Poll: Do you like it when games use real orchestra's for music?

[PessimistOwl]

So anyway, I just got Bioshock 2 and I soon found that the game uses the Hollywood studios symphony to do the music. Being a musician and an appreciator of the arts I find that I generally like it more when games spend the extra money to fund for real orchestra's in video games. I feel this envelopes you within the game a little more. What do you think Guys?

p.s I thought I might add some examples to this. Some games that I do know that use real orchestra's are: Kingdom hearts for the psII (both), Bioshock 2 and some other things...

 

[wooty]

I do like it, but it depends on the games really, games like the orgional Call of Duty (red square mission especially) do benefit greatly from it.

 

[electric_warrior]

I like it, especially in Fallout 3. That Ink Blots song is perfect and so is the rest of the soundtrack. they give the game a unique character.

the same with gta games, especially vice city

 

[Distorted Stu]

Yes! All those who played Medal of Honor: Frontline, know what im on about

 

[DigitalSushi]

Depends on the situation of the game and the game I play.

wip3out with some Bach wouldn't be the same, give me hard driving techno for that stuff please.

And in Far Cry 2, when one of my buddies die and suddenly the game breaks into techno beats, I'd have to travel to Ubisoft and punch them in the face for being so insensitive towards my beloved.

 

[TheNumber1Zero]

If it's used right, then of course! If it's just popped in where it shouldn't belong,such as generic battle scene in an attempt to make it feel "Epic," then that's just disrespectful the the Orchestra.

Otherwise, I do love me some Orchestra music

 

[Prof.Wood]

Yeah its the best thing ever two examples are:
Halo
Tales of symphonia

 

[Casual Shinji]

Whatever fits the game.

But no gratuitous god chorus, please. I'm sick and tired of that shit.

 

[Gildan Bladeborn]

Oh hell yes. Hitman 2: Silent Assassin would have been a vastly different game without the Budapest Symphony Orchestra accompanying it.

Not all soundtracks need to be fully orchestrated of course, but if you're going to write music that sounds like something an orchestra should be playing, recording it all with your synthesizer is a poor substitute for the real thing.

 

[The Anhk24]

i dont tend to notice because after a couple minutes i start to block it out

 

[geon106]

Depends on the game and how well its done.

I think games like Warcraft, Oblivion, Call of Duty etc, they do benefit greatly and it works well.

However doesn't mean it'd work in every game.

Although in GTA i do enjoy listening to a station playing Classical music and then killing people, its always fun

 

[PessimistOwl]

Oh hell yes. Hitman 2: Silent Assassin would have been a vastly different game without the Budapest Symphony Orchestra accompanying it.

Not all soundtracks need to be fully orchestrated of course, but if you're going to write music that sounds like something an orchestra should be playing, recording it all with your synthesizer is a poor substitute for the real thing.

Actually I have found some surprising things that you can do with a synthesizer though. For example, the soundtrack to Oblivion was a soundtrack but it is hard sometimes to differentiate.

 

[SeanthePsycho]

There are some great games with a breilliant Orchestral soundtrack, like I remember when I played Dragon Quest 8, the magnificent symphony of music as you traveled across fields and fought monsters as well as during the cutscenes...it never stopped being brilliant.

On the flip side though, there are terrible games with good music. Eternal Sonata is a prime example. Cliche characters and a somewhat numbing storyline were horrible, but the music was top notch.

 

[XMark]

I love the combination of electronic, ethnic, and orchestral elements in the Modern Warfare 1 soundtrack. Kind of reminded me of Hans Zimmer's soundtrack to Blackhawk Down.

And there's God of War's soundtrack with the heavy brass and percussion and the choir and everything, perfectly matching the ass-kicking badassery on screen.

The haunting string work of Bioshock also set the mood nicely.

Come to think of it, I can't think of any case in which I haven't liked the addition of an orchestra for a game's soundtrack.

 

[necrosmash]

I always appreciate effort put into a game's soundtrack. Since you specifically mentioned orchestral music, I can't help but link to this:

 

[GundamSentinel]

Good orchestral music can do so much for a game. I love it.

 

[BlindMessiah94]

(Better poll options would be nice)

Yes if the game is going for a cinematic experience or if it fits the game's setting.

No if it is Mega Man.

 

[Amberella]

I love that type of music, so I'm going to say yes. But only if it fits the mood and setting of the game.

 

[Julianking93]

Yes, very much so.

It doesn't have to be an orchestra though. It could just sound like an orchestra as seen here [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFJuC_uKjAY]

 

[PessimistOwl]

(Better poll options would be nice)

Yes if the game is going for a cinematic experience or if it fits the game's setting.

No if it is Mega Man.

Sorry I couldn't really think about the poll questions. Also I was kind of going for the question of if people liked it if there was a synth used or a real orchestra. Still though this is good and I like the feedback that I am getting. Keep it coming!