BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast

Episode #414 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan and returning special guest Kyle step into the Care Center to have an in-depth discussion and review analysis on the recently released Resident Evil Requiem. The latest game in this crazy successful series from Capcom, Requiem explores the story of newcomer Grace Ashcroft and the returning Leon Kennedy as they become entangled in a new investigation connected to mysterious deaths among survivors of the Raccoon City incident years prior.

During the episode, the guys break down the game in full and offer up their thoughts and opinions on the setting, narrative, characters, soundtrack, and so much more. At the end, they attempt to rank the game up against the previous entries as best as possible, while also providing an official review score. Join us for a spooky and tense fun time, and in the words of longtime non-listener and Discord veteran Sev.. you too can play this game!

Email the show at [email protected] with requests for upcoming episodes, questions, feedback, comments, concerns, or any other thoughts you'd like to share! Special thanks to our Executive Producers: Jexak, Xancu, Jeff, & Mike.

EPISODE PLAYLIST AND CREDITS

Foreboding from Resident Evil Requiem [Nao Sato, 2026]

Night Haze from Resident Evil Requiem [Masahiro Ohki, 2026]

Recurring Nightmare from Resident Evil Requiem [Nao Sato, 2026]

Deadly Encounter from Resident Evil Requiem [Nao Sato & Masahiro Ohki, 2026]

Burst Their Heads from Resident Evil Requiem [Masahiro Ohki, 2026]

Baptism by Blood from Resident Evil Requiem [Nao Sato, 2026]

Tangled Web from Resident Evil Requiem [Snakes of Russia, 2026]

Indomitable from Resident Evil Requiem [Nao Sato & Masahiro Ohki, 2026]

Over Capacity from Resident Evil Requiem [Masahiro Ohki, 2026]

Memories from Resident Evil Requiem [Masami Ueda, 2026]

Night Terrors from Resident Evil Requiem [Shigeyuki Kameda, 2026]

Contact from Resident Evil Requiem [Snakes of Russia, 2026]

Ambition from Resident Evil Requiem [Nao Sato, 2026]

Through the Darkness from Resident Evil Requiem [Nao Sato feat. Colin & Caroline, 2026]

LINKS

Patreon: https://patreon.com/bgmania

Website: https://bgmania.podbean.com/

Discord: https://discord.gg/cC73Heu

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Very Good Music: A VGM Podcast

Listening Religiously

BGMania B-Sides #43 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bedroth explores Embers of Mana, a newly released ROM hack of Final Fantasy Adventure created by friend of the show and longtime listener OK Impala. Built on the bones of the classic Game Boy action RPG that helped launch the Mana series, Embers of Mana reimagines the experience with fresh ideas, clever design twists, and a renewed appreciation for the world that started it all.

This B-Side also features an interview with OK Impala about his experience with Final Fantasy Adventures and creating Embers of Mana. Go show him and this ROM hack some love at the following locations:

Embers of Mana Release Trailer - https://youtu.be/X5_FO9Yny1c?si=NZkOPt6RT52UEbth

OK Impala's Website - https://okimpala.net/

BlueSky - https://bsky.app/profile/okimpala.bsky.social

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@okimpala

Email the show at [email protected] with requests for upcoming episodes, questions, feedback, comments, concerns, or any other thoughts you'd like to share! Special thanks to our Executive Producers: Jexak, Xancu, Jeff & Mike.

EPISODE PLAYLIST AND CREDITS

Beautiful Day (based on Peaceful Village from Dual Orb 2) from Embers of Mana [Nobuyuki Hara & Yu Yoshida/OK Impala, 1994/2026]

Into the Waterfall (based on Into the Thick of It from Secret of Mana) from Embers of Mana [Hiroki Kikuta/OK Impala, 1993/2026]

Watch Out! (based on Valestein Castle from Ys III: Wanderers from Ys) from Embers of Mana [Mieko Ishikawa, 1989/2026]

Frozen Statues from Embers of Mana [endlessrepeat, 2026]

Land of the Lost (based on Love So Alike from the movie Tristan & Isolde) from Embers of Mana [Anne Dudley/OK Impala, 2006/2026]

What the Forest Hides from Embers of Mana [endlessrepeat, 2026]

Embers of Mana (based on Fear of the Heavens from Secret of Mana) from Embers of Mana [Hiroki Kikuta/OK Impala, 1993/2026]

City of the Past (based on Alistia - Lapatia Village from Rogue Galaxy) from Embers of Mana [Tomohito Nishiura/OK Impala, 2007/2026]

Eternal Forest (based on Lascarde Skywalk from Arc Rise Fantasia) from Embers of Mana [Yasunori Mitsuda/OK Impala, 2010/2026]

Saving the World (based on Save the World from Final Fantasy Legend II) from Embers of Mana [Nobuo Uematsu/OK Impala, 1991/2026]

LINKS

Patreon: https://patreon.com/bgmania

Website: https://bgmania.podbean.com/

Discord: https://discord.gg/cC73Heu

Facebook: BGManiaPodcast

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PODCAST NETWORK

Very Good Music: A VGM Podcast

Listening Religiously

Episode #413 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan and Bedroth celebrate one of the most quietly essential careers in the history of video game music with a Composer Appreciation spotlight on Inon Zur. Born in Israel and classically trained from an early age, Zur initially built his career in film and television before being persuaded to score his first game... and never looked back. Over the decades that followed, he became the defining voice behind some of the most beloved franchises in gaming, crafting music that consistently prioritizes emotional honesty over spectacle.

We explore the remarkable range Zur brings to every project, from intimate character themes and sweeping fantasy epics to militaristic tension and sci-fi wonder. A three-time award winner, a Recording Academy inductee, and a composer whose main theme for a major 2023 release reportedly went through twenty-nine versions before it was right, Zur is an artist who has never stopped pushing. This episode is a proper tribute to a man whose fingerprints are all over the medium we love.

Email the show at [email protected] with requests for upcoming episodes, questions, feedback, comments, concerns, or any other thoughts you'd like to share! Special thanks to our Executive Producers: Jexak, Xancu, Jeff & Mike.

EPISODE PLAYLIST AND CREDITS

Main Theme from SOCOM II U.S. Navy SEALs [Inon Zur, 2003]

Amkethran from Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition [Inon Zur, 2013]

The Severed Hand from Icewind Dale II [Inon Zur, 2002]

Imperial Guard Theme from Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Winter Assault [Inon Zur, 2005]

The Brotherhood of Cluny from Crusader Kings [Inon Zur, 2003]

Rogue Heart from Dragon Age II [Inon Zur feat. Aubrey Ashburn, 2011]

Jump It Up from Run Like Hell [Inon Zur, 2002]

Into the Starfield from Starfield [Inon Zur, 2023]

The Path of Destiny from Sword Coast Legends [Inon Zur feat. Aeralie Brighton & Mimi Page, 2015]

First Light from Crysis [Inon Zur, 2007]

Vampire's Teeth from Twisted Metal: Head-On [Inon Zur, 2005]

Kate Theme from Syberia 3 [Inon Zur feat. Aeralie Brighton, 2017]

Gorowyn from EverQuest: Ring of Scale [Inon Zur, 2017]

Suburbs of Edo from Rise of the Ronin [Inon Zur, 2024]

LINKS

Patreon: https://patreon.com/bgmania

Website: https://bgmania.podbean.com/

Discord: https://discord.gg/cC73Heu

Facebook: BGManiaPodcast

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PODCAST NETWORK

Very Good Music: A VGM Podcast

Listening Religiously

Bonus Episode #64 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan reviews God of War: Sons of Sparta, the surprise same-day release from Sony's February 2026 State of Play, a 2D Metroidvania prequel developed by Mega Cat Studios in collaboration with Santa Monica Studio. Set during Kratos' youth at the Spartan Agoge, the game follows a teenage Kratos and his brother Deimos as they venture beyond Sparta's walls on a mission rooted in duty, brotherhood, and survival.

This Musical Review covers all dimensions of the experience, from the Metroidvania exploration loop, spear-and-shield combat system, and level design, to the story's emotional highs and lows, the pixel art presentation, and the technical rough edges that accumulate over the course of the campaign. We also dedicate time to Bear McCreary's remarkable original score, which blends chiptune sensibility with sweeping orchestral and choral arrangements to create one of the most distinctive soundscapes in the franchise's twenty-year history.

Email the show at [email protected] with requests for upcoming episodes, questions, feedback, comments, concerns, or any other thoughts you'd like to share! Special thanks to our Executive Producers: Jexak, Xancu, Jeff, & Mike.

EPISODE PLAYLIST AND CREDITS

Sons of Sparta from God of War: Sons of Sparta [Bear McCreary, 2026]

For the Glory of Sparta from God of War: Sons of Sparta [Bear McCreary, 2026]

Sparta from God of War: Sons of Sparta [Bear McCreary, 2026]

Mount Taygetos from God of War: Sons of Sparta [Bear McCreary, 2026]

Port of Messenia from God of War: Sons of Sparta [Bear McCreary, 2026]

Ode to Olympus from God of War: Sons of Sparta [Bear McCreary, 2026]

Laconian Woods from God of War: Sons of Sparta [Bear McCreary, 2026]

The Grand Cistern from God of War: Sons of Sparta [Bear McCreary, 2026]

The Sanctuary from God of War: Sons of Sparta [Bear McCreary, 2026]

Oenus Vineyard from God of War: Sons of Sparta [Bear McCreary, 2026]

The Veiled Bog from God of War: Sons of Sparta [Bear McCreary, 2026]

The Barren Steppe from God of War: Sons of Sparta [Bear McCreary, 2026]

The Drifting Spire from God of War: Sons of Sparta [Bear McCreary, 2026]

Brotherhood from God of War: Sons of Sparta [Bear McCreary feat. Logic, 2026]

LINKS

Patreon: https://patreon.com/bgmania

Website: https://bgmania.podbean.com/

Discord: https://discord.gg/cC73Heu

Facebook: BGManiaPodcast

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PODCAST NETWORK

Very Good Music: A VGM Podcast

Listening Religiously

Episode #412 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan closes out the month of February 2026 with another eclectic mix in Radio Hour, Volume 84!

Just because it's the shortest month of the year doesn't mean Radio Hour is any less packed with what you'd expect. We're going all over the place with this episode, from early PC-98 and Amiga releases, to a modern reimagining of a JRPG classic, a fan-made ROM hack being worked on by a listener of the show, and a beautiful mini-spotlight on the stellar soundtrack to the recently released Cairn!

Email the show at [email protected] with requests for upcoming episodes, questions, feedback, comments, concerns, or any other thoughts you'd like to share! Special thanks to our Executive Producers: Jexak, Xancu, Jeff & Mike.

EPISODE PLAYLIST AND CREDITS

BGM 1 from 7 Colors [Hayato Matsuo & Hitoshi Sakimoto, 1992]

Tula Dance from Dragon Quest VII Reimagined [Koichi Sugiyama, 2026]

Takechiyo from Nioh 3 [Akihiro Manabe, 2026]

Sea from Starsand Island [Unknown, 2026]

Bee My Honey -Honey B. Lovely Theme- from Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail [Masayoshi Soken feat. Paula Kaye Gerhold, 2024]

Never to Return from Pyre [Darren Korb feat. Ashley Barrett, 2017]

Together Forever -Main Theme- from Embers of Mana [OK Impala!, Unreleased]

Only the Mountain from Cairn [The Toxic Avenger, 2026]

Part of a Whole from Cairn [The Toxic Avenger feat. Gildaa, 2026]

Stars from Cairn [Martin Stig Andersen feat. Gildaa, 2026]

Song to Listen To While Being Chased by an Injured Man Wearing a Tree Costume in a Sewer from What Lies in the Multiverse [Ronny Antares, 2022]

Pingolf -Gameplay- from UFO 50 [Eirik Suhrke, 2024]

The Way Forward from Brian the Lion [Mike Clarke & Richard Ede, 1994]

Liar from ROMEO IS A DEAD MAN [Luby Sparks, 2026]

LINKS

Patreon: https://patreon.com/bgmania

Website: https://bgmania.podbean.com/

Discord: https://discord.gg/cC73Heu

Facebook: BGManiaPodcast

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Instagram: BGManiaPodcast

TikTok: BGManiaPodcast

YouTube: BGManiaPodcast

Twitch: BGManiaPodcast

PODCAST NETWORK

Very Good Music: A VGM Podcast

Listening Religiously