[url=]http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/extra-credits/2019-Videogame-Music[/url]

I've linked to Daniel Floyd and Co.'s Extra Credits a few times before, and I simply can't help it; the discussions they present on games, the gaming industry, and the evolution of games as a worthwhile art are incredibly well presented, thought provoking, funny, and just plain awesome.

This week, there's a presentation on music in games. Honestly, it's not something I've ever really thought about before. The music's there in the game, and when I'm not playing the game, I don't go around humming the tune to Tetris (how could he not have included the theme to Tetris?!). Meanwhile, though the effort put into a game's score may escape me, I'll find snippets of chords and songs constantly pinging off the mental radar. This is doubly bizarre, when a lot of that music also comes from movies, many of which are highlighted in the video.

I completely forgot how incredible the theme to Halo is. Now, this is something I want to consciously pay more attention to, and absorb at the level I do of all other music I enjoy.

One thing I've always noticed: the music that grips me the most, the stuff I tend to remember the most and the stuff that pops into my head the most, is music with lyrics. I think this may have a lot to do with why I've never really paid all that much attention to the music of video games outside of hearing it while I'm playing.

What do you think about music in games? Do you have a compilation CD of the best that you listen to while driving or anything? What are your favorite musical numbers from games?

Music is one of the most important elements of a game atmosphere, indeed. Both "simple", old-time chiptunes and newer, more modern orchestrations.
I just can't think about some specific games without the OST. Some examples?
Ghosts'n Goblins, Another World, Flashback, Diablo (I &II, but mostly the first one), Halo, MDK, Severance - Blade of Darkness (this one is just friggin' awesome!), Oni (awesome too), and the list can go on forever....

I download some game soundtracks, legally when available and otherwise when not, and listen to them. Recent examples I can think of would be Assassin's Creed, Fallout or Mafia 2. The score tracks are usually good to listen to while surfing the internet or something. Just playing it this week I already have several Civilization 5 tracks stuck in my head... great stuff there, just like Civ4 (the main menu music for Civ4 has been burned into my brain these last 5 years).

I also have a fondness for those old 8-bit soundtracks from the NES, when I was into consoles as a kid. Timeless stuff, and when I hear retro sounding tracks like that it just takes me back to the 80s and my childhood... good stuff. Shame the games from that era themselves are too painful to play now-a-days.

Similar to others, I believe music to be one of the most important aspects of video games. People often take for granted just how much it can add to the intensity and emotion often felt within video games. It is an integral part of the game that should not be overlooked.

There are plenty of games to use as an example, especially popular console classics, but one game that has always impressed me is Diablo. The music there may seem forgettable, all except for the Tristram village theme. For many who played the series, all it takes is hearing the first few chords and suddenly they are flooded with memories of their previous adventures. When Diablo 3 was announced, it was introduced simply by the music, and it caused convention goers to erupt with cheers and hollering.

To me, that shows how important music is. When done right, it becomes an integral part of the game and can trigger emotions in people they may not otherwise be aware of. That single piece of music means so much for people who enjoyed the series, and will always bring back a wave of nostalgia each time they hear it. Listening to it now, it already makes me want to play again.

I do collect game music, but I am incredibly selective about it as well, so my collection is fairly small still. I typically prefer upbeat classic tunes from the 8 and 16 bit era, or some of the more orchestral "epic" stuff of today. Game music pretty much accounts for 90% of the music on my MP3 player, and I listen to it anytime I am at the PC, walking on the treadmill, and once in a while in the car.

weird.


when i click your link it sends me back here :(

Yeah, this forum's linking seems a little dippy at the moment. Try this:

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/extra-credits/2019-Videogame-Music