Neverland and Marvelous hit something good when they combined Harvest Moon with fantasy RPG. "Rune Factory" was the first game in the "Shin Bokujou Monogatari" (New Harvest Moon) lineup, and Rune Factory 2 is the game's direct sequel. Neverland brought back the same sound team, so one might expect a lot of the same music. And, while I certainly enjoyed the soundtrack to the first game, it pales in comparison to this sequel.

The synth that has been traditionally used on the DS has attempted to over-reach its boundaries, and the result is often tinny and aggravating. However, if one were to use some solid synths from past generations, that might just work. And that's what Tomoko Morita did with this OST, particularly the battle themes. FM synths, various wave pads/leads, and synths that sound like the Super Famicom sound chip are used throughout the score alongside more realistic sounds. The result is nothing short of spectacular.

The variety in the compositions is also impressive, hitting the full range of what makes a solid RPG. There are some great ambient tracks, some in-your-face battle themes, happy-go-lucky town/event music, and arranged tracks scattered within the OST itself. I dare say that some of these songs rival SNES classics like Secret of Mana and Chrono Trigger (track 31, "Battle # Crystal Mammoth," actually sounds like something from one of those aforementioned games). The sampled tracks include some of my favorites from the OST, but there were a lot of other great songs that aren't sampled here on the site.

The opening and ending themes are also top notch, though sadly, we get the shortened "game" edits instead of full length songs. Two minutes for each song just isn't enough, considering how impressive they are. The vocalist, Lil', has a smooth and beautiful mid-range J-pop voice. The mixing and editing on these tracks are also great.

The drama tracks have some pretty well-known names: Maaya Sakamoto and Nana Mizuki have both performed voice acting and singing for a number of RPGs in the past, so it is exciting to see them on this album.

So let's see: amazing instrumental tracks, great opening/ending vocals, even the drama is high quality, and it's all packed into one disc! What's not to love? If you're a lover of old-timey VGM, and you wish someone would release some new soundtracks using that older sound, this is something you simply cannot pass up. Morita-san blows my mind, and I hope you let it blow your mind as well. Get this soundtrack.

Reviewed by: Patrick Gann