31 Songs (no.3)

And welcome to part 3 of this ongoing series of video game music. Today, we head into the fifth generation. Now things are a little different than before: In previous posts, I made mention that I grew up with the games of the previous generations. But during the fifth generation of consoles, my interest in gaming was being directed away and I missed out on a lot - much of which was eventually rediscovered years later. Thus, this post is going to be based on looking through a past generation through a perspective both new and adult.
Will it make a difference? Let's find out...

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night - Dracula's Castle

Well when you call your game a Symphony it’s kind of expected that the music be top-notch right? Well not only does Symphony of the Night achieve this goal but it surpasses it many times over.
Symphony of the Night is often considered one of the finest soundtracks ever made in the history of gaming and rightly so. Whilst many other soundtracks may age with time and technological advancements, Symphony of the Night is in a class of its own. It has a timeless quality that can proudly hold up some fourteen years later. And it certainly has a lot of variety and colour throughout, touching many styles and succeeding: Choral voices, classical pieces, rock guitars and even a dancey number – it may sound cluttered but somehow it works and even maintains the gothic horror mood that made the Castlevania series famous. In fact, I could say this is one of the few soundtracks that could actually work without the game: on it’s own it sounds dark, sinister and strangely beautiful. Much like Symphony of the Night itself.
Thus I, once again, am spoiled for choice when it comes to selecting one piece for the purposes of this list. Requiem for the Gods, Abandoned Pit, Lost Paintings and Heavenly Doorway are all beauties but I’ve decided to go with Dracula’s Castle. It is the first theme heard when the player enters the castle as Alucard and pretty much sets up the mood for what’s to follow. It’s nightmarishly scary but at the same time, wonderful.
You know, I recall playing Symphony of the Night at a friend's place and someone heard Lost Paintings and said: “That’s nice music”. And this was without looking at the TV screen. Sometimes moments like that can count for so much.


Chrono Cross - Unsealed Jewel

It seems that each time I do a post to this series I must, at some point, break my own guidelines. Yes this game wasn’t released in Australia, yes I never played it, and yes I’m basing this theme purely on what I’ve heard but damn is this a sweet theme.
For me, I have no idea what this song is implying: I don’t know what the singer is singing, I don’t know what context this is being used in the game (okay I do: it’s the ending cinematic) and I have no idea what the point, if any, is trying to be conveyed. But you know what? I don’t care. This is such a simple song and it works well. I love the singing, the guitar playing and the peaceful mood this song manages to project. And that’s the beauty of it: It doesn’t need the game to work for me. I can listen to this and still enjoy it without playing the game. And for a game theme to do that is indeed a substantial accomplishment – and an accomplishment that happens much rarely than one would realise.
In fact, as I found out, it’s quite nice to listen to when you go outside in the morning and watch the sun rise. It’s also nice to listen to when you wake up in the morning nursing a large hangover.


Command and Conquer - Act on Instinct

I must say I’ve always had a soft spot for the work of Command and Conquer composer Frank Klepacki. It's a great combination with the metal guitars and industrial beats – even to the point that when I play the previous Command and Conquer games now I’m still impressed that the music like this was still being made in the mind-nineties. It was as if someone decided that music in computer games was going to get serious and, years later, it would seem they were successful.
So what can I say about Act on Instinct? Well not a lot really: There’s a lot going on in this song with the bass, the pounding drums and the sound effects. But honestly what makes this theme for me is that four note keyboard part that appears halfway through the piece. It’s the dealmaker for me, even to the point that I rewind those parts of the song just here it again. Although I’m not entirely sure why I like to so much – but then again, there is the fear that if I try to explain it may not work in the same light ever again.
So yes, Act on Instinct is a rockin’ theme. And this must rank as one of the few game themes that can actually work outside the game: As I found out, this is actually a really good theme to listen to in the car.


Command and Conquer: Red Alert - Hell March

Die Waffen legt an!
Well it was hard to choose one piece from the repertoire of Frank Klepacki so I went with his other best known theme. And could I not? This is a theme with plenty of bite and perfect for charging into battle with guns blazing. Or behind the wheel of a tank.
This is pretty much a battle theme – even to the point of being shameless in its intent. It’s loud, powerful and pretty much just the thing to get one’s blood pumping. It may have been intended for a strategy game but it could work equally well for a shooter. Or a death match LAN. Open fire? Hell yes.
Everything here seems to work: The rumbling bass demands attention before the drums kick in and the guitars come charging in. And it must’ve succeeded so well because it’s been remixed for the Red Alert sequels
Now I’m not a big fan of metal music – I do enjoy it yes but I’m nowhere near the hyper serious fans that flock to it’s banner – But I have to say this works for me far more than a lot of metal bands I’ve heard. And all for a computer game no less! And if such a theme can cross such barriers then you know you’ve done something right.


Deus Ex - Opening Theme

Yes it’s another no-brainer but its inclusion is there for a reason. For one of the main goals for any opening theme is to pretty much establish the mood and establish a line of thinking that the player must abide to. And this theme is shining example of that principle. I hear this now and I immediately think cyberpunk, X-Files-esque conspiracies and saving the world from catastrophe – pretty much what Deus Ex is all about. I can picture all of this is achieved even without a single image being shown. In fact I bet you could play this to anyone without a prior knowledge of Deus Ex and they'll pick it up straight away. And if your opening theme can do that then you're onto a winner indeed.
I also like the orchestral arrangements and the pounding drums throughout. And let us not forget: At the end of the day is a pretty damn good tune.
Not much more I can say except, I must confess that nowadays I, unfortunately, can’t hear this song without thinking: “Put on a trenchcoat, and fight some conspiracies, Get experience and level up abilities…”


Final Fantasy 9 - Crossing The Hills

You know what? Of all the Final Fantasy games I’ve played, I would have to say that no.9 has the strongest soundtrack of all. And I’m not the only one: Nobuo Uematsu himself has even ranked no.9 as his favourite. So who am I to argue?
And once again I face the difficult process of selecting one track on a soundtrack that’s packed to the gills with gems. I love The Place I’ll Return to Someday. I love Awakened Forest. I love Freya’s theme. I love Burmecian Kingdom. I love You Are Not Alone!. Much like Secret of Mana, in the previous post, if I could the entire soundtrack on this list I damn well would’ve. But no, I’ve broken enough of my own self-imposed rules already so we must go with one. And the lucky winner is Crossing the Hills.
One thing I like about this, and this may sound kind of bizarre, is whilst this used as a world/journeying theme, it doesn’t sound anything like an atypical journeying theme. I wouldn’t associate this with exploring a world – I would think it more a theme to a storybook being read than a game.
And that’s what’s kinda cool about it. I mentioned in my best endings post that Final Fantasy IX does come across as taking the storybook approach – perhaps more so than it’s brethren – and this theme really is representative of that intent.
But this is just me rambling. Simply put: I like this song, I think it’s great so just listen to it and draw your own conclusions.


Metal Gear Solid - The Best is Yet to Come

Well seeing have I’ve spoken at length of the emotional impression Metal Gear Solid’s ending had on me having The Best is Yet to Come on this list shouldn’t come to a surprise to the regular viewer of this blog. But who am I kidding? It’s a great song and one of those rare songs that still sound great no matter how many times one hears it.
Mind you, Celtic folk isn’t something you’d hear in any video game at all, let alone a military drama but here it works. And as the title suggests, the Best is Yet to Come: Snake completed his mission and ultimately found himself and a new purpose in life and hearing this haunting tune only adds to that truth. The fact that it is accompanied by the footage of the Alaskan wildlife, where life truly does go on, only adds more to it.
But again, this is one theme that exists freely beyond the confines of its original purpose. I can hear this when I’m feeling low and it helps. For tomorrow is another day. The problems that came before are meaningless. Things can get better and every moment in this life counts. It may sound cheesy but to find a theme that can work without it’s accompanying game is a rare thing. But to find such a life-affirming theme in a video game is certainly an achievement in itself. Who would’ve guessed that video game music could do such a thing?!


Shining Force 3 - Scenario 1 opening theme

I’ve played the Shining Force games that came out on the Megadrive and I enjoyed them very much. But I have issue with the music: It sounds ghastly and has aged rather horribly. So much so I can barely listen to instead preferring to mute it and put on some Dragon Force.
Thus hearing this, the opening to Shining Force 3 (scenario 1) on the Saturn, comes largely as a shock: Instead of some Megadrive ditty, we get a full orchestral piece accompanied by the rapping of military drums. It sounds epic, heroic and more representative of the game, a strategy RPG, as a whole. The fact that this is playing during the opening cinematic – which features the unforgettable image of two warriors facing off against each other in a crumbling fire-ravaged city as a giant mech approaches – is the icing on the cake.
Indeed, listening to this theme now to me sounds like the composers finally had an opportunity to work beyond the technological restrictions previously presented to them and are relishing it for all it’s worth. As such whereas the previous Shining Force games have had soundtracks consisting of rather chirpy sounding little ditties, this, along with the rest of the soundtrack, sounds much more serious and indeed more befitting of an army fighting its way through countless battles. Indeed one feels that this is the soundtrack that the Shining Force games deserved all along.
Not much else to say but there have been many heroic themes throughout fantasy games but none of them can match this: More than anything that came before it, or even after it, this is the sound of an army marching to war.


Starcraft - Terran Theme 1

It’s the Korean National Anthem!
Okay seriously, much like the Command and Conquer themes, this is pretty much a battle theme, designed to get the blood pumping and create the mood of building an army, storming across the battlefield and annihilating anything stupid enough to get in your way. Whilst the first part, the orchestral arrangements that came with the UED campaign in Brood War, is impressive by it’s self, the real meat comes in the rock part. I love the moody bass and the guitar work but the real treat comes in the keyboard work (Ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-Bah, Bah, Bah bahhhh!!!). In any case, this theme works as being many parts being put together to produce a compelling whole.
Of course the rest of the soundtrack to Starcraft is pretty cool in itself. But what I find particularly interesting is that this theme, and indeed the rest of the Terran music, is more akin to conventional music from a strategy game. Thus the themes to the Protoss and the Zerg are less about convention and more building a mood to go with the race in question. Thus the Zerg get themes with industrial electronics, squealing guitars and a sense of being evolved to destroy. And the Protoss get orchestral themes, a sombre mood and the sense that a once glorious civilisation is pretty much on it’s knees. It’s an unusual move for a strategy game but in my mind, makes it all the better for it.

So that's it for the fifth generation. Already, game music was evolving at an impressive rate and delivering some unforgettable tunes. So what can the sixth generation do? Tune in next week to find out...