Music to Level Up Your Day: Wild Arms

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 complete list of these can be found on the Video Game Music page.

Composer: Michiko Naruke (Wild Arms 1, 2, 3 & 4)
Masato Kouda (Wild Arms 4, 5)
Nobuyuki Shimizu (Wild Arms 4)
Ryuta Suzuki (Wild Arms 4)
Noriyasu Agematsu (Wild Arms 5)

Singer: Machiko Watanabe (Wild Arms 1)
Naoki Takao (Wild Arms 1)
Shinichi Naruke (Wild Arms 1)
Kaori Asoh (Wild Arms 1, 2, 3, 4)
Nana Mizuki (Wild Arms 5)

Each story takes place on a planet called Filgaia, which contains deserts, plains, forests, mountains, and arctic tundras. The wilderness that encompasses most of the landscape is inhabited by dangerous beasts and ruins from an earlier era. Most of the games are centered around the restoration of the environment after it was tainted by warfare or natural phenomena, and feature technology-reliant villains that would destroy the world to suit their needs. Special firearms ("Arms") created with ancient technology can be used to protect or destroy life, and are used as a plot point within each game to establish a character's true nature and motives.

Because the Wild Arms setting is a mashup of classic western intermixed with fantasy the soundtracks drew heavy inspiration from spaghetti westerns. Synthesized instruments are featured alongside mandolins, acoustic and electric guitars, woodwind instruments, finger cymbals, and trumpets. The unusual inclusion of whistling in many of the game tracks has gone on to become an iconic part of the series' identity.

Into the Wilderness | (Main Theme - Wild Arms)

You'll Never Be Alone No Matter Where You Go | (Main Theme - Wild Arms 2)

Migratory Birds ~ Scoundrels | (Overworld Theme - Wild Arms 3)

I Look Up To The Sky Because You Are There | (Boss Theme - Wild Arms 4)

A Boy Meets A Girl And ARMS | (Battle Theme - Wild Arms 5)

The Vth Vanguard | (Main Theme - Wild Arms 5)

"A sword is made for cutting and a spear for stabbing. Mercy is precious, but mercy can also be an indulgence in a world like ours." -Jack Van Burace

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