Final Fantasy. It’s a title that is often referred to when it comes to role-playing games. As rosy as my memories are of entries like Final Fantasy VI and VII it does little to remove the sting of where things stand now; an era were mass proliferation has turned this hallmark of a series into a walking, talking punch line. Really, I can’t be the only one who misses the days when there was one Final Fantasy title every two to three years. The games that came out of those uncongested waits were usually worth their weight in gold. But alas, business is business and failure (in the form of Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within) is failure so we’re all reminded that artistic vision always yields before the almighty dollar – or in this case yen.
That said, most of use are still drawn to some of SquareEnix’s offerings despite the fact that some of them are games we’ve already played a million and a half times. Another version of Final Fantasy IV? That makes me somewhat nauseated – but gimme! It’s truly sad what creatures of habit gamers are and how companies bank on that but this is what almost kept me away from Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light. So how did I end up playing this title nestled among the endless parade of Final Fantasy titles? Well, it all started with Matrix’s Final Fantasy III remake. With Final Fantasy III being the only Final Fantasy prior to Final Fantasy X I hadn’t played and completed (X being my cut off point for things Final Fantasy) I wanted to give it a whirl and call it case closed on Final Fantasy. Little did I know that Final Fantasy III wasn’t the end but a new beginning….
Poetic as that sounds, Final Fantasy’s new life would not come easy. Truth be told, my first ten hours with Final Fantasy III only served to remind me that we move on from things every now and then for reasons that are more than clear. However, things would turn around in the last twenty hours were the game not only mended the bridge it almost burned but would aid in the construction of another. So with III’s notch on my Final Fantasy belt I set out for a new bounty to hunt but was interested in the other products Matrix had worked on. This - and the fact the local Game X-Change had a used copy of the Brady Games Strategy Guide - eventually lead me to The 4 Heroes of Light.
Like most new and unfamiliar products, I was a little hesitant to start the 4 Heroes of Light. This wasn’t like Final Fantasy III where I was half familiar with what the game offered before playing. No, this was a completely new ballgame. Sure, I had a strategy guide in tow but it was still touch and go for a while. Did I like the game? Was I enjoying it despite its older playing style? These were the questions on my mind. Things did become clearer the further I got as did the frequency at which I played, but there were still some unresolved feelings I had as I inched towards the end. What would the final verdict be? Would I go easy on it or would I be blunt? Was this a good game? A bad game? A lousy game? The answers where there and the final decision would prove to be more than interesting.
So upon defeating the evil being at the center of the darkness, I sat down to write about my experience. I actually had a lot to say but I think a lot of it was lost in translation between likes, dislikes and general indecisiveness. In the end I was both kind and harsh on The 4 Heroes of Light, pointing out the game was rather flawed and tried to be something special when it clearly wasn’t. I gave it a six out of ten. Now, in today’s world of internet reviews a lot of people see a six out of ten and automatically think the game is a failure. Sixty percent may be a failing grade on a school paper but this really isn’t the case elsewhere. Still, despite what my final score implied, I came out and stated that I really liked The 4 Heroes of Light. However, little did I know how much I had enjoyed it. It wasn’t until I had moved on to some other games (the DS Castlevanias) that the game’s hold on me became apparent.
What does all of this have to do with Naoshi Mizuta’s score for The 4 Heroes of Light? Lots. Actually, everything because when you get right down to it Mizuta’s music was the first thing I noticed about the game and – ironically – was the first element I wrote about when reviewing it. Unfortunately, while that last sentence paints a pretty picture (hey, he must have liked it if he was eager to talk about it) that’s far from the case. In reality I started off with a dose of negativity when covering the game. But while several things in the game run afoul, why are the music’s flaws so noticeable and if it’s the case why on earth did I buy the soundtrack? Rest assured there are answers to those questions, but they are buried underneath the enigma that is The 4 Heroes of Light.
So what’s wrong with the music? Well, my initial retort to that would be “what isn’t wrong” but I don’t want to use such an overused copout. Still, when getting down to the nitty-gritty, there’s only one track (or theme) you really need to take a look at to get the ball rolling and is of the utmost importance. What theme am I referring to? The main theme! Listening to this thing I can’t get over how work-a-day and phoned-in its emotional context really is. It’s quite extraordinary how far this piece falls when compared to a main theme with substance. I know not everything can be/will be as moving as “Tina’s Theme” from Final Fantasy VI or the infamous Prelude but come on; a piece with a purpose such as this HAS to be more viable than this. You want to know what’s even crazier? The fact that it actually works. Listing to this piece out of context I can easily see it as the underdeveloped entity it is but for some reason once you add the game to the mix its problems seem a lot less detrimental.
And that in a nutshell summarizes a lot of the music in The 4 Heroes of Light. Mizuta’s ability to compose is truly second rate (and is well below average for someone hailing from Square’s closet of talent) and his work is literally rescued by every other element of the game – flawed as they may be. Mizuta’s town themes, which prove one with the most satisfying sub-section of the soundtrack, are proof of this. Okay, I guess one could say tracks like “Urbeth, City of Merchants” and “Arbor, Forbidden Land” have a symbiotic relationship with their context but those relationships are HARDLY equal as context was a key component when tracks like “Cursed Town” and “Heavenly Spelvia” made their impression of me. Take away that resource and who’s to say if they would have had the same effect or would have been noticed. This is why I believe Mizuta owes a round to everyone else who worked on the game; there are other weak elements but Mizuta’s soundtrack is arguably the weakest. Remove the canvas and all you have is gobs of paint – something other soundtrack are far from being.
As instrumental as the game is in bringing Mizuta’s creations to life, the soundtrack has a few extra bells and whistles to take note of. With this bring the score to a DS game it should surprise no one that things sound a bit different with the music coming out off a CD as apposed to the DS speakers. As delightful as it may sound to hear the audio in an enhanced light, the music of 4 Heroes wages a war against echo, depth and reverb that leaves a few casualties along the way. Personally I wish the audio was a little more in line with what I heard from the handheld considering those are the renditions I came to love but the final grade really depends on which track one’s talking about. Pivotal tracks like the aforementioned “Heavenly Spelvia” are untouched form their in-game performance as is the dead-pan despair of “Cursed Town” which is unfortunately overused in the game. (The score suffers from an intense need to be larger than it is.) Things start to go a bit South when the additional depth comes across in “Urbeth, City of Merchants” but the crap REALLY hits the fan when the battle theme fanfare comes up to bat. Someone was obviously asleep at the mixing knobs on this one. The beats are so deep that I can’t call it anything but an error in mastering; the balance is so off it’s not really a case of what kind of set up your playing it on – it’s going to sound horrible regardless.
CONCLUSION:
I’m sure some readers are wondering how this soundtrack, with all the negatives listed above, ended up in my collection. Again, there is no easy answer. All I can say is I love the tracks I love and the crap isn’t enough to detract from them. Additionally, I have to reiterate how lucky a man Mizuta is that the game has enough charm to it despite it’s simplicity to cover his failures when it comes to sound. In the end my score is pretty much aligned with what I gave the game as a whole, but I’m willing to give the game a much greater head start when it comes to the benefit of the doubt. It’s that benefit that Mizuta should pray for when it comes to listeners adopting The 4 Heroes into their music library because when it comes to artistic quality this is one soundtrack that is far from resilient despite having it’s moments.
When it comes to video games, it’s safe to say that a game succeeds or fails because of its “elements.” No, I’m not talking about wind, earth, water and fire but the various areas that comprise a game. Of course there’s graphics, an area that’s been pushed to the point of near photorealism in recent years and then there’s that all-important specter known as gameplay that most often decides if a game is worth the disc it’s encoded on. However, depending on who you talk to, you’ll often hear different opinions on which element is the most important. Debate is part of what makes gaming so great and as long as there are games there’ll be no end to the discussion and argument as to which ones are worth our time and which ones aren’t.
That said there are some elements that are for most intensive purposes considered secondary. For example, while some would probably disagree, graphics are (and somewhat should) come after gameplay. I’ll admit I like my games to look good but I’m not going to stick with a game if it contains the same amount of engagement one gets from fiddling around with a toilet paper tube. There are different ways to attract gamers and the same can be said about video game music. Video game music (VGM) is an element that knows what it means to be secondary. Actually, one of my favorite things to do when someone’s talking up a storm about a game’s gameplay is to ask them how the music is. In doing this, you can usually tell if a player is fixated solely on the gameplay or is taking in things as a whole. The sad part of the equation is how many people lack an answer to that kind of question and seem to ignore a part of the experience that’s intended to draw them in even more.
As if that last paragraph wasn’t a big enough indicator, it’s safe to say all those reading now know how important video game music is to me. Really, I knew this the moment I heard the opening tones of NES games like Mega Man 2 and Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos. There’s a seemingly endless sea of VGM out there and I wanted to celebrate its rich history with a top ten list. However, I didn’t want to do something as banal as recapping popular scores people are already familiar with; I think everyone knows works like Final Fantasy VI and Xenogears are worth their soundtrack purchases. No, this list tackles ten scores that are lurking under-the-radar and deserve a second look by music fans. This does not mean they are perfect – in reality some of them are extremely flawed – but that does not mean that they can’t be appreciated by those with an open mind a little forgiveness. So without further delay here are my top ten under-the-radar video game soundtracks:
10. Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light As detrimental as it may seem for the beginning of any kind of list, I want to start things off with a soundtrack that ends up working solely because of the elements around it, a - for the lack of a better term - “charity case.” When one’s looking at a product like Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light, it’s not hard to start off with a dose of negativity. In all honesty, the Final Fantasy namesake use to bring with it a lot more respect than it does now post-merger and that has a lot to do with SquareEnix’s eagerness to slap it on anything the comes down the pike. Seriously, a mere ten minutes of Ring of Fates and its whole “you can do anything if you believe in yourself” crap and I was done. Disheartening as this has become, I’m willing to give them a break on 4 Heroes because, deep down, I think it’s a good product. In fact, few modern or current generation games have captured my heart the way it has, but this doesn’t mean the individual aspects of the game shine. No. The 4 Heroes of Light is a case where one element aids another and - with everything working in tandem – supports the structure that is the game. However, there are some elements that are “needier” than others, and the one aspect that truly fills these shoes is Naoshi Mizuta’s music. I don’t think I’ve ever run into a soundtrack that’s this befitting and this uninspired; it’s like a paradox that tears apart space and time. Sure, I love tracks like “Heavenly Spelvia” and “Cursed Town” for what they bring to the table but at the same time I got to be honest about the whole thing. Out of the massive amount of talent that is (or has been) a part of the delectable treat that is Squaresoft/SquareEnix music, Mizuta is can be found at the bottom of the list. In fact, Nobuo Uematsu has a higher level of musical capability than this on a bad bay or year. Yeah, that’s pretty harsh considering the fact I’m trying to recommend this score, but one look at his track record (Parasite Eve 2??? Granted anyone who followed Yoko Shimomura's work on the first game was bound to fail….) and it’s all the evidence you need. Heck, even some of his work here proves that. WHOEVER thought it was a good idea for the battle music to change when an ally’s hit points are low needs to be SEVERELY PUNISHED. Still, second rate as it all is in reality, the rest of the game gives Mizuta’s score enough of a canvas to seem worthwhile and perhaps that’s the greatest complement I can pay the game as a whole. As big of a copout as that may seem to shoehorn this soundtrack onto the list, all I can do is promise that the remaining nine picks contain a bit more merit than this one.
The Bottom Line: Again, I haven’t done a particularly good job of defending this score considering the fact I’m trying to recommend it, but when one is talking about the music in The 4 Heroes of Light the situation requires a heaping helping of honesty. There have been several things I’ve lied to myself about video game music (like when I supposedly liked Michiko Naruke’s work on the Wild Arms Advanced 3rd Soundtrack when I didn’t) but over the years I’ve come to learn that false facades are always knocked down regardless of how the strong the initial illusion is. So given that, the real question about Mizuta’s work is whether or not you need to play the game to appreciate it. Well, it should hardly be a surprise that the game was instrumental in my decision to purchase the soundtrack, but that’s not saying it’s inaccessible otherwise. The best advice I can give is give it a shot but to tread ever so lightly.
Fun Facts: To be honest (I really need to cut that honesty crap out) I didn’t have anything to write for this section until I got my copy of the soundtrack in the mail. One listen later and I have something to say; something most video game music fans with Nintendo DS soundtracks already know. That thing? Oftentimes the music for DS games sounds different coming off a CD than it does coming out of the DS speakers. Whatever causes this phenomena – the manner of conveyance, additional remastering or recording the material to disc prior to programming it for use in the game – is unknown, but it does have its ups and downs. Some tracks have added depth and more prominent instruments yet this slingshots back in the face of certain tracks like the victory theme which would probably sound terrible regardless of whatever kind of setup you played the soundtrack on.
9. The Legend of Dragoon Oh boy… here’s a selection where I’m going to have to tiptoe around. For most intensive purposes I’m not a fan of The Legend of Dragoon - and no, I’m not a Final Fantasy VII fanboy either. For a game that had a pretty snazzy graphics engine (none of which it could seem to spend on giving normal enemies a few more polys) it’s amazing how every element of this game takes an eventual hit right on the chin. Story? Look no further than the one villain for a tedious, overused plot device. Writing? I’ll give them some slack since RPGs from the era are rife with translation issues but it was still a new low for the time. Gameplay? Can’t say doing additions all day was my definition of “fun” back in 2000. Still, if I were to pick one flawed aspect of Legend of Dragoon to highlight, it would be the music. Why highlight a “flawed” element? It’s hard to explain how, but the music of Dennis Martin and Takeo Miratsu somehow got its hooks in me. As clear as Martin and Miratsu’s (M&M’s) inexperience with crafting music for the genre really is (translation: you won’t be knocking down any doors to buy this soundtrack) there are moments where this score works when it shouldn’t. One key area that reviewers love to tackle are the character themes. I can completely agree in berating Zieg and Lloyd’s themes for the pieces of trash they are, but Dart and Meru’s themes aren’t bad because they’re unorthodox for a role playing game. Actually, in a roundabout way, that’s why they work. Even better are Miratsu’s battle themes with their rough application of rock and techno. I must have heard these tracks a million times throughout the course of the game yet their impact on me did not become clear to me until a decade later. Even better are how these themes are presented on the soundtrack with the battle theme and its respective fanfare being combined into a single track. It’s amazing how something so simple works out so well in the end.
The Bottom Line: As bright of a picture as I try to paint, there is still a lot of undesirable material to work around on The Legend of Dragoon Original Soundtrack. Additionally, as if the above wasn’t a big enough of a clue, Martin and Miratsu are not on even ground here; Miratsu’s work easily takes precedence over most of Martin’s despite the fact he has a moment or two. If I could make any suggestion, it would be not to go into this soundtrack completely blind or with high expectations. Not exactly a ringing endorsement per say but don’t let that scare you away.
Fun Facts: The Legend of Dragoon Original Soundtrack is another product of SPE Visual Works, the publisher that shortchanged the Wild Arms 2nd Ignition Soundtrack and cut the releases for the original Wild Arms and Legend of Legaia in half. As it stands, Legend of Dragoon shares the same fate with only a portion of the full score being available on an official licensed CD. An even crazier aspect of the score is the tendency certain tracks have of sounding like they could have come from (or were inspired by) Michiru Oshima’s work on The Legend of Legaia - another Sony product.
Sad Fact: Takeo Miratsu passed away from liver cancer in 2006 at the age of 46.
8. Wild Arms 2 Many gamers, including myself, fell in love with Michiko Naruke’s work the minute they booted up the original Wild Arms back in 1997. There was something that was simply charming about Naruke’s themes and they quickly proved that a good video game score didn’t exactly have to hold a monopoly on compositional prowess to make an impact. Given that the soundtrack remains a highlight among the games released during the PlayStation era, it goes without saying that hopes were high for Wild Arms 2 three years later. What we got in the end depends on who you’re talking to. To some, the music in Wild Arms 2 is a textbook example of a composer slogging through a sophomore slump, yet to others it’s a more than engaging follow-up. My take? As much as I love the Wild Arms 2nd Ignition Original Soundtrack (despite the fact that publishers got cheap and only allowed each track to play through once before the fade) even I have to admit this is one hell of a conflicted creation – this despite the twenty-one thousand, six hundred thirty-four words I wrote defending what is essentially a potluck of ideas that succeed and fail with little rhyme or reason. That said it’s hardly surprising that the soundtrack shares the same fate as the game itself, a game that was pretty much lost within the massive influx of role-playing titles available at the time. Still, despite the duds (the normal boss theme is simply atrocious) don’t dismiss it until you give it a proper listen – the gems can prove quite resilient even when backed into a corner.
The Bottom Line: While the list of compositional infractions committed by Naruke is at least a mile long, a lot of the music in Wild Arms 2 lives and dies through it’s usage of “familiarity.” If a track uses motif that’s related to it’s context (like using a harmonica in a dungeon theme that plays in a mine containing mine cart rides) that song will either a) work like a charm because it is so befitting or, more likely, b) fall out of the sky dead because it is so unimaginative and completely disposable. Unfortunately, Naruke seems to hit as much as she misses in this respect, meaning you’re going to have to sift though a lot of material to get to the gold.
Fun Fact: Despite boasting one hundred and six tracks over two discs (*grumble – should have been three discs - grumble*) the soundtrack does not include all the music used in the game. Missing in action is the music for the File Viewer. Additionally, there is “You’re not Alone…,” a track that is used nowhere in the game or even present in the music data of either game disc.
7. Xenosaga Episode II (Movie Scene Score) This spot was going to go to Yuko’s Takehara’s work on Breath of Fire II, but upon listening to a mixed CD of video game music in my car I decided I had bigger fish to fry. Why the odd statement? When it comes to the second installment of the Xenosaga franchise I pretty much agree with the status quo; the game was a HUGE bust that failed in length, voice acting and pretty much everything else. However, my distain stops short of Yuki Kajiura’s scene soundtrack. I’ll admit her vocal numbers are a little unorthodox (especially the ones that are centered on Jr.) but it’s not like Yasunori Mitsuda set the bar real high with “Pain” and “Kokoro” (i.e. any song that uses the word “rant” seriously probably suffers from more translation issues than you can shake a stick at). But really, while I can’t get enough of a track like the excellent “chase” I have to admit I get tired of the endless praise Mitsuda’s work on the first Xenosaga receives and how it’s the main tool in tearing down Kajiura’s effort. I don’t flat-out dislike the music of Der Wille zur Macht, yet I can completely pass on the entire soundtrack save for a few instant classics like “Fighting KOS-MOS” and “Last Battle.” That’s it. You can keep your “Gnosis” and “Albedo” - I don’t want them. The fact that the back of the game’s case boasts the music is performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra doesn’t impress me either. Games these days (especially games from western developers) over rely on orchestration (and licensed music) and Mitsuda did more - much more – with the Xenogears soundtrack, which made incredible use the powerful yet limited PlayStation sound synthesizer. Not even reading about the adversity Mitsuda faced as he arranged his music for orchestration captures my heart. I’d give the score to Chrono Trigger much more respect than Xenosaga, and Chrono Trigger’s music, while nice, is a great example of when nostalgia overshadows the underlying value of the work being judged. Yet, could the previously mentioned force known as nostalgia be the cause of my Mitsuda-saga block? Given how scene intensive the first game is, it’s not hard to see how dungeon and battle themes got the shaft. These overlooked areas are usually of great importance to me when it comes to liking or disliking a J-RPG soundtrack. Scene themes generally become second tier because of their reliance on context. Could Xenosaga’s focus on these kinds of themes have hurt it in my subconscious? Possibly, but I find it odd how I could love a tragic character like Andrew Cherenkov and be less than concerned about the music in the background.
The Bottom Line: While I’ve obviously spent more time attacking Mitsuda’s work than I did selling or defending Kajiura’s, the difference in quality between these scores isn’t a great as some people would have you believe. Again, if I was going to pick a soundtrack of Mitsuda’s to champion it would be Xenogears followed by Chrono Cross which are ironically the best things those games have to offer. (Waits for the incoming hate mail….) Still, I think Jenseits von Gut und Bose’s music is the best thing the game has to offer and that’s something the game has no problem proving with its myriad of problems.
Fun Facts: You may have noticed that this take on Xenosaga II’s music focused on scene selections. That’s no mistake as that is the only portion of the soundtrack that has received an official release. The other half of the game’s music – essentials like battle and dungeon themes – remains unreleased. These tracks by the famed Shinji Hosoe have developed a cult following among video game music fans despite their fate. Hosoe himself has expressed an interest in releasing this music in album form but has admitted that the red tape and rights acquisition continue to make it very unlikely.
6. Mega Man X Command Mission I Love But Hate. This peculiar statement (which also doubles as the translation of a song title on the Wild Arms Alter code:F Original Score) perfectly describes my relationship with Capcom’s Shinya “Midnight/Love Shop” Okada – a man who believes that nicknames grow on trees. So what’s my deal with Mr. Okada? Why do I love/hat… dislike him? Well, it’s kind of a complicated story. Okada’s first composition credits were on the “3D will make everything better – yeah right – nightmare” that was Mega Man X7. While Okada was just one in a small handful of composers picked to compose for the game, the team churned out a decent (albeit different) original soundtrack for the game that contained its own identity. Where this runs afoul is Okada’s knack for techno flavored pieces. Rather than adhere his style to the series hard rock roots, Okada’s work is more content on declaring war on convention – a convention that fits the series like a glove. I’ve nothing against techno; I just want it to work with the other pieces on the soundtrack. So where does Mega Man X Command Mission and the “love” come in? As blunt as it may sound, Okada was one lucky son-of-a-gun for landing the lead composing job for this game. Why? First of all, I can think of a handful of composers in Capcom’s ranks (Naoto Tanaka/Akemi Kimura – Mega Man X5~X8; Toshihiko Horiyama - Mega Man X4; Shusaku Uchiyama – Mega Man 8) that this job could have gone to and second, Capcom gave Okada the blankest check they possibly could. A Mega Man RPG? No one had ANY idea what it was meant or destined to sound like. So with all preconceptions out the window, Okada cashed the check faster than a kid in a candy store and drenched the canvas with his style. Do I blame him? No, I’m sure anyone given that chance would do the same. But still, it’s not like the man had a hard act to follow. So what are the end results? Even though I kind of hate to admit it, Okada is capable of some fine work when he doesn’t have to bump elbows with others. The best moments can be heard in the character themes, the only thing that brings the game’s new and otherwise disposable characters to life. Impressive as that is, its buried treasure like submissive “Unknown Energy” that prove the album’s worth.
The Bottom Line: Like most of the soundtracks on this list, it’s hardly surprising that there’s something that holds back the music of Mega Man X Command Mission and keeps me from giving it an unconditional recommendation. That thing is a more than noticeable lack of depth and development. A sizable portion of Okada’s work is short, sweet and to the point leaving little to the imagination. In fact, some tracks are so short and repetitive listeners may be turned off without some context to chew on. Damaging as this may seem, it’s nothing a quick tromp though an inexpensive and otherwise decent Final Fantasy X clone can’t fix.
Fun Fact: While remixes of old themes are nothing new to Mega Man X series (see Mega Man X5 and X6) Shinya Okada is the only composer who has reworked his own work. One of Mega Man X7’s scene themes (“Revealing”) reappears with some additional perks as a dungeon theme (“Land of Oblivion”) within the first half-hour of Command Mission’s campaign.
5. Star Gladiator Rumored to have been initially developed as a Star Wars game, Star Gladiator is a game that knows what it means to be unappreciated. I can see why a game with such an odd cast of characters never really caught fire (although it did spawn a rather lackluster sequel with a bunch of lame roster additions in 1999) but for a title that’s this well crafted – and makes a wonderful companion piece to 1997’s Soul Blade, the game most consider the penultimate weapon-based fighter on the PlayStation with it’s excellent and infuriating Edge Master mode – Star Gladiator deserves more respect than it receives. The same can really be said of the game’s music composers, or at least one of them: Yuko Takehara. Again, Takehara didn’t compose all the game’s music by herself (she was accompanied by Isao Abe of Street Fighter fame) but a lot of the games Yuko ends up composing for – Mega Man 6, Breath of Fire II – are known but ultimately understated. That said, there’s an interesting story behind the audio of Star Gladiator. The original arcade score, which is available on a fully-licensed CD, is a bit underpowered due to the sound capabilities of the ZN-1 arcade board. The ZN-1 arcade board is unique because it’s very similar, from a graphical standpoint, to the hardware within the original PlayStation. As such, the game was a perfect fit for the console and when one looks at the game in action this is not hard to believe. Still, Capcom would shake things up in the sound department for this port. When it comes to their arcade hits, Capcom is usually aware if the native sound capabilities are up to snuff for the consoles or not. In the case of Star Gladiator the quality of the original audio left something to desired, so they re-recorded the soundtrack to take advantage of the PlayStation’s capabilities. The result? While Takehara and Abe’s darker numbers gain little from the upgrade, there are others that make out like bandits. No longer do the notes in June’s theme trip over one another and the classic Capcom rock-fest that is Zelkin’s theme feels a lot less hesitant and restrained – an essential quality for a piece of music that plays when battling a proud and enigmatic being aboard an aircraft carrier.
The Bottom Line: To be honest, there isn’t much holding back the enhanced audio of Star Gladiator. Sure, the ending themes don’t have much ground to stand on outside their given context but the stage themes have more than enough clout to make up for it. The score deserves to be remembered along with other great fighting game soundtracks like Soul Blade’s original arcade audio. In some ways it may pale when put up against Soul Blade’s alternate, console-exclusive arranged soundtrack Khan Super Session but then most things would fall behind something of that caliber.
Fun Fact: As impressive as Star Gladiator’s PlayStation audio is, it gets even better. If you buy a copy of the game (which goes for a measly ten to fifteen dollars on most auction sites) you automatically gain access to an out-of-game version of the soundtrack. Pop the game disc into any CD player (skipping the first track which, according to Alucard from Symphony of the Night, contains “computer data”) and you can listen to Takehara and Abe’s music at your leisure. There are plenty of other PlayStation games you can do this with as well, one of the most notable being Tomb Raider.
4. Final Doom: TNT Evolution In a certain sense I’m somewhat hesitant to write this entry. First person shooters are NOT my thing and the over-proliferation of titles that currently fit into the genre these days is simply insane. I get it – shooting at stuff must be fun – but what really gets under my skin are players that fail to investigate where these games came from. Someone didn’t wake up one morning and make Halo from scratch – something had to come before it. Enter Doom, a game that has been somewhat forgotten (and has acquired a case of cooties if the puzzled looks I see when I bring it up in conversation are any indication) despite its impact on the industry. Annoying as that may be, there is little doubt how important Robert Prince’ themes were to the Doom phenomena (and how their remastered counterparts on the SNES were the only thing saving that port from being nothing but scrap) Prince’s work isn’t really low enough on the appreciation scale to qualify for this list. However, Prince’s work is an excellent introduction to the members of Team TNT (Josh Martel, Jonathan El-Bizri, Tom Mustaine and L.A. Sieben) who composed the original score to the TNT Evolution episode of Final Doom. These tunes contain a feel and texture that initially suggests Prince’s involvement; it’s amazing how such a small handful of people (who were also responsible for level design) could carry on the series' style with such success. The only problem? Some of the details surrounding the score have been lost over the years (like the individual composition credits) but sites like DoomWiki have uncovered the titles of these classic compositions.
The Bottom Line: The only real hitch with TNT Evolution’s soundtrack is that it’s MIDI-based. Regardless of the quality contained within its compositions there are those who will overlook it or look down on it for that fact alone. Primitive as this sound spectrum is, it follows in the footsteps of Doom II in that the programming is more in tune with the ins-and-outs of the format meaning the score is more polished (no underpowered or out of place samples) than what Prince whipped up for the original. Furthermore, TNT Evolution pulls ahead by presenting some stylistic anomalies like the laid back chill heard in “Cold Subtleness” that brings a subdued pulse of life to the cold and cryptic steel works.
Fun Fact: Using the original executables for Final Doom (which I don’t suggest unless you wish to encounter game-save corrupting vis plane overflows) it’s impossible to hear “Smells Like Burning Corpse” in it’s entirety. An error prevents a part of the MIDI from playing during gameplay. Updated source ports (like ZDoom) allow the track to play as intended.
3. Mega Man Legends Brace yourself! There are going to be some fighting words in here. Okay, with the warning out of the way, I’ll just come out and say I’m a HUGE fan of the Mega Man Legends series. What? You say they aren’t “true” Mega Man games? I don’t care. Why are they any less of a Mega Man game… because they’re in 3D? Guess that means that Mega Man X7 isn’t one either (although it would be nice if THAT were true). Is it because they have light RPG elements? Then I guess Symphony of the Night isn’t a real Castlevania game. I could go on but you get the point. The other thing I want to lay out on the table that will be “somewhat controversial” is that Mega Man Legends was my Mario 64. Seriously. I’ve never played Mario 64 beyond the demo that was at the local Sears when I was a kid and I’ve come to the realization that I don’t really need to go back and play it. Now, I’m not saying that Legends is superior or even equal to Mario 64 – one’s a system seller and the other isn’t – but Legends was able to fill the gap because both games are successful in bringing the quintessential Sunday morning cartoon to life. So what does this have to do with the music? Lots. You see, the music of Mega Man Legends isn’t just underrated, it’s also suffers from a severe case of misrepresentation. The prime example of this that I’ve found is in September 1998 issue of GamePro where Major Mike states the music “mostly consists of really schmaltzy elevator tunes.” I don’t know how you can take the entire body of work Makoto Tomozawa created for the game and shove it under a sole paradigm like that. There are a multitude of different tracks (moods) at play within the music of Mega Man Legends. There’s the “schmaltzy elevator tunes” for towns, the cryptic and eerie pieces in ruins during digs, bombastic and fear-mongering themes for reaverbots and bold and triumphant numbers when battling the Bonnes. Despite what GamePro’s review implies, Tomozawa’s score is hardly one-dimensional. It is instrumental in bringing the aforementioned Sunday-morning feel of the game alive, and as anyone who has every gotten into a video game soundtrack will tell you, you can’t underestimate how important that is to the overall experience that is a video game.
The Bottom Line: As much as I could continue to gush over the music of Mega Man Legends, there are some aspects to Tomozawa’s work that bear mentioning. The first is despite how appropriate the reaverbot themes are in practice, they aren’t the most welcoming pieces of music you’ll hear when taken out of context – especially when they are put up against the fun and exhilarating tracks used for the Bonne’s German-themed battle machines. The second, which isn’t as detrimental as you may think, is the synthesizer quality – or rather synthesizer implementation. Many of the instruments used throughout the game’s score (e.g. percussion) are a lot more reserved than what may seem appropriate. However, this restrained feel or “hesitation” is something several key tracks use to their advantage when depicting the action on the screen. Simply put, Mega Man Legends’ music is a lot deeper than people are willing to admit.
Fun Facts: Oh boy… where to begin. Well, for one thing, if it wasn’t for the well-timed formation of Capcom’s record label Suleputer (the word “Suleputer” is the other half of “Capcom” or “Capsule Computer”) Mega Man Legends probably wouldn’t have received a soundtrack release of any kind. It’s a shame it only contains about half of the music employed in the game but we’ll take what we can get, right? Additionally, there are two versions of the soundtrack in existence: the original Japanese pressing (which is the more sought after version) and the pan-Asian, Freetron Far East print which may or may not be “legitimate.” Both versions contain the same music but because of the unanswered authenticity issues surrounding the Freeton pressing it generally goes for a fraction of what the Japanese original goes for. The Freetron Far East print is also known for its laughable Engrish tracklisting (and liner notes) that contain German Engrish (or is it Engrish German?) for the names of the various Bonne machines. Due to this attempted translation, some copies did manage to make it into US game stores around the time of the game’s release. The last interesting fact about the Mega Man Legends soundtrack is Tomozawa’s usage of classical music. The final battle theme is actually a take on Bach’s “Organ Fugue in G Minor” and there are a few pieces from Fryderyk Chopin sprinkled throughout.
2. Metroid II: Return of Samus I’m sure some are questioning what a generally beloved gaming series is doing on a list of under-the-radar gaming soundtracks. Well, the answer is easy but it has always perplexed me how Metroid II: Return of Samus falls behind its successors and predecessor in the hearts and minds of fans. I personally see the game as one of the best handheld titles you can buy (the only real problem I have with it is the fact that the Space Jump is a bit inconsistent) and deserves to be played by anyone with a few hours to spare. Granted, I can see how anything would pale in comparison to the majesty that is Super Metroid, but Metroid’s recent trouble with Team Ninja’a other M may be Metroid II’s gain. Still, it’s just not the gameplay of Return of Samus that stands against some stout, in-series competition, but it’s “music” as well. For those who are unaware, Metroid II doesn’t really have a soundtrack that’s as straightforward as Hirokazu “Hip” Tanaka’s work on the 1986 original or as timeless as Kenji Yamamoto and Minako Hamano’s work on Super. There are some continuous, melodic numbers that make an appearance in Metroid II but it’s the other side of the coin – the less talked about cerebral side that’s really of note. Poetic as it sounds, Ryohji Yoshitomi’s “music” uses silence as a tool – or better yet as a weapon. To some it may appear as if nothing is going on between the chirps and bleeps (my apologies to those in the video game music community who hate to have the object of their interest described so simplistically) but nothing could be further from the truth. These “songs” give cryptic life to the tunnels and passageways that run underneath the surface of SR388 and help portray its environment beyond the physical limits of the screen. However, this portion of the game’s score brings me to my hated of the term “ambient music.” When you get right down to it “ambient” has a somewhat of an ambiguous meaning as a word. What one person considers ambient another person may not. Anyway, as hopelessly off track as we are now, be sure to check out this “atmospheric” work if you have the chance; it’s not the most engaging soundtrack you’re bound to come across but it definitely accomplishes its goal.
The Bottom Line: Again, while music backed by melody is much more likely to be acknowledged than music that makes use of dead air, underestimate the music of Metroid II at your own loss. I’ll admit that ambient tunes generally aren’t my thing (I can appreciate what these track are meant to do but I usually think they work better in context than separated from their given game) there are times where they work well on their own. There are plenty of other games (Tomb Raider, Resident Evil 2 and Mega Man Legends) that have scores or tracks that work or are set up in similar ways.
Fun Fact: This isn’t so much a fact about Metroid II’s music as it is about Metroid II’s sound in general. If you’ve ever played Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 some of the sound effects (like the sound made when you hit a boss or the sound the title card makes when it crash lands on the title screen) may sound familiar. The reason? Wario Land barrows heavily from Metroid II’s sound effect bank, almost to the point that is seems like a case of plagiarism. Really, it’s amazing how these sound effects take you out of the game by reminding you of Return of Samus.
1. Battle Arena Toshinden Anyone surprised? I’m sure there are some of you out there that are like “I can’t believe someone put Battle Arena Toshinden in a Top 10 List and put it at number one!” Believe it. Why Battle Arena Toshinden? Well, because a lot of people are probably sitting on this game right now, buried in some obscure corner of their bedroom closet. As true as that may be, I happen to like BAT – the first Battle Arena Toshinden – for reasons beyond it being one of the starting points in the evolution of the three-dimensional fighter. Why? What could possibly stop (vastly) superior creations like Soulblade and Star Gladiator from completely wiping it from one’s memory? It’s characters, or rather the characterization of its characters. I’m sure some folks have a smirk on their face right about now or are having a hardy laugh as they read this but I happened to love the roster in Battle Arena Toshinden. Yeah, it’s true that they’re nothing more than a bunch of cardboard cutouts that are another exercise in cloning the archetypes that were coined by Street Fighter II, but when I think of them I just see more. Kayin and Eiji are obviously Ken and Ryu (with Sho moonlighting as the elusive Akuma) but these characters aren’t alone when it comes to forging their identities. Anyone who has played the game can most likely remember the TV monitor in the background of Kayin’s stage that displayed the ongoing battle. Clever as that was at the time, Kayin’s battleground is an excellent introduction to BAT’s most enduring element: music. Makoto Mukai and Yasuhiro Nakano created something that was undeniably “Toshinden” with this score and at the end of the day you can underestimate how important it is for the soundtrack in a given product to “sell the brand.” This is why the music in Battle Arena Toshinden scores so high – even years after the fact - and it only takes a small listen to tracks like those for Eiji and Sofia to see that the music can accomplish it’s goals in it’s sleep despite the fact Mukai and Nakano don’t break the bank composition wise.
The Bottom Line: The only sizable problem with the music of Battle Arena Toshinden is that some tracks are a bit too typical for their own good. The most frequent example of this is the ethnic flair heard throughout the theme for Mondo. No one is going to say the track is inappropriate for the character but it’s a bit too easy when all things are considered. Be that as it may, if you like the music of the original Battle Arena, be sure to check out the sound for the sequel - Yasuhiro Nakano returns to the fray and offers up what may be the only saving grace for an otherwise mundane sequel.
Fun Facts: Just like Star Gladiator, if you have a copy of Battle Arena Toshinden lying around you automatically have access to an out-of-game rendition of the soundtrack. Listening to the tracks available, you may begin to wonder where track twelve is employed in the game. The crazy answer? While playing a two player game, both characters need to fight and battle as Fo for eleven consecutive matches. On the eleventh match track twelve will replace Fo’s normal theme which can be found on track six.
So there you have it, ten under-the-radar and under appreciated soundtracks just waiting to be listened to. I’ll admit some of them are from popular franchises but the ones that are aren’t really at the forefront of the minds and hearts of gamers. That said, what didn’t make the list? Well, there were a few other choices rattling around in my head but the ones you read won out. Here are the other candidates what were up for selection:
Mega Man in Dr. Wily’s Revenge: The soundtrack in Dr.Wily’s Revenge is believed to be an arranged reworking of Manami Matsumae’s music for the NES original. This theory is not unfounded (check out and compare the themes for Fire Man) yet this is a case where the “remixed” soundtrack may be better than the original. Still, with two Mega Man games making the list it was obvious why it had to go but the GameBoy still ended up with some representation with Metroid II.
Mega Man V (GB): The only original Mega Man game on the GameBoy, Mega Man V has a wonderful score that’s as colorful and moody as its cast of robot masters. But again there was enough Mega Man on the list.
Legend of Legaia: Legend of Legaia’s music is generally second rate with some tracks being so befitting that they boarder on the mundane. However, there’s one track – “The Misty Nest” – that truly defines the game’s mist generators. As true as that may be, I couldn’t put a soundtrack on the list because of a single track.
Breath of Fire II: As mentioned in the section on Xenosaga II, Breath of Fire II was intended to make an appearance and I had enough to say about it to warrant the entry. But then I listened to the right CD and had to demote it. No worries though; Takehara still made the list with her work on Star Gladiator.
Battletoads (GB): Battletoads suffers from the same issue as Legend of Legaia, namely I’d be nominating it because of one track. It’s kind of hard to turn that into an interesting paragraph.
Brave Fencer Musashi: Truly the victim of circumstance. Nothing would have made me happier than to highlight Tsuyoshi Sekito’s first outing with Squaresoft. The album fell by the wayside in the creation of this list because it had fewer ins-and-outs than the other selections. This isn’t to say I lacked anything interesting to say about it (I probably could have whipped something up with little fuss) but this score and Sekito deserve much more credit than they receive. Hopefully I can do it some justice at some point in the near future.
Twisted Metal 4: This would have been a real interesting pick because, in general, I HATE when games opt for licensed music. However, Twisted Metal 4 manages to use it in a way that really enhances the experience on the screen. Befitting as it may be, I wanted the list to focus on original scores.
Felix the Cat (NES): Yet another instance where a few key tracks almost makes me forget how bad the remainder of the score is.
Toy Story (SNES & Genesis): The problem with picking Toy Story is the fact that the entire entry would have focused on the endless comparison between the sound from the SNES and Genesis versions of the game. Yes, the sound difference makes it that big of a tossup.
Doom (SNES): Again, the music for Doom has its followers. The SNES port sports an EXCELLENT rendition of Prince’s tunes but didn’t really fit the theme of the list.
Street Fighter Alpha 2 (SNES): See SNES Doom above. This take on the Alpha 2’s soundtrack does a lot to mend the infractions of the arcade original.
Anyways, personal ratings aside, the most important thing about video game music is to have fun with it: whether it’s in context or out. Do yourself a favor and listen to some VGM today!
