The Music of Games

Music is an aspect of entertainment that makes or breaks the product. A good score/track can make the mood and style of an entertainment product come to life, while bad music can make a product unbearable. However, few people really recognize the one field that has been continually improving on this aspect: the game industry. So, in honor of this field, here are some of the best of video game music, original or lisenced:

Halo series- Few games have had such an impact with its music than Halo. When the very first trailer came out, people everywhere stopped to listen to the grand violins and trumpets of this game's score. And with each game, the music style changes and improves itself to give each entry an identity of its own. This has been noticable through each entry. Halo 1's score consisted of a rousing action-oriented score with trumpets and deep vocals. Halo 2's score involved more violins and softer sounds to emphasize the sense of transition and foreboding. And for the upcoming Halo 3, the composers seem to have gone all out with putting emotion into the score, with a great piano composition taking center stage. Halo is a testament that a great score can make a great game even better.

Metal Gear Solid series- Probably the grand daddy of all the cinematic elements in video games. Along with being the first game to utilize a movie-like plot, script and style, MGS was also one of the first games to implement a cinematic score to the mix. While the midi score used in the first game may seem archaic by our standards, it was a huge leap back then. And how do they one up that? By having professional movie composer Harry Gregson-Williams compose the phenominal score for the sequel. This was the first time it truly sounded like movie music, with great use of drums, trumpets and other action movie instruments. But he didn't stop there. With MGS3, Williams showed he could improve his music based on style as well as quality, capturing the feel of 60's Cold War within the game's score, filled with guitar, trumpets and such. And how can we forget the next installment? With the upcoming Metal Gear Solid 4, Williams is now changing the formula a bit, as he goes for a Middle Eastern style of music. With what's been played so far, the most I can say is "Great Job". Another classic score for the ages.

God of War series- Though it has not been around as long as Halo or MGS, God of War's music still rocks the socks off almost any other game. With a sense of energy, bloodlust and power, the game's thundering score perfectly sets the pace to this heart pounding game. From the lively theme to the little bits of soft music during the game's few slow moments, the music really sets the pace and tone of the story while still feeling like a piece of music from ancient Greece. And with the release of the sequel, all of those qualities were amplified from great game music into a musical masterpiece. No other game has this game's life or power, and most of that is thanks to the rousing score.

Grand Theft Auto series- Yeah, call it controversial if you want, but for what it's worth, Grand Theft Auto has always been spot on with their lisenced music. Carefully choosing the best of each era of the various games, the guys at Rockstar really show they know their tunes. It works even better when the right song is played during the right moment in the game. So while other games try desperately to lisence music that don't do them justice, we can always be comforted by the fact the guys at Rockstar don't sell out to simple popular bands. Like I said, they know their good tunes.

Bully- This little game from Rockstar was definately not as controversial as people claimed it to be (they hardly even swear through the game), yet people still didn't flock to the stores for it. That's a shame, cause not only did Bully have great gameplay to match its witty and hilarious story, but it had a great score accompaning it. The score, utilizing a lot of simple tunes and instruments, seems to be spiritually linked to the situation at hand. Each tune that plays sets the mood and pace of each scene, whether its the music playing while running from cliques or the game's theme playing on the school yards. Plus, this is probably the only game that actually has old style greaser music from the 50's as one of its tunes (obviously from when you fight the Greasers in the game). A truly great score that deserves praise for the guys at Rockstar. Probably the first and best example of their skills in music outside of lisenced tracks.

The Warriors- Based on the cult 70's film, The Warriors, another Rockstar underrated classic, was a thrilling game with great combat and a great story to match. But where was the game's real strength? You guessed it, the music. Showing off their era-specific music knowledge again, Rockstar assembled a great selection of original music and popular tunes to set the mood of The Warriors in the best way possible. Once you hear the music, you know what you're in for. Man, how does Rockstar do it so well?

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That's just some of the best. There's plenty more, but I won't bore you by listing all of them. So, what do you guys think?