A Review: The Music of Secret of Mana 2 by Frank Buckley (skiskier@aol.com) OVERVIEW: Unlike the Final Fantasy series, you have to pick and choose your favorite Secret of Mana tracks. There are gems, and there are bombs. Be aware of that. All music arranged and composed by Hiroki Kikuta (a first for SM Records: they acknowledge this on the little white thing on the left side of the shrink-wrapped package, whereas on my FF5j CDs Nobuo Ue- matsu is never mentioned) ----------------------- - Part 1: The Reviews - ----------------------- Here, I will examine each track of the SoM2 CDs in my own original style. Each entry will contain the name of the track, the approximate track length in M:SS format, the suspected use for each track (I have not played SoM2, so I can't generally associate the music to an event in the game - if anybody could help me out on this, it would be greatly appreciated), my general commentary for each theme, and a numerical rating; 0 means the piece is atrocious, and should be avoided at all costs, while a 10 means that the composition is splendid, and rightful- ly deserves a place on a Square music compilation. Generally, a 9 or higher is not to be missed. Two things before I begin: 1) This review is better read while listening to the music itself. Yes, I know that's stupid. But I haven't familiarized myself with the instruments it uses and how they are arranged, so my descriptive powers on music are shallow, at best. :) If at all possible, try to listen to a particular song before/while read- ing the review. 2) Get a stereo system with a good 5-band graphic equalizer. (This is a device with five sliders, usually built into the stereo itself, that allow the levels of treble and bass to be control- led.) Square of Japan themselves have recommended that a good bass sys- tem be used on this game (I saw this advisory on one of their web pages but I don't remember the URL), and this advice should be taken. A mono system _will not_ do the music justice, nor will a stereo system with- out a 5-band graphic equalizer. For example, mine is set up like this: +10 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 0 = -X- = = = = -X- = = | = = = = | = = | = = = = | = = | = -X- = = = | = = | = | = = -X- = | = -10 = | = | = -X- = | = | = 100Hz 300Hz 1kHz 4kHz 10kHz (Ah, the joys of lame ASCII art.) This setup gives me the ablilty to get a reasonably good amount of bass while listening to the music at high volume through my headphones. Of course, your tastes may vary. It is just a matter of fiddling with the equalizer. Additionally, the nitpickers in the crowd will have noticed that I changed a few of the song titles (for cosmetic reasons). To compensate, I will include the original title in these situations in parentheses. Also, when referring to a song within the review, I will always use the original name. Onto the reviews... ----- Disc 1 ------ 1 - "Not Yet Awakened" (Not Awaken) - 0:08 - non-repeating Use - when you turn on the SNES/SF and "Square" appears onscreen (Note: I'm using SoM1 as a frame of reference.) As this one is a sort of a filler piece, I really can't rate it. However, it does suggest good things are on the way. Rating - n/a 2 - "Where Angels Fear to Tread" - 2:44 - non-repeating Use - title screen story/credits One of the basic unwritten rules of videogame design is that a person must not become ticked off with the music at the very beginning; this applies more to 16-bit than to 8-bit machines. (A prime offender of this rule is The 7th Saga.) This theme gets SoM2 off to an excellent start, opening with a piano/flute-type section that works well with the background support bass. Then, when the song begins to get rolling in its final fourth, the sttentive listener will recognize the SoM1 title theme worked into the rhythm. It comes off very well for an opener. Of course, once you establish a musical standard, the general expectation is that you have to hold it... Rating - 9 3 - "Ordinary People" - 2:27 Use - a friendly village/town This theme has a rather bouncy tone, something typical of quite a few tracks from SoM1. In fact, this track may be a little too cute for its own good. As moods go, this piece has a rather light one. (Admitt- edly, I was expecting more of the same style of music used in SoM1 the very first time I listened to these tracks -- a preconception broken apart with this song.) Yes, this track would never appear on a movie soundtrack; then again, most videogame music woudn't, either. Taken by itself, it's a good diversion. Rating - 7 4 - "Whiz Kid" - 4:15 Use - when a hero (PC) is introduced This track definitely has an adventurous tone to it. It is not quite as deep as some of the other pieces (the most instruments I coun- ted in use at once was 4 or 5 for a brief snippet). I consider it to be a 'hero introduction' theme because it doesn't sound like an enemy would use it -- of course, in most Square games, it's easy to tell if a particular piece belongs to a good or bad guy, if for that purpose. This is listenable, but doesn't have the mass appeal of, say, "Nuclear Fusion". Rating - 6.7 5 - "Walls and Steels" - 3:01 Use - a friendly castle This song is might tempered with caution, as most of the piece has heavy bass, but there is a little sequence at the end (when I say 'the end', I mean 'right before it repeats' if the track is not explicitly marked as non-repeating) with a xylophonic melody being played over light bass (or is that a pseudo-violin?). I label this a castle theme as there is an undercurrent of national pride in the way the song sounds. It's all in the music... Rating - 7.1 6 - "The Axe, Stormbringer" (Axe Bring Storm) - 3:29 Use - enemy forces approaching; gearing up for war In this piece, there is a slightly oppressive overtone, but the use of the piano indicates that the enemy is only on its way, and has not yet become a major problem. The tolling bell does denote the impen- dingness of the situation, but there is an upbeat aspect to the song that seems to indicate that the target of the attack is confident that they will stand their ground. Not too shabby, this one. Rating - 7.3 7 - "Little Sweet Cafe" - 3:09 Use - not totally sure; could be a jovial place, or out in the field with light, nonthreatening monsters The tone of the song isn't threatening (as the name implies), em- ploying a 'bouncy' instrument or two. This song is definitely a calmer, as it does not have any aspects of oppression, tension, etc. Sort of a diversion; it's not bad by any means, but it just doesn't have the aspects needed to qualify in the upper echelon of the SoM2 themes. Rating - 6.7 8 - "Magicians" (Witchmakers) - 2:38 Use - inside a magical place (? I'm lost on this one.) This's one of a handful of SoM2 songs that has a distinct Oriental feel. However, like the other Oriental-themed songs in SoM2, it doesn't work all that well. Like "Little Sweet Cafe", there is no sense of ur- gency or hostility; however, LSC sort of worked for me; this one didn't much work. I don't know. I just have a hard time liking this one. Rating - 5.6 9 - "Another Winter" - 3:37 Use - some nonserious outdoor activity, like land-based travel Another unwritten rule of videogame music: "Every song has a pur- pose." However, when trying to determine that purpose when 1) you've never played the game and 2) you're using conjecture and track names which are sometimes off-center (more on that later), it's hard. This simply is not music a person would instantly associate with winter, which the title suggests. Of course, it is better than the music in Evermore (yeah, cheap shot; I was referring to the ambient-noise-as- music tactic, which did not sit well with me). But when you put it up against SoM2's heavy hitters, guess who'll win... Rating - 6 10 - "Ancient Dolphin" - 3:55 Use - the turtle Bukasukaboo Another calm piece, this one makes use of some instruments in a good fashion. This is one of those songe that can lull you to sleep if you 1) let it; 2) aren't keeping your insomnia stirred. :) It's that fitting. Like many of the tracks on the first disc, this track is not a track that's played during a battle, but in a story situation or when riding Bukasukaboo (I suspect) when it has the most effect. All of the instruments used sound very much like they would be used for a sea mel- ody, which is precisely what this aims to be. Very good. Rating - 7.9 11 - "The Disciples of Mana" (Hope Isolation Pray) - 3:22 Use - a Mana Palace The section of this piece with the piano and the light guitar sound (the non-piano sound is definitely acoustic) is the highlight of the track. The beginning of the theme just comes on _too_ strong -- it's the loudest one of the bunch -- plus the flute-sounding instrument trying to couple with the piano is average, at best. An ambitious failure. Rating - 5.7 12 - "Raven" - 3:42 Use - a village celebration, or a hearty battle in the field The drums get you right back up on your feet for this one. The tone suggests some sort of moderate activity -- hence, my choices for suspected uses listed above -- and it is mostly upbeat in its tone. Un- like the previous couple of compositions, you cannot sit back and rest to this one. You feel like you have to act. And that action will most likely be a battle. Good pacing, but not very stirring from an emotion- based standpoint. Rating - 7.4 13 - "That Damn Drum" (Damn Damn Drum) - 2:50 Use - I'm not sure! :) As the title suggests, the main feature of the tune is the drum. It is always there, in a steady, moving-along rhythm... oddly, though, at one point in the song the drum doesn't play! Who made this decision to cut the drum near the end? Not good. As it stands, it's fluff, but it's entertaining fluff. Rating - 6.5 14 - "Innocent Sea" - 2:45 Use - interlude on the coast, or traveling by the seas at sunset For some reason, I can't help but write 'Mexican feel' all over this one. (That's not a bad thing.) I can't say why. However, to get an idea of what effect this song can have, imagine yourself on a beach, lying reclined on a beach chair, taking in the sunlight as the sun be- gins its descent beyond the horizon. Make sure all of the ambient noise is there, including waves and birds and a light wind. Then play this song. Wonderful emotional effect. Well done. Rating - 8.6 15 - "Turn" (Swivel) - 1:53 Use - not sure I finally figured out where the missing drum section from "Damn Damn Drum" ended up - here! ;) Hack the two songs together and you can get something good going. On its own, though, this song is weak. At one point in the piece, one instrument is playing alone. It happens to be the most irritating aspect of the piece. Yes, the tone is upbeat, but for whatever reason I can't stand that one instrument taken alone. And it does hurt. Rating - 4.6 16 - "Oh, I'm a Flamelet" ((remove the comma)) - 3:13 Use - some cute/happy situation Every so often, I will take time to moan about what I'm missing, since I've never played the game to match the music with. Like right now. (rant mode on) I'm sure that, with the right plot development to back it up, this piece could make sense. Same deal if you substitute 'plot' for 'char- acter' and the reasons are justifiable. But _noooo_, I have to listen to the music without a visual picture of what is occurring! So I have to take it as is. Like this one... "I've already had enough cutesy pie- ces for one disc, thank you." Now, let's lay off! (rant mode off) Rating - 5 17 - "Lights in the Night Sky" (Evening Star) - 3:40 Use - story advancement, probably romantic This track strikes me in a funny way. For some reason, I can stand its use of 'loudest instrument syndrome'. (On the other hand, I had to use a pair of headphones that slightly buzzed in the left ear and could blank out in the right ear at any time while writing this review.) I can stand the fact that it's a somewhat shallow piece. Why? Because it is a perfect romantic situational musical composition. I always feel a tingle down my spine at least once each time I hear it. I have the per- fect mental picture for this: two lovers, lying in the grass on a star- lit night, talking to each other in whisper and the male pointing out the various constellations to his girlfriend. Nice. Rating - 7.7 18 - "Don't Hunt the Fairy" - 2:40 Use - some scene involvine Charlotte, I suppose Note above that my 'use' line actually names one of the lead char- acters for once. This is because this music really appeals to the nature of a sprite. (Given the cost for a sprite to enter the SoM world when not the result of two sprites mating -- a male human and a female elf mate, and at birth both parents lose their lives -- I'm surprised that there isn't a painful element in this piece.) Sprites are prone to fits of extreme goofiness, as exhibited by the sprite Popoi in SoM1, and this song captures that goofiness well. It's also cute, but this time I don't mind. Rating - 7.6 19 - "Legend" (Fable) - 3:43 Use - when recalling ancient lore of the SoM mythos I'm not sure about this one. With SoM1, the 'story' songs were often slower and more drwan out, but they got the attention of the lis- tener. This doesn't. It goes a little too fast for itself and doesn't have a dramatic aspect. It is listenable, though. Rating - 6.3 ----- So, for 18 tracks on Disc 1 ("Not Awaken" doesn't count), we have an average rating of around 7. Of course, the average is mostly mean- ingless, but there really is a lot of just decent stuff on this disc. My favorite tracks are "Where Angels Fear to Tread", "Innocent Sea", and "Evening Star". My not-so-favorites were "Witchmakers", "Hope Iso- lation Pray", and "Oh I'm A Flamelet". These last three are nowhere near as _bad_ as some of the later tracks, though. Onto the next disc.... ----- Disc 2 ------ 1 - "The Lefthanded Wolf" ((remove "The")) - 2:57 Use - encounter with one of the major antagonists This sone does have some deep-sounding parts, to its credit. And it bucks the trend of cutesiness of the first disc. However, after the first few bars, an Oriental-sounding piece is mixed into the track. _This does not work!_ Sometimes, a composer has to draw the line on how far they can go with their creative juices; it is evident that Kikuta- san went over the line here. For that reason, I give it a Rating - 4 2 - "Requiem" (Person's Die) - 3:17 Use - I don't know. I'm too outraged at this one :) Ouch, ouch, ouch. This is one of the few themes in SoM2 that real- ly got my ire. I think I counted no more than 3 instruments in the song with only two of them playing half of the time. Additionally, the used instruments just *suck*. Arrgh x3. This turkey is going to get a low rating, and it deserves it; still, there are even worse piecea, which I haven't yet got to. Rating - 1.5 3 - "Harvest November" - 4:20 Use - a farming village This song has a definite 'light' feeling to it, and that's a good thing, because after the last two (awful) selections we needed a #3 to break out of the funk. The portion where the pseudo-guitar is taken out for a strumming is one of the things that remings you of something good and pleasant. The rest of the song is standard fare, but a situation association works wonders here. Again, enjoy the acoustic strumming. Rating - 7.2 4 - "Few Paths Forbidden" - 3:14 Use - probably out in the battlefield On this, my fifth or so listening of this piece, one of the inst- ruments really sticks out for me. It's easy to recognize. As one may recall, said instrument was used in a few tracks of SoM1. This is sig- nificant to me because it sort of bridges the gap between the two sim- ilar, but different, worlds. The rest of the song? Bass reinforced by some sort of wind instrument and a steady beat. This one works from a nostalgic standpoint. Rating - 6.5 5 - "Female Turbulence" - 4:11 Use - any significant development involving Angela/Riesz/Char- lotte This track wins the award for 'Best Title' :) The music ain't half bad, either. It combines seriousness, lightheartedness, and bass so well that it's worth several listens. The way the high-pitched fore- ground instrument (yes, I know... vague) is fiddled with is quite a treat. I could rave about this one forever... just listen to it yourself and you'll see what I mean ;) Rating - 9.5 6 - "Intolerance" - 3:34 Use - a scene concerning imminent war; strife in a kingdom (Note: Don't have your bass system up too loud on this one - one slack-off during a heavy drum hit and you're dogmeat =) This song is dark. Nice and dark, primarily due to the military overtones. It's also bleak - the non-drum portions of the track don't seem to indicate victory looming on the horizon soon. As for the drums, they fit very well -- 'boom burum-b-b-b-boom boom' -- very military, very competent. Good stuff. Rating - 7.9 7 - "Separate Paths" (Different Road) - 3:11 Use - no clue My younger brother hated this one. Badly. I can't say the same words he did, though I have his sentiments. :) The point of this one is lost on me; the instruments are as coherent as a 15-car pileup on an LA freeway, the drums are a little heavy, 1/3 of the percussion instruments suck... yada yada yada. And don't try to be cute on the piano, either. (g) Rating - 4.9 8 - "Powell" - 4:17 Use - a guy named Powell (Note: the above is the first hit on this song. >:) Oh my GOD! They allotted 4 minutes and 17 seconds for THIS?! Taking a line from MST3K, this track will induce "Deeeeeeep Hurt- ing! DEEEEEEP HURTING!" Where shall I start? Oh, yes. First, the whole thing sounds like an 8-bit song, no thanks to the choice of the slower instrument. Secondly, there's little variation in the composition; near the end, the same note at the same annoying pitch is tapped out _48_ times over 16 seconds, or something like that. Next, it's cheesy, and I can't even (idem? My notes are fuzzy here. Probably because I was hyp- erventilating at the time. :) No. No. No. You'll never catch me dead with the CD set to this one... Rating - 0 (This has to be the worst SoM2 song, hands down.) 9 - "Political Pressure" - 4:33 Use - prologue; story setup; maybe even ruins The opening music to SoM1 (after you've chosen a new name for Ran- di) rings in my head when I play this track. Both have bleak overtones. Both have despairing-type instruments. Both clash strongly with the rest of the game's music, it ins own little way. I like, I like. Hell, you could replace one with the other -- shot of Pureland, shot of Mana Fort- ress platform, shot from camera moving around world map, etc. Nicely done cross-continuity. Rating - 8.1 10 - "Nuclear Fusion" - 3:19 Use - boss battles (I am absolutely sure of this one.) This is one of the "marquee tracks" of SoM2 - a track which is worth the price of admission by itself. Fast-paces, well-orcheestrated, and a track which has shades of SoM1's "Prayer of the Arctic Circle" ("Meridian Dance" on the U.S. disc), it is in the top ranks of the SoM2 music. Just to be sure to balance the treble and the bass right for full effect -- something I could do if I had a #^@&!(& copy of SoM2... Rating - 9.4 11 - "Victory" (Positive) - 0:55 - non-repeating Use - immediately after battles? It's a perker-upper -- but too short to rate, IMO. Rating - n/a 12 - "Child of the Arctic Circle" (Meridian Child) - 3:14 - non-repeating in a way Use - an encounted with one of the Eight Elementals of Mana When a friend of mine was listening to this track, one of his first reactions to it was, "You know, there's a Final Fantasy undercurrent to this song!" or something to that effect. I'd never thought of that before. And the more I listen to this, the more he's right. The piece begins with a beauty of a snippet that'll tingle even the most jaded Square fan's spine. Then the song breaks into a stride, and before you know it it's pure bliss. That's all I can say; listen to it for yourself. :) :) Rating - 9.7 (If it didn't have to end the way it did, this would be a perfect 10. But I'll take it as it is.) 13 - "Closed Garden" 0:52 Use - no idea Can you say "dorky"? I knew you could. :) This one is just a little too overripe for my tastes. Enough said. Rating - 4.8 14 - "Splash Hop" - 2:29 Use - a comical occurrence, perhaps? Ooh, Jamaican! :) Seriously, this song is influenced by the rhythm of the Jamaicas. Just listen to the first few bars. The song is pretty competent by itself, but gets a few points for the coolness factor. Rating - 7.2 (6.5 if not for the Rhythm of the Tropiclands) 15 - "Innocent Water" - 3:33 Use - a sad occurrence This is one of those definite emotional pieces -- the soft version of "Innocent Sea". There are two instruments used -- high piano and low piano -- and they are used very effectively. This is the sort of poig- nant piece that can get a person going if they have the correct frame of mind to accompany it. (One reason why _not_ having the lights on when listening to music helps, IMO.) It holds its own well with the complex stuff. Rating - 8.4 16 - "Delicate Affection" - 2:14 - non-repeating Use - some dramatic plot development, I suppose Excellent, excellent, excellent. It begins as a piece with feeling, then it adds heart, and hear the end the tragic element is thrown in, and it ends on a very open-ended note - literally. Stellar stuff. One of my personal favorites. Rating - 9.6 17 - "Three of Darkside" - 3:14 Use - very evil presence; perhaps the 'boss''s henchmen, akin to Sheex, Fahna, and Geshtar in SoM1 Dark overtones and a menacing drum make this yet another one of the good songs on the disc. The part where they actually use non-drum inst- ruments :) serves to provide an undercurrent of the motives of the rep- resented character(s). Rating - 8.3 18 - "Last Audience" - 3:03 Use - enemy temple/castle? (More likely temple.) Obvious Oriental overtones/sounds in this one. No, this one isn't as bad as "Witchmakers"; at best it's mediocre. But if the producers needed an Oriental theme, couldn't they do one with _only_ Oriental instruments? It would certainly give us a taste of Japan; when you mix too many instruments, the end result is invariably confused. Rating - 6.6 19 - "Obsession" - 3:42 Use - "Hurry up!" Oh boy, into the dregs... The big thing about this theme is what I call the pseudo-electric guitar. Why oh why was thia instrument used instead of a sound that act- ually _sounded_ close to a real electrical guitar?? This one would be much better with it. (From here on in, I will refer to this trend as PEG syndrome.) The frame of the composition is good, though. I just can't help but think how much a better-sounding electric guitar would have benefitted this one... Rating - 4 (w/o PEG syndrome: 7. Yes, the PEG DOES hurt a lot in all of the songs it affects.) 20 - "Strange Medicine" - 2:45 Use - encounter? This string strikes me clearly as 'fair'. (On my rating scale, a 6 -- fair -- is defined as "Competent on its own but pales in comparison" (paraphrased). And thie is such a sone. That's the way it strikes me as, but I'm not sure I can pinpoint a cause. It's just 'fair'. Period. Rating - 6 21 - "Frenzy" - 3:08 Use - not sure The first few bars are competent, but then the dreaded PEG syndrome strikes. Enough said - just look at the rating. Rating - 5.5 (w/o PEG syndrome: 6.5) ----- So for Disc 2, we have an average rating of 6.45 for 20 tracks. As was the case with the first disc, the average is meaningless, because this time we had quite a bit of scatter in the individual ratings. On this disc, my favorites include "Female Turbulence", "Nuclear Fusion", "Meridian Child", "Innocent Water", and "Delicate Affection". I really detested "Person's Die", "Obsession", and "Powell", the latter of which deserves to be expunged from the universe for the universes's sake, like the pointless "??" from Final Fantasy 3/6j. To the finale... ----- (Here is where the review got cut off by the AOL newsreader. I originally intended to post it in one part, but had to go for two. C'est la vie.) Hi again! Here's the second part... Frank ----- Disc 3 ------ 1 - "Can You Fly, Sister?" ((remove the comma)) - 3:42 Use - flight on Flammie Nice. Upbeat, good rhythm, and maintains an air of seriousness (however slight). Appropriate theme for Flammie. "Trust me, I can fly this thing!" ;) (Any of you who have played "Lunar: The Silver Star" can easily attribute this quote to a certain airship-crashing girl... :) Rating - 9 2 - "Decision Bell" - 3:24 Use - somewhere close to the end... I think It's good. Otherwise I am at a loss for words. Oh, yes. Makes a good atmosphere. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ I'm sure some of you'll scratch your heads over that. Well, count me as one of them. :) Rating - 7.3 3 - "Secret of Evermore" (Secret of Mana) - 3:33 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ You can tell I already have a problem w/ this one. Use - no idea; too T'd off by the music :) Easily PEG syndrome. The first few bars are almost unbearable due to this problem. After the PEG stops, things seem to get better for a few seconds, then Kikuta decided to throw in a little Oriental bars (in a fast-moving track?!) Then pow! PEG syndrome again. No, thank you. Rating - 3.8 4 - "Faith Total Machine" - 2:55 Use - enemy technology The first few seconds are weak. Then we are stricken with PEG syn- drome again. (What, four songs now? This trend had better not continue or else...) But if you can wait through the appaling sounds, you get a good drum/bass portion at the end which almost makes up for the "oh- please-use-a-better-sounding-electric-guitar" problem. Rating - 5 5 - "Weird Counterpoint" - 3:47 Use - near the end of the game somewhere? The background bass makes this song. It really reminds me of the Bright Crucible music from Hexen (a well-done stretching of the DOOM engine by Raven Software (plug :) ) when the bass is present. Especial- ly when the bass is alone, with just a little drum... oooooh. This one holds up well. Rating - 7.1 6 - "Rolling Cradle" - 3:46 Use - desperation situation; major boss battle This piece captures the essence of a desperate maneuver. When lis- tening to this track, you just know that the action related to this one is fast-moving, if not at warp 9. :) (obligatory Trek reference used) Definitely worth a listen. Rating - 8.4 (Yeah, I know; the document seems to be collapsing into self- parody. Don't worry, I'm aware of the problem. Copying from written notes is not easy at all... Also, you've probably noticed that the reviews are becoming shor- ter. This is because my writing hand was wearing away :) 7 - "Black Soup" 3:37 Use - ? Starts out good, then whoops! PEG syndrome. (Count is now 5 tracks with the problem.) So much potential in this piece, hurt by two really badly-chosen instruments: PEG, and an obvious one. Rating - 6.1 for the effort (Easily 8+ if not for the two bad instruments) 8 - "Hightension Wire" - 3:21 Use - some location where the action is Upbeat. Really sounds like a track that could've been culled dir- ectly from SoM1 -- it doesn't sound much like the mostly orchestral tracks in SoM2. (More on this later.) But it works. Rating - 8 9 - "And Other" - 0:32 Use - unknown Can't really rate this one; if you rated a song based on the first _two_ seconds, though, this one's easily a 2. However, I will not give it that because: 1) Length is too short, and 2) There's better things beyond those two seconds. Rating - n/a 10 - "Electric Talk" - 4:03 Use - near-endgame story advancement Drums, piano, and a high-pitched instrument at first, then some intermediate bass. Repeat after initial once-through. Then follow up with a fast-moving, entertaining piece that makes up the last third of the track (and they should've used this sequence as the song's core instead of the first/second thirds), and you have a surprisingly good tune. Rating - 8.2 11 - "Religion Thunder" - 3:11 Use - near-endgame flashback? Take some serious overtones, combine with a marching-type drumbeat, add in strings and occasional bass (OK, I'll cut the recipemaking AND the silliness off right here), and you get a stirring effort (OK, one last bad pun :). Rating - 8.2 12 - "Angel's Fear" - 4:17 Use - important development, not during fight Remember the title theme for SoM1? (called "Fear of the Heavens" on the U.S. SoM soundtrack) Here it is again. Three instruments are used -- a double piano + soft guitar at once, then a SoM1-style wind instrument for the back third, and you get an instant reminder of why you're playing SoM1/2 in the first place. (Of course, the theme was slightly modified to repeat, but I'll take it any time.) If you haven't yet been moved by any of the SoM2 music - not even "Meridian Child" - this one will do that. And since we're about to descend into the finale trio (if you're listening to the tracks right from the CD), this works even better if you listen to this one first. Rating - 9.4 13 - "Sacrifice, Part One" ((remove comma)) - 3:37 Use - one of three final boss tracks; this one sounds like it belongs to a mechanical creature With a start, this theme begins dark with tiny bells of caution. And then you get into the heavy bass and breaking glass sounds that associate this one with a robotic nemesis. It's very sinister, very brooding, and very serious -- not to mention very good. There's also a hint of desperation. Of course, to really feel the effect of this music, one needs to set it to a sinister enemy such as (seriously) the Borg... Rating - 9.3 14 - "Sacrifice, Part Two" ((remove comma)) - 4:11 Use - second of three final boss themes; this one is suited for an undead villain This one sounds a lot like a remixed version of the infamous Dark Lich battle theme from SoM1. Only this time, there are no deep gongs or unearthly-sounding barrages of voices that made the orignal sound eerie. By comparison, this version doesn't hold a candle to the original, as it lacks the frenetic energy of the parent. Taken on its own, though, it can provide quite a ride. Rating - 8.5 15 - "Sacrifice, Part Three" ((remove comma)) - 8:06 Use - last of three final boss tracks; this one's _made_ for a grand nasty, like a dragon, power-crazed fiend, or an over- whelmingly huge demonic force (Why? Because this music is the perfect inspiration to beat said archenemies.) And at the climax of the frenzy, we have this, the final showdown in SoM2. This track is so well done that you can set it up to any of the previous Square end bosses (except maybe Zeromus, whose music fit him beautifully), and it would still come off like a charm. This is a dra- matic, emotional, and even-paced work which can stoke the fires of heroism in most who hear it -- of course, allowing room for those who will inevitably disagree. Even more so than "Angel's Fear", this one reminds you that you're fighting for everyone backing you, locked in a struggle for the ultimate prize. Get ready for the ride of your life; this one's a keeper. Rating - 10 (Note: A 10 is in comparison to the 59 other tracks in SoM2, not compared to all other Square games; in which case, this would get a 9. Even so, it's outstanding in its own right.) 16 - "Reincarnation" - 3:10 Use - wrap-up of potential loose ends? Anything coming off of "Sacrifice Part Three" will probably pale in comparison, IMO. But I'll try to remain objective. ;) This track has a mystical wuality to it, probably because the piano and and bass are all SoM2, while the foreground instrument instrument is SoM1 all the way. Another instance of 'the best of both worlds'. Rating - 8.6 17 - "Farewell Song" - 2:41 Use - wrapping up of side stories Remember the Sprite Popoi's farewall at the very end of SoM1? (I couldn't shut off the screen with Popoi up in the trees for days; it was that powerful.) And the music that went with it? (Nor could I bring my- self to turn down the volume.) If you haven't guessed, it had a profound emotional effect on me, and this winner does the exact same thing. It has the same basic theme of the Sprite's farewell, and can be whistled to as well (even us non-highpitched whistlers can do it, too - a big plus!), which makes the effect even better. Rating - 9.5 18 - "Breezin" - 5:12 Use - final wrap-up of main stories and sendoff With another rendition of the basic SoM theme contained within the tones of this winner, you know you've got something good going. Even without it, you just know that all parties are about to break off and invariably lead you to one of them, depending on your sympathies. Of course, the theme stands up well on its own even without this factor; that sense of an impending 'farewell' merely enhances its quality. Rating - 9 19 - "Return to Forever" - 8:40 - non-repeating Use - final sendoff; neat visuals :); closing credits Like many other Square games, the musical end of the line is on a (mostly) happy note. For example, who wasn't happy to see the wedding of Cecil and Rosa, with nearly all of their friends? Who wasn't giddy when the snow began to fall after the destruction of the Mana Fortress? Who wasn't fearful for Tina/Terra's life near the dramatic conclusion of the escape from Kefka's tower? (I was as scared as hell; I really thought she was going to die. And seeing Setzer's response just sent me _soar- ing_.) Almost nobody (except, of course, the jaded Square fans :). Same thing here - the last song gets your emotions raised to the highest they can go. In fact, as a tip of the hat to SoM1, halfway through the song the theme from Sage Joch's mountain (I can't remember the US name, darn it!) is worked into the song so naturally you almost don't notice that's what it is. And then, as the song begins to drift to wherever, a new rendition of "Farewell Song" comes on, and just like that, your emotions have been thrown all over the place... just as they should be. That, my friends, is the perfect way to go out. Brilliant. Rating - 9.9 (second only to "Sacrifice Part Three" for excellence) 20 - "Long Goodbye" - forgot to record time - not really repeating Use - sleep; party has perished It starts out similar to the sleep/dead theme of SoM1, but it gets a mystical quality all its own near the end, akin to the SoM1 Pureland theme. Very touching and a great way to end the disc. Rating - 8.9 ----- So, for 19 trakcs, we have an average rating of 8.1 Like the other two averages, it doesn't mean much - but it's closer to meaning some- thing than the other two, as most of the tracks on this disc are of high quality. My favorites: "Can You Fly Sister?", "Rolling Cradle", "Angel's Fear", "Sacrifice Part Three" (personal best), "Farewell Song", and "Return to Forever". In contrast, there was only one song I couldn't stand: the injustly-named "Secret of Mana". ------------------------------ - Part 2: General Commentary - ------------------------------ Overall, this is a disc well worth your dollar/yen/whatever. :) It, like many Square efforts, embodies some of the best aspects of the SoM series, just as long as you know when to dodge the occasional bomb churned out by Kikuta-san ;) A worthy addition to any collection, and in some cases fine competition for Nobuo Uematsu. One of the things that I noticed while listening to the music was that the amount of light in the room directly affected the feel which I got out of the tracks. I had to write the reviews in an atmosphere in which I could see what I was writing; most of the time, though, the lights are off, the monitor is off, I have a coat draped over my shoul- ders, and the music adjusted to taste. Many of the SoM2 tracks felt different in light than in darkness; in almost all cases, the effects were enhanced in the dark. That's probably because then you can't see anything, so you don't know what to expect... at least that's the way I feel about it. Your mileage my vary, of course. On the track list, which is the same whether or not you're looking at Tat's/Vestal's/etc.'s web page or the list provided with the CD, one invariably tends to notice that some of the names are downright odd. While this can lead to some cool-sounding titles, like "Female Turbulen- ce", it can also result in some really oddly-named stuff, especially if the translated grammar is lousy. "Person's Die"? "Three of Darkside"? (OK, this one wasn't too bad.) "And Other"?? That's the real reason why I made modifications to some of the names; they just sound better. If you disagree with that (or with anything in this document, for that matter), feel free to post. One of the notable things about the music of SoM1 was that it was a departure from the symphony-wielding Uematsu. Kikuta did a fine job of using some unusual instruments in creative ways to make some soundtracks which rang true to the game. SoM1 is what I consider the 'melodic' style of music - more lighthearted than anything, easier listening than most Final Fantasy games. On the other hand, Kikuta drops melodic and favors an Uematsu-like symphonic soundtrack for SoM2, especially in cases such as "Meridian Child". I tend to favor symphonic more than melodic, as symphonic allows for a greater range of dramatic music; however, when a game is full of well-done melodic music, who am I to complain? :) Once again, it's your call. Well, that's the end of it, for now. Drop me a line at my e-mail address if you have any comments, questions, etc. about this review. All flames will be run through a government file erasure program. (g) Frank Seiken Densetsu 3 is (c) 1995 Square Co. Ltd. This review is (c) August 1996 by Frank Buckley, Kent, WA. Reprint only with permission. All other trademarks are (c) their respective holders. OK, here's that quote of mine: "Fools don't quote themselves." -- Me (I said it was lame. ;)