The biggest baddest OST in the franchise with epic remixes of every 2D character's theme since the PS1 era. To boot, it then has a 2nd set of music in the Korean release that, while a bit overhyped IMO, has my preferred version of some character tracks. Slayer in particular is just given straightup Castlevania music lmao

JP OST- https://youtu.be/jiDguHfPCDU

KR OST- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssg35pGp9dg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QinOrlu1Xpw

Akira Yamaoka is the most genius composer of all time. This motherfucker recorded countless footstep sound effects for each terrain and used shit like dentist drills as instruments to great effect. Madlad.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qalGezr76o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dY_6jipjKyY

I could just as easily pick X1 or X4, but those X VS Zero flash animations are the hypest shit ever. This OST is really rocking and it has a lot of great tributes to the previous X games like Variable X being the title theme.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOc22_3Z-30

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exkzEzXBrQQ&list=PLDIQTTMr5F8UuMbzB5lcVt1NEemNTn1Fh&index=9

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9MYXO1nDJc

CPS2 soundchip my beloved. A lot of the themes are remixes but all the original ones bang too

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lctWU_MWxcc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPzKfuYQwiU

I cannot believe this shit was made in a matter of days, genuinely one of the most varied OSTs ever. Also has 2 sets of remixed music that use shit like the Windows startup noise and vocals to great effect. All the names are really weird and cryptic but definitely add to the game's minimalist story.

OST 1- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8B5UhNLpXmc&list=PL6PHQCxAqpJTA3R5hgkqVJChfIuecx2gh&index=5

OST 2- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6eor1OaKXY&list=PL6PHQCxAqpJTA3R5hgkqVJChfIuecx2gh&index=28

OST 3- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxoMwjSUE8k&list=PL6PHQCxAqpJTA3R5hgkqVJChfIuecx2gh&index=34

Bonus- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYswzUwDQ-c

Everybody in the western fanbase knows Fighting Of The Spirit since it was in Symphonia, but it's shocking how underrated the OST is overseas. They really put 2 vocal songs on the SFC in addition to some voice acting in cutscenes and fully voiced battle sequences. A real tour de force for the system and one of the most important ARPGs ever for that alone

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okSEWIXa5w4

Kikuta used samples to crazy effect in the SFC Mana games, which is pretty well known for Secret in particular. I always loved how he used leitmotifs between games as well, really helped sell the familiar yet different worlds. A lot of the documentation can be found here and it's absolutely insane https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_the_Mana_series

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBzOQnbEvig

Mitsuda and Uematsu is an INSANE 1-2 punch combo. Uematsu's tracks in particular almost sound like a precursor to his future works like Dark Messenger. Anyway I FUCKING LOVE WHEN THE FINAL BOSS THEME IS THE HERO'S THEME-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woskCYAvwss

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ca7qvPwZ8k4

This game's OST is so damn good it made me hyped for a fucking loading screen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzqaqtqSezQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVmaou-eQfY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xlb8UYuSIp8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VzLxWBho-8

Features IMO the peak of my favourite composer Yuzo Koshiro and more, now in redbook audio format. The music is the main reason I fell in love with the Ys series and that's really highlighted here.

Ys I- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCugddr9Tug&list=PLzFTGYa_evXgK-r2yeG3wToCez2t1p8ww&index=9

Ys II- https://youtu.be/FwxyT7sXrNI?list=PLzFTGYa_evXgK-r2yeG3wToCez2t1p8ww

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qv0TSofXC1w