Snatcher >> Policenauts

The minute I saw this CD for sale, I had to have it. Snatcher is one of my favorite games ever, and I went so far as to buy the Japanese Policenauts game, despite not understanding a word of it.

Snatcher >> Policenauts is a collection of music from both games - taken from various other music CDs - also featuring a good number of arrangements specifically for this album. And trust me, if you like either of these games, you'll like this CD.

Though still a cult classic, the music more people would be familiar with would be the music from Snatcher. Some of the arrangements are fairly close to their originals - "Bio Hazard" is still as eerie and tense as ever - but others take liberty, such as "Danger Dance, Justice All", which was originally a moody, atmospheric track but is turned into a very catchy song using a superb drum beat.

The jazzy "One Night in Neo Kobe City" and emotional "Beyond Sorrows" are both taken from the Snatcher: Zoom Tracks disc, and are two of the better pieces from that album. However, amidst all of these high-powered MIDI arrangements, two of the songs I enjoy most sound like they come from an older synthesizer from an early version of Snatcher. "Master of Puppets Among the Disease" starts off with what sounds like a circus calliope but then morphes into a dark, foreboding tune. One of my absolute favorites is "Innocent Girl", which is emotional and spine chilling at the same time, perfectly characterizing the feelings of a young girl whose father was brutally murdered. It's music like this that makes you remember what an awesome game Snatcher was in the first place (and if you think I'm giving excessive praise, trust me, I'm not).

My experience with Policenauts is a bit more limited so I wasn't as familiar with the music, but, just like Snatcher, it's all excellent. The direction seems to be a bit more cinematic, but that's in no way a complaint. "Old LA 2040" brings to mind an epic sci-fi drama while at the same time bringing tranquility with its laid-back guitar and synth saxaphone. "Icy Offense and Defense" is a well done rock-style song that inspires excitement. "Policenauts Endtitle" is the perfect credits theme, a reprise of the opening music in the game and overture of various other themes (many may recognize the Policenauts theme from the opening Konami logo for Metal Gear Solid). The only problem I have with the Policenauts tracks is that some of them are rather short; in between the nice four and five minute arrangements, there are a few songs that barely last more than a minute. They're good songs, but they seem just a bit out of place.

Other than that, I'd really have to dig deep to find any flaws against this album. There's tremendous variety, and it alternates between exciting, relaxing, and emotional. Snatcher >> Policenauts is an absolute essential to anyone who played either game.