Estpolis Biography 2

I've been a Estpolis ("Lufia" in the USA) fan every since the first game came out. So when I heard that the two game series had a soundtrack, I had to get it. I was not disappointed with this work of art at all. Yasunori Shiono is no Uematsu, but he has his own unique strengths (and weaknesses). From track 1, you'll be absorbed with great music from the Super Famicom, but that is "strengthened" up a bit by synths and drums to deliver some truly awesome music. Shiono's music goes from happy to sad; excited to mellow. This little switch is welcome and nice. The weaknesses are that the tunes aren't "big and boomy"; they remain soft and quiet for the most part, unlike some FF soundtracks out there. Also, some of the music lags on for a little longer than desired, but otherwise this is a good soundtrack.

The two CDs have music from Lufia 2 and Lufia 1. All the tracks on disc one are from 2, tracks 1-13 on disc two are also from Lufia 2, and tracks 14-48 are all from Lufia 1. The Estpolis 1 music isn't terribly great, but it isn't bad either. The crowning achievement on this CD is track 9 on disc two. It is an upbeat battle theme unlike any other created. All in all, if you like RPG music, you may want to consider buying this one (about $25 for 2 1/2 hours of game music isn't a bad price *at all*). This is, more or less, a "majestic" soundtrack, and should be given more attention. It has its own unique strengths, but still stumbles on a couple counts.

Even though I haven't finished Lufia II yet (or tried out the original Lufia), I still must say that this score is surprisingly superior, considering that it isn't a Square or Enix soundtrack. It is also a double treat for big Lufia fans. Don't let the title fool you, this isn't just the music from Lufia II. The music from the original Lufia is also on this album. Strangely though, they have Lufia II's music before Lufia's music. But then, Lufia II was actually a prequel, not a sequel, to the original Lufia.

The music from Lufia II is downright superb. It ranges from soothing and relaxing to modestly furious and exciting. The music also occasionally takes on a pop-like feel while staying true to the feel of the game, which works well in "The Earth" and "Theme Of Port Town". The only two major drawbacks with this score is that the album's three battle themes aren't as great as they should be. The problem isn't that they don't recapture the feeling of danger, but that they aren't furious or grandiose enough, compared to the battle themes from Final Fantasy for instance. Also, the game's ending (at least from what I've heard) ends sadly, and the "Ending" song could have been a little sadder, like "Eternal Lullaby" from Dragon Quest VI. But such criticisms seem laughable since the music is just so well done and enjoyable.

Now, onto the music for the original Lufia. It lacks the sophistication of its follower, and the music is much simpler, but it is still very good in its own right. It's even nice to hear occasional earlier versions of "Pulifia", "The Earth", "The Sorrow Of Parting", and others, even if they aren't in full quality.

Overall, this album is an excellent addition to your collection, period. Even if you are not a big Lufia fan, you still might want to get this album. And who knows, there might be a Lufia III in the future. Meanwhile, we'll just settle for this well-done soundtrack.