Favorite musical scores

Diablo Tristram - this is the best thing I have ever heard, period
Diablo Cathedral - I really like the way it ramps up in the end, evil chord progression
Diablo Catacombs - Creative use of screeching electric guitars
Diablo Hell - Chaos, reminds me of Opeth's Hessian Peel a lot
Diablo 2 Rogue Encampment - Nostalgia, reminds me of Tristram
Diablo 2 Wilderness - Epic, simply epic, and crazy time signature
Diablo 2 Harrogath - Relaxing and peaceful

 

Easthaven theme from Icewind Dale. I think most people prefer kuldahar's but the first time my characters stepped out of the tavern and that music came on it felt really epic.

 

I went to a Faith Hill concert with a woman I knew and scored.

Oh ... wrong kind of score....

 

At the concert itself? Daymn

Anyway, how many people here have played Bloodlines? It had some great themes, and a few licensed songs that were pretty great, too. The one you'd get in the Asylum club - Isolated - is amazing, especially how it works for the locale. The first time I got there I spent a minute or so just enjoying the goosebumps... I hadn't had those since the first time I heard "War. War never changes."

Some of the Planescape:Torment character themes were also awesome. Remember that one? Or this?

Edit: oh, I noticed, it's any game. Well, I have to mention the C&C/Red Alert themes, especially that one. Red Alert was one of the first games I played where you could select the music, and that was one of the first themes that made me go "Wow, this is awesome."

 

I tend to agree that this theme is one of my favorites from any game. Diablo was the first CRPG(ish) game I ever played. It helped get me through the a break up of a 5 year relationship. And it's just a plain awesome tune, even all these years later. So forboding, yet with glimpses of hope. The use of harmonics on an acoustic guitar has never been done better, I think.

In Diablo 2 I used to hang out in Tristram much longer than necessary just to hear this theme.

I also very much love the theme that plays when you first launch Baldur's Gate II. It transports me to a new world. Well, I could probably list about 100 various themes that I love from various CRPGs, so I'll just leave it at that.

 

I tend to view game music from the perspective of whether or not it's serviceable, being as it's basically theme music. Its job is to provide mood, context, pacing, etc. As such, I think it's really difficult and unlikely for it to transcend expectations and truly inspire. A song or composition written for its own sake and without limitations can do that, but a snippet ("this must be 1:30 and end with a flourish!") not so much. The formula there is job requirement --> composition --> integration within a workflow (i.e. it either does its job or not), as opposed to inspiration --> composition --> aesthetic value judgement (e.g. the consumer decides if its good or not, based on its own merits). It's music created vs. music manufactured, basically.

That's not to say there isn't some nice game music out there, but I don't think it rates with music written for the sake of music by its very nature. I've never thought any music from a video game was great in and of itself, just more or less serviceable.

Another way to think of it is that you'll have much better luck writing a song if you're inspired than by someone telling you your 1:30 end-with-a-flourish piece is due by Wednesday.

 

@Gaear

Interesting twist on the topic. The topic, of course, is simply what are your favorite musical scores from a game, and that's what folks are discussing (and I'm sure you have yours). As to the question of can music written for a game have the same emotional impact as a more free form song, I would say would say, why not!

I agree with you that typically music written for a game isn't going to be the music you're listening to on your iPod (I'm sure there are people who do this), but there's no reason that such music couldn't impact a person as much as any other music. I think the parallel to a song written for a movie is similar, if not nearly identical. I think about the music for Lord of the Rings (which has been featured in numerous games, by the way) and it has as much emotional impact on me as anything really. Listening to the LotR blaring while I'm driving is truly an experience.

There is plenty of music from Diablo, as already mentioned, that is quite awesome. I've listened to the Planescape Torment music many times completely disconnected from any game play, and loved it!

I agree that generally speaking such music isn't going to make it into your regular listening. The point of the music is to support the mood of game, not be a hit in its own right. But there certainly can be and are exceptions.

Now if you're talking about commerical acclaim here, well, right. I can't cite any game that's filling arenas just so everyone can here Icewind Dale 2 - Track 11, live, in all its glory. But emotional impact is a much more personal and I can say that I've been deeply moved by music for movies and games. So for me, I can appreciate the point you are making, but can't say that it's entirely true, at least not for me.

 

The themes from Lords of Magic (Air, Water, Fire, Earth, Order, Chaos, Death and Life). My favorite is the Chaos theme, but I noticed most people prefer the Order theme, especially the part after 3:09.

All my other favorites are standard fare (infinity engine game themes, DA:O, Final Fantasy themes especially "To Zanarkand", fighting game themes).

I'm pretty sure video game themes can transcend the nature of their origins just as well as any other kind of art. A lot of what we consider as some of the greatest art pieces today were "manufactured", as the term goes. You could say that order (structured) and chaos (freeform) have no bearing on the quality of music - good music will always be good music. What one should be worried about is how these factors will affect the composer, since anything that affects the composer can also affect the quality of his music. IMO "Serviceable" should only ever be used to describe music as created by a particular composer, and not to game music as a whole.

Real-life wise this is as simple as going to youtube and watching videos of audiences cheering wildly at orchestra performances of such pieces as Final Fantasy's One-Winged Angel, To Zanarkand and the Legend of Mana pieces. I don't think you have to be a fan of these games to recognize the artistic value of these pieces, and the first and third songs were little more than MIDI tracks during the time their respective games came out.

 

Betrayal at Krondor had a cool score. "Stones" from the ultima games is also a good one. But my favorite game soundtrack would be...The soundtrack from the Wheel of Time game. The game is an rpg\fps hybrid, wich has very little to do with the books, but the soundtrack was fantastic.

 

Oh gosh, there are so many I don't even know where to start. I'll list a few that does come to mind:

1) Final Fantasy Scores
Which is an obvious choice. My personal favourites are 'Theme of Love' from FFIV and 'Eyes on Me' from FFVIII (sang by the venerable Faye Wong, my fav artiste). The other few standouts are Tina/Terra's Theme, To Zanarkand, Aeris Theme, Celes/Ceres theme (or Aria di mezzo Carattere) just to name a few.

2) Jeremy Soule’s scores
Particularly the Total Annihilation orchestral pieces, Icewind Dale, KOTOR and Guild Wars. His scores tend to be very grand and epic.

3) Bill Brown’s Rainbow Six series
Very good themes that really fits the series, has a gung-ho action film feel (in orchestra) to it.

4) Baldur’s Gate II’s love themes & Planescape’s Deionarra’s theme
The love themes are very sweet and Deionarra’s theme keeps reminding me of how tragic her fate was due to the Nameless One.

5) Silent Hill 2 scores
Very haunting and creepy. Really gets under your skin.

6) Red Alert’s Hell March
Another iconic piece that sounds very intimidating.

Not sure if songs are considered but a few standouts are:

1) Baba Yetu from CivIV (won a grammy recently – first video game score to ever do so). Very unique, it is apparently the Lord’s Prayer in Swahili.

2) Still Alive from Portal – how can one not include this loveably cute song?

3) Still Alive from Mirror’s Edge – brilliant song that went so well with the game trailers

 

I got my step sister interested in Morrowind to the point where she had the music on her mp3 player and learnt to play the music by ear (Damned overly talented step sibling! )

She even played the music in church.

Spoiler

She has a multi-instrumental version as well (I actually think there is nothing that girl can't play...)

 

There's a ton to pick from, but the best is probably the music from IWD. I do like the music in Diablo a ton though too. In fact, I always go to the volume settings and set the music at max, so it's not just background, but the main source of sound in the game.

 

Forunately there's no right and wrong when it comes to aesthetics.

[edit]

8 - is that your damned overly talented step sister playing piano in the clip, or just some random person?

 

I got that feeling more from the original C&C, actually. Such great music in that game, even just to listen to without playing the game. Red Alert's music was kind of a disappointment for me after C&C, though I must admit I did like Twin and Vector a lot. Hellmarch is also great, especially the way it was used in the intro sequence. I could watch that intro movie just for the great way the music and video complement each other. The whole song kind of takes too long to get to the good parts, so I didn't really care that much for it. Hellmarch 2 in Red Alert 2 I liked much better by comparison.

C&C: Tiberian Sun also has some great and atmospheric music - I especially like Heroism, Dusk Hour and Defense. Just listening to that music, especially the Nod songs just takes me right back.

Overall conclusion: Frank Klepacki makes great music

To step away from the C&C series, I always thought that Unreal had great music as well. Some moments really stand out to me, like the first time you emerge from your crashed prison ship out into the open world, the music really takes you away with it. Or the first time you encounter the mercenary enemy type - I used to just open the Unreal editor and play the music that plays as you enter their building on a loop while studying. The music that plays near some of the Nali areas as well is very atmospheric at the moment and also good to listen to outside of the game.

Another game that has great atmospheric music that also is good to listen to outside of the game is STALKER: Call of Pripyat. In-game, especially after disabling the combat music it really manages to enhance the atmosphere of the game, adding a sort of lonely and creepy feeling, especially for the themes for the nights. Outside of the game I just find them relaxing to listen to.

I could go on, but these are the ones that stand out most to me.

 

Well, it was not just its jokes, its puzzles, characters or gameplay. The music too was one of the reasons why Monkey Island is still the most enjoyable game I ever played.
I can't really pick a certain song or theme. Maybe LeChuck's theme or just the game's main theme.

Found a link of a guy playing some of the songs. Love the Jojo-like hampered play around 9 minutes. Just as in the game.

Spoiler

 

Some fo the greats come from the oldies;

Terranigma and chrono trigger had some great music.

I like the main theme to Evil Genius.



VTM Masquerade had some greats, Vienna Stephansdom



and the Teutonic Knights



themes were fav's.

Grim Fandango cannot be missed, its entire score was excellent.
Ninth Heaven was a particular fav: