When looking at lists of peoples' favorite video game music, there are common trends: Over-the-top orchestras, unearthly choirs, sizzling guitar solos harkening back to British first wave metal, maybe the piano or violin for a softer touch. And I get it. Most of my favorite music from video games is that kind of stuff too. We love the moments when soundtracks go all in on style.
Sometimes though, it feels like video game soundtracks don't know when to chill. Not every piece needs to be awesome, not every scene needs to be sentimental. Subtlety is not a sin.
To give an example of what I mean, here's a piece from the game Pokemon Omega Ruby:
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Wally's theme in Omega Ruby never sat well with me. The blaring guitar stands out at first, but after only a minute or so it really starts to grate on the ears. It's not awful in the same way as the worst video game music out there. In context, it makes sense for the composer to emphasize how awesome Wally is compared to the last time I fought him. But with a track like this, it feels like the game is just beating me over the head. There's no quiet moment to reflect on where Wally started, no buildup to reflect his offscreen growth. It's just "AWESOME!" from beginning to end and that gets dull.
Here's another track from Omega Ruby:
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Zinnia's theme is much more pleasant, but there's another problem: It doesn't make any sense for the situation in-game. Zinnia isn't a climactic boss fight, it's a fairly easy one that serves as a prelude to the actual climax of the story, yet her music is more ostentatious and dramatic than virtually anyone else's in the game. The violin especially adds a bittersweetness that feels completely unearned; Pokemon is not the kind of game that can really carry that kind of sentiment. You could probably throw Zinnia's theme into a random climactic battle for another JRPG and it would fit better than it does in Omega Ruby.
Have you felt anything similar when listening to video game music, either in-game or on its own? What are some examples?
Sometimes though, it feels like video game soundtracks don't know when to chill. Not every piece needs to be awesome, not every scene needs to be sentimental. Subtlety is not a sin.
To give an example of what I mean, here's a piece from the game Pokemon Omega Ruby:
.
Wally's theme in Omega Ruby never sat well with me. The blaring guitar stands out at first, but after only a minute or so it really starts to grate on the ears. It's not awful in the same way as the worst video game music out there. In context, it makes sense for the composer to emphasize how awesome Wally is compared to the last time I fought him. But with a track like this, it feels like the game is just beating me over the head. There's no quiet moment to reflect on where Wally started, no buildup to reflect his offscreen growth. It's just "AWESOME!" from beginning to end and that gets dull.
Here's another track from Omega Ruby:
.
Zinnia's theme is much more pleasant, but there's another problem: It doesn't make any sense for the situation in-game. Zinnia isn't a climactic boss fight, it's a fairly easy one that serves as a prelude to the actual climax of the story, yet her music is more ostentatious and dramatic than virtually anyone else's in the game. The violin especially adds a bittersweetness that feels completely unearned; Pokemon is not the kind of game that can really carry that kind of sentiment. You could probably throw Zinnia's theme into a random climactic battle for another JRPG and it would fit better than it does in Omega Ruby.
Have you felt anything similar when listening to video game music, either in-game or on its own? What are some examples?
