In this soundtrack to the RPG Etrian Odyssey (Etrian Odyssey in Japan), veteran composer Yuzo Koshiro brings an old-school feel to an old-school game. Much like ye olde dungeon crawls of the past such as Wizardry and Bard’s Tale, this game invites players to create their own party and head out into a large, sprawling dungeon. As such, the soundtrack doesn’t really showcase the full power of the DS sound system, but instead gives in to the nostalgia of the old sound chips from the early days of gaming. That being said, this soundtrack is still a stellar work as long as you can look beyond the sound quality and listen to the composition.
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Even though this soundtrack is an homage to classic sound, it’s not structurally extremely elaborate, but in my opinion it doesn’t need to be. You have the melodic voice, the rhythmic harmonies that work their magic underneath, and the drum track. One of the beauties of having a soundtrack pared down to the core elements like this is that if you have weaknesses they’re exposed for all the world to see. In this way Koshiro is a master craftsman who knows how to draw out exactly what is needed at exactly the right time. A good example can be found in the dungeon track “The Green Green Woodlands,” which combines a simple yet catchy melody line with an unobtrusive yet effective background track. Everything is perfectly arranged into a nice, neat package that, even though you’d never accuse it of being a live orchestra, still manages to draw you in.
The one thing I find lacking in the dungeon tracks is that they feel a bit too calm. Tracks such as “The Green Green Woodlands,” “The Vast Primeval Hidden Grove,” and “The Thousand Year Old Blue Woodlands” don’t convey the sense that danger might lurk around every corner. I’m sure they fit the environment well, but they feel a bit too calming.
The various town themes scattered throughout the soundtrack all make their mark in different ways. The first incarnation, “That Name Was Engraved Into the 100th Volume!,” is an epic and militaristic-sounding track. With a bold, march-like tempo, a snare drum keeping the beat, and a strong melodic presence, the piece fits the sound of a guild hall where you take the time to form your adventuring party. Following in that vein is “Festival of Worship,” which also sounds more epic and stately. The track conveys a sense of upcoming adventure and a celebratory march through the city streets.
Other town themes like “The Roadside Trees Outside the Window” fit the bill for a general town theme more closely. This track is relaxing and works well despite its short length. However, I’m not entirely sure about “The Lounge Where We Speak of Tomorrow.” It’s a nice theme, but it feels out of place and a bit too modern. It sounds like background for a nightclub rather than a fantasy adventure game. Lastly, “Bird-Shaped Vane on the Roof” once again returns to the relaxing calm of “Roadside Trees…”. The only unfortunate thing about this track is that it’s a bit short and underdeveloped as a result. It’s still quite a good listen.
It wouldn’t be an RPG without battle themes, and there are a lot of them. Starting with “Initial Strike,” we get a pulsing, rhythmic track that makes me nostalgic for Koshiro’s early Nihon Falcom days. The structure and tone of the track flow from a power-rock style. Even though the synth isn’t developed enough to let you discern a guitar, it feels like a track that would be great to rock out to. The only negative is that there are no break-off sections for solo work.
Unfortunately, the trend isn’t continuous, as “A Sudden Gust of Wind Before Your Eyes” is a bit too formless to be a good listen outside of context. The structure is crafted to give a very visceral reaction of fear and tension, but without a melody to hum, it’s not something you’d listen to more than once. I do like “Dyed in Blood,” though; while it shares the same rhythmic structure, it at least throws in a melody line to keep you engaged. Although the introduction to that theme is a well-worn cliché, there are only so many ways you can introduce the element of battle in music.
“Destruction Begets Decay” is good, but you can easily hear the Ys in it. Or perhaps what you’re hearing is the Koshiro style that started the Ys franchise musically. The rush of the tempo and the power-rock style is something which gave birth to the phrase “Falcom rock is alive and well, as long as Yuzo Koshiro brings it out occasionally.” Tracks like this keep the memory alive and bring a smile to an old-school gamer like myself. Some would label this as derivative. I’m going to label it as a nostalgic homage to the classics.
There are several tracks labeled “Scene,” which I assume are connected to dramatic moments. “Red and Black” seems like the underscoring for something sinister. It’s amusing how a simple repetition of the same four tones over and over can evoke a response, although it’s not something you’d want to listen to for two minutes. Unfortunately, “Blue and White,” while not sinister, is much the same repetition. While there are limitations to the sound variety you can extract from the early chips, most composers were able to work melodies into their pieces. This one doesn’t even try, and that’s a shame.
It’s interesting that “The Story of the Hero’s Birth Continues” reminds me of the ending theme to Ys VI: The Ark of Napishtim. It also goes off on its own in the middle third, throwing in a neat melodic diversion. Unfortunately, the track seems to get mired in its own mess, where the sounds start to get a bit muddled. It’s hard at times to discern the melody to follow.
As an added bonus, you get a copy of the soundtrack again in PC-8801 soundboard MIDI. It’s an interesting addition and something that people who appreciate the old-style sound would enjoy, but it’s not something that makes or breaks the decision to purchase this album. Interestingly, I really cannot tell much difference between the DS and the 8801 versions, so kudos to the synthesizer programmer for replicating the feel of the old sound chips on the DS.
Summary
This is an enigmatic soundtrack as well as a risky venture for a game in this age. Old-school RPGs that required patience and a willingness to accept defeat have largely been swept away for more cinematic and visionary marvels. For some reason, I don’t see a sweeping return to the past, for the same reason that you don’t see Pong in arcades anymore. There are those who have a certain appreciation for the past because either they’re interested in history or they grew up in the era, as I did.
So, because of this, the pressing question about the qualities of this soundtrack becomes both important and irrelevant at much the same time. Asking people who first experienced role-playing games with Final Fantasy VII will get a different reply than asking someone who started with the original Final Fantasy. Is it good? Does it have merit? The answer is yes. I think people should venture back into a simpler time when game music required imagination and a willingness to look beyond the lifeless triangle and sine waves that come off as bleeps and bloops.
As such, the numeric score for this soundtrack is based around the musical merits of the work as a whole. But if you are someone who cannot stomach going back to the past and listens to acoustic game music exclusively, this soundtrack probably isn’t for you.
