Castlevania: Nocturne is an American animated television series based on the video game series of the same name. It acts as a stand-alone follow up to the Netflix Castlevania animated series and loosely adapts the 1993 video game Rondo of Blood and its remake Dracula X, with elements taken from Symphony of the Night and Harmony of Dissonance. Select characters from the game Bloodlines also make an appearance.
Spoiler Warning: I am going to give a synopsis of each episode and my opinions at the very end.
I don't know much about musical theory, nor am I a musically inclined person. However, I do love to listen to video game soundtracks. They can be a powerful listening experiences in their own right, or be as evocative as the scores composed for film. Each of these posts will feature a sampling of music tracks from a single game title, or series/franchise in some rare cases.
A human named Alear awakens with amnesia from a thousand year slumber. Through the years they were protected by their mother - a divine white dragon, who is embroiled in a conflict with the dark fell dragon Sombron. Twelve magical "Emblem Rings" can be "Engaged" with to gain power from phantom-like beings from other worlds (past Fire Emblem games), which Sombron plans to use to conquer the world. As Alear regains their memories, they recall being adopted by the white dragon after fleeing from their biological father - Sombron.
Both the opening theme, Emblem Engage!, and the ending theme, Fiery Bonds, make allusions to past Fire Emblem protagonists by incorporating their Emblem ring incantations into the lyrics. Emblem Engage! further references the nations of Elyos (Engages' world) and the respective rings they safeguard.
I don't know much about musical theory, nor am I a musically inclined person. However, I do love to listen to video game soundtracks. They can be a powerful listening experiences in their own right, or be as evocative as the scores composed for film. Each of these posts will feature a sampling of music tracks from a single game title, or series/franchise in some rare cases.
Composer: Darren Korb
Singer: Ashley Barrett
North American Release Date: September 17, 2020
Zagreus, the son of Hades, attempts to escape from the Underworld to reach Mount Olympus, but Hades hinders him by unleashing monsters. Zagreus' adoptive mother Nyx puts him in contact with his relatives on Olympus in order to aid Zagreus in discovering the truth about his birth mother.
No Escape | (Main Theme)
Out of Tartarus | (Area Theme)
Lament of Orpheus | (Character Song)
God of the Dead | (Boss Theme)
In the Blood | (Credits Theme)
Good Riddance | (Character Song)
"You're nothing like your father. I mean that as a compliment. He cut himself off from the rest of us. Many times have we attempted peace, to no avail." - Athena
Video game worlds are filled with mysteries and stories that beckon us to explore thier uncharted lands, to venture into the unknown and discover what's out there. These virtual worlds can so beautiful, so "alive", and awe inspiring that I sometimes have to stop to really take it in. Naturally some are more memorable than others, and these tend to be the ones that push boundries - technologically and/or artistically.
All screenshots were taken from the vanilla game; no modifications were installed. Photo mode was used when available.
I don't know much about musical theory, nor am I a musically inclined person. However, I do love to listen to video game soundtracks. They can be a powerful listening experiences in their own right, or be as evocative as the scores composed for film. Each of these posts will feature a sampling of music tracks from a single game title, or series/franchise in some rare cases.
Composer: Takeru Kanazaki, Hiroki Morishita, Rei Kondoh,
Singer: Caro, Buttercup, and Hyemi Kim
North American Release Date: July 26, 2019
Three ruling powers: an empire, a kingdom, and an alliance are at peace due to their connections to the Garreg Mach Monastery, which houses a church and a school for students from each nation. Byleth, a former mercenary turned professor aids their students through their studies and into an eventual war initiated by the empire.
The main theme, "Edge of Dawn", was given different names in different regions. The Japanese and Korean titles, "Seasons of Warfare" or "Girl of Hresvelg ~Wind, Flower, Snow, Moon~" make reference to Japanese and Chinese poems about the passage of time, and the inclusion of "Hresvelg" indicates that the song is either about or from the point of view of the empire's leader, Edelgard.
"Killing is part of the job, but even so... There are times when I am chilled to the bone by the depravity of my own actions." - Dimitri Alexandre Bladud
