Another amazing soundtrack from Artec (and Studio Nue) on PC-88. This futuristic fantasy RPG is considered the same world as Minelvaton series (Silva Saga I & II, Minelvaton Saga), backed up by one of the most prolific science fiction artists in Japan as well as an accomplished science fiction author. The PC-88 version is the canonical version because as you can see from the graphics style the look is of a PC-88 game, but the sound is definitely on par with any PC-98 game.
Borrowing from HG101 “Secondly, the artwork is provided by illustrator Naoyuki Kato, who also provided the artwork for the Japanese versions of The Guardian Legend (Guardic Gaiden) and Space Megaforce (Super Aleste). Rather than the bright manga-style characters of other PC RPGs, the artwork is digitized from his illustrations and adapted using dithering techniques to the limited color displays of the time. Plus, the world design is both distinct and expansive, offering many races. Taken together, it’s a unique blend of Western and Japanese design that make it extremely unique, especially for its time. The PC-88 version also uses the Terpsichorean FM synth sound driver written by Hitoshi Sakimoto, giving it a rich texture similar to other titles he’s worked like Gauntlet IV for the Genesis and Shippu Mahou Daisakusen for the arcade / Saturn“
Japan blog says that Hitoshi Sakimoto actually helped with arranging which means actually making the music programmed and working (which is not surprising because the same company is where he unleashed the powerful music of King Breeder). Psycho Sonic is not a single person but the name of a music house whose members include Haruhiko Tsuda, guitarist for Shin●Getsu, a band that cannot be ignored when discussing Japanese progressive rock in the 1970s, and Yoh Oyama, frontman for ASTURIAS, a progressive rock band that specialized in new age-style wall of sound production. ASTURIAS released their first album “Circle In The Forest“ in the same year that Digan no Maseki was released and the song “Abilia Hair“ used in the game was remade under the title “Angel Tree,“ and the melodies of “Euress“ and “Cordarn“ were incorporated into “Circle In The Forest“.
Minelvaton series including closely related titles (I will probably upload almost all of these eventually):
PC-88 Dark Castle (Enix) 1984
PC-88 Riglas 1986
FC Minelvaton Saga 1987
PC-98 Mythic Beast ROGUS 1987
PC-88 Digan no Maseki 1989
PC-88 Dark Wraith 1989
PC-88 Barbatus no Majo 1990
SFC Gdleen 1991
FC Silva Saga I 1992
SFC Silva Saga II 1993
PS2 THE SEED 2001
Digan no Maseki (Magic Stone of Digan)
Release date: 1989
Developer: ARTEC / Studio Nue collaboration
Writer: Ramon Yuuto (Mythic Beast ROGUS, Minelvaton Series)
Artist: Naoyuki Kato (R-Type, Guardian Legend, Culcept)
Composers:
Psycho Sonic サイコソニック
Hirofumi Bamba ばんばひろふみ
Taihei Nishimura 西村太平
Yoh Ohyama 大山曜 Leader of progressive rock band ASTURIAS
Hitoshi Sakimoto (Arrangement) 崎元仁(編曲)
Haruhiko Tsuda 津田治彦
Credits for amazing scans: Gyasyabu Radio (excellent music site)
00:00 Intro (Home) / 自宅
1:26 Requiem (Game Over) / 全滅
2:39 Battle / 戦闘・ビジュアルデモ(危機)
3:23 Battle 2 (Arei’s Theme) / アレイのテーマ
4:54 Cartia (Oro/Cartia Village) / オロ/カーティアの村
5:41 Baldorn (Baldorn Underground Dungeon) / バルドーンの地下迷宮
6:42 Meldorn Town / メルドーンの町
8:15 Edona Town / マイヨールとエドナの町
8:57 Tower (Magic Orb Tower)/ 宝魔球の塔
9:49 Rigold Town / バヴァリスとリゴルドの町
10:47 Euress Town / エウラドーナとエウレスの町
12:53 Dragon (Dragon Tree Forest) / 竜樹の森
14:42 Syouki (Healing Cave and Fountain) / 瘴気の洞窟・ビジュアルデモ
16:30 Cave 1 / 竜の結界1
18:27 Cave 2 / 竜の結界2
19:56 Cordarn / コルダーン
21:45 Black Dragon / 黒ドラゴンのテーマ
22:18 Funny / 笑いシーン
22:48 Gamble / 数字当て
23:35 Doran / ドランのテーマ
25:18 Baroque (Shrine) / 神殿
26:02 Yoshiwara (House of Pleasure) / 快楽の館
26:43 Hotel 1 (Shop) / 商店
27:56 Hotel 2 (Job Placement Agency) / 職業斡旋所
29:04 Hotel 3 (Magic Guild) / マジックギルド
30:22 Hotel 4 (Hospital) / 病院
31:07 Hotel 5 (Inn) / 宿屋
32:22 Fighter (Merc Placement Agecy) / 傭兵斡旋所
33:25 Honeymoon 2 (Theme of the Diva) / 歌姫のテーマ
34:22 Baby (Theme of the Child) / 子供のテーマ
35:02 Wedding / オープニング1
37:31 Honeymoon / オープニング2
39:19 Fountain / オープニング3
40:32 Abilia Revive (Ending 1) / エンディング1
42:14 Abilia Hair (Ending 2) / エンディング2
43:24 Ending (Staff Roll) / スタッフロール
#pc88 #pc98 #msx #gamemusic #digannomaseki #artec #jrpg #retrogames #retrogaming #ゲーム音楽 #ゲーム #ゲームBGM #レトロゲーム #レトロPC #ディガンの魔石