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Battle music will display the baddies on the left and your team on the right a-la classic FF, and everything is a cutesy, almost paper-doll version of itself, which is a really neat visual twist. Depending on the style of the song (battle music, field and town music, or opening title music) the play is slightly different, but only in the way the screen displays the basic notes. As everything but the play itself is in menu form, it’s clear and clean with enough information to share where you are and what to do. Visually there isn’t that much here, but it’s the nature of this type of beast. “War: The White Weapon” from Final Fantasy Type-0 is bad-friggin’-ASS. And while I’ve been skeptical about the audio appeal of the games post-PSOne, I’ve gotta admit… some of the newer game songs are really, really awesome. A few of the tracks listed in the older games have been re-imagined and updated with newer effects and instruments, but they still hold up to their originals. The layout is clean and offers some nice art unique to each game represented. You can sort them by name, by game title, or even by their style of play (either field music, battle music, or movie clip). After a few practice rounds through the tutorial to get you started, the majority of the tracks are already unlocked and ready to play. The core gameplay itself hasn’t changed from the first incarnation of Theatrhythm apart from a few of the options. Early on you’ll gain a new unlock every 250 Rhythmia collected, which is-if you’re not utterly bombing every song-about every two or three tracks played. Even though they’re minor rewards, like unlocking a new chime in the Options menu, it’s nice to unlock something as often as you complete stages. Completing a song earns Rhythmia, essentially “game experience” points, which further unlocks features and special tracks and characters (which are mostly cosmetic outside of the Medleys). There are three main modes in Curtain Call: the Music Stages themselves (basically, “Arcade Mode”), Versus Mode, and Quest Medleys. So when Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call was tossed my way, I was ready. Between the soundtracks of Chrono Trigger and various Persona titles, I’m pretty much covered, but I always find myself going back to one soundtrack over and over: the original soundtrack to Final Fantasy IV. Ignoring a few assorted pop songs, the list is heavy with gaming music.
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When I’m working my “regular” job and I feel the need for a background playlist, I turn on my “Work” list in iTunes.
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