Overview

Super Robot Taisen Complete Box is a PlayStation package featuring remakes of three of the earliest titles in Banpresto's robot saga, Super Robot Taisen 2, Super Robot Taisen 3, and Super Robot Taisen EX. A team of composers and arrangers united to create a fitting soundtrack for the title, blending new compositions with arrangements of anime theme songs, classic character themes, and possibly other tracks from earlier in the franchise. Let's take a closer look at the resulting soundtrack release...

Body

This album actually opens with a number of original compositions before moving into the typical anime arrangements. The most notably of the new compositions is "ReviB a Soldier", an energetic synth rock theme that receives both an instrumental and vocal edit. It's a little overbearing for my taste and could have been implemented much better. "Whip Up" and "Time Travel", on the other hand, are shorter tracks that fit their particular in-game contexts and have the series' distinctive sound. They're certainly not ideal for stand-alone listening, though.

The selection of anime theme song arrangements on this album is very conventional and mainstream. There are the typical tracks that have been heard on numerous occasions from series such as Mazinger, Gundam, Getter Robo, and the Robot Romance Trilogy. This works fine in context, given the game was a remake of some of the earliest titles in the series, but will be mind-numbing for those who have become sick of these tracks. Their arrangements only add to the monotony with their out-of-place synth, hyper-melodic focus, and superficial characters, faring poorly against the originals and more creative interpretations in later titles in the series.

The second half of the album is dedicated to compositions created specifically for the Super Robot Taisen series. Some are arrangements from earlier games in the series, most notably the set of character themes, which are obligatory additions given the encompassing nature of the remake. Themes such as Masaki's "Scirocco! Gale! Cybuster" are quite charming in their renditions here and, unlike the anime theme songs, were clearly created with the limitations of game consoles in mind.

While most of the album has an upbeat and superficial sound, there are a few original compositions that break the mould. Actiont racks such as "Wilderness War" and "Rushing" are quite compelling during the soundtrack, though not up to the standard of Alpha's. "The Universe" is one of the most atmospheric additions with its unique blend of both organic and inorganic new age elements. The production values are again quite low here, they add to the charm of the piece somewhat. "Virtuosity" meanwhile is a heartrending composition for solo piano and strings; it's not as sophisticated as the name implies, adhering more closely to the new romantics than the great romantics, but it's still beautiful in the game.

Summary

Overall, the soundtrack for Super Robot Taisen Complete Box is a fitting way to commemorate the earlier titles in the Super Robot Taisen franchise. The anime arrangements, character themes, action tracks, and sentimental interludes all combine to form a representative sample of the series. However, the compositions and arrangements are generally not varied, detailed, or polished enough to be particularly inspiring. Thus, the album is best reserved for nostalgics only.