Top 5 Xenoblade Chronicles Songs
Screenshot by GameGrooves, Game by Nintendo
There’s a particular Nintendo series that has stayed with us for more than a decade, but hasn’t been recognized for having some of the best soundtracks ever made in the gaming industry: Xenoblade Chronicles.
At The Game Awards, it has been ghosted time and time again, but fortunately, the VGM community has shown it some love with amazing covers and remixes. Let’s go through the Top 5 Xenoblade Chronicles songs as we look back to the original all the way to the newest game, Xenoblade Chronicles 3.
5. Xenoblade Chronicles 3 - “The Weight of Life”
Music can add emotional weight to already powerful moments, and “The Weight of Life” does that in spades. When Noah and Mio first fuse together in their Ouroboros form, the music picks up into a rocky number (“The Weight of Life”) as they realize they now have the upper hand.
The music energizes you with its upbeat guitar, percussion, and string sections. It also references past tracks in the series like “Engage The Enemy” without overly relying on them. Husky by the Geek has an innate ability to take JRPG tracks and spin them into an incredible rock number. His energy is contagious as he gives it his all for this cover. The bass also sounds fantastic in the background, carrying the amazing main guitar-heavy track with its rock-solid foundation. I should also mention the sick riff in the middle that briefly references “You Will Know Our Names.”
4. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 - “Mor Ardain - Roaming the Wastes”
An upbeat, epic song is a great way to get a player into a grand JRPG like Xenoblade Chronicles 2. This soundtrack in particular has a more light-hearted personality as it boasts a more positive tone when compared to Xenoblade Chronicles 3’s more intense theming. The bombastic drumming, powerful percussion, and charismatic brass all bring such excitement to the “Mor Ardain - Roaming the Wastes” theme and get you excited for Rex’s adventures.
The original track has a phenomenal orchestration, so it’s hard for cover artists to match the incredible overtones of this song. However, insaneintherainmusic managed to do that, with a little bit of help. Starting with a beautiful melodic introduction by piano, Carlos introduces each of the instruments one by one: 8BitBrigadier with the flute, Medllix with the Oboe, and Bassoonify with the bassoon. It brings that same exciting energy the original track has by keeping up with the drumming and letting each instrument stand out on its own.
3. Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition - “Gaur Plains”
Gaur Plains is one of the first environments you’ll see in Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition, and it’s absolutely breathtaking. The locale is striking as you see plenty of waterfalls and two mountains curved towards each other. This grassy landscape is accentuated further by the music.
The thrilling strings section of this song welcomes you into a new world with a spirited and adventurous melody. It also sounds relatively relaxing (this song has been played so many times during my study sessions). The song stops at certain points before the main chorus with just a few drum beats, causing great anticipation for the rest of the exciting song.
To match the thrilling vibes of the “Gaur Plains” theme, we chose to include Atmacoustics’ version of the track. As the channel name suggests, he performs sweet acoustic versions of songs we know and love. With the guitar and a piano, he takes on the personality of the inviting track and makes it his own. I love it when he uses an almost xylophone-like sound with the higher notes of the guitar during the beginning of the cover.
2. Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna - The Golden Country - “Battle Theme”
After Xenoblade Chronicles 2 had one of the worst battle themes in the series (but it’s still very good, don’t get me wrong), Team ACE came back swinging with its jazzy take for the standalone expansion Torna - The Golden Country.
The track begins with a catchy piano tune before the dramatic drums are added to create a fulfilling jazz vibe right out of the gate. You can also hear a double bass or a similar string instrument adding some flair to the overall piece and playing off the melody in unexpected, yet sensible ways. When the main chorus rolls around, every instrument plays its part in creating a memorable battle theme that many of the game’s fans will remember for years to come.
Sadly, there are only a handful of covers for this phenomenal track, but Shady Cicada did an impressive rock spin on this track. The bass and main guitar alongside the background of ferocious drums all make for a great accompaniment. Using the deeper tone of the guitar in place of the jazzy solos made those sections of the track stand out in a rock piece.
1. Xenoblade Chronicles - “You Will Know Our Names”
When a developer uses this theme more than once in their series, you know they have a banger. The song “You Will Know Our Names” has an outstanding flow as it starts with a thrilling fast-paced guitar riff, slows down with more emphasis on the brass, and then brings it all together with a triumphant chorus. You’ll want to hum along whenever the guitar, drums, and brass come together for an amazing melody. The song then resets, blending three elements together. “You Will Know Our Names” is a masterpiece for many, and we hope you understand why now.
One of the best covers of “You Will Know Our Names” is from Dr. Pez VGM. They nailed the original concept of the song as they kept shifting focus on each instrument. The drum playing by Ashiko is incredible, and the bass by Marc Papeghin really comes through in this track, adding a new dimension to the original song.
Those are all the best Xenoblade Chronicles songs to discuss today. Are there some that we’re missing? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter at @GameGrooves. Also, if you love JRPGs, you may want to take a look at our cover albums for Kingdom Hearts and Chrono Cross.
CHRIS PENWELL
Chris Penwell is a writer and podcaster who loves to talk about video game music. His favorite soundtracks are from the Kingdom Hearts series, Celeste, Beyond Good & Evil, Gravity Rush, and Final Fantasy X.