One of the few aspects of Sands of Destruction that developed any sort of reputation good or ill was its soundtrack. The dose of Mitsuda never saw a big OST release, however; all we got was this five track “Premium” tease. Unfortunately, just like the game, this selection of Sands’ music isn’t enough to warrant much of an opinion.
We begin with the main theme, a brief and beautiful vocal track. The music isn’t particularly interesting, but the vocals are above average, even unintelligible as they are. “Balni Village” almost recalls the excellence of Xenogears’ town themes; this is Mitsuda at his most comfortable. “Illusion of Sand” brings vocals and bells together with a wavering melody that adds spookiness. “Toppy’s Theme” seems a weak choice for inclusion when only five make the cut. “Scarlet Future” is rousing, but unoriginal.
Too bad I don’t have a better gaming experience to look back on when listening to this. For Sands fans, this is all you’ll get of the soundtrack out of the game itself, so buy up. For the rest of us, it’s just not worth the bother.
