Hells yes. I was considering starting something similar to this, but...oh well! I <3 music. I added Youtube links, since...I assume that would be something needed later? Eh.
!!!POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD!!!Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Long Lost OceanSurvival from the Force (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQw7xD7C2fY): This is the final dungeon theme to the game. Say what you will about Sakuraba's compositions, but this soundtrack he did a spectacular job of making amazing quality music with deep, varied instrumentation and great mood setting. The song builds up - it starts a bit chaotic, which isn't abnormal when you're staring at an entire floating continent that came out of nowhere. Then it becomes more coherent, the melody and main drive of the song come in to play. Then, right around the 1 minute mark, you hit the main driving force of the song, the "determination" section. It is designed to force you into the rest of the song, which follows a similar beat with different variations throughout the rest of the 3 minute tenure of the piece. It is an excellent dungeon song, pushing the player into exploration and combat within the dungeon, and driving home the importance of the storyline to this point - you're there, it's new, but you've come so far that you have to find the drive to keep on going to the end.
Soul Poetry (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyXIN_A8vOQ): Picking the second song was hard. And this is a particularly odd choice I think, in that most people won't ever hear it. But it further exemplifies the amazing variety in the soundtrack. This song plays when you, uh, Game Over and die (prooooobably either in the airship or at Malpercio's second form >_>). Just listen to it and close your eyes - it's haunting, which is quite fitting for both the game and for the purpose of the song. The piano is deliberate, backed up by a ghostly vocal and harpsichord and percussion that just...get to you. It is amazingly fitting, and amazingly calming, sort of an elegy for the dead, which is perfect.
Ghost Trick: Phantom DetectiveThe Last Desperate Struggle (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFXOJ1mkKtI): If people haven't noticed, I've been raving about Ghost Trick recently. It is an excellent game, and the music is a great part of that, strongly backing the gameplay, story, and concept. This song plays during, well, the last desperate struggle on the submarine, one of the harder and more stressful parts of the game. It does an amazing job of driving the end of the game as time runs out for everyone involved - the end is so close, and perseverance is vital. The song is also creative in that it remixes a lot of other pieces from the game into it, compiling the musical themes of fate changing and averting death you've heard throughout the game, to add that extra sense of urgency to the situation
Informing About the Parting (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUGlC8WOQt0): So much of this game is mood music, but some of it, like this, still stands on its own. Especially when this plays near the end with all the revelations - since this game is really new, I'm going to not completely spoil it, but suffice to say, you are definitely informing several people about a really important parting. This song plays during the major revelations, and you can feel it in the music - like weight has lifted off everyone's shoulders. It's easing, peaceful, sort of like if someone were passing on into the next life. It does an amazing job of catching that feeling of "letting go", and that's exactly what it needs to do.
Lufia 2: Rise/Curse of the SinistralsNorth Land/World Map/Overworld (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3lx-rxVrDg - Arranged Version off the Soundtrack CD here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3ZfS-ak01M): I think Lufia 2 was the first video game soundtrack I downloaded and listened to outside of the game. It impressed me a lot with the variety of instrumentation and overall excellent, fitting songs. The battle themes sound like battle themes...the town and character themes are fitting and memorable, and overall, just excellent use of music. I love having multiple themes for everything in a game, including an overworld, and I have to say, Lufia 2's overworld theme is my favourite. It sounds like an overworld, like there's a world to explore. It has an air of mystery, discovery, and evokes stepping out into the great unknown. It's also quite beautiful of a song overall - I particularly love the woodwind component of the song, and love how the percussion is kept to the back to supplement the main voice of the song. The instrumentation works and supports itself, instead of one section of instruments vying for control and dominating over another.
For the Saviour/One Who Saves the Earth (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWkHqg5wPt4 - Arranged Version off the Soundtrack CD here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Er8vZJAVmI&feature=related): Now this was a hard choice between this song and the Sinistral Battle theme. But For the Saviour wins out here. It is epic - it captures beautifully the end of the world and the heroic actions the hero goes through to stop that from happening. Just perfect - the fact it's used for the "final battle" in Curse of the Sinistrals in the EX Game just makes it all the better. I'd explain more, but I think just listening to it is all the explanation it needs. Just perfect.
Shin Megami Tensei: NocturneThe Tokyo Conception (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5r1SKWfyGbc): The SMT series has always had great music. For those of you not familiar with Nocturne, this song plays during the end of the world. It's short, but it really fits the end of the world. It has 3 movements that really fit the mood of death and rebirth, which is what the game is about. The first movement of the song is all about contentment, the final passing of the world. The second movement signifies the beginning of the world's recreation. And the third and final movement signifies the bold, new world that's been formed. Raw. Emotional. The song exemplifies death and rebirth perfectly.
The Final Battle (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8shfZfbii4): Haven't put many battle themes on here, but this one is worthy of it here. I was tempted to put the Dante Battle here, but I like the melancholy, somewhat hopeless feeling of this battle theme. It's pretty fitting for fighting Lucifer. It sounds epic, but in a lonely, hopeless way, and based on the storyline, it fits perfectly. You get the feeling you're fighting in a vast, endless void, which...you are! It fits the scene amazingly well.
Tales of the AbyssKarma - Instrumental (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTB3YA9rjlg): Probably my favourite opening song. It just...it's so high energy, syncs so well with the opening animation, and is a theme with the game, musically as well as story-wise. I suggest listening to it, and watching the opening movie. Although, I really don't like the vocal version much, but it's still decent (so happy they took it out of the English version). Great song, good enough to fit just about any opening.
Finish the Promise (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vk8MaVo5VpI&feature=related): Great final battle theme. Really one of my favourites. It's full of meaning and quite epic - excellent climax to an excellent game.
