Awesome Music / Ys

In the late '80s, Ys I & II were two of the very first games to fully take advantage of the PC-Engine's CD add-on to deliver Red Book-audio quality music, as opposed to the typical beeps and squawks of the time. Masterfully arranged by Ryo Yonemitsu, it was really good music. A lot of the music for Ys I & II was composed by the legendary musician Yuzo Koshiro alongside Mieko Ishikawa, which greatly influenced the soundtracks of the sequels.

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Multiple Games

• Throughout the entire series, one song has returned, again and again, in myriad forms - the upbeat, exuberant Item Get jingle.

Ys Origin

• The opening song of Ys Origin, Genesis ~ Beyond the Beginning is, as so common in the series, awesome. And the title shouts back to the very start of the intro movie from the PC Engine Ys I, which said, simply, "In the Beginning". But of course, it takes its crown from its use in-game in the last stretch of the Demonic Core section of the tower right before the final bosses of each route.
• Origin's version of "Tower of the Shadow of Death" opens the gameplay as it's part of the very first area of the game, with an orchestral tune that reflects the ancient nature of this game very well.
• The boss theme, Scars of the Divine Wing. As a Youtube commenter named MapleMeringue observes, "the hallmark of boss progress is living long enough to hear the riff at 1:12".
• "Memory of Solomon", which plays on Yunica's flashback after her first fight with Kishgal, is a slow, simplistic variation of "Palace of Solomon" from Ys II intended to invoke pangs of nostalgia.
• Origin's version of "Dreaming" plays fantastically well to what the Hall of Reflection has become in this game.
• Origin also had awesome stage music like Scarlet Tempest, Silent Desert, and Samsara And Paramnesia.
• The new version of Termination is easily one of the most amazing pieces of music to grace a video game.
• The battle with Jenocres in Rado's Annex is set to a raucous jazz remix of Tension from Ys I & II.

Ys I: Ancient Ys Vanished and Ys II: The Final Chapter

• From Ys I:
  • The very first piece of Ys music - Feena (Original) and the Perfect Collection version, (which the guys who translated the Eternal games used as a replacement for the not-quite as good Eternal soundtrack version). The Legacy version from the DS port is pretty great too.
  • The field music from where the fine tradition of awesome music begun, The First Step Towards Wars. With the adventurous strings and horns, and that addictive techno beat, it's no wonder why the Turbografx cover is the definitive version fans tend to remember. That being said, the Legacy take is a pretty sweet midi folk rock version with a flute replacing the usual horns.
    • The arrangement from the Falcom Special Box (Symphony) album is an orchestral cover with real instruments.
    • For the Chronicles release for the PSP, we got an awesome hard rock cover that swaps out the horns and strings for a stripped down, straightforward jam.
    • The Famicom rendition is surprisingly good considering the lower sound quality.
    • The one from Ys I Complete is no less awesome than the others, sounding like it's running on an upgraded Sega Genesis. Mm, delicious synth bass.
    • A short but energetic acoustic guitar and violin rendition.
  • The town theme Fountain Of Love, including the 1987 original and other versions (in 1988, 1990, 1993, 1997, 1998, 2001, and 2009), is a nice piece of chill-out music to relax to.
  • Unique to the Famicom port, Zepic Village received its own theme; in every other port it reuses the Fountain of Love music.
  • The music for the Shrine of Solomon is fantastic, considering that it's pretty much an almost empty area before the first boss fight. In a tonal 180 from the above, the cover from the Preprima album is an absolute Tear Jerker.
  • The Palace of Destruction, the music for the first dungeon crawl in the series, in both TG-16 CD and Perfect Collection versions. The former version in particular is incredible; the string, guitar, and Eastern instrumentation give it a unique feel from the rest of the orchestral/synth rock soundtrack. Listening to it on its own, it practically screams final boss music, and this is just the first dungeon!
  • The music for the Final Battle with Dark Fact is awesome. The Famicom port gives us a second theme and it's just as good.
  • "Tower of the Shadow of Death", the theme of the Tower of Darm, and by extension, a good chunk of the second half of the game. This song alone might be more representative of Ys than the main theme tune of the game. This theme kept evolving as new versions of Ys I came out, with remixes also appearing in The Dawn of Ys and Origin. The Chronicles version is often considered one of the best versions of this theme, competing only with Origin's version. Legendary, classic Ys soundtrack + the Autobots, Rock Out! vibes from more modern games in the franchise = this might be more of Adol's theme than his own theme itself.
  • "Dreaming", the theme to the Hall of Reflection floors of the Tower of Darm added in the Eternal version onwards, is a dancable tune playing into the unique nature of these floors. The Chronicles version is even better at this, with electronic beats and violins mixing seamlessly. Falcom also had the mind to add a PC-88 remix for the sake of leaving no tracks missing in the PC-88 Mode of the soundtrack in Chronicles.
• From Ys II:
  • As per Ys standards, the awesome boss music Protectors (Eternal). If you're one of those who hates the Eternal version, try the Perfect Collection version by Ryo Yonemitsu (used by the translators) and the Chronicles version by Yukihiro Jindo.

Ys III (Wanderers from Ys/The Oath in Felghana)

• For the field music we got a remix of Theme of Adol, The Boy Who Had Wings, better known as The Boy's Got Wings.
• When me meet Chester, we know that he is not be fucked with. Why? Just listen to his theme.
• The Illburns Ruins have some nice music. In the PC Engine version it's called Alcaino Ruins.
• In order to escape from the Zone of Lava, Adol takes on a Searing Struggle.
• While it's more epic rather than awesome, Steeling the Will to Fight deserves to be here.
• The music playing in the Clock Tower will make you climb it in the nick of Sealed Time.
• No Ys game is complete without the epic final boss music, in this case when fighting The Strongest Foe.

Ys IV (Mask of the Sun/The Dawn of Ys/Memories of Celceta)

• The Great Forest of Celceta, probably the games most famous music judging from how some of its elements are remixed later in the series.
• Even shopping for new equipment becomes awesome as you let out A Young Swordsman's Tear.
• "Burning Sword", the first overworld area theme in Memories of Celceta, is full of energy and sets Adol and Duren for the big journey ahead. Compare this to the original version from The Dawn of Ys.
• "Gust of Wind" is the third overworld area music, which plays as soon as you get into Ghidona Crater. A fast-paced rock track that greets you as you make your way to Comodo Village and later to the Ancient Burrow.
• Ys = Awesome Boss = Awesome Boss music, and in Ys IV it's Battle #58. If you're looking for the Mask of the Sun version, check this one, and if you're looking for something more modern, here's the remix for the midbosses in Memories of Celceta.
• "A Kiss From Eldeel", in its Memories of Celceta version, is perfect for the first dungeon you go through with Calilica in your party, the Tower of Providence, with an epic rocking track as you race across the tower with its boss giving chase to you in the second half. The song is featured in a different area in the SNES and PC Engine (which is in fact very similar to the remake's) versions.
• In the Valley of Quicksand we have a nice relaxing track of the same name.
• IV's remix of Tower of The Shadow of Death is awesome and makes you recall memories of Ys I.
• With Dogi covering your back, passing through the Bronze District should be a breeze.

Ys VI: The Ark of Napishtim

• The boss theme, Mighty Obstacle. Not many songs can combine guitars, keyboards, organs, and a horn section and come out making your heart race. It is also the first of many boss themes in Ys to sport the Autobots, Rock Out! style the franchise's soundtrack eventually became famous for.
• Defend and Escape when Adol Skewers his way throught the Romun army
• The Final Boss Theme, one quintessential example of Soundtrack Dissonance; while this relatively calm music play, you'll be - especially on harder difficulties - soaking your controller/keyboard with every sweat drop you body can produce trying to make Adol avoid the dozens of beams Naphistim's defense mechanism is throwing at him. The Zanmai version is slightly more bombastic, yet still way too cheerful for the Death Trap it depicts.
• Ruined City of Kishgal, a pounding trance-rave tune played in the dungeon of the same name.
• Ultramarine Deep, a beautiful violin-flute piece that plays in the underground passage.
• "Revival of the Ark of Napishtim", with its Carmina Burana-esque Ominous Latin Chanting.
• Release of the Far West Ocean is also quite catchy.

Ys Seven

• The OP theme of Ys Seven, Innocent Primeval Breaker and its vocal cut, Rush Out, mark a change of era for Ys, reflecting the heavier and faster-paced action featured from this game on.
• Mother Earth Altago, the theme for the first overworld field, a very heroic tune accented with beautiful Spanish guitar riffs.
• The boss theme, Vacant Interference kicks hard as well.
• One of the most surprising boss themes in the franchise, An Assault seems like it took a few cues out of Ridley's Theme from the Metroid series at the start, giving it an interesting mix.
• As if fighting a giant dragon isn't awesome enough, the battle theme Legend Of The Five Great Dragons makes it even more awesome.
• The Place Where Souls Return plays in the final dungeon and nicely sets up the foreboding atmosphere of the endgame.

Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana

• The first overworld theme of the island of Seiren, Sunshine Coastline, hyping up the player for an adventure.
• The theme of Mount Gendarme, aptly named Gens d'Armes, a fitting piece for the final dungeon of the first half of the game.
• Night Survivor, the theme for the three nighttime areas, is a fast-paced Techno track that turns what should be a Stealth-Based Mission into a completely frantic rave.
• The Sibylline Road, the first overworld theme for Dana's past segments as she helps Adol progress in the present.
• The Leaning Tower of Baja, the first dungeon the party climbs together with Dana, sounds just as a theme of a tower full of ancient technology should.
• What kind of theme should a crypt full of the undead have? The Valley of the Kings provides a good answer, sounding similar to a theme one would hear in a Castlevania game.
• The first boss theme, Deadly Temptation, is an energetic track that's sure to get the player's blood pumping.
• Vanishing Trail greets you with a sense of sadness and beauty upon entering the secret endgame dungeon, Former Sanctuary Crypt. Although the dungeon is creepy and extremely deadly, filled with traps and overpowered version of several enemies you've fought before, the music really fits considering the dungeon's sad history if you've played Dana's story until the very end.
• A-to-Z, a glorious remix of the main theme, used for the true final boss. It might sound unfitting for a final boss battle, but it still fits, given that the world has already been saved, the only thing at stake is just whether the party will see Dana again.

Ys IX: Monstrum NOX

• Il Était Une Fois is a great song for when one arrives Gllia. Sonoda once more delivers an atmospheric theme, which encapsulates the whimsical start of the adventure.
• When the world map is finally unlocked, Norse Wind is a brilliant track to emphasise the newfound freedom the Monstrums have earned. The Super Ultimate Arrangement makes the track even better!
• Heart Beat Shaker only plays in one early-game dungeon and the time attack menu, but that truly helps itself stand out as a dark horse among the rest of the soundtrack.
• Many players noticed from the trailers that the song named after the Cloaca Maxima stood out, truly becoming among the best tracks in the game, culminating in an amazing solo reminiscent of Daisuke Ishiwatari's works on Guilty Gear and BlazBlue!
• Though not as popular compared to other songs in the game's repertoire, Welcome To Chaos is still quite the hardcore song, especially at the start... The song is sadly wasted as it only plays for ten seconds per battle.
• The perfect song to face the main bosses, Monstrum Spectrum delivers a hardcore feel to a tough fight. And now with the Super Ultimate Album version, it feels even more like a Castlevania track at points.
• The song that some consider Singa's best composition for the game, The Cave of Groan, protects the great tradition of awesome dungeon themes in the franchise and wouldn't feel out of place in the soundtracks by Motoi Sakuraba.
• Glessing Way! is the true standout of the game, perfect for exploring the endgame overworld, manages to exude a similar feel to Sunshine Coastline, going for a more extreme style to emphasise that the final leg of the journey is in sight. To the surprise of none, the song also got selected for a Super Ultimate version that enhances the track, by replacing the lead keyboards with a violin instead. All hail Yukihiro Jindo!
• Takahiro Unisuga couldn't just leave Falcom after 16 years without having some outstanding tracks, and Desert After Tears is a worthy successor to the likes of Silent Desert and Desert of Despair.
• Wild Card is another contribution from Takahiro Unisuga that plays during some of the Grimwald's Night Raids, which provides a Touhou Project-level intensity as you take the fight to the Lemures.
• A Final Boss theme is always an aural spectacle when done well, and Mitsuo Singa's take on the tradition does not disappoint: Knock on Nox plays for both the first phase and the final Grimwald, and it instills a climactic level of hype reminiscent of the Grand Battle themes of Fate/Grand Order! As the Final Boss enters its One-Winged Angel state, we move to the second and final theme, which eschews the previous theme's hopeful feel for a more grim, desperate atmosphere, as befitting the horrific amalgamation of every god that Adol has experienced thus far: Anima Ergastulum. Hayato Sonoda takes what Singa started and provides the proper end, as the song continues and demonstrates that, in spite of such dire straits, the Monstrums 'will' prevail.

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