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Tales of Phantasia
- Fighting of the Spirit. The version used in Tales of Symphonia also kicks ass.
- Decisive, the Dhaos battle music and the remix from Eternia. It's awesome enough to make you say INDIGNAYSHUN! The other three Dhaos themes are pretty much equally as awesome: Conclusion Who Is Good Or Evil?, and I Miss You.
- There's also Threatening Sky, which was used for Cless and Arche's aerial battle to save Midgard.
- Even the regular battle music, Take Up the Cross, deserves mention here. Same with the regular boss music, Overcome Difficulties.
- The opening theme, "Yume wa Owaranai" ("The Dream Will Never Die"). Awesome Music indeed because it's not only catchy, but it makes Tales of Phantasia the first game ever on the SNES to have a title theme with vocals!, making it double as the SNES' Moment of Awesome!
- Premonition deserves a nod too. It is both serene and epic.
Tales of Destiny
- Leon's battle theme and the final boss theme. Both of the songs received awesome remixes in the enhanced remake.
- Bare Its Fangs, the battle theme, and its remix. Even that song got two awesome remixes in Ambush and Surprise Attack. The boss music is also awesome. Nightmare and its TODR version.
- Unfinished World, the first overworld music, gives the vibe of adventure while the second overworld music Utopia is ominous; fitting for that part of the game. Utopia gets a great remix in the second game called Crooked Sight.
- The themes you hear in the Aeropolis (Aerial City, Concrete, Hidden Sorrow, Scholar, Botanical Garden, Attack! and Dead or Alive) are fitting for their respective areas.
- And yet another great theme: Decent Into Vice is underrated. Same goes with Betrayal and Perfidious Act.
- The game's' Final Battle theme, Rebel Against Destiny, is one of the best final boss themes in the series.
- While it never appeared in a game, this remix of "Lion - Irony of Fate" from the pre-order bonus DVD for the remake of Destiny is pretty damn epic.
- Mysteries Night. Mysterious, calming, and beautiful. The remix in the second game is even more lovely, as is the Premium Remix.
Tales of Eternia
- Mintche. So calm and scerene...
- Celestia Battle and Midboss 2.
- While less awesome than the above two, Midboss 1 and Inferia Battle are still nice. But there's also the very awesome Ability Test, notably used in the cameo battle, and Eternal Mind, which also played during the cameo battle of Abyss.
- The Tales of Versus version of Inferia Battle is just awesome. Same goes for the Radiant Mythology 2 versions of Celestia Battle and Ability Test.
- As well as this version of Eternal Mind.
- The main theme of the game: flying by GARNET CROW.
- Ras' Theme. A badass theme for a badass character.
- Rem's Theme, a mysterious theme fitting for your first battle against a Governing Craymel. There's also Crisis which doubles as the song for OSHI-moments and Shadow's Theme.
- Since we're mentioning Oh, Crap! moments, let's go ahead and add Hurry! which basically plays whenever Crisis isn't playing.
- Encounter basically just says, "Hey this guy is important, prepare for a boss battle."
- Regulus Dojo, and its evil remix in Heroic Shadow.
- The Battle Arrange version of Inferia Battle takes the awesome in a whole different direction...
Tales Of Destiny 2
- Tales of Destiny 2's first battle theme, aptly named Theme of Battle, another great piece by Motoi Sakuraba. Then... there's also Barbatos' Leitmotif Coup de Grace, as another proof that he's just that damn awesome for a villain. The Tales of Versus version cranks it way up. The Narikiri Dungeon 3 version is also really catchy.
- Dona Nobis Pacem, the last standard battle theme of the game, definitely deserves a mention here.
- Really, any piece with a religious name/motif in this game is excellent, such as Holy Judgment, Fortuna, Fortuna's Shrine, and Holy Place, provided you like organ music.
- The final battle themes of the sequel. Wheel Of Fortune ~Last Judgment~.
- Or Lion ~ Fate Repeated? or Water's Memory? Any piece of music associated with Leon tends to be good.
- The Optional Boss, Magnadeus, comes with his own awesome music, Vive Memor Mortis.
Tales of Symphonia
- The Land of Sylvarant, Sylvarant's world map music, really captures a sense of adventure and naivete, and the percussion (which has a lot more weight in the original Gamecube audio) adds a determination and confidence to it. Perfect for a group of naive adventurers out strongly believing that they are saving the world.
- Yggdrasill's theme, with its organs and ominous chanting, is haunting and powerful, lending serious gravity to this villain. This track is used in the scene where it's revealed that your companion is, indeed, the final boss, making the horrifying realization sink in all the swifter.
- The final boss song Final Destination is epic, especially given the main villain's backstory.
- It Can Waver and Fight, a remix of the villain's theme, which plays on the penultimate battle with him and is just as epic.
- Fatalize. Radiant Mythology 2 has this awesome version of it. Heck, even Soulcalibur Legends has an epic remix of it.
- Beat the Angel, which is just perfect for epic battles against angelic beings.
- Dry Trail. It gives you the feeling that you are on a epic journey with friends.
- The Sylvarant Dungeon Theme is decent, but is turned on its head when you hear the remixed version from Tethe'alla.
- It is only played twice in the entire game and is never heard from again, but you have to love Moonlight.
- Keep Your Guard Up, which may or may not be the first boss music in the game. High-energy rock in complex meter: something for everyone!
- Symphonia had an amazing Leitmotif for pretty much every major character. Presea and Sheena in particular had awesome themes. Presea's theme also has a reprise, which plays as Ozette burns down. Zelos' theme is also great, but only if you're into that sort of thing. "Fatalize" incorporates bits of Sheena's leitmotif as well - it plays when you're fighting her as an enemy.
- Kratos's theme is really catchy. There's also the alternate version of Zelos's' theme.
- Starry Heavens (Heroic Mix) from the Japanese release of Tales of Symphonia. Not present in the American release.
- The Symphonia Suite and its heroic version are awesome too, though.
- And the full version of Starry Heavens is worth a mention as well.
- The Law of the Battle always works for those pesky Grand Cardinals, but Yggdrasil's It Can Waver and Fight is the right amount of overbearing for such a foe - you can't let him off easy.
- Ymir Forest. Simultaneously conveys "magical place of wonder" and "prelude to an epic fight" in the same track.
- The End of a Thought. The perfect music for the climatic duel between Lloyd and Kratos.
Tales of Rebirth
- All three normal battle themes are really catchy. Battle Organization, Dogfight, and The Die Is Cast.
- The boss theme, Desperate Battle, is quite catchy.
Tales of Legendia
- Tales of Legendia, despite being the red-headed stepchild of the series, has a pretty damn fine soundtrack. The soundtrack is composed by Go Shiina, as opposed to the series's regular composer resulting in a absolutely beautiful audio experience. Such tracks include the hauntingly beautiful Legendary Sourceror, the super awesome military theme March, The Birds Chirp I Sing, To Deliver the Feelings, Walter's theme, the theme for important boss fights, the theme of the final dungeon, and the theme of the last boss, which qualifies as an infinity plus one remix.
- Seeking Victory was already an awesome song. But the version in VS cranks it way up.
- The main theme song of the game, TAO by Do As Infinity is pretty freaking sweet.
- Battle Artist, the normal battle theme, is really good and catchy.
- Vaclav is a pretty generic villain, but he has an awesome battle theme. Why the hell was this not included on the soundtrack?!
- Short Circuit is one of the best tracks in the game.
Tales of the Abyss
- Meaning of Birth, which is an orchestral remix of their already awesome opening theme Karma. And along with those two versions there's Mirrors. Same tune with the Tear Jerker taken up to infinity.
- Finish the Promise, an epic final boss theme that actually works in the Grand Fonic Hymn (a tune you'll hear frequently in battles if you use Tear, and an important storyline thing as well), making it all kinds of awesome. Also the theme for the first part of the final battle, Time To Raise The Cross.
- The Edge of a Decision, the second normal battle theme of the game, which has a pretty dang awesome remix/arrangement.
- Sheaf of Soul, which also has a piano version here.
- Happiness in my Hand, which has TWO other versions, one an arrangement with a bit more background to it, and the other a piano version.
- The Look of That Day, the credits music. You must feel something when you watch it. If there is no pulling at the heartstrings; if the pictures don't get to you, and if the piano doesn't get to you, and if the events that happened don't get to you, there is something wrong with you. Or maybe you're just Jade. (Who still felt something after all was said and done.)
- Fangs Which Want Blood, bitches! Work them shreds!
- Everlasting Fight, the cameo battle theme. "Bare its Fangs", "Inferia Battle", "Dona Nobis Pacem", and "Take Up the Cross". Four of the best battle themes mentioned on this page. Combined into one. And remixed for maximum awesome.
- The Arrow Was Shot. It's only the first battle theme of the game. Heck, there's even an 8-bit version in VS. And then Motoi Sakuraba got a cameo in the Tales of Destiny remake, performing an epic piano version.
- Although it's played fairly often, the track Wish and Sadness is very beautiful and also very fitting in the scenes it plays in.
- Time For Farewell is a song fitting for the major Boss Battle it plays in.
- The God Generals are well set up as Psycho Rangers to the party and are typically among the most challenging boss fights in the game, so its only fitting that fights with them come packed with one of the most intense boss themes out there, Awkward Justice.
Tales of the Tempest
- Tales of the Tempest isn't a fan favorite Tales Series game, but it has some awesome music. Try out Sincerity is Solemn, Encounter, Confrontation, Difficult Situation, As For Me, National/I Am The State, and its main theme VS.
Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World
- The truly amazing final battle theme "The Wilderness of Sadness".
- With Courage, the standard boss battle theme. An incredible piece.
- I'll Go, the battle music for the Colosseum and the Ginnungagap. It's certainly good enough to rival Keen-Edged Blade.
- The suitably ominous Person Who Conceives Frenzy, used as Alice, Decus, and Brute's battle theme.
- The regular battle music The More That I Try. It could easily pass for boss music in any other RPG. Hervest in Sanctuary is also a great song.
- "Eternal Promise", used during a certain scene in Altimira in chapter eight is a beautiful piece as well.
- The Theme Song of the sequel, Ninin Sankyaku is so freaking awesome it's not even funny.
Tales of Vesperia
- For the obligatory Duel Boss battle, we have "Fury Sparks", which perfectly captures the essence of Yuri and Flynn's clash. Suitably epic for such an important clash, but also it strikes just the right mood to signify that this fight is between two friends who are simply fighting to resolve their conflicts, without there being any greater stakes. "Fury Sparks" is popular enough that, aside from "Ring A Bell", it's Tales of Vesperia's impromptu main theme, including showing up in both Project × Zone games.
- The final boss theme, "When Determination Strikes", which is remixed a couple of times for each of the final boss's new forms.
- On the non-battle side, there's "A Welcomed Turn of Events" which plays during many a Moment of Awesome.
- The game's obligatory Anime Theme Song, Kane wo Narashite for Japan and "Ring a Bell" for everyone else, both by BONNIE PINK.
- Some dedicated fans have made some awesome arrangements: "Fury Sparks Arranged", A Formidable Foe Stands in The Way Arrangement, and Ring a Bell Battle Theme.
- The PS3 and Definitive Edition versions add various awesome new boss battles such as The Decisive Moment, the Wandering Skeleton Theme, Swear by the Sword, the Sword Dancer theme, and the Spiral Draco Theme.
- Tenacity similar to Indomitable Fighting Spirit is a good battle theme that really gets the feeling you're really about to whip some ass.
- A Vow of Unity and The Villain's Conspiracy and the Mechanical Tower deserve a mention.
- A Formidable Foe Stands in the Way is so well-liked that it makes a return in Tales of Xillia 2 and has a remixed version in Tales of Zestiria!
Tales of Graces
- The amazing Windor-region battle theme, "Whet the Sheath", and the adorably awesome kids' version, "Never Let Go", which is played during the prologue.
- Later in the game, we have "Emergence at Eternity's End", the Celtic-sounding battle music for Fodra.
- "Mamoritai ~White Wishes~" gets a special mention for not only being beautiful, but for being one of the few Tales games where the lyrics really suit the theme of the game, and not just pure promotion's sake. It gets a depressing remix titled, "Unspoken Feelings", which plays at some of the most touching moments of the game.
- Sophie's Leitmotif titled, erm, "Sophie", captures the protagonist's mysterious yet innocent atmosphere perfectly.
- "Refreshing Atmosphere" is pretty much the Graces version of Vesperia's "Serenade of the Morning Star", in terms of beauty and tranquility.
- "Defender of Life" is the beautiful and mysterious theme of Arcadia Forest.
- "Risk Everything" is a solid, blood-pumping theme that plays for the battles in the final dungeon of the Future Arc.
- The Final Boss theme, "Life's Cry", is not only kick-ass, but really haunting, which the haunting holy music in the background.
- "Pomp and Majesty" is pretty awesome for a town theme. That opening fanfare, man....
Tales of the World: Radiant Mythology 1 - 3
- Radiant Mythology 1:
- The battle theme, Blazing, is very catchy.
- The game isn't really noted for its music. However, there is at least one song that stands above the rest. And that song is the Battle With Widdershin.
- Once you learn of Kanonno's past, you'll have to battle her with an original theme titled 'Sad Memory' and it fits the situation, though it is very emtional.
- Its opening theme, Hikari to Kage along with its animation make so epic to listen to!!
- Radiant Mythology 2:
- The normal battle theme, Beginning of a Battle is definitely AWESOME!!
- A Desperate Battle is just as epic as the near-identically named Desperate Battle from Tales of Rebirth.
- Into the Battle is nothing but awesomeness.
- Holy Crusade. The vocals on this one make it even more epic.
- If you are looking for a good boss battle theme you can always go with Worth Dying For.
- Moscoby Desert is very calm but adventurous at the same time.
- Mandarge Underground City Ruins. Makes you wonder what lies further within....
- Radiant Battle the official battle theme for the legendary Radiants. The moment it begins you already know it's about to get serious.
- Anger to Sadness. The third secret optional theme for the first part of the final boss. Easily the best one out of the other two secret optional battle themes for the first part of the final boss, since it captures the final bosses ambitions and reasons.
- The secret final boss theme Final Damnation is merely a taste of Go Shiina's capability as a composer. See God Eater Burst for more evidence.
- Deus ex Machina. The third secret optional theme for the second part of the final boss. Not as epic as Final Damnation , but it's still pretty cool.
- The theme Cave of the World Tree, which is from the World Tree dungeon which is available in the epilogue. Makes you think that the Descender is finally visiting the location where he or she was born from.
- The theme songs, flyaway and where is the future? are oh-so-epic.
- The remixed version of flyaway, with the collaboration of Kanae Ito (Kanonno Earhart's VA) turned out very awesome!
- Triumphant Heroes is really awesome and along with the other original themes for the second game, it's definitely one of the best.
- Radiant Mythology 3:
- The theme song, with you feat. Me is nothing short of badass.
- The normal battle theme, The Sword Sparks, is probably the best normal battle theme out of all 3 Radiant Mythology games.
- Vital Garden is quite possibly one of the best final dungeon themes in the entire Tales of Series.
- World Rules is an ominous theme. The bells really bring out the epic. Only problem; Lazaris is SO FREAKING ADORABLE!
- Creation from Zilch, the game's final boss theme. A very HORRIFYING theme to say the least.
- The ending theme song Nagareboshi really captures the events of the story, especially the ending.
- The game has a few extra songs, which are really good and most have a calm tone to it, which make them even better compared to the other songs in the games.
Tales of Xillia/Tales of Xillia 2
- The final boss theme, Battle for a Future to Believe In, is just pure orchestral awesomeness.
- Believe in Me deserves special mention here. It's put to good use in the Hammerzamm boss fight when Milla regains her ability to walk after being stuck in a wheelchair and joins the battle.
- Jude's threebattlethemes makes excellent of a rock guitar, while Milla's three battle themes uses the violin in a way that rivals "Blinded by Light" from Final Fantasy XIII.
- After a somewhat disappointing absence in the first Xillia, the cameo fights return in Tales of Xillia 2, and the music that plays in the background, Feast with Those Who Transcend Dimensions, combines "Common Destiny" and "Unfinished World" from Tales of Destiny with the second overworld theme and "Decisive Battle" from Tales of Phantasia to create a battle theme fit for duking it out with the main hero and heroine from the respective games.
- The final boss theme, Following One's Own Purpose, definitely gives off a vibe that pushes you to fight at your absolute best. Then, it transitions over to the Theme Music Power-Up, If It's For You ~Song 4 U~, and it's AWESOME.
- Splendid Dance Performance of a Spirit. Everything from that amazing orchestral intro to the fast-paced battle theme is simply fitting for the return of Milla Maxwell.
- Victor's battle theme, Betting on the Last Guide. Just when you thought combining metal with a choir couldn't get any more intense, this song happens. It definitely fits its corresponding battle since you're fighting a future version of Ludger, complete with his own Chromatus form. What further makes this song awesome is how different it is from the rest of the games soundtrack. You'd think fighting what likely is the final obstacle to saving the world so far would warrant a heroic theme? Not when you have to kill a evil version of yourself, whose also the father of the games heroine. Some people actually were upset that it didn't play in the games bad ending.
- The Proof Discovered in the End of Sadness, for taking that recurring musical theme that plays throughout the game and making it absolutely heartbreaking.
- The theme for battles with divergence catalysts, Break the Time Factor, really amps up the tension.
Tales of Zestiria
- Anything composed by Go Shiina, really, but of special note are Competing with the Honor of the Land, Existence to be Feared, and New Power Awakens.
- All four of the trial themes are more than worth an individual mention. Brilliantly, the game knows it, and replaces the battle themes in each trial with the normal dungeon music, allowing Go Shiina's music to really shine.
- "Flaming Bonds Are Being Tested", an upbeat piece with a Latin flavor, plays in the Fire Trial, fitting well for both exploring the shrine and fighting the enemies it contains.
- "Melody Of Water Is The Guide In Spiritual Mist", the Water Trial's theme, has two parts: an elegant piano solo, and a more epic rendition with a full orchestra.
- The Earth Trial's "Competing with the Honor of the Land" opens with a One-Woman Wail, which is then repeated with a full orchestra. The subdued flute part is also beautiful. Unusually, the second half features electronic music, which makes the track stand out.
- "Fight Between the Wind and the Blinking Sky" opens with upbeat chanting and strings that feel like a tailwind pushing you forwards, while the softer parts feel like a cool breeze.
- And speaking of battle themes, here are the game's three battle themes. What makes this batch of themes unique is that they all share the same melody and tune but are different in tempo. Compare the first theme, which plays when Sorey first starts his adventure light-heartedly, to the third theme, which plays when Sorey is near the end of his adventure and the stakes couldn't have been higher.
- Zaveid's own Leitmotif, Zaveid the Exile, because a badass hellion hunter deserves a badass theme. In fact, it's so iconic it returns in Berseria along with Zaveid himself.
- The Cameo Battle theme, Finale Where Melodies and Flashing Fists Intersect. It combines "The Arrow Was Shot" and "Never Surrender" from Tales of the Abyss and "Risk Everything" and "Sword-Drawing! Grind!" from Tales of Graces to form a song fit for fighting against Jade and Sophie of Abyss and Graces, respectively.
- A few noteworthy themes include: Blooming Flowers Of Confusion which plays against Maltran and Symmone, Beyond the Ultimate, aka, Heldalf's boss theme, the final boss theme, Chaotic Calamity That's One with a God ~Awakening~, and Bet Everything on the Lion's Roar which plays when Sorey engages a Duel Boss against Heldalf to finish everything.
- The Very Definite Final Dungeon theme, Throne Of the God That Caused Everything, deserves a mention for being one of the most ominous final dungeon themes in the series. It's also followed by a unique final dungeon battle theme, Take Up Your Bow and Shoot Out the Truth.
- Journey's End is a beautiful twelve minute piece that plays during a certain cutscene near the end of the game with a couple of variations like the unreleased instrumental version.
- Cheer Yourself Up, a theme in Zestiria that returns in Berseria as Phoenix the Normin's boss theme. It is an utterly epic piece fitting for a powerful rival who will kick your teeth in over and over and over and over and over again.
- "White Light" is a hard-rock opening clearly meant to make one excited for the game. The Japanese version has vocals whilst the US version has a guitar-emphasized instrumental version. Both versions are awesome!
Tales of Berseria
- The opening theme, "BURN" by FLOW. In heavy contrast to the epic rock of Zestiria's "White Light", "BURN" seems to take a much darker tone fitting of the new protagonist, evoking a more post-hardcore style, and providing us with the most aggressive mothership opening to date.
- The Main Theme of the game, which has also been rearranged to be the leitmotif of our protagonist Velvet.
- The Cameo Battle Theme, Clenched Fist and the Sword Dances, is a medley of songs from the first Tales of Xillia all rearranged to be in-line with the instruments of Berseria and to herald the return of Jude Mathis and Milla Maxwell. The songs used are (in order): "Clenched Fist," "Daring Sword," "Believe in Me," and "Life or Death."
- Rokurou's theme, which notably plays in the first encounter with him and in later bits of the story where he gets to show off his stuff. A fast-paced guitar piece accompanied by a Japanese flute that perfectly represents the Daemon samurai who lives for the thrill of the battlefield. In a similar vein, there's the battle theme of his older brother Shigure. The guitar riffs and Japanese instruments are made a lot more menacing to portray the bigger threat that Shigure poses to the party.
- The Evil Surging on Prison Island, the dungeon theme for Titania. It perfectly encapsulates the sentence "I have returned. Let vengeance begin." in music form.
- Justice of the Knight, when you finally get a serious battle against Oscar. Complete with Ominous Latin Chanting perfectly blended with One-Woman Wail, this song is meant to bring chills to the player when you realize the Oscar you're fighting is armatized.
- The Will that Opposes Reason, otherwise known as the theme that plays when you fight Eleanor. The abrupt shift from the menacing, slow opening to a frenetic violin melody with electric guitar and choir lets you know the Abbey means business. Later on, you can unlock an alternate costume for Eleanor that replaces the battle music with this track.
- Daemon's Assault helps add a feeling of intensity to fights with major Daemons, such as therions. Thematically, it even sounds somewhat like a more intense version of the Tales of the Abyss theme for the Six God Generals.
Tales of Arise
- Tales of Arise is the first entry to have live orchestrated music and doesn't take long to deliver with Alphen's theme, a rousing piece extolling his fight against oppression and hate.
- Flame of Hope, Arise's main battle theme. With its epic-sounding violin and guitar, it's clearly one of Motoi Sakuraba's best works.
- Sakuraba seized the opportunity to show off his progressive rock chops with the battle themes and played the keyboard parts. An early example is Gladymede Castle.
- Just Go On, an excellent theme for climbing a huge, dangerous cliff.
- Confession, a heart-breaking accompaniment to the reveal of Shionne's true intentions.
- All the Lords have amazing castle themes that build on the concept of dungeon themes overtaking the battle themes introduced in Tales of Zestiria that Sakuraba then took wholeheartedly into Berseria... only he's one-upped himself this time, as each of these tracks are Variable Mixes that become higher energy when the party enters battle. The transitions are seamless, and all of the tracks are odes to chaotic rock and roll, just as Sakuraba loves.
Others
- Sakuraba came back for Tales of Hearts, and of course the results rock. A kind GameFAQser has archived the battle themes.
- Tales of the Heroes: Twin Brave got some awesome theme songs in the form of SHINE and NEW DAYS.
- Tales of Versus gives us the catchy Be your wings as its theme song.
- Tales of the World: Dice Adventure has a kickass theme in Chizu no Arika.
- There's also the incredible orchestral remixes made for the 20th anniversary.
- Tales of Zestiria the X, the anime adaptation of the Zestiria game, combines the game's BGM with some awesome new vocal music, the foremost being FLOW's "Kaze no Uta" and "Innosense", which serve as the first opening theme and second ending theme respectively.
- Tales of Crestoria's battle theme may not be as hype as some of the Mothership Tales titles, but it is by far one of the catchiest.