It seems like music has always been a partner of the media. Whether you are watching an intense action scene from your favorite movie, playing a long awaited video game, or watching a commercial about the new type of brooms that are sweeping the nation, there will probably be music playing in the background. More often than not, we don’t even notice the driving force that this music can have. Because of this, I’ve decided to take a moment and credit a few gaming titles that I’ve had recent experience with that extremely benefit from their strong soundtracks.
Payday: The Heist is a 4-player co-op heist shooter. Think Left 4 Dead, but objective based and with more guns. This game focuses more on the shooting rather than the actual technicalities of running a heist operation.
Simon Viklund is the man behind the music, and he did an excellent job of really making the player feel like they had been thrown into an action heist movie, starting with the load-out screen, which is a guitar and bass driven riff that reminds me of a team planning out a heist and gearing up before it goes down, kind of like in the Ocean’s films, but heavier.
Soon as the mission starts, the music usually (depends on the level) sets a tone of build up during the time players get in position until it’s time to put the masks on and go to work. When it comes to that, the music drives the intense firefights with a mixture of rock and electronic, sometimes integrating alarms into the music, like on the missions No Mercy and Diamond Heist which are two of my favorites.
Finally, if your team manages to fend off the cops, grab the goods, and escape, you’re congratulated with a successful heist screen that plays a guitar heavy track that would make anyone feel like they just pulled off something awesome.
Killing Floor is a co-op survival horror shooter for the PC. Think zombie survival mode, but for some reason some of the zombies have chainsaws or meat grinders for arms. Yes..meat grinders. As twisted as this game can be, it’s an undeniably intense FPS that uses satisfying shooting mechanics coupled with team play and a variety of challenging enemy specimens to make one heck of a co-op experience.
The music for this game is one of the most memorable qualities for me. I’m probably not the only one who tends to pair heavy metal with zombie shooters, and that inclination probably came from Killing Floor. Each track is an intense instrumental metal song with heavy guitar riffing, often starting big and maintaining the intensity all throughout.
The music is perfect for a high action run and gun style of play, and with the occasional activation of bullet time at appropriate moments, killing zombies has never felt so intense. After 355 hours clocked in this game, I still keep the music cranked, because without it, it’s just not the same.
Bastion is an action adventure indie game that quite honestly blew me away. The narrative is all spoken by an old man with the coolest old man voice you could conjure up in your head, and I think the music is almost as much a driving force in the narrative as the spoken narration.
The soundtrack was produced and composed by Darren Korb. He described it as “acoustic frontier trip hop”, which to put in layman’s terms, it’s beat heavy, but a bit folky and very acoustic guitar driven. It has a very unique sound, and I find myself listening to it like I would with the rest of my music.
With the combined force of the old man’s narrative and the acoustic heavy music, whenever I think of the game I’m given this image of an old man sitting by a fire, telling folk tales from a time he once knew, which I think is what the creators intended. It sets a unique tone, and I found myself unable to stop playing, curious to hear more of the old man’s tale, and play it at the very same time.
You all knew I’d mention it eventually. When talking about music in video games, it’s basically the elephant in the room. I’m not just talking Guild Wars 2 either, I’m referring to anything by composer Jeremy Soule.
Elder Scrolls, WoW, Star Wars, Warhammer, Metal Gear, Company of Heroes, and of course, Guild Wars (just to name a few). Jeremy Soule has had his hand in all of them, some more than others of course. For the sake of time, I’ll just mention Guild Wars and a little Elder Scrolls.
Whenever I think of the fantasy RPG genre of gaming, my mind usually goes to either Elder Scrolls or Guild Wars, and for anyone who’s played these or at least seen the Lord of the Rings movies, you know that music is a crucial component in translating emotion. If you don’t see what I mean, just go listen to Fear Not This Night.
For me personally, the music in a fantasy setting is vital, because without it, I don’t feel as connected to the story. Take Guild Wars 2 for example. Each race has its own theme, which through nothing but instrumental music manages to beautifully translate the background story of each race. If you are considering playing a new race or having trouble picking one, listen to these. It might help your decision.
Humans – Tyria Reborn: The song is a gradual build into a triumphant anthem. The Human’s premise is that they are the underdogs now, fighting a losing war. This song really captures the sense of hopelessness, but also the Human’s ability to persevere.
Norn – The Saga Of The Norn: This song sets the tone of an epic adventure, and who else would have a more adventurous spirit than a Norn? No one. Hearing this song makes me want to have a tale to tell, much like many Norn have an ambition for.
Charr – The Charr Triumphant: From the moment this song starts to its end, it’s fierce, aggressive, and powerful. Driven by the tribal drum, it sounds like the perfect anthem for the Charr legions
Asura – The Vigil Goes To War: This song was used for the Asura in the Races of Tyria trailer. It is a great capturing of the Asuran ambition and ingenuity
Sylvari – Out Of The Dream: The Sylvari are a young race. You could call them innocent. The harp gives me that kind of innocent, yet mysterious vibe. As the song progresses, it almost seems to mature a little, much like the race does with time.
The music is the driving force of adventure as you travel the world, changing as the tone of your adventure does, giving you the right music for the right moment. The Guild Wars 2 soundtrack is to no surprise an excellent backing for the epic journey that awaits you in Tyria.
Of course, these are just a few that just so happened to catch my eye..or ear rather. If you’re unfamiliar with any of these titles, check them out. They are well worth the time. However, for those who own these or any other games, but haven’t had the opportunity to give the music much of a listen, then I strongly recommend you grab your best set of headphones and give it a go. You might be surprised how much it can affect the game. Just don’t forget to crank the volume.
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