orkybash

Castlevania 'Castlemania' Could we have a more creative title please? I've already got a mix off MP3.com named Castlemania . But all complaints about the name aside, this is one great mix. My only complaint, albeit a big one, is the lack of bass in the first part of it, which really makes this mix sound a bit lacking at times. Overall good, though, and highly recommended.

Terranigma 'Crysta Dreams' Dang... i was really hoping for something a bit more special for our first Terranigma mix. DC13 builds up some nice ambiance in the intro, but drops it. There's some nice sounds here, but it doesn't really stray very far from the original. djp said in his review, "some very nice percussion riffs that move across the stereo field and add a great sense of space to the mix." Well, sorry to break it to ya djp, but those were right out of the original too. So overall, I would say get it if you're not familiar with the original or desperate for Terranigma stuff (then again, who isn't? ) Otherwise, pass this one up.

Final Fantasy III 'Winds of Eternity' You know, I really can't find much to criticise here. I personally would have put a little vibrato on the sax, but making it sound smooth probably wasn't as much a technical problem than an artistic decision, so I'll leave it alone. Kudos to Avien for producing not only a great mix, but our first from FF3 (and is it just me, or does this mix complete the FF core series, so we have mixes from FF1-10?) Highly recommended.

Castlevania 'Midnight Slayer (Solemn)' One of the more creative versions of Vampire Killer. The whip sound really makes this one, but even without it this mix would be very enjoyable. Recommended.

Diablo 'Tristram Rock' Really nice rendition of the Tristam theme from Diablo. Too bad it's so short and underdeveloped - there's a lot of potential here that Matt Pollard doesn't explore. But it's still worth a listen, Diablo fan or not.

Final Fantasy IV 'Calbrena - Tumultus Puparum' I gotta admit, the first time I heard this it really didn't rub me the right way. I like it a tad better now, but it's still not anywhere near the top of my list. The most interesting thing here is the transition into the techno-ish part, even if I think the part could be executed a bit better (maybe if it were longer before it switched back to the organ?) Anyway, may take a while to grow on you, but then again, a lot of people liked this on the first listen, so maybe that's just me.

Final Fantasy VI & IV 'Engineer Cid (Factory Mix)' Who would have thought you could combine completely unrelated melodies from FF4 and 6? Or that you could do it while restricting yourself to the FF6 soundset? Apparently, Matt Pollard thought he could, so he did. And in the process, he created what I consider to be the most creative Final Fantasy mix on this site. It's probably not everyone's cup of tea, but it sure as hell is mine.

Final Fantasy VII 'DJ Chubby C vs. GoGoBoco!' Kinda short and undeveloped, but this is still a cute version of the Chocobo theme. I especially like the use of the chocobo sound as a substitute for a vinyl scratch! Overall, not something I'd listen to on a regular bases, but still worth a download to hear it at least once.

Final Fantasy VII 'Rape of a Planet' Glad to have Matt Pollard back, and this track should serve as a good indication why. This is, overall, a well-executed version of the Mako Reactor theme. Pollard seems to take some liberties with the melody, but it makes this no less enjoyable. Especially notable for the processing that goes on in some parts of it.

Mega Man 2 'Project X2 - Title Screen' When I first heard this song, I knew Project X2 would be something special. In the first part, an NES-style synth is well-blended with an acoustic guitar. The second part is heavier, but still features a blend of synths and guitars. I have only two complaints: the way the transition is executed, and the length. Other than that, this is much better than anything from Project X1. Recommended.

Guardian Legend 'Rosenthorne' This is a great mix from Wingless. High points are when the drums come in at a little after the 2:00 mark, which was completely unexpected but a nice touch nonetheless, and the well-executed key change. The guitar sample is my only complaint - it could have used more reverb, and it could have been played in such a way that the chords sounded strummed. Other than that, though, I would really recommend this.

Final Fantasy 10 'To Zanarkand Once Again' There are only a few remixes I've started off that I can say that I'm truly honored to have the first word on, and this is one of them. Trptcox covers this theme beautifully, and my only complaints are minor nitpicks about the samples. Truly an amazing mix, and one that I would recommend to everyone who isn't deaf or something.

Much better than coin song. Good samples in this one. I love the simple instrumentation - piano, strings, and haunting voices - very tastefully done. The gets a yes.

This is one song I never expected to be remixed, but I think it's remixed well here. My only complaints are the samples, specifically the tinny string-like sound that starts it off and runs throughout the mix. But I think overall it gets a "yes" frpom me. BTW, don't ever forget the rabbit one. We all make mixes that don't turn out as well as we would have hoped. I personally made an all-strings arrangement of Castle Baron that was universally hated. But what's the better thing to do - forget it happened, or learn from it?

This was up on VGmix a while ago, but I thought I'd submit here cause I like OC much better (for the record, I only use VGmix to host files so I can submit them to OC ). Anyway, it's been about a week since my FF9 mix, which is the amount of time DJP said to wait between submissions, and I figure by the time the results are in for this it will be just enough time since my FF9 remix was posted.

This is pretty repetative - simpoly changing the instruments doesn't a good song make, especially if some of them (like the orga really don't fit). But what really does it for me is the fact that JAXX already has a cover of this song which, at least in terms of the guitar parts, is very similar (no, that's not usually my basis for judging things, but in this case it just has so little to offer that's new). Improve the parts that don't rely so heavily on guitars, change it up some so it doesn't get so boring, and I'll vote yes. But for now, I cant say this belongs on OC

Not quite the imperial march, but I'm assuming that's because the in-game music wasn't quite the imperial march. Personally, I thought the voice samples were tastefully done, though I liked Vader's better than Palpatine's. So, I really don't see why this shouldn't go up.

I thought the off-key-ness actually improved the song, by adding some interest to an otherwise bland song. Other aspects of the production are poor as well - I'd personally like to hear more drum, but I don't think there's any major problems that prevent me from voting yes.

Not badly done, but I would definitely like to hear a higher bitrate here. The EQ needs work as well - too much bass. I would say yes for the arrangement, but point out that the technical side of things needs a lot of work.

Lemmings 'Let's Go Dance' Nines covers possibly the most recognizable/memorable theme from Lemmings. Can't say I cared much for the cover, though... possibly because it's pretty basic as techno goes. it's technically not bad, just not anything special. I would say the highlight is the well-used lemming sample, which should serve as an example of how to use the same sample in a single song... namely, *sparingly*. Overall, not bad, but probably not worth a download unless you're desperate for Lemmings tunage.

Street Fighter II 'China Street Beat' Very interesting fusion of Chinese and techno motifs here. All the elements are right on, except for the in-game sample interlude which I *really* didn't care for. Maybe a little short, too. But overall, it's worth a download.

Streets of Rage 'Retouch the Boss (Short Edit)' Solid techno track here. Highlight is, as djp pointed out, the ingenious siren effects. If there's one thing to complain about, it's the lack of melodic content for most of it, but it's easy enough to get lost in the driving beats that you don't even notice. If this is a short edit, I'd really be interested in hearing the whole thing! Definitely a worthwhile download.

Kung Fu 'Sound Test' Quick and dirty mix here. Can't say it's anywhere near my favorites from this site, but it's still enjoyable. Only problems I had were the repetition (especially the voice samples), and the weak, weak ending. But still fun, at least for one listen.

Mega Man 2 'Rapid Fire' Disco Dan is cool. or rather, this mix is. If you're familiar with DD's style, you should know what to expect - it's obviously him right down to the specific sounds used. My only complaint is it's pretty repetitive, but that doesn't mean it isn't worth a download.

F-Zero 'Blue Vacation' Really fun and unexpected remix from LousySpy here. Maybe a bit repetitive, but that's the only piece of criticism I can come up with. Other than that, this remix is really well done, and has earned a place on my playlist.