Highlights:
Disc 1:
Track 1: Into the Wilderness
This is the best track on the CD, starting off with just acoustic guitar, then slowly adding other elements: whistling and maracas, then violins, base, and drum set, and finally the whole orchestra. The whole track nicely sets up both the western and epic natures of the game.

Track 4: Castle of Flames
This track demonstrates excellent use of percussion to establish a dark tone with elements of the orchestra adding a sense of sadness, foreboding, and disaster.

Track 6: Funeral March
Starting with choir, wood winds, and brass, then shifting to the piano and strings, this track is slow and sad, but ends on a hopeful note.

Track 7: Morning Journey
I think this track should be called "Sonata for orchestra and cheesy synth piano". Why did they not use a real piano. Sorry, I felt that a real piano would improve this track so much that I had to rip on it.

Track 8: A Sister's Thought
I really like this track. It is very soft and hopeful, which is surprising considering the amount of brass used. Every time you think the piece is going to start blasting away with the brass, it doesn't and remains soft.

Track 9: Ending Theme - Swearing to the Sky
The ending theme in the middle of the CD? I don't understand either. Anyway, the best way to describe this track is Japanese soft rock. The vocals sound good, but the song is really sappy sounding. Not my thing but I'm sure most people will like this track. Nice Harmonica bit in the middle.

Track 11: Lone Bird in the Shire
Now this is the kind of music you would expect from a western! This track is carried by what sounds like a pretty good synth recorder. Brass and violins in the background give a nice epic feel while the constant drum set keeps things moving at a quick pace.

Track 14: Town
More of that crazy synth recorder with a nice tambourine beat in the back. Nice soft track.

Track 22: Village of the Eru
Soft town music. I like the instruments used and the music shift about 20 seconds into the song was unexpected. The percussion choice, just blocks and bells is really neat. (you know the instruments I'm talking about...)

Track 24: Monastery
Do monasteries this lighthearted and fun exist? Besides the Belgian ones that brew great beer?

Track 25: Oops...
I think the title describes how the theme of a Mexican bandit crashed into the theme of a super robot show from the 80's. The track is still really sweet.

Track 27: Not a Plain Chile, But a Young Lady!
Cool song that races along at break neck speed. Very short thought, and where the hell did that synth come from?

Track 28: Whistle of the Warrior
This is the kind of music you hear when the villain has his posse together and is marching into town to cause trouble.

Track 32: Into the Star Ocean
This is a very carefully crafted track. The instruments are all doing interesting things and combine together to give a sense novelty and amazement. You can almost hear the stars glittering. Man that sounds cheesy.

Track 36: Into the Wilderness - Into New Voyages
Taking the intro theme as a base, this track adds a new intro with an unusual choice of instrument for one part. I think it works and is a great track to end on.

Other Misc: I really picked the wrong CD to do my first in depth review. It has a number of spectacular tracks which I enjoy immensely. It also has a number of mediocre tracks that, while not bad, are not very interesting to listen to. Top it off with tracks that are way too short (but nothing compared to the second game's soundtrack) and you've got a low ranking CD. I feel bad giving this CD a bad grade when it has a few amazing tracks. I will give this soundtrack one piece of leniency because my friend used the first track for a music theory project he was having trouble with. "Wild Arms" saved his bacon.

Final Rating: B-