https://massivelyop.com MMORPG news and opinions Fri, 24 Feb 2023 17:24:47 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.1.1 https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/24/jukebox-heroes-six-great-everquest-ii-expansion-tunes/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/24/jukebox-heroes-six-great-everquest-ii-expansion-tunes/#comments Fri, 24 Feb 2023 18:30:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=422524 When’s the last time you stepped back and realized just how big and expansive some of your MMORPGs have become over the decades of their existence? It certainly gives me pause when I consider the enormity of, say, EverQuest II and how much it’s added since its 2004 launch. And as Uncle Ben would say, […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/24/jukebox-heroes-six-great-everquest-ii-expansion-tunes/feed/ 3 https://massivelyop.com/2022/12/29/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-lotros-before-the-shadow-soundtrack/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/12/29/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-lotros-before-the-shadow-soundtrack/#respond Thu, 29 Dec 2022 18:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=419353 Ever since taking over the reins of Lord of the Rings Online’s soundtrack, Composer Bill Champagne has grown in leaps and bounds in his confidence and skill. This is evident in his latest release, the rather expansive and expressive Before the Shadow release. These 55 tracks (!) range from the merry to the moody, from […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/12/29/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-lotros-before-the-shadow-soundtrack/feed/ 0 https://massivelyop.com/2022/12/24/jukebox-heroes-looting-plenty-of-mmo-holiday-music-to-cheer-your-soul/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/12/24/jukebox-heroes-looting-plenty-of-mmo-holiday-music-to-cheer-your-soul/#comments Sat, 24 Dec 2022 21:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=419472 Merry Christmas and happy holidays from us here at Jukebox Heroes! Well, it’s me and the pizza delivery guy that I trapped in the hopes of brainwashing him to be my intern. Yes, you can call your family… once you listen to the next six albums, I tell him. If only he’d stop making those […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/12/24/jukebox-heroes-looting-plenty-of-mmo-holiday-music-to-cheer-your-soul/feed/ 3 https://massivelyop.com/2022/12/08/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-wow-dragonflights-soundtrack/ Thu, 08 Dec 2022 18:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=417440 It’s been a good while since I’ve done a Jukebox Heroes, mostly for the reason that I took most of the year off from plowing through soundtrack after soundtrack. Call it a “burn-out sabbatical” of a sorts; I needed some time to refresh on my love for MMO scores. Now that I’ve had this period, […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/28/perfect-ten-10-final-fantasy-xiv-musical-tracks-that-absolutely-slap/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/28/perfect-ten-10-final-fantasy-xiv-musical-tracks-that-absolutely-slap/#comments Wed, 28 Sep 2022 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=407252 Everyone knows that people who play Final Fantasy XIV will not shut up about the game’s music. This includes me. I will not shut up about FFXIV’s music. It adds a lot to the atmosphere and emotional moments of the game, it’s memorable, it’s beautiful, and it is an absolute testament to the fact that […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/28/perfect-ten-10-final-fantasy-xiv-musical-tracks-that-absolutely-slap/feed/ 22 https://massivelyop.com/2022/03/25/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-elder-scrolls-onlines-blackwood-score/ Fri, 25 Mar 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=377752 While last year’s Blackwood expansion to Elder Scrolls Online will be remembered most for its companion system than its fairly drab zone or half-hearted reception by the community, I’d like to submit the soundtrack as one of its greatest strengths. In fact, Blackwood may be my favorite ESO score to date, building off of the […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/03/11/jukebox-heroes-six-great-remastered-everquest-tunes/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/03/11/jukebox-heroes-six-great-remastered-everquest-tunes/#comments Fri, 11 Mar 2022 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=376164 Apropos of nothing, today I wanted to dive into my extensive backlog of unlistened MMORPG music and make a bit of a dent. One of my biggest folders of undiscovered music happens to be, strangely enough, the original EverQuest, with all sorts of tracks, musical stings, motifs, and little sound effects that I stumbled upon […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/03/11/jukebox-heroes-six-great-remastered-everquest-tunes/feed/ 6 https://massivelyop.com/2022/03/09/interview-talking-guild-wars-2-end-of-dragons-soundtrack-with-lead-composer-maclaine-diemer/ Wed, 09 Mar 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=378316 Maclaine Diemer is the long-time lead composer for Guild Wars 2, with soundtrack credits going as far back as the very first Living World season, and most recently for the gorgeous score of End of Dragons. Music is an incredibly important part of setting the tone for a world like Tyria, and it adds so […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/02/15/jukebox-heroes-highlights-from-lost-arks-soundtrack/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/02/15/jukebox-heroes-highlights-from-lost-arks-soundtrack/#comments Wed, 16 Feb 2022 00:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=375164 It’s been a shameful while since I last delivered a Jukebox Heroes column to you, but what better occasion is there for a revival than a new MMO launch? Lost Ark’s release has taken the gaming world by storm, and between the title’s gorgeous visuals, addictive gameplay, and accessible systems, it’s quite deserving of its […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/02/15/jukebox-heroes-highlights-from-lost-arks-soundtrack/feed/ 3 https://massivelyop.com/2021/12/24/jukebox-heroes-your-favorite-mmo-holiday-music/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/12/24/jukebox-heroes-your-favorite-mmo-holiday-music/#comments Sat, 25 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=368265 Merry Christmas, happy holidays, and a festive Life Day to you all! As you hopefully enjoy some down time with family, friends, and video games this weekend, we’ll engage in our favorite non-eggnog-related tradition by posting some holly and jolly music to enjoy. This year, I reached out to our readers and asked which MMO […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/12/24/jukebox-heroes-your-favorite-mmo-holiday-music/feed/ 1 https://massivelyop.com/2021/05/09/jukebox-heroes-guild-wars-icebrood-saga-soundtrack/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/05/09/jukebox-heroes-guild-wars-icebrood-saga-soundtrack/#comments Sun, 09 May 2021 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=334540 It’s been far, far too long since I’ve dipped into Guild Wars 2’s soundtrack. I feel deeply shamed for this neglect, especially considering how much work’s been done for the Icebrood Saga OST over the past year or so. Consider this wrong righted, because today I’m going to share with you my favorite picks from […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/05/09/jukebox-heroes-guild-wars-icebrood-saga-soundtrack/feed/ 1 https://massivelyop.com/2021/02/28/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-dk-onlines-soundtrack/ Sun, 28 Feb 2021 23:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=324289 I don’t have much familiarity with DK Online, although I doubt that you do too. But that’s not going to stop me from swimming through the seas of its soundtrack this week to get a feel for this eastern fantasy MMO! DK Online’s been around for about a decade now and only recently come to […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/02/14/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-genshin-impacts-soundtrack/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/02/14/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-genshin-impacts-soundtrack/#comments Sun, 14 Feb 2021 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=322019 Genshin Impact isn’t just a game that’s easy on the eyes — it’s marvelous to the ears as well. Massively OP’s Chris has taken to wandering our halls humming its tunes and forcefully grabbing us and shaking us because we hadn’t listened to the soundtrack yet. Well, I for one am tired of all of […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/02/14/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-genshin-impacts-soundtrack/feed/ 4 https://massivelyop.com/2021/02/07/jukebox-heroes-secret-world-legends-soundtrack/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/02/07/jukebox-heroes-secret-world-legends-soundtrack/#comments Sun, 07 Feb 2021 19:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=320960 As a video game music collector and lover, I am frustrated by how very few MMO soundtracks ever make it to a proper release. Sure, I know it’s a niche interest within a niche hobby, but it’s still maddening to think of how many great games have no soundtracks out there whatsoever. Considering how going […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/02/07/jukebox-heroes-secret-world-legends-soundtrack/feed/ 6 https://massivelyop.com/2021/01/24/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-wurm-onlines-original-soundtrack/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/01/24/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-wurm-onlines-original-soundtrack/#comments Sun, 24 Jan 2021 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=319028 When is a soundtrack not quite a normal soundtrack? When it’s Wurm Online, of course. This cult sandbox has one of the most unusual scores that I’ve ever heard paired with an MMO. It’s made up of sparsely used incidental music that just so happens to be folksy blues songs (with lyrics), composed by Joss […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/01/24/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-wurm-onlines-original-soundtrack/feed/ 1 https://massivelyop.com/2021/01/17/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-dream-of-magic-onlines-soundtrack/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/01/17/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-dream-of-magic-onlines-soundtrack/#comments Sun, 17 Jan 2021 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=317317 One of the smaller resolutions that I’m striving to accomplish in 2021 is to attempt to pump out a new Jukebox Heroes column every week for the six or seven of you who love MMO music as I do. My backlog is so enormous at this point that it’s shameful, and I’d like to live […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/01/17/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-dream-of-magic-onlines-soundtrack/feed/ 2 https://massivelyop.com/2021/01/10/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-dragons-dogma-onlines-soundtrack/ Sun, 10 Jan 2021 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=316408 While Dragon’s Dogma Online left barely an impact during its short run in the west, it hasn’t completely disappeared from all memory as long as its soundtrack remains. Actually, there isn’t even much of that anymore, but I was able to scrounge up a few tracks to share with you today. So without further ado, […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2020/12/24/jukebox-heroes-christmas-mmo-music-to-loot-by/ Fri, 25 Dec 2020 01:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=315848 One of the many reasons that I love Christmas is that it’s like everyone gives everyone else permission to just… stop for a day. To rest. To relax. To inhale snickerdoodles baking and exhale peppermint mocha bliss. Part of the peace of this holiday is the music, a part which is certainly not neglected by […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2020/12/13/jukebox-heroes-diving-into-shadowlands-soundtrack/ https://massivelyop.com/2020/12/13/jukebox-heroes-diving-into-shadowlands-soundtrack/#comments Sun, 13 Dec 2020 19:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=313427 Any year that we get a new World of Warcraft expansion soundtrack is always a great reason to rejoice. Blizzard never skimps on its art department — nor its music one, as evidenced by the amazing scores that WoW has produced over the years. Because of my high expectations, I can’t help but feel somewhat […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2020/12/13/jukebox-heroes-diving-into-shadowlands-soundtrack/feed/ 2 https://massivelyop.com/2020/12/06/jukebox-heroes-the-quieter-side-of-lord-of-the-rings-onlines-soundtrack/ https://massivelyop.com/2020/12/06/jukebox-heroes-the-quieter-side-of-lord-of-the-rings-onlines-soundtrack/#comments Sun, 06 Dec 2020 19:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=312655 Yes, I’m kind of nuts about the Lord of the Rings Online soundtrack. It could be because I’ve played this MMO more than most any other at this point, but I like to think that it’s also due to a really well-done score that does more for world-building than most soundtracks. Today, I want to […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2020/12/06/jukebox-heroes-the-quieter-side-of-lord-of-the-rings-onlines-soundtrack/feed/ 8 https://massivelyop.com/2020/11/29/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-ashen-empires-soundtrack/ https://massivelyop.com/2020/11/29/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-ashen-empires-soundtrack/#comments Sun, 29 Nov 2020 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=311759 Originally inspired by the Ultima series, Dransik came out in the early 2000s as an isometric MMO that rode the rails of indie gaming as hard as it could. Gradually, the title rebranded itself as Ashen Empires but still remained a pretty hardcore and old school title that relished its niche status. Ashen Empires doesn’t […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2020/11/29/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-ashen-empires-soundtrack/feed/ 3 https://massivelyop.com/2020/11/08/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-everquests-midi-soundtrack/ https://massivelyop.com/2020/11/08/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-everquests-midi-soundtrack/#comments Sun, 08 Nov 2020 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=305152 I’ve always felt that MIDI tunes were to computers what chiptunes were to 8-bit and 16-bit consoles. Before storage media expanded and technology increased to the level of using regular instruments, practically every PC game had a MIDI soundtrack at its back (as did quite a few early and misguided websites). MIDI wasn’t a file […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2020/11/08/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-everquests-midi-soundtrack/feed/ 6 https://massivelyop.com/2020/10/11/jukebox-heroes-six-great-runes-of-magic-tunes/ Sun, 11 Oct 2020 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=304060 Welcome back to Jukebox Heroes, the column that dares you to close your eyes and unplug your ears. Well, after you’re done reading this opening, of course. So what’s the greatest tragedy in modern musical history? Everyone has an answer to that, but mine will be, “How much Runes of Magic’s score is overlooked because […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2020/10/04/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-swtors-launch-soundtrack/ https://massivelyop.com/2020/10/04/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-swtors-launch-soundtrack/#comments Sun, 04 Oct 2020 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=303001 I got so excited when Star Wars: The Old Republic included its soundtrack in the collector’s edition back at launch. However, we all discovered that this really was only half the OST; the other half was given away for free by BioWare in the days leading up to the game’s release. Making a Star Wars […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2020/10/04/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-swtors-launch-soundtrack/feed/ 5 https://massivelyop.com/2020/09/26/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-granado-espadas-soundtrack/ https://massivelyop.com/2020/09/26/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-granado-espadas-soundtrack/#comments Sun, 27 Sep 2020 00:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=302035 So here’s an impossible task that lies before me right now: picking one musical genre that defines Granado Espada’s score. I can’t. It simply cannot be done. I’ve listened to a lot of soundtracks, my friends, and this game’s score is literally all over the place. I don’t know how or why the composers chose […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2020/09/26/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-granado-espadas-soundtrack/feed/ 3 https://massivelyop.com/2020/09/20/jukebox-heroes-lotros-great-wedding-soundtrack/ Sun, 20 Sep 2020 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=300839 One reason why I keep highlighting Lord of the Rings Online patch soundtracks in this space is that the studio actually makes an effort to post its music out there. That’s fairly rare in the MMO space, much to my annoyance, considering how much excellent work is done by composers for new updates to these […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2020/09/13/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-maplestory-2s-soundtrack/ https://massivelyop.com/2020/09/13/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-maplestory-2s-soundtrack/#comments Sun, 13 Sep 2020 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=299824 The death of MapleStory 2 earlier this year is seen as somewhat tragic in the Massively OP offices. Many of us got time with this colorful MMO and were charmed by its unique style, robust tools, and generally fun atmosphere. We weren’t happy to see it go away so quickly, I can assure you. And […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2020/09/13/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-maplestory-2s-soundtrack/feed/ 1 https://massivelyop.com/2020/09/07/jukebox-heroes-six-great-archeage-tunes/ Mon, 07 Sep 2020 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=298758 ArcheAge is well-known for being one of the more beautiful MMO game worlds out there, but does its music stack up in comparison? The answer to that is a little yes and a little no. I got ahold of it several months ago, well before I was even paying attention to this game or its […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2020/08/30/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-blade-souls-soundtrack/ https://massivelyop.com/2020/08/30/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-blade-souls-soundtrack/#comments Sun, 30 Aug 2020 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=297627 Pretty game, strong story focus, really not for me. That’s the impression I got from dipping into Blade & Soul a few months back. It’s certainly a game with a whole lot of eye candy, but it’s also got a lot of ear candy too. Ear candy — is that a thing? Are we all […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2020/08/30/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-blade-souls-soundtrack/feed/ 3 https://massivelyop.com/2020/08/23/jukebox-heroes-great-tunes-from-destinys-first-soundtrack/ https://massivelyop.com/2020/08/23/jukebox-heroes-great-tunes-from-destinys-first-soundtrack/#comments Sun, 23 Aug 2020 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=296693 Is there any MMO soundtrack that arrived with such incredible expectations and baggage as Destiny? If so, I can’t recall it. We have not only the legacy of Halo’s scores (which are for some gamers the only soundtrack they know and revere) but also the saga of Composer Martin O’Donnell’s firing and the boon of […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2020/08/23/jukebox-heroes-great-tunes-from-destinys-first-soundtrack/feed/ 1 https://massivelyop.com/2020/08/09/jukebox-heroes-its-time-to-turn-your-mmos-music-back-on/ https://massivelyop.com/2020/08/09/jukebox-heroes-its-time-to-turn-your-mmos-music-back-on/#comments Sun, 09 Aug 2020 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=294727 We’re going to take a detour from our tour of various MMO soundtracks to talk about one of the most common statements I hear when the discussion of in-game music comes up. Here it is: “Oh, I turned the music off a long time ago.” It’s downright hard to get into any good discussion about […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2020/08/09/jukebox-heroes-its-time-to-turn-your-mmos-music-back-on/feed/ 3 https://massivelyop.com/2020/08/02/jukebox-heroes-ultimate-mmo-music-index/ https://massivelyop.com/2020/08/02/jukebox-heroes-ultimate-mmo-music-index/#comments Sun, 02 Aug 2020 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=287935 It’s been a long, strange, and wonderful journey to explore MMORPG music with you here in Jukebox Heroes. And while I am anticipating many years to come of future soundtrack journeys, I wanted to take inventory this week of the places this column has traveled in the past. So I present to you the Jukebox […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2020/08/02/jukebox-heroes-ultimate-mmo-music-index/feed/ 2 https://massivelyop.com/2020/07/05/jukebox-heroes-lotros-mists-of-wilderland-soundtrack/ https://massivelyop.com/2020/07/05/jukebox-heroes-lotros-mists-of-wilderland-soundtrack/#comments Sun, 05 Jul 2020 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=289042 Just in time for Lord of the Rings Online’s Update 27, Standing Stone Games finally posted Update 26’s full soundtrack to YouTube the other day. I’m not complaining, understand; I deeply appreciate that SSG is one of the few studios that seems committed to making patch soundtracks available for us video game music fans. And […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2020/07/05/jukebox-heroes-lotros-mists-of-wilderland-soundtrack/feed/ 1 https://massivelyop.com/2020/05/30/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-echo-of-souls-soundtrack/ Sun, 31 May 2020 00:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=283097 Echo of Soul is one of those MMORPGs that seems doomed to languish and be tossed around from publisher to publisher until it fades from memory. Before that happens, however, I wanted to take a listen through its relatively modest soundtrack to see if there is some music here worth preserving. My verdict? Yes, there […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2020/05/24/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-neo-steams-soundtrack/ Sun, 24 May 2020 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=281734 While there always seems to be much love for steampunk among geeks and gamers, the setting never seems to be the catalyst to instant success for MMOs. As such, 2009’s Neo Steam should probably feel in good company with other forgotten titles like City of Steam. Maybe some day in the future a studio will […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2020/05/10/jukebox-heroes-lime-odyssey-yasunori-mitsudas-hidden-gem/ https://massivelyop.com/2020/05/10/jukebox-heroes-lime-odyssey-yasunori-mitsudas-hidden-gem/#comments Sun, 10 May 2020 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=279741 Even the most casual of video game soundtrack fans must know the name Yasunori Mitsuda. The legendary composer is perhaps best known for his work on Chrono Trigger, Chrono Cross, Xenogears, and Xenoblade Chronicles, although his library goes much further than that. Mitsuda has stayed very active in the past few decades, and it stands […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2020/05/10/jukebox-heroes-lime-odyssey-yasunori-mitsudas-hidden-gem/feed/ 3 https://massivelyop.com/2020/04/16/jukebox-heroes-lord-of-the-rings-onlines-unreleased-soundtrack/ https://massivelyop.com/2020/04/16/jukebox-heroes-lord-of-the-rings-onlines-unreleased-soundtrack/#comments Thu, 16 Apr 2020 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=276525 Lord of the Rings Online’s soundtrack is well-loved by many who have played the game, tying in memorable tunes to specific locations to where these songs ARE the Shire, Rivendell, and Moria for us. But what is really interesting is that there is a huge repository of “unreleased” music for the game that either hasn’t […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2020/04/16/jukebox-heroes-lord-of-the-rings-onlines-unreleased-soundtrack/feed/ 1 https://massivelyop.com/2020/03/22/jukebox-heroes-warframes-soundtrack/ https://massivelyop.com/2020/03/22/jukebox-heroes-warframes-soundtrack/#comments Sun, 22 Mar 2020 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=272825 I’m always keeping an ear out for recommended soundtracks from our readers here at Massively OP, and one that seems to get pushed my way every so often is, oddly enough, Warframe. Warframe kept slipping off my radar because it’s just not the sort of MMO that I think of when I envision amazing soundtracks, […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2020/03/22/jukebox-heroes-warframes-soundtrack/feed/ 12 https://massivelyop.com/2020/03/08/jukebox-heroes-star-stables-secretly-amazing-soundtrack/ https://massivelyop.com/2020/03/08/jukebox-heroes-star-stables-secretly-amazing-soundtrack/#comments Sun, 08 Mar 2020 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=267934 If we ever mention Star Stable around these parts, it’s usually with a bit of tongue-in-cheek. You know, “Hee hee, horsies!” said by middle-aged adults who are clearly too old and cynical to be delighted by these majestic beasts. But the thing is that this isn’t some cheap flash game done to prey on horse-addicted […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2020/03/08/jukebox-heroes-star-stables-secretly-amazing-soundtrack/feed/ 1 https://massivelyop.com/2020/02/23/jukebox-heroes-ten-mmos-that-strongly-support-their-soundtracks/ https://massivelyop.com/2020/02/23/jukebox-heroes-ten-mmos-that-strongly-support-their-soundtracks/#comments Sun, 23 Feb 2020 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=268159 It’s one thing to put a lot of music in your MMORPG or even to release that launch-day album. It’s another thing entirely to throw the full weight of support behind your score as the months and years accumulate. Alas, it’s something that many studios put on the backburner — or ignore entirely. Considering the […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2020/02/23/jukebox-heroes-ten-mmos-that-strongly-support-their-soundtracks/feed/ 15 https://massivelyop.com/2020/02/09/jukebox-heroes-elder-scrolls-onlines-elsweyr-soundtrack-and-music-boxes/ Sun, 09 Feb 2020 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=266678 While I wasn’t that impressed with Elder Scrolls Online’s launch soundtrack, the scores for both Morrowind and Summerset did much to win me over. There are so many great pieces in both of those expansions (sorry, “chapters”) that I was incredibly excited to see what ZeniMax would compose for last year’s Elsweyr. But man, I […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2020/01/26/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-furcadias-soundtrack/ https://massivelyop.com/2020/01/26/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-furcadias-soundtrack/#comments Sun, 26 Jan 2020 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=264587 Back in 2017, I bit the furry bullet and tackled the oddity that was Fucadia — a very old MMORPG that just so happened to cater to the furry community. What I discovered didn’t convert me to this lifestyle of identifying with animals and wearing giant fox suits, but it did convince me that the […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2020/01/26/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-furcadias-soundtrack/feed/ 3 https://massivelyop.com/2020/01/05/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-otherlands-soundtrack/ Sun, 05 Jan 2020 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=261872 Despite being an adaption of Tad Williams’ enormously popular sci-fi novels, the MMO Otherland was a flop in both of its incarnations. Mismanaged, underdeveloped, and barely playable, Otherland repelled most interested parties early on, leaving the game to wallow in obscurity as current owners Drago Entertainment tried to shape it up into a respectable product. […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2019/12/24/jukebox-heroes-a-charlie-brown-mmo-christmas/ https://massivelyop.com/2019/12/24/jukebox-heroes-a-charlie-brown-mmo-christmas/#comments Tue, 24 Dec 2019 23:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=261283 I don’t know if you realized this, but every year Bree asks me to whip up a column of MMO holiday tunes for Christmas. Every year. And I do so each December, despite telling her with a cracked voice that there are only so many songs out there. “More, you sniveling wretch!” she cries to […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2019/12/24/jukebox-heroes-a-charlie-brown-mmo-christmas/feed/ 3 https://massivelyop.com/2019/12/17/massively-ops-2019-mmo-video-game-music-awards/ https://massivelyop.com/2019/12/17/massively-ops-2019-mmo-video-game-music-awards/#comments Tue, 17 Dec 2019 19:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=255336 Many of us here on the Massively OP staff have our own personal pet projects and interests that might not be as widespread as others, but we still pursue (and write about) them because of shared passion with others of a like mind. With me, it’s MMO video game music. It’s a niche of a […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2019/12/17/massively-ops-2019-mmo-video-game-music-awards/feed/ 14 https://massivelyop.com/2019/11/23/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-grim-dawns-soundtrack/ https://massivelyop.com/2019/11/23/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-grim-dawns-soundtrack/#comments Sat, 23 Nov 2019 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=255410 While I might be too late for 2019’s Halloween season, I think I can safely get a jump on 2020’s fright fest with a look at Grim Dawn. Grim Dawn’s score has been lurking in my “to listen” folder for a while now and was the lucky recipient of my “eenie meenie miney moe” selection […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2019/11/23/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-grim-dawns-soundtrack/feed/ 6 https://massivelyop.com/2019/11/12/flameseeker-chronicles-the-best-of-guild-wars-2s-living-world-soundtrack/ https://massivelyop.com/2019/11/12/flameseeker-chronicles-the-best-of-guild-wars-2s-living-world-soundtrack/#comments Tue, 12 Nov 2019 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=254224 One of my earliest impressions of the Guild Wars franchise, before I even owned it, but had only played it at a friend’s house, was not its gameplay or story, but its beautiful soundtrack. I am personally a big fan of video game soundtracks (naturally, I enjoy Justin’s Jukebox Heroes column). Soundtracks make great focus […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2019/11/12/flameseeker-chronicles-the-best-of-guild-wars-2s-living-world-soundtrack/feed/ 3 https://massivelyop.com/2019/11/10/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-ys-onlines-soundtrack/ https://massivelyop.com/2019/11/10/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-ys-onlines-soundtrack/#comments Sun, 10 Nov 2019 19:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=251601 Stretching back to the late 1980s, the Ys role-playing series has had a long and fruitful run, with nearly five million copies of its games sold to date. However, Ys’ popularity has mostly been in the east, as its western releases have never been breakout hits (“solid” would be an appropriate term). It’s just not […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2019/11/10/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-ys-onlines-soundtrack/feed/ 2 https://massivelyop.com/2019/10/19/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-fallout-76s-score/ https://massivelyop.com/2019/10/19/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-fallout-76s-score/#comments Sun, 20 Oct 2019 00:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=248597 Last week, composer Inon Zur took to Twitter to celebrate a big moment: “Dear Friends, Fallout 76 has been nominated for Best Original Video Game Score in the Jerry Goldsmith Awards! Thanks to Film Music Festival for this recognition.” This is a well-deserved nomination. Inon Zur has become a fan favorite among video game enthusiasts […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2019/10/19/jukebox-heroes-the-best-of-fallout-76s-score/feed/ 2 https://massivelyop.com/2019/10/16/jukebox-heroes-exploring-world-of-warcraft-battle-for-azeroths-patch-music/ https://massivelyop.com/2019/10/16/jukebox-heroes-exploring-world-of-warcraft-battle-for-azeroths-patch-music/#comments Wed, 16 Oct 2019 23:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=247253 One of my favorite modern trends of MMORPGs is that studios are no longer saving the entirety of a soundtrack for the base game or expansion releases. Oh sure, those usually get a great album push -- especially if it's one of the bigger games -- but for a while now, many studios have also been releasing new music on a steady basis with significant content patches.]]> https://massivelyop.com/2019/10/16/jukebox-heroes-exploring-world-of-warcraft-battle-for-azeroths-patch-music/feed/ 3