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

[StriderShinryu]

I think they have improved over the slapped together generic movie score that every single game used once CDs became the commonly used storage medium, but they can't hold a candle to the music from the amazing and creative music from the NES/SNES days.

 

[Fogold]

A couple of my favorite soundtracks

 

[Drop_D-Bombshell]

yes. but TF2's theme will always be the best.

 

[sephiroth1991]

I find i hardly notice them now, so it means they not getting better, i still remeber the music in N64 games and Playstation, but most music in games now dosn't stand out to me.

 

[Simonator7]

Its hard to say. I'd gauge a games musical scores success by whether i play my own music when playing or not. I usually get bored of the games soundtrack including the repetitive character sounds, weapon noises etc. and open media player for my own soundtrack, pausing for cut scenes and sometimes dialogue.

This is most likely subconscious however as i never really think "wow, this is a really good song", i just have no urge to go to my own music library. Mass Effect 2 was a game i played entirely without my music for example, so it can be seen to be good whereas WOW's soundtrack (with the exception of the Forge of Souls music) can be seen as bad as i pretty much never play without the radio or media player going.

 

[DustyDrB]

The answer is no until Wilco is the only music in every game.

 

[TheSapphireKnight]

I've always liked the soundtrack from Halo and Kingdom hearts.

But the one I will never get out of my head is the Battlefield theme. All forms of it. Its just that one part that always gets me. You know THAT part.

 

[Mr. Fister]

The overall quality of soundtracks are getting better. However, the catchiness and memorability can be hit or miss with some of the current-gen games. In fact, it could almost reflect the quality of most games nowadays: Not flat-out horrible, but forgettably average.

Granted, there's still some pretty catchy songs out there from this generation. Take, for instance, the main theme to No More Heroes, which is incredibly simple but still manages to get stuck in your head really quickly.

Spoiler

 

[Aura Guardian]

The overall quality of soundtracks are getting better. However, the catchiness and memorability can be hit or miss with some of the current-gen games. In fact, it could almost reflect the quality of most games nowadays: Not flat-out horrible, but forgettably average.

Granted, there's still some pretty catchy songs out there from this generation. Take, for instance, the main theme to No More Heroes, which is incredibly simple but still manages to get stuck in your head really quickly.

Spoiler

That never gets old.

 

[L_Lawliet]

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

In all fairness, the Tetris soundtrack was just a compilation of Russian folk songs. It was not an original score.

On topic, I love all video game music, new and old. I just wish that game companies would release more of the soundtracks in the US. I hate having to import all of my soundtrack CDs at marked up prices and I am morally against all illegal downloads.

 

[braincore02]

They're different. Better? Mmm.. naw. They are often quite good and fitting but I doubt they'll be stuck in my head to be remembered periodically like Mario and Tetris tunes. I can't remember a note of the AssCreed soundtrack now that I think of it. I don't listen to or purchase game soundtracks.

 

[Jaqen Hghar]

I think they are on average better now. There are a lot of awesome older soundtracks, like

Spoiler: Fallout

Spoiler: Monkey Island 3

Spoiler: Outcast

But I think game soundtracks used to be very... well, you could kinda hear they where made for games. Something about them had that quality to them. Not a bad thing, only now games have more "normal" sounding soundtracks. You could put the music from the game soundtracks into a movie, and it would fit right in.
This is probably just me being weird, but this is what I think have changed anyway.

Now today we have some really great soundtracks, which I really love. A lot of the game soundtracks are better than 99% of the music on the radio, like

Spoiler: Halo

Spoiler: Assassins Creed 2

Spoiler: Bioshock

and my now favorite soundtrack,

Spoiler: Red Dead Redemption

Listen to that song from RDR and tell me that game soundtracks aren't real music, and I'll laugh you right in the face! Yes, people have told me that game soundtracks aren't considered real music before. Obviously not gamers.

 

[Blueruler182]

I'm sorry, but whatever you have to say about the game, Halo has quite possibly the most amazing soundtrack ever. Marty O'Donnel is an artist, pure and true.

 

[DividedUnity]

Battlefield Heroes has catchy theme music. Other than that the game music of late hasn't really been that memorable. It just lingers silently in the background.

 

[Dennis Lauer]

Lets see, what game soundtracks did I really love...
theres Unreal/Unreal Tournament from '98
Starcraft from '98
Curse of Monkey Island from '98

Wait, what soundtracks from THIS MILLENIUM did I like?
Rollcage Stage II from 2000(although the music was probably from 99)
umm...
Well, Gears of War (1) has a score that stands out but thats about it..

so yeah, I'd definitely say theyre getting worse..