Soundtrack Name: Chrono Cross Original Soundtrack
U.S. Game Name: Chrono Cross
Musical Genre: Classical/Folk
Original Game System: Playstation
Publisher: Digicube
Copyright Holder: Square Co., Ltd. / Yasunori Mitsuda
Number of CD's: 3
Number of Tracks: 25/26/26
CD Length: 70 min 39 sec / 71 min 57 sec
Composers and Performers:
Yasunori Mitsuda (Comp.)
Review:
Packaging: Like character art? Or maybe pictures from the game's
movie sequences? Or perhaps colors other than blue, black and white? Well, you
will not find any of them here. The packaging for the Chrono Cross soundtrack is
possibly the most disappointing I've ever seen for a game souundtrack. The front
and back covers feature pictures of smoke and pictures taken under water spliced
together. Very artistic looking, but really boring. The booklet has extensive
liner notes in Japanese, so if you do read Japanese, you'll probably enjoy that.
Aside from that there's nothing to say.
Packaging Rating: D-
Music: While the packaging is terrible, the music on this soundtrack is
so good, it's what other soundtracks dream of being when they grow up. From the
first track on the first CD, Time's Scar, which is one of the best pieces of game
music ever written, to the last track on the last CD, the music is nothing short
of incredible. Not every track is fantastic, but even the "bad" tracks are quite
good. Overall, it's very calm music, using lots of acoustic guitar and
regional percussion instruments. I'd list my favorite tracks, but there are really
too many of them. No one, no matter how snobbish, can listen to this music and
still say game music doesn't have any merit.
Music Rating: A+
CD/Track Length: In terms of time, this soundtrack is just right. The
songs all repeat twice and usually fall between 3 and 5 minutes in length. There
are a few 15 second tracks for things like resting at an inn, but those tracks aren't
supposed to be long anyway. Plus, with three CD's of music, there are plenty
of tracks to enjoy. It seems every time I listen to it, I'm find another great
track to add to my list of favorites.
Length Rating: B+
Other Misc: Nothing much else I can say. The 3 CD set will run you
about $50 give or take a few depending on shipping/sales tax, but I think that
it's worth the price. If you enjoyed the music while playing the game, and you
are a collector of video game music, you must get this soundtrack.
Final Rating (not an average): A
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