Video Game Scores! Part 1
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Since I got my first computer, a Commodore 64 back in the 80s I’ve been enjoying games. Early on I got hooked by some of the great music in the 8-bit games. I remember Outrun had me going and I got an awesome remix for that as well. Composer Rob Hubbard quickly gained hero status with me, and even as I got more powerful computers, the music couldn’t match the stuff my Commodore 64 produced. Some midi stuff was great though as the music for the Star Wars games and Wing Commander. Then there was Monkey Island with it’s incredibly catchy Barbados-inspired music. The Leisure Suit Larry series also featured some great tunes. Myst had a unique calming style.
I would say 2001 was the year things really started happening in video game music, at least for me. The midi music started being replaced by actual sampled music, sometimes composed with real orchestras. They did appear before 2001, but I feel it was a significant year. I remember Max Payne by Peter Hajba impressed the hell out of me. Harry Gregson-Williams work on Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty was also amazing.
The music we hear these days is comparable with the best of the film scores in my opinion. I’ve uploaded over 120 video game score videos to Soundtrack Fans and here’s the first batch of video game scores which are dear to my heart:
Rengoku: The Tower of Purgatory by Yuji Nomi (2005)
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Battlestations Midway by Richard Jacques (2007)
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Damnation by Paul Ruskay (2009)
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NecroVisioN by Globus (2009)
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Dreamfall: The Longest Journey (2006)
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Fable II by Russell Shaw (2008)
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Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots by Harry Gregson-Williams (2008)
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Rise of the Argonauts by Tyler Bates (2008)
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Frontlines: Fuel of War by Matthew Harwood (2008)
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Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War (2004)
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Part 2 will be forthcoming. What are your favorites?
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Soundtrack Seek
I thought Dreamfall was composed by Leon Willett? Who is ‘Scizeka Dizwiekowa’ on the picture?
Also, Richard Jacques did some great remixes for OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast.
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Jorn Tillnes Reply:
June 29th, 2009 at 3:33 am
Not sure, but could it be the Polish name for the game? Not even sure i’ts Polish, but the graphics is not from the OST, but the actual cover case of the game.
Have to find those Outrun remixes. Huge fan of the original.
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