New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Almost every seasoned or casual gamer can instantly respond when asked to hum the melody of a video game soundtrack, past or present. Whether it's a classic such as Super Mario Bros, Sonic, and Streets of Rage, or perhaps a modern game with actual soundtracks that've implemented songs from music artists like Grand Theft Auto IV, it's easy to recollect a tune or melody stemming from the world of gaming.
But have you ever pondered on how imperative those soundtracks have been to a gaming experience? Remove the sound from any video game; your engagement aside, the overall entertainment factor would instantly decline.
How Music in Video Games Set the Scene
Like filmmaking, music is imperative to a game's atmosphere. In cinema, directors and producers will utilise a soundtrack to enhance the audience's experience by setting the tone for said story being told, as fans often familiarise themselves with musical elements to understand the scene being set.
Many examples can be used to understand these immersive experiences further, as we'll find comedies relying on whimsical music and action flicks that will use intense upbeat songs. At the same time, romance storytelling is tied with soft, emotional melodies. Since their existence, game designers knew they must focus on background music to draw emotional connections from their audiences as blockbuster movies.
Horror game developers over the past two decades have presented some of the most remarkable immersive experiences in gaming due to their implementation of soundtracks. Once a spine-chilling concept and storyline are compiled with a soundtrack, players are kept on the edge of their seats with jump-scare moments. It can even be argued that horror games provide a more real-to-life experience than movies because games offer a more immersive experience as gamers control the game's outcome, unlike a predetermined, scripted film that actors play out.
Sound and video games don't just stop and start with horror; each genre majorly benefits from the atmosphere deployed due to soundtracks. Grand Theft Auto is the perfect example, and dissimilar to horror genres, it gives players a realistic scenario rather than sounds and melodies to spark reactions. GTA is the most successful game franchise in history, and its choice of several radio stations to listen to as you drive along can often make a gamer forget they're playing a game.
Enhancing Immersion and Engagement
Game developers have the same musical goal as most industry entertainment providers: to trigger a response while we're viewing or playing their product. The smallest details in sound can sway us in the correct direction or suggest what's happening in the game.
For example, a soundtrack could switch tone when you reach a final boss. The calm, relaxing vibe you were listening to suddenly became upbeat and menacing, with a dark undertone to highlight and assist you in preparing for a big battle.
It's worth noting that all forms of gaming utilise this approach, as casino gaming has employed the same tactics to provide gamblers with a truly immersive experience.
Online gaming arrives in many shapes and forms, but with the best live casino UK sites, a slot game, for example, will switch and shape the background music to match what's currently happening. Expect an up-tempo soundtrack to keep players hyped in preparation to win big, and these subtle clues are also carefully positioned when you hit a big bonus or jackpot.
The Art of Gaming Soundtracks
Evolution has played its role in video gaming, and its relationship with music, but each era owns a special place in the heart of each generation that grew up with it. It started with the 8-bit era, where developers hired composers to score the games. However, the technical constraints were basic, and unlike the extravagant movie-like soundtracks we hear in games today, they were more analogous to captivating jingles such as the Mario Bros theme. Despite the limitations, this didn't reflect its popularity, as some of the most-loved gaming soundtracks in history stem from the 8-bit generation.
The 16-bit era during the 1990s saw another leap in music quality. A sampling rate of 44.1 kHz at a 16-bit depth allowed for the standard CD quality and therefore bridged the gap between music composition and gaming. We saw complete orchestral preparations, multi-layered arrangement, and encircling soundscapes begin taking their position in video game detail.
Gaming and its soundtracks changed forever during the 32-bit and 64-bit eras. Technological capabilities allowed developers to become more and more influenced by cinema. Alternatively, to the cliché background music, creators were now using music as an integral part of a game's story and play. No more humming melodies; it was now a cinematic experience behind memorable atmospheres and compelling scores.
While this new era wasn't the birth of licensed music in video games - we'd previously heard specific titles such as Michael Jacksons Moon Walker and Home Alone adopt low-quality versions of licensed music - it was undoubtedly the beginning of huge collaborations. We saw a mixture of artists work alongside developers too. Some of the earliest examples of this include Gran Turismo and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater. In the modern era, the use of soundtracks is used to help the immersive experience for gamers, complementing the visual and interactive elements of games. The God of War soundtrack is in the top ten of most listened to soundtracks for video games on Spotify. The sequel game God of War: Ragnarök soundtrack has won multiple awards at the Game Audio Network Guild Awards including audio of the year, music of the year, best original song and best original soundtrack album and Video Game Score of the Year at the 2023 ASCAP Screen Music Awards. This highlights the growing importance of a great soundtrack in enhancing gameplay, building brand identity as well as emphasising replay value and cultural impact.
Video Game Music: What's Next
Slowly but surely, the classic video games console viewed on television and played with a controller is being challenged by virtual reality. As a result, music within games is more important than ever because the ultra-realistic virtual worlds being created require sounds as authentic as the real world.
Furthermore, beyond the gaming aspect, virtual reality can allow consumers to attend live events. We're going to see technology advance, and the barrier between the digital and physical world will become much thinner, thus giving gaming companies and musicians the ability to eclipse the boundaries and deliver users with the most realistic experience in gaming history.
