Little Big Adventure 2 Soundtrack, Philippe Vachey, 1997

Little Big Adventure had won gamers’ hearts with its charming, open-ended fantasy world. Fans didn’t have to wait too long for a sequel to hit store shelves. In May 1997, Little Big Adventure 2 was released and even better received than the first game. Gamers hoping for a title that was bigger and better still than Little Big Adventure were duly rewarded. Little Big Adventure 2’s world was significantly larger than that of its predecessor and even included multiple planets.

Philippe Vachey’s score for Little Big Adventure had turned out to be a milestone of Western orchestral game music. If there were any complaints, it would have been that the soundtrack was rather short. The larger scope of Little Big Adventure 2’s world would suggest that a more extensive soundtrack was the logical result. However, the Little Big Adventure 2 score is even a smidgen shorter than its predecessor. Mind you, it’s not a substantial issue – Vachey’s writing is at least as strong as it was on Little Big Adventure.

The Little Big Adventure 2 soundtrack has more surprises up its sleeve. Its opening track “Song for Gabriel” is strikingly minimalist compared to the franchise’s trademark orchestral richness. All that the track initially presents is a beautiful, sparse piano melody, backed by the sounds of playing children. It’s a surprisingly static, pensive opening that underscores a peaceful state of mind, contently frozen in time. But as on Little Big Adventure, Vachey has perfect control over how to build a composition. The initially scant cello accompaniment grows more continuous and string synths build the music’s scope, until reverberant live drums drive a hopeful, uplifting string melody.

Beginning on a note of serenity – rather than outright optimism – the Little Big Adventure 2 soundtrack quickly turns out to be a much darker, heavier work than its predecessor. What hasn’t changed though is Vachey’s masterful command of orchestral colours and moods, and their development. His pieces on the Little Big Adventure 2 soundtrack might not be as immediately ingratiating as those heard in the first game. However, these new compositions are even more fully realised and densely orchestrated – and most importantly, as emotionally multi-faceted. This helps to compensate for the fact that the musical world of Little Big Adventure 2 feels more coherent, but also smaller and less varied than that of its predecessor.

Little Big Adventure 2’s story does feature an evil empire, and “The Empire” creates the expectedly menacing mood, but in surprising ways. Of course, imposing, ponderous brass progressions feature heavily. However, Vachey handles this instrument group with far greater melodic skill than what many other Western game composers can muster. Where “The Empire” surprises is how it contrasts the towering brass with busy solo violin lines that recall a jig. Further hurried along by pacey woodwind motifs, the jig’s upbeat mood and constant motion soon turns breathless, maniacally driven when pushed forward for too long.

“Zeelich”, underscoring the antagonists’ planet and as sombre as “The Empire”, features the soundtrack’s most virtuosic orchestrations. Skittish violin accents cheekily answer deepest string and brass chords, before the live cello plays a fragmented melody. Throughout the composition, Vachey finds new ways to break up the cue’s melodic lines, denying any feeling of security. Chromatic woodwind ostinati keep the music uncomfortably moving, while the density of the solo instrument lines ingeniously contributes to the claustrophobic atmosphere.

It’s up to “Honey B.” and “Emerald Moon” to lighten the mood and introduce less shadowy locales to the world of the Little Big Adventure 2 soundtrack. “Honey B.”’s bumbling tuba and string pizzicati rhythms are soon joined by layers of jolly melody fragments. True to the soundtrack’s emotional richness, a hint of tension remains in the high-pitched violin chords. And surprisingly – and seamlessly – the composition segues into a dramatic brass climax that amplifies the threat emanating from the strings. But mostly, this is upbeat, nearly comedic music that thankfully never feels cutesy.

“Emerald Moon” recalls Little Big Adventure‘s “Desert” with its wispy mood. Melancholic synth washes and a tinkling, silvery melody offer respite from the album’s general busyness. Calmly meditating, “Emerald Moon” still produces a beautifully yearning melody. The composition feels like an unlikely candidate for another grand brass finale, but that’s precisely where the track is headed. And astonishingly, it’s a conclusion that still feels true to the composition’s emotional core.

After all this, the unabashedly celebratory closer “Lba’s Theme (1997 Version)” feels a bit jarring, particularly as it follows the mournful string adagio “Purple”. True, Little Big Adventure didn’t feature much of a sustained album flow either. However, it worked perfectly fine as a series of colourful vignettes. Little Big Adventure 2 doesn’t quite achieve the same flow. Then again, it’s hard to argue with a composition as beautiful and delightful as “Lba’s Theme (1997 Version)”. Essentially, it’s a reorchestrated version of Little Big Adventure’s “Lba’s Theme (1994 Version)”. The focus is a bit more on the pop influences now, with jangling guitar added and more pronounced percussion. But all in all, little has changed – thankfully. Ultimately, the Little Big Adventure 2 soundtrack might only run for slightly more than 20 minutes, but Vachey makes every second count.

Little Big Adventure Soundtrack, Philippe Vachey, 1994

Little Big Adventure is probably one of the most fondly-remembered PC games of the 1990s. A resounding commercial success, Little Big Adventure maintains a steadfastly loyal fan base decades after its release. That has a lot to do with the sheer amount of charm and personality that developer Adeline Software managed to fill Little Big Adventure with. Other innovations like the game’s open-ended world and novel 3d perspective helped turn this action adventure into a genre classic.

Just as fondly remembered as the game is the Little Big Adventure soundtrack, and for good reason. In short, after Wing Commander and Ultima: Worlds of Adventure 2 – Martian Dreams, Little Big Adventure was the next big step forward for Western orchestral game music. It came from a somewhat unexpected source. Self-taught composer Philippe Vachey had only worked on a few French computer game scores before Little Big Adventure. His most notable score was Alone in the Dark, even if the music was less effective outside of the game.

However, on the Little Big Adventure soundtrack, Vashey quickly establishes proof of his masterful handling of orchestral forces. “Opening for Lba” convinces right from the start with its beautifully layered and colourful orchestrations, flawless development, and enchanting melodies and countermelodies. While “Opening for Lba” establishes the sunny, upbeat mood that characterises most of the score, the composition doesn’t lack drama. Starting with a lyrical, yet majestic melody for oboe with brass backing, “Opening for Lba” seamlessly develops and moves through a multitude of textures and moods with the confidence and breadth of a grand fantasy score composition. And thus, the Little Big Adventure soundtrack establishes its dual nature. It’s a light-hearted, charming fantasy score that still builds a world and quest of immense

Vachey described in interviews how much the vibrant world of Little Big Adventure inspired him. Indeed, his joy of scoring such a vivid universe is felt in every piece. It helps that due to technological advancements, Vachey is in a position to use Red Book audio and thus live performers. The instrument sounds’ greater authenticity over previous Western orchestral scores is a crucial aspect of Little Big Adventure’s immense appeal.

Things continue in equally delightful fashion with “The Quest” and “The Rebels”. The former starts with an immediately memorable, shamelessly optimistic trumpet ostinato. An energising double bass figure and rising brass chords all contribute to a wonderful build up. It’s as if the composition is trembling with the giddy anticipation of finally embarking on an adventure, unable to wait until the quest finally begins – and when a cathartic orchestral flourish finally bursts out with youthful abandon, it raises the curtain on a gorgeous, sun-lit scenery. Remarkably enough, Vachey’s carefully crafted melodies and orchestrations – particularly a passage for flute, harp and pizzicato strings in “The Quest”’s second half – foreshadow Hitoshi Sakimoto’s trademark heroic fantasy stylings heard a few years later.

Clocking in at only 25 minutes, there’s not necessarily much of an album arc to the Little Big Adventure soundtrack. After its relatively uniform opening, Little Big Adventure takes off into a series of vignettes, all realised with utmost skill. Almost each composition is a score highlight, spearheaded by “Desert”, a greatly original take on the standard desert theme. Vachey takes the sounds of a harp and electronically manipulates its notes to thicken them, allowing them to fill the soundscape while retaining the solo instrument’s sparseness – all to evoke a vast, empty space. Initially “Desert” soothes with its gentle New Age-tinge. But after 1:35, its melodies develop into something more chromatic and ambiguous. Seamlessly, the previously calmly welcoming mood turns intriguingly uncertain.

“The Temple” isn’t quite as original, but atmospherically just as potent. As expected, its textures and melodies are powerfully solemn and static to denote caution and awe. However, conflict brews and ultimately erupts when a struggle between the solo flute and the orchestral backdrop – backed by busy piano lines – breaks out.

Finally, “Hamalayi” matches the opening trio’s orchestral splendour and serves as another example of Vachey’s orchestral mastery. Not surprisingly, “Hamalayi” relies heavily on arpeggios and ostinati to evoke its wintry location. But Vachey clads these musical building blocks in different orchestral colours to create two very distinct moods: calm wonder and restless agitation, as the constant musical motion becomes a menacing grind.

In interviews, Vachey elaborated on his diverse musical background and how he was influenced by pop and classical composers. On most of the Little Big Adventure soundtrack, it’s clearly the orchestral elements that dominate. However, closing track “Lba’s Theme (1994 Version)” mixes the worlds of orchestral and pop music to absolute perfection. Its central melody is a fantastic creation for woodwinds, cheery but tinged with just a bit of wistfulness at the fact that the adventure is over. Vachey interweaves melodies and builds the track towards an immensely fulfilling finish with the hand of an expert orchestral composer. At the same time, “Lba’s Theme (1994 Version)” is as addictive and immediate as any great pop song, easily exceeding Vachey’s already promising work on the FM Towns version of Advantage Tennis. There couldn’t be a more memorable finish to a score that raised the bar so considerably.