Music In Games

What, you expect me to write something like a thesis on game music? Well that's misleading titles for you, because I'm not going to do that. What I'm actually going to do is a list, because we like them! Lists are fun, concise ways of giving information. Yeah, I just said lists are fun. Stop staring at me like that.

A list, I probably should add, of my personal favourites in the world of gaming music. In descending order because we like that in a list! Yes we do. I said stop staring at me like that.

#7 - Escape From Butcher Bay

I've actually not played Dark Athena, so I can't comment on if it's music is better. I really should play it. Anyway, Escape From Butcher Bay took everyone by surprise really: many people thought it'd be a shitty attempt to cash-in on a couple of cult movies (incidentally, I thought Pitch Black was much better than Chronicles, but I list both in my favourite movies. That's a list for another time! No really, stop staring at me). EFBB was far better than anyone could have possibly dreamed and is still very nice-looking, even today. My favourite track would be the one that plays during combat during one of Riddick's escape attempts.


#6 - Morrowind

Morrowind was a lovely game, and far closer to the Elder Scrolls' original difficulty and brutality than Oblivion ever was. It also had some lovely music and clunky combat. In it's day it was pretty beautiful, and is just about passable today, despite rather angular people. Unlike Oblivion, each race had a different voice: Dark Elves sounded positively murderous compared to their utterly hateful, squeaky Wood Elf cousins. Plus, you heard this every time you played it.


#5 - Age of Wonders

I didn't like Age of Wonders 2. It felt like all the original charm of the game was gone and replaced with what was presumably a 'modernised' game engine. Gone was all the style and atmosphere, replaced with a world that didn't quite take things as seriously as it's predecessor, and it was also in with the ugly sprites. That's why I don't like the sequel to the game that had this music in it.


#4 - Disciples 2

Another turn-based strategy game. Another one with a wonderfully Gothic atmosphere, with a brilliantly realised conflict between each of the factions. It had some great music, but my favourite is this piece.


#3 - Dawn of War

Time for a multi-video clusterfuck! The music was already good in the vanilla game, but once you installed the Winter Assault expansion, you got to listen to this every time you fought with the Imperial Guard.

What about mods though? If you install the Daemonhunters to the game, you're treated to these two tracks.


#2 - Umbrella Chronicles

This game lets me play as Albert Wesker, so it automatically makes me happy. Also, Resident Evil 5 does not exist in my world. It does not, and neither does it's ending. In my own personal world, Wesker utterly destroyed Chris back in Code: Veronica. Playing as Wesker, you hear this during the first stages, and it utterly encapsulates his character.


#1 - Timesplitters 2

If you've played this PS2 classic, you'll almost certainly know where I'm going with this. I'm going straight for this classic. This is a piece I've never forgotten from when I first played the game. Siberia.



Mmm... Lists... I said stop staring!

Until next time!
Teddy