Opoona

[Jormungand]

Thanks to RPGamer for this:

http://www.rpgamer.com/games/other/wii/opoona/opoonamov.html

I don't know how similar (if at all) this is to the first trailer, it's been a long time since I've watched it... either way though, I am sincerely pleased with what I'm hearing. :)

[Pastor Of Muppets]

AFAIK this game sold really low numbers in Japan.. (what did they expect, they released it the same day as Super Mario Galaxy)
What are the odds of a soundtrack release?
If it doesn't get a soundtrack, then I hope someone will rip the music because this seems like such an interesting project from Sakimoto, the music cannot go unheard.

[Lierre]

Music compose & Supervise
Hitoshi Sakimoto

Sound Direction
Masaaki Kaneko

Music compose & Arrange
Masaharu Iwata
Mitsuhiro Kaneda
Kimihiro Abe
Noriyuki Kamikura
Manabu Namiki

Sound Management
Miki Ito

Emience Symphony Orchestra and many perfomers are credited too. Either way, the score is inexplicably critically acclaimed (maybe influenced by a Famitsu review?) so we can call this Basicape's most successful work to date. Given their and Five Record's recent amazing efforts for releasing soundtracks, we'll see a soundtrack published near the future.

[Jormungand]

And here I was looking forward to a solo Sakimoto score for once... oh well. Thanks for the info Lierre! :)

p.s., at least the cymbals and pizz can't possibly be as rampant as usual considering this score seems to have a good amount of electronica as well as orchestral ;)... it's true that his synth-orchestral tracks are growing extremely monotonous.^^;;

[Pastor Of Muppets]

It would be nice to have a solo Sakimoto work again but I don't mind if his Basiscape buddies help out as long as the credits for every track is given so we know who is who.:) (which didn't happen with Grim Grimoire)
I recently heard the Deltora Quest score and aside from Sakimoto, Kaneda did a really excellent job just like on Odin Sphere, he is really coming into his own as a composer and has a distinct sound and style.
I think he actually sounds a bit like Hamauzu.

BTW, someone uploaded a new video of Opoona, there is zero cymbals or pizz in this video at least:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4iBmJyJC4Y

[Lierre]

BTW, someone uploaded a new video of Opoona, there is zero cymbals or pizz in this video at least:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4iBmJyJC4Y

The normal battle theme your video includes has both pizzicato and cymbals (the contrabass in the introduction though is a bit hard to hear in your video..?). I like the normal battle theme, but maybe it too much resembles this (http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=eUFWaauGPCs)? :p

I've not got round to hearing the rip yet, but it sounded good. Some tracks are still obsessed with (Bartók) pizzicato, (Chinese) cymbal or wind chimes, like the final boss theme or the staff credit, but whatever. Opoona is most likely classified as Basiscape's representative work. Despite (due to?) the poor sales, the game is also very (in)famous, and hopefully more game companies will expect them to release like this, rather than another FFXII or FFT.

[Ovelia]

I actually have the same worry as Lierre here. I regard Opoona as the best Basiscape effort in 2007. I generally like orchestral music better but this is just amazing from top to bottom. And really Sakimoto in orchestral mode is growing stagnant these days, perhaps due to so much work in a year...

[squaretex]

I've been a very "bad boy"...I came across the rip, and listened to it. I'll just give it to you straight...this baby NEEDS to be released officially. As with Odin Sphere, the music is so good that I WANT to buy it, rips or no, because Sakimoto and company should be rewarded for such a sterling effort!

C'mon, Basiscape...help us all do the right thing!!! :D

[Jormungand]

More videos @ rpgamer (first four from the top are new):

http://www.rpgamer.com/games/other/wii/opoona/opoonamov.html

Music gets a thumbs-up so far. There had better be a soundtrack release! The gameplay videos 1 & 2 sound like Sakimoto; the 3rd most definitely does not, but is really cool nonetheless. The trailer is the same one we've seen, just with English text. I'm very certain all the BGM featured in the trailer belong to Sakimoto.

On an unrelated note, this game looks amazingly stupid.