The videogame music thread

Here's where you can discuss and share music from videogames
Mummra1983

Re: The videogame music thread (also Sound of Play submissions)

Post by Mummra1983 »

i would like to suggest the opening theme from the NES game Solstice. My mum had bought me this in the early 90s and though i found the gameplay itself to be quite difficult, the music was great and is what i remember most when i think of it. the opening starts off like any generic 8-bit tune but after a few seconds completely changes!

nickturner13

Re: The videogame music thread (also Sound of Play submissions)

Post by nickturner13 »

For my first submission I would like to suggest "Rise Of The Harkonnen" by Frank Klepacki.

I spent days playing Dune 2000 in the late 90's and this song was to me, the best of the soundtrack by some distance. I could listen to this track over and over again... in fact I used to do exactly that. Often I would boot up the game just to listen to this track. There's something about it that I love. It's such a great underlying bass riff that is reminiscent of the industrial bands I was into at the time.

The perfect music for building more infantry and preparing to attack. But watch out for the Sand Worms!

Sam_What

Re: The videogame music thread (also Sound of Play submissions)

Post by Sam_What »

I'd like to request another track here...

The Fury might not be everyone's favourite boss battle from Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, but I find it an exciting struggle when the difficulty isn't set too high. Although The Fury doesn't have any obvious mechanic, apart from his flamethrower, this battle is a great test of the players abilities in balancing their exposure and their sneaking; keep too great a distance and you'll find the arena quickly set ablaze, keep too close and you risk getting incinerated yourself. Balance is key and the pressure is always mounting. This track excellently reflects this; your armoured stalker clunking through the narrow corridors as you hear the echoey voices and low drum roll round you, building intense pressure. Suddenly the pressure blows and The Fury charges recklessly at you like a wall of flame and the track kicks into full gear. One misstep and it's all over...!

nickturner13

Re: The videogame music thread (also Sound of Play submissions)

Post by nickturner13 »

Ive not caught up with all the Sound Of Plays yet, but I think parts of the new Doom soundtracks have been covered already.

Though not a nomination for a new song, I'd like to nominate Mick Gordon's Make Of... for this soundtrack. The whole thing is a masterpiece imo

MagicianArcana

Re: The videogame music thread (also Sound of Play submissions)

Post by MagicianArcana »

I think World of Warcraft has some really excellent music, and they certainly didn't disappoint me with the soundtrack in Legion, the most recent expansion. The first time I heard this song it brought a tear to my eye. It plays at the memorial for an important lore character who dies heroically in battle. (I'll avoiding saying the name just in case to avoid spoilers, but I think anyone who's played the game recently would know.) This song is called Canticle of Sacrifice and it was composed by Russell Brower with vocals by a musical artist known as Nella.



P.S. I want to say thank you to the Cane and Rinse team for including some of my Sound of Play requests in past issues because I don't think I ever did. And thank you for all the hard work you guys put into the podcast. Really quality stuff. Keep up the fantastic work! :)
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hazeredmist
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Re: The videogame music thread (also Sound of Play submissions)

Post by hazeredmist »

I hereby submit Dragon's Fury - Main Table Theme from the MegaDrive. Love this tune! Full of eerie intrigue, perfectly matched the visual style of the game.

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BlueWeaselBreath
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First-ever submission: Rebecca's Lullaby

Post by BlueWeaselBreath »

I'd like to recommend "Rebecca's Lullaby," composed by Mark Morgan, from the 2015 indie game Stasis. It's a point-and-click adventure game with a space horror theme; the classic game it most evokes is Sanitarium, due to its dark tone, macabre visual design, and isometric perspective. If you liked Sanitarium but felt it wasn't disturbing enough, Stasis is for you. The fact that it was largely a one-man project for most of its development, until a Kickstarter allowed developer Chris Bischoff to bring some composers and voiceover artists on board is incredible, when you see the quality of the in-game visuals and cutscenes. Highly recommended if you're a fan of classic adventure games, space horror, and striking Gigeresque visuals.

"Rebecca's Lullaby" is a recurring theme associated with the main character's young daughter, and shows up numerous times throughout the game in different forms. It's a beautiful, sad tune -- probably too creepy to actually sing to a child before bed, when you come right down to it -- and its quintessential version, linked below, presents the melody using a windup music box timbre before opening up into an atmospheric sci-fi horror section. Other recurrences of this piece play it on a cello, a violin, and a piano. The cello version is remarkable, and evokes, of all things, the Schindler's List soundtrack. I'm also including the stripped down piano version because it really emphasizes the melody, which gets quickly left behind in the more ambient section of the original track.

Original:

Piano version:
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BlueWeaselBreath
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Super Mario World Ending Theme!

Post by BlueWeaselBreath »

One track I was surprised to see hasn't been on your show yet, perhaps because it's too obvious, is the end credits music for Super Mario World, composed by Koji Kondo. I believe the official name is just "Ending," although the smooth jazz arrangement on the official soundtrack album was entitled "Thank You, Mario!"

Getting to the end of SMW the first time was a big deal for me, as I had been going for completion and spending a lot of time with the game. The credits sequence is one of those few that I feel are truly rewarding, partly because of the parade of characters and cast shots that accompany the credits, but in large part due to this tune, which I love. It perfectly conveys the tone of celebration, accomplishment, and fun, and somehow manages to evoke a sort of showbiz "Bye everybody, see you next time!"

The original arrangement has a jazz big band feel to it, and for whatever reason I have always imagined it with lyrics; perhaps it's the phrasing of the melody that suggests a vocal line to me, I'm not sure. It got stuck in my head for ages after I heard it, and this was before the days of YouTube, so the only way to hear it again was to beat it again, this time on the second quest. This song has always evoked that joy and nostalgia for me ever since.

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Flabyo
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Re: The videogame music thread (also Sound of Play submissions)

Post by Flabyo »

I quite like the arrangement of the SMW ending they had in Smash Brothers in the Wii.
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BlueWeaselBreath
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Seconding the request for Loom theme!

Post by BlueWeaselBreath »

I'd like to echo CODEMONKEY's request for the theme from the LucasArts adventure Loom. The soundtrack was essentially excerpts from the Tchaikovsky ballet "Swan Lake" (swans are an important motif and story element in the game), arranged in MIDI by The Fat Man, aka George Sanger, who I also know from his work on the soundtrack to The 7th Guest. The Loom main theme is actually the allegro prelude to the Pas de trois in Act 1 of the ballet, but I didn't know that when I heard it, as a child, for the first time during Loom's intro screen. I just knew I loved the sweeping beauty of it, and how it meshed perfectly with the aesthetics and simple sophistication of the game.

As a result of my affection for Loom's soundtrack, I obtained the Swan Lake album and have listened to it many times. I would recommend any fan of Loom give it a listen, as the game draws so heavily from it that you'll find yourself nostalgic for the game while listening to the ballet.

The FM-Towns version of the game is often considered the definitive one, despite having no voiceovers, because it retains the full dialogue of the EGA original, with the art redone in gorgeous VGA, and has music throughout the gameplay, not just in cutscenes. However, I strongly favor the PC CD version of the theme, maybe because it's the first version I heard, but also because it's slower than the FM Towns version and thus more majestic and magical. The FM Towns version also has an extra pickup note at the end of the 4th measure leading back into the top of the melody that bothers me because it doesn't let the phrase come to a rest, and undermines the piece's serene beauty somehow, but now I'm just nitpicking.

I love this piece so much that it was the bridal music at our wedding. My wife just said she didn't want the same two wedding marches that everybody uses so I had pianist friend learn and play this. It made for an amazing moment.

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Craig
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Re: The videogame music thread (also Sound of Play submissions)

Post by Craig »

I've just recently realised this and have to share. People need to know.

The intro to Mario 64 is the mid section to Queen's One Vision.




(2:44)
nickturner13

Re: The videogame music thread (also Sound of Play submissions)

Post by nickturner13 »

By The Bay from the Sim City 4 sound track.

The entire of the Sim City 4 soundtrack is an absolute masterpiece, with incredible variations around this kind of pensive background jazz. So many of the tracks could be put forward but this track specifically sticks out to me, the use of the rolling toms to add to the melody appeals to me as an occasional drummer.

Just beautiful.

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CODEMONKEY
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Re: Seconding the request for Loom theme!

Post by CODEMONKEY »

BlueWeaselBreath wrote:I'd like to echo CODEMONKEY's request for the theme from the LucasArts adventure Loom. The soundtrack was essentially excerpts from the Tchaikovsky ballet "Swan Lake" (swans are an important motif and story element in the game), arranged in MIDI by The Fat Man, aka George Sanger, who I also know from his work on the soundtrack to The 7th Guest. The Loom main theme is actually the allegro prelude to the Pas de trois in Act 1 of the ballet, but I didn't know that when I heard it, as a child, for the first time during Loom's intro screen. I just knew I loved the sweeping beauty of it, and how it meshed perfectly with the aesthetics and simple sophistication of the game.

As a result of my affection for Loom's soundtrack, I obtained the Swan Lake album and have listened to it many times. I would recommend any fan of Loom give it a listen, as the game draws so heavily from it that you'll find yourself nostalgic for the game while listening to the ballet.

The FM-Towns version of the game is often considered the definitive one, despite having no voiceovers, because it retains the full dialogue of the EGA original, with the art redone in gorgeous VGA, and has music throughout the gameplay, not just in cutscenes. However, I strongly favor the PC CD version of the theme, maybe because it's the first version I heard, but also because it's slower than the FM Towns version and thus more majestic and magical. The FM Towns version also has an extra pickup note at the end of the 4th measure leading back into the top of the melody that bothers me because it doesn't let the phrase come to a rest, and undermines the piece's serene beauty somehow, but now I'm just nitpicking.

I love this piece so much that it was the bridal music at our wedding. My wife just said she didn't want the same two wedding marches that everybody uses so I had pianist friend learn and play this. It made for an amazing moment.
Wonderfully put BlueWeaselBreath :D
GoodShrewsbury

Re: The videogame music thread (also Sound of Play submissions)

Post by GoodShrewsbury »

Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon - "Power Core" by Power Glove.

It's like if The Running Man and The Terminator effed, then that child grew up and became an actual Blade Runner.

Positively dripping with 80s synth-cheese. Such an infectious drumline, I actually stopped mid-game just to jam to this for a good 45 seconds.

I'm sure you lads will enjoy.

(Like an idiot, I posted this in the track list thread. I'm a silly yank, sorry.)
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Scrustle
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Re: The videogame music thread (also Sound of Play submissions)

Post by Scrustle »

Even though Drift Stage is still a long way off from release, the soundtrack is already very impressive. Especially this track, Applied Dynamics, by Myrone. I really love the way it mixes that signature "soft shred" style that characterises the whole soundtrack, with some really groovy slap bass and wobbly synth. An '80s music aesthetic has been co-opted by a lot of games these days, with stuff like chiptunes and retrowave appearing in many places. But I think the Drift Stage OST is doing a really good job of bringing another flavour of distilled '80s sounds in to the medium.



(Also, isn't that custom vinyl awesome?)
Todinho

Re: The videogame music thread (also Sound of Play submissions)

Post by Todinho »

Got myself thinking of a little gem of a game by the name of Barkley shut and Jam:Gaiden,now besides being a semi biographical work of the life and work of Charles Barkley,Shut and Jam:Gaiden is a very neat JRPG with a more then quirky sense of humor and a surprisingly good soundtrack especially its boss theme:
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Michiel K
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Re: The videogame music thread (also Sound of Play submissions)

Post by Michiel K »

Mummra1983 wrote:i would like to suggest the opening theme from the NES game Solstice. My mum had bought me this in the early 90s and though i found the gameplay itself to be quite difficult, the music was great and is what i remember most when i think of it. the opening starts off like any generic 8-bit tune but after a few seconds completely changes!

Such an excellent choice and happy to hear it on the latest SoP episode. It almost sounds as if it was done on the C64, especially when hearing those vibrating synth lilts. Maybe Follin used some digitised sampling tricks? It's a true mindblower, regardless. I cleared this one back in the days, leaving the console on overnight. The main game theme is very memorable as well.
nickturner13

Re: The videogame music thread (also Sound of Play submissions)

Post by nickturner13 »

The first 3 minutes or so of this video, is a great piece from the Gorgrond area of the World Of Warcraft: Warlords Of Draenor Expansion.

I love this as it's a slightly odd time signature but incredibly easy to hum and sing along to.

Me and the wife will both be signing along merrily to this whenever it comes on, and laugh at the end of the build up of strings.

Makes me smile every time!

yourfriendmarcus

Re: The videogame music thread (also Sound of Play submissions)

Post by yourfriendmarcus »

I just finished my first play through of Mother 3. Being from the States I had to go through a fan translated patch on a rom to have a localized version, but I am so glad I did. For a game made a decade ago on a portable device to not only hold up today but rival games with technology far newer is no easy feat.

This is my first submission to sound of play and I find this game to be a perfect start as it (to my knowledge) it hasn’t been featured on the podcast and is also a game whose music is not only brilliantly crafted but so integral to the experience. Like paper mario this turn based engine allows for additional hits when timed appropriately, but in this game it all has to do with timing it with the battle music playing. That being said, this song I’m submitting is not a battle theme but one found a few places inside the game, the first I recognized being after your character goes mad at the misfortune revealed to him and strikes out in violence only to be locked up in the prison until he calms down. Thats when this song comes in and it features a theme that is frequently found in the rest of the soundtrack in different ways, but here that theme is played in a sound that I hear as a mimic of a Theremin, the unsure and almost sloppy transitions between the notes so fitting to your characters unease in the scene, yet the beauty of the melody being there as the basis of everything good that remains in the world keeping him going. It was at this moment in the game I knew Earthbound wasn’t a fluke, that I knew I would love this one just the same, and that the Mother series was something I was so lucky to have stumbled upon. This is “My Wonderful Room” or “In the Room” by Shogo Sakai. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.




but for those who want a taste of some of that battle music (which changes battle to battle) here's one of the ones that became a quick favourite to tap along to while duking it out.

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MauricioMM
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Re: The videogame music thread (also Sound of Play submissions)

Post by MauricioMM »

Hello, Cane and Rinse, it’s been a while. Between my job and The Witcher 3 I’ve had trouble catching up with the forum for a while :lol: Anyway, here are my two recommendations, both from The Witcher 3 actually.





“Fanfares and Flowers”, by Mikolai Stroinski (The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Blood and Wine)


This first track... I just love it :) It immediately takes me to the streets, gazebos and alleys of Beauclair, to the vineyards that cover part of Toussaint’s countryside and to the knights’ tourney with all its fanfare and flowers (as the title says 8-) ). This combination of instruments, amazing vocal performances and the musical direction make this piece not look out of place in a epic film's score, such as Gladiator or even perharps The Lord of the Rings. Yeah, I just love it that much :)


-------




Unknown title (Velen ambient track) (The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt)


This second track is kind of an odd request simply because, since it didn’t release on the official soundtrack, I have no info about it. Its composer might be either Marcin Przybylowicz or Mikolai Stroinski, I'm not really sure, sorry :?

This track, to me, is the best musical representation of the region of Velen, with its sinister and melancholic but, at the same time, peaceful and mellow sound. It's the sadness of a run down village, the hardships of a villager’s existence and the hostility of a dark corner in the forest but also it's the pride of this land's peasants, the fascinating allure of an elven ruin and the peacefulness of a hill overlooking a wheat field on a sunset.
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