Lux-Pain, a surreal visual novel for the DS, features music by Yasuyuki Suzuki and Kenji Ito. I am not all that familiar with either composer’s body of work, but I am aware that Kenji Ito has composed for various SaGa games. I enjoyed the music while playing the game, but how it fares outside of that context is what I shall examine here.
The first aspect of the soundtrack that jumped out at me was the sound quality. Take KIRIE (track 2) for example; this is Lux-Pain’s title theme and though I enjoyed listening to it on my DS before loading my saved games, it sounds much better here. Without the DS’s tinny little speakers and soundchip, the synth is clear as a bell. In addition, I was able to discern layers in the composition that I did not pick up while playing the game. The same could be said for the rest of the soundtrack. It’s as if the music exited the DS, hit the gym, and gained 30 pounds of muscle.
The music is synth-based and utilizes a variety of instruments including strings and occasionally electric guitar. The game is generally dark but has a variety of moods, and the music follows suit as well. Some tracks have a light feel that makes the game’s world feel like home. Others are more whimsical since even the darkest scenarios need some comic relief once in a while. These homey and whimsical tracks are generally the simplest in terms of melody and layering. Most pieces are atmospheric and offer more somber or even sinister moods befitting the general nature of the game. These darker pieces are the highlight, especially those with many layers, such as SILENT CITY or TRIGGER. There are no immediately catchy melodies in those compositions, but they did grab my ear and invited me to keep listening. In addition, because of the game’s slower pace, most pieces are generally slow to medium tempo, but the music is never boring. Many tracks start off simply enough, but as they progress they become more complex and engaging. KIRIE is an example of a track where the middle and end portions are better than the beginning.
Lux-Pain is a love it/hate it game in a love it/hate it genre. I enjoyed the game a lot and though I enjoyed the music while playing the game, the music was more engaging to listen to in this soundtrack. The enhanced sound quality allowed me to hear additional layers in the music that I could not hear on the DS. I really don’t know what else to say here except that Lux-Pain’s music is good.
