I planned to make a review of Ys Seven; but decided to forget about it since I wouldn’t be able to create decent video of gameplay as it’s a PSP game. Instead I will focus one of the renowned aspect of the franchise, the music which was the first reason why I decided to play the game. Though to understand the music, it’s better to get acquainted with the game. So I will cover a bit the game, then the music of game I have played. Just to warn, it’s world apart from Shikata Akiko and Kanon Wakeshima’s song, expect rocky music!

Every Ys game follows the adventure of Adol Christin, adventurer also known as Adol the Red, 700 years ago. He has every qualities of hero. Silent, strong, extreme bad luck with boats, trouble magnet, and a natural lady killer. Random fact: Adol Christin seems to be the source of inspiration of Kenjiro Hata for Hayasaki Hayate ( yes that butler in debt ), and when asked about which historical figure he would draw, Kenjiro Hata would draw Adol ( while other mangaka certainly answered with real character xD )

It’s a JRPG, so expect some déjà-vu in story and place. However, it’s an action RPG or hack and slash, both fits the bill. It’s extremely fast paced, with fodder enemies, big hard bosses, and a game over screen you will get familiar with. The nervousness of the game is also quite noticeable in the music.

In most RPG, music is fitting to the general ambiance of the place. It’s background music, which blends with the game. Falcom Sound Team JDK begs to differ to some extent; it’s a general “Let’s rock!”. While cutscene will get the music to get the proper mood, fields, dungeon, are where the liberty shines. Mystic ruins? Bring on the electric guitar!

The first Ys I played was the VI, the Ark of Napishtim on PSP. Not the best port, but it was a cool introduction to a good battle system though perfectible and music, starting with the opening.

The Ark of Napishtim is a bit of an exception at the rules I said earlier, as synthesizer is heavily used through the OST. It’s not my favorite OST of the series but that’s what I started with. I liked quite a few tracks, but the most awesome was “Mighty Obstacle”, for MIGHTY BOSS! And they all are to a certain extent.

Mighty Obstacle

But the first few games were on old computer, meaning using MIDI.

Considering that I have yet to play Ys I, II ( waiting for PSP game ), IV, V ( lack of translation , I will skip to Ys III with the field map music, one of the first music, “The boy’s got wings”:

This is the original version, on SNES in 1991. I was only 2 years old so of course I didn’t play that one. But I played The Oath in Felghana which is a remake of it ( and the best Ys IMO ), and the OST is epic.

Fully instrumented this time, here is “The boy’s got wings”, which is the first music you hear when getting out of town:

The Boy’s Got Wings

It’s still a bit hard for me to believe that I would get this for a field map music, but it gives to the adventure a taste that I have hardly found in other RPG: I’m a freaking CHOSEN HERO! Moreover, Adol is a very fast hero highly agile so the title fit him quite well. Final Fantasy has been known for having several remixed soundtrack; Ys also got them. Personally, re-arranged OST are rarely up to my taste, and the remix provided for “The Boy’s Got Wing”, is middle the case.

The Boy’s Got Wing SAV

A bit of a short, so here is a second service, “Sealed Time”, theme of a clock tower. When I think of clock tower, I often think of Castlevania, especially Symphony of the night’s “Tragic Prince”. But here, we are not in the Goth, but in the Rock! Once again, SNES version, then PC, and remixed:

Sealed Time

Sealed Time SAV

The orchestral remix is by an order of magnitude even more epic than the game version; in fact too much for it to be integrated as it doesn’t fit the game OST, nor the game. The Oath in Felghana has simply the Rockest OST of all RPG I have played to date.

One of the best composition for the duo of electric guitar and violin is in the remixes of Ys Origin ( I put it’s opening at the top of this post )

Scarlet Tempest

Scarlet Tempest SAV

This is the theme for a lava place of the game. Game version used guitar and synth, but the remix switched the synth for the violin. I like the attack part middle way and the guitar follow up. Both instrument shine here and make it one of the coolest music from a game remix.

Moving on with Ys Seven which I finished recently. As expected the music is on par with what I have come to expect.

Once again, it’s a the field map and boss themes which are the main attraction.

Mother Earth Altago

To Reveal The Way To Go

Vacant Interference

Mother Earth Altago has a nice start. It’s like discovering the new land on which Adol just set foot; slashing monsters. The second field theme, which is available latter in the game, underlines the determination of the hero. I prefer by a very small margin this second one, for the synth and violin part. Vacant Interference is the boss theme, and it’s as striking as Mighty Obstacle.

Ys doesn’t always rock your hears; parts require of course calmer music, and Falcom deliver as well in those area, with very good town music, sad one but this is already more common. The remixes can be orchestral, rock, jazz, piano, vocals and more. For now I will just provide some more track and the OST.

The Oath in Felghana:

Peaceful time

Soothing song for a change, and simple.

A Searing Struggle

Steeling The Will to Fight

Valestein Castle

More dungeon music. First is for lava underground, rock as expected. The second one if memory serves me right, is for ice mountain. Contrary to other game which has rather chilly music, here we have a march; the struggle of the hero against the cold wind! Last one is for a castle; when you first hear it it’s like “Hello, I’m not sorry at all for barging in and slashing everything that move!”.

Ys Origin:

Tension

Genesis Beyond The Beginning

This Genesis Beyond the Beginning is a remix of the opening, with piano and violin only and a slower pace. It’s a very nice one and contrast with a lot of the other musics. The other one is a boss theme, Jazzy and Techno fusion, pretty cool one.

Ys The Ark of Napishtim
While not my favorite, it’s the one I started with and it has some good tracks like Moutain Zone, Windslash Step, ERNST.

Ys The Oath in Felghana OST + SAV
If there is one OST to get, it’s this one.

Ys Origin OST
Ys Origin SAV

Ys Seven OST

Not many update recently… Well Persona 4 was just released on the 13th of last month and since then I have been hardcore gaming on it. I’m near the 90 hours and I just miss the true ending but here is a not so little review.

Persona 4, is a spin off of the Megaten serie that I never played. Here we have a modern world, and you are a teenager, called… the Main Character ( MC, for the intimate). For some random reason, I called mine Yukito Kamiya, since I didn’t know his name in the manga ( the main reason I bought this game is because I didn’t have any connection the day I went ). In short the game mix real life simulation with high school, social interaction, and dungeon world.

I did play Persona 3 and never finished it. The slowness of that game is rather boring. Oh well, Persona 4 is a great improvement over this. Still a bit slow, but the first few hours to introduce you to the game is really interesting and fun. Persona 4 made me go “lol” at some moment contrary to Persona 3. Also to change from other RPG, no plot like “save the world”; it’s just a detective story which is quite original and it kept me wanting more all game long.

Too bad… I got spoiled about the culprit who threw people in the TV. Yes, in the TV, because the game dungeon are inside a TV. Dungeon are varied, which is an improvement from Persona 3. They each display the internal conflict of people which were thrown in the TV. Battle are turn by turn, and it’s finally possible to control the teammate. Not much changed otherwise.

As for the simulation part… since when does game ask you question about which pole is colder… Wikipedia is highly recommended. But it’s high school, so better answer questions right since it can improve the MC’s Knowledge. Aside of Knowledge, there is also Expression, Courage, Understanding and Diligence. Each of these allow your MC to do new activities or choice when talking. And socializing is important. Right now I have 3 girlfriends. Ok.. I cheat on 2 of them, my favorite is Yukiko.

Thanks to those social link, personas can level up easily and it’s possible to unlock secret one. Personas are in fact, your whole stats and magic. You only level up health and spirit point  ( aka SP, or MP from other game ). So I fused some personas with the help of Igor, and at the end of the game, I must say that some of them are rather wowpowerful !

There only few annoyance to the game.. like Teddie, who is annoying, and the lack of japanese voice :/  Now I must return to my date.