Would you say music or a games soundtrack is the most overlooked aspect in games

Debates between gameplay and graphics have been around for quite a while.

But what about a game's soundtrack? The music is what sets the tone for games, whether making them eerie like in Silent Hill, whether being catchy like in Super Mario, or perhaps having an epic feel like Shadow of the Colossus, heck just an enjoyable tune like the Final Fantasy games.

I find a game's soundtrack to be pretty darn important and should be commended whenever it's done well in games.

I agree, it really does bring the scene, and enviroment to life. And is often and usually overlooked. But I guess I am biased since I mainly just listen to VG Ost's as of lately.

I also agree. Sound is generally highly overlooked in games, mainly because it isn't as obvious. But it is certainly very important to creating a great game.

I blame English, mostly the American version. It's really informal, whereas other languages, such as Mandarin Chinese, have their structure based on different tones. In a way, I think that helps develop and respond to things better.

Yes it's one of the few aspects I notice about a game-- Halo, Metal Gear, Final Fantasy have some of the greatest soundtracks in the history of gaming. It sets the tone, and it's important in more than just gaming, but other forms of entertainment as well.

To me, a game's soundtrack is the most important aspect of any game, 2nd to the gameplay. Whenever I think about a game I played in the past, the first thing that comes to mind is the music I associate with the game. When I was younger, in some games I'd listen to the song that was playing and not even play the game, heh.

Decent music is crucial to a great gaming experience. Half Life 2 and Shadow Complex are two games that are perfect examples of why sound is so important. They lacked a soundtrack, andfelt half finished due to it. There was no atmosphere. And I hate the, "well, use your own custom soundtrack" excuse. Balony. Games should have their own sound to set the mood. Super Metroid was made by the music. Could you imagine playing it or Symphony of the Night without it?

Music is very important.

My favorite soundtrack is FF 7 Sephiroth's one winged angel. Just listening to that song at the time gave me goosebumps, It made me shiver

I think it's just as important as graphics, gameplay, and performance.

I think Metroid Prime uses music brilliantly to reinforce the tone. I hate it when guns dont sound loud enoughm Halo is a culprit for that. Sound is equally important as graphics IMO.

Decent music is crucial to a great gaming experience. Half Life 2 and Shadow Complex are two games that are perfect examples of why sound is so important. They lacked a soundtrack, andfelt half finished due to it. There was no atmosphere. And I hate the, "well, use your own custom soundtrack" excuse. Balony. Games should have their own sound to set the mood. Super Metroid was made by the music. Could you imagine playing it or Symphony of the Night without it?

Rekunta

Half-Life 2 has a soundtrack, it's just not on all the time. It's use is deliberately limited and highlights certain moments/sequences in an extremely effective way. I vividly remember all the moments that the soundtrack kicked in (helicopter chase scene, arrival to Ravenholm, fighting alongside Dog, etc.).

Regardless of the soundtrack, Half-Life 2 is widely considered on of the most atmospheric games ever made thanks to its art-styIe, the incredibly detailed and well-realized gameworld and fantastic sound effects. If anything, Half-Life 2 (and recently Limbo) are perfect examples of how even silence can be used as an extremely effective means of setting up a stellar atmosphere.

Music and soundtrack can be crucial in terms of atmosphere, but I'm not sure if they're overlooked, at least by critics if not by gamers - if a game is particularly strong in this area then the good sound design rarely goes unnoticed.

Not to repeat what everyone seems to say, but I also agree.

Without music in a game, it becomes very lifeless and, as people have already said, it can often set the mood. A good example of this would be in role-playing games, to which I am endeared, because a change in music indicates a battle and enemies which, for me, sets me on high alert and heightens the mood of the game.

If you can, try playing a game or watching TV and notice how no sound affects the mood: it becomes disconnected. A good example to use is the old Tom & Jerry cartoons because there was never speaking, only music. The music did everything though: it showed emotions and created the feelings that were integral to the shows success.

[QUOTE="Rekunta"]

Decent music is crucial to a great gaming experience. Half Life 2 and Shadow Complex are two games that are perfect examples of why sound is so important. They lacked a soundtrack, andfelt half finished due to it. There was no atmosphere. And I hate the, "well, use your own custom soundtrack" excuse. Balony. Games should have their own sound to set the mood. Super Metroid was made by the music. Could you imagine playing it or Symphony of the Night without it?

UpInFlames

Regardless of the soundtrack, Half-Life 2 is widely considered on of the most atmospheric games ever made thanks to its art-styIe, the incredibly detailed and well-realized gameworld and fantastic sound effects. If anything, Half-Life 2 (and recently Limbo) are perfect examples of how even silence can be used as an extremely effective means of setting up a stellar atmosphere.

I have to seriously disagree with you here. Half Life 2 has an enormous feeling of sterility and soulessness that I have yet to see matched in any other game so far. It feels like an operating room. It's not because it's not well detailed or doesn't have great sound effects, I agree with you there. The production values are inarguably great. I can't quite put my finger on why, but whenever I play it, it always screams, "ARTIFICIAL!!!". Perhaps it's due to the main protagonist being a mute. But it definitely has something to do with the gameworld and not just the absense of music at all times. I think the engine plays a large part. It feels like robots made it or something, I can't really explain why. There's not that feeling of warmth that permeates through games with great atmospheres, and it comes off as cold and lifeless due to it. RE4 (and Limbo) are games that ooze atmosphere the entire way through, even when there is no music. The difference is, they feel alive and lived in. HL2 doesn't. So maybe it's not entirely the lack of music that is at issue here, but moreso that Half Life 2 does not utilize it to its fullest when it truly was needed due to its generally personality-less, dead, and cold world.

Music can make the game more memorable. It is not overlooked by any means.

I'll admit that I get video game music stuck in my head more often than regular music. :lol:

I have to seriously disagree with you here. Half Life 2 has an enormous feeling of sterility and soulessness that I have yet to see matched in any other game so far. It feels like an operating room. It's not because it's not well detailed or doesn't have great sound effects, I agree with you there. The production values are inarguably great. I can't quite put my finger on why, but whenever I play it, it always screams, "ARTIFICIAL!!!". Perhaps it's due to the main protagonist being a mute. But it definitely has something to do with the gameworld and not just the absense of music at all times. I think the engine plays a large part. It feels like robots made it or something, I can't really explain why. There's not that feeling of warmth that permeates through games with great atmospheres, and it comes off as cold and lifeless due to it. RE4 (and Limbo) are games that ooze atmosphere the entire way through, even when there is no music. The difference is, they feel alive and lived in. HL2 doesn't. So maybe it's not entirely the lack of music that is at issue here, but moreso that Half Life 2 does not utilize it to its fullest when it truly was needed due to its generally personality-less, dead, and cold world.Rekunta

I don't know what you found artificial, the second you step off the train arriving in City 17, it feels like a real place. That's the reason why I consider Point Insertion one of the best opening levels ever created. You are bombarded with propaganda within seconds of gameplay, you witness the oppression of its people, and the despair is visible on people's faces (Source still sports some of the most believable facial animations).

If you wanted warmth, then try another game. Half-Life 2 is supposed to be cold, bleak and uninviting - that's pretty much the essence of its atmosphere.

Resident Evil 4 has decent atmosphere, but it's riddled with a lack of authenticity and consistency (a monolithic gothic castle in the middle of the Spanish countryside, for example), nevermind the idiotic characters that immediately ruin the moment. Perhaps you're confusing tensity (which Resident Evil 4 has loads of) with atmosphere (which was Half-Life 2's forte).

My take on video games music is that if the music is just meh then you won't really realize it but if the music is great, then you will definitely notice it. Ive caught myself several times thinking that the song playing is awesome but if the music is mediocre I really dont even notice the music.

My take on video games music is that if the music is just meh then you won't really realize it but if the music is great, then you will definitely notice it. Ive caught myself several times thinking that the song playing is awesome but if the music is mediocre I really dont even notice the music.

jacoby9

Absolutely, there are some games that I just mute and listen to my mp3, but if you want great music, try the Kingdom Heart series, it has some of the best music I've ever heard

A good soundtrack is very important, I don't see why so many games now just forget about it.

I feel some great soundtracks have been overlooked as an important part of a game. Modern Warfare 2´s soundtrack for example, is pretty damn good, but is seldom mentioned.

Yes I would. I'm sick of seeing all the focus going to graphcs when sound is far more important.

I agree, it really does bring the scene, and enviroment to life. And is often and usually overlooked. But I guess I am biased since I mainly just listen to VG Ost's as of lately.

Ravirr

I dont think it is overlooked in all honesty, I am however one of the "oddballs" on this site it seems, There have been more then a few threads on this, and my preference is the same as ever.

Gameplay ->Story ->Music --->graphics.

Reasoning being that a games graphics is ONLY something I notice for the first 7-10 minutes, after that my brain has gotten used to the graphics, nomatter how good or how bad it is.

Music (and sound in general) is much more important for me, as sound converys what happens on screen much better tehn graphics often does, and music sets theemotional tone for each situation.

Then a bit higherup the list (but not that much) Comes the story, the context of why and how you do things in the game, which usually ties into the gameworld, this often make or break a game for me.

Then highest is Gameplay, I can enjoy a game with horrible graphics, not too good sound, and a weak story, IF the gameplay is good enough. Examples:

Tetris

Super Mario Bros (series)

Mega Man (series)

Contra

All those game I prefer over most of the games comming out these days (and yes I still have my NES)

But to point out how important music is? Every time I hear the Street fighter 2 theme music, I get really happy, and get an instant flashback to summers in the arcade as a child. Music carries an enormus amount of weight in games.

Games what are some of my alltime favorites, are just that, partly due to the music they had, and how well it fit.

Depends on the game. With FPS games, the music is the first thing I turn off. I can't get immersed if I hear music in the background. That's true with me for any games with a semblance of reality.

Music is fine with other games such as Mario Kart.