It occurs to me that my childhood of climbing trees and playing computer games may not have been a complete loss. It’s somehow brilliant that I can be whisked back to a period in my life by just listening to a soundtrack from a game of that time. It hasn’t escaped my attention that this is pretty much what I said last time regarding Shenmue and how that experience was so easily accessed when I heard the theme. With that in mind I think I may have to cut this series of articles short, as all I really have to say is, “remember how good this was”, which is no help to anyone. Alternatively, I could just post soundtracks that I genuinely deem to be good, but it would only be opinion pieces and you’re not that bothered about my biased opinions on things. If I have anything constructive to bang on about, regarding game soundtracks in the future, I will. For now though, I’m calling an end to this filler provoking series and I’ll leave you back in the 90’s with some Mega Drive classics!

Playlist

1] Sonic 1 – Green Hill Zone
2] Streets of Rage – Level 1
3] Columns – Main Game
4] Xenon 2 – Main Game
5] Space Harrier – Main Game

Although I think that this pair of articles clearly say something about how important a game soundtrack is, most indie games I’ve played never give much consideration to it, they are usually just some tunes lifted from another soundtrack. It’s a great opportunity to leave a lasting impression with the player and even our own Dome and Hydris themes (yes I am blowing my own trumpet) still take me back to the time when they were being made. It might just be that I am extra sensitive to the old sensory triggered memories (smell gets me to those places quite rapidly too), but don’t pass up the opportunity to create something unique that could possibly stay with the player for a long time. It might even bring them back for another go! If, unlike us, you have no aspiring musicians to create wonderfully catchy tunes, look online and there will be thousands of budding musicians looking for projects to work on, get to it!

Now go and play Dome.

Now don’t get me wrong, I always knew Shenmue was a stunning game, but not until I listened to the soundtrack did I realise how engaging and absorbing it was. I would almost say that when I think back to the time when we played it as a group (in between worms), I can remember nothing other than the game. I couldn’t tell you what room we were in or the size of the TV we played it on, absolutely nothing except the game and the genuine emotions it stirred whilst playing (anybody else still worry about who’s gang Joy was allied with? Admittedly that was Shenmue 2, but you get the idea). When listening to this track I can’t help but be yanked back into the beautifully rich and detailed atmosphere the game created.

Anyone who’s played the game and has clicked that link should now be in 1986-Japan amongst the busy streets, quite probably on their way to play some Q.T.E. in the arcade. Throughout the game the music never stood out, not to a point where I would be aware of it anyway, and it’s that very quality that in my opinion makes this one of the best examples of a game soundtrack I’ve heard. The fact that I can happily sit and listen to it as a piece of music outside of the game is further testimony to how ruddy good it is.

True, my love for the game is definitely not completely down to the music, but I swear, if the music had been primarily in the style of “blue grass”, regardless of how catchy or well produced, I’d have had a very different opinion of this Dreamcast beauty!

I apologise for such an obvious filler article this early on, but it’s been my birthday and I’ve been very drunk this week.