WILD GUNS Reloaded Original Soundtrack
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Album Title: WILD GUNS Reloaded Original Soundtrack |
| Record Label: Sweep Record |
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| Catalog No.: SRIN-1155 |
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| Release Date: June 23, 2018 |
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| Purchase: Buy at CDJapan |
Overview
The WILD GUNS Reloaded Original Soundtrack, recently released by Supersweep, contains the music for the Switch version of the classic game, with all of the original music re-arranged by Hiroyuki Iwatsuki. In addition, the original SNES soundtrack, composed by Iwatsuki and Haruo Ohashi and never before released on physical media, is also contained in this release alongside two bonus arrangements done by Toshimichi Isoe. How does this Wild West soundtrack stand to the test of time and are the new versions of the soundtrack’s music worth listening to?
Body
Unlike some updated and rearranged soundtracks released earlier this year, the updated music for Wild Guns Reloaded is certainly a faithful interpretation of the original. “Opening” blends acoustic guitar, brass, a Wild West sound to create a tune that really helps set the stage for the rest of the soundtrack while also sporting a great melody. “Select Player,” an upbeat synth tune is certainly exhilarating but isn’t terribly developed either. The updated rendition of “Carson City” keeps the Western sound of the music, has a fantastic melody, and features plenty of brass, acoustic guitar, alongside some excellent electric guitar and synth solos. It’s a very motivating tune and really keeps the energy up. “Desolation Canyon” also has a very motivating sound to it, blending acoustic guitar, synths, and whistling to accentuate an already memorable tune. Shorter in length is “Ammunition Depot,” a frenetic and exhilarating tune featuring brass and electric guitar, but is ultimately a tune that could stand to be a bit longer. “Gold Mine” is another fantastic tune. The Wild West sound serves as the backbone for the piece with plenty of acoustic guitar and brass, the latter of which dominates the melody. It’s a determined soundscape and the additional of electric guitar certainly helps give it a more arcade-like feel.
A personal favorite is “Armored Train,” with its acoustic guitar, brass, whistles, and bass, giving it a rustic, yet exhilarating soundscape, that complements a fantastic melody. One of the slower tunes on the soundtrack is “Underground,” blending brass and acoustic guitar with a slower tempo that helps accentuate the synth melody. It certains feels “underground” and gets more energetic as it progresses. “Flying Ship” is abound with Spanish flair, thanks to the brass execution. In addition, the electric guitar and synths give it a nice arcade feel and help bring the excellent melody to life. “Boss” is an exhilarating rock tune with tons of energy. The electric guitar lead alongside the drums and synth make for an extremely fund tune, but it isn’t a super-developed piece. “Last Duel” brings more Wild West flavor into the mix with its brass and electric guitar approach. The energy is fantastic and the melody excels in capturing this feeling. “VS Kid” continues the soundscape of the Western theme throughout the soundtrack, bringing a frenetic and motivating atmosphere to an invigorating melody full of brass, bass, and electric guitar. “Ending” is a slow rock tune with a wonderful melody that definitely sports an 80s sound to it while also blending synthesizer and minor chiptune elements.
The retro versions on the soundtrack all come from the original game and contain many of the same elements presented in the remake’s newer coat of paint. There is definitely a nice nostalgic air to them and they both sound great and have aged extremely well. The two bonus remixes, “Hombre Buscando” and “Mujer Rezando,” both by Toshimichi Isoe, also capture the feel of the Wild Gusn Reloaded soundtrack. The former opens up with a very rustic spaghetti Western sound that is quite crisp and honestly feels like it belongs in a classic Western film. The combination of strings and e. guitar, alongside some synth choir helps give it a wonderful atmosphere that does justice to both “Opening” and “Carson City,” which this tune combines in this remix. The latter opens with Spanish guitar and is a beautiful slow tempo rock rendition of “Flying Ship,” replete with brass, flamenco, and drums with the mix of brass and guitar led melodies really standing out. Isoe did a fantastic job with these classic tunes and it adds to the value of the music.
Summary
WILD GUNS Reloaded Original Soundtrack is a wonderful release blending a rearranged soundtrack for a classic game with its vintage soundtrack. Fans of the original will certainly want to pick it up, for those tunes alone, but Iwatsuki really kept the newer arrangements in-line with the originals, making for a wonderful listen with no noisy distractions or things that feel like they don’t belong, which should please fans of the original as well.
Do you agree with the review and score? Let us know in the comments below!
4.5
Posted on July 19, 2018 by Don Kotowski. Last modified on July 19, 2018.
About the Author
Don Kotowski Currently residing in Philadelphia. I spend my days working in vaccine characterization and dedicate some of my spare time in the evening to the vast world of video game music, both reviewing soundtracks as well as maintaining relationships with composers overseas in Europe and in Japan.
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