04-05-22, 12:02 | #1 |
Member
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,362
|
The Musical Direction
I think most game (and film) scores are way too unidenfiable and very, very dull, to the point where it's as if film and game music is trying to be emotionally unimpactful. Scores seem to be used as supplementary background stuff instead of really feeling like it has active placement in scenes. I think strong melodies and actual tunes need to return and be given prominence. Alan Silvestri, the composer of Cradle of Life, said music should be as important as if it was another character in a scene, and I completely agree.
I'm not being facetious when I say I genuinely can't understand how anyone likes Shadow of the Tomb Raider's music. It had unique instruments in place, but when it came to emotional value and memorability, it was just so... nothing. There may as well have been no music. I'd like to see incidental melodic music as you approach certain situations and locations. Harps were used to great effect in TR1, and should return because they're beautiful, historic and uncommon. Here are a couple of tracks of the style I'd like to see: I really think music and the importance of it is something most people don't tend to notice because in the last decade+ we're so used to generic, homogenised music, but when it is given the importance and love it so it can shine and stand out, it does absolute wonders for the magic of an experience and the world the game is trying to create. Last edited by _Seth; 04-05-22 at 12:12. |
04-05-22, 12:19 | #2 |
Member
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 293
|
For me, Troels Brun Folmann's music for Legend/Anniversary/Underworld was top notch. I would love to have him back as the composer for the next game, esp. for something similar to Legend.
I found the survivor trilogy's music to be rather underwhelming. It had some nice tracks here and there, but nothing too memorable especially regarding the main themes. For example, I loved those two from Rise: or this one from Shadow: Wouldn't mind something like that either |
04-05-22, 13:42 | #3 |
Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 6,901
|
I have to highly disagree with you with SotTR's OST. It's not just unique instrumentation, if you hear the OST (and some tracks that were not part of the OST but Brian d'Oliveira has on his Soundcloud page), you still have highly melodic tracks that are genuinely great. Just from the top of my head:
And the list doesn't include Goodbye Paititi and tracks present in some of the DLC, like the one Noatak shared. The more ambience/percurssion tracks that exist in SotTR's OST are also quite distinct from one another, instead of being all too overly similar, which also adds to it. Obviously, different people will have different tastes, but I do think SotTR's OST can be quite underrated. Personally my favourite of the entire CD era and I would be extremelly happy if Brian d'Oliveira wrote the OST for the next game as well. That being said, I do kind of miss the sound direction of just the ocasional strong melody after moments of silence from the classics, and while I really like what SotTR did, I also wouldn't mind a return to that soundtrack design. |
04-05-22, 13:52 | #4 |
Member
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 5,362
|
You forget the Death of the Sun wich is great
|
04-05-22, 13:57 | #5 |
Member
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 5,958
|
What Shadow's soundtrack is amazing
|
04-05-22, 15:05 | #6 |
Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 9,509
|
Something that has been missing from Tomb Raiser's score since AOD is memorable motifs. Early TR games were very good at this. Motifs were clear, distinctive and built upon with pieces later in the game or in later sequels (see TR4-6 in particular). The most memorable soundtrack post-AoD is TRA (and I know some will disagree with this).
From the reboot trilogy the only memorable motif is the main theme, which I don't particularly like because it's an inversion of the classic theme and that just doesn't sound right to my ears. I can't think of any others. |
04-05-22, 15:29 | #7 |
Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 934
|
I’d love some orchestral music like they did in AOD. It’s one of the best soundtracks. But Legend also had a really nice soundtrack.
|
04-05-22, 15:42 | #8 |
Member
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 13,125
|
The only music I can remember from the reboot is the main theme of 2013. Nothing else has stood out. It could be partly because I've only played them through once each, but it's definitely possible to make your soundtrack standout on a first playthrough.
I remember playing through Uncharted 4 for the first time and lots of tracks stood out to me, and I listened to them afterwards. I think all the music from TR1-TRU is really great. The classic themes, AOD... Legend's main theme is epic too. Even Temple of Osiris has an amazing theme which is instantly memorable. I hope for some better music overall, less generic background audio, tracks that stand out in specific moments and don't get overshadowed by the game. Also I hope the main theme is good too, as Shadow's seemed so absent when I played. Players aren't going to be on the menu for that long, so it needs an instant hook. |
04-05-22, 19:21 | #9 | ||
Member
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,362
|
Quote:
Quote:
First couple of minutes were a whole lot of nothing. The rest of it was just a mess of sounds barely tied together by structure. The battle theme in Rise is better, even. |
||
04-05-22, 19:52 | #10 |
Member
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 2,479
|
Legend was peak TR music.
|
Thread Tools | |
|
|