games and music... this is tough since we say what's good but then later you dicover you forgot to mention that game which had that great piece.
There's also those games which have one great music but the rest of the score is not very good. In fact, there's lots of games that have a great main theme but the rest of the music is too generic.
some old games had great 8-bit scores. And they are even greater in their original form than rearragements for real instruments...
there's a i thing that I love music too, and I study it as a hobby. (in fact I'm struggling to learn how to play a violin
). I love too hear game music and folow the score sheets when i have them available...
well... here are my favorites... which I remember now and if i remind of some later, I'll add them.
Legend of kyrandia series: Frank klepaki, from westwood studios fame at it's best. the first game soundtrack is the best of the series.
Ys series: An action-RPG series from japan which had lots of ports for various videogames/computers. The first two games had it's music composed by a young yuzo koshiro, whom have made the streets of rage, actraiser and lots of other games. Great music even for the blips of early computers, and one of the few soundtracks that were on and on rearraged and it still sounded as good as it was in the 80's.
here's a link were you may find some MP3 samples, and an overview of the series:
http://hg101.classicgaming.gamespy.com/ys/ys.htm
Thief series: Very nice enviromental music. made by eric brosius, it's very cool and atonal. the same guy who did the system shock ones.
Classic scores is sometimes generic, but there are some nice tunes: Oblivion and morrowind main themes are nice, although the rest of the sound track of these games are a little obvious and repetitive. but it's listenable...
Jeremy soule is a great composer, but looks like he writes aways the same kind of music. There's the KOTOR ones that are great, but they're not the second coming.
Homeworld has the agnus dei, the choir version of the adagio for strings. the rest of the sound track with the electronic aspect of enviromental music is great. But the adagio itself is a must.
Outcast, looks like the game had 2/3 of it's budget dedicated to the creation of it's music. It's classical master piece that stands on it's own. Not one single music of this game is bad. that said, it's important to say the game is great also.
The prince of persia series, the old one and the new one. I'm not fond of heavy metal as a soundtrack, but here they used it moderatedly. I don't like music with lyrics (nothing against classic choir, but I hate the pop singers) in games also, but they only used in the credits. No damage.
From baldur's gate series, i like the main theme of BG1 and it's variations, used in game, and used as the theme of throne of bhaal. BG2 theme I'm not very fond of it.
I remind of jesper kyd. He's the best. classical meets electronical. hitman has the best soundtracks for one series, each one with a diferent approach, all of great musical quality. He reminds me of basil poledouris and his conan, hunt of the red october soundtracks. Freedom fighters has the same quality of music, and I have yet to listen the music he did for kane and lynch.
Deus ex main theme is great, looks like kyd's stuff, but it's the only piece of music from that game that managed to stick in my mind. not that the rest is bad, but it's not as memorable. Like the main theme of halo, which i like, but the rest is too generic.
I remember the kind of rap, hip-hop music from toe jam & earl of the genesis/mega drive as one of the greatest for the 16 bit consoles.
The starlight zone music of the first sonic is a master piece.
going back to PC, the ultima series. The theme from ultima 5 and 6, plus stones are marvelous. Ultima 7 had a great range of tunes.
But in that series Ultima undeworld I and II are the best on the series. I mean, almost the best, since the very best of ultima music is in ultima 8, pagan. The game had it's flaws, but when I played, i loved ultima, I even played that game unpatched, and I can sing any of that game music and really feel I'm in that place. That is pure midi-magic. Very dark, and the very best use of midi-bells sound. I wish the would play in a concert with a great orchestra and coductor.
Lucasarts musics: The adaptation of john williams scores for the star wars and indiana jones are aways nice, with the midi version of tie fighter (the win/98 with 3d support remake had CD redbook audio with scores from the film) and the imuse system are great. But lucas arts were even better when it would come as the original titles: Outlaws (which are based on enio morricone's spaghetti westerns scores), Full throttle, and monkey Island, all with the imuse system, which would seamlessly change the music accordingly to what you were playing.
well, there are many other, but normally, my taste can be inclined to one type oof music in a game depending on my mood and interests at the time.
PS: I was just finishing, but I've just remembered michael giaccino theme for call of duty, which i like. I wish jesper kyd would go to movie business like him.
. Thanks for the link.
