How important is music in video games?
Welcome back. You're a regular here, so why not follow us on Twitter too...
Music can make or break a game. The recent Codemasters game, FUEL, was met with disappointment. Even though the game had a record-breaking number of square miles to explore, the soundtrack was one of the main factors in it’s lacklustre reception.
Compared to games like Ratchet and Clank, Killzone 2 and the Uncharted series though, its no wonder that people have a higher expectation of music in video games today.
While the gameplay types are not comparable, the principle still stands: music needs to complement the current surroundings while not overloading the player with noise.
Uncharted manages to pull this off with relative ease, giving the player a fast-paced and rhythmically heavy track in a car chase, while taking out the music in puzzle-solving sections.
There is a method behind all of this: faster music increases the heart-rate, sending adrenaline around the body and fuelling the sense of tension and excitement, while silence allows the player to concentrate, enabling them to solve puzzles faster. Imagine if the two tracks were swapped around? It wouldn’t feel right, would it?
Of course, a rousing orchestral soundtrack can’t be applied to all genres of games. It wouldn’t fit in MotorStorm for example. Competitive games like racing or fighting games need beat-heavy music – often popular, well-known tracks mixed with some lesser known bands to create a variety of playlists.
Again, this is to ramp up the adrenaline. The wrong music could mean boredom and that means a lack of motivation. If you’re not motivated, what’s to stop you from turning off the game?
Most importantly, good video game music can go unnoticed and still have an affect. Shadow of the Colossus, which was released in 2005, had a wonderful soundtrack which reflected the isolation of being completely alone in a country, with nothing but an unconscious girl, a horse and a disembodied voice for company.
The music successfully highlighted the mood of the immediate surroundings, as well as reflecting what was happening on screen, be it travelling, resting, or even battling a 25 foot high statue.
Music can make or break a game. As time goes on, and games get bigger budgets, things can only get better for music lovers.
What is your favourite music and why? Tell us in the comments…
The soundtrack to the first Kingdom Hearts Game is classic. The ‘overture’s or intro track alone is a masterpiece of gaming music.
And Of course, who cannot disagree with the Uncharted score – so good they used it twice!
Insomniacs Resistance music is also really good!
And of course Zen Pinball which give us our own track-list!
I agree with you turk, the soundtrack to all the Kingdom Hearts games has been awesome! I’m also particularly fond of the Shatter soundtrack. I have a soft spot for techno themed soundtracks.
I am a firm believer that every gamer should have played Super Stardust HD at least once with the volume turned up to the max with headphones in. Those absolutely amazing head-thumping tunes are one of the main reasons why it’s such an adrenaline rush.
Some of my most loved game music is from the machines of the 90′s *walks off humming the green hill zone theme*
What about the gray area of sound effects vs music, some of the most memorable moments can be when the music stops?
Sound effect v music, now that’s getting sublime!
Actually, going back to Shadow of the Colossus, some of the most effective sections were travelling to the next Colossus with no music. Just wind and the sound of horse hoofs.
Sublime.
The soundtrack to Super Stardust is great, but the best I’ve heard recently is the retro Gravity Crash music.
I recently bought the album, and it’s great to hear the music without the game FX interrupting it. You can get it here:
http://coldstorage.bandcamp.com/
The C64-sounding Six Five Eight One Remix is a personal favourite.
Surely the track selection of all GTA games should get a mention?
vice city was the best. memory lane ftw!
If the new AVP music and sound effects are as good as Aliens (the second movie by James ‘Avatar’ Cameron) then it’s Game over man, game over!
Ratchet and Clank has awesome music. I have some of the tracks from that in my iTunes library
Gran Turismo is a series that for me has always had a great soundtrack; there always seems to be three or four songs that somehow just make you feel that your driving is incredible & that you cannot lose. Burnout 3: Takedown had a brilliant soundtrack in that respect too.
Great music is integral to a game for me, but good music alone cannot save a game.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEAU1KusuyM
This track is pretty much one of my favourite tracks ever in a videogame, but when you see which game it is from you’ll probably agree that the outstanding music isn’t what most people remember from the game.
I really enjoyed BC a lot more than I thought I would. The soundtrack is soooo good!Glad to see more people appreciate it.
Oh definitely. The context sensitive music that plays when you’re fighting the Buraq is comfortably one of my favourite gaming moments of the year; such a shame more people didn’t get on with it.
Music in games can seriously make or break a game for me as well. I might be more inclined to put up with a not so good game if it has an incredible score. Too bad it won’t make the gameplay more enjoyable, haha.
It’s always sad when really good games have really bad soundtracks. It’s very distracting.
Wipeout anyone? All the way back to 1995 with the first one on the PS1 its been a mecca for banging dance tunes perfectly blended to the racing action. Love it.
GT is a good shout, it had one of the best intros ever with the Chemical Brothers’ remix of Everything Must Go by the Manics. The sound of the engines revving in just as the music hits its crescendo just leaves me raring to go everytime.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGH3uG4gGI4