 | Album Title: Vagrant Story Original Soundtrack |
| Record Label: DigiCube (1st Edition); Square Enix (2nd Edition) | |
| Catalog No.: SSCX-10042; SQEX-10068/9 | |
| Release Date: March 8, 2000; March 24, 2006 | |
| Purchase: Buy Used Copy |
Overview
Square has made some truly memorable games in its long history. Some were unbelievably well received by both the public and critics (classics include Final Fantasy VI, Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy VII, and more). Some were surprising gems (including the beautifully created Rudra’s Hidden Treasure). But no games have been as deep and passionate as the ones created by Yasumi Matsuno and his team of talented developers. Those who know him will recognize his work on the Ogre games, Final Fantasy Tactics, and even the recently released Final Fantasy XII, his biggest project yet (with SaGa series executive producer, Akitoshi Kawazu). However, it has often been said that his work of the year 2000 was his best to date. Vagrant Story is a very unique game: it combines the traditional elements of Matsuno’s games with a smart new battle system and gripping story, and was rated a perfect 40/40 in an edition of the gaming magazine Famitsu.
Like all of his games, Matsuno loves to use symphonic/electronica maestro Hitoshi Sakimoto. This has been a tradition since Sakimoto’s work on Ogre Battle: March of the Black Queen back in 1993 (with partners Masaharu Iwata and Hayato Matsuo), even 13 years later with Final Fantasy XII. In Vagrant Story, Matsuno specifically directed Sakimoto to use a style and motif in direct opposition to Final Fantasy Tactics. A listen to this soundtrack reveals the dark side of Hitoshi Sakimoto. The timbre of the instruments largely resembles that of Final Fantasy Tactics, but, as mentioned above, the mood is significantly darker. Before I start this review, I’ll let you in on a secret. The original sound production of the Vagrant Story Original Soundtrack was mediocre and, at times, out-of-date by Square’s standards. This was largely due to the original mastering and synthesizer programming. However, Square Enix commissioned a professional remastering of the soundtrack for this reprint, handled by Kenzi Nagashima; now the music sounds much clearer and the volume has been increased, making this one of the many good reasons to buy this album.
Body
We begin the adventure of Vagrant Story with “Opening Movie,” a nicely developed track specially programmed by Hidenori Iwasaki. The track has especially tasty brassy textures that lead up to a soft, presentable section and fitting conclusion. After the next track, we come to Sakimoto’s largest video game music track ever created, the famed “Climax of the Graylands Incident.” One thing that particularly bugged me was the poor synthesizer manipulation. The strings sound choppy and outdated, but this is no surprise with synthesizer operator Takeharu Ishimoto, who has since worked on Kingdom Hearts II. But never fear: this is not a track one should take lightly. Granted, it’s repetitive at times (as, in the game, it was used for the introductory movie), but the track is magically creative.
A good example of how many of the darker tracks progress is found in “Catacombs.” Slow and eerie strings play an ambient melody line while horns come and complement the strings. This is not to say the whole soundtrack is ambient, but by the nature of the game, many tracks lack a lot of action. “Rosencrantz” is yet another of these tracks, but there is a lot more structure to it compared to the previous track. Low cello notes and awkward percussion dominate this track, with strings that enter at times to play melodic interludes. “The Great Cathedral” is specially programmed by synthesizer operator Hirosato Noda, and you can feel his influence on the track. An electronica beat starts out the track, then dark, ominous cellos confront the beat, accompanied by some strings.
There are, however, some tracks which are similar to Final Fantasy Tactics‘ light-but-mature attitude. “Reminiscence” is emotional and mature, probably more akin to Sakimoto’s Ogre Battle tracks if anything, but the simple piano melody is perfectly accompanied by the flute and strings. “Joshua 2” has an amazing use of orchestral strings and piano. Rather than following a slow melody, Sakimoto uses an upbeat one. “Joshua” is slower but more complex in its melodic arrangement, with the addition of more standard orchestral instruments. But really, all the lighter and mature tracks are highlights within their own right.
The ending tracks are often remarked as Sakimoto’s finest achievements. “Dawn of Lea Monde ~ The Story of a Wandering Person” is yet another track with ideal orchestration. The whole climactic feeling of the track is wonderful, as it is epic and moving. But it does not compare with “Staff Roll”, Sakimoto’s very first video game track to feature live instruments (the orchestral strings are played by famous violinist Masatsugu Shinozaki and his string group). This credits theme has unbelievable development, reiterating the main theme of the game several times, but with much variation. The arrangement, as usual, is phenomenal. I could not be happier with this piece!
The ‘remix’ tracks at the end of the soundtrack are interesting. The synthesizer operator Ishimoto has a go at arranging the original “Opening Movie” track from earlier in the soundtrack, and while this is an arrangement that may not be very accessible, the electronica elements and repetition make it enjoyable. Ishimoto has done a solid job. The next track, and the last on the album, is something I enjoy much less. Noda delivers something amicable, but to me it’s not an electronica-based track I can listen to repeatedly. Moreover, I cannot tell which original tracks Noda arranged.
Summary
Vagrant Story is not the Hitoshi Sakimoto work that will be accessible to everyone. Like the game, it’s a unique soundtrack, with delicious ambient-natured orchestrations and, very often, a breathtaking emotional track that will win your heart. If you already own the Final Fantasy Tactics Original Soundtrack, this is the perfect soundtrack to accompany it, as it contains the other side of the famed composer. For those who are unfamiliar with Sakimoto’s style but love great orchestral music, I’d recommend this album in a heartbeat, as it is one of the very few soundtracks that contain consistently high-quality music throughout the listening experience. Hitoshi Sakimoto calls Vagrant Story one of his greatest achievements in game music, and it’s not hard to see why. It is a masterpiece worth the time of any game music fan.
