It's been a very long while, but the Battle Bards haven't fully abandoned you -- at least not without a goodbye! In the grand final episode of the show, Steff, Syl, and Syp gather together one last time to share memories of the show, the reason behind the decision to end it, and a few of our favorite MMO music tracks. Enjoy -- and from the bottom of our hearts, thank you so much for listening these past 12 years. We had a blast doing it. Episode 234 show notes Songs featured in this episode: "Ha...
Mar 27, 2025•1 hr 20 min
For Battle Bards' penultimate episode, Syp and Syl explore some EPIC battle music across many MMOs. After all, if we're going to go out in style, that style's going to be loud enough to blast a hole in your eardrums! We also learn that nobody likes the Flute Guy. Episode 233 show notes Intro (feat. "Epic Raid Boss 4" from DCUO, "Mission Battle" from CABAL Online, and "Boss Fight 1" from Kritika Online) "Flame Incursion" from World of Warcraft "Battle Theme 4" from Atlantica Online "Battle on the...
Aug 13, 2024•55 min
A small online RPG proves to have a big musical heart with Wayfinder, as Syp, Steff, and Syl discover! These consummate professionals chew through this soundtrack and ask for seconds, only to be denied because they made such a mess along the way. Also, we are the only people in the world who dislike Baldur's Gate 3. Episode 232 show notes Intro (feat. "Call of the Void," "Echoes of the Fallen," and "Skylight" ) "Awakening" "Wayfinder" "Deepwood Holt" "In the Beacon's Light" "Kragan Highlands" "B...
Apr 23, 2024•52 min
Returning to the fertile soundtrack of Caravan Stories, Syl and Syp are rejoined by Steff to give us a fresh take! It's another journey through a charming and laid-back MMO landscapes. Episode 231 show notes Intro (feat. "Entrust a Will," "Toasting Dance," and "Open the Map" ) "Foothills of Carvendel" "Enigma Rips the Sky" "Folka Village" "Baldu Pipe Town" "Slapstick Castanet" "Glenmore Fault Valley" Which one did we like best? Listener mail from Minimalistway Jukebox Picks: "Graphorn Ride" from...
Feb 20, 2024•54 min
Ready to get your cozy on? Syp and Syl take you into the relatively new life sim Palia to explore its down-home-on-the-player-farm tunes. Is this a little TOO laid-back and boring, or is there a rural charm to this soundtrack? We’ll be the judge of that. Episode 230 show notes Intro (feat. “Home Sweet Home,” “Palia’s Kilima Village Daytime Theme,” and “The Creation” ) “Daiya Farm Badruu’s Melody” “Main Theme” “Chapaa Chase” “Einar’s Cave” “Daydreams, Sunsets” “Maji Market” Which one did we like ...
Dec 12, 2023•52 min
Come along for a trundling trip through the countryside with Caravan Stories, a 2017-era MMO that charmed Syl so much that she demanded they do a two-part show on its soundtrack! Bring your sympathy for Syp, who has to put up with this nonsense! Episode 229 show notes Intro (feat. "Dubious Person," "In Trials," and "Rallying Man" ) "Caravan Trip" "Eastern Part of Denon Hill" "Free City of Nero" "Arlosa Mine" "Polka" "Mad Cow Brewery" Which one did we like best? Jukebox Picks: “Chef Saltbaker ” f...
Nov 07, 2023•47 min
Not every dungeon has to be a drab and dour affair -- a fact which sent the Battle Bards searching for the cheeriest tunes from MMO instances! Join Syp and Syl as they recount a good half-dozen upbeat tracks from online RPG dungeons. If you've got to loot... loot with a smile. Episode 228 show notes Intro (feat. “Commence to Jiggin'” from WildStar, “Brawler's Trial” from World of Warcraft, and “Daring Dalliances” from FFXIV) "Den of Secrets" from Free Realms "Dohn Mheg" from FFXIV "Balzack’s Bac...
Sep 26, 2023•52 min
Syp and Syp return to the vast library of NCsoft's MMO soundtracks, with games like Aion, Lineage, and Blade & Soul to keep our ears happy for decades now. With so much new music coming out of this studio on a regular basis, there's always something fresh to experience! Episode 227 show notes Intro (feat. "Glimmer of Hope" from Aion, "A Tropical Getaway" from WildStar, and "Coastline" from Guild Wars) "Corridor of Awakening" from Blade and Soul 2 "The Labyrinth in the Garden" from Lineage II...
Sep 05, 2023•49 min
It’s always highly bittersweet when MMO fans sit back and consider the games that never were — the projects that got far along in development but, for various reasons, didn’t cross the finish line. But some left behind a melodic footprint that’s very much worth examining, which is what our intrepid Battle Bards do today! Episode 226 show notes Intro (feat. “Overture” from Stargate Worlds, “Sentience” from The Repopulation, and “Ancestral Lands” from Glitch) “Town” from Peria Chronicles “Alpha 6”...
Jun 27, 2023•53 min
One of the newer MMOs on the market, Embers Adrift leaned hard into tougher PvE gameplay and the darkest of dark nights. But how does its music support this fantasy game world? Syl and Syp investigate the "living soundtrack" of this hardcore title. Episode 225 show notes Intro (feat. "Adventures Adrift," "Gardens and Ruins," and "Into the Trees" ) "Meadowlands Melody" "Newhaven" "Newhaven City Theme" "Hunted in the Dark" "Sojourn in the Mist" "Wanderer" Which one did we like best? Listener notes...
Jun 06, 2023•47 min
It's been an almost egregiously long time since the Battle Bards turned their attention to the EverQuest II soundtrack -- but now that wait is over. Join Syp and Syl as they comb through the expansions for all sorts of delightful musical morsels to enjoy! Episode 224 show notes Intro (feat. "Main Theme," "Landing Zone," and "Darkpaw" ) "Artisan Theme" "Qeynos Rises" "Stonewood" "Dreadcutter" "Visions of Vetrovia" "Enchanted Lands" Which one did we like best? Listener notes: Zinn Jukebox Picks: "...
Apr 19, 2023•47 min
The steely gaze and pointy ears of the Battle Bards turns to 2009's Dragonica -- also known as Dragon Saga -- to see what musical treasures might be stashed in this beast's lair. Syl and Syp descend into this all-too-cute realm to find tracks of whimsy and madness awaiting. Listener beware! Episode 223 show notes Intro (feat. "Sky City," "Ferell," and "Haruka's Sushi Restaurant" ) "Title Screen" "Swamp Area" "Traitor's Ridge" "Port of Winds" "Odelia" "Pinecone Hill" Which one did we like best? T...
Mar 29, 2023•48 min
Will our fascination with giant, skyfaring, flame-belching lizards subside? World of Warcraft bets not, as it's currently soaring through its Dragonflight expansion. Will the music also ascend to lofty realms or fall to the earth with a dud? You'll have to listen to the Battle Bards as they figure out the answer to that question! Episode 222 show notes Intro (feat. "The Dragon's Hoard," "Riverbends," and "The Isles Awaken" ) "Take to the Skies" "Giants of the Span" "Windsong" "Tyrhold" "Ramparts...
Mar 01, 2023•57 min
The power of the One Ring doesn't just rule them all -- it also brings Steff back from retirement! All three Battle Bards are here today to talk about Lord of the Rings Online's enormous Before the Shadow soundtrack. From Hobbits to swans to everything in between, our radio dial is stuck on Middle-earth for now. Episode 221 show notes Intro (feat. "The Silver Bastion," "Valor of Yore," and "Hidden Hearths" ) "Before the Shadow" "Cranny and Nook" "Mark of the White Hand" "The Waiting Night" "The ...
Feb 01, 2023•1 hr 2 min
Whether or not you like dragons, you have to admit that Guild Wars 2 certainly ended them in style! Join Syl and Syp as they rewind to last winter's End of Dragons and its incredible bounty of soundtrack goodness. Episode 220 show notes Intro (feat. "Daigo Ward" and "Mist Connections" ) "A Future Carved in Jade" "A New Era of Heroes" "I'm Home" "The Petrified Forest" "Captain of the Aetherblades" "Stroll in the Night Markets" Which one did we like best? Jukebox Picks: "Crystal Garden" from King'...
Dec 21, 2022•47 min
If anyone's ever told you to "take a chill pill," then the Battle Bards have your full dosage in today's episode. Exploring peaceful and serene tracks from MMORPGs, Syl and Syp find their inner calm -- before the inevitable slaughter. Episode 218 show notes Intro (feat. "A Farmer's Life" from WildStar, "Dream of Peace" from Lineage II, and "Silverfrost Mountain" from Blade and Soul) "Aro to the Sun" from Runes of Magic "Settler's Campsite" from Aion "Serenity" from TERA "Ammon Vale" from World o...
Nov 23, 2022•48 min
Rock out with your mace out as the Battle Bards crank up the soundtrack to Dungeon Fighter Online. Have we been missing out on the vast bounty of action setpieces? Is there a delightful orchestral soundtrack tucked inside all of this synth noise? Tune in and find out! Episode 218 show notes Intro (feat. "Main Theme," "Tower of Despair," and "Adios Verrickt" ) "The Seatrain" "Character Select" “White Night” “Forgotten Forest Boss” “We Are Desperado” “Alfhlyra Post” Which one did we like best? Lis...
Nov 03, 2022•44 min
Chances are you've never heard of today's featured MMO -- or its quirky little soundtrack! So why not come along with Syp and Syl to explore Legend of Edda, a now-defunct RPG set in a realm of Greek Mythology? Episode 217 show notes Intro (feat. “Ballack's Castle” and “Cybele Garden” ) “Title Theme" "Frigid Valley" "Gaiyan Town" "Wailing Wall" "Kobalos Mines" "Silver Lake" Which one did we like best? Jukebox Picks: “Millick Meadows (Night)” from Xenoblade Chronicles 3 and “Drug Store” from Earth...
Sep 28, 2022•49 min
While Final Fantasy XIV players won't shut up about A Realm Reborn, it's not often you hear people speaking fondly of the original 1.0 edition. Yet in this episode of Battle Bards, Syp and Syl find something to praise from this era: the Before Meteor soundtrack. Let's rewind the clock and hear the O.G. Eorzea tunes! Episode 216 show notes Intro (feat. "Canticle," "Promise of Plunder," and "The Rider's Boon" ) "When a Tree Falls" "Navigator's Glory" "Born of the Boughs" "Desert Moon Defied" "Eorz...
Aug 31, 2022•48 min
Maybe you've never heard of Lineage W, a 2021 spin-off of NCsoft's long-running franchise. But after today's Battle Bards episode, you'll have heard it's sweet tunes! Join Syl and Syp as they explore this fantasy soundtrack to see how it stacks up against its amazing ancestors. Episode 215 show notes Intro (feat. "Against Odds," "Moment of Peace," and "Woodbeck Village" ) "Main Theme" "Elven Forest Village" "Lone Wanderer" "Atoning Elf" "Knight of Faith" "Magician in the Nightmare" Which one did...
Aug 17, 2022•40 min
You may never see them coming, but when the Battle Bards strike out of the shadows, you'll either find your pocket picked, your fluffy best friend kidnapped, or your life's blood stolen. After all, they learned from the best thieves and rogues in the world! And what kind of music would these robbers identify with? Find out on today's show! Episode 214 show notes Intro (feat. "Rogue" from Blackwater, "The Holy Land of Assassins" from Ragnarok Online, and "Rogues" from WildStar) "The Call of Cyrod...
Jun 29, 2022•46 min
The END(walker) of Final Fantasy XIV came, went, and brought us some excellent music along the way! In this episode of the Battle Bards, Syl and Syp joust back and forth over the tunes from FFXIV's latest expansion. Is it an acquired taste or an instant hit? Let them be the judge! Episode 213 show notes Intro (feat. "Opening Cinematic," "Welcome to Our Town," and "Black Steel, Cold Embers" ) "Vibrant Voices" "The Nautilus Knoweth" "On Blade's Edge" "The Day Will Come" "Spoken Without End" "Festi...
Jun 01, 2022•48 min
Battle Bards Episode 212: Elder Scrolls Online Blackwood
Apr 13, 2022•54 min
When the Battle Bards get loaded up with money and jewels in MMOs, they head back into town for a shopping spree! And if they're shopping, you know they're listening to whatever muzak is piped into these establishments. Syp and Syl listen to the music of shops and services -- and deliver their best to you! Episode 211 show notes Intro (feat. "Cash Shop" from Dragon's Nest, "Shopping Arcade" from MapleStory 2, and "The Store" from Neverwinter Nights) "The Mystic Forge" from Guild Wars 2 "The Magi...
Mar 16, 2022•51 min
We heard your many requests, and we delivered! The Battle Bards crew is back to explore the final frontier of music in the Warframe soundtrack. From funky ninja fighting tracks to stirring interstellar ballads, Warframe ended up being a fun journey through space, time, and composition. Episode 210 show notes Intro (feat. “Fortuna Login," "March of the Moa," and "Venus Combat" ) "This is What You Are" "Cetus" "KDrive Race Music A" "Gene Molds C" “Smiles from Juran" "We All Lift Together" "Sleepin...
Mar 02, 2022•55 min
When they're not saving the world from bad tunes, the Battle Bards stuff themselves into spandex and try out for sixth-tier superhero teams. Because saving the world is en vogue, don't you know? In today's episode, the crew takes a tour through the music of superhero MMORPGs past, present, and future! Episode 209 show notes (show page, direct download) Intro (feat. "Freedom Court" from City of Heroes, "The Rime Woods" from Champions Online, and "Credits" from Marvel Heroes) "Digital Death Dream"...
Jan 26, 2022•54 min
Mighty Vikings and meek bards come together to sing the praises of the soundtrack to 2021's smash hit Valheim! Syl does her best to sell us all on the game (and, perhaps occasionally, its soundtrack) as the threesome hack, slash, and plunder the score to see what spoils might be taken back to the homeland. Episode 208 show notes Intro (feat. "Moder v2," "Mountain," and "Yagluth" ) "Menu Theme" "Entering Valheim" "Black Forest" "Meadows" "Home Base" "Plains" "Sailing" Which one did we like best? ...
Jan 05, 2022•58 min
Have you ever gotten so mad that you literally saw red? Better yet, have you ever heard the color red when you've listened to an MMO's soundtrack? In this episode, the Battle Bards explore the diversity that exists within this singular blood hue. What does red sound like? Find out in this hour! Episode 207 show notes Intro (feat. "Red Broth" from Warframe, "Red Menace" from Stargate Worlds, and "Crimson Cove" from City of Heroes) "Scarlet Raven" from World of Warcraft "Ruby Weapon" from FFXIV "T...
Dec 22, 2021•48 min
It's been a long, long time since the Battle Bards have ventured down to the surface of Nexus -- at least, as a full episode. Now, it's time to warp back to WildStar! But after having featured this amazing soundtrack so often on the show, are there any good picks left... or just the dregs from a former civilization? Episode 206 show notes Intro (feat. "Main Theme," "A Tropical Getaway," and "Sea of Green" ) "March of the Empire" "Operation Northern Wastes" "Legend of Blue Horizon" "A Very Domini...
Dec 08, 2021•52 min
They might not be the most naturally romantic crew at heart, but the Battle Bards have been known to get, er, swoony when love is professed and crushes confessed. In the spirit of love and romance, Steff, Syl, and Syp explore romantic themes in MMORPG soundtracks to see if they can figure out what the heart really wants! Episode 205 show notes (show page, direct download) Intro (feat. "Lana, the Advisor" from SWTOR, "Origa, Beautiful" from Aion, "Tieve's Theme" from Vindictus, and "Chapel of Lov...
Nov 24, 2021•54 min
