The Power of Rhythm
Michael Love
September 19, 2008
I’ve never been one to really pay much attention to ingame music; OK, that’s not strictly true. I’ve never been one to consider how important music is in games, until recently. Whether it be, for instance, the choice of battle music or just the theme for an environment or character, I’ve realised music is a vital part of games.
A while back, I played the demo of Blue Dragon. Normally I wouldn’t let a demo sway my decision over whether or not I’m going to buy this game or that; this time, I had to change my habit as the battle music was just so over-the-top rocky that I was immediately put off buying the game. I couldn’t stomach the idea that I would have to endure this for every single enemy encounter. So I got to thinking of the music…Â
Now, being a massive fan of RPGs, I have a fondness for the work of Nobuo Uematsu, the composer of many a Final Fantasy piece. The great irony is he also worked on Blue Dragon… but everyone has an off day, right? The man is such a legend that entire concerts of his music are performed! Beyond Final Fantasy, I have a liking for a diversity of sounds from the dread-filled dirge of Ravenholm in Half Life 2 to the tension and inadvertent comedy of Splinter Cell’s alert beats… listening to the one for Chaos Theory’s Bath-house level conjures up images of a troop of enemy soldiers trained almost solely in mad drumming!
Of course, I know the musical tastes of gamers vary immensely – using the rogues’ gallery on the right as an example, there’s fans of J-pop, doo wop, electronica and metal for starters!  Not all of that is covered in games… and, even when it is, some despise listening to game tracks in their entirety. They will gladly customise them to fit their whims, using everything from the Wu Tang Clan to My Chemical Romance with a bit of Mozart in there somewhere; you’ve not lived until you’ve witnessed Halo being played to the strains of The Proclaimers! Me, I don’t tamper with what has been created if it’s not to my liking. The music is part and parcel of the game; depending on the type of game, it is used to set atmosphere, to evoke emotion, to put a gamer on edge or on the edge of their seat! I think removing or replacing it seems wrong somehow… but, if it really grates, volume control baby!
And now we have the marvel that is Video Games Live – an event celebrating at least 30 years’ worth of games music, from Asteroids right up to BioShock, and the memories they hold. I myself have never attended this but I can imagine the effect of it on those who have; to even think of the Green Hill Zone theme is enough to bring me right back to my childhood. And that is the magic of music, is it not?
Enjoy!
Â
September 19th, 2008 at 12:39 pm
For me, music in gaming has always been as important as other aspects of presentation; in fact, I’d probably place it above everything other than gameplay and story. The right music in a game can push it from being enjoyable to truely memorable; it can be used to elevate that cutscene or cool gameplay moment to something I’ll think about for a while, rather than just immediately afterwards.
When I hear music, I imagine the scene it came from, or the action that evoked it. For a second, it’s almost like I’m expeirencing that moment again. There’s barely a lick of commercial music on my iPod, and that’s not because it’s bad, but because I simply find it much easier to connect with the music in video games and movies.
September 19th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
That Sonic tune rules! Classic!
September 19th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
To each their own. I’m the other type of gamer that feels that videogame music is getting worse and worse with every passing year. Sure, they are getting more and more professional. Loads of games use the Prague orchestra in games, but to be honest, I am now so old and set in my ways that I am no longer open to music which bores me.
There’ll always be a special place in my heart for Mario and Zelda tunes, but I could not imagine myself listening to those soundtracks for as long as I did when I was younger, at this moment in time. No Sir.
Custom soundtracks rock.
-Van-Fu
September 19th, 2008 at 2:48 pm
Disagree with custom soundtracks, they derive from the hard work the developer musicians have done.
Unless of course it’s a truly, truly awful soundtrack…or any Burnout game, then custom is ok.
September 23rd, 2008 at 12:20 pm
Have you ever tried snowboarding in Amped to the strains of Jingle Bells or Winter Wonderland?
It’s like Xmas day when you’re seven. :)