Noriyuki Iwadare's Grandia II score is one of those Dreamcast-era soundtracks that absolutely did not have to go this hard. ~POVO~ collects 20 key tracks from the game, and every one carries the kind of melodic conviction that made Game Arts RPGs stand apart.
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"Memory of the Gods (Full Version)" opens with sweeping orchestration that sets up the conflict between Granas and Valmar before you even touch a controller. "LIVE! LIVE!! LIVE!!!" is pure Iwadare at his most infectiously energetic, three exclamation marks earned.
"FIGHT!! Ver.3 ~ Middle Boss Battle" brings that classic Grandia battle system energy, while "Heh, they didn't even get to fight back!" is one of gaming's great cocky victory theme titles. "Romance at a Windy Isle" and "Skye's Reminiscence" handle the quieter moments with real tenderness.
The darker material is where Iwadare flexes his range. "That Which Lurks in the Darkness (Mix Version)" and "Valmar" push into genuinely ominous territory, and "Collapse" hits with devastating emotional weight. "Traditional Song ~ The Villager's Chorus" grounds everything in the human-scale storytelling that Grandia II does so well.
An essential Dreamcast-era RPG album.