Ar Tonelico

A fun game by Gust and Banpresto that I picked up recently.

It's your more or less typical JRPG for the PS2. The setting takes place on a planet called Ar Ciel where the entire surface is covered by a "Sea of Death" and the only place people can live are the towers. The tower in the game, named Ar Tonelico (hence the title) is the main location in the game. Your main character is the well-intentioned but hot tempered prince who encounters beings known as Reyvateil. Rayvateil are artificial humanoids who interact with the tower via singing "hymns", which are literally computer code for the tower's systems.

Interestingly, the language of the tower and the hymns that control it (and provide the basis of the world's "magic") has an actual in-game alphabet. There's actually a font out there for hymnos.

I'm familiar with this series. We rented the second game a while back and played through the first part. It wasn't bad and the music was really cool! It reminded me of the music from "Umineko no Naku Koro ni" (When They Cry). Really amazing vocals in a fictional language.

The whole AT series has some great music in it. You should check out the first game.

A word of caution: The second game has a spot where it tends to crash.

I might rent the first game at some point. It's about time to re-up on the Gamefly subscription anyway

I listen to the Ar Tonelico soundtrack in my car all of the time.

My favorite has to be EXEC/PAJA for Misha. There are also some battle themes that are really cool.