Best VGM 251 - Xenogears - Solaris, Eden of Heaven

[pentherapy]

I always saw Solaris as a darker take on the same concept that lay behind Esthar in FF8 - technologically advanced, secretive nations that made the player realise, with surprise, that the entire world wasn't as technologically and sociologically backwards as the parts they'd seen thus far. It's just that whereas Esthar was just isolationist, Solaris was interventionist, elitist, self-serving and dehumanised foreigners. I think it's supposed to represent the "First World" as a whole.

[duckduckmoai]

@pentherapy But the rest of the world in Final Fantasy VIII wasn't really what anyone could call "Technologically backwards". The Gardens, Dollet, the prison, Timber - really, just Winhill and the orphanage could be considered backwards. Behind Esthar, yes, but the technology was still pretty impressive (the whole broadcast thing notwithstanding, since they HAD the technology, but there were reasons given for not using it).

[pentherapy]

@duckduckmoai That's a good point honestly. The relative gap between Esthar and nations such as Galbadia still made for the sort of surprise I was talking about, though. In a way, the same could be said of Xenogears due to the amount of ancient tech floating around - while a lot of its world's population still literally live in mud houses, they DO have giant robots, advanced flight and holograms. I'm just not sure they really understand how they actually work.

[EldestSauce]

SOYLENT GREEN IS PEOPLE!

[Harthos]

I agree with what someone about parts of this being somewhat ominous; like Solaris, it's not ALL happy-lucky. Like at 1:15, for example.

[ArrogantGamer1]

Love the contrast between the Shevat and Solaris theme. Shevat's theme is wistful and unsure, yet has hope within it. On the other hand, Solaris's theme has this jolly, grandiose happiness, sorta like carnival music.

[363Magi]

Solaris, the Dog star, represents the opposite of what we think of as Heaven~

[Imdeadblind]

Mass Effect 2: Humans being used to create Reaper.

Xenogears: Wels/Humans being used to recreate God.

...

[Joernboy]

@Imdeadblind

Xenogears: fighting and talking as measures to advance in the story

Mass Effect 2: fighting and talking as measures to advance in the story

Omg, do you see the pattern?!!?

[Imdeadblind]

@Joernboy The similarities are bizarre. I'm of the belief that ME2 was "at least" influenced by Xenogears.

[Joernboy]

@Imdeadblind Enlighten me. What other "similarities" except this one? o.o

[Imdeadblind]

@Joernboy I saw the questioning of humanities origins to a degree. In ME2 it is discovered that the Reapers are in fact responsible for creating life, all for their own purpose of tearing civilization down again. In Xenogears, Deus is partially responsible for the creation of human life on the planet via Miang. This being said, Deus intended on destroying humanity after its awakening. Deus and the Reapers serve a similar role in this regard. I'll keep rooting through for more similarities.

[Joernboy]

@Imdeadblind They provide technology for the sentient races to gather at the citadel, to destroy their councils at once and use their data to track down every inhabited planet. Nowhere does the game say that the reapers "create" any life. Which would be strange nevertheless, because they need to use the genetic material from the species to create new reapers, not the other way around. I suppose you just want to see similarities. :p

[azulichigo]

this song sounds happy, but I hear a few ominous notes in it.

[RadicalDreamer17]

Love this song ah ah... Seriously, it's so ironic...

You expect something horrific because their rulers are supposed to be evil... and then... a happy-go-lucky song and normal families in the streets. It shows how much the people in Solaris are... like in a cocoon, ignorant of what really is going on (by the way, did you notice it's a bit similar in FF13... and the place IS called Cocoon, ah ah *frankly, they did got inspired by Xeno, I'm sure of it*).

[thisbarb]

Soylent Green baby!

[burningsoul89]

@NessAndLucied well its where all the racist people live so of course theyre goign to build their own little paradise

[NessAndLucied]

@MrMilo13 Thanks for the friends request.

And yes, Skies of Arcadia and Xenogears (and EarthBound and Wild ARMs) were AMAZING. :)

[nstlim]

@NessAndLucied When I heard this song, I thought: wtf this is Solaris? The last time I watched my brother play this game was more than a decade ago, so I don't remember this soundtrack. I thought this soundtrack would sound futuristic. Still, the happy mood of this tune does capture the optimism of the citizens who are ignorant of the reality below.

[pentherapy]

@NessAndLucied But that's exactly how it is in real life! It's just that most of us LIVE in those Solaris-esque countries so we don't notice it.

[Goldsac]

ignorance is bliss!

[adonisiegfried]

Don't Chu be rude Chu me!

[Tristan129]

I wish someone would put all of them into one big archive and upload it for me.

[bregowine]

Man, there are plenty of other tracks from this amazing game that you may consider in the future... I keep rooting for "Awakening"... consider it. Keep up the good work

[TheGazelMinistry]

Another poor choice from Xenogears ...

[xenostar983]

This is my happy music but the place is afully evil, but who cares~

[CinnabonChan]

For something called Eden of Heaven.... it sounds more like somewhere Chu Chu would live.

[GodzillaDeuce]

YES, MOAR XENOGEARS!!!1!!

Good shit. Lovin it.

[Gosaka]

I like this song don't care what people are saying

[grimmace45]

Ah, you don't spend much time there game-wise, neh?

[Prestonian8]

Lsalazar8 is kinda right the first five seconds does sound like mumbos mountain from banjo kazooie the rest is REALLY STUPID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Imdeadblind]

I liked Xenogears soundtrack... It's really fun to compare game composers. I take a look at this and Motoi Sakuraba or Koji Kondo and sigh.

Video game's need music. For me, it makes them stimulating.

Aside from the gameplay and story, that is.

[OrderofXIII]

That's never really been an issue. Every gamer knows that music is a crucial part to video games.

[StonedTroopa]

hey LSalazar watch your mouth...dumbass!

[LSalazar8]

ok, geez, sorry, i only listened to the first 5 seconds, it sounded like mumbos mountain from banjo kazooie. So i appologize to anyone that happened to thumb my comment down.

[Linkzcap]

Yeah, I thought it was, too.

[thetubeaccount]

classic!

[CleverDjembe]

There are lotsa better song in Xenogears IMO, but this one's OK too.

[SupraDarky]

Yeah there are tons of great songs (this is the 3rd one in the list!), I just felt like adding a cheerful one this time. :P

[Sephiko]

It's so cheery and playful, I like it :)