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Sgt.Pepper · Feb 17, 2015

Hyperzephyrian said:
Behold, big-budget Western games with melodic theme songs:

Deus Ex
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
Hitman 2: Silent Assassin

That doesn't necessarily represent a trend, but I think that melodic music is well-represented in Western games--just not totally dominant, like in Japanese games.

At least we don't have J-pop everywhere.

I'll see your Hans Zimmer and raise you one Jesper Kyd.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBPK_oXeJgA

I played Deus Ex for the first time in 2011. UNATCO theme was on my head all fucking day.

ppor · Feb 17, 2015

Japanese game music sounds more MIDI synth, like some dude decided to mix electric guitar, harpsichord, and gamelan. Sure it's idiosyncratic, but the weird instruments add a lot of charm.

I wish Western game composers were a little more wacky, instead of relying on the crutch orchestra + choir.

Gaffercake · Feb 17, 2015

Hyperzephyrian said:
Behold, big-budget Western games with melodic theme songs:

Deus Ex
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
Hitman 2: Silent Assassin

That doesn't necessarily represent a trend, but I think that melodic music is well-represented in Western games--just not totally dominant, like in Japanese games.

At least we don't have J-pop everywhere.

I'll see your Hans Zimmer and raise you one Jesper Kyd.

Perhaps I'm misinterpreting your post, but what?

Teknoman · Feb 17, 2015

I dont think Rachet is a good case for music at all. Pretty much full on background music with nothing that really stands out.

Mass Effect and Halo series did things right as far as having memorable music themes that set the tone for whatever was going on.

Diablo series (excluding 3...which seem to fall right into the "movie style trend") and Turrican are really what set the bar imo.

Need more composers like Jake Kaufman, David Wise, Tim Folin, and Matt Uelmen for Western developed games.

There was a time this was actually popular in film making and television as well. If you go watch 80's or earlier movies/TV shows you'll often see music in starring roles while things happen.

This is also true. I wonder what happened?

First Dream - Total Recall - Jerry Goldsmith

Imagine this as the first area theme in a game, or even a boss battle? Amazing.

Starphoenix · Feb 17, 2015

This was technically a Western game and had some of the best music I heard on the SNES.

http://youtu.be/TkEH0e07jg8
http://youtu.be/JCqSHvyY_2I

mkenyon · Feb 17, 2015

I'm sorry if this was covered, but OP, you need to be more specific. Melodic music covers a huge range of different genres and sounds like you mean something else, especially given your opinion. P'much anything with pop music in the soundtrack counts as melodic music. Do you mean instrumental?

lazygecko · Feb 17, 2015

Movie music being more upfront and diverse in the past ties in to the general Hollywood trend of rising budgets and less risk taking.

SolVanderlyn · Feb 17, 2015

mkenyon said:
I'm sorry if this was covered, but OP, you need to be more specific. Melodic music covers a huge range of different genres and sounds like you mean something else, especially given your opinion. P'much anything with pop music in the soundtrack counts as melodic music. Do you mean instrumental?

See the earlier thread I linked in the OP for more clarification.

Ambient = in the background, atmospheric, functions with the environment rather than standing next to it as its own thing.

Melodic = in the foreground, has more of an identity, functions more like stand-alone music (something you'd hear in a music album) than an accompanying piece.

Ambient does not always equal subdued and melodic does not always equal upbeat. I would definitely put Final Fantasy VIII's Balamb Garden or Legend of Mana's Memory of Running in the melodic category, while I'd put Lords of Shadow's The Titan in the ambient (more "atmospheric" than ambient in cases like this) category.

misho8723 · Feb 17, 2015

Hmmm... Painkiller, Alan Wake, Witcher 1/2, Max Payne 1/2, Vampire Bloodlines, Prince of Persia: the Two Thrones, AC Black Flag, etc. have all music which I can listen to anytime and are really melodic and memorable

JinjoUnchained · Feb 17, 2015

Red Blaster said:
firstly, what are some of the many western AAA games that feature "generic rip offs of o fortuna"? while also keeping in mind that an o fortuna type piece may in fact suit a game's aesthetic! your spiel about "unreasonable deadlines" just comes across as nonsensical jabbering from someone who doesn't know what they're talking about. re, tomb raider 2013--how come that game isn't just one with a bland soundtrack and not some agent towards your confirmation bias about western AAA gaming music? i don't suffer through motoi sakuraba's second-rate tales soundtracks and claim that most japanese game music is rife with van halen synthesizer leads and awful midi orchestra samples.

I gave you an example, Tomb Raider 2013. If you'd like more, I'd also cite the music from the Arkham games and Assassin's Creed series as nondescript and forgettable to me. You may disagree and like the music in those games, opinions and all that. To me those soundtracks sound like forgettable generic Hollywood background music, or in Arkham's case, like generic Hollywood Batman music. And I like Tomb Raider 2013 and Arkham Asylum! But not their soundtracks.

I fully admit that I am not a big fan or connoisseur of western AAA games and haven't played as many as you. My point is based upon what I have played and, in a limited sample size, I've had similar reaction to the OP. I'm not trying to make some grand generalization about western vs eastern games, but an observation on the ones I've played. At the same time, you shouldn't have to be an expert and play dozens of games in a particular genre to have an opinion. This is supposed to be a fun gaming message board where people with different tastes can share their opinions. You may be an expert on, I don't know, FPS', but you should also get to share your opinion on Puzzle games even if you don't play them that much. Also my point on deadlines was merely a theory and I stated as much in the post. Theories are fine as long as you describe them as such. Again, this is supposed to be a fun message board where we exchange information and (documented) speculation. If we can't share theories, then shit, what is this? A quiz bowl to see who can remember the most facts the quickest?

So I'll try to take the high road here again and say I stand by my opinion for the reasons stated. My personal experience with AAA western soundtracks is similar to the OP here, although it is by no means a generalization of all AAA western soundtracks. And again thanks for contributing that list of songs, it's a very good rebuttal.

petran79 · Feb 17, 2015

Just two examples.
If back then you had an expensive sound module (eg Roland Sound Canvas), things were even better.

Loom

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWXxl1oPxGU

King's Quest VI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vp4e_ys75Ys

Hyperzephyrian · Feb 17, 2015

Gaffercake said:
Perhaps I'm misinterpreting your post, but what?

Just pointing out a Western composer whose music is frequently melodic and isn't copied by everyone and their mother. His soundtrack for Hitman 2 is one of my favorites.

anaron · Feb 17, 2015

there's a ton of incredible western videogame scores but by and large, it's not generally centered the same magical way it is for Japan, unfortunately.

well that and the embarrassing hollywood imitation

KainXVIII · Feb 17, 2015

anaron · Feb 17, 2015

Alive Inside - Walking Dead

Gaffercake · Feb 17, 2015

Hyperzephyrian said:
Just pointing out a Western composer whose music is frequently melodic and isn't copied by everyone and their mother. His soundtrack for Hitman 2 is one of my favorites.

Ah, then I did misunderstand, I assumed you were implying that he's an 'overrated hack' like the member you quoted (who was referring to Zimmer).

And I agree, Kyd's music is very melodic and unique, I adore the blend of electronic and acoustic that's prevalent in a lot of his work

Another one of his works I'm fan of is this track from Borderlands 2: http://youtu.be/hloXCLJY_BY so good.

Krejlooc · Feb 17, 2015

Chris Huelsbeck laughs at this thread premise

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Why don't western games have melodic music?

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