Game Music Review

Super Meat Boy

2011-04-08T01:31:00.000-07:00

This retro thumb breaker is loaded with elements of retro chiptune nostalgia composed by Danny Baranowsky. All level musics have their own retro characteristics and looping qualities. The looping structures are well arranged and each part prepares the subsequent part without boring the gamer. Jungle and Salt World musics are my favorite. The only thing that lacks quality musically is the main menu music which doesn't slightly fit with the ingame music.

Dead Space

2010-11-19T10:59:00.000-08:00

One of the most significant feature of the music of Dead Space was, utilizing extended techniques for violin on the "boo" scenes. Composer Jason Graves showed how a game can scare no only with the visuals.

Norse by Norse West - The Return of The Lost Vikings

2010-09-18T01:00:00.000-07:00

Norse by Norse West held an original position in the game market in the 90's. It's musics were in wav format back when there was no mp3 compression. The genres were all futuristic electronic genres like abstract hiphop, liquid drum 'n' bass, techno, and electronica which had no linking bond with game's setup. However this gap awkwardly kind of worked since there were no similar examples before.

Bioshock 2

2010-09-04T15:45:00.000-07:00

It has always been difficult for the solo violin to be taken seriously. Using the elements of post-tonal music and serialism, Gary Schyman succeeded to stab our hearts with that violin bow. The music of Bioshock 2 has high composition and production quality like its predecessor. Gary Schyman is a very talented composer indeed. Application of post-tonal music to the mysterious scenes of the game has an enhancing effect. The music of the concluding scenes have more tonal structure.

Beyond Good and Evil

2010-09-03T08:57:00.000-07:00

The music of Beyond Good and Evil had slight tastes form French Pop. Mainly production music. It also had film-music-like soundtracks on action scenes. The music that played in the bar, "Propaganda" was my favorite.

Split Second

2010-09-02T07:37:00.000-07:00

I'm not much of a racing gamer. But I have to say that, I never had so much fun since Midnight Club 2. Split Second offers you the music that's loaded with adrenalin. The audio directors are Steve Emney and Steve Rockett. The audio playback engine is FMOD, so I had the chance to look at the FMOD Sound Bank file (.fsb). Each music has three levels of intensity. But the "Elite Race" track has a laid back AND ultimate challenge feeling which slightly stands out. The blurry lead tone on top of a breakbeat groove turns into ripping Wagner-esque french horns as the intensity rises. Also the fragment composing for explosion achievement and race end sequences are well implemented. In explosion achievement sequences, the music falls and runs into a crescendo right after which sounds good.

Red Dead Redemption

2010-08-22T04:07:00.000-07:00

I haven't played Red Dead Redemption yet. I only listened the soundtrack. The musics are composed by Bill Elm and Woody Jackson. They contain all the motives of a western movie and they definetly have a character. Listening the musics on my iPod while walking on a dark alley in the middle of night, I almost got into an expectation for tumbleweed passing by. The insturmentation isn't restricted to particular instruments. The whistle, guitar and the solo violin parts, helps build the feel of lonliness. Rockstar always spares a fat budget for music and this tradition in continued and even raised up in this game.

Zeno Clash

2010-08-18T02:33:00.000-07:00

Zeno Clash one of the most orignal games regarding it's First Person Fist Fights and "ugly" world. The game also deserves an applause for being developed by an independent team from Chile. The musics are composed by Patricio Meneses. The tracks have a dark feeling which fits in the games setting. My favorite track from the soundtrack is "Land of Zenozoik". The track completely changed the overall mood of the level. Its looping structure is seamless and almost unnoticeable. On top that, it's kept simple. It has been an inspiring track for me. "The Throne-The Awakening" uses atonal sets which sounds quite nice.