Overview

In 2011, Atlus decided to remake Persona 2: Innocent Sin for the PSP following the solid reception of its predecessor. A pre-order bonus for the Japanese and North American versions of the game was a mini soundtrack featuring eight compositions and remixes of diverse origin. Some of these are exclusives not featured in the commercial release...

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The three tracks selected from the PlayStation version are all quite different. "Ginko's Theme (Sad)" is a stereotypical arrangement of one of the soundtrack's most catchy melodies, focusing on murmuring piano lines and soft suspended strings. In contrast, "CD Shop ~ Giga Macho" is a cheesy track that brings a hip-hop flavour to the series. It's not as well-produced as Meguro's rap themes on the Persona series, but an interesting precedent nonetheless. "Velvet Room #2" is a brief rendition of Satie's Gymnopedies, which have already been butchered too many times in game music.

Easily the biggest highlight from the PSP version is "Abandoned Factory". This track brings plenty of energy at the game's climax with its pumping electronic beats, roaring guitar riffs, and stylish integration of piano and chorus. The production values are also greatly enhanced from the original. That said, it was a bad decision to make this track an exclusive here and omit it from the soundtrack's commercial release. A less notable exclusive is the humorous "Gatten Sushi" theme, while there is also a short version of the original pop song "unbreakable tie".

Among other exclusives, listeners are given "When the Enemy Is Defeated". This is an unused track presumably created for the bonus track, which combines enigmatic flute flutters with pulsating electronic beats. It's quite a great variation on the classic Persona sound. Listeners are also given a version of "Persona Ondo", a marching song featuring a ridiculous male lead. Though I am anything but a fan, some will find it endearing.

Finally, there are two exclusive arrangements by Shoji Meguro himself. His version of "Holy Spear Knights" places a much stronger rock emphasis than Toshiki Konishi's version and the electric guitar lead that enters at 0:25 is particularly captivating. The enhanced orchestral samples also benefit the piece during its more emotional interlude. Meanwhile "Battle" shifts away from rock towards jazz stylings. In fact, the big band performance and distinctive lyricism here are reminiscent of Meguro's treatment of the "Kuzunoha Detective Office" theme. It's another creative and well-produced remix.

Summary

This sampler is a slightly bizarre introduction to Persona 2: Innocent Sin's music, given the source material is diverse and some selections are gimmicky. Easily the most enjoyable pieces are the exclusives, including the PSP version of "Abandoned Factory", the unused composition "When the Enemy is Defeated", and, of course, the two bonus arrangements. It was a poor decision to make the PSP arrangements exclusives, however, given consumers were expecting the commercial release to be a complete one.