Pads & Panels: Viva Pinata Original Soundtrack

Viva Piñata's soundtrack is very much like a movie score, entirely instrumental and designed to accent gameplay while not drawing attention to itself. As such, the 25 tunes contained on the Sumthing Else release are competently composed. The arrangements are great for the laid back atmosphere of the game, and on CD, the two-and-a-half minute musical blurbs convey the different weather conditions and happenings of the game, but there are no standout melodies, nothing to truly grab hold of the listener outside of the game. They aren't arranged in a way that tells a story, and ultimately, the songs are better left in the game. -