Shogun 2: Total War (Jeff van Dyck)

Shogun 2 is very Japanese. The menus are in Japanese fonts, the box looks like bamboo, the manual seems ages old, and every little detail feels so authentic, that if you have a little thing for Asian culture, the experience is indeed rather favourable.

This is a great soundtrack. I wish more film scores had the amount of cool melodies, drums, and shouting that Jeff van Dyck conjured up with this video game album. You can easily imagine scenes of a crazy Samurai film, or fantasy shogunate culture if that's your bag.

 

Put this song on and walk the streets with purpose! Even though I haven't played the game for almost a year, I still continue to listen to the music. There's a great rhythm in almost every one of the songs, and if you're feeling like something exotic, then this is one of my first choices. 

This is the music that plays when you win a battle, but it should be the music that plays when you win in REAL LIFE. I find it interesting how this was composed by someone from Canada, so hats off for doing your research Jeff van Dyck!

The Taiko Shuffle is one of my favorites. Clever use of instruments, great rhythm, what more do you want?! 

Score Rating: *****
For what it does, it's a fantastic album. For me, it far outlived the game itself, and I'll probably keep listening to it for quite some time!