What’s with Japan and their insistence on confusing fans around the globe by not releasing the first game in a series, then releasing the second game without the “2?” Just as with the Final Fantasy and King’s Field series (and others), Culdcept shares this problem. While the first game came out in Japan on the Sega Saturn and PlayStation (and was later ported to the DS as Culdcept DS), the first title in the series to reach the US was Culdcept II which they decided to call simply Culdcept. Confused yet?
While Culdcept II received an official soundtrack release back in 2001, 5pb Records put out this Culdcept II Original Soundtrack Deluxe album, breaking up previously lumped together tracks into their individual parts as well as tossing in unreleased tracks and remixes from both Culdcept II and Culdcept Saga, an Xbox 360 title that was released in the US in 2008. I know it’s kind of complicated, but there’s some good music here from Kenji Ito, so let’s jump in!
Hit the jump for our review of the Culdcept II Original Soundtrack Deluxe album.
While I never got into the Culdcept series, I know it’s a fantasy-based strategy game that feels somewhat like a cross between a board game and a card game. Given this combination of styles, I think Kenji Ito’s choice to take a more playful approach to the score was a good one. While not everything here is jumpy and upbeat, most of the tracks, including many of the “Battle” themes, don’t take themselves too seriously. Now that I’ve said this, one of the biggest exceptions is the first track on the 2-disc album, “Prologue,” which is contemplative with its somber strings and use of bells and harp. It’s a powerful but not overly memorable theme, and fortunately doesn’t define the character of the rest of the album.
As I mentioned, this album breaks up suites of songs that were lumped together on the previous soundtrack release. Each area is broken up into a first half, second half, and battle theme. “Open The World (First Half)” starts us off with an exotic accordion and a lovely flute melody to lighten the mood, while “Bomber Princess (First Half)” is sweet and soothing, yet regal with the use of harpsichord. I also appreciate the “Prayer of Ruin” tracks, which sport a distinctly Asian vibe. The entire suites for “A Little Fool Bandit” and “Lost Techno” (one of my favorites) are incredibly cheerful along with a handful of themes from other suites, sounding right at home with the visual style of the game.
I also like the focus on organ and harpsichord found in the “Sorceress of Fate” tracks and the airy and soothing themes found in “Ravine of Wind and Sun.” As the track titles would suggest, the “Holding Revenge in my Heart” and “Oath of Fire and Ice” tracks are quite heavy, but rather than sounding out of place, they instead provide a true fantasy RPG feel that may have been otherwise absent among the more whimsical, child-like songs found elsewhere on the album. The final area “Light and Shadows” can also get pretty intense, but the strings and organ in the “(Second Half)” are simply fantastic. The “Epilogue” tracks are quick to get us back into a jolly mood, but “Epilogue #3” actually provides us with a lovely piano ballad that’s unfortunately only 0:53 in length. I wish it was longer!
The rest of the album is made up jingles from the game and the bonuses I mentioned earlier. “Heaven’s Melody” again hits my weak point with more organ music, while the skipping steel drums in the minimalistic “Chat! Chapter! Chat!” will put a smile on your face. There’s a series of “Brave Story” tracks that are pretty well characterized by their track titles, which include “Escape,” “Terror,” “Rest,” and “Courage,” but my favorite is the incredibly joyous “Pleasant” with its catchy melody. The majority of the unreleased tracks are short jingles that you probably won’t care much about, but there are several lengthier outtakes that fans of the game and soundtrack may be interested in hearing.
It’s then on to the remixed tracks, starting with “Prologue -Deluxe Version-,” which is actually an updated version of the contemplative theme that takes on a sort of bossa nova vibe with acoustic guitar, a deep bass line, and a smooth woodwind melody. “Bookmark -Deluxe Version” is a sweeping string and piano version that sounds like the perfect backing for a J-pop ballad. There are also two remixes here from Culdcept Saga, likely meant to promote that game and its soundtrack, including a trancey remix of “The Road to Saga” and “The Phoenixion -Extra Mix-” which was featured on the Extra -official compilation- album that we reviewed a few months back. All the remixes are great, and make for a nice bonus for fans who may already own the original release of the Culdcept II soundtrack and are looking for a reason to pick up the Deluxe version.
The album artwork isn’t much to get excited about, but there are extensive liner notes included in Japanese. Overall, I think Kenji Ito fans will be pleased with this album, as it features a mix of genres and styles, including a few serious pieces alongside a larger body of playful material. The album is a hard sell if you’re one of those people who own the original soundtrack release, and even the unreleased and remixed tracks–while a nice addition–are probably not worth the $30 or so you’d have to pay for the album. If you missed out on Culdcept II, however, and are interested in picking up the Culdcept II Original Soundtrack Deluxe album, it’s still available from Play-Asia.
What do you think of the Culdcept series? Do you have a favorite soundtrack release from the bunch?
Tags: 5pb, 5pb Records, Culdcept, Culdcept II, Kenji Ito, Music Reviews, Reviews, Videogame
