Lost Odyssey was one of those games that kinda flew under the radar. Even though it was released at a time when the 360 and PS3 were still relatively new and lacking in the RPG department, I’m not sure it got the attention it deserved.

LO was a solid, if unspectacular, game. It featured an engaging turn-based battle system with timed attacks to help keep the player engaged. The skill learning techniques were fun, but it also limited your party — when your immortal members could learn so many skills and your mortal folks were stuck with just two or three from equipment, it wasn’t a tough choice picking who to bring along. The story was decent, but where the game really excelled was in its side storytelling: a series of vignettes called “A Thousand Years of Dreams” that chronicled Kaim’s heartbreaking immortal existence.

Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi was the driving force behind Lost Odyssey, and in putting together the soundtrack for the game, he brought along a familiar face: Nobuo Uematsu. Uematsu, of course, was the mastermind behind every Final Fantasy OST through X, and he’s contributed a handful of other tracks to the series since then. More importantly, Uematsu is one of the best composers in video game history, and arguably the most recognizable.

Uematsu’s music in LO represented something of a change of pace. Limited by the technology of 8- and 16-bit video game systems, his earlier productions were much more based on melodies and ambiance, milking every last note he could out of bleeps and bloops. Fast forward 20 years, and Uematsu found himself with a full orchestra and advanced synthesizers to work with. The result is a strange hybrid of symphonic and progressive rock tracks with some piano and techno thrown in for good measure.

All of that added up to a 56-track, two-disc compilation featuring what might be Uematsu’s best work, even if it didn’t get the attention or accolades that many soundtracks from Final Fantasy did (and don’t worry, this feature will get to those eventually).

As usual with MtME, let’s take a look at five of my favorite tracks with commentary on each.

A little background before we start: My first experience hearing this soundtrack was when my roommate Dave (no, not that Dave) played through the game for the first time. He was somewhere around halfway through when I woke up early one morning with severe chest pains and had to have him drive me to the ER. Doctors found nothing wrong with me, and it remains the only health scare of any kind I’ve ever had. Point is, while I stayed on the couch on recommended bed rest all day, I got to listen to these tunes to help pass the time.

Neverending Journey

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=135Gltfkxeo

This track functions as the World Map theme, which means you hear it a lot as you pick between destinations. There’s no overworld to travel in this game, just menus with lists of places. Uematsu’s love of Celtic music shines through here — at least, until around the two-minute mark, when there’s SHREDDING GUITARS that join the fray. This is essentially an alternate version of the OST’s first track, whose melody makes an appearance in nearly a half-dozen songs.

A Sign of Hope

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5Rt2MmYqJQ&feature=relmfu

Whether it was the excellent memories (mentioned earlier) or just some of the in-game parts, Lost Odyssey certainly had its heart-wrenching moments. This track is used in a handful of places, usually having to do with Kaim’s daughter, but it’s generally a more uplifting piece that focuses on those sad-but-happy moments. The first usage of this track in the game coincided with the first time I really felt invested in the story.

The Gun Barrel of Battle

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKpOeVGjB0k&feature=relmfu

I’ll be honest — I’m not really sold on the second half of this song, which serves as the primary, run-of-the-mill battle theme. But I love the beginning. There were definitely some times when I’d wait to start a fight until the :40 or :50 second mark just because it’s so good. Then, when the mediocre rest of the song kicks in, it’d be time to start giving commands and kicking ass.

Parting Forever

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-AYc-YthII&feature=relmfu

You remember those sad moments I mentioned earlier? Yeah…this music pretty much goes along with them. Unlike A Sign of Hope, Parting Forever is essentially limited to bleak points in the game. Like, you know, when Kaim’s life gets ruined. Over and over. Some folks aren’t a huge fan of the vocals in this track, saying that they’d prefer a violin or harp or something — for me, they’re not a deal breaker. I think the singing manages to be evocative enough on its own.

Dark Saint

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSXyriI2Eug&feature=relmfu

If this song were in an NFL game, it’d be whistled for three or four false starts. Each time you think you’re about to get into the meat of what is clearly one of Uematsu’s epic boss battle tracks, he throws you off, culminating in an abrupt switch to a bossa nova beat before the song really kicks in. From there, it’s heavy synth, guitar, drums — and it wouldn’t be a Uematsu final boss theme without a choir of some sort. A somewhat strange but fantastic number.

In fact, most of the battle music in this game is very good, with a variety of boss themes depending on the situation. We can’t go breaking my self-imposed five-track rule, so here’s a couple of side links instead:

Battle Conditions
An Enemy Appears!
A Formidable Enemy Appears!
Battle with the Demonic Beast

Music to My Ears covers soundtracks or individual songs from video games on a recurring basis, which is basically whenever Chris gets around to writing it. You can view all posts in the series by clicking here.