The Video Game Music Thread

[Nomask Alt]

The TES Arena soundtrack has some glints of genius (particularly the passage that begins at 0:32):

 

[Clockwork Knight]

Has Tristam's theme been posted yet? cant be arsed to check now that the thread was merged.

 

[ArcturusXIV]

I don't have a favorite "theme," but as a cohesive whole, the soundtracks for both Alice games, as well as System Shock 2, and Deus Ex:HR were fantastic! I am also enjoying the music for Dark Spire on DS. I guess I like the creepy, synthesized vibe with a strong bassline and some bizarre hooks.

I also dig Jeremy Soule's work on Total Annihilation.

And Diablo's opening theme (see above.)

 

[SCO]

Those AoW1 tracks were cool. Journey to Silius too

Thread could stand to be stickied.
On that note, why do the ytube links from before the board upgrade haven't gotten update for the ytube embed?

 

[mikaelis]

Why is it so rare to have a game with the vocalised main music theme? Why is the music in games so dull? Don't get me wrong, I love scores from Torment, Homeworld, Myth and couple of others which I forgot. But, sometimes you'd like that it would go beyond the ramifications of "game soundtrack". I am talking especially about the main theme that would be heard in the main menu.

Two songs that comes to my mind (perfect examples of how to do it right in the context of the game):

Boiling Point


Cannon Fodder


Post some more examples if you know of (sport games does not count, e.g., FIFA, Tony Hawk etc.)

 

[Surf Solar]

Ugh, that reminds me of that german Post Apo game with an (IMO) horrible soundtrack with exactly this singing going on.



The reason you dont see this so often is IMO because a game soundtrack isn't supposed to stand on its own to get instantly recognized, it's there to support the actual game, not to be something on its own. It's hard to describe... That's why the best game soundtracks where always those that seamlessly fit into a game, where you sometimes don't neccesarily notice/hear it, it's just there and underlays the basic mood of a game.

 

[Infinitron]

I think there's also a vocalized version of "This Kingdom Mine" from Betrayal at Krondor.

 

[Deleted member 7219]

Annah's Theme in Torment does have vocals. Really gorgeous ones, in fact.



Venice Rooftops from Assassin's Creed II. Lots of other good vocals in that soundtrack too, worth buying the whole thing from iTunes:



River of Life from The Witcher:

 

[Infinitron]

Chanting doesn't count!

 

[DraQ]

Homeworld used Agnus Dei as part of its soundtrack. Vocals.

Divinity 2 definitely uses human voice, I'd classify that as vocals too.

Both games mentioned have excellent soundtracks.

The reason why vocals aren't widely used is, I think, that they can get in the way. Games typically use human voice to convey a lot of information, from dialogue to enemy audio barks. Vocal soundtrack can obstruct this channel and make hearing different sorts of sound cues difficult as well. I guess the production differs too.

 

[mikaelis]

Ugh, that reminds me of that german Post Apo game with an (IMO) horrible soundtrack with exactly this singing going on.

Oh snap. How could I missed that! I was playing it 3-4 years ago. It was so cheesy, that at first I felt embarrased just of listening........... Then, I started to liked it

The reason you dont see this so often is IMO because a game soundtrack isn't supposed to stand on its own to get instantly recognized, it's there to support the actual game, not to be something on its own. It's hard to describe... That's why the best game soundtracks where always those that seamlessly fit into a game, where you sometimes don't neccesarily notice/hear it, it's just there and underlays the basic mood of a game.

Yes, I completely agree. It is truth in most cases. But, as anything in this world, there are exceptions. Song, that fits so well that after hearing it 30 years later you will suddenly remember all the labour you went through. And it will be a very positive reminder.

 

[Arpad]

This is the reason no one wants to hear that vocals in games.

The two NOLF games (I think Contract Jack also) had pretty decent fitting vocal use in their music. Divinity 2 also. Don't remember many others.

 

[Deleted member 7219]

Chanting doesn't count!

This is chanting:



The tracks I posted had proper musical vocals.

 

[mikaelis]

Chanting doesn't count!

This is chanting:



The tracks I posted had proper musical vocals.

Okay, okay! Let's say it counts on the same level as Agnus Dei that Draq mentioned (though Barber's version was "voiceless"). Still, I was rather asking more for the songs without humming, mumbling, chanting, "operesquing", etc. And preferably of game creators' own invention (hence two themes I posted).

The Fall still fits the list though

EDIT: SoZ that Infinitron posted, probably as well. I cannot remember this, though. It surely is not the Main Theme, or?

 

[sgc_meltdown]

max payne 2's ending theme is one of the rare cases where a game continues being awesome in the credits after an awesome ending

and yes the poets of the fall writer dude wrote it after using a poem written by the game writer as inspiration

That boiling point theme doesn't work for me too btw, if we're talking that particular atmosphere I prefer Shank 2's



it works a whole lot better with that actual menu graphic of Shank doing an almost imperceptibly slow roaring dual daggers lunge with embers trailing out though

 

[Wyrmlord]

 

[Surf Solar]

This thread reminds me of how much I hate combat music. Fuck combat music! I am very angry about music switching from one ambience piece to an upbeat/more "epic" combat equivalent. This shit needs to die. I am almost as angry to open a new thread about it!

 

[Excidium]

I like combat music, it pumps you up!

Also,

 

[Renegen]

 

[sgc_meltdown]

Fuck combat music!

wat







though one instance that works in your favor is the final level of streets of rage 2 where this theme is played



very stark contrast with the beat heavy music from most of the other stages

 

[Surf Solar]

Fuck combat music!

wat

Sorry bro, the first thing I do when freshly installing PS:T is adding the mod that gets rid of the combat music. It's unbearable. Fallout did it right. No change of pace at all. It's almost as if the world says "fuck you" with a smug face to you, why should the world change when you battle for your life, it still plays the same creepy tune as if nothing would happen.

 

[sgc_meltdown]

u guise

 

[Surf Solar]

Its not the actual pieces of music that I dislike, they are fine and some sound very cool (I love the endboss theme from DX:HR too ) - its the sudden change of pace that I dont like. :p

"The group of adventurers, ranging from level 14 to 19 making them pretty much demigods, traverses the slums of Sigil, haunting tunes are playing. SUDDENLY! A level 2 thug attacks the group, the tunes get dramatic as the party fights the thug in an epic fight worthy of a note in the old testament and eventually defeats the opponent after 1 hit."

 

[Gragt]

[

Yeah, this surprised me and touched me deeply. I even touched a russian girl because of this, physically. And fuck you, I'm drunk.

It's also from the same dude who made the music for Age of Decadence. How'd you like that, uh?

 

[Outlander]

Does the Ave Maria version from Hitman Blood Money count?