Game info: Wikipedia (series info)
Listening: series soundtrack album (tracks 9-17), emulated audio
Info
The sequel has slightly more music than the first game, not because there are any new modes but because there are now four different themes that play as you progress through the single-player mode rather than just two. Overall the music here has a bit of a harder edge to it than the first game; the lowest-level stage theme is on the chiller side but it has more menacing techno chord transposition than its corresponding track from the first game, the higher-level themes get into gabber territory, and even the staff roll theme is concerningly tense (because you have to keep playing through the credits this time!).
This soundtrack’s also solid enough, I liked it about the same as the first game’s, maybe just slightly more. I particularly liked the more chord-transposition composition of two lower-level stage themes, and while the harder tracks are a little less to my taste stylistically, they’re sufficiently wacky enough to be a good time listening to. The crusty, lo-fi sound of the first game is also back, which is nice, and Ayako Saso incorporated some real basic, chiptuney waveforms into a couple of her tracks for an interesting sound design mix.
The soundtrack album includes a full production gabber remix of “TA Level 900-999” by Shinji Hosoe called “Last Absolute Level” with funny vocal samples, so if your reaction to listening to Saso’s original was “nice but I wish that song was even more fucked up,” then I’ve got good news for you!
Recommended tracks:
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“TA Level 500-699” (Hosoe) edges a bit close to DnB country
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“TA Level 700-899” (Hosoe) is the goofiest of the gabber, with some sick harmonica blazing for no reason
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“TA Battle BGM” (Saso) is a little more normal than its corresponding track from the first game, though it still incorporates the same weird riffs with a new chiptune flavor
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