Two 1990s SquareSoft games that made an enormous impact on my young imagination were Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy VI (or, as we called it in my day in 'Murica, Final Fantasy III). I always thought the two games' protagonists, Terra and Crono, would make a solid team. I would read the hell out of that fan fiction mashup, particularly if Neil Gaiman went ahead and did it. So Neil, if you're reading this, let's get to it, mkay?

My other main musical influences are certainly at play here, too – the likes of John McLaughlin, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Jaco Pastorius, Michael Brecker, etc. Not coincidentally, those American jazz artists were huge in Japan in the 1980s and '90s, and almost certainly influenced my favorite game composers. It all comes full circle.

Narshe artwork by Orioto, Terra artwork by Mujumonster, Crono artwork by Akira Toriyama.

Crono and Terra Get Beers in Narshe

Composer, keyboardist, saxophonist, arranger, producer. Leader of JazzFunkRock band called Progger. Worked with fancy people like Bruno Mars, the Black Pumas/Adrian Quesada, Snarky Puppy, and many more over the years.

Crono and Terra Get Beers in Narshe

Brian Donohoe (composer/producer/musician)