Sonic 4: Episode 2 Discussion

One of the many musical complaints about Episode 1 was that, unlike Sonic 3K, the Act 2 and Act 3 theme's were way different than their Act 1 counterparts. For example, in Sonic 3 you have Hydroicty Zone: Act 1 ...

which is remixed for Act 2.

Now, in Sonic 4: Episode 1, the songs didn't really have any kind of continuity. For example, Splash Hill Zone:Act 1 and Act 2.

Compare this with Sonic 4: Episode 2. While White Park Zone: Act 2 for sure is an odd one out (to be honest, one of my favorite tracks in the game, beats the hell out of Act 1 and 3) The best example of this is Oil Desert Zone.
First Act 1.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8d8uDudGIY[/youtube]

And then Act 2, with an intro that I love but everyone else hates. Regardless, its a remix of Act 1.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPrXegQyFiQ[/youtube]


Sorry if this has been pointed out before, but I found this incredibly cool. Also I like how Sky Fortress Act 3 is a even more powerful version of Act 2, an already powerful theme. Not sure if it is a remix of act 1, though.

 

Spoiler

I noticed with the music that Jun Senoue isn't using any kind of sampling for real sounding instruments like he did for Episode I (like the brass for Casino Street and the wind instruments for Lost Labyrinth) and instead he went all analog with every song. I get the feeling that instead of going all FM, he used a combination of FM and typical euro synth analog sounding stuff for most of the later stages. I recognized some synth patches from ARP2600 for White Park Act 1 (the melody sounds like the CE_Mini02 preset) and some Jupiter-8 brass/saw like sounds for Act 2 and some of the other stages as well. Of course, these sound like typical analog sounds so I doubt he used these VSTs in particular. Just for fun with no serious effort, I just took the White Park Act 2 MIDI and messed around with some VSTs like FM8, Jupiter-8, and a sample CD for the drum kit to create this abomination.

But overall I'm very pleased with the soundtrack.

 

I wish that Jun had used more realistic instruments to be honest.

By the way, is anyone creating Sky Fortress Acts 2 and 3 MIDIs?

 

Would anyone be kind of make a pack with all the MIDI's that has been released here? I can't find them around the thread

 

Actually, I don't think your VST version of the song is all that bad. It sounds better than the original to me. Maybe I'm tonedeaf or I just hate S4's synths that much. lol

 

Well, using a generic MIDI, I did a quick test to see if I could add more to Mad Gear Zone Act 1 (after listening to it again, and since it's in Episode II in Episode Metal form), here it is:

http://db.tt/NOXAH16t

I wonder, is this type of extension more desirable? I certainly enjoy my version of the song more than I enjoy the original, even if it's just because of its increased length.

 

What are you guys on? Oil Desert 2 is one of the funkiest and most awesome Sonic tunes I've heard in a LONG time. It's funny too; did y'all forget about Sonic being a videogame cartoon? Oh man, I'm going to listen to it again.

No, I'm not trolling.

 

Half way through one, did the other. Don't remember what for which though. Been too busy with schoolwork to post or even follow the topic.

 

Somehow Oil Ocean 2 is getting stuck in my head, the horror!

DUH DAH DUH DAH

 

For me, the sound track is hit or miss. The last two levels, and their acts, are all hits for me. I would love to hear any of the 4 levels and their acts with real instrumentation. The Genesis-style kinda ruins it for me.

Act 1 of the final level with a violin playing what sounds like the whistleish melody would be awesome. Adding an electric guitar would be even cooler.

If I had recording instruments, I'd add an electric bass to some tracks for fun.

 

Plus, you could change some of the melodies to make them less repetitive.

 

Sorry, although I was still able to enjoy your mix for the most part, I just can't get past the wrong notes in the base line for what should be the "familiar" part from Sonic Adventure's Pleasure Castle. Fix this and your golden!

Ah, I know the exact midi you used. I downloaded it at one point in time too. I don't care for the wrong notes that was used to construct it, but I sure as hell love what you've transformed it into! The guitar melodic part at 00:13 sounds good and it only bothers me in the sense that the original version doesn't have the "twang" in it. I for the life of me can't tell if those 32nd note runs are accurate to the original but they don't feel like it (another element of the midi file, not you), more so because they are more "hidden" in the original.



#musicnazi



The more I listen to this music, the more I can connect each zone's music to a specific past game Jue has helped compose music for. Sky Fortress reminds me of elements of Egg Fleet and Final Fortress from Sonic Heroes (as well as some other incidental "events" from the game). Sky Fortress act 2 is FINALLY what Sonic 4 should be about! It's easily the best song in the game and is fully original, badass, and doesn't remind me of anything else. I expect to someday hear a real instruments version of this one! SF Act 3 reprises Act 2 quite well. If there is to be an episode 3 I hope the epic proportions (and originality) of these are channeled through the WHOLE game. Oil Desert 1 gives me a Shadow the Hedgehog and SA2 vibe. I think Jun's choice of using higher quality TomTom drums was a smart move....although Metropolis Zone says "Hi!" for a few seconds. Although Oil Desert gives us dying ducks, I now almost equate it to the silly creepyness from Mystic Cave Zone. Oil Desert makes me feel like I'm in Shadow the Hedgehog again. Weirdly enough Sylvania 2 reminds me of a mix of Sonic 3 2p music and something from Sonic Heroes mixed together, while Sylvania 3 feels like Neo Lost Labyrinth-like to me. I remember first hearing White Park 1 through the event videos and was disappointed, but it was just that there was so much noise that all I could hear was that one whiny bell voice. I appreciate the bass line and get a "happy" Sonic 3 vibe as well. White Park 2 is strictly Ice Cap-like moving bass line with Act 1 reprise and Pleasure Castle....nice elements. ---what's scary is I feel my own music (Zone 5 act 2) was spot on for this feel and may even create a mix using both. Unlike him, it would be more difficult to put in an older element of my own music in. White Park 3 was another episode of "Neo Lost Labyrinth Zone" syndrome.

Kind of out of order, but I got my point across.

Overall, I'm ecstatic that these songs go longer than 35 seconds before looping and the Act 2 and 3 themes of most zones give a melodic reprise of Act 1....which was absolutely non existent in Episode 1.

 

Spoiler

Is that really called "Death Egg Mk. II Zone"? Oh LAWDY! :v:

So apparently now Sonic the Fighters didn't happen or the Death Egg II was in beta form with crazy extensions...

 

I'd agree with this. The fact that these aren't lazy 30 sec loops is a huge improvement in itself.

 

Its been deemed "non-canon" until Ken or somebody clears things up. its just a case of the more you mess around with past infomation the more you mess up something else.

 

To be fair, that game does have its very own canon-stomping elephant in the room. [inlinespoiler]8 emeralds[/inlinespoiler]