Mega Man 4's reputation has only gone up over the years for being the first truly polished Mega Man experience, but I always found it kinda mid. Between the frequent sudden difficulty spikes, dinky charge shot, bizarre story about Mega Man going to Russia, and weak soundtrack, MM4 is not a game I particularly love. Not to put down composer Minae Saito, though, she really tried here. This is an ambitious soundtrack filled with experimental pieces and a more classical militaristic tone befitting the Russian setting, but it makes quite a few of the tracks blend together for me, and it doesn't help that so much of it sounds weirdly echoey. Seriously, I have no problem with chiptune, but Mega Man 4's music just... doesn't hit my ears in the right way sometimes. The game still has its good tracks, but I'm sadly not gonna be too positive here.
Mega Man 4
Opening
At the very least, MM4's soundtrack starts with a bang. The opening theme is split into two parts, with the first being more melodic and classical-inspired, and the second being more energetic and Mega Man-y. The former bit is absolutely lovely, and the latter is a jam too if a bit too echoey
4/5 Stars
Title Theme
The title theme is also one of the better ones, even if it's still short. It's tense, dramatic, and is almost entirely composed of a rocking guitar solo.
4/5 Stars
Password
This is the worst track in the entire series. MM4's Password Theme isn't just short and repetitive, it's also absolutely ear-piercing! Who thought this was okay?!
0/5 Stars
Stage Select
This is a perfect example of my problem with MM4's sound. The melody itself is fine, but the lead is so echoed that it sounds delayed and off-beat, it just doesn't sound that good.
2/5 Stars
Bright Man
At least most of the Robot Master themes are pretty good. Bright Man's theme is nice and chirpy, and I like the little blips in the chorus. However, and this will apply to most MM4 themes, the echo does sadly drag it down a bit.
3/5 Stars
Toad Man
Toad Man's verse is nothing too special, but the jazzy chorus is really good. That downwards scale is ridiculously smooth and elevates an otherwise short and unremarkable track.
3/5 Stars
Drill Man
Definitely not a bad theme, but it's one of the most forgettable themes in the series, in my opinion. It sounds so similar to a lot of other Mega Man 4 themes. The classical-sounding scale in the chorus is pretty cool, but most of Drill Man's theme just blends together.
2/5 Stars
Pharaoh Man
Ah finally, Mega Man 4's only real banger. Pharoah Man's theme is ridiculously groovy and fun, with one of the most earwormy main motifs out of any Robot Master theme. It fits the Egyptian setting perfectly, and maintains a great sense of momentum throughout.
5/5 Stars
Ring Man
I like Ring Man's theme, it's a very experimental track but I think it paid off. The verse is sporatic and chaotic, but controlled enough that you can still parse out a rhythm amongst the seemingly random notes. And the way it all comes together for a classic Mega Man chorus ends the track on high note.
4/5 Stars
Dust Man
I get Drill Man and Dust Man's themes confused way too much, but I think Dust Man's theme is a bit better. It's a bit better paced, less all over the place, and the way it loops is very satisfying. I also think the echoey soundfont works here because it manages to replicated vacuum sounds.
3/5 Stars
Dive Man
Dive Man is another one of the better tracks in the series. It's a groovy surf-rock inspired theme with a smooth melody and an infectiously upbeat chorus. The one good thing about Mega Man 4's constant musical experimentation is that sometimes Saito manages to produce absolute gold, and Dive Man is a great example of that.
4/5 Stars
Skull Man
Skull Man's main motif is very good, classic Mega Man, but the rest of the theme just doesn't quick work for me. I just don't think the melody meshes too well with the banging background track, especially in the verse.
3/5 Stars
Boss Battle
MM4's boss battle theme feels like it's trying to emulate the freneticism of Mega Man 3's boss theme, but doesn't do it nearly as well. It's less catchy, more grating, and very short.
2/5 Stars
Get New Weapon
Man, the weapon upgrade themes just keep getting better. MM4's weapon upgrade theme is badass as hell and has a very strong groove to it that fits the cool cyber visuals that show whenever you get a weapon.
3/5 Stars
Dr Cossack Stage 1
Out of this game's four castle themes, Dr Cossack 1 is probably my favorite. It's unabashedly Russian-sounding, but pulls off that style really well, from the fast-paced and rhythmic intro to that melodic verse and chorus.
4/5 Stars
Dr Cossack Stage 2
Dr Cossack's second stage theme is considered by many to be one of the best tracks in the series and I... don't really see it, sorry. That's not to say it's bad though, it's got a great melancholic atmosphere to it and some solid melodies, but once again, it just doesn't fully come together. The banging noise during the second repetition of the verse really kills the mood for me.
3/5 Stars
Dr Wily Stage 1
I've complained quite a bit about Mega Man 4 sounding too echoey, but Wily Stage 1 gets this the worst. The laid-back tropical-sounding midpoint is somewhat pleasing, but the intro is way too loud and the outro is pretty ear-piercing. But also, why is this theme even so laid-back to begin with? It's a Wily Castle theme!
2/5 Stars
Dr Wily Stage 2
Ah, that's better. The second Wily Stage theme boasts an incredibly strong melody that feels very climactic and melancholic. In execution, it can sound a bit too whiny at times particularly at the end, but overall, this is definitely one of the better MM4 themes for me.
4/5 Stars
Last Boss
This is a fun final boss, super chaotic and frenetic with a brisk but heroic chorus. Unfortunately, it's also comically short.
3/5 Stars
Staff Roll
This is a pretty good staff roll theme. The first half is more somber, melancholy, and bluesy like the ending themes of MM2 and MM3. It's not as immediately memorable as those, but it's got some solid guitar solos. The second half is a solid remix of the MM2 motif, and it's hard to mess that theme up.
3/5 Stars
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