When you think of music in video games, you think of the iconic soundtracks of Super Mario Bros, Tetris, and Street Fighter II, to name a few. These games have tracks that are often considered the greatest in the short but impressive history of video games. However, with the rapid development of technology that accompanies video games, soundtracks have changed dramatically and have become an important part of the storytelling process.
Why is music important?
Music is a tool that can control emotions and set the tone of the story being told. In film, many fans look to the soundtrack as the basis for creating a scene. This is no different than the video game industry. The nature of video games allows for a more immersive experience than a movie. You are in control of the character's actions rather than watching it happen. However, some games can be played with the sound off. Thus, it is vital for a video game developer to have a soundtrack that can create an atmosphere that really captivates the player.
In recent years, game developers, especially in the horror genre, have become masters at creating soundtracks that have a terrifying creepiness and atmosphere that keeps you in suspense. Games like Dead Space already have a scary concept and story. When you add a soundtrack, the tension control is set to 11! Here the composers analyze the Dead Space soundtrack , giving more insight into their approach to sound design in the game.
For a more in-depth look at music in gaming, you can Visit This PageAtmospheric soundtracks are not typical of the horror genre. Many action and first-person shooters have embraced the idea that a driving soundtrack can greatly enhance the player experience. Take, for example, the most recent Doom game . It was a reboot of that historic franchise that went out of its way to change the type of game. The reboot went back to its roots, constant movement and complete chaos, demon hunts and boss battles.
Doom was a huge success among players. Much of this has to do with the award-winning soundtrack created by Mick Gordon. It's easy to see why on a track like "Rip and Tear" . Imagine hearing it as you run around with hell demons hunting for you. The way it pulls you in and creates an adrenaline rush is unmatched by many other gaming soundtracks.
However, Doom is much more than just chaotic heavy metal. It also has many subtleties, such as a return to the original soundtrack of the original Doom game. In this soundtrack, they are reborn in a new way. When the violence stops, you are left alone to wander around, and a quieter, more atmospheric sound is introduced. The sense of calm that the music brings is appreciated by the player and brings much-needed contrast. These subtleties are described in more detail in this video describing the splendor of the soundtrack.
Controlling the Air
Grand Theft Auto is often referred to as one of, if not the greatest game franchise ever created. What is constantly overlooked, however, is the soundtrack and how it is presented to the player. Grand Theft Auto has a diverse collection of radio stations that the player can select and listen to while driving. This is a method of presenting soundtracks to the player in a more realistic scenario.
Many other games have adopted this and taken it a step further. Saints Row 2 , for example, has the same real-life scenario of radio stations in cars that you can choose from, but they have the additional ability to create your own mixtapes with any songs that are in the game. This puts the curation in the hands of the player.
Why sports games can be good for artists
Music is inevitably important in video games. Likewise, video games can influence a musician's career. Unlike most other genres in the video game industry, sports games don't rely as much on soundtracks as other games. They don't have a narrative or need to tell a story. Games like FIFA and Madden have specially selected playlists while the player is in the game menu. These playlists include a number of artists from around the world and often spawn the next breakout star. Artists such as The Black Keys, Lorde and Avicii were featured in FIFA at one point.
When FIFA 17 came out and EA introduced a brand new game mode, "Journey," there was a need for a soundtrack that would embellish the narrative of the story being told. This was the same when Madden released their version of "The Journey" called " Longshot ". These two major changes in sports games will no doubt spawn countless other sports games based on the story.
As video games have become more and more popular, the soundtracks have gotten bigger and much more impressive. This trend may only continue in the coming years, which is a good sign for both the video game industry and the music industry.
This looks so fun! We don't do one-on-one activities with our kids enough, but you've definitely made me want to, even if this post is about a family walk! Now that it's cooling down we like going on walks in the evening before bed, and it has been so nice just to get out of the house! We'll have to try those Clif bars! The Oatmeal Cookie one sounds amazing!
I've missed your blog. So happy that I thought to check out your fb page and come visit. I'm never disappointed. Your free printable is the cutest thing ever. My children would love to do this daily.
How about winter walks though, you participate in those?! ? Oh wait... You're in Arizona (or somewhere) with sunshine year round. It's about to be a blizzard mess with snow to my waist in a couple months!!! =) Lol
Monica, long time no see!! I'm glad to hear you're doing well! Haha we definitely don't have to deal with blizzards but we have the opposite, 115 degree summer days, so I feel ya on certain parts of the year being near impossible to go on walks. Actually I feel like our "winter" months are coming to an end and we can finally venture outside without it feeling like an oven haha! ?
We are big on family walks. All great benefits, especially getting some of that energy out, haha!
My kids and I love going on walks! But, our neighborhood isn't really the best for it. It isn't horrible, but it's not particularly safe either. I'm hoping that by this time next year, we will be in a new house and in a new, family-friendly neighborhood. Then we will be walking all the time!
I hope you are too Marietta! I could definitely understand that situation, I've lived in some places before that were safe but were just...questionable haha.
Hi Jessica! Family walks are the best ? We have some of the best conversations with the girls when we go on walks. We definitely need to do them more often
Thanks for sharing us,