does music to you play a massive part in games

[Morthello]

Music greatly enhances games for me personaly, especialy in jrpg's(thanks to Nobou eumatsu). I'd even go as far to say that my favorite game of all time (final fantasy 9) would be pretty mediocre to me if it wasnt for its musical score.

 

[Nazulu]

Depends on the game I guess. A lot of games I really enjoy I don't even notice the music like Half-Life 2, but that makes up for it through great sounds and design.

However, games like Ocarina Of Time and Shadow Of The Colossus are improved greatly with the soundtrack.

Music can help build atmosphere, and that helps give the game more immersion so it can indeed play a massive part. However, depending on what type of game, you might not need it at all.

 

[A. Manslayer]

Depends on the game, if it's atmospheric stuff, that really sucks you in, definitly, but if its just some generic shooter or rts, I will turn out the game music and turn listen to some cds of vinyl

 

[garjian]

Every good sonic game has good music...
Every bad sonic game has bad music...
...isnt that weird?

I think music plays a huge role in setting the atmosphere, making sure you think what the people behind the game want you to think. It can give a character personality with a theme, it can make you understand when something is important, dramatic, unexpected, funny, whatever... to the character you are playing as.

 

[MercurySteam]

Great music is a step to a great game, even if the final product falls short in some areas:

 

[The Last Parade]

Yes.

Music plays a vital part in both movies, TV and video games.

You can, however, make a point of not including any music in your film/TVshow/game and get by too. (See: No Country For Old Men)

also limbo

 

[Idsertian]

Not music but good sound design is. Music plays into that, certainly, but music isn't essential. In fact, not using music can play into the game's themes and can even create an interesting juxtapost (see half-life 2 and portal).

Say what? Where's all that music in my HL2 and Portal coming from then? D: Unless you're talking about the bits where it doesn't play? But then, every game has those...

OT: Music in a game is just as important for evoking a response in the audience as it is in movies. See "that" scene in FFVII for example, or:

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler

No seriously, spoiler.

Gears 3 spoiler.

But sometimes you don't even need it until afterwards, like this:

Spoiler

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HL2:E2 spoiler.

That's just the "oh shit, so and so died" moments. Music can also be used to get you angry, pump you up, or just make you go "that was cooooooool." Examples of the last two would be the opening music to Gears of War 2, the music to the beginning of the Silent Cartographer level in the first Halo, and possibly "Your precious Moon" in the Portal 2 OST.

CAPTCHA: gwithi inderted. I don't wanna know.

 

[SilentCom]

Yes, music is very much important because it adds to the atmosphere and feeling in a game. Try playing through a game without any music and you'll find that it is a lot more dull, especially if it is a game with strong story and plays on the emotions.

 

[MammothBlade]

I can't honestly say I would enjoy some games, or any at all, as much as I have without their soundtrack. It really sets the mood. They are part of the experience, and if you don't particularly want to listen to music, you can usually turn it off independent of sound effects anyway.

ITT: Excuse to post favourite OSTs

 

[mikey7339]

It's a huge part in most every game. The only exception so far seems to be multiplayer shooters. To anyone that thinks differently, try playing through any of the Final Fantasies with no music.

 

[DustyDrB]

Yes, it does. The biggest problem I had with Demon's Souls was the lack of music outside of boss fights. I know I needed to listen for environmental cues, but even a soft background track would have been great.

 

[StBishop]

The best music in a game is usually the music you don't actually notice, but still sets the modd for you.

An example of bad music, Dead Space.

An example of good music, Assassin's Creed.

 

[Fitzcaraldo]

Good music improves a game immensely. In Minecraft, for example, the soundtrack completes the experience for me. Especially when it's the finishing touch on an already spectacular moment. Sometimes, when I'll be watching the square sun rise over a mountain range, and one of the tracks will start up, and it's just perfect.

Another example is Rise of Nations. Thinking back, it was a fairly good RTS, but what made it for me was it's soundtrack. Every track from that game just sounds really great to me.
<spoiler=Example><youtube=X_Y8N1Fmu64>

 

[Nouw]

Yes. Listening to heavy-metal improves my Team Fortress 2 playing.

 

[sketch_zeppelin]

Yes. To prove this all one has to do is whisle or hum the game over music to mario and you should instantly have a memory of the game pop into your head. Music helps draw you into a game. The Zelda games have music that create a sense of whimsical myisticism. The hard rock of Dynasty Warriors and the heavy beat of halo make you want to fight harder and the eerie sounds and melodies in Sillent hill will creep you out as often as the monsters and enviroments.

Its so vital that a lack of music an actually create a mood as well. Think about that. we are so conditioned to music in our games that when it stops we usally wonder if somthing is wrong or perhaps that the shit is about to hit the fan.