@BadKarma: I wanted to pay respect to the old school retro themes used in previous games, I remember being drawn into the worlds thanks to the music playing from the instruments and fantasy sounding themes.  While Mana games were whimsy the overall stories were very emotional driven and Visions is no different.  I wanted my tracks to showcase that side as well when it came to creating them.

@ajfox: Old school never dies, it just evolves into something new but as the saying goes.  There is no school like old school and till the day I die that saying will live on.

@Thorvald: While PC has a ton of memorable games I imagine, console players also were blessed with some of the most amazing games that catered to every genre of gamer who grew up console based like myself.  Mana series originally got its start as a Final Fantasy game but because it was so vastly different then the actual game series, it was decided it would be a spin off.  The first game to come to America that was from the Mana series was Final Fantasy Adventure, it had all the tell tale signs of a JARPG from the start but what seperated it from Final Fantasy was the music, it was not your usual Nobuo Umeatsu masterpieces but something entirely differnt and from the opening theme you could hear this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfiC3ZQcEpo&list=PLpgnfUv1WJmFrTJmpGl93L2CGXig1xsFX

From this theme alone a new game series was being birthed, it was then in August 6th 1993 Square Soft released the VERY FIRST JARPG to the Super Nintendo with a multiplayer game Secret of Mana.  It was a phoenominal success for Square and while not as touted as highly as Final Fantasy, garnered a very devoted fanbase who has continued to follow the series to this very day.  I am one of those devoted to keeping the Mana Tree Alive and Well.

@Jinx: Hi and thank you! Yes Visions is a FANTASTIC game I am 34 hours in soaking up EVERY single detail and every sight I can in such a well designed and beautiful world that is Visisions locals.  The music while not horrible DOES have a few pieces of music that really do stand close to the Mana series as a whole but something about the orchestration just feels a bit off for me.  I am speaking mainly as a music composer whose goal it is to know what makes a music track in a famous video game or movie soundtrack just work.

I think Visions still has a truly magnificent soundtrack and the composer is to be commended but again when you put it next to other games in the mana series soundtracks, it's just not as memorable does not mean there are not some absolutely excellent pieces of music,  it almost at times feels like a Mana soundtrack while others times it feels like a generic fantasy trope style music.  For me its a mixed bag but none of it is terrible by any means.

I am sure any Mana fan will enjoy what Visions has to offer in terms of scope and the heart wrenching storyline as well as the excellent battle mechanics and the keeping true to what makes a Mana game stand out from most JARPGs.

@XxTheCreativeKitsunexX: That's a bummer. But, just saying, I'd love to have the opportunity to buy/download this track. 😉 (and probably more of your work, I just haven't taken the time to listen to more yet.)