TOP TEN TOPIC: FAVOURITE VIDEOGAME SOUNDTRACKS

Posts

Pages: first prev 12 last
Damn. I got nothin'. I accede.
Suikoden II
Wonderful music. I even have some on my iPod.

Suikoden
See the above post. ^.^

Okami
So perfect for the game setting.

Final Fantasy series
Some of the songs really get stuck in your head and are just great - though over-used by RM games - especially the Chocobo theme from FF7. ^.^

Harvest Moon
Let's face it. It's a game with less than ten songs and a lot of repetition. The music needs to be good.
author=brandonabley link=topic=1821.msg29563#msg29563 date=1220647205
Well the thing is I am comparing video game music as a compositional exercise to the rich history of opera and ballet and later film scoring that we have in our western culture. When you view things that way you find that the styles of music popular in Japanese games have a much more gripping and timeless quality to them than the throw-away atmosphere pieces jokes like Soule put out. Ballet like The Nutcracker or The Rite of Spring have memorable themes or a quality to their music that makes the music an art of its own, and not just something to set a MOOD like the generic fantasy crap that lilts away in the background in Oblivion or in some second-rate thriller film. When you view soundtracks this way, and look back at the video game music you have heard, you can maybe remember a certain color that American video game music has had, but very rarely remember melodies or specific pieces of music associated with specific moments in the game.

Oblivion and Command and Conquer 95 don't have their Imperial Death March moments, whereas maybe many Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest games do. I think it's a really fundamental problem with the way modern American composers and gamers are looking at music and it's destructive to the effort to make American audiences take game soundtracks seriously as an art form.

Also the noticeable looping you are talking about is more of a problem with game direction and music form than it is really with the entire idea of music-that-you-don't-ignore itself.
Well one school of thought goes that good music in a visual medium is music you don't notice but would notice if it wasn't there. In film (which obviously is a very different medium from games but still) having a hummable tune can sometimes be quite distracting from the action on the screen.

A recent example of film music that was good and not hummable is The Dark Knight, I loved the soundtrack in the first and the second went the same way. The music is awe-inspiring but it isn't hummable. When I leave the theatre I don't really remember a single track. I just remember that it was there and that it was good.

I think something similar should apply to games. Having title tunes and other stuff should obivously have a classic feel to them but the in-game music should only support the game and not distract from the action. (One example comes to mind in Deus Ex, a game with a title screen track that I love to death but, while the rest of the game had pretty fine music it's not anything I can really remember or put my finger on.)

A melodic tune is probably good in a lot of circumstances but I also like the complete audioscape. An example is Meteos, the tunes are fairly simple but the interact greatly with the sound effects the games make when you accomplish things. Making it a very musical game that fits very well in with what you do. For more traditional gaming it's the whole thing with the weak ambient tune in the background and all those explosions going around everywhere. You stated C&C 95 as an example. I clearly remember at least a couple of tracks from that soundtrack especially when in combination with a bit of explosions and some "unit ready, unit lost" nicely in sync with it all to create an experience.

And what would Fallout be without the music that sounds like wind that goes through the empty wasteland?


There was an interesting article on game audio on Rock, Paper, Shotgun recently. It's not really about the music but about the whole soundscape.

Harrison is not the only one who sees scope for greater creativity in game audio. “No one has conquered game audio,” says Sanger. “The greatest of them all, for a while there, was Michael Land. He created the music for The Dig, which is on a record label for a reason: it's good. But it's a linear piece that got a record deal with Angel or whatever… Afterwards he came to me with his big beard and he said “ I don't think interactive audio will ever really be possible, it'll never be great art.” This is one of the greats saying this… and this is because one of the most important aspects of music is /timing/. You need to know what's going to happen and when. Composing interactive music for games is like, well, rather than making a painting, you're mailing colours and a list of directions to some kid who wants to look at the painting and getting him to put it together.

"It'll never be great art."
Max McGee
with sorrow down past the fence
9159
Anything by Brandon Abley.
I'm awaiting brandons retort; it's interesting to watch because I don't know anything about this.
author=Max McGee link=topic=1821.msg30166#msg30166 date=1220899270
Anything by Brandon Abley.

Man you have made the next three months of my life much happier. Seriously dude <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3



author=Shinan link=topic=1821.msg29912#msg29912 date=1220792743
Well one school of thought goes that good music in a visual medium is music you don't notice but would notice if it wasn't there. In film (which obviously is a very different medium from games but still) having a hummable tune can sometimes be quite distracting from the action on the screen.

This school of thought, when applied to film, usually only applies to scenes with dialogue. This is why in many hollywood films you will hear driving music during action an montage, but subtle mood music during speaking scenes. I enthusiastically disagree with the concept that you shouldn't notice a soundtrack - it is similar to arguing that you shouldn't notice the composition of a shot. In great art, you *do* notice the details, and that is often what makes it great.

author=Shinan link=topic=1821.msg29912#msg29912 date=1220792743
A recent example of film music that was good and not hummable is The Dark Knight, I loved the soundtrack in the first and the second went the same way. The music is awe-inspiring but it isn't hummable. When I leave the theatre I don't really remember a single track. I just remember that it was there and that it was good.

I have read interviews with Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard about the scores to these films (note that both movies use almost all of the same music!) and it is interesting that they made a conscious effort to not use any melodies in the film soundtracks. There are parts that can be mistaken for melodies, but really, that is only because the top notes in a chord sound like a melody if there is no other melody to listen to. It's an interesting stylistic choice, and if you take the time to pay attention to the music, it's actually pretty interesting. In this case, I don't think you were paying attention, so it's not that the music is not memorable but that you didn't notice it because it was too subtle. I don't know about you, but I distinctly remember several cues from the movies and could hum them back to you right now.

author=Shinan link=topic=1821.msg29912#msg29912 date=1220792743
And what would Fallout be without the music that sounds like wind that goes through the empty wasteland?

The triumph of Fallout's music is that it does sound like barren wasteland as you are exploring or in other cases like the mechanical sounds of industry that you would associate with New California Republic. This is actually an example of what I am arguing: the music has a specific vision and a goal that it wants to accomplish and you do notice the music and its effect does stick with you. Music is a lot more about notes and rhythms put in sequence, and even though Fallout doesn't have any memorable melodies, it certainly does have a lot of memorable sounds.

. . . I don't think interactive audio will ever really be possible, it'll never be great art."

Are you saying that video game music will never be great art? Because that is not what the speaker was saying. He was saying that interactive music will never be great art. I believe he is talking about the sort of music you get from a game like Everyday Shooter.

I really do believe pretty strongly in what I said: I want American video games to have music that is more impactful and meaningful. I want to *want* to listen to the OST for more than just novelty value. Of course there are exceptions, but the par for the course is not for composers to write great music for American games. I feel that there is a problem with the entire culture and general attitude toward the music in video games in our country!
That's a lot of words Brandon.

I say Donkey Kong Country.
author=Erave link=topic=1821.msg30198#msg30198 date=1220908364
That's a lot of words Brandon.

Your FACE is a lot of words >:(
harmonic
It's like toothpicks against a tank
4142
We should form a support group / union of video game composers, to increase american awareness and appreciation of the art form.

Then we should call our group some sort of crazy acronym like NAPBLIRT or something.
You take yourself way too seriously. You're not even that good.

Earthbound would probably be a 2nd.
author=Erave link=topic=1821.msg30215#msg30215 date=1220909601
You take yourself way too seriously. You're not even that good.

Dude you're an ass.

Like seriously what is your fucking problem :(
Erynden
Gamers don't die, they respawn.
1702
10. RPG Maker VX
9. RPG Maker XP
8. RPG Maker 20003
7. RPG Maker 2000
6. Final Fantasy X
5. Final Fantasy VIII
4. Guitar Hero II
3. Rock Band
2. Chrono Cross
1. Chrono Trigger
Starscream
Conquest is made from the ashes of one's enemies.
6110
author=Erave link=topic=1821.msg30215#msg30215 date=1220909601
You take yourself way too seriously. You're not even that good.

Earthbound would probably be a 2nd.

Oh man, that was epic ownage.
harmonic
It's like toothpicks against a tank
4142
author=Jakester link=topic=1821.msg30323#msg30323 date=1220931349
10. RPG Maker VX
9. RPG Maker XP
8. RPG Maker 20003
7. RPG Maker 2000
6. Final Fantasy X
5. Final Fantasy VIII
4. Guitar Hero II
3. Rock Band
2. Chrono Cross
1. Chrono Trigger

How in the world did RPGmaker RTP soundtracks get on this list...
Is there a reason why no one has mentioned Castlevania: Symphony of the Night? I don't even play castlevania (I am inept at platformers), but the music from that game has to be one of the most beautiful game OSTs I've ever heard. My husband plays it, and I just sit there immersed in it's music... and maybe a little in the fact that Alucard is pretty hot.

EDIT:

SUIKODEN 1. Theme of a Moonlit Night, An Old Irish Song, the world map theme... god I love that game too much. If I don't stop giving that game love, people might think it's my favorite game ever. Well, it is by Konami.

Star Ocean 2 had nice music. Motoi Sakuraba is indeed love.

Tales of Symphonia had nice music, but some of it got a bit repetitive and lackluster. But there are themes in that game that are among my favorites. That game had so many boss themes. And they were ALL GOOD. This was done by Sakuraba and a few other guys I don't remember because I can't think of any other projects they were a part of. *shrug*

I feel like Noriyuki Iwarde doesn't get enough love, either. Grandia has some great themes, my favorite being the opening itself.

Oh, and let's not forget the great father of video game music, Koichi Sugiyama. I don't care how old he is, I love that man. He gets to go to Heaven for composing all of Dragon Quest's music BY HIMSELF. Fishbel's theme melts my heart.
Okami (Brilliant, I have some on Ipod)
Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Say what you want about it not being orchastrated, IT'S AWESOME)
Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (If only for the Windmill Music)
Super Smash Bros. Brawl (It's like a huge database of epic scores, WITH FIGHTING! YAY!)
Final Fantasy 7 (Some of it is depressing, but it fits the game, and is amazing. I can play Aries Theme on piano, it's grade 5! I've never even got a grade! XD)
Final Fantasy 8 (This soundtrack is underrated. I played this once when I was about 7 and the music has stuck with me. Again, it can be depressing, but still good)
Final Fantasy 9 (I LOVE THIS SOUNDTRACK! Vivi's theme is simple yet catchy! Same with Kuja's, except it's not simple. =D)
Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker (Man, epic scores in this. The game was too short, but music amazing in my opinion)
Super Mario Galaxy (This game was good, *In my opinion, not great* but the music was absolutely...just... no words.)
Metroid Prime 1, 2, 3 (I'm not a big Metroid fan *I scan everything, and get annoyed* but the tracks on it are cool, a mix of techno, electro and just plain awesomeness.)

pianotm
The TM is for Totally Magical.
32347
10. The Legend of Zelda
9. Metal Gear Solid
8. Chrono Trigger
7. Xenogears
6. Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
5. Final Fantasy VIII
4. Chrono Cross
3. Final Fantasy VII
2. Final Fantasy VI
1. Tomb Raider
- Elder Scrolls Oblivion (Shame about the composer...)
- Metroid Prime Trilogy
- Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (Sorry Country 2 but it has a lot of the same tracks but better...)
- Ai Cho Aniki
- Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon
- Doom 2016
- Space Funeral
- Max Payne 3
- Nier
- Nier Automata
Pages: first prev 12 last