#zettel #gaming/music # Fire Emblem Awakening's Soundtrack is Different From Every Other Fire Emblem Because it is Wistful In listening to compilations of Fire Emblem music for working (a great idea btw), I've noticed that beyond the fact that I've played awakening and haven't played some of the others like Fates, Shadows of Valentia or the Radiant Games (as of Today, [[2023-05-01]]), [[Fire Emblem Awakening]]'s tracks are incredibly easy to pick out amongst the others. They all have this sense of longing in them, a sad smile to them. Even just a battle map theme like "Conquest" feels nostalgic and yearning, as if to say "well, this is it.". I think this has to do with the fact that Awakening was meant to be a swan song for the series. The overworld map theme is another example of this where, despite the idea of wandering into the world, there's a sense of finality to the piece, no doubt due to the initial key of the piece. "Old Battlefield" as the credits theme gives me chills almost every time because this would've been the very final song any fire Emblem fan would likely hear if the game didn't sell well, and the song carries that energy throughout. "We will march along into the future together, kept with the memories of this final grand adventure." Whereas other credits themes convey a feeling of looming consequences (Path of Radiance), or acquired peace (Radiant Dawn), "Old Battlefield" feels like it carries a message that's more like "So long as you remember your times with this game, the Fire Emblem series may never die." It might be the use of accordion. It's probably the accordion.