Oh my goodness, I'm the singer of Down by the RIver, Raphael's final act and one of the Harpies and honestly I don't even know how to act after that Enya comment. You are amazing thank you
@Melethiel The story, the music, the voice acting. Couldnt pick one which elevates the game more than the rest. They are beautifully complementing eachother. Thank you for your work, I was always appreciating the music while i played (sometimes my characters had to stood idle for a couple of minutes because i just like that part of a song, had to listen fully :D ) and it is great to put a face to the voice, and to see you engaging with the community. Thank you so much for the experience :) 150 hours in, hope to hear you much more.
If you look close during the fight, his mouth is animated to the music. He is *literally* singing his own boss music DURING THE FIGHT, full-on Disney villain style.
Raphael's final act song absolutely slaps during the final fight against him. not only you didn't expecting someone singing, raphael himself came in with some banging bars. And the fight is so fucking tough to boot. You are literally dancing with the devil
I didn't get there myself but I saw it on Ytube can't wait to try it myself the whole battle. For me one of the best moments in gaming was fight with Ludwig the Accursed in Bloodborne...that music and setup.
THIS is how someone should react to content. You didn't just sit there and say "Wow, that song was really good." No, you actually PLAYED along with the music. Beautiful.
I love when professional artists and producers comment on things because they can share key points that they notice. They have an ear that I don’t, and I love the observations shared here! And of course the violin playing is absolutely stunning and I’m blown away by that too.
Raphael's Final Act is such a "hidden" masterpiece, if you don't fight him, you won't encouter it. Fighting The Devil, while he is singing himself and it's an epic fight, too. That part convinced me to go for a full evil run and join Raphael lol
It's not simply that he recites his own final battle it's also that all the themes in that song have been heard before in various encounters, in ambient music and now they all come together for a grand epic finale in their ultimate form.
For me is a huge screw from Larian (one of many) .... Raphael should be the final fight of the game not an optional one .... after that fight (that you can take fairly early in act 3 ) , the game just lose pretty much all momentum . By far is one of the best battles in any game and seems like they didnt use correctly .
@@deadlyjoz8761a lot of dev choose to put the best content/fight as optional because that allow them more freedom and creativity while designing it from software is a good exemple of this the optional boss always ends up beeing the fan s favorite because they feel more unique and challenging
There’s also a fact that the melody of “down down down by the river” section of the song is present in most tracks in the soundtrack, not just the main theme, if you listen carefully you can find it in almost every track I feel like.
The Raphael fight is a literal masterpiece in game design. A tough and complex fight against a wonderfully written enemy accompanying an absolute BANGER of a song with the ACTUAL ENEMY you are fighting SINGING in the song like a literal Disney Villain. Amazing.
@@RiceLow I tugged him in a corner in such a way that he couldn't jump to escape and i did cast silence... so all he could do is to deal very little damage with unarmed attacks XD. Get bullied Raphy
@@RiceLow We all have our fun in different ways, but this is exactly why I have such a strong distaste for min/maxing; I'd rather survive by the skin of my teeth and have an extremely cinematic and fun boos battle than cheese the f*ck out of a boss and win with no effort. 🤷♂
I might be wrong, but I think the song is also sung on a funeral of random priestess in a seaside location in southern part of the Lower city (trying to avoid every bit of potential spoilers... 😅).. but I might be mistaken.
That's one of the most fun fights in Act 1, especially if you stumble down there relatively early so it's a real challenge - you don't want to walk away from it because of the danger to the kid and it's so satisfying to overcome it. Oh and the music slaps.
the encounter where it comes up in game is about a little kid being lured into the sea by this song. and bonus point if you are a bard yourself you can use the performance skill to drown them out with your own music, which puts you into performing the bard dance at the start of combat and makes everybody immune to the harpies song for a few turns if you succeded XD
Raphael's Final Act is a ludo-narrative harmonic masterpiece. It's not just that the music is perfect, it's not just that the area it plays is perfect, but the entire thing, the entire lead up of the game to that point and the moment they hit you with it and you realize how true the lyrics are because it's happening to you. It hits a peak that only legends of gaming have, like a Final Fantasy end boss. It hits THAT hard.
Dude, my whole experience was crazy. Definitely one of the best gaming experiences I've had in my entire life. I think one of those legends of gaming, is def Final Fantasy, but check out Nier Automata if you haven't... That one is definitely for the top tiers... (Music + Gaming + Stunning Visual Scenes + Deep Story + Adrenaline Rush)
Seriously true. You can have an average game but if you have incredibly emotional captivating music than matches and compliments the context in which they are played. It makes a 5/10 become a 9/10 immediately.
I'm so pleased that the algorithm lead me to your channel, this is a wonderful reaction and breakdown! I love that video game music is getting the appreciation it deserves in the past decade with many well known composers dipping their toes into the video game market as well.
Raphael's Final Act is so good that I reloaded a save midway through the fight to start over so I could keep hearing that amazing theme, fits his character so well too
Check out Borislavs "older" soundtrack for Divinity Original Sins 2. There is a reason that it is available on vinyl and has sold out a few prints (but now it is available again). Borislav is the master of CRPG soundtracks.
I'm super happy to see that response. Borislav's music (and obviously the games that accompany it) is so damn good. Div OS 2 was a masterclass in writing, and if you enjoyed that, you'll find a lot to love here.
@@DeCeGee Borislav must be a rpg nerd, too. His music is so fitting to all the usual common scenes you experience while playing real roleplaying games at a table, it just breathes storytelling, ttrpg culture and soul.
Raphael’s Final Act is perhaps the single most amazing song in the game, simply because it hits you so unexpectedly after all the other songs in the game are primarily done without audible lyrics. The fact that it’s Raphael himself singing it at you as he’s systematically picking your team apart just makes it so much more perfect.
not to mention, raphael's VA, who sung, had no training whatsoever in singing, they tried to give him tips here and there and saw he was struggling with it. Told him "forget everything we just said, just go for it" and so he did. That's the one they kept.
I really appreciate how you do a "reaction" video. You're really expressive so we can get how you're feeling without having to talk all over the piece and your comments once you've listened to it are really informative and interesting. I've just seen too many "reaction" videos that frustrate me, but yours are super chill and respectful. Keep up the good work man.
Oh. Wow. It's been awhile since a soundtrack tells me I need to play a game. Thank you for introducing this. Down by the River was beautiful with your violin!!!
I LOVE how he *perfectly* broke down Raphaels character, down to him being a devil, just by hearing the last song for Raphaels character. AMAZING i cant get enough of Raphaels Final Act. Simply amazing questline, amazing character, and writing for the character, AMAZING sinister voice acting and singing! Truly a masterpiece of a game. I've never played BG before BG3, but I need to go back and play the classics.
"Twisted Force" is the one that gets stuck in my head for hours... A very good battle song. DOOHH YABEEGOVEE YABOGAVEE DOBEEDAH YAAH-BEE-GOH-VEE-DAHH YUMMY GUMMY DOOHH
And on your second playthrough you realize that the instrumental of that song plays on the background, when Raphael teleports you to his hose of hope, at the beginning :)
It’s crazy how accurate you were with everything you said about “Raphaels Final Act”. You said the struggle between Heaven and Hell, that it sounds like it’s The Devil Himself singing, that said Devil is a villain in the game. Phenomenal
Baldur's Gate 3 OST is absolutely amazing!! I haven't played the game yet, but the OST is soooo up my alley hahaha I need to play it!!! Great video, SPG, I always enjoy your analysis and reactions! And also I hope people will enjoy our project Axe & Ale if they like this style of music!
The algorithm suggested this video. I am very glad I clicked on it. Your reactions and comment were great and then to add you yourself added to each song. Very enjoyable! I hope you enjoy the game!
I feel like "Raphael's final act" is nothing anyone should listen to until getting to that point ingame, it kinda robs you from that experience. It's the whole setup leading to that point in my opinion :D edit + spoiler: The devil Raphael being so full of himself that he sing's his own boss fight music is just something else
yes...I almost listened to it a few weeks back but the first line had me like "wait that sounds spoilery...lets stop there"...I am SO GLAD I did. Just had the scene and I am still awestruck.
I had listened to the soundtrack before getting to that point in the game, although I was only half-listening so I didn't pay much mind to House of Hope when I first heard it. At that point I was fully enthralled by the man leitmotif in tracks like the main theme and Down By The River. It definitely hits different when you get to that point in the game and really think about it in the context of what is going on.
I had the pleasure of doing that quest only before the final one, so I got a really fantastic experience there just before the final boss. Literally stood in the fight for 10 minutes just listening to the song and not doing shit hahaha
Raphael is an absolute narcissist, so when I started hearing him sing his own song, I was like "yeah, that tracks". And I agree, it's best to hear in the moment, but it's such a great song it's not ruined at least. The moment will still be grand, just not what it would have been.
The BG3 menu music is one of the best, if not THE best I've ever heard. It pumps you up so hard, just making you want to go and storm some evil fortress or dark temple. Then you notice the adventurers in the background, as they come down the stairs and enter the massive dungeon you've been looking at. And you're basically screaming "yes, that! I want to do what these guys are doing! Let's go!"
@@Monnisti I wasn't trying to spoil things for anybody who hasn't played the game. I was one of the 300ish people that finished it the first weekend lol
I learned a fun fact in one of my music classes this semester. When the devil was featured in old Medieval or Renaissance music, he mainly yelled and screamed, or just spoke normally while everyone sang, and it seems fitting that Raphael is mostly talking during his theme.
as soon as raphaels final act came on when i was starting the fight and i seen his health bar i not only was mesmerized but also knew how screwed i was. they didnt have to go so hard with it but im all for it
Loved your part with the violin for "Down by the river". It felt like your violin empowered the singer's voice, making it stable and powerful, but soft and tender.
Raphael's Final Act is the most fun song I've heard in a video game in a long, long time, it comes out of left field and it caught me completely by surprise in the game. And if I'm not mistaken, depending on choices, you could actually not get to hear the song at all.
I'd seen comments about how much of a banger it was prior to fighting Raphael, so I purposely avoided searching it or hearing it until the actual fight and it Hit... real hard, just blasted me with how incredible it was. Probably the best piece of music for a game i've heard in a long time.
They poured their heart and souls not only into the music, but the character design, environment, the storyline, the backstorys of each character, the abilities, the emotions in each character voice. I could go on forever with the list, and it shows for the better
You know I got stuck in the main menu everytime because of hearing "Down by the river" you really can get lost in that ethereal tune. But "Raphael's Final Act" really gave me this feeling of pure epic theatrics. I could really imagine and would also LOVE to see a theatric play done with that song.
its amazing to witness people with emotional intelligence, artistic knowledge and the appreciation of beauty listening to these masterpieces of art...sad so few actually listening and appreciating true art these days, thank you
one of the best music reactions i have ever seen. just to see your joy listinig and not pausing every 5 seconds. i think you get a much better feeling by listening longer parts and just diving into the feel of a song is much better.
Exactly this! I feel like it gives us the chance as a viewer to really let it all sink in too. I love it, it keeps the flow, and we can see the reaction from the expressions and later on in the analysis we get an in depth break down. It’s lovely!!
Just did Raphael's fight yesterday and its funny how spoton you are ^^ you are litterally fighting the devil in his own house, and his arrival is teased whole time you spend there. It is the one of the hardest fights in the game, and also one of my favorites by far, especially because of the music which makes it unique.
Raphael's Final Act surprised the heck out of me in the game and it was so amazing I just sat there and listening to the entire thing instead of fighting.
The song triggering right as you're about to re-enter the portal was a stroke of genius. You've evaded him so far, you're running from a fiery boulder, and you finally are on the cusp of freedom. He hasn't shown up, you're home free. Suddenly you hear the intro, and you realize that you fucked up. Introducing the song with just vocals and no instruments worked so well with the timing.
When I fought Raphael for the first time, and that soundtrack kicked in, all my hairs stood on end. It was so fantastic! And that the voice actor for Raphael himself singing! Will go down in history as one of the best boss fight music.
I love hearing you play along with the music. Can't wait to watch your covers next! Also, that smile when Raphael started singing - my reaction as well, but with laughter. Leave it to Raphael to have a full on theatre moment for his boss theme 😅
there's another song that plays in the credits that completely blew me away when I first heard it called "I want to live", I thought it was enchanting, along with every other song in this game! such beautiful music, I can't help but smile when I hear any song from baldur's gate 3
Raphael.....That was incredible, Best song of the game and one of the best ever songs for a boss. The same actor voice was the singer so that gives an inmersive moment i will not forget.
Honestly, I come back here more than any of the individual music because I want to listen to your violin... which is an exquisite accompaniment to the already exquisite music. This was my first video of yours and the reason I liked and subbed. Looking forward to your next work.
The Harpy Song is beautiful on its own, but simply listening to it doesn't do it justice compared to how it's utilized in the game. I can't wait until you get to that part, it's incredible
Borislav and his wonderful team of musicians and sound producers knocked it out of the park again. Divinity: Original Sin 2 had such a wonderful soundtrack, and it's so wonderful to have the next big evolution in his writing for BG3 while paying homage to his previous works (in a few direct ways if you play a bard!)
Raphael's final act song - is a song from one side of Rafael - the Devil, who for three acts offered to conclude a deal and never got what he wanted (when we came to his house, take what we need, if necessary by force), and on the other hand captivated by him and suppressed by the incarnation of Hope, which we released. In the battle scene, it was very strong
The thing that really gets me is that you hear it as you approach as a sound effect, and then when you actually start the fight it turns into the battle music with accompaniment... and if you disrupt the song, it immediately switches to ANOTHER battle song that uses the same melody but is played with traditional instruments ("Oh shit, wake up, we're in trouble!") And that's just for a regular fight. Crazy sound design!
Love this video - as well your comments as violin parts - you really enrich these already amazing tracks. Can't wait for you to reach Raphael's Final Act in the game - one of the best moment in video games ever!
First time on your channel. BG3 in title and probably tags put you in my algorithm. I just wanted to say the bard hat really brought the video together and set the mood. I dig it. Be well =)
Dude! You're a tru Bard! lol i love it. This game is being such a pleasure and not only the music but the vibes, emotions, the voice actors are amazing, the story...bring us more gaming soundtracks reacts this is very nice
I love when you blend the other songs you reference as a snippet of what you’re comparing it to - I didn’t know any of the other songs you were referencing prior so it helped so much! The baldur’s gate 3 soundtrack always makes me so emotional and enthralls me, it somehow always feels like it overwhelms me with the emotion it brings (chills and almost teary sometimes), especially down to the river. Which made your reaction even better to see, it felt awesome to see someone else get swept away! The leitmotifs are also just so excellent, the singing in all the music has almost a flowing mesmerizing quality - even though it’s English it almost feels fantastical, both the ‘battle warrior choirs’ as well as the mystical melodic singer’s voice. One of the other video game soundtracks with ethereal and mesmerizing vocals that left me floored was Hades. That could be a good soundtrack to react to, especially with Hades 2 coming out later this year! I highly recommend the song Good Riddance - throughout the game you hear Orpheus singing his lamentful version, and Eurydice singing her more upbeat half, and later on you get to hear a fusion of the two as a glorious duet that absolutely stunned me! I also recommend Hymn to Zagreus, that one always gets stuck in my head.
Damn, correct on all accounts. 1. Has harps 2. Is sung by Harpies 3. Is sung as a lullaby to lure adventurers. It's literally called "Luring Song" iirc in game.
9:50 wow that was absurdly awesome, seeing you play the violin over the song almost brought me to tears! Incredible song, incredible performance. Congratulations
Something i know youll love, if your character is perficent in preforming they can play a few listed songs useing multiple instruments from violin, lute, drum, etc but when you preform a song you obviously play only the parts of the instrument your playing, sooo get 4 or 5 bards together to preform the same song to fully hear it in all its splendor. (Some rare instruments will even unlock songs specific to that instrument) You can also join in with NPCs who are preforming a song. Join in and join the fun. Plus theres gold typically for a tip afterwards Also my bard (astorian) uses a violin 😊
Gosh, i love the Harpy Song and fight. Fighting monsters while trying to resist being charmed, with no battle music but instead that ethereal song playing is enchanting. Then the pviot when you break the song to a battle song carrying the same melody of the harpies is such a great musical design. Two whole magical songs for such an easily missed fight.
After playing FPS games for more than 12 years, I found myself enjoying these kinds of games much more with the beautiful adventures, marvelously written scripts and dialogues, movie-like cinematics, character developments and their amazing songs, I feel like my brain is finally taking a rest and I can feel actual peace when im playing a game. Thank you soo much for all the reference you made to their song. Learned quite a bit of stuff today. My favorite is still Down by the River just because I haven't heard the Raphael Final Act song yet in my playthrough. Liked and Subbed 💘
Thank you for this beautiful reaction! I am soo happy to have stumbled upon you and hope you enjoy the game when you do start playing it. I would love to see your reaction to 3 other songs from baldurs gate3 if you do decide to do a follow up: I want to live (the one with the duet vocals. The lyrics are just beautiful and powerful), The Power (also the vocal version with the lyrics because I think you’ll like that too), and the weeping dawn.
Fun fact for the final act theme: You can shut the male singing parts if you use “silence” on the main enemy, because the main enemy is singing the song while fighting
That first theme hitting just like that is so great. Like that's straight-up the first thing they hit you with in the main menu. And my head just wanders freely down by the river. The whole OST is just either epic or enchanting, or both. I'm just glad I don't live in that world because I'd definitely be lured in by these songs and get murdered by some harpy or river nymph.
Ok so I just discovered your channel. I'm always desperately trying to talk to people about music in this way and everyone is like "uh ok" so to see you going on about these songs the same way I would (although with more technical/professional analysis) completely brought me to tears. I felt like I was actually enjoying music together with someone for the first time. Thank you for this completely unexpected experience!!
The eye opener and shock comes during the battle with him. That moment when you realize that he has inserted himself in the song. It was like a double take for me. I was like "Wait a second? Is he singing in the song?" It just added an extra layer to the fight! By far, my favorite boss battles in all of Baldur's Gate!
Damn... never have I seen a reaction where the person plays along! Makes it really sweet to watch! As for the soundtrack... Love all of them. Still managed to have a favorite, though. Bard Dance is something from Baldur's Gate 3 to which I can listen on repeat for hours.
17:29 Finally finding this during my 4th play through. Your improv (I think?) for this melody was beautiful. Truly. Thank you for sharing your gift with us.
I love getting explained to me by a (charming!) professional why a beautiful song is stuck in my head :D (also WHOA, I am new to this channel, and you just whipping out your super sci-fi looking intrument and playing it perfectly?! incredible!!!)
I have thoroughly enjoyed your reactions! Thanks!💚
What an honor! Thank you for creating this amazing music sir!
Sir, BG3 has one of the BEST soundtracks I've ever heard in my life. THANK YOU for this experience!
Apart from the theme which everyone is loving I also really connected with the music at Rosymorn Monastery. Incredible work!
Wow, amazing job man, your music surpasses all others in the genre, I'd say you've surpassed even the likes of Jeremy Soule
Oh dang, from me as well. It's been such a journey thanks to the voice actors and your excellent music!
Oh my goodness, I'm the singer of Down by the RIver, Raphael's final act and one of the Harpies and honestly I don't even know how to act after that Enya comment. You are amazing thank you
If that is actually true, then kudos to you!
You did an amazing job! Congratulations!
Down down down by the river. YOU ARE AMAZING! Thank you for your performance
@Melethiel The story, the music, the voice acting. Couldnt pick one which elevates the game more than the rest. They are beautifully complementing eachother. Thank you for your work, I was always appreciating the music while i played (sometimes my characters had to stood idle for a couple of minutes because i just like that part of a song, had to listen fully :D ) and it is great to put a face to the voice, and to see you engaging with the community. Thank you so much for the experience :) 150 hours in, hope to hear you much more.
Incredible range and technique! Congrats.
Let's just say that, as soon as Raphael started singing, I went "OF COURSE he sings his own boss music", it's very fitting for the character
Yeah... We all knew Raphael is extra but that he is THAT extra caught me off guard
If you look close during the fight, his mouth is animated to the music. He is *literally* singing his own boss music DURING THE FIGHT, full-on Disney villain style.
You can literally hear and feel His Smugness
What's life without a little whimsy?
What to expect from the devil who loves to fuck himself. Beautiful game.
Raphael's final act song absolutely slaps during the final fight against him. not only you didn't expecting someone singing, raphael himself came in with some banging bars. And the fight is so fucking tough to boot. You are literally dancing with the devil
It blew my mind when that song started playing during the fight. Super epic.
He’s a freakin Disney Villain.
I was all smiles that whole fight. It was so unexpected to have that as the final battle theme for him. Truly a gem.
Yeah while we talk about music in a video game let's spoil some shit up ...
yeah what could have been cheesy or almost funny, was just incredible in the gameplay, that woman has an amazing strong vibrato...epic
Raphaels final act was one of the most awe inspiring moments I've ever experienced in gaming. It was an incredible moment.
BIG TRUE!
I my mouth was wide open in awe during the whole fight.
I didn't get there myself but I saw it on Ytube can't wait to try it myself the whole battle. For me one of the best moments in gaming was fight with Ludwig the Accursed in Bloodborne...that music and setup.
Same for me. To have a costume music for a single boss fight was so awesome
TOTALLY AGREE!!!
THIS is how someone should react to content. You didn't just sit there and say "Wow, that song was really good." No, you actually PLAYED along with the music. Beautiful.
I love when professional artists and producers comment on things because they can share key points that they notice. They have an ear that I don’t, and I love the observations shared here!
And of course the violin playing is absolutely stunning and I’m blown away by that too.
There's something to learn from this kind of reaction video. It's done right.
Yea he earned my respect and like with that one!
Raphael's Final Act is such a "hidden" masterpiece, if you don't fight him, you won't encouter it. Fighting The Devil, while he is singing himself and it's an epic fight, too. That part convinced me to go for a full evil run and join Raphael lol
just fight him, use Otto's Irresistible Dance on him to make him dance and turn the fight into a musical xD
It's not simply that he recites his own final battle it's also that all the themes in that song have been heard before in various encounters, in ambient music and now they all come together for a grand epic finale in their ultimate form.
For me is a huge screw from Larian (one of many) .... Raphael should be the final fight of the game not an optional one .... after that fight (that you can take fairly early in act 3 ) , the game just lose pretty much all momentum . By far is one of the best battles in any game and seems like they didnt use correctly .
@@deadlyjoz8761a lot of dev choose to put the best content/fight as optional because that allow them more freedom and creativity while designing it from software is a good exemple of this the optional boss always ends up beeing the fan s favorite because they feel more unique and challenging
It also played when I decided to dispatch the diabolist Helsik to tie the loose ends (and to pay back for her scam attempts in the way of Dark Urge)
There’s also a fact that the melody of “down down down by the river” section of the song is present in most tracks in the soundtrack, not just the main theme, if you listen carefully you can find it in almost every track I feel like.
I will, when I start playing.
I heard it every time during my 160-hour playtrough and every time this damn song was stuck in my head all over again xD
Well that’s how a leitmotif works😅
@@LionmightOfficial you can have your characters play it in game ("the power" version, which is the ending theme)
@@pejman3 no spoilers please.
The Raphael fight is a literal masterpiece in game design. A tough and complex fight against a wonderfully written enemy accompanying an absolute BANGER of a song with the ACTUAL ENEMY you are fighting SINGING in the song like a literal Disney Villain. Amazing.
"tough and complex" Hold Monster on Raphael, Haste on Lae'zel, 9 attacks autocrit, gg, was kinda underwhelmed
@@RiceLow I tugged him in a corner in such a way that he couldn't jump to escape and i did cast silence... so all he could do is to deal very little damage with unarmed attacks XD. Get bullied Raphy
yea sadly BG3 is not particularly hard if you actually utilise the tools given to you@@RiceLow
@@RiceLow We all have our fun in different ways, but this is exactly why I have such a strong distaste for min/maxing; I'd rather survive by the skin of my teeth and have an extremely cinematic and fun boos battle than cheese the f*ck out of a boss and win with no effort. 🤷♂
@@brassy9605 Hold Monster is just a normal spell, there is no minmaxing or cheesing involved casting this?
You are a level 9000 bard. This was my first time watching one of your videos, and I'm excited to hear more.
Welcome aboard!
The fact that they produced an amazing song for just one Harpy location in this game shows the developers dedication.
I love how the fight uses music to teach you spell concentration mechanics but also is completely missable.
wait till you hear the Raphael fight song xD its prob the best in gaming.
I might be wrong, but I think the song is also sung on a funeral of random priestess in a seaside location in southern part of the Lower city (trying to avoid every bit of potential spoilers... 😅).. but I might be mistaken.
@@najlaronNah that is a conpletely different song
That's one of the most fun fights in Act 1, especially if you stumble down there relatively early so it's a real challenge - you don't want to walk away from it because of the danger to the kid and it's so satisfying to overcome it. Oh and the music slaps.
The Harpy Song is indeed both full of harps and sung by harpies
He failed his wisdom check. 😁
the encounter where it comes up in game is about a little kid being lured into the sea by this song. and bonus point if you are a bard yourself you can use the performance skill to drown them out with your own music, which puts you into performing the bard dance at the start of combat and makes everybody immune to the harpies song for a few turns if you succeded XD
@@elwourmo993 I swear between origins and class options in dialogue this game probably has infinite replay value
I can't believe they actually put effort into any enemy who seduces ppl based on musical notes to be this good in real time ~ & also simple lol
@@elwourmo993 I didn't know this! That's great!
Raphael's Final Act is a ludo-narrative harmonic masterpiece. It's not just that the music is perfect, it's not just that the area it plays is perfect, but the entire thing, the entire lead up of the game to that point and the moment they hit you with it and you realize how true the lyrics are because it's happening to you. It hits a peak that only legends of gaming have, like a Final Fantasy end boss. It hits THAT hard.
No spoilers. Covering my eyes while typing this.
@@LionmightOfficialyou did it to yourself. Hahaha. It's probably the best lead up and pay off. Excellent sequence and fight.
Dude, my whole experience was crazy. Definitely one of the best gaming experiences I've had in my entire life. I think one of those legends of gaming, is def Final Fantasy, but check out Nier Automata if you haven't... That one is definitely for the top tiers... (Music + Gaming + Stunning Visual Scenes + Deep Story + Adrenaline Rush)
Raphael’s fight was one of the complete highlights of the game. And the best, it is hidden based on your choices.
Music is such an important component of a game's ability to keep you attached to it even when you're not playing.
Truth!
I played Everquest 2 for 10 years and on reflection it was the music that got me glued to it.
Games are their own siren songs @@Oldlard
Yeah you should check wrath of the righteous soundtrack and also play it if you didn't to see how BG fails in audio, but only in that part.
Seriously true. You can have an average game but if you have incredibly emotional captivating music than matches and compliments the context in which they are played. It makes a 5/10 become a 9/10 immediately.
I'm so pleased that the algorithm lead me to your channel, this is a wonderful reaction and breakdown! I love that video game music is getting the appreciation it deserves in the past decade with many well known composers dipping their toes into the video game market as well.
Welcome aboard!
Same! So glad I discovered this channel after binging bg3 content
Raphael's Final Act is so good that I reloaded a save midway through the fight to start over so I could keep hearing that amazing theme, fits his character so well too
i just stopped before the kill and let it play for 10 min
@@luroma2814 I reloaded to hear it out. Killed him in one round my first run. Dude nailed his performance check so hard it brought him back to life.
you can carry his body and drop it next to npc.then the song will play in the fight.
@@吉克-u3yI sincerely hope that's true. What an absurd thing to happen.
i got killed like 6 times on tactician difficulty so i heard it alot
Check out Borislavs "older" soundtrack for Divinity Original Sins 2. There is a reason that it is available on vinyl and has sold out a few prints (but now it is available again). Borislav is the master of CRPG soundtracks.
Played it. Beat it.
I'm super happy to see that response. Borislav's music (and obviously the games that accompany it) is so damn good. Div OS 2 was a masterclass in writing, and if you enjoyed that, you'll find a lot to love here.
@@DeCeGee Borislav must be a rpg nerd, too. His music is so fitting to all the usual common scenes you experience while playing real roleplaying games at a table, it just breathes storytelling, ttrpg culture and soul.
Raphael’s Final Act is perhaps the single most amazing song in the game, simply because it hits you so unexpectedly after all the other songs in the game are primarily done without audible lyrics. The fact that it’s Raphael himself singing it at you as he’s systematically picking your team apart just makes it so much more perfect.
not to mention, raphael's VA, who sung, had no training whatsoever in singing, they tried to give him tips here and there and saw he was struggling with it. Told him "forget everything we just said, just go for it" and so he did. That's the one they kept.
I really appreciate how you do a "reaction" video. You're really expressive so we can get how you're feeling without having to talk all over the piece and your comments once you've listened to it are really informative and interesting. I've just seen too many "reaction" videos that frustrate me, but yours are super chill and respectful. Keep up the good work man.
Thank you so much 😄 I try my best to make my reactions personalized and insightful.
Oh. Wow. It's been awhile since a soundtrack tells me I need to play a game. Thank you for introducing this. Down by the River was beautiful with your violin!!!
you will not be dissapointed
check the main sound track of their previous game (here in u tube "Divinity: Original Sin 2 OST - Main Theme (Full)" you are welcome!)
I know right, last time that happened was when I heard the Dragon Age: Origins OST
@@carlbrenston8436 Funny that, Dragon Age: Origins was inspired by Baldur's Gate 2
Baldur's Gate 3 was inspired by Dragon Age: Origins
@@aouyiuBG2, Neverwinter Nights (not 2), DA Origins, had a threesome
Love the little keyleth statue on the desk!
Good eye! Love Vox Machina!
I LOVE how he *perfectly* broke down Raphaels character, down to him being a devil, just by hearing the last song for Raphaels character. AMAZING i cant get enough of Raphaels Final Act. Simply amazing questline, amazing character, and writing for the character, AMAZING sinister voice acting and singing! Truly a masterpiece of a game. I've never played BG before BG3, but I need to go back and play the classics.
Him singing of hells and contracts kinda solid giveaway.
"Twisted Force" is the one that gets stuck in my head for hours... A very good battle song. DOOHH YABEEGOVEE YABOGAVEE DOBEEDAH YAAH-BEE-GOH-VEE-DAHH YUMMY GUMMY DOOHH
LMAO YES
Once you see the fight the last song is paired with, it'll hit so much harder. I always get chills listening to it
And on your second playthrough you realize that the instrumental of that song plays on the background, when Raphael teleports you to his hose of hope, at the beginning :)
This is the one song you shouldn’t spoil yourself in. Definitely hits harder after indulging yourself in the story all the way till act 3
@@zyfryth In fact, almost every scene with Raphael has his theme playing in background.
It’s crazy how accurate you were with everything you said about “Raphaels Final Act”. You said the struggle between Heaven and Hell, that it sounds like it’s The Devil Himself singing, that said Devil is a villain in the game. Phenomenal
Baldur's Gate 3 OST is absolutely amazing!! I haven't played the game yet, but the OST is soooo up my alley hahaha I need to play it!!! Great video, SPG, I always enjoy your analysis and reactions! And also I hope people will enjoy our project Axe & Ale if they like this style of music!
It's so good! Thank you so much Firabelle!
The algorithm suggested this video. I am very glad I clicked on it. Your reactions and comment were great and then to add you yourself added to each song. Very enjoyable! I hope you enjoy the game!
Wow, thank you!
I feel like "Raphael's final act" is nothing anyone should listen to until getting to that point ingame, it kinda robs you from that experience.
It's the whole setup leading to that point in my opinion :D
edit + spoiler:
The devil Raphael being so full of himself that he sing's his own boss fight music is just something else
yes...I almost listened to it a few weeks back but the first line had me like "wait that sounds spoilery...lets stop there"...I am SO GLAD I did.
Just had the scene and I am still awestruck.
I had listened to the soundtrack before getting to that point in the game, although I was only half-listening so I didn't pay much mind to House of Hope when I first heard it. At that point I was fully enthralled by the man leitmotif in tracks like the main theme and Down By The River. It definitely hits different when you get to that point in the game and really think about it in the context of what is going on.
As much as I love it, I do wish I had gotten there myself before watching this. Now I know that he's a hidden boss fight.
I had the pleasure of doing that quest only before the final one, so I got a really fantastic experience there just before the final boss.
Literally stood in the fight for 10 minutes just listening to the song and not doing shit hahaha
Raphael is an absolute narcissist, so when I started hearing him sing his own song, I was like "yeah, that tracks".
And I agree, it's best to hear in the moment, but it's such a great song it's not ruined at least. The moment will still be grand, just not what it would have been.
Starts video. Notices the Keyleth figure on the desk. "Oh, this is a subject matter expert!" Sits forward in his chair to listen.
i was looking for this lmao
String: “Harpy Song? Is that because it’s using a Harp or it’s about the bird creature Harpy in mythology?”
Me: “Yes”
The BG3 menu music is one of the best, if not THE best I've ever heard. It pumps you up so hard, just making you want to go and storm some evil fortress or dark temple. Then you notice the adventurers in the background, as they come down the stairs and enter the massive dungeon you've been looking at. And you're basically screaming "yes, that! I want to do what these guys are doing! Let's go!"
That giant dungeon is the Temple of Bhaal below the City of Baldur's Gate. A reference to previous titles. :)
@@OathDubs It's in the game my friend
@@Monnisti I wasn't trying to spoil things for anybody who hasn't played the game. I was one of the 300ish people that finished it the first weekend lol
@@OathDubs Is it really a spoiler though? Everyone who recognises it on the starting screen knows it is going to be there
@@Monnisti Well, it IS in act 3. people say talking about the grove in act 1 is spoilers, so 🤷♂
I learned a fun fact in one of my music classes this semester. When the devil was featured in old Medieval or Renaissance music, he mainly yelled and screamed, or just spoke normally while everyone sang, and it seems fitting that Raphael is mostly talking during his theme.
When/if you get to Raphael’s final act it’s gonna hit you like ton of bricks. The way it’s used in game with the build up is just *chefs kiss*
as soon as raphaels final act came on when i was starting the fight and i seen his health bar i not only was mesmerized but also knew how screwed i was. they didnt have to go so hard with it but im all for it
666
Loved your part with the violin for "Down by the river". It felt like your violin empowered the singer's voice, making it stable and powerful, but soft and tender.
Raphael's Final Act is the most fun song I've heard in a video game in a long, long time, it comes out of left field and it caught me completely by surprise in the game. And if I'm not mistaken, depending on choices, you could actually not get to hear the song at all.
Of course ... if you choose to ignore the house of hope you are never gonna fight raphael .
I'd seen comments about how much of a banger it was prior to fighting Raphael, so I purposely avoided searching it or hearing it until the actual fight and it Hit... real hard, just blasted me with how incredible it was. Probably the best piece of music for a game i've heard in a long time.
I'd say a lot of people will absolutely miss the house of hope since it's not that obvious that you can get there somehow.
Everyone siding with Orpheus will go there.@@neoshenlong
They poured their heart and souls not only into the music, but the character design, environment, the storyline, the backstorys of each character, the abilities, the emotions in each character voice. I could go on forever with the list, and it shows for the better
Karlac and shadowheart broke my heart
One of the first reactions I've watched where they then play the song themselves. This adds so much credibility for me.
Earned a subscriber.
trust me raphaels final act really is something else in game it has this classic disney villian vibe its amazing
You know I got stuck in the main menu everytime because of hearing "Down by the river"
you really can get lost in that ethereal tune.
But "Raphael's Final Act" really gave me this feeling of pure epic theatrics.
I could really imagine and would also LOVE to see a theatric play done with that song.
its amazing to witness people with emotional intelligence, artistic knowledge and the appreciation of beauty listening to these masterpieces of art...sad so few actually listening and appreciating true art these days, thank you
one of the best music reactions i have ever seen. just to see your joy listinig and not pausing every 5 seconds. i think you get a much better feeling by listening longer parts and just diving into the feel of a song is much better.
Exactly this! I feel like it gives us the chance as a viewer to really let it all sink in too. I love it, it keeps the flow, and we can see the reaction from the expressions and later on in the analysis we get an in depth break down. It’s lovely!!
Just did Raphael's fight yesterday and its funny how spoton you are ^^ you are litterally fighting the devil in his own house, and his arrival is teased whole time you spend there. It is the one of the hardest fights in the game, and also one of my favorites by far, especially because of the music which makes it unique.
Raphael's Final Act surprised the heck out of me in the game and it was so amazing I just sat there and listening to the entire thing instead of fighting.
Same. Mine mind was blown and I was standing for minimal 1min until I could even think of recovering to start a fight
The song triggering right as you're about to re-enter the portal was a stroke of genius. You've evaded him so far, you're running from a fiery boulder, and you finally are on the cusp of freedom. He hasn't shown up, you're home free. Suddenly you hear the intro, and you realize that you fucked up. Introducing the song with just vocals and no instruments worked so well with the timing.
I love that you not just listen to the music, but you FEEL it. Very rare to see someone appreciate music like you do.
When I fought Raphael for the first time, and that soundtrack kicked in, all my hairs stood on end. It was so fantastic! And that the voice actor for Raphael himself singing! Will go down in history as one of the best boss fight music.
Give me goosebumps always! BG3 deserve GOTY! Enjoyed your reactions sire 😄
Thank you, kind sir.
I love hearing you play along with the music. Can't wait to watch your covers next! Also, that smile when Raphael started singing - my reaction as well, but with laughter. Leave it to Raphael to have a full on theatre moment for his boss theme 😅
“Nightsong” is also so good! I hope you get to the choices where this song plays. The scene and the music gave me chills. 😍
there's another song that plays in the credits that completely blew me away when I first heard it called "I want to live", I thought it was enchanting, along with every other song in this game! such beautiful music, I can't help but smile when I hear any song from baldur's gate 3
Finding a brilliant leitmotiv and milking the hell out of it is already great, but there's so many more amazing layers to it.
Raphel: big bad-ass sideboss with big bad-ass song.
My wizard with 24 spellsave DC: "oh no" *hold monster* "so anyway..."
Raphael.....That was incredible, Best song of the game and one of the best ever songs for a boss. The same actor voice was the singer so that gives an inmersive moment i will not forget.
Honestly, I come back here more than any of the individual music because I want to listen to your violin... which is an exquisite accompaniment to the already exquisite music. This was my first video of yours and the reason I liked and subbed. Looking forward to your next work.
Wow, thank you!
I think the fact you add your own violin part makes these videos premium content. Great stuff dude.
The Harpy Song is beautiful on its own, but simply listening to it doesn't do it justice compared to how it's utilized in the game. I can't wait until you get to that part, it's incredible
It really is great sound design merging with great gameplay mechanics. Probably my favorite moment in the game
@@hyggeravn6325 it lured me right in. I heard the harpies singing and went "oh that's really pretty. I should go see who's singing"
Nothing like getting into a death trap after being led by beautiful singing lol
I agree. But I wish the harpies and that location was more involved in the game. It's kinda tucked away now
@@pinkypromise_ I completely missed it on my first playthrough T-T rip to the small tiefling child
Your passion for the craft is astounding. You don't just hear the music, you feel it on all its levels and layers. Mad respect!
Borislav and his wonderful team of musicians and sound producers knocked it out of the park again. Divinity: Original Sin 2 had such a wonderful soundtrack, and it's so wonderful to have the next big evolution in his writing for BG3 while paying homage to his previous works (in a few direct ways if you play a bard!)
As a musician and composer, I get absolutely lost in BG3's music. Glad you've enjoyed it as much as I did.
Raphael's final act song - is a song from one side of Rafael - the Devil, who for three acts offered to conclude a deal and never got what he wanted (when we came to his house, take what we need, if necessary by force), and on the other hand captivated by him and suppressed by the incarnation of Hope, which we released. In the battle scene, it was very strong
Raphaels Final Act hits so much harder when you first hear it in combat. I was floored by it.
Harpy Song is one of my favorites, because it genuinely entrances me when I listen to it. It is as if it is actually sung by harpies
The thing that really gets me is that you hear it as you approach as a sound effect, and then when you actually start the fight it turns into the battle music with accompaniment... and if you disrupt the song, it immediately switches to ANOTHER battle song that uses the same melody but is played with traditional instruments ("Oh shit, wake up, we're in trouble!")
And that's just for a regular fight. Crazy sound design!
Also love the fact that in the character generation music, it will change if you pick bard and pick a different starting instrument.
Brilliant! Reminds me of Divinity Original Sin!
Raphael’s theme is basically his own Disney villain musical number.
Love this video - as well your comments as violin parts - you really enrich these already amazing tracks. Can't wait for you to reach Raphael's Final Act in the game - one of the best moment in video games ever!
First time on your channel. BG3 in title and probably tags put you in my algorithm. I just wanted to say the bard hat really brought the video together and set the mood. I dig it. Be well =)
Dude! You're a tru Bard! lol i love it. This game is being such a pleasure and not only the music but the vibes, emotions, the voice actors are amazing, the story...bring us more gaming soundtracks reacts this is very nice
I would LOVE to hear full covers of all the songs you spoke on in this video! Amazing work and love your analysis of the sound track!
0:42 my exact reaction to the main menu during early access. the chills man
I love when you blend the other songs you reference as a snippet of what you’re comparing it to - I didn’t know any of the other songs you were referencing prior so it helped so much!
The baldur’s gate 3 soundtrack always makes me so emotional and enthralls me, it somehow always feels like it overwhelms me with the emotion it brings (chills and almost teary sometimes), especially down to the river. Which made your reaction even better to see, it felt awesome to see someone else get swept away! The leitmotifs are also just so excellent, the singing in all the music has almost a flowing mesmerizing quality - even though it’s English it almost feels fantastical, both the ‘battle warrior choirs’ as well as the mystical melodic singer’s voice.
One of the other video game soundtracks with ethereal and mesmerizing vocals that left me floored was Hades. That could be a good soundtrack to react to, especially with Hades 2 coming out later this year!
I highly recommend the song Good Riddance - throughout the game you hear Orpheus singing his lamentful version, and Eurydice singing her more upbeat half, and later on you get to hear a fusion of the two as a glorious duet that absolutely stunned me! I also recommend Hymn to Zagreus, that one always gets stuck in my head.
I love all songs from OST but Raphael final act is pure act of art, I will remember it forever. Bronislav are goats
It's a testament to the quality of the soundtrack and his musical ability that he accurately guessed so many things from the game simply by the music
The vocalist has an amazing voice. Stunning.
Damn, correct on all accounts.
1. Has harps
2. Is sung by Harpies
3. Is sung as a lullaby to lure adventurers.
It's literally called "Luring Song" iirc in game.
200hours on the game
your facial reaction to the Harpy's song was what I experienced when I encountered the harpies in game! its truely a enthralling song!
God, Raphael's song was EPIC. I had chills while locked in battle with him.
21:15 my exact reaction when hearing this song for the 1st time
9:50 wow that was absurdly awesome, seeing you play the violin over the song almost brought me to tears! Incredible song, incredible performance. Congratulations
The raphael song just hits different when you hear himself singing in his own fight. it's so epic. amazing VAs all round. epic job!
Something i know youll love, if your character is perficent in preforming they can play a few listed songs useing multiple instruments from violin, lute, drum, etc but when you preform a song you obviously play only the parts of the instrument your playing, sooo get 4 or 5 bards together to preform the same song to fully hear it in all its splendor. (Some rare instruments will even unlock songs specific to that instrument)
You can also join in with NPCs who are preforming a song. Join in and join the fun. Plus theres gold typically for a tip afterwards
Also my bard (astorian) uses a violin 😊
I absolutely loved this reaction. When you pulled up that violin and joined in on the fun I literally lost my marbles 💚
"Let your sleeping souls take flight" has me in tears every time, it has been so long since i could just enjoy a game.
its crazy to me that the best boss fight music is for an optional fight AND the boss himself is singing it
the "comedic vocals" bit is absolutely HILARIOUS with the hindsight of knowing Rafael from the game. This was awesome, 11/10 vid.
Wow! This soundtrack music already is incredibly strong. But everytime you add your violin to it, I have chills to the moon! So beautiful!
Gosh, i love the Harpy Song and fight. Fighting monsters while trying to resist being charmed, with no battle music but instead that ethereal song playing is enchanting. Then the pviot when you break the song to a battle song carrying the same melody of the harpies is such a great musical design. Two whole magical songs for such an easily missed fight.
Amazing video as always. In my very first playthrough i fought Raphael and I was SHOCKED by the soundtrack.
Right? I heard that it's a good theme but I Did Not Expect a VOCAL theme
It's great that they incorporated the down by the river in the main theme because all of the location are connected by the Chionthar river.
After playing FPS games for more than 12 years, I found myself enjoying these kinds of games much more with the beautiful adventures, marvelously written scripts and dialogues, movie-like cinematics, character developments and their amazing songs, I feel like my brain is finally taking a rest and I can feel actual peace when im playing a game. Thank you soo much for all the reference you made to their song. Learned quite a bit of stuff today. My favorite is still Down by the River just because I haven't heard the Raphael Final Act song yet in my playthrough. Liked and Subbed 💘
11:06 You can see the exact moment where he fails the wisdom check.
Thank you for this beautiful reaction! I am soo happy to have stumbled upon you and hope you enjoy the game when you do start playing it. I would love to see your reaction to 3 other songs from baldurs gate3 if you do decide to do a follow up: I want to live (the one with the duet vocals. The lyrics are just beautiful and powerful), The Power (also the vocal version with the lyrics because I think you’ll like that too), and the weeping dawn.
Fun fact for the final act theme:
You can shut the male singing parts if you use “silence” on the main enemy, because the main enemy is singing the song while fighting
That first theme hitting just like that is so great. Like that's straight-up the first thing they hit you with in the main menu. And my head just wanders freely down by the river. The whole OST is just either epic or enchanting, or both. I'm just glad I don't live in that world because I'd definitely be lured in by these songs and get murdered by some harpy or river nymph.
"this character who's probably a villain of sorts" - Conceivably, but a Savior? That's for certain.
Ok so I just discovered your channel. I'm always desperately trying to talk to people about music in this way and everyone is like "uh ok" so to see you going on about these songs the same way I would (although with more technical/professional analysis) completely brought me to tears. I felt like I was actually enjoying music together with someone for the first time. Thank you for this completely unexpected experience!!
This is exactly why I do this. Thank you for watching!
The eye opener and shock comes during the battle with him. That moment when you realize that he has inserted himself in the song. It was like a double take for me. I was like "Wait a second? Is he singing in the song?" It just added an extra layer to the fight! By far, my favorite boss battles in all of Baldur's Gate!
his voice line is also cut from the music when you cast silence on him - which means he is singing live to you while fighting you
Damn... never have I seen a reaction where the person plays along! Makes it really sweet to watch!
As for the soundtrack... Love all of them. Still managed to have a favorite, though. Bard Dance is something from Baldur's Gate 3 to which I can listen on repeat for hours.
Thank you for watching! Will add "Bard Dance" to my potential list if I ever make a part 2 of this video.
17:29 Finally finding this during my 4th play through. Your improv (I think?) for this melody was beautiful. Truly. Thank you for sharing your gift with us.
I love getting explained to me by a (charming!) professional why a beautiful song is stuck in my head :D
(also WHOA, I am new to this channel, and you just whipping out your super sci-fi looking intrument and playing it perfectly?! incredible!!!)
Thank you so much! And welcome to my channel.
That Soundtrack of that Game, raised the Bar, what Games should sound like! 🐻❤