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N° 14: Medievil 2 - Main Menu + Bonus

Let's be honest: as far as I'm concerned, the first Medievil, released in 1998 and developed by SCEE is a masterpiece and is perfect. If I were to name a single game as a standard for all to follow, this would be it. Everything was well thought and beautifully crafted with the utmost care, from the simple gameplay that gradually evolves into something more intricate, levels that were neither too short nor too long, to a clever design that never holds your hand and lets you put all the pieces together, making every puzzle solved, every quest completed feel like a victory.

That alone would be enough to make a hell of a game, but there was more: the plot was simple (You went down in history as a hero, but, in truth, you died in the very first seconds of a battle against your arch-enemy. Your army, however, managed to rout him and victory was yours. Now, some time later, this villain comes back, raises an army of zombies and mind-control the living, but also resurrects you by accident. Here's your shot at redemption and your chance to prove that you're a hero) but enough to emotionally engage the player, to make him sympathize with the main character, and the game wasn't devoid of humor, never taking itself too seriously but never being overly goofy.

The visual were great, too: the architecture of the world was reminiscent of a Tim Burton movie, colorful and twisted, with each level having its own identity yet forming a coherent whole. This was also true for the soundtrack: no matter what it tried to be; epic or gloomy, powerful or mellow, it did with talent while feeling unique, fresh. It was just that good and it certainly never failed to generate powerful emotions. Even better, the score was so good one could listen to it out of context and still visualize a story similar to that of the game.



This is a game I've been playing since 1999, and I complete it as often as possible.That should say a lot.

The title says Medievil 2, why are you rambling about Medievil 1, you may ask ?
 I think it was necessary. You see, when Medievil 2 was announced, I was happy. I'd finally be able to play my favorite skeleton again and go on new adventures.
 Until I finally got the game. Oh it wasn't bad, it was an excellent game even, but I could put it this way: "just not as...as..." . It was just not as funny as the first game, just not as crazy, not as unique, not as Tim-Burtonnesque, the plot was way too serious (and featured time travel as well as romance) and the music... the magic was gone.The score was too serious and repetitive, and lacks the build-ups Medievil 1 had. I can hum every single track from the first game, but only two from Medievil 2: the boss theme and the main menu one.
 And this is why I've chosen the latter: it's sad, slow, baleful, it epitomizes the grittier tone, the more adult side of the game and signals a clear departure from the original formula, while still being a beautiful and delicate piece. It also has a whole different meaning for me: it symbolizes the joy I had playing this game, but also my disappointment, the sadness I feel when I think about what could have been done or how close they were of making a chef-d'oeuvre.

I hope you'll enjoy, and I'll see you next time
-Aliascent






Because I'm a kind soul, let me give you a little extra: the main menu theme from Medievil 1. Listen and see how airy yet gothic and mysterious it is, how it builds up from thin, tenuous and crystalline notes to a ominous rumble of bass and choirs.

Even with a sub-par sound quality, this track still oozes emotion and atmosphere, and  it is clear why I consider this soundtrack to be one the best OST of all times. It sounds like the soundtrack of a twisted "fairy" tale, and this is exactly what it is, and what Medievil 2 tried to be.
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