Overview

The PlayStation 3 RPG Last Rebellion is the latest collaboration between Hitmaker and Nippon Ichi Software, following earlier works such as A Witch's Tale and Blade Dancer. The game itself was critically panned for its formulaic elements and half-hearted presentation, though its score proved quite appealing nonetheless. The developer outsourced to Rei Kondoh, a member of T's Music who previously headlined the Bayonetta score among others. The Last Rebellion Mini Soundtrack was a pre-order bonus that provides an insight into his offerings for the game.

Body

"Blades of Battle" offers what Rei Kondoh does best: gothic battle themes. Reminiscent of his contributions to Devil May Cry 4, Kondoh blends epic choral chants and organ passages with hard-hitting electric guitar riffs. The production values are very high and there is just enough variety to keep listeners entertained through the playtime. This composition serves as a building block for the rest of the soundtrack and even more powerful themes await...

Subsequent tracks, including "Apocalyptic" and "Immeasurable Power", elaborate on the gothic approach to positive effect. The former is kept bubbling with its use of ethnic vocals and the latter is much more electrofied. Perhaps the most enjoyable of such themes, however, is "Chaos and Disharmony"; as the title implies, this composition is constantly changing during its development and this ensures a particularly compelling listen.

A few of the compositions featured later in the album diverge away from the gothic focus. "Self-Sacrifice", for instance, maintains the emphasis on vocal elements. However, this time the sole voice of a boy soprano is used, conveying spirituality and purity rather than malice as the mixed chorus did. "Flow of Fate" meanwhile is clearly a battle theme once again. However, its liberating rhythms and bubbly timbres have more in common with Bayonetta than Devil May Cry.

There are also some appealing examples of scenic ambience on the score. The best example featured on this album is "Worldly Truth", a fascinating blend of piano leads, percussive elements, and sound effects. The individual elements aren't much, but they come together to create something particularly wholesome. "Shiny Days" and "End of Order" lead out the soundtrack in impressive fashion. The former is a beautifully arranged piano trio featuring emotional and resonant performances. The latter is by far the most epic action theme on the entire soundtrack and represents the climax of the gothic component to the score.

Summary

Overall, the Last Rebellion Mini Soundtrack is a pleasing reflection of Rei Kondoh's score for the game. While many of the styles featured on this release are derived from other scores such as Bayonetta and Devil May Cry 4, their treatment is still impressive both compositionally and technologically. Given the mediocre critical and commercial reception of the game, it seems unlikely there will be a full soundtrack release.