Best Soundtracks of 2005

A minority of people mistake the Drag-on Dragoon Original Soundtrack Vol. 2 for the Drag-on Dragoon 2 Original Soundtrack. Are you sure this isn't the case for you Musharraf?

Anyway, for me, the following 10 soundtracks were all excellent for one reason or another, DOD2 receiving the ultimate crown:

- Dragon Quest VIII Symphonic Suite (in-game music for US)
- Drag-on Dragoon 2 Original Soundtrack
- Hunks Work Shop! Original Sound Track
- Killer7 Original Soundtrack
- Romancing SaGa -Minstrel Song- Original Soundtrack
- Shadow Hearts From the New World Original Soundtrack
- Senko no Ronde -Sound Tracks-
- Sledge Blow Original Soundtrack
- Wangan Midnight Maximum Tune 2 Original Soundtrack
- Ys The Oath of Felghana Original Soundtrack

Some honourable mentions:

- Ar Tonelico Sekai no Owari de Shi Tsudukeru Shoujo Original Soundtrack
- Berwick Saga ~Lazberia chronicle chapter 174~ Soundtrack
- Code Age Commanders Original Soundtrack
- Devil May Cry 3 Original Soundtrack
- Duel Masters ~Birth of Super Dragon~ Original Soundtrack
- Heavy Metal Thunder -The Recordings-
- LUMINES remixes
- Metal Saga ~Chain of Sandstorm~ Original Soundtrack
- Moonlit Shadow
- Mushihimesama Original Soundtrack
- OZ Original Soundtrack
- Perfect Dark Zero Original Soundtrack
- Phantom Kingdom Original Soundtrack
- Soul Calibur III Original Soundtrack
- Tales of Legendia Original Soundtrack
- Wander and the Colossus Original Soundtrack
- Wild Arms the 4th Detonator Original Score

Though I couldn't abide Advent Children, I think Kaleb's and Bishop's nominations are very reasonable. While 2005 didn't feature that many major releases, most were of a reasonably high quality.

Lesse....

1. Senko no Ronde OST

It's Yack, what more must I say ? :P

2. Darius Premium Box ~Rebirth

Classic tunes getting a facelift, can't hate that. OGR'in at its best =)

3. Drag-On Dragoon 2 OST

While the in-game music is vastly diffrent from the original, it is still well executed and fits the war-torn battlefields.

4. Nightmare of Druaga OST

I love Yano <3 Here he shows he can do orchestral and provide a lot of fascinating dungeons themes and epic battle themes.

5. Musashiden II Blademaster OST

Obligatory hat tip to Hamauzu, Nakano and the Iwais. I enjoyed it thoroughly, but it's Nakano that surprised me the most here.

6. Mushihimesama OST

Easily one of Cave's best offerings ever. Pairing Iwata and Namiki was a brilliant move.

7. Advent Rising OST

Certainly not as "generic" as people make it out to be, the operatic touch is peculiar here.

8. Kameo OST

Again, not exactly generic. It has a mystical aura all over it which really surprised me.

9. Jade Empire OST

Who'd thought you could mix traditional western orchestral and chinese instruments and come up with something this awesome =O Props for the main theme and various battle themes.

10. Ridge Racer PSP OST

Where do I start here ? Pairing up the original Namco Sampling Masters and the current Namco Sound Team just brought forth tons of original ideas. I especially like Hosoe's remix of Rotterdam Nation tho :P

Honorable mentions:

Hunks Work Shop
Thunder Force VI
Castlevania : Curse of Darkness
Trizeal (Game Rip)

My favorite soundtrack from 2005 would have to be FFVII: Advent Children. The music was executed very well and you can tell when you listen to it. I don't think there were any others that caught my attention as much as this did.

I'd have to say Shadow Hearts N.D.E. I'm not the biggest fan of arranged soundtracks, probably because the Final Fantasy versions have turned me away from them. But it's just something about the Shadow Hearts series music that does something for me.

Akumajo Dracula Curse of Darkness
Tales of Legendia
Wangan Midnight Maximum Tune 2

These are the 3 that really stood out for me... phenomenal work on all the composers parts, especially Yamane for giving us some awsome new tunes for vampire hunting.