Daisuke Achiwa's score for the first Mana Khemia is one of the best things to come out of Gust's sound team, and this 2009 OST release captures why the PS2 alchemy RPG earned such a devoted following. "Run For Your Life" kicks things off with urgent energy that sets the pace for a soundtrack full of personality.
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"Nostalgia Of Studies" wraps Al-Revis Academy in warm, slightly wistful tones that make you homesick for a fictional school. "Defender Of Justice Has Come" is a heroic anthem dripping with tongue-in-cheek bravado, while "Welcome To The xFluffyx Workshop" gives the player's home base an impossibly cozy identity.
The track names alone are a trip: "My Glasses Are Addicted," "Phweeeen Biography," and "Legends Of Sillyhead" tell you this game doesn't take itself too seriously. "Halucinate Bell" and "Sirius" shift into more atmospheric territory for the darker story beats, and "Ghost Girl For Mana Khemia" gives Pamela's spectral presence its own haunting-yet-playful leitmotif.
"Block Pulse Of Love" and "Overwhelmer" handle the battle side with Gust's signature blend of rock energy and synth flourishes. A PS2 gem that deserved more attention.