Clamp’s classic manga and anime series, Magic Knight Rayearth, had two RPGs released in its wake. One was for Super Famicom, and the other was for Sega Saturn. The latter was released in the US by Working Designs, and it also had a Japanese soundtrack release. This review exists to consider the Saturn game’s soundtrack.
Unlike most 32-bit soundtracks, which would include some live performances and vocal tracks for opening and ending FMV cutscenes, this OST is 100% synthesized by Wachi and Okamoto (names I do not at all recognize, for the record). There have been far better soundtracks made for the Saturn hardware, but I won’t even bother faulting the composers on this point. My real problem lies with the monotony of the compositions.
Really, this soundtrack turned out to be a big letdown for me. I had sought after it for years, occasionally flirting with the idea of purchasing it for some overwhelming sum of money (as it is quite rare). Eventually, the market crashed and I was able to obtain the soundtrack under much more reasonable circumstances, and I hoped to indulge in what would be a decent listen. I had dabbled with the game itself and recalled myself enjoying some of the tunes…apparently I once had very low standards.
Even the best songs are only mildly enjoyable. I enjoyed track 26, and the end credits music wasn’t that bad. The battle themes fell somewhere between “meh” and “bleh” on the scale of noises made to describe something’s quality. Some of the slower songs had a glint of hope to them, that they might progress into something beautiful…but they never got there.
What’s the bottom line? For this soundtrack, don’t even bother.
