At The Speed Of Sound

by Darren Lee Taylor - 2008/02/27 10:51am

A videogame soundtrack not only justifies a title and its needs, but it also helps define what it is exactly that the games premise is all about. Without music, a videogame loses its entire atmosphere, and in doing so, we start to feel disjointed, alienated, confused, slightly disorientated from the whole gaming experience. The lack of said power through sound creates juxtaposition in the way we then go about adventuring, shooting, platforming, puzzling or evolving.

As intelligent beings, we are highly receptive to the sounds and melancholies that peruse our ears and drums. Like a symbiotic dynamism waiting to be sprung, our ears become adjusted to the surrounding game world that is portrayed on screen in all its pixellated magic and perfection. In the age of High Definition, we need sound more than ever to enrich our gaming experiences, and with Dolby and Pro Logic creating new and exciting 5.1, 7.1 surround sound components that allow this dream to be fed through our complex networks, we become once again, a cog in the well oiled machine of immersion.

This feature is not only intended to highlight some of those magic moments in videogame history, where the orchestra plays out like its commencing right next to you, or where the bass and the drums pound your lobes in anticipation as you fire up the latest releases and sit back in your swivelling magnitude of sublimit serenity, neither is it a culmination of all things countdown. This is a feature intended to celebrate, yes, celebrate what’s new, and what’s old about our videogaming tingles and tunes. So join me as we travel at the speed of sound, through the hallways of echoes gone by...

The late 80’s, early 90’s saw the rise of more technologically advanced systems and consoles, and with them, a more enhanced sound setup that enabled developers to really get to grips with the key performances needed to lift a game from its fragile frame. From the beginnings of conception, to the late closing stages of post-production, a videogame title is effortlessly churned through several important moments and recordings to suite the style and the format.

Taking SEGA’s classic Outrun franchise for example, which is scheduled for a re-release sometime this year, we had a title that was both pleasurably exciting through graphical submmersion, and immensely satisfying through its thrill of the chase might and sound. Same applies to Sonic The Hedgehog's legendary Green Hill, Emerald Hill adaptation of the classic 8-bit masterpieces, each version has a significant part to play in the redefining attitude of the videogame player. To assimilate new tastes, games developers have started to incorporate older tunes back into some of their most recent releases, including Sakurai’s Super Smash Bros Brawl, which boasts an incredible 195 songs from Nintendo, SEGA’s and Konami’s past. The tunes are a mixture of remixed and resized classics to new orchestrated mega blocks of musical nirvana, stimulating your retro generic feedback in the depths of your brain to be able to actually cry pleasurable tears of joy. This form of back catalouge definition is streamlining the way we think about our next purchase. Same applies for the upcoming SEGA Superstar Tennis, with retro SEGA tunes remixed for our enjoyment.

Square Enix’s Final Fantasy VII, VIII and IX all accomplished this through a combination of tight, perfected, interwoven narrative and storytelling, with that of a world class orchestrated beacon of flaming gold. To say that you felt nothing as you watched Sephiroth plunge his sword into Aeris’ chest as she plummeted to the depths of ancient waters would be a total lie, and you know it. It would also be a miscarriage of justice on your part, as not only have you missed out on one of gaming’s greatest ever emoticative and emotional encounters in history, but you also missed out on that drug inducing toxication of love and lust for the virtual characters on screen.

The rise of the Metal Gear Rays from the depths of the ocean, the twizzling of stars and bouncy blimp galaxies in Super Mario Galaxy, the plimpy pump tunes of classic puzzlers such as Bubble Bobble, New Adventure Island, Stunt Race FX and Starlight Zone in Sonic 1, the music essence belongs to the games hidden depths. The intricate and distant rumblings of a waterfall in Tomb Raider, the powerful and roaring engines of Gran Turismo, heart pounding rock and roll blasts on Guitar Hero and freedom and enlightenment through Skies Of Arcadia. As a gamer, to find these mystical, majestic, regal interfaces, we need to delve into our gaming pasts to be able to recognise that sound of childhood resurface and rekindle lost souls.

The power of Castlevania, the sweet symphonies of the night, the climatic battles in Bioshock, the adrenaline inducing clashes in Metroid Prime, all of these titles are worthy of a mention because they are gaming magic for the ears. A sensitive, prognostic, electric, sumptuous definity of audio heaven, that we as gamers should feel honoured and encouraged to demonstrate how classical, philosophical, emphatic and new this rise in machines of the seventh generation of home consoles has proven. Videogame music is a hobby, a sport, a perfect adventure of tastes and niche distinctions, we need to embrace the found glory and accept that the videogame emits far more emotion than any film, any music record alone, any podcast or radio station, it is the combination that counts. Narrative and music, character growth and recognition through sound, all of these elements make up a perfect, sweet taste in the palette of criticism and neglect. To make a good game, you need good sound, and as we move further into 2008, never before has this been so important in the success or failure of a videogame.

Also note that if you love your videogame music that musch, Videogames Live is now taking bookings for its 2008 tour of the States and Europe, so head on over to the official site now to enjoy one of the most breathtaking experiences for any hardcore gamer.

After all of that, we asked our fellow forumites the question, What is your favourite soundtrack? Let’s just say we got some mixed bags of assorted goodness!

‘Of course to be expected from me the Silent Hill series has to be one of my favourite scores. I think Silent Hill 2 more so than the others, I like "Bloody Tears" From Castlevania as well’. Ashley

‘Definitely Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, the GameCube version.
Below that would come Ocarina of Time's soundtrack, Mario 64, FFIX and some others I can’t think of right now?’ Artorium

‘My favourite videogame original soundtrack? Definitely Perfect Cherry Blossom. Favourite arranged soundtrack? Dracula Perfect Battle Selection.
Other shout outs go to Chrono Cross (Mitsuda is better than Uematsu), Umjammer Lammy (just for the stage 4 song), Rez, Samidare (for the audio-visual treat that is its extra stage), Katamari Damacy, The Neverhood and Ace Combat 5.Oh and Homeworld. Mission 3 + Adagio for Strings?’ Wanderer

‘I'm so hardcore that I like videogame music from the 8-bit era. This even includes games from Mario, Legend of Zelda, Double Dragon, Megaman, etc..
Wicked Child from Castlevania has to be my favourite Castlevania song ever, unfortunately I don't think it was remade for future games. Everyone's Bloody Tears this and Vampire Killer that. Oh, that's right. Castlevania IV is music dynamite. Theme of Simon and Room of Close Associates are epic’ Tyler

‘Chrono Trigger!
Some other good ones are Deus Ex, Super Smash Bros Brawl, Super Mario Galaxy, Chrono Cross too, there's a few others I possibly remember’ Tycoon

‘Grand Theft Auto: Vice City has an awesome soundtrack. Video Killed The Radio Star as the game loads up, Africa when you're driving along in the rain and of course, things like I Just Died In Your Arms when you're battering the crap out of medics who just arrived to save people you previously battered the crap out of. Sweet!’ NotAshley

‘I have every downloadable MP3 from FFE so yes, I like the soundtracks to those a whole lot. I also really like the soundtrack to SOTC’. Larsa

‘I agree with Not Ashley, all the GTA soundtracks are really good and are a very good archive for music mainly based in the 80's. To add I also like soundtracks for Halo, Zelda, Dynasty Warriors 4 and 5 and Silent Hill.’ The Dark Messenger

‘GTA definitely has a decent soundtrack and there are some songs on Guitar Hero that I like listening to even if I can't play them. Also, Mass Effect had a cool sci-fi feel.’ MistaRob

‘Sonic The Hedgehog.’ Ransom

‘Metal Gear Solid 2 Theme, Final Fantasy VII Soundtrack, Skies Of Arcadia Legends, F-Zero Big Blue, Sonic The Hedgehog 2 Chemical Plant and Metropolis Zone for the win!!’ PStars

‘MGS3: Caution: Jungle’ Black Chaos

‘Final Fantasy VIII's and Final Fantasy Tactics' soundtracks were nothing less than spectacular as well. Orgasm to my ears, some might say.’ Ven

PStars: Thanks Ransom, appreciate that mate. I just feel like we should celebrate the videogames music a little more, since we more than likely take it for granted quite a lot these days.

Ransom: Cracking article, Darren.