Poll: [Poll] Game Soundtracks: Are They Getting Better?

[LiquidGrape]

"Better" is such a loose weave. I prefer to look it like this;
The tunes and passages of yore, the 8-bit era and similar, may very well be more memorable for their predetermined simplicity. Whereas modern efforts have endless possibilities, and are subsequently often more suggestive.


As long as Akira Yamaoka is up and running, I think it's safe to say that the potential of evocative music in the interactive arts will prosper for years.

 

[skeliton112]

Kinda. There will always be great scores and there will always be crappy pop.

 

[AwesomeFerret]

I've noticed there isn't any mention of the epic orchestral theme's of Super Mario Galaxy

 

[lewism247]

Does anyone else think that game soundtracks have improved greatly in recent years?

Dragon Age: Origins, Assassin's Creed II, and Mass Effect 2 all have excellent scores that enhance the gameplay and underscore dramatic moments. And let's not forget games like Brutal Legend, which features what is arguably the best licensed soundtrack in recent memory.

Do you listen to game soundtracks and/or purchase them? Which ones do you like best?

Discuss.

Hell to the yes

here are a few examples

Spoiler

I mean CMON

 

[Dark Knifer]

Mostly yes.

Spoiler: Sure, retro themes are great and very catchy...

Spoiler: But as music goes, there is better stuff out there...

 

[HyperEffective]

ME2's theme song is one of my favourite game theme songs ever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeYS_7oN9OA&feature=related

Yes, very much so. Such a good theme, Shame the game itself wasn't a patch on the original. The first hour was good and then you're that kid for the rest of it.

Final Fantasy IX is my favourite soundtrack though. Had the best world theme imo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OL0HVjyK4j8

Edit: Thought you meant MGS2, lol my bad. Not played ME2 yet but that theme is good

 

[Dogstile]

Yeah, even if you hate Halo you have to admit it has a pretty spectacular soundtrack/theme song.

I'm going to honestly disagree. Despite playing the game a bit I can not tell the Halo theme that everyone praises from any other generic trash out there. It failed to seem even the least bit memorable to me.

Really? Because I can remember the halo tune perfectly and I've only listened to it a couple of times. I still get the goosebumps of epicness aswell with the cinematic moments of my early gaming life it brings.

 

[Vitor Goncalves]

Games soundtracks are getting better in my humble opinion, way better. Yes Sonic and Super Mario have funny music but nothing compared to the quality you can find in present day games. I would love to see a show of video games live and they have both modern and classic game soundscores. This year they are returning to London and going to Portugal the first time. Two opportunities for me to get a ticket, hope I make it.

 

[spinFX]

I'd just say about the same. The music in Baldur's Gate sucked me right into the game, Knights of the Old Republic, Total Annihilation. And no-a-days you've got Mass Effect 1 and 2, Dragon Age, Gears of War. I just think there is no trend to speak of other than games are still able to produce the same high quality sound tracks they always could.

 

[TriggerHappyAngel]

the music is certainly getting better (not that it was bad in the earlier days of gaming ^^)
- just play any TimeSplitters game and you'll know it for sure

 

[bluepilot]

It is really hard to say since Tetris set the bar so high

To be honest I never really hear the music during games, I am so busy playing that it just blends into the background

 

[SavingPrincess]

-Snip-

As an orchestral composer and a Film Scoring major, I have to say that while the audio quality (fidelity) is getting better by far, the thematic content is declining sharply in favor of general underscore. If you can hum any theme of a game in the last five years other than Halo, Metal Gear Solid and Final Fantasy from memory, I'd be surprised for sure.

Contrasting to the highly thematic content of yesteryear, when we can all recall the themes of games like Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, and Megaman at the drop of a hat and you'll see how theme has taken a nosedive in recent years. A perfect example of this is the score (soundtrack) for Super Smash Bros. Brawl; part of the wonder of that score is the amount of thematic content that brings back that sense of nostalgia from immediately recognizable themes used in games that are approaching or exceeding twenty years old. You just don't find that in today's world. Try and recall the themes from Modern Warfare 2 or Mass Effect 2... there's nothing concrete enough for you to hang your memory on.

So again, while the quality of instruments used in modern game scores are certainly higher quality, the quality of the scores themselves have left quite a bit to be desired.

 

[The_Decoy]

Nope. Been playing Lemmings all day, has possibly my most favourite soundtrack ever.

 

[Darth_Dude]

I love the Oblivion soundstracks, especially 'Sunrise of Flutes'. When you're walking through a field of flowers and that song plays, makes you feel good inside.

 

[Vrex360]

I know this site hates this game, but HALO dammit.

The Halo 1 soundtrack set the mood, the HALO 2 soundtrack stunned you, and HALO 3 made you cry... At least if you were a cryboy of a HALO-fan.

Well... Needless to say, I love the HALO soundtracks... And that is one of the reasons I dont think Crysis 2 is going to be anywhere Reach. Soundtrack baby!

Yeah, exactly what I was going to say. The Halo series has some of the best music I've heard in video games and it covers every tone you could imagine.

Plus, each game it just sounds better so I agree with the OP in the sense that game soundtracks do get better as the years go by and I use Halo as my example for this.

 

[Retardinator]

Voted no. It's not that the soundtracks aren't getting better, it's that they're starting to sound more alike. Name two games that used E1M1 or any games that had something to sound just like it back in the 90's.

 

[MetalGenocide]

They're getting better. For the most part. Even C&C4, the worst game ever(for me), has one of the best soundtracks I have ever heard. Especially "The Prophet's Ascension" shown in the official trailer.