This is the soundtrack to the Dreamcast version of Soul Calibur. Namco's music team has created a superb orchestral soundtrack for the game. All the tracks have excellent instrumentation. There is good use of reverberation and echoing that make the music sound as if live instruments were used. There are a
variety of melodies used here, but all retain the epic orchestral feel to them.
Asian and Western music style are represented very well. For example, Xianghua's theme, "Bloom and Harvest", is distinctly Chinese with its string, chime, and percussion implementation. On the other end, you have Western orchestral music like Nightmare's theme, "In the Name of Father", with its brass and percussion.
Every track in the game is on this CD. Almost all character tracks are at least two and a half minutes and loop about twice. The exception to this is Seung Mina's theme, "Eye to Eye, Blade to Blade", which is under one and a half minutes. All non-character tracks (e.g. player select, mission mode) clock in at approximately one to one and a half minutes and loop once. This is very good considering most incidental music I have heard does not last nearly as long. Surprisingly, "Going to Where the Wind Blows: Reprise" (the music from the Art Gallery) lasts even longer.
For those who pre-ordered this soundtrack, there is also a 3-inch single disc. It has two tracks from the arcade version of the game, a medley track, and a piano track. This disc is excellent as well.
A significant downside to the soundtrack is the CD packaging. The CDs are in "tissue" sleeves and put into a cardboard CD case. Handle the CD with care.
For those looking for some extra songs typical of some soundtracks, you will find none here. This soundtrack has no arranged or extended music.
Soul Calibur Original Soundtrack is truly a musical masterpiece. One should listen to this soundtrack on a hi-fidelity stereo system and set the music equilibrium to "classical" or equivalent, then play it loud!