How nice… seeing as you were vague as heck, how could I tell you heard everything ?
Here is what I was expecting as far as description.
Cave:
Dangun Feveron: A groovy track with a decent beat/rythm, offers a laid-back feel for the most part. It’s great to listen to while doing chores or homework, helped me get through some boring work many times.
Dodonpachi Dai-ou-jou: Percussions, guitar and synth makes up this arrangement, it’s a bit difficult to get into as there is just too much going on at once, but most techophiles will get a kick out of this track.
Overall, some good samples, though DDP DOJ may be too harsh for most listeners.
Data East:
Dunk Dream: Another groovy track, the male vocal that comes in fairly quickly in the piece may turn off some people who aren’t used to this sort of theme. At any case, it’s more than fitting for a basketball game.
Wind Fang: Right off the bat, we get some wicked guitars, some great drums and pleasant synths. The synth solos are by far the best part of the track, IMO. A worthy rock-based track.
Overall, Dunk Dream suffers from the male vocal, while Wind Fang is practically flawless.
Falcom:
Ys 3: One of the best themes into the game, the guitars and synths go hand in hand and provide the right atmosphere for Valestine Castle. A definite winner from Falcom.
Ys 4: This one is a bit more oriented towards heavy synth-rock, which may be a bit too jarring for some, again the synths and guitars play their role as setting the perfect mood.
Overall, Ys 3 is pretty much perfect, Ys 4 may be too much to handle for some.
Konami:
Salamander: A wonderful jazz-influenced track, which has its shares of boring and pleasant sections. The drums used here are particularly good, as is the use of guitar. A decent track none the less.
Castlevania II : Belmont’s Revenge: Never thought a gameboy track could come off so well in a hard rock arrangement. The melody is 100% faithful to the original piece and offers a pleasant perspective on a classic song.
Overall, Salamander is decent, but nothing can touch Castlevania.
Sega:
Strike Fighter: Another fancy synth-rock piece, I can imagine shooting enemy planes with this music in the background. The synth used here has a particular sound, which I find to be quite pleasing.
After Burner: It’s a little bit repetitive at first, but once things get going it keeps the pace with interesting development. While the guitar may sound aged, it has its own bit of charm.
Overall, Strike Fighter is a sweet track for a shooter while the After Burner piece just drags on at first.
Taito:
Grid Seeker: A mix of electronic and rock music, the electronic beats heat up the piece until it reaches the awesome guitar solo, which that alone makes the piece worthy of my approval.
Metal Black: The string-heavy intro gives a glimpse of the goodness that’s about to be unveiled in this track. The drums make a pleasant appearance, while the synth kicks the piece into high gear. What’s mostly pleasant about this track is how it moves seamlessly from one point to another, it’s a great effect.
Overall, both pieces get my approval.
Taito wins.
