Of all the Super Robot Taisen soundtracks, perhaps none is more dominated by anime themes than the “F” (Final) OST. With a few exceptions (such as the arranged tracks), everything up to track 35 is anime music.
However, the original tracks at the end, as well as their early arranged counterparts, have gone on to become classics in the SRT soundscape, being re-used in tons of different SRT titles since.
SRT F is a substantial remake of SRT4, and was meant to “Finalize” the original series (before jumping to Alpha and other spin-offs). It was a big project, at least for its time, and marks the halfway point through the series’ now 15 year length.
The music reflects the sort of “cornerstone” position that the game “F” finds itself in. We have something of a “best of” with the best 32-bit sound available at the time and some excellent song selection. Top it off with four arranged tracks and you have quite an excellent OST on your hands.
If this were the late ’90s, that would still hold true. But, as each song has been re-arranged nearly a dozen times in different SRT incarnations, it’s safe to say that a package such as the MX OST or the Alpha 3 OST would be better choices than this old, out of print disc from First Smile Entertainment. It’s truly a “collectors only” kind of album.
Something I was happy to see here was the first, original version of “Robot Generation Song of Praise,” the ending theme for Super Robot Taisen F. It’s one of the last songs to be written and performed by people outside of the “JAM Project,” and it’s really a solid entry in the roster of SRT themes. If you’re looking for the top quality of the “old-school” SRT music, look no further than this album.
