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Yasunori Nishiki: Since a big part of the game’s charm is its “HD-2D” visual style, the player basically sees the image first, and then hears the music that goes along with it. Flatlands, etc.) and what you were trying to convey with the music? Could you describe your thought process in choosing the style and instrumentation for each of the regional themes (e.g. VGMO: In Octopath Traveler, in addition to the eight protagonists you’ve already talked about in the CD’s insert, there are also eight different regions. Instead, I arranged the orchestra instruments in a style akin to simple, catchy vocal songs with strong melodies. With that in mind, I tossed out, to some extent, the traditional method of arranging for orchestra. And while you can get some gorgeous sound by using live instruments, doing so can also weaken the punch of the melody and end up blurring the player’s impression of the song as a whole, which was something I wanted to avoid. Yasunori Nishiki: When I thought about what contributes to the special charm of older RPG music, I realized that it’s generally simple and really catchy. What were some of the challenges you experienced when taking a classic RPG soundtrack style and modernizing it with live instruments? VGMO: The soundtrack for Octopath Traveler is clearly influenced by soundtracks from a different era, both in style and in execution. Oh, and I also picked up some Final Fantasy VI sheet music and played that a lot, too. I think that was my introduction to composing music. I bought some sheet music for their songs, learned chords, and performed my own accompaniments on the piano. At age 12, I became a fan of the Japanese band Spitz. Yasunori Nishiki: I learned piano around age 5, but I wasn’t all that serious about it. Before discussing the game, can you speak a little about your musical background, education, and influences? VGMO: Yasunori Nishiki-san, thank you very much for speaking with us today about Octopath Traveler. Interviewers: Don Kotowski, Emily McMillanĬoordination: Don Kotowski Interview Content Nishiki-san tells us about his approach to composing and orchestrating the wide variety of music that populate the game’s score, which include the different ways he connected characters to areas, going further than simple melodic motifs to bind themes together. In this interview, Yasunori Nishiki answers eight questions we had about the soundtrack to Octopath Traveler, in addition to talking about his musical upbringing and aspirations for future work. We were delighted for the opportunity to speak with Nishiki-san regarding his inspiration and work on Octopath Traveler. The soundtrack mirror’s the game’s modern approach to an old-school style – and does so with unquestionable success (we write about the score more extensively in VGMO’s Octopath Traveler Original Soundtrack review here). Yasunori Nishiki’s score to Octopath Traveler has been met with praise from fans and critics alike. Yasunori Nishiki Interview: Eight Questions about Octopath Traveler