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Image: Ken Sugimori / Yuzo Koshiro

The Japanese composer Yuzo Koshiro is probably best known in the West for his soundtracks to Sega's The Revenge of Shinobi and the Streets of Rage games, but what you might know is that he actually got his start on Japanese home computers - in particular the PC-88.

This home computer didn't have much of a presence in the West, with its popularity in the 80s mostly being isolated to Japan. Yet regardless, it managed to be incredibly influential on video game music, with Koshiro continuing to use FM-Synthesis sound chips on much of his more popular work.

Now, after 34 years, the celebrated composer seems to be returning to two of his earlier soundtracks for the machine, producing a brand-new arrangement to the 1988 2D sidescroller The Scheme, in partnership with Limited Run Games. This new arrangement aims to combine "PC-88 audio with modern synths to produce a 21st-century revival", and features 19 tracks taken from the two different soundtracks produced for the Yamaha 2608 and Yamaha 2203 sound chips:

The tracklist will be as follows:

  1. Into the Lair
  2. Death World
  3. I'll Save You All My Justice
  4. Coward!
  5. Ha! Ha!
  6. Perpetual Dark!
  7. Shout Down
  8. Thousand Eyes
  9. Nuclear Power
  10. Master of the Shooting
  11. Angry Fist
  12. The Force Rotted Away
  13. The Emperor was Steeped in Vice
  14. Hardy is the Strongest
  15. Challenging Tomorrow
  16. Game Over
  17. Hassin Com.
  18. Outcast One
  19. Majestic Fire

It will eventually be made available as a 1-CD release, as well as a 2-LP Vinyl release with art from Pokémon illustrator Ken Sugomori. This is in addition to another digital version from record label Brave Wave Productions for Bandcamp, Shopify, Apple Music, and other music platforms, scheduled for release in late 2022. Pre-orders are expected to start in Autumn 2022, but no pricing seems to have been announced yet.

What do you think? Are you going to pick up a copy once it releases later this year? Comment below, and let us know!

[source limitedrungames.com]