Introduction" from Space Quest "Auto-Nav Button" from Space Quest "The Skimmer" from Space Quest "D...

This week on Battle Bards, the crew dips its toes into the "candyland" world of Dragon Nest. It's a game that belies stereotypical expectations, being both dark in theme and rich in music. Of course, Steff declares herself a wet blanket from the onset, but will she be won over by the show's end? Listen and find out! Episode 82 show notes  Intro (feat.  "Dragon Nest - Fluttering Leaves of the Tree...

It's the 25th anniversary of one of the best video game consoles of all time, and to celebrate, Syp is counting down his top 10 favorite Super NES tunes. It's all about personal choice, fond memories, and new discoveries in this second episode of Retro Reprise! Episode 2: Top 10 favorite SNES tunes Intro 10. "The Road is Full of Dangers" from Super Mario RPG 9. "Dark World" from The Legend of Zeld...

They may be ugly. They may be smelly. And they may have no table manners whatsoever. What, we're not talking about the Battle Bards! No, it's actually a reference to the subject matter of today's episode: Goblins, Orcs, and Ogres. The most unglamorous of MMO races get their day in the spotlight, as the co-hosts scrounge through soundtracks to find music that best represents their various cultures....

Is your life a duck blur? Then you're going to need a strong dose of the Duck Tales to get you through it! Woo-ooo! Welcome to Retro Reprise, a brand-new half-hour podcast showcasing classic video game music from the '80s and '90s. For the maiden episode, we look at one of the NES' best soundtracks: Duck Tales. From the moon to the mines of Africa, this soundtrack was rocking it back in 1989 -- an...