73. Wizball - High Score
Score: 15/30
Azuarc's Ranking: 23
Comments:
(Kenri) So this starts off with weird sound effects that sort of sound like the noise of rubbing two balloons together, it's kind of annoying and didn't put me in a good mood. Thankfully at 1:00 in the song suddenly becomes reasonably competent and I'm left wondering wtf the first minute was about.
(Ed Bellis) this is hilarious and awesome
(MycroProcessor) The melody and rhythms here I didn't like but I liked the sounds, that seems to be a really frequent thing with me and c64 tunes.
The C64 had amazing sound potential, and while most games didn't come close to tapping into that, Martin Galway's efforts in Wizball were one of those earliest times in my life where I would sit and listen to the music. Both the title theme and the high score song are mesmerizing, and for HS in particular, the use of the strange sound effects as percussion only adds to the work. I suppose it helps that I play the saxophone, since the first portion of the melody is a synth sax. I got into a discussion with Nio a couple nights ago asking her what she thought was my style in VGM; based on her answer, I have a feeling she would listen and go "This. This right here is you, az." Kinda sad that after starting with three 4's, the track got straight 1's thereafter.
72. Contra - Energy Zone
Score: 16/30
Azuarc's Ranking: 88
Comments:
(Kenri) This is okay. It seems kinda slow at times, in a bad way, but the faster sections are pretty decent.
(MycroProcessor) OH MAN ITS THE PARTY| wow this loop is extremely short.
I'll take Contra over Mega Man any day. This is hardly the best track from the game, but the soundtrack is so strong in general that there really isn't much off the NES to rival it besides, well, Mega Man.
71. Final Fantasy - Gurgu Volcano
Score: 16/30
Azuarc's Ranking: 90
Comments:
(no comments)
I'm not sure exactly why I love Gurgu Volcano, but in Oematsu's first video game effort, I'm not drawn to the battle theme or Matoya's Cave or the prologue. I like Gurgu Volcano. Sad that it only appears in one dungeon of the game, while most of the other stuff gets reused in various places.
70. Trine - Crystal Caverns
Score: 16/30
Azuarc's Ranking: 85
Comments:
(Kenri) Crystal Caverns doesn't really do anything to set it apart from any other piano piece I've heard, but it's pleasant enough to listen to. I like it, in fact -- it's just not very unique or memorable.
I love Trine. I love the vibe and the atmosphere one gets from the game, and Pulkinnen's compositions work perfectly to complement the art style and give the game a storybook feel. Unfortunately, it's a great example of a game that works much better in the game that outside it, as without that atmosphere to frame the piece within, it's just a bland piano sonata. I'm still looking forward to a Midsummer Madness sale on Trine 2, though.