BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast

Bonus Episode #82 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan reviews Control Resonant, the long-awaited sequel to 2019’s Control. It comes from Finnish studio Remedy Entertainment, which self-published it with co-financing from Annapurna, and it’s out now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Seven years after his sister Jesse pulled him free from the Hiss, Dylan Faden wakes from a coma with a shapeshifting weapon called the Aberrant lodged in his chest. Jesse is nowhere to be found, and the Hiss is loose across a Manhattan that’s folding in on itself, with streets peeling up the sides of buildings and the skyline hanging upside down overhead.

What does Control look like once Jesse steps aside and the Bureau’s troubles spill out into the city? Bryan follows that thread across all eight segments. He sizes up Dylan as the series’ new lead, roams the warped zones and Gravity Anomalies of paranatural Manhattan, and puts the Aberrant’s melee-focused combat and its towering Resonant boss fights to the test. He spends time with Zoe De Vera, Dylan’s Bureau handler, explains why the game’s stiff facial animations kept pulling him out of big moments, and makes the case that the Sinkhole escape stands toe to toe with the Ashtray Maze. Then it’s time to pull on the tinfoil hat for a deep dive into the Remedy Connected Universe and where Alan Wake might fit next. The soundtrack gets a full segment of its own, as Bryan unpacks Petri Alanko’s fragile, experimental score, the six original songs of Zoe’s Mixtape, Apocalyptica’s opening track “Upperhand,” and the surprising absence of Old Gods of Asgard.

Email the show at bgmaniapodcast@gmail.com 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

• Upperhand from Control Resonant [Apocalyptica feat. Katrine Stenbekk, 2026]
• Tabula Rasa from Control Resonant [Petri Alanko, 2026]
• Into the Sunshine from Control Resonant [Petri Alanko feat. Veronika Vitazkova, 2026]
• Say What from Control Resonant [Jurek Reunamäki, Teemu Brunila & Lucas Kihlman, 2026]
• Obsessive Compulsive Order from Control Resonant [Petri Alanko, 2026]
• Thrown Out from Control Resonant [Petri Alanko, 2026]
• No Chains Can Last Forever from Control Resonant [Jussi Tiainen, Jean Castel & Antti Riihimäki, 2026]
• Another World from Control Resonant [Frida Amundsen & Sakima, 2026]
• Final Conduit Pt. 2 from Control Resonant [Petri Alanko, 2026]
• Fight For Control (We Go To War) from Control Resonant [Heviteemu, 2026]
• Final Fight from Control Resonant [Petri Alanko, 2026]
• Final Conclusion from Control Resonant [Petri Alanko, 2026]
• The One I Once Knew from Control Resonant [Petri Alanko feat. Amelia Jones, 2026]
• Sibling Theme (Broken Conduit) -Long Version- from Control Resonant [Petri Alanko, 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 #447 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan wraps up October 2026 with another eclectic mix in Radio Hour, Volume 92!

It's our annual Halloween special! Just like usual, we've got a terrifyingly fun episode packed with scares, ghouls, black cats, and of course, the undead. Enjoy the holiday being on a Saturday this year, and as always, stay safe if you're out celebrating. Happy Halloween!

Email the show at bgmaniapodcast@gmail.com 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

• Victory Theme from Halloween: The Game [John Carpenter/Mark Rutherford, 2026]
• Graveyard Gremlins from MachiaVillain [Chase Parker, 2018]
• Temple of Nightmare from Jack Bros. [Hiroyuki Yanada, 1995]
• Zombies Dance When The Drums Play from Lollipop Chainsaw [Akira Yamaoka, 2012]
• Bloody Mansion from Halloween Forever [bc likes you, 2016]
• Track 9 from Magic The Gathering: Battlemage [Greg Turner, 1996]
• Lily of the Valley from The Cat Lady [Michal Michalski, 2012]
• Main Menu from Warcraft III Reforged: Forsaken Kingdom [Michael Patti, 2026]
• Crimson Forest from Warcraft III Reforged: Forsaken Kingdom [Michael Patti, 2026]
• Undercity from Warcraft III Reforged: Forsaken Kingdom [Michael Patti, 2026]
• Title Screen from Tenebris Somnia [Pablo Borghi, Clara Kovacic & David Levill, 2026]
• Field Of Souls from Clive Barker's Hellraiser: Revival [Milos Nikolic, 2026]
• The Noose from Valor Mortis [Arkadiusz Reikowski & Oskar Bala, 2026]
• Sloth Battle -Trent- from Dead Rising 3 [Celldweller, 2013]

LINKS

• Patreon: https://patreon.com/bgmania
• Website: https://bgmania.podbean.com/
• Discord: https://discord.gg/cC73Heu
• Facebook: BGManiaPodcast
• X: BGManiaPodcast
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• YouTube: BGManiaPodcast
• Twitch: BGManiaPodcast

PODCAST NETWORK

• Very Good Music: A VGM Podcast
• Listening Religiously

Bonus Episode #81 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan and Kyle return to the shadowy world of Castlevania with Castlevania: Belmont's Curse, a gothic adventure that resurrects the legendary Belmont bloodline and brings the series' signature blend of supernatural horror, relentless action, and labyrinthine exploration back into the spotlight. Armed with the iconic Vampire Killer whip, the guys venture into a world crawling with nightmarish creatures, deadly secrets, and the unmistakable atmosphere that has made Castlevania one of gaming's most beloved franchises.

There's more than a little bad blood to go around as they sink their teeth into the game's challenging combat, satisfying exploration, intricate environments, memorable boss encounters, and the delicate balance between honoring the series' legacy and carving out something new. Along the way, they discuss the highs and occasional frustrations of the adventure, how it stacks up against other entries in the franchise, and whether this latest chapter delivers the experience longtime fans have been waiting for. Naturally, the conversation wouldn't be complete without a look at the game's haunting soundtrack, including its fresh musical ideas and a reimagined Castlevania classic, before the duo puts the final stake in their review with their closing thoughts and scores.

Email the show at bgmaniapodcast@gmail.com 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

• Bloodbound from Castlevania: Belmont's Curse [Daniel Asadi, 2026]
• Streets of Fire from Castlevania: Belmont's Curse [Daniel Asadi, 2026]
• Gravefall from Castlevania: Belmont's Curse [Daniel Asadi, 2026]
• Bone March from Castlevania: Belmont's Curse [Daniel Asadi, 2026]
• Bloody Tears from Castlevania: Belmont's Curse [Kenichi Matsubara/Daniel Asadi, 2026]
• Crimson Dungeon from Castlevania: Belmont's Curse [Daniel Asadi, 2026]
• Iron Clock from Castlevania: Belmont's Curse [Daniel Asadi, 2026]
• The Stolen Cathedral from Castlevania: Belmont's Curse [Daniel Asadi, 2026]
• The Passing of Power from Castlevania: Belmont's Curse [Daniel Asadi, 2026]
• The Last Blood from Castlevania: Belmont's Curse [Daniel Asadi, 2026]
• Burning Son from Castlevania: Belmont's Curse [Daniel Asadi, 2026]
• Mirror Trap from Castlevania: Belmont's Curse [Daniel Asadi, 2026]
• Deadly Embrace from Castlevania: Belmont's Curse [Daniel Asadi, 2026]
• Lord of the Night from Castlevania: Belmont's Curse [Daniel Asadi, 2026]

LINKS

• Patreon: https://patreon.com/bgmania
• Website: https://bgmania.podbean.com/
• Discord: https://discord.gg/cC73Heu
• Facebook: BGManiaPodcast
• X: BGManiaPodcast
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PODCAST NETWORK

• Very Good Music: A VGM Podcast
• Listening Religiously

Episode #446 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan and Bedroth are signing the intake forms, snapping on the hospital bracelets, and checking themselves into the gloomiest wards in gaming for an episode all about Asylums & Sanatoriums! From the locked halls of Mount Massive to the crooked spires of Thorney Towers, we’re keeping spooky season going inside the institutions horror games can’t stop dragging us back to, where the doors only lock from the outside, and nobody’s sure what’s real anymore.

Visiting hours are over, and the gate just clicked shut behind you. This week’s all about the places nobody checks out of easy: flickering corridors, padded rooms, rusted gurneys, and the kind of quiet that makes you wonder who’s listening on the other side of the door. Sometimes the asylum is a crumbling building on a hill, and sometimes it’s the one you carry around in your own head. Pull up a chair in the dayroom, dim the lights, and try to make it out before the night shift starts its rounds.

Email the show at bgmaniapodcast@gmail.com 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

• Welcome to the Asylum from Outlast [Samuel Laflamme, 2013]
• Surreal from Alice: Madness Returns [Jason Tai, 2011]
• O.R.T from Silent Hill: Origins [Akira Yamaoka feat. Mary Elizabeth McGlynn, 2007]
• It Hunts Me from Fran Bow [Isak J. Martinsson, 2015]
• Cold Corridors from The Evil Within [Shuichi Kobori, 2014]
• Dr. Loboto's Lab from Psychonauts [Peter McConnell, 2005]
• Isolated -The Asylum- from Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines [Chiasm, 2004]
• Last Lullaby from Neverending Nightmares [Sklyer McGlothlin, 2014]
• Look Who's Laughing Now from Batman: Arkham Knight [Nick Arundel & David Buckley feat. Mark Hamill, 2015]
• Consequences from Get Even [Olivier Deriviere, 2017]
• Morimoto Hospital from Persona 2: Eternal Punishment [Atsushi Kitajoh, 2012]
• Welcome To The Annual Blackwood Winter Getaway from Until Dawn [Jason Graves, 2015]
• Out of the Asylum... from Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League [Nick Arundel, 2024]
• Ending -Final Credits- from Sanitarium [Stephen Bennett & Jamie McMenamy, 1998]

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 #445 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan and Bedroth are dusting off a forbidden tome, lighting a single candle, and peering into the cosmic unknown with a tribute to the master of weird fiction himself: H.P. Lovecraft! From the sunken city of R’lyeh to the gothic streets of Yharnam, we’re exploring games inspired by the Providence author whose sleeping gods, secret cults, and unknowable horrors have been creeping into video games for decades.

Somewhere between the first track and the last, you’ll freeze alongside the crew of a doomed North Sea oil rig, hack through a cursed jungle in search of a mound that should’ve stayed buried, hum along as Cthulhu himself crashes the Christmas carols, go on a very questionable date with the Black Goat of the Woods, and drift across a cosmic sea where the sky seems to stare back.

Email the show at bgmaniapodcast@gmail.com 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

• Welcome Home - Trapped from Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss [Nicolas Garcia feat. Tina Guo & Budapest Scoring, 2026]
• The Evil One from Splatterhouse 3 [Eiko Kaneda, 1993]
• Hail The Nightmare from Bloodborne [Ryan Amon, 2015]
• Crypted Chaos from Dusk [Andrew Hulshult, 2018]
• The Drowning of Davey Rennick from Still Wakes the Deep [Jason Graves, 2024]
• Searching for the Mound from The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu [Patricio Meneses & Sebastian Palacios, 2026]
• Carol of the Bels from Cthulhu Saves Christmas [Joshua Queen, 2019]
• Spaceship from Cthulhu Saves the World [Gordon McNeil, 2011]
• Lovecraft Boss Fight from Tesla vs Lovecraft [Pandocrator, 2018]
• Rhok'zan from Sucker for Love: Date to Die For [xtraspicy, 2024]
• Spiritual Combat from Laplace no Ma [Akiko Kosaka, 1995]
• The Penitent from Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem [Steve Henifin, 2002]
• Cosmic Sea from DOOM: The Dark Ages [Finishing Move, 2025]
• The Light Carrier Test from Alone in the Dark [Olivier Deriviere feat. The Mystery of Bulgarian Voices, 2008]

LINKS

• Patreon: https://patreon.com/bgmania
• Website: https://bgmania.podbean.com/
• Discord: https://discord.gg/cC73Heu
• Facebook: BGManiaPodcast
• X: BGManiaPodcast
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• Twitch: BGManiaPodcast

PODCAST NETWORK

• Very Good Music: A VGM Podcast
• Listening Religiously

Bonus Episode #80 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan reviews Silent Hill: Townfall, the first full-length entry in the series played entirely in first person, from Scottish studio Screen Burn Interactive and co-published by Konami and Annapurna Interactive, out now on PlayStation 5 and PC. It’s 1996, and Simon Ordell wakes up in the cold water beside the docks of St. Amelia, a fog-covered island town off the Scottish coast with no one left in it. He has an IV bag hooked to his arm, a hospital wristband with his name on it, and a battered portable TV that keeps picking up voices who seem to know exactly who he is.

What happens when Silent Hill leaves its own town behind and washes up on a Scottish shore? Bryan chases that question across all eight segments. He wanders the stone streets and abandoned homes of St. Amelia and digs into the tangled connection between Simon, the nurse Zoe Ellis, and the mysterious Richard. He tunes in to the CRTV, the series’ iconic radio reimagined as a pocket television, and explains why the game’s forced stealth sections and its hidden ending system tested his patience. The longest segment asks whether Townfall needed the Silent Hill name at all. And the soundtrack gets a full segment of its own, as Bryan explores composer Pilotpriest’s dark, ambient take on the series and the dynamic score he built with the sound team at Arrival.

Email the show at bgmaniapodcast@gmail.com 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

• Hymn from Silent Hill: Townfall [Pilotpriest, 2026]
• Apology from Silent Hill: Townfall [Pilotpriest, 2026]
• Wailing from Silent Hill: Townfall [Pilotpriest, 2026]
• What Happened To Us from Silent Hill: Townfall [Pilotpriest, 2026]
• Drifted from Silent Hill: Townfall [Pilotpriest, 2026]
• Home from Silent Hill: Townfall [Pilotpriest, 2026]
• Welcome from Silent Hill: Townfall [Pilotpriest, 2026]
• Pull from Silent Hill: Townfall [Pilotpriest, 2026]
• Gone from Silent Hill: Townfall [Pilotpriest, 2026]
• Sleep from Silent Hill: Townfall [Pilotpriest, 2026]
• Come Closer from Silent Hill: Townfall [Pilotpriest, 2026]
• Last Place from Silent Hill: Townfall [Pilotpriest, 2026]
• Staring from Silent Hill: Townfall [Pilotpriest, 2026]
• Otherside from Silent Hill: Townfall [Pilotpriest, 2026]

LINKS

• Patreon: https://patreon.com/bgmania
• Website: https://bgmania.podbean.com/
• Discord: https://discord.gg/cC73Heu
• Facebook: BGManiaPodcast
• X: BGManiaPodcast
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• Twitch: BGManiaPodcast

PODCAST NETWORK

• Very Good Music: A VGM Podcast
• Listening Religiously

Episode #444 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, spooky season is here, and Bryan and Bedroth are kicking off October by strapping on the proton packs, gassing up the Ecto-1, and answering the call for New York's most famous paranormal exterminators: the Ghostbusters! From a Commodore 64 title screen that came with its own bouncing-ball sing-along all the way to Spirits Unleashed, we're busting through more than forty years of games built around the franchise that made catching ghosts look like the coolest job on the planet.

We'll march the Statue of Liberty through Manhattan, check into a hotel you'll want to check out of early, wander an abandoned subway long after the last train's gone, poke around a rusty old factory with the Extreme crew, and come face to face with a certain marshmallow the size of a skyscraper. So keep your PKE meter close, don't cross the streams, and leave the porch light on, because October on BGMania is just getting started!

Email the show at bgmaniapodcast@gmail.com 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

• Ghostbusters from Ghostbusters [Russell Lieblich, 1984]
• Higher and Higher from Ghostbusters II [Gary Jackson, Raynard Miner & Carl Smith/David Whittaker, 1989]
• Ghostbusters Level Medley from LEGO Dimensions [Ian Livingstone & Rob Westwood, 2016]
• Level 3 from The Real Ghostbusters [Unknown, 1993]
• Abandoned Subway -Level 2- from New Ghostbusters II [Jun Ishikawa, 1990]
• BGM #05 from Extreme Ghostbusters [Allister Brimble, 2001]
• Case Introduction from Ghostbusters [Kazuhiko Nagai, 1990]
• Ghostbusters Orchestral Arrangement from Planet Coaster [Jim Guthrie & J. J. Ipsen, 2019]
• Hotel from Ghostbusters: Ghost Trap [Unknown, 2009]
• The Old Factory from Extreme Ghostbusters: The Ultimate Invasion [Unknown, 2004]
• Firehouse from Ghostbusters: The Video Game [Tamas Szili, 2009]
• New York Spooking from Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed [Mark Rutherford, 2022]
• Stay Puft from Ghostbusters: The Video Game [Kyle Richards, 2009]
• Ghostbusters from Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime [Ray Parker Jr., 1984/2011]

LINKS

• Patreon: https://patreon.com/bgmania
• Website: https://bgmania.podbean.com/
• Discord: https://discord.gg/cC73Heu
• Facebook: BGManiaPodcast
• X: BGManiaPodcast
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• Twitch: BGManiaPodcast

PODCAST NETWORK

• Very Good Music: A VGM Podcast
• Listening Religiously

Bonus Episode #79 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan reviews Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter, Nihon Falcom's full remake of the beloved Trails in the Sky SC and the direct follow-up to 2025's Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter, published in the West by GungHo Online Entertainment America and out now on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam. It's a story-driven RPG that picks up seconds after one of the genre's cruelest cliffhangers, as senior Bracer Estelle Bright sets out across the Kingdom of Liberl with nothing but Joshua's harmonica and a stubborn refusal to let him go, only to find the shadowy society of Ouroboros pulling strings in every corner of the country.

Two games, one girl, and a goodbye that refused to stay final. That's the heart of this Musical Review, and Bryan treats 1st and 2nd Chapter as the single giant story they were always meant to be. He follows Estelle's growth from bubbly rookie to the person holding a whole kingdom together, the slow-burn romance two RPGs spent building, and a supporting cast where Scherazard, Agate, Tita, Kloe, Zin, Olivier, and newcomer Kevin all get arcs of their own. He sizes up the Enforcers of Ouroboros, from Loewe to the unsettling little Renne, then gets into the hybrid combat, the new Brave Rush team attacks, those brutal Enforcer Boost boss fights, and a Liberl packed with Bracer requests, fishing, poker, and cooking with your companions. And of course, he spends plenty of time with Falcom Sound Team jdk's reimagined soundtrack and explains why the music is a big part of why this remake hits as hard as it does.

Email the show at bgmaniapodcast@gmail.com 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

• Silver Will, Golden Wings from Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter [Wataru Ishibashi feat. Megumi Sasaka, 2026]
• Strepitoso Fight -Command Battle- from Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter [Takahiro Unisuga, 2026]
• Looking Up at the Sky from Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter [Takahiro Unisuga, 2026]
• The Dream Continues from Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter [Takahiro Unisuga, 2026]
• Hamel from Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter [Wataru Ishibashi, 2026]
• The Fate of The Fairies -Command Battle- from Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter [Ryo Takeshita, 2026]
• The Enforcers from Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter [Takahide Murayama, 2026]
• Fateful Confrontation from Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter [Takahiro Unisuga, 2026]
• Floating City "Liber Ark" from Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter [Takahiro Unisuga, 2026]
• The Truth Behind the Tragedy from Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter [Wataru Ishibashi, 2026]
• The Whereabouts of Hope from Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter [Yukihiro Jindo, 2026]
• The Merciless Savior from Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter [Wataru Ishibashi, 2026]
• Gravestone Struck By Lightning from Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter [Ryo Takeshita, 2026]
• I swear... from Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter [Kohei Wada feat. Megumi Sasaka, ADD & Ai Yasuda, 2026]

LINKS

• Patreon: https://patreon.com/bgmania
• Website: https://bgmania.podbean.com/
• Discord: https://discord.gg/cC73Heu
• Facebook: BGManiaPodcast
• X: BGManiaPodcast
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• TikTok: BGManiaPodcast
• YouTube: BGManiaPodcast
• Twitch: BGManiaPodcast

PODCAST NETWORK

• Very Good Music: A VGM Podcast
• Listening Religiously

Episode #443 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan wraps up September 2026 with another eclectic mix in Radio Hour, Volume 91!

Buckle up for what might be the longest track title in BGMania history, a Zeta Gundam legend lending her voice to a brand-new retro anime adventure, the Gummi Bears game Disney never made, and a Majora's Mask arrangement sent in by the person who arranged it. Plus a three-track spotlight on Another Eden Begins, the time-traveling RPG from the mind behind Chrono Trigger. We close the night by checking into a very suspicious inn, because spooky season starts tomorrow and I couldn't wait.

Email the show at bgmaniapodcast@gmail.com 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

• The Strange-Step All Night Dancing Bunny Cheerleader's Assaulting Trumpet Resounds!! from Dragon Half [Tadahiro Nitta, 1994]
• Accelerating Destiny from Orbitals [Falk & Klou feat. Mami Ayukawa, 2026]
• Kalanoro from Kalanoro [Jyeuhair, 2026]
• Unstoppable from Aniimo [GALACTIKA feat. jasyours, 2026]
• To the Sky of Time from Another Eden Begins [Yasunori Mitsuda, 2026]
• Chaos -Flowers that Bloom in the Void- from Another Eden Begins [Takeshi Yamagami feat. Arisa Kori, Mie Sonozaki & MoeMi, 2026]
• A Light Never Forgotten from Another Eden Begins [Yasunori Mitsuda & Mariam Abounnasr, 2026]
• Long Live the King from Zenless Zone Zero [Sān-Z STUDIO, 2024]
• Theme Song from The Adventures of the Gummi Bears [Unknown/NintendoComplete, 2014/2019]
• Southern Swamp from The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask [Koji Kondo/Florian Bochkovsky, 2000/2026]
• Town Where the Bells Chime from Atelier Iris: Eternal Mana [Ken Nakagawa, 2004]
• A Challenge to God -Four Guardian Kings Battle- from Romancing SaGa: Minstrel Song [Kenji Ito, 2005]
• Stage 4-1 -Aboard the Pachacamac- from Les Aventures de Tintin: Le Temple du Soleil [Alberto Jose González, 2000]
• Webdrench Inn from Well Dweller [Eric Thompson, 2026]

LINKS

• Patreon: https://patreon.com/bgmania
• Website: https://bgmania.podbean.com/
• Discord: https://discord.gg/cC73Heu
• Facebook: BGManiaPodcast
• X: BGManiaPodcast
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• TikTok: BGManiaPodcast
• YouTube: BGManiaPodcast
• Twitch: BGManiaPodcast

PODCAST NETWORK

• Very Good Music: A VGM Podcast
• Listening Religiously

Bonus Episode #78 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan and Kyle unsheathe their claws and dive into Marvel's Wolverine, Insomniac Games' long-awaited take on one of Marvel's most iconic and vicious heroes, putting Logan front and center in an adventure that trades Spider-Man's acrobatics for adamantium, regeneration, and a whole lot of blood.

Claws aren't the only things coming out as the duo breaks down Wolverine's brutal combat, progression and abilities, memorable environments, massive encounters, and the cast of familiar mutants and villains standing in Logan's way. We'll also dig into what works, what keeps the game from reaching the heights of Insomniac's best, and the surprisingly strong emotional core provided by Logan and Jean Grey, before wrapping things up with their final thoughts and scores. David Fleming's original soundtrack follows the journey through the game, from the defining sounds of Logan, Sabretooth, Omega Red, and the Sentinels to the quieter themes surrounding Jean and Logan's relationship.

Email the show at bgmaniapodcast@gmail.com 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

• Logan from Marvel's Wolverine [David Fleming, 2026]
• Trask and the Machines from Marvel's Wolverine [David Fleming, 2026]
• Omega Red from Marvel's Wolverine [David Fleming, 2026]
• His Creed Is Mayhem from Marvel's Wolverine [David Fleming, 2026]
• Dawn of the Sentinel from Marvel's Wolverine [David Fleming, 2026]
• The Hand from Marvel's Wolverine [David Fleming, 2026]
• Red from Marvel's Wolverine [David Fleming, 2026]
• Twin Flames from Marvel's Wolverine [David Fleming, 2026]
• Adamantium from Marvel's Wolverine [David Fleming, 2026]
• Death Be a Lady from Marvel's Wolverine [David Fleming, 2026]
• Death's Door from Marvel's Wolverine [David Fleming, 2026]
• The Cruelest Cut from Marvel's Wolverine [David Fleming, 2026]
• A Dream of the Future from Marvel's Wolverine [David Fleming, 2026]
• Weapon & Master from Marvel's Wolverine [David Fleming, 2026]

LINKS

• Patreon: https://patreon.com/bgmania
• Website: https://bgmania.podbean.com/
• Discord: https://discord.gg/cC73Heu
• Facebook: BGManiaPodcast
• X: BGManiaPodcast
• Instagram: BGManiaPodcast
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• YouTube: BGManiaPodcast
• Twitch: BGManiaPodcast

PODCAST NETWORK

• Very Good Music: A VGM Podcast
• Listening Religiously

Episode #442 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan and Bedroth are answering a request straight from composer Paweł Górniak himself as we settle in with the cozy fantasy world of Flamecraft! With its soundtrack coming in at just eight tracks, we decided to expand the musical journey by pairing it with another of Górniak's wonderfully relaxing scores, 2020's Wingspan, for an episode dedicated to the composer's warm, melodic, and unmistakably inviting sound.

We'll wander through bustling market squares alongside tiny artisan dragons, uncover the secrets of a cozy guild, and join a parade before trading fire and fantasy for wide-open meadows, rustling treetops, and endless blue skies. Along the way, we'll dig into what makes Górniak's music work so beautifully in both worlds, from the playful charm of Flamecraft to the peaceful sense of space and freedom found throughout Wingspan. Find somewhere comfortable, watch the clouds drift by, and don't mind the dragons tending the shop. This week, we're slowing things down and letting the music do the flying.

Email the show at bgmaniapodcast@gmail.com 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

• Flamecraft Main Theme from Flamecraft [Paweł Górniak, 2026]
• Morning in the Magic Alley from Flamecraft [Paweł Górniak, 2026]
• A Dragon in Every Shop from Flamecraft [Paweł Górniak, 2026]
• The Flamekeeper’s Waltz from Flamecraft [Paweł Górniak, 2026]
• Little Flames, Big Dreams from Flamecraft [Paweł Górniak, 2026]
• Secrets of Market Square from Flamecraft [Paweł Górniak, 2026]
• Whispers of the Cozy Guild from Flamecraft [Paweł Górniak, 2026]
• Far In The Grassland from Wingspan [Paweł Górniak, 2020]
• Wide Meadow from Wingspan [Paweł Górniak, 2020]
• Starting to Fly from Wingspan [Paweł Górniak, 2020]
• Treetops from Wingspan [Paweł Górniak, 2020]
• Cloud Gazing from Wingspan [Paweł Górniak, 2020]
• My Realm from Wingspan [Paweł Górniak, 2020]
• The Dragons Parade from Flamecraft [Paweł Górniak, 2026]

LINKS

• Patreon: https://patreon.com/bgmania
• Website: https://bgmania.podbean.com/
• Discord: https://discord.gg/cC73Heu
• Facebook: BGManiaPodcast
• X: BGManiaPodcast
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• YouTube: BGManiaPodcast
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PODCAST NETWORK

• Very Good Music: A VGM Podcast
• Listening Religiously

Bonus Episode #77 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan reviews The Blood of Dawnwalker, the debut RPG and the opening chapter of a brand new saga developed by Rebel Wolves and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment, out now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. It's a dark fantasy open-world action RPG set in Vale Sangora, a plague-choked valley tucked into the 14th-century Carpathian Mountains, where you play as Coen, a young man turned into a Dawnwalker, human by day and vampire by night, who has thirty days to pull his captured family back from the grip of the ancient vampire lord Brencis.

Here's the catch with a first game from a studio full of Witcher 3 veterans: everyone walks in already comparing it to the last thing they made. This Musical Review is about where Dawnwalker stops borrowing and starts becoming its own thing. Bryan works through the thirty-day structure that turns time into a resource you spend rather than a clock you race, the day-and-night split that swaps grounded swordplay and blood magic for claws and predatory speed after dark, and the way exploring Vale Sangora and the silver city of Svartrau changes character depending on the hour. He digs into Coen's story and his bond with the family at the center of it, the narrative sandbox where choices close doors you can't reopen, and the big question of whether this feels like its own world after all that shared DNA. And of course, he spends real time with the soundtrack and butchering the composers' names, breaking down how it builds the game's medieval Gothic identity across the human side and the vampire side.

Email the show at bgmaniapodcast@gmail.com 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

• The Blood of Dawnwalker -Main Theme- from The Blood of Dawnwalker [Nikola Kołodziejczyk, Karolina Matuszkiewicz & Kacper Malisz, 2026]
• Wistful Smiles from The Blood of Dawnwalker [Nikola Kołodziejczyk, 2026]
• Whirling Shadows from The Blood of Dawnwalker [Nikola Kołodziejczyk feat. Karolina Matuszkiewicz & Kacper Malisz, 2026]
• Ballad of Night and Day from The Blood of Dawnwalker [Mikolai Stroinski, 2026]
• Into the Wilds from The Blood of Dawnwalker [Nikola Kołodziejczyk, 2026]
• Rooftops of Svartrau from The Blood of Dawnwalker [Nikola Kołodziejczyk, 2026]
• Desperate Measures from The Blood of Dawnwalker [Piotr Musiał & Karolina Matuszkiewicz, 2026]
• Battle of Retribution from The Blood of Dawnwalker [Nikola Kołodziejczyk feat. Karolina Matuszkiewicz & the Atom String Quartet, 2026]
• Forgotten Horrors from The Blood of Dawnwalker [Nikola Kołodziejczyk feat. Kacper Malisz, 2026]
• Survival of the Fittest from The Blood of Dawnwalker [Piotr Musiał, 2026]
• Watched From Beyond from The Blood of Dawnwalker [Mikolai Stroinski, 2026]
• Knyaz of Vale Sangora from The Blood of Dawnwalker [Piotr Musiał, 2026]
• Hoping For Hope from The Blood of Dawnwalker [Karolina Matuszkiewicz, 2026]
• Mother’s Promise from The Blood of Dawnwalker [Nikola Kołodziejczyk & Karolina Matuszkiewicz feat. Katarzyna Czubek, 2026]

LINKS

• Patreon: https://patreon.com/bgmania
• Website: https://bgmania.podbean.com/
• Discord: https://discord.gg/cC73Heu
• Facebook: BGManiaPodcast
• X: BGManiaPodcast
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PODCAST NETWORK

• Very Good Music: A VGM Podcast
• Listening Religiously

Episode #441 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan and Bedroth grab a fresh set of dice, argue over who gets to be the party's healer, and descend into the sprawling, dungeon-crawling, dragon-hoarding world that started it all: Dungeons & Dragons! From the earliest computer RPGs that ever dared to put a spellbook on a screen to modern MMORPG expansions, we're adventuring through a theme that basically wrote the rulebook for fantasy gaming as we know it.

Roll for initiative, because you're gonna need it. We'll haggle in a castle shop, sneak through a hall built for the senses, ride a dragon into the sunset, get ambushed in the dark more than once, crash a vampire's nightclub, and end things with a knock on the door from a certain god of secrets as spooky season creeps ever closer. So grab your character sheet, sharpen your +1 dagger, and try not to split the party, because this one's a long campaign and we're just getting started.

Email the show at bgmaniapodcast@gmail.com 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

• Title from Pool of Radiance [Wally Beben, 1990]
• Who Are You from Baldur's Gate 3 [Borislav Slavov feat. Mariya Anastasova, 2023]
• Castle Shoppe from Dungeons & Dragons: Heroes [Gary Spinrad, 2003]
• Spiral Battle from Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow over Mystara [Masato Kouda, 1996]
• Ending from DragonStrike [Yoshio Kobayashi & Yasuhiro Kawasaki, 1992]
• Outdoors 4 from Dark Sun: Wake of the Ravager [Ralph Thomas & George Sanger, 1994]
• Nym Pymplee the Goblin from Iron & Blood: Warriors [Michael Bross & Michael Goodis, 1997]
• Civic Festhall from Planescape: Torment [Richard Band, 1999]
• Tavern Sword Coast from Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of Zehir [Andrew Barnabas & Paul Arnold, 2008]
• Dungeon Theme from Eye of the Beholder [Yuzo Koshiro & Motohiro Kawashima, 1994]
• Murderlin's Temple Challenge from Borderlands 2: Tiny Tina's Assault on Dragon Keep [Raison Varner, 2013]
• Ambush in the Dark from Solasta: Crown of the Magister [Maxime Hervé, 2021]
• Come Around from Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines [Rik Schaffer, 2004]
• Turn the Page from Dungeons & Dragons Online: Vecna Unleashed [Bill Champagne, 2023]

LINKS

• Patreon: https://patreon.com/bgmania
• Website: https://bgmania.podbean.com/
• Discord: https://discord.gg/cC73Heu
• Facebook: BGManiaPodcast
• X: BGManiaPodcast
• Instagram: BGManiaPodcast
• TikTok: BGManiaPodcast
• YouTube: BGManiaPodcast
• Twitch: BGManiaPodcast

PODCAST NETWORK

• Very Good Music: A VGM Podcast
• Listening Religiously

Bonus Episode #76 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan reviews Onimusha: Way of the Sword, the long-awaited franchise revival developed and published by Capcom, out now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC. As the first mainline entry since Dawn of Dreams in 2006, it drops you into a dark fantasy version of Edo-era Kyoto twisted by a corrupting force called Malice, where a young, hot-headed Miyamoto Musashi is killed, dragged back to life, and saddled with the Oni Gauntlet, a demonic artifact that keeps him breathing only as long as he keeps feeding it souls.

Twenty years is a long time to leave a series on the shelf, and this Musical Review is all about whether the wait was worth it. Bryan gets deep into the razor-sharp swordplay built around parries, deflects, and the signature Issen counter, the soul-fueled progression that shapes Musashi around your own playstyle, and the eerie stretch of temples, mountain paths, and hidden laboratories you cut through along the way. He works through Musashi's story and his gauntlet-bound partnership with Shizuka, the memorable cast of allies and villains reimagined from real history and folklore, and the bigger question of whether this actually feels like Onimusha after two decades away. And of course, he spends plenty of time with the score from Marika Suzuki, Nozomi Ohmoto, Kota Suzuki, and Tomoki Kameyama, breaking down how it fuses traditional Japanese sound with horror and dread.

Email the show at bgmaniapodcast@gmail.com 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 Onimusha: Way of the Sword [Marika Suzuki, Nozomi Ohmoto, Kota Suzuki & Tomoki Kameyama, 2026]
• Daidara from Onimusha: Way of the Sword [Marika Suzuki, Nozomi Ohmoto, Kota Suzuki & Tomoki Kameyama, 2026]
• Sasaki Ganryu from Onimusha: Way of the Sword [Marika Suzuki, Nozomi Ohmoto, Kota Suzuki & Tomoki Kameyama, 2026]
• Yoshioka Follower from Onimusha: Way of the Sword [Marika Suzuki, Nozomi Ohmoto, Kota Suzuki & Tomoki Kameyama, 2026]
• Rasho-gan from Onimusha: Way of the Sword [Marika Suzuki, Nozomi Ohmoto, Kota Suzuki & Tomoki Kameyama, 2026]
• Ifuu from Onimusha: Way of the Sword [Marika Suzuki, Nozomi Ohmoto, Kota Suzuki & Tomoki Kameyama, 2026]
• Nue from Onimusha: Way of the Sword [Marika Suzuki, Nozomi Ohmoto, Kota Suzuki & Tomoki Kameyama, 2026]
• Hinagiku from Onimusha: Way of the Sword [Marika Suzuki, Nozomi Ohmoto, Kota Suzuki & Tomoki Kameyama, 2026]
• Burai from Onimusha: Way of the Sword [Marika Suzuki, Nozomi Ohmoto, Kota Suzuki & Tomoki Kameyama, 2026]
• The Demon on the Mount from Onimusha: Way of the Sword [Marika Suzuki, Nozomi Ohmoto, Kota Suzuki & Tomoki Kameyama, 2026]
• Oni Awakening from Onimusha: Way of the Sword [Marika Suzuki, Nozomi Ohmoto, Kota Suzuki & Tomoki Kameyama, 2026]
• Dokyo from Onimusha: Way of the Sword [Marika Suzuki, Nozomi Ohmoto, Kota Suzuki & Tomoki Kameyama, 2026]
• Minamoto no Yoshitsune from Onimusha: Way of the Sword [Marika Suzuki, Nozomi Ohmoto, Kota Suzuki & Tomoki Kameyama, 2026]
• Ghost in the Silence from Onimusha: Way of the Sword [Nozomi Ohmoto feat. Cait Foley, 2026]

LINKS

• Patreon: https://patreon.com/bgmania
• Website: https://bgmania.podbean.com/
• Discord: https://discord.gg/cC73Heu
• Facebook: BGManiaPodcast
• X: BGManiaPodcast
• Instagram: BGManiaPodcast
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PODCAST NETWORK

• Very Good Music: A VGM Podcast
• Listening Religiously

Episode #440 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan and Bedroth hop into the nearest questionable-looking mine cart, release the brake, and immediately regret every decision that led them here. From haunted ruins and glowing mushroom caves to muddy swamps, abandoned factories, ancient shipyards, and whatever OSHA nightmare Donkey Kong has waiting underground, we're taking a ride through one of gaming's most beloved traditions: the mine cart.

We'll race canaries, dodge Ganados, help Nancy Drew make an escape, survive a few tracks that probably haven't been inspected since 1995, and somehow even bring a tiny dog along for the ride. So keep your hands and feet inside the cart, lean into the turns, and whatever you do, don't look down!

Email the show at bgmaniapodcast@gmail.com 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

• Escape from Nancy Drew: Last Train to Blue Moon Canyon [Kevin Manthei, 2005]
• Moodymaze Marsh -Minecart- from Yooka-Laylee [David Wise, 2017]
• Mine Cart from Shadowgate VR: The Mines of Mythrok [Rich Douglas, 2022]
• Shipyard Minecart Ride from The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword [Hajime Wakai, 2011]
• Look Out Behind Us! -Factory- from Rail Chase 2 [Maki Morrow & Seiichiro Matsumura, 1995]
• Moleville Mountain Rail from Super Mario RPG Remake [Yoko Shimomura, 2023]
• Lost Labyrinth Zone -Act 2- from Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I [Jun Senoue, 2010]
• Racin’ With Mary from Banjo-Tooie [Grant Kirkhope, 2000]
• Minecart Escape from The Dog Island [Eriko Chubak, 2007]
• Thrill Ride! from Resident Evil 4 Remake [Kota Suzuki & Nozomi Ohmoto, 2023]
• World 3 Minecart from Robbie Swifthand and the Orb of Mysteries [Vicky Fysika, 2018]
• JunimoKart -Glowshroom Grotto- from Stardew Valley [Eric Barone, 2016]
• Balankanche Mine from Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure [Lee Scott, Robert Higgins & David Kneuper, 1995]
• Mine Kart Madness from Donkey Kong Bananza [David Wise/Naoto Kubo, 2025]

LINKS

• Patreon: https://patreon.com/bgmania
• Website: https://bgmania.podbean.com/
• Discord: https://discord.gg/cC73Heu
• Facebook: BGManiaPodcast
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• YouTube: BGManiaPodcast
• Twitch: BGManiaPodcast

PODCAST NETWORK

• Very Good Music: A VGM Podcast
• Listening Religiously

Bonus Episode #75 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan reviews Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy, the standalone prequel from Asobo Studio and publisher Focus Entertainment, out now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, with a day-one release on Xbox Game Pass. Set fifteen years before A Plague Tale: Requiem, you play as Sophia, a young plunderer who flees a Venice heist gone wrong and sails toward Minotaur Island, a place that's been calling to her since childhood. What she finds is a sprawling labyrinth of ancient ruins, deadly soldiers, and a buried curse tangled up in Minoan myth.

Across this Musical Review, Bryan digs into the bold shift from Amicia's fragile stealth toward Sophia's agile, sword-in-hand combat, the light-bending puzzles powered by a stolen Minoan sphere, and the slow descent from sunlit Mediterranean beauty into genuine horror beneath the island. He gets into Sophia's story and her bond with Leni, the way the game reframes what longtime fans thought they understood about the Macula, and whether A Plague Tale still works with its original siblings off the stage. And of course, he spends plenty of time with the returning Olivier Derivière and his haunting Greek and Cypriot choral score, one of Bryan's favorite composers working today, breaking down how the music carries so much of the game's ache and dread.

Email the show at bgmaniapodcast@gmail.com 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

• The Land from Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy [Olivier Deriviere feat. Vasiliki Anastasiou & Amalgamation Choir, 2026]
• Father's Love from Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy [Olivier Deriviere, 2026]
• Bound from Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy [Olivier Deriviere feat. Amalgamation Choir, 2026]
• Childhood from Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy [Olivier Deriviere, 2026]
• Patera from Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy [Olivier Deriviere feat. Amalgamation Choir, 2026]
• Best Friends from Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy [Olivier Deriviere, 2026]
• Call of the Ancients from Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy [Olivier Deriviere feat. Giorgos Kalogirou & Amalgamation Choir, 2026]
• The Fight of the Braves from Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy [Olivier Deriviere feat. Amalgamation Choir, 2026]
• The Presence from Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy [Olivier Deriviere feat. Vasiliki Anastasiou, 2026]
• The Depart from Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy [Olivier Deriviere feat. Amalgamation Choir, 2026]
• The Beam from Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy [Olivier Deriviere, 2026]
• The Minotaur from Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy [Olivier Deriviere feat. Vasiliki Anastasiou, Giorgos Kalogirou & Amalgamation Choir, 2026]
• The Source from Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy [Olivier Deriviere feat. Vasiliki Anastasiou, 2026]
• Paradise from Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy [Olivier Deriviere, 2026]

LINKS

• Patreon: https://patreon.com/bgmania
• Website: https://bgmania.podbean.com/
• Discord: https://discord.gg/cC73Heu
• Facebook: BGManiaPodcast
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• Twitch: BGManiaPodcast

PODCAST NETWORK

• Very Good Music: A VGM Podcast
• Listening Religiously

Episode #439 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan and Bedroth have a long overdue one. We're finally highlighting the career of Michiru Yamane, a composer whose name has become inseparable from gothic grandeur even as her catalog stretches far beyond the castle walls she's best known for. After studying composition at Aichi Prefectural University of Fine Arts and Music, where she built her thesis around Bach, Yamane joined Konami in 1988 and spent over two decades there, composing for more than forty games. From tiny handheld chips and loud arcade cabinets to the orchestral heights of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, she proved again and again that a classical foundation could bend to almost any hardware, genre, or mood.

We're tracing the full arc of Yamane's journey, from one of her earliest credited jobs in 1990 all the way to the Castlevania theme that launched her legend. Along the way, we stop in on lush RPG worldbuilding, a beat-'em-up that never left Japan, a jazz-soaked fighting game, an indie love letter to the exact genre she helped define, and the freelance era that saw her wandering happily outside her comfort zone. From haunted halls to lounge-jazz curtain calls, this Composer Appreciation episode is dedicated to an artist whose fingerprints are all over the medium, whether you realized it or not.

Email the show at bgmaniapodcast@gmail.com 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.

Feedspot's Top 39 Best Video Game Music Podcasts Discussed on the Show: https://podcast.feedspot.com/video_game_music_podcasts/

EPISODE PLAYLIST AND CREDITS

• Stage 1-2 Traffic Jam Sewers, Stage 4-2 Waste Dump Caves from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Fall of the Foot Clan [Michiru Yamane, 1990]
• Power in The Darkness from Vendetta [Michiru Yamane, 1991]
• Vinay Del Zexay from Suikoden III [Michiru Yamane, 2002]
• The Three of Us as One! Battle Start from The Sword of Etheria [Michiru Yamane, 2005]
• Ending Theme from Ganbare Goemon 2 [Michiru Yamane, 1989]
• Wood Carving Partita from Castlevania: Symphony of the Night [Michiru Yamane, 1997]
• A Toccata into Blood Soaked Darkness from Castlevania: Curse of Darkness [Michiru Yamane, 2005]
• Beyond the Fog and the Tears -Stage 5- from Mushihime-sama Bug Panic [Michiru Yamane, 2010]
• The Sewers from Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom [Michiru Yamane, 2018]
• Ark of Promise -Instrumental- from Arcalast [Michiru Yamane, 2019]
• Symphonic Poem -Planet Orbit- from Otomedius Excellent [Michiru Yamane, 2011]
• In a Moment's Time from Skullgirls [Michiru Yamane feat. Geila Zilkha, 2012]
• Ritual Of The Night from Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night [Michiru Yamane, 2019]
• Calling From Heaven -Stage 6- from Castlevania: Bloodlines [Michiru Yamane, 1994]

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 #438 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan closes out August 2026 with another eclectic mix in Radio Hour, Volume 90!

This time around, there's a remastered legend of an opener that needs no introduction, a boss theme from a game that wrecked my confidence and lived to tell about it, a Uematsu deep cut hiding inside a game series that refuses to take itself seriously, and a three-track spotlight on a fighting game soundtrack that's quietly one of my favorites of the year. Fall's knocking, so let's send the summer off loud.

Email the show at bgmaniapodcast@gmail.com 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

• Halo from Halo: Campaign Evolved [Martin O'Donnell & Michael Salvatori, 2026]
• Up in the Cedar Trees from Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound [Sergio de Prado, 2025]
• Iron Horse, Iron Terror from Darkstalkers 3 [Takayuki Iwai & Masato Kouda, 1998]
• Neon Jungle Zone from DekaDuck [Dominic Ninmark, Unreleased]
• Art Tower -The Sinking Old Sanctuary- from Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness [Masahiko Kimura, 1999]
• The Great Sage's Broken Shell Boss Theme from Black Myth: Wukong [Zhai Jinyan, 2024]
• Main Theme from Megadimension Neptunia VII [Nobuo Uematsu, 2015]
• Man in the Metal -Iron Man's Theme- from Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls [Daisuke Ishiwatari feat. Matthew Poley, 2026]
• Queen of Limbo -Magik's Theme- from Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls [Norichika Sato feat. Alissa White-Gluz, 2026]
• Zettai Muteki Spider Girl -Peni Parker's Theme- from Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls [Norichika Sato feat. Rie Takahashi, 2026]
• Title Screen from Wild Blue Skies [Marc Junker, 2026]
• Akatori Monastery from Akatori [Contrast Games, 2026]
• Main Theme from Grave Seasons [Gisula & Suvi Savikko, Unreleased]
• Roll The Dice from Need for Speed: High Stakes [Lunatic Calm, 1999]

LINKS

• Patreon: https://patreon.com/bgmania
• Website: https://bgmania.podbean.com/
• Discord: https://discord.gg/cC73Heu
• Facebook: BGManiaPodcast
• X: BGManiaPodcast
• Instagram: BGManiaPodcast
• TikTok: BGManiaPodcast
• YouTube: BGManiaPodcast
• Twitch: BGManiaPodcast

PODCAST NETWORK

• Very Good Music: A VGM Podcast
• Listening Religiously

Bonus Episode #74 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan reviews Duskfade, the throwback 3D action-platformer from Spanish studio Weird Beluga and publisher Fireshine Games, out now on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch 2. In a clockwork world called Tearfeld that's been dropped into endless night by a mysterious Clock Tower, you play as Zirian, a young workshop apprentice who grabs his grandfather's clock-hand blade, teams up with a mechanical bird named Cuckoo, and sets out to rescue his sister and get time moving again.

This Musical Review takes a long look at the momentum-driven platforming and the way jumps, grappling, gliding, and rail grinding chain into something joyful, the combat and imaginative boss battles, the storybook realms that stretch from leafy forests to drowned depths to floating heights, and the earnest coming-of-age story sitting underneath all that color. Bryan spends plenty of time on the game's proud Kingdom Hearts inspiration, the Spanish folklore woven into its world, and above all the sweeping, wistful score from composer Rafa del Olmo, breaking down how its recurring melodies and shifting moods do so much of the heavy lifting in capturing that particular PS2-era magic.

Email the show at bgmaniapodcast@gmail.com 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

• Intro from Duskfade [Rafa del Olmo, 2026]
• Tick Town from Duskfade [Rafa del Olmo, 2026]
• Ezarus Forest I from Duskfade [Rafa del Olmo, 2026]
• Timeflux Channeler from Duskfade [Rafa del Olmo, 2026]
• The Wrath from Duskfade [Rafa del Olmo, 2026]
• The Great Library from Duskfade [Rafa del Olmo, 2026]
• Celestial Kingdom Battle from Duskfade [Rafa del Olmo, 2026]
• Father Gaoth -Boss III- from Duskfade [Rafa del Olmo, 2026]
• Goodbye Grampa from Duskfade [Rafa del Olmo, 2026]
• Stonetusk Canyon from Duskfade [Rafa del Olmo, 2026]
• Desert Of The Last Memory from Duskfade [Rafa del Olmo, 2026]
• Chronos Aeternum -Boss IV- from Duskfade [Rafa del Olmo, 2026]
• Despair I & II from Duskfade [Rafa del Olmo, 2026]
• Tower Escape from Duskfade [Rafa del Olmo, 2026]

LINKS

• Patreon: https://patreon.com/bgmania
• Website: https://bgmania.podbean.com/
• Discord: https://discord.gg/cC73Heu
• Facebook: BGManiaPodcast
• X: BGManiaPodcast
• Instagram: BGManiaPodcast
• TikTok: BGManiaPodcast
• YouTube: BGManiaPodcast
• Twitch: BGManiaPodcast

PODCAST NETWORK

• Very Good Music: A VGM Podcast
• Listening Religiously

Episode #437 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan and Bedroth board a spacecraft and blast off on a grand tour of the solar system. From the scorched rock of Mercury baking next to the Sun, out through the ruins of Venus and the god of chaos himself, past the red dust of Mars and the doomed little moon circling it, all the way to the frozen edge of everything and back again.

Strap in for a journey that runs the whole emotional spectrum, from full-throttle rock and pulse-pounding chaos to sparse, lonely, gorgeous atmospheres drifting somewhere far past Neptune. So grab your headphones, mind the artificial gravity, and come explore the solar system with us.

Email the show at bgmaniapodcast@gmail.com 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

• Plan of Action from Blast Corps [Graeme Norgate, 1997]
• Nirvana from Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga 2 [Shoji Meguro, 2005]
• The Ruin from Destiny [Martin O'Donnell & Michael Salvatori, 2014]
• Segmentation Fault from Deadzone: Rogue [Justin Goren, 2025]
• Calm Storm from Red Faction [Dan Wentz, 2001]
• Hiding the Secrets from Doom [Robert Prince, 1993]
• Ceres from Resogun [Ari Pulkkinen, 2013]
• Main Theme from Universe for Sale [Guglielmo Diana, 2023]
• Golden Plains from Europa [Matthew Thomason, 2024]
• Exhaust Velocity from Delta V: Rings of Saturn [Evader, 2023]
• Grineer Heavy Blades from Warframe [Keith Power & George Spanos, 2013]
• The Sol System from Starfield [Inon Zur, 2023]
• Nirgal from TerraGenesis [Alexander Winn, 2020]
• The Won-Stoppable Wonderful 101 -English Version- from The Wonderful 101 [Hiroshi Yamaguchi feat. Jimmy Wilcox, Rob McElroy & Bruce Blanchard, 2013]

LINKS

• Patreon: https://patreon.com/bgmania
• Website: https://bgmania.podbean.com/
• Discord: https://discord.gg/cC73Heu
• Facebook: BGManiaPodcast
• X: BGManiaPodcast
• Instagram: BGManiaPodcast
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• YouTube: BGManiaPodcast
• Twitch: BGManiaPodcast

PODCAST NETWORK

• Very Good Music: A VGM Podcast
• Listening Religiously