![]() “Decent Destructors” and “Hungry Structures” both deliver some good old-fashioned JRPG synth rock. However, Tsuchiya and Abounnasr are not afraid to get electric when necessary. The score also scales up brilliantly to orchestral compositions, with “Title,” “Another Force,” and “Dimension Pt” being particular standouts. “Ratle” layers steel guitar and flute on top of a spunky baseline, resulting in one of the most oddly memorable tracks in the game. The first town theme, “Baruoki,” blossoms into an explosion of pastoral joy with lively guitar, flute, and tambourine. There is a wonderful emphasis throughout on acoustic instrumentation. It maintains a breathless sense of excitement without becoming bombastic. “Brilliant Streamer,” one of the game’s best boss themes, features a syncopated string melody that drives the track just as much as the drums and guitar underneath. This same sense of economy and craft is present even on more intense tracks. This is exemplified in some of the more atmospheric pieces such as “Curtain of Darkness,” a carefully choreographed counterpoint between harp and piano, punctuated by chanted descants and flute interludes. There is a sense of texture, economy, and balance present throughout. ![]() That said, this soundtrack doesn’t sound like the work of three composers, and I mean that in the best way possible. Both composers are part of Mitsuda’s Procyon Studio and most recently collaborated on Tokyo RPG Factory’s Oninaki. The remainder of the album was composed by Shunsuke Tsuchiya and Mariam Abounnasr. His other tracks are different instrumental variations on that theme, including piano (“The Unforgettable Light”), acoustic guitar (“Lost”), and a few others. Few composers can nail “heroic” like Mitsuda. With a gently ascending main theme, driving acoustic guitar, and gorgeous flute interludes, it’s a heroic piece. His central contribution is the game’s main theme, “Another Eden,” and this first track crystallizes almost everything I enjoy in his work. ![]() Yasunori Mitsuda gets top billing here, and while I certainly can’t fault that as a marketing decision, it’s important to note that only a handful of tracks bear his name. At its core, it’s a cozy, utterly traditional JRPG experience featuring an equally cozy and traditional soundtrack. Another Eden distinguishes itself by de-emphasizing its gacha elements and emphasizing a long story-driven campaign with a developed main cast, plenty of dialogue, NPCs, sidequests, and exploration. ![]() As you might expect from two industry veterans who are most famous for their work on Chrono Triggerand Chrono Cross, Another Eden is a time-traveling JRPG adventure featuring huge swords, adorable robots, dinosaurs, a frog knight, and some seriously soaring melodies. In 2017, Wright Flyer Studios released Another Eden: The Cat Beyond Space and Time in Japan (it released in the West in 2019), a gacha RPG featuring a script by Masato Kato and musical contributions by Yasunori Mitsuda. It’s fascinating to see industry creatives adapt their design sensibilities to a medium centered on shorter, more focused gameplay loops. Over the past decade, it’s been great fun to see established visionaries in the Japanese video game industry try their hand at mobile RPGs. ![]()
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