High Score: The New Era of Video Game Music

The days of the stunted, electronic, jingles which cued up with the drop of each quarter or token into those hungry, little, metal slots seem like a century ago. As the world of video games has become increasingly sophisticated (not to mention lucrative), so has the music associated with it. While the musical jingles from Donkey Kong, Dig Dug, or Ms. Pac Man have become icons themselves, an increasing amount of today's video game music is sharing more in common with many of the iconic film scores of the last thirty years.

It's Finally Gametime!

Well, it's GAMETIME once again here at Tracksounds! Once a year, we like to get our game (music) on around these parts...and we like to bring you along for the ride. This "new era" of video game music continues to provide, not only gamers, but many traditional fans of film music, with hours of experiential music to feast upon. Video game titles are getting at least as much attention as major feature films these days. People are hunting for every tidbit of information they can scrounge up on their favorite game franchise. We are waiting for hours in line to be among the first to dive into a new gaming world or back into a world we have devoted countless hours to already. The world's love-affair with video games continues to grow and in the answering of such great demand, comes a lot of exciting music that should not be overlooked.  High Score! exists to put the spotlight on some of this great music.

While we add to this feature throughout each year, we usually like to drop one, massive, update about once a year. For this year, 2009, we easily have our biggest update to date! However, the plan has is to spread the musical-love over several days, rather than all at once. So what do you have to look forward to? Well, let us break it down for you:

Interviews:

Sascha Dikiciyan and Cris Velasco (Prototype) - Available now!

Gary Schyman (Bioshock 2) - Available now!

Diego Stocco (The Conduit) - Available now!

Jim Dooley and Mel Wesson (Infamous) - Available now!

Joris de Man  (Killzone 2) - Transcription Available now!

Ron Fish (Batman: Arkham Asylum) - Available now!

Jason Graves (Section 8) - Available now!

Paul Haslinger (X-Men Origins: Wolverine VG) - Coming soon!

Gordy Haab and Ray Harman (Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings) - Coming soon!

Vince Diamante and Steve Johnson (Flower) - Coming soon!

Pedro M. Camacho (Vampyre Story, The Pirates of Vuju Island) - Coming soon!


Reviews:

Killzone 2 (Joris de Man) - Available Now!

Prototype (Sasha Dikicyan and Cris Velasco) - Coming soon!

X-Men Origins: Wolverine (Paul Haslinger) - Coming soon!

Sim Animals (Winfred Phillips) - Coming soon!

Indiana Jones and Staff of Kings (Gordy Haab and Ray Harman) - Coming soon!

Infamous (Jim Dooley, Amon Tobin, Mel Wesson) - Coming soon!

More from High Score!

Brothershood of Duty

The Evolution of Music in the World War II Shooter

Since Michael Giacchino's standard-setting score for the original MEDAL OF HONOR game, the expectations of the scores for all games following have been insanely high. Still, that hasn't stopped developers from eventually looking at other musical approaches. The BROTHERS IN ARMS games have all sought to draw on those traits that have made the original scores for films like SAVING PRIVATE RYAN and the mini-series, BAND OF BROTHERS, so special. Taking a more reverent, even more somber approach to a game was a bold move. Contrarily, the CALL OF DUTY franchise has perhaps been the most experimental since Call of Duty 2 (Graeme Revell). With CALL OF DUTY: WORLD AT WAR, the conventions of the genre have been turned on its head; with unashamed incorporation modern electronic elements.

Tracksounds is proud to bring you an exclusive look at the music from the BROTHERS IN ARMS franchise and CALL OF DUTY: WORLD AT WAR.

Listen to the full soundtracks from the Brothers in Arms games and five select previously unreleased tracks from the Call of Duty: World at War.

Go to the Brotherhood of Duty Feature here

High Score 2007 - 2008

LucasLand! - August 2, 2008

I am starting off this update to HIGH SCORE talking about one of the video game world's most important locations - LucasArts Entertainment, which recently relocated from Marin county, California to San Francisco's Presidio (virtually the only spot in California not engulfed in the smoke of uncountable Summer fires). This incredible campus is also home to the effects company, INDUSTRIAL LIGHT AND MAGIC and a portion of LUCASFILM LIMITED. I start here because, if you haven't started talking about their next game release, THE FORCE UNLEASHED, you will. For some of you, this groundbreaking game's score will also be a popular topic. . .

"LucasLand" is indeed "Disneyland" for the film and game geek in all of us. (Ok...in me, then.) A large portion of this update to HIGH SCORE revolves around the release of THE FORCE UNLEASHED. You'll find a full review of the promo soundtrack as well as an exclusive interview with MARK GRISKEY. In addition you'll find full reviews of KEVIN RIEPL's HUXLEY and WINIFRED PHILLIP's SPEED RACER: THE VIDEO GAME. Finally, we've added two new SCOREFRONT profiles: COLIN O'MALLEY and DUANE DECKER, both of whom have a number of significant video game projects under their belts. And don't miss the new music above from titles such as: PRINCE CASPIAN (Mark Griskey), SUPERMAN RETURNS (Colin O'Malley), HEROES OF MIGHT AND MAGIC V (Paul Anthony Romero).

Playable Cinema - September 21, 2007

As I finished up both my review of BIOSHOCK and my interview with the composer of the game's score, GARRY SCHYMAN, that phrase "playable cinema" kept running through my mind. That is where the gaming and film industries have been moving toward for a number of years now. With the release of games like BIOSHOCK and perhaps even moreso, HEAVENLY SWORD, we might just be there. I can't say that I've ever seen any game like the visuals of HEAVENLY SWORD or been as enveloped by a games atmosphere like BIOSHOCK. I've been addicted to the short animated back-story shorts presented at the HEAVENLY SWORD site. I've been swept up in the depth of 2KGames' official sites for BIOSHOCK. Both of these games and LAIR as well, have created new, detailed worlds, that are as interesting as the games themselves. For as long as movies have been made, audience members have said to themselves "I wish I could do that!" ...and the day has come where they can.

Read our previous updates here