X1 Rothbart is actually pretty easy to avoid tho, X2's compressed fields and large aggro ranges made Rothbart a mandatory party wipe check at the worst of times
The best thing about this songs is that it feels like a final boss theme, and you’re throwing out powerful attacks and winning. But in-game, you accidentally bumped into a 21 foot tall cow, and now the cow is trying to kill you, and it’s winning.
My older brother made me play this game, and I was way too stubborn trying to kill the first unique monster (keep in mind shulk still had the junk sword at the time)
So, what's amazing about this composition is that the first minute or so is absolute shred, complete aggression. It's foreboding and intense. Then, about 1 minute in, the tone changes. It starts to feel triumphant as the second guitar lick comes in. It feels more hopeful and intense. If you fight an enemy and you're weak, you'll die before you hear the triumphant part. You've been beaten by the intensity. If you have a chance of beating the enemy, you'll get to the triumphant encouraging part and go on to victory. INCREDIBLE.
Exactly. That is the true artisanship behind this track and what makes the battle themes across all of the Xenoblade games so effective in general I would say. The composers just seem to have a knack for conceptualizing when the themes should transition from "I dunno about this guys..." to "Yo, we got this!" and every time I've experienced it myself in game it has been such a powerful feeling. Truly an epic feat of music in video games!
Personally, I'd say it's when the horns kick in that the triumphant part starts. Pumps you up and basically says, "You've made it this far, you might have a chance at this!"
This song is honestly perfect. The fantastic start builds tension, the bridge kind of lets it go just a bit and leads you on, and then it just lets the guitarist let loose at 1:03 for one of if not THE most epic chorus in any battle theme ever. Then it slowly lets it transition back into the build up so it can loop.
Plushfire5 There's a certain type of monster known as a “Unique Monster”. They're like super powerful versions of regular enemies. Optional bosses. This song plays when you fight one.
If its not Gaur Plains, this is the definitively most iconic song in the game. It's even the series' victory theme in Smash. Even if it can't be considered as iconic as Gaur Plain, this was the single thing that introduced me to the franchise, as well as some of my favourite games, characters, settings, quotes and musical pieces of all time. This song already has a "love" status from being an incredibly important song to my connection to the franchise, but this song is not just that, it's a phenomenal piece of music. I've heard this song way too many times in my life, but despite this, it never gets old. I've battled unique monsters so many times now that if this were almost any other song, I'd want to kill myself, but this song's so good, I don't think I'll ever stop loving it as much as the first time I heard it. On the surface, it sounds like a generic rock song, but while I think it isn't a special little snowflake or anything like that, it does everything your typical song like this does except better. The melody is insanely catchy, only helped by the incredibly hectic pace and intense melodies. There's a decent amount of contrast between the incredibly intense parts, like the heavenly 1:03, which is arguably one of my favourite choruses of any piece of video game music, and the slightly quieter, yet equally intense parts. I could go on for much, much longer about how phenomenal of a song this is, but nothing can quite do this song justice as flat out hearing it. Yet despite this, this is without a doubt, my least favourite Unique Monster theme in the series, something that just sounds wrong to say.
@@AoiiHana i actually managed to do it as i had leveled up a bit and was equal to the mosnter level but as i had bought nearly as many of manuals and got lucky with some drops... it's what did it. Even more amazed when i got that bastard in the Valley with it. this was the second time playing it, i played it on the 3DS first. Then i got it for the Wii....and upon learning well i managed to fight with more than equal footing.
The image of the party running from a tiny bunnit creature while this plays amuses me, mainly because that's what actually kept happening as I was finishing up things in Satorl Marsh near the end of the game.
As mixed as my feelings on XC2 are, the system for respawning uniques in that game is handled way better, with the tombstone you interact with to respawn them rather than having them randomly respawn upon re-entering the area.
My reaction when this song plays and I don't what caused it: FEARFEARFEARFEARFEARFEARFEARFEARFEARFEARFEARFEARFEARFEAR My reaction when it's Avalanche Abassy: Is this what death feels like?
I think the definitive edition version IS overall exceedingly worthy as a successor to the original, but it's missing the sheer power in the drum hits at 1:03, 1:24, and 1:52 in the original, and that's why I just keep coming back to this one.
@@LieseFury That’s funny cuz that’s exactly why I don’t like the DE’s version as much. Something about the guitars in that one, idk how to describe it exactly but it just doesn’t hit in the same way.
I do like DE’s opening. The percussion in the “panic” stage feels great when an enemy is chasing you goes so well, especially when the guitar screams. The buildup to the peak of the song is great with that sound in the background tune (like final fantasy’s theme) just adds to it. However, the fanfare of the original right before climax of the song is just so powerful, which DE just lacks. I like the almost messy guitar as the song kicks in just fires all cylinders so flawlessly. Both are great for different reasons.
@@enteikarino6921 DE version is great honestly I would argue that the last bit in the song when it just lets loose is amazing with the horns in the background and goes somehow even harder. But I do prefer original for the build up to it.
Everyone's saying they like 1:04 but personally, I prefer 0:43. Idk what it is but I love how the guitar follows the triumphant theme and makes it sound even cooler.
The introduction of the song is a feeling of panic for the overwhelming odds, then after that it ramps up and becomes pure commitment. Probably not what the composer was going for but it feels that way to me and it's very true how it tends to play out in the games
If you like RPGS at all you won't ever regret it. I don't typically pick favorites for things, I find the idea of favorites to be too limiting. . .but this game. . . I will never not love it. Game is worth it just for the soundtrack honestly with how well the music fits into everything.
This was helpful in me benching today. Intro to prep a heavy lift. The build up after the first rep and the music continuing after additional reps. Motivational as hell
@@AlfonsoSRT Yeah, I agree completely. It kind of makes me mad that it's the first version of the soundtrack everyone hears now, since the music was a HUGE part of this game's identity, and instead of being remastered in good faith, they tried to conform the game's soundtrack to Xenoblade 2's identity of all things. Honestly it feels like they tried to do that with this game in general. Xenoblade 2 was actually designed with that look and feel in mind, but XenobladeDE just feels so...wrong. Forced. Even the models are so damn smug when they really shouldn't be. They should have just leaned into the identity Xenoblade 1 already had, instead of trying to make it conform to its sequel. Xenoblade 2 music is great because it was composed with that sound in mind.
Saw a comment from a guy somewhere that played Smash before this. Said he use to love when the tune came on for his fights, but ever since he started Xenoblade the song now terrifies him.
I remember falling in love with this song while playing Smash 4. I never got a chance to play the original game, so I can't wait for the Definitive Edition. Only a few more weeks.
I think one of the things that makes this song so perfect is that it starts off with a threatening melody, but assuming you get far enough in the battle the theme gets more triumphant until you get to the guitar solo which feels so empowering, it works perfectly with the gameplay
Thank you Monolith Soft for including both original and arranged song options for tracks like these. The arranged version is pretty good but the original will always be my favorite.
its always nice to reminisce about the good ol' days, this track is already excellent on its own, but when youre having an unbelievably intense battle against a unique monster, its absolutely UNDESCRIBABLE when you gain the advantage as the drop kicks in
Should be renamed to "You Will Know Our Memes" now that everyone who played the game furiously shared the Definitive Edition trailer to all their friends to convince them to buy it
