[2] The artwork for the album was provided by Hitoshi Ariga, most noted for his work on the Rockman manga series and The Big O.

[3] The original release was done in a limited quantity of 1000 copies, and sold out from its main retailer MAZ-Audio within a single month.

[1][4] The first print came in a deluxe jewel case, with a premium matte booklet that features photography from the concert taken by Philippe Ramakers and Thomas Böcker personally, as well as extensive liner notes and an interview with Chris Hülsbeck, conducted by Matthias Oborski.

[7] Tim Sheehy of Original Sound Version proclaimed Symphonic Shades "gives us a full CD of beautiful orchestrations which are arranged so well that you’ll enjoy them even if you’ve never played any of the games".

[8] German journalist Thomas Nickel gave high praise to the CD as well, stating "The album is not only a treat for hardcore fans,[...] it shows how far the medium of game music has gotten.