Review by Xenofan 29A

Much more coherent than II's Movie Scene Score, III's "Original Sound Best Tracks" is a good soundtrack with some incredible emotional tracks, and some fantastic examples of Kajiura's prowess at mixing. However, some of the orchestral tracks end up as bland, and very similar to her other work. The best tracks here are Testament and Hepatica #1. Despite criticisms, however, I heartily recommend this to every fan of Xenosaga and Kajiura.

Motoi Sakuraba's works sound alike. Unfortunately, this goes beyond simple style, so far as that you can pick out passages in this game's soundtrack and compare them to nearly identical parts of Star Ocean 3's score. That said, however, this is one of Sakuraba's stronger soundtracks as of late, and it is clearly worth 4 stars. Although it sounds similar to "The True Mirror", "The Valedictory Elegy" is an excellent Sakuraba-style battle theme, and "Le ali del principio" is a beautiful vocal opening. Of course there are the standard brass-filled 'epic' tracks that Sakuraba is infatuated with, but the standard of composition here is admirable, and they are mostly enjoyable. When taken as a whole, it's no masterpiece, but it is an enjoyable album from a composer who hasn't really been a favorite of mine.

This album, consisting mostly of original compositions, is a nice album, but ultimately nothing very special. Everything here, save for the last track, is a solo piano backed up by some quiet synthesizer used mainly for effect. The music is nothing too complex, but it is very serene, and nice in almost any situation. But, if you don't buy it, it certainly won't hurt your collection.

It's got some really nice tracks, and it's better than Promethia was. However, the battle themes are still quite tedious and some of the music is just kind of bland. For the tracks on here that are really quite good, however, I think it deserves 4 stars. (But where is Vana'diel March 3?)

Being both a Final Fantasy soundtrack and the latest work from Hitoshi Sakimoto of Vagrant Story fame, I had high expectations for FFXII's soundtrack. While the score doesn't have the atmosphere of Vagrant Story, or the electronic percussion rhythms of Breath of Fire V, it has excellent composition and synth quality, as well as plenty of variety. Uematsu's vocal song is good as well, as are the few tracks by Matsuo and Iwata. On the other hand, people who expect something that sounds like Uematsu's work may be cautioned: Sakimoto is a very different type of composer compared to Uematsu, and some may not appreciate his style. However, as Uematsu has basically left the Final Fantasy series (XIII will be composed by Masashi Hamauzu, again with a single vocal by Uematsu), his fans may have to look elsewhere for the style that they loved.

Without a doubt, Yasunori Mitsuda's score to Xenogears is a masterpiece, and one of the best video game scores ever. Mitsuda poured all of his skill into these tracks, and it comes through in every note. This is one of the few game soundtracks that truly has no flaws at all. It is emotional, gripping, exciting, and always a joy to listen to. There are darker tracks, such as the opening, "Omen," and "One who is Torn Apart." There are great ethnically inspired tracks, such as "My Village is Number One" and "Dajil, The city in the Sands." There are exciting tracks, like the battle themes and "Flight." And above all, there are pieces that have an exceptional beauty: "Shattering Egg of Dreams," "The Treasure Which Cannot be Stolen," and most of all "One Who Bears Fangs at God." Every fan of music should own this.

This is two soundtracks in a single set. Front Mission 4 showcases Hidenori Iwasaki's first work for Square-Enix, and it's a very good first effort. Although it isn't as well developed as Front Mission 5's soundtrack is, Iwasaki proves himself an able composer from the get-go. On the other side of this set, Front Mission 1st is the soundtrack to the PSX version of the first FM game. Yoko Shimomura and Noriko Matsueda both do their jobs very well here, and some of that score is classic. Here, in fact, most of it sounds better than it did on the SFC. The set as a whole is a great purchase for fans of Front Mission music.

In my opinion, Final Fantasy V was the best of the early (1987-1994) Final Fantasy soundtracks. Its music was different from the rest stylistically, and it shows very well in these great arrangements. "Ahead on Our Way" is a beautiful rendition of the game's main theme, and my favorite track on this CD. Also great are "Music Box," "Battle with Gilgamesh," and "Tenderness in the Air." Although this re-print lacks the sheet music that came with the rare Square Brand print, for those of us who can't play piano, it is an acceptable loss, especially at this great price.

Mitsuda's music has never failed to impress me, and since he started his own record label, he has continued to develop his style. This time, for a children's game, he creates a uniquely enjoyable score with great melodies, creative instrumentation, and incredible recording quality. It is light, but not always simplistic; it is truly a showcase of how versatile he is as a composer.

Shiro Hamaguichi does another fantastic job on the last PSX Final Fantasy game to get a piano arrangement album. "Aerith's Theme" is beautiful once again, "One Winged Angel" is as exciting as ever, "Main Theme of FFVII" is just as great here as it was with an orchestra. Heck, even "Golden Saucer" isn't that bad anymore. The only dubious choices on here in my opinion are "Farm Boy" and "Ahead on our Way," the town theme. Other than those, which aren't bad themselves, this is another great FF piano CD.

Hitoshi Sakimoto created a rarity in Vagrant Story's soundtrack. It is, without a doubt, a masterpiece and one of the top video game soundtracks of all time. Atmospheric, brooding, and yet at times beautiful, the score is always excellent. "In Truth" is a paradigm of Sakimoto's work, as are "Climax of Graylands Incident" and "Staff Roll. There is so much strong work here, it is hard to find a reason not to recommend this soundtrack.

The final RahXephon soundtrack volume has some of the tracks I like most, and the tracks I like least of all three volumes. The first track is aimless wandering, in the sort of unmelodic RahXephon way I enjoy moderately. The next few trracks I just don't like at all, but "brave" is nice in its own way. After that, there is a string of excellent piano tracks that are haunting and beautiful, followed by some of the better orchestral tracks in the show. The CD ends with the great next episode theme, a prime example of Hashimoto's erratic style. While there are some pieces of music used in the show that I wish were on the soundtrack series, overall the three volumes are very strong, each individually and as a whole.

After a very impressive first effort on Front Mission 4's soundtrack, Hidenori Iwasaki, former synth operator, follows up by composing something infinitely better in every way. The synth quality is amazing, the compositions are complex and exciting, and the techno music by Fukui isn't bad either. To anyone who's ever been a fan of Front Mission music, this is a must-buy.

People who enjoyed Ichiko Hashimoto's bizarre blend of dissonance, jazz, and atmospheric piano on the first volume will most likely enjoy this one as well. Like the first, there are some tracks I don't really like, but there are also some excellent mood pieces on here. Nothing, however, on the level of "members only," "the chariot," or "solitudes."

While, this is a FFXII single, it is completely different from Angela Aki's "Kiss Me Goodbye." The London Philharmonic Orchestra, performers of the Lord of the Rings soundtracks, lend their talents to a very good piece of music that runs a total of...8 minutes? It's a little expensive, and the DVD that comes with this limited edition version doesn't add that much value. In the end, know what you're getting for your money if you are interested.

Xenosaga's score is truly incredible in every way. The use of rhythm, melody, and instrumentation in Mitsuda's masterpiece leave it with no peer. In fact, this print of the soundtrck is superior to Digicube's 2001 print in recording quality. However, I liked the track order on the old one more. The bonus tracks are very good, and I love "World to be Born"--it's epic but not melodramatic, calming yet exciting, and showcases Mitsuda's consistantly improving skills. Yasunori Mitsuda has been a favorite composer of mine for several years now, and much of the music that I will remember of his comes from this.

Some of the music on here, as on the last FFXI Expansion soundtrack, seems to ponder along without direction. However, there are very well put together calming tracks on here that, while slow paced, show the skill that Mizuta has shown with tracks like "Heavens Tower" and "Kazham" on previous FFXI efforts. The synthesizers used here occasionally sound a little fake compared to some more recent Square-Enix efforts, but are decent. The bonus track here, a version of Kumi Tanioka's "Gustaberg" performed by 'The Star Onions,' is an excellent addition to the disc, and ends it very nicely. Overall, it's nothing all that special, but it is enjoyable.