I'm not a gamer!

[Les Harper]

I used to play Battlefield a few years back, but other than that, not much into games.  What game would you recommend, based solely on the music?

[Garrett Beelow]

Assassin's Creed II is a fantastic game with an equally fantastic soundtrack.

Mass Effect 2 is another good one.

[Les Harper]

Thanks again. I may try to float some guitar-based music in that direction, since the synth/orchestra field seems a little crowded right now.


Jimmy Hinson said:

Well, it really depends on the game. Older games usually just have music that plays depending on what area/level you're in and keeps playing until you go to a different one. Newer games, especially action-type console games are moving towards adaptive audio, which is really cool. Basically, the music changes depending on where you are AND what's going on. Sometimes there's silence until something happens. In Mass Effect 2 for example, for each level we would have to write several themes that typically followed this set: Introduction cinematic, 2-3 conversation pieces (conversations are interactive), an Exploration theme (and sometimes a variation), 2-3 Combat themes plus 3 variations of each (full, low, and tension which would change out depending on how many enemies were in a particular proximity to you), and a Boss battle theme (with the same variations).

Left 4 Dead as I mentioned also does a phenomenal job of adaptive audio. If the players are taking too long to get through a level, they might hear a musical cue to indicate that they're about to be attacked by a horde of zombies. If there is a witch (very bad zombie) nearby, there will be some really eerie music that plays and gets louder as you get closer to her. If you startle her and she starts chasing you, the music changes to something very panic-inducing. If a tank zombie (huge zombie boss) is approaching, he'll be prefaced by a big brass musical cue. It all works out really well, and it keeps people from turning the music off because it "gets old" or something, because the music is a huge help to assist you in being aware of what's happening or about to happen.

Puzzle games, side-scrollers, children's games etc on the other hand usually don't bother with adaptive audio.


Les Harper said:

Thanks. I would definitely be a PC gamer, so heading to Steam right now.

While I've got you here, let me ask another question. How does the form usually shape up for game music? Is it a continuous loop that plays when you're in a particular room, or pieces that play between actual game play, during dialogue or story-lines or when the pause button is pushed?

[Jimmy Hinson]

Yeah, Assassin's Creed 1 & 2 have been on my "to play" list for a while now, I'm just waiting for enough free time. Jesper Kyd is a fantastic composer.


Garrett Beelow said:

Assassin's Creed II is a fantastic game with an equally fantastic soundtrack.

Mass Effect 2 is another good one.

[Jimmy Hinson]

Behold, the Steam Sale! Some of these deals expire each day to give birth to new ones, so check 'em out often.

http://store.steampowered.com/

(Left 4 Dead 2 is only $5, holy crap!)

[Les Harper]

WOW! Should I wait for it to go down to $4.50? j/k Thanks for the heads up.


Jimmy Hinson said:

Behold, the Steam Sale! Some of these deals expire each day to give birth to new ones, so check 'em out often.

http://store.steampowered.com/

(Left 4 Dead 2 is only $5, holy crap!)

[Jimmy Hinson]

Hehe, who knows, we might see it at $4.50 before Xmas ;)

Today, the Valve Orange Box is $7.50. Grab that bad boy. It's got Half Life 2, HL2: episode 1 & 2 (continuations of the game, both excellent), Team Fortress 2, and Portal. Tremendous value here.



Les Harper said:

WOW! Should I wait for it to go down to $4.50? j/k Thanks for the heads up.


Jimmy Hinson said:

Behold, the Steam Sale! Some of these deals expire each day to give birth to new ones, so check 'em out often.

http://store.steampowered.com/

(Left 4 Dead 2 is only $5, holy crap!)

[Les Harper]

I'm on it! I checked out Portal the other day. It looks very cool. Hope the music's good, too.

Jimmy Hinson said:

Hehe, who knows, we might see it at $4.50 before Xmas ;)

Today, the Valve Orange Box is $7.50. Grab that bad boy. It's got Half Life 2, HL2: episode 1 & 2 (continuations of the game, both excellent), Team Fortress 2, and Portal. Tremendous value here.



Les Harper said:

WOW! Should I wait for it to go down to $4.50? j/k Thanks for the heads up.


Jimmy Hinson said:

Behold, the Steam Sale! Some of these deals expire each day to give birth to new ones, so check 'em out often.

http://store.steampowered.com/

(Left 4 Dead 2 is only $5, holy crap!)

[Jimmy Hinson]

The in-game music is really nothing to write home about, though I think it fits fine. But the end-game credit music is as I said, one of the greatest tunes ever written. :)


Les Harper said:

I'm on it! I checked out Portal the other day. It looks very cool. Hope the music's good, too.

Jimmy Hinson said:

Hehe, who knows, we might see it at $4.50 before Xmas ;)

Today, the Valve Orange Box is $7.50. Grab that bad boy. It's got Half Life 2, HL2: episode 1 & 2 (continuations of the game, both excellent), Team Fortress 2, and Portal. Tremendous value here.



Les Harper said:

WOW! Should I wait for it to go down to $4.50? j/k Thanks for the heads up.


Jimmy Hinson said:

Behold, the Steam Sale! Some of these deals expire each day to give birth to new ones, so check 'em out often.

http://store.steampowered.com/

(Left 4 Dead 2 is only $5, holy crap!)

[Mikolaj Holowko]

Probably most of the games been already listed but I dunno if anyone mentiond Final Fantasy 6 and 7, both got amazing soundtracks.

 

But it really deppends on what kind of stuff you're in to. I like mellody a lot and although loads of games have amazinlgy produced scores they more like ambient music and doesn't have memoriable mellodies.

[Calle Edlund]

Jazz Jackrabbit 2! Love the music there. Alexander Brandon did a really great job on every track.

[Dave O'Mahony]

The Deus Ex games have great soundtracks. Fallout 3 is a very good soundtrack, not the 1940's tracks but the actual wasteland music. The composers are Alex Brandon for Deus Ex 1, Michael McCann for Deus Ex 3, and Inon Zur for Fallout 3. Those are my favorites anyway.