I've said this before and I'll say it again. I think Mega Man as a franchise peaked musically with the PS1 X games. Their blend of crisp synths and hard rock is just perfection, and the soundtracks of X4 through X6 showed two of the series' best composers at the height of their power.
Mega Man X4: I've reviewed a few Toshihiko Horiyama tracks, but this is the first soundtrack to be entirely composed by him, and it's easily his magnum opus. X4's music is just incredible, it's a perfect blend of adrenaline-pumping bangers and sheer melancholy. Horiyama's synth leads and compositional style is so distinct and recognizable, and it lends the entire soundtrack a real sense of cohesion. It's exhilirating, it's head-banging, it's emotional, it's the Mega Man X4 OST.
Makenai Ai Ga Kitto Aru
There would be a lot of fantastic vocal themes in future Mega Man games. Code Crush, Kaze Yo Tsutaete, Freesia, Clover, Innocence, Be One... but nothing tops Makenai Ai Ga Kitto Aru. It's pure, distilled anime OP hype, an aggressively 90s track that perfectly nails the game's tonal blend of melancholy and action. The vocals are powerful, the background beat is a bop, the guitars sound so good, and the synth melodies are beautiful. What an incredibly first impression this opening makes...
5/5 Stars
Opening
Unfortunately, the JP opening is so good that the US opening kinda suffers for it. It's pretty much just your average Horiyama track, with the same sorrowful lead melody, ethereal synths, and heavy guitars in the background. It's solid, but not super remarkable compared to the rest of the soundtrack.
3/5 Stars
Player Select
While it is really short, this is a pretty great character select theme. It's overflowing with energy, and its punchy synth melody does a great job at getting the player hyped.
3/5 Stars
Stage Select
This is easily the best Mega Man X stage select theme to date. It's got such a punchy 80s vibe to it, a great sampler for the tone X4's soundtrack is going for.
4/5 Stars
Opening Stage X
Now that Zero is playable, we get two opening stage themes based on the character. As far as X4 goes, I think X has the better opening stage theme. It's a really somber and dramatic track, with high-pitched synths and a dark minor melody, but the fantastic bass and percussion keep things energetic enough that it still feels like a proper opening stage theme.
5/5 Stars
Opening Stage Zero
Zero's opening stage theme is pure heavy metal, with lots of shredding guitars in both the foreground and background. The melody isn't quite as gripping as that of X's opening stage theme, but the sheer intensity and that incredible guitar solo more than make up for it.
4/5 Stars
Eregion
Eregion's theme is pretty simple and unremarkable compared to most of the other tracks in the game. The short guitar solo midway through is pretty neat, but that's all I can really say about it.
3/5 Stars
Web Spider
Web Spider's theme is one of the most defining tracks of PS1 era Mega Man in my opinion, it just has such a thick atmosphere to it. Befitting the jungle setting, Web Spider's theme is focused entirely around the bass. There isn't really a melody, all the synths and booming drums are there to compliment an absolute banger of a bassline. The key shift in the chorus followed up by a wild synth solo elevate an already great track even further.
5/5 Stars
Cyber Peacock
Cyber Peacock is another series highlight, and a perfect encapsulation of why I adore Mega Man X4's soundtrack. This track is incredibly melancholic, with ethereal synths carrying a bleak, almost lullaby-sounding melody. It's a pretty slow and moody track at first, but the sudden shift to a frantic, fast-paced, and almost desperate-sounding melody is such a powerful payoff.
5/5 Stars
Storm Owl
Storm Owl's theme suffers a bit from its short length, but it's definitely another defining X4 track. The synthwork in this theme is so good, and the main melody is super intense and heart-pumping. I can already think of a bunch of tracks in other games that were visibly inspired by Storm Owl's theme.
4/5 Stars
Magma Dragoon
Magma Dragoon's theme is one of the coolest lava themes I've heard in a game, it perfectly captures the searing, exhausting heat of an active volcano. The pounding drums, tense and rhythmic melody, and the clap-heavy in the chorus give the whole track a haunting tribal feel.
5/5 Stars
Jet Stingray
Jet Stingray's theme is yet another easy highlight. It's just nonstop heart-pumping momentum from start to finish. The thrash riff that permeates through the entire track, the energetic high-tempo melody, and that climactic chorus all make for a serious head-banger of a Maverick theme.
5/5 Stars
Split Mushroom
Split Mushroom is a track that's more akin to Web Spider. It's dripping with atmosphere and boasts an absolutely killer bassline. I love how messed up this track sounds, from the dark minor melody, to the tense chorus, to that very creepy synth distortion right before the bridge. Another winner for X4.
5/5 Stars
Slash Beast
I can't understate how much I adore the synths in X4, and the PS1 era X games in general. They just sound so spacey and pleasing to the ears. Like the stage select theme, Slash Beast's theme has a pretty cool new wave feel to it, especially in the verse. It almost sounds like something you'd hear in a workout video from the 80s, in a good way. It's very powerful and punchy, and the chorus is a real head-banger.
5/5 Stars
Frost Walrus 1
Frost Walrus is the only Maverick to have two themes. His first theme is fairly muted and toned-down, focused more on maintaining a cool, icey feel. It sounds pretty good, I particularly like the jittering background synths in the second half which give off a real Kirby's Aurora Area vibe, but you can tell this isn't the full track yet.
4/5 Stars
Frost Walrus 2
Frost Walrus's second theme is where the main melody actually gets introduced. It has the same hauntingly cold vibes of the first theme, with a melancholic synth melody and some punchier percussion to give the track a bit of extra flavor.
5/5 Stars
Boss
Definitely one of the best boss themes in the franchise, it's just so classic in my eyes. That intense central riff is incredibly memorable and iconic, and the frenetic synth chorus makes the track feel even more hard-hitting.
5/5 Stars
Get A Weapon
Easily one of the best weapon upgrade themes in the series. It's as short as the rest, but it's super fast-paced and punchy, and the core melody is super catchy and memorable without getting repetitive.
4/5 Stars
Stage Select 2
This is a solid second stage theme. It is pretty short, but it's dripping with a menacing atmosphere thanks to those heavy dark synths in the background.
3/5 Stars
Space Port
The stage may be short, but this theme still stands up pretty highly. That tense central riff gives the track so much propulsion and momentum, and I like how spacey the main melody sounds. It does a good job at capturing Space Port as a location, both the race to get to Colonel and its relation to space.
5/5 Stars
Colonel & General
Definitely one of the most dramatic tracks in the game, which fits considering you're having to face off against characters who aren't exactly fully bad guys. That main melody that kicks off the track in particular feels really bleak.
4/5 Stars
Final Weapon
Another really great final stage theme. I love how dark and dramatic so many of these endgame tracks are. Final Weapon primarily uses these heavily distorted synths which both heighten the tension of the situation while also capturing the interstellar setting, but there's also the fantastic bassline and that absolutely haunting chorus.
5/5 Stars
Double
Double's theme is complete and utter chaos. Heavy guitars, sharp synths, and an absolute mess of a composition that still manages to fit together pretty well. It's a fine boss theme, but I do think a certain other boss theme does what it does even better.
3/5 Stars
Iris
Iris's boss theme is up there with some of the most emotionally devastating tracks in the series. Even if the boss fight is annoying, and even if the voice acting ruins the tension a bit, this music really makes you feel the tragedy of Iris's situation. While even X4's more melancholic tracks still had somewhat of a driving percussion to keep it feeling somewhat energetic, Iris's theme is pure hopelessness and despair, and it's effective as hell.
5/5 Stars
Sigma 1st
Flipping the script from the previous Sigma boss fights, Sigma's first theme in this game is the more muted and atmospheric one. While there isn't much of a melody to it, the distorted synths and frenetic background instruments still give off a really menacing vibe.
4/5 Stars
Sigma 2nd
Sigma 2nd's theme is Double's theme but way better. It's just so... scary. The background instruments are so heavy and overwhelming, and the synths and guitars are so loud and harsh, but unlike with Double's theme, there's still a distinctive melody which culminates in a frenetic head-banger of a chorus.
5/5 Stars
Dr Light
Dr Light's theme sounds like a slower and more ethereal version of the weapon get theme. It definitely works as a solid Dr Light theme even if it's way too short to really make an impact.
3/5 Stars
Staff Roll
I adore the US staff roll theme we got for X4, Horiyama absolutely killed it here. The staff roll theme perfectly toes the line between being a sigh of relief and a melancholic reflection of all that X and Zero has lost throughout the game. The main melody is so memorable and hummable, and that chorus is absolutely transcendant. This is definitely one of the best staff roll themes in the franchise.
5/5 Stars
One More Chance
Just as the JP opening blew the US one out of the water, I think One More Chance is weaker than Horiyama's staff roll theme. The US staff roll theme has such a strong feeling of melancholy and sorrow, which fits X4's somewhat downer ending. One More Chance, while still somewhat catchy, sounds like a pretty average piece of fluffy j-pop. It's gentle and cheery, which feels at odds with the rest of the game tonally, especially considering how fitting Makenai was.
3/5 Stars
Mega Man X5: As much as I adore Mega Man X4's soundtrack, though, if I had to pick my favorite overall Mega Man soundtrack, I think it would have to be X5. Say what you will about the game, but in terms of its music, this is the perfect culmination of the X series in every way. It's dripping with finality from start to finish, from a varied lineup of intense and eclectic Robot Master themes, to some phenomenal remixes. X5 is where Naoto Tanaka began composing for Mega Man, and he just gets the X series and how it should sound.
Opening Theme
X5's US opening theme is absolutely incredible, it truly feels like the end of an era. That melancholic piano reprisal of X's main theme hits so hard, and the head-banging guitar/synth solos that take up most of the rest of the track are fantastic. Perfect opening theme.
5/5 Stars
Monkey
While X3 and X4's vocal tracks were more j-pop, X5 and X6 go in a more heavy metal direction. Unfortunately, as far as X5 is concerned, yeah, the US versions blow the JP vocal themes completely out of the water. The instrumental opening felt deliberately crafted to bring the X saga full circle, while Monkey is a really cheesy piece of metal music. It's certainly fun, but it does not fit this game in the slightest.
3/5 Stars
Character Select
Not quite as heart-pumping as X4's, but it's still a solid if short character select carried by some punchy synths.
2/5 Stars
Opening Stage X
This is one of the definitive X tracks in my eyes, it perfectly encapsulates the series and its vibe, especially in the PS1 era. The main verse is super upbeat and catchy, only to segue into a more melancholic pre-chorus and an intense chorus. The synths and bass feel like pure Mega Man.
5/5 Stars
Opening Stage Zero
Unlike in X4, however, I think Zero's theme is even better this time. Like in the previous game, it's a lot heavier and more rock-centric, but the melody is a lot more catchy and head-banging this time. Like many of X5's other tracks, there's a real sense of urgency that fits the game's heavy focus on time. And the synth-heavy chorus is absolutely transcendent.
5/5 Stars
Stage Select
Out of the PS1 games, X5 definitely has the chillest stage select theme. It almost sounds like a news forecast, but it's still quite catchy and fits the futuristic setting well.
3/5 Stars
Grizzy Slash
Grizzy Slash is always my first pick for X5 and this theme is a big reason why, it just fits the game so well. I mentioned that X5 tracks have a sense of urgency, but Grizzy Slash is bleeding with urgency. It's remarkably dramatic, with tense minor chords, punchy orchestra hits, and dark-sounding synth leads. It's so edgy, and I adore it.
5/5 Stars
Squid Adler
Squid Adler has one of the most complex and layered Maverick themes in the entire series, there's just so much to it. Those heavenly synth arpeggios that kick off the track, the laid-back central melody, those shredding guitars, the head-banging chorus, it all clicks together impressively well.
5/5 Stars
Izzy Glow
Izzy Glow's theme is one of the most rocking tracks in the series, it has a big emphasis on guitars. The verse and chorus are both incredibly groovy, but I also the calmer synth-heavy pre-chorus for how well it breaks up the track.
4/5 Stars
Duff McWhalen
Duff McWhalen's theme is a remix of Bubble Crab's theme from X2. Yeah, I know there's an original prototype theme but I'm just focusing on the tracks that actually ended up in the game. Besides, this is still a damn good remix. The decision to use wailing electric guitars for the main melody is pure genius, and it perfectly nails the same balance of serenity and energy that the original track had.
5/5 Stars
Dynamo
Dynamo's theme is so much fun, and you can tell Tanaka had fun making it. The main melody is so jazzy and groovy, and the entire second half of the track is an extended breakdown with a synth solo, a guitar solo, and a drum solo one after the other. Pure brilliance.
5/5 Stars
The Skiver
The Skiver's theme isn't particularly remarkable, but it's still somehow one of the first themes that comes to mind of when I think of X5. I don't want to sound like a broken record, but I really do love how the synths sound in the PS1 games and they're on full display in this track. The surf rock-sounding chorus is also a solid bop.
4/5 Stars
Axle The Red
Axle The Red's theme is another pretty busy theme, with pounding drums befitting the jungle setting, an incredibly catchy melody, a distinctive synth setting, some wailing guitars, and an absolute banger of a chorus that pays off the track's somewhat slow build-up excellently.
4/5 Stars
Dark Dizzy
Something I like about Mega Man X5's soundtrack is that it actually has its fair share of more ambient tracks, a rarity for the franchise. Dark Dizzy's theme is this incredibly atmospheric blend of spacey synths and wailing guitars. It may seem sparse, but it generates such a beautiful aura, especially with that breakdown in the second half.
5/5 Stars
Mattrex
Mattrex's theme is just as atmospheric and it's even better in my opinion. Befitting the volcanic setting, this theme is a lot more intense than Dark Dizzy's theme, with harsh background synths and a truly glorious guitar-centric melody. It's such a great song to vibe out as you take in the guitar wails and distorted synths. Where Magma Dragoon's theme captured the oppressiveness of heat through raw intensity, Mattrex's theme captures it through density of sound.
5/5 Stars
Boss
As you'd expect, X5's boss theme sounds particularly urgent and tense. The harsh synths, dramatic melody, and eerie choirs really give off the feeling that time is running out and captures the tragedy of these Mavericks in particular. It's almost my favorite boss theme in the X series, but we'll get there later.
5/5 Stars
Mission Report
The mission report theme is fine. It does sound a tad slow for its own good, but it's certainly memorable.
2/5 Stars
Zero Virus 1
The first Zero Virus theme, which is also used as the second stage select theme, is breathtakingly beautiful. That iconic piano riff sounds so serene yet so melancholic, and when the synths finally butt in for the chorus, it feels so cathartic.
5/5 Stars
Shadow Devil
This remix of the Yellow Devil's theme is unfortunately a bit of a mixed bag. I like the idea to use an organ in there, and the main melody is as addictive as always, but the actual execution can sound a bit overly busy. It's on par with the original, not better nor worse.
4/5 Stars
Rangda Bangda W
Rangda Bangda W gets a remix of Vile's theme from X1, and as I hinted at earlier, I think this version is better. The harsh synths fit Vile's theme perfectly, and give the track a much more intense feel.
5/5 Stars
Zero Virus 2
There's a lot to unpack with this track. For starters, what an absolute banger. Zero Virus 2's theme is a head-bopping rave with a ridiculously catchy main melody and one hell of a guitar solo capping it off. However, I have to address the elephant in the room: Yes, this theme does sound a lot like Reisen's theme from Touhou 8. No, I'm not complaining, it makes this track even better.
5/5 Stars
X Vs Zero
The best theme in the entire franchise. I mean, what do I even need to say about this track that hasn't already been said? It's so good! The dramatic melody, the frenetic pacing, the climactic synth chorus, the intense guitars, it's peak Mega Man music is every single way. It's not just the perfect culmination of X and Zero's relationship but the perfect fusion of the synth and rock that defines the series.
5/5 Stars
Sigma 1st
This is one of my favorite Sigma themes. Like many of the best ones, it's ridiculously fast and frantic, but those chime synths used just sound so pleasing to the ears, and that harsh chorus is a real head-banger.
5/5 Stars
Sigma 2nd
Once again, Sigma's second theme is slower and orchestral, but it's definitely one of the better orchestral Sigma themes. I love how brass-heavy it is, it gives the track a strong militaristic feel along with the solid percussion and tense riff.
4/5 Stars
Dr Light
And of course, we get a remix of X1's Dr Light theme. The addition of X5 synths makes the whole track feel even more ethereal and comforting.
4/5 Stars
Demo
I'll be honest, I don't remember where this track plays. I think it's when the eclipse cannon fires? Either way, it's a solid piece, it definitely has that space-y vibe to it that I like.
3/5 Stars
Zero Dead
Another solid melancholic piece, if short. It took me a while to realize it was a slower remix of X's opening stage theme in this game, which just makes the track hit all the harder.
3/5 Stars
Ending Theme
An absolutely beautiful ending theme, definitely one of the best in the franchise. That piano solo, along with the soft synths, marimba, and strings add up to such an ethereal, melancholic, chill-inducing, and emotional piece. And that chorus is flat-out jaw-dropping, this really would've been a perfect ending to the series if X6 never existed.
5/5 Stars
Mizu No Naka
Well, this track certainly fits X5 a lot better. It's still nowhere near as good as the US ending theme, but it's a lot slower and heavier, and actually feels like it's about Zero's death. The vocals are the real highlight here, Showtaro Morikubo (aka X's voice actor) is really screaming his heart out here. However, I gotta say, for a song that's supposed to be about X and Zero, it kinda sounds like a love song.
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...
3/5 Stars
Mega Man X6: Despite the many issues with the game itself, Mega Man X6 is regarded by many as having one of the best soundtracks in the series, and I absolute agree. It's got such a slick new wave feel to it. This soundtrack was a solo project by Naoto Tanaka, and while you can tell it was rushed a bit due to the abundance of reused tracks and remixes, the stuff we did get easily ranks among the series' best.
Moonlight & The Answer
So, weirdly enough, X6 has two openings but they're both exclusive to the JP version. I'm grouping them together because they're both edgy rock pieces sung by Showtaro Morikubo once again, and they're both fine. They certainly fit the game better than Monkey did, but at least that track had a lot more energy. Bring back the j-pop, this is kinda boring.
3/5 Stars
Opening Stage
Mega Man X6's opening stage theme is quite unique. It's not all that energetic, instead going for an ambient, sorrowful feel befitting the game's post-apocalyptic setting and X's mindset after the events of X5. The bass and synths give the track a nice groove, and the melody is incredibly catchy and memorable. Definitely deserving of the praise it gets.
5/5 Stars
D-1000
As far as opening boss themes go, this one's pretty alright. It's short but frenetic and has a solid groove to it.
3/5 Stars
Stage Select
Easily one of the best stage select themes in the franchise. The organ gives the track so much intensity, and the synth solo that caps off the piece is absolutely gorgeous.
5/5 Stars
Commander Yammark
Commander Yammark's theme is very much antithetical to a Mega Man piece. It's slow, peaceful, calming, and ambient, and it's still one of my favorite tracks in the franchise. Yammark's theme almost feels like it's out of a DKC game, perfectly toeing the line between groovy and naturalistic. The pianos in the verse, that impeccable chord progression, the jaw-droppingly beautiful flute chorus, everything about this track is so impeccably executed.
5/5 Stars
Rainy Turtloid
Rainy Turtloid's theme is also pretty fantastic. It's a lot more energetic than Yammark's theme, but it still has an atmospheric feel. Once again, the bass and percussion are so remarkably groovy, and some of the synth solos are absolute bops especially in the chorus.
5/5 Stars
Shieldner Sheldon
Shieldner Sheldon's theme has a pretty unassuming first half, but even from the start, it boasts some fantastic slap bass. However, once that ethereal pre-chorus and catchy chorus come in, the track really starts to get good. Shame the level is so short you probably won't even hear it.
4/5 Stars
Blizzard Wolfang
Guitar wails aren't uncommon for Mega Man, but they've never sounded better than in Blizzard Wolfang's theme. This entire track is just a rock ballad, and boasts some absolutely chill-inducing riffs. Yet another incredible ice track.
5/5 Stars
Blaze Heatnix
OH MY GOD, they did not need to go this hard. I mean, do I even need to explain why Blaze Heatnix's theme is incredible, it's just the most unhinged thrash metal riffs with zero room to breath. The chorus including X6's main leitmotif is nice though.
5/5 Stars
Infinity Mijinion
It's the final countdown! Seriously though, this is one of the most 80s tracks I've ever heard in a video game. The guitar riff, that gorgeous synth, the freaking solo in the chorus, it does such an incredible job at pumping you up. This theme deserved a better stage.
5/5 Stars
Metal Shark Player
Metal Shark Player's theme is one of the less remarkable ones, it's a lot more muted and subdued. The first half isn't too special, but the second half boasts some pretty fantastic synthwork, especially in the background.
4/5 Stars
Ground Scaravich
Ah yes, the infamous Ground Scaravich theme. Some people despise this track... I don't. I concede that it's a bit too repetitive, but I like that we have a DnB-sounding track in a Mega Man game and the pianow work in the background sounds pretty great.
4/5 Stars
Boss
I'm not a fan of this boss theme. It's aggressively 80s, almost sounding like the theme song for a buddy cop film with its guitar scratches, but I always found it a bit repetitive.
3/5 Stars
Mission Report
This is a solid mission report theme. It's upbeat, peppy, and catchy, and it doesn't get repetitive like others might, but I still don't find it super memorable.
4/5 Stars
Gate's Laboratory
Sadly, we only get one fortress theme this time around, but it's an incredible remix of Hunter Base 2. Where that theme was slower and menacing, Gate's Laboratory is a lot faster and most frenetic, boasting tons of sick guitar riffs, orchestral hits, and a fantastic reprisal of X6's main motif.
5/5 Stars
High Max
High Max as a boss is awful, but his theme is oddly addicting despite how short and repetitive it is. I don't really know what to say, the synths just tickle my brain in the right way.
5/5 Stars
Gate
Gate's boss theme is also pretty solid. The central background riff is really great, as are the typical X6 guitar wails, but I can't help but feel like I'm hearing just the second half of an even better track.
4/5 Stars
Sigma 1st
Sigma's first boss theme in this game was also used for the entire last fortress level, and I really like it. It perfectly fits his shambling zombie appearance in this game, going for a really heavy and oppressive feel with haunting synthwork, an eerie choir, and some very hard-hitting guitar. In hindsight, it reminds me a lot of Midnight Wandering from Metal Slug 3, and I love that track.
4/5 Stars
Sigma 2nd
The definitive Sigma theme in my eyes, a fantastic fusion of Sigma's first boss themes from X1 and X2. The guitars are going absolutely buck-wild and the uplifting brass in the chorus give the track such a triumphant and heroic feel. Once again, this theme deserved a better boss fight.
5/5 Stars
Dr Light
This is another solid Dr Light theme. It's as ethereal as always, elevated by a touch of orchestral instruments.
4/5 Stars
Alia & Gate
This theme is fine, but I don't really remember hearing it in the game so I'm not sure where it plays. It's a pretty piano piece but I really don't have much to say about it.
3/5 Stars
Zero
An fantastic remix of Variable X that nails that theme's bluesier elements. It's like the Mega Man equivalent of the ending theme for Revenge Of Meta Knight, badass in its melancholy.
4/5 Stars
Ending
Yeah, the US ending theme of X6 doesn't do much for me. Despite having all of the distinguishing features of X6's soundtrack, particularly those iconic wailing guitars, I just don't find the melody all that strong.
2/5 Stars
IDEA
Ah, finally, we're back to the j-pop tracks. IDEA is just a pure disco bop, with passionate singers, a groovy background track, and an incredibly catchy memory. Unlike X4's ending theme which felt like a weird tonal whiplash, IDEA feels like a much-deserved victory after putting yourself through X6.
4/5 Stars
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