The PSP game gave each magical girl her own theme and every single one nails their character. "Hope" is Madoka distilled into warm, tentative piano. "Protection" is Homura's quiet determination set to strings that ache with repetition, like she's done this loop a thousand times.
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"Prayer" gives Kyouko this fierce, almost defiant energy. The daily life tracks ("The Way to School," "High Tea") are deceptively cozy, little pockets of normalcy that feel borrowed. "Nightmarish Images" and "Unsightly Clinging" bring the witch labyrinth dread the PSP hardware can manage.
"The End of Despair" resolves into something unexpectedly tender. "Magical Girl Birthday" is bittersweet in ways the title doesn't prepare you for. If you thought only the anime could make you feel this way, the Portable OST disagrees.