Music Sweet Music

I don't listen to game music anymore. I used to, years ago -- owning a soundtrack to a game I really loved was a must. Certainly, as I've grown up, my musical tastes have changed quite a lot. You could also blame my career. Spending my whole days immersed in the art, business and culture of video games, I'm understandably less interested in seeking out yet more ways to work games into my everyday life. I'm at saturation!

But most people I know who are fans and followers of game music often express that they feel soundtracks have "changed," or fail to be as memorable as they once were. The themes we really love, recognize and identify with are for the most part from a prior era. I mean, there's "Still Alive." And "Somewhere Beyond The Sea" in BioShock stands out to me, but of course that song didn't originate with the game.

Website Original Sound Version exists for hardcore devotees of game scores, and they recently asked me to contribute some thoughts on video game music in an interview. I did my best to explain where I believe the perception of a character loss in game music comes from:

"With a few exceptions, most of our most beloved themes and tunes evolved out of an era where music was essentially used as background accompaniment for gameplay that was either very basic or very repetitive (think of trying to time your jumps to the beat in some sidescroller or another).

And of course, these games were not only repetitive but grueling, so you’d have one cartridge last you months, maybe even years, before you ever completed it or got tired of it. You’d end up hearing some of the same songs billions and billions of times, which means they were more likely to score some kind of permanence in your consciousness.

Games just are not made that way anymore, really. Now, tech being what it is, I think there’s this holistic approach to world-building, where every element is combined to immerse the player. Music’s become something that perhaps influences the impression or emotion of a scene, but I don’t think it’s intended to be noticed per se. The emphasis on realism means that music’s become more ambient – it’s designed to give the player a mood, but the player mustn’t notice that it’s happening. That – combined with the fact that we blow through these massive AAA titles in much briefer time periods somehow these days – means that game music leaves less of an impression than it used to, I think."

I think this is something of a misstep on the part of game development, though. When it comes to memory and emotion, it's always seemed to me that the visual sense is the least acute -- a beloved song or familiar scent can bring emotion and memory rushing back with an intensity that can't be matched by what the eyes see. The goal of creating a player's emotional attachment to a game would be much better served through distinct, memorable music themes.

Just think of the role "Still Alive" played in Portal's success and the endurance of its appeal -- there wouldn't have been cake without icing. And what would that seminal Final Fantasy VII moment have been without Aeris' theme? Recognizable music doesn't just build immersion, it builds loyalty. I'd wager a publisher could sell more sequels if they used the shorthand of common musical themes to jog players' memories of how much they loved the first one.

There are some games we continue discussing and adoring long after we've put the controller down, and music is one element that can give a title a lasting place in our hearts. I'd like to see less auditory wallpaper and more really good game songs, wouldn't you?

Until then, check out the full Original Sound Version interview, in which I name my favorite game soundtracks of all time. What are yours?

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