No videogame genre has birthed more bangers than the humble JRPG. I mean, come on, can you even imagine a world where a track like **One Winged Angel** from *Final Fantasy 7* doesn’t exist? Or where we never got to hear a real monk chanting absolute bars over *Metaphor: ReFantazio*’s orchestral battle theme? A timeline where we never get to experience the delicate piano of *Kingdom Hearts*’ **Dearly Beloved** washing over us when booting up the game?
I certainly can’t, which is why I maintain that JRPG music is some of the best in the biz. It kind of has to be, really. Not only will these games probably be some of the longest videogames you ever play—hello to my triple-digit *Persona 5 Royal* playtime—but they’ll also likely take you through every feeling you could ever experience.
With all of those hours spent and the inevitable emotional rollercoaster that comes with them, JRPG soundtracks are delightfully diverse audio experiences. You get calming tunes that let you take a breather in town hubs, devastatingly sad strings to really pour salt in the wound of tragic moments, all swelling up into epic numbers as you slash your way through enemies or carefully ponder over attacks and skills in a menu.
I love how an entire JRPG’s identity can be told just through a select few tracks, too. Look at **Persona 3, Persona 4, and Persona 5**—rocking hip-hop/rock, J-Pop-inspired, and jazz soundtracks respectively—games which are absolutely oozing with personality thanks in no small part to how strong their music is.
It would be remiss of me not to touch upon **Final Fantasy**, too—my personal entry into JRPGs and where some of my all-time favorite songs lie. Most people will say *Final Fantasy 7*, but I absolutely adore *Final Fantasy 10*’s gorgeous music. **To Zanarkand** makes me well up every time I hear the first few notes of its piano, while the rip-roaring guitar of **Overworld** makes me believe for just a second that Blitzball isn’t as terrible as I’ve long deemed it to be.
Maybe your personal crowning king of JRPGs is a little less obvious. I’ve always maintained that Falcom is one of the underrated gems of excellent videogame music—the *Ys* series is home to some of the most incredible scores I’ve ever had the pleasure of listening to.
But what do you think? Which JRPG soundtrack does the best job of tugging at your heartstrings *and* getting you pumped up for battle all at once? Which one immediately brings up all the fuzzy feelings of nostalgia whenever a few notes of its main theme plays? Which would easily beat up all the other JRPGs in a fight if it had to?
Let us know in the comments and be sure to tell us why!
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/debate-whats-the-greatest-jrpg-soundtrack-of-all-time/
