Black Swan Composer Takes Over Mass Effect 3

[Zinaxos]

So. Much. LIKE!! I love Clint Mansell. He is my favorite composer in film. Now he's taking over Mass Effect's music? Totally awesome. Not only did he compose "Black Swan" but he also did "Moon" and "Requiem for a Dream." With a background of that caliber it would be stupid not to let him take control of Mass Effect... I can't wait for this game now.

 

[Evilsanta]

Crossing my fingers that the new guy wont ruin the ME3 soundtrack because the music in the ME1 & 2 are great.

 

[MANIFESTER]

Sounds cool. I am a fan of Clint Mansell, one of the best movie composer, in my opinion. That said, I also loved the ME 1 & 2 soundtracks. The ME 1 soundtrack felt much more... soothing I guess. It was also more Science Fiction-y(?) to me. Hell some songs reminded me a lot of Bladerunner which is never a bad thing! It also felt more grand and depicted a very large scope.
ME 2's soundtrack was much more action oriented (like the game itself). It also brought in a melody and a repeating one at that which allows me to remember the songs more. On the whole, the soundtrack gave a more heroic feeling rather than an epic sci fi one (Not a bad thing). And by losing the large scope it also complemented the game since ME 2's story was much more personal and narrow in scope as well. ME 3 could easily be going for a more somber, dark tone (just judging from that single trailer though) and Mansell is great at doing that. So I have hope that it will be good.

OT: I saw some earlier post about how Mansell is a movie composer and not a game composer or something like that. I can only address this by saying that pretty all the compositions that people remember are from the cutscenes which are basically movies in themselves. Hell the only game that brought me into the atmosphere of the game by just music alone was Silent Hill 2 and 3. And the soundtrack for those isn't really something you can get enjoyment out of by just listening to the youtube video.

 

[MysteriousClark]

television...

"I'm doing a video game this year actually... Public Enemy... Requiem [http://www.amazon.com/Requiem-Dream-Directors-Cut-Blu-ray/dp/B00284BNKC/ref=sr_1_2?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1297361693&sr=1-2]... Black Swan...'

(Requiem for a Dream music)

film composers... Requiem for a Dream? The Fountain? Moon? MOON!?

film industry

Moon... films

Requiem for a Dream

Requiem for a Dream

...Do you guys see a common theme here? Yahtzee would be going insane. We don't want a film, we want a game. Wall/Hulick were some of my favourite game composers, along with Martin O'Donnell & Michael Salvatori (Halo franchise) and Christophe Heral (Beyond Good & Evil). I sincerely doubt Mansell can emulate the following music and accompanying feelings:

Do you remember the first time you got back from Eden Prime and saw the Citadel? Do you remember your awe that such a thing existed, this construction, this society? 0:23 brings you into all this full throttle. This song embodies the heart of the science fiction genre, I think.

Even this average in-game song is good. Discovering a remote, cold city and research factory nobody cared about and everyone forgot... driving through the cold and the geth to get there... seeing what its secret really was.
Mansell has extremely large shoes to fill.

If you want a game with Clint's music in it check out "Loaded" the old PS1 Game. Clint was one of the founder members of Pop Will Eat Itself. They did the music to "Loaded". He was a musician who referenced a lot of geek culture way before he did "Pi" (his first film score).

 

[Taddy]

I'm actually scared now. Not because it won't be awesome, but because I'm afraid it'll be TOO awesome.

 

[The.Bard]

...Do you guys see a common theme here? Yahtzee would be going insane. We don't want a film, we want a game.

I'm not sure how much that argument really stands, though. Putting aside the fact that Yahtzee is a raving lunatic (albeit a thoroughly entertaining one), it would be like pulling in a film artist to do concept art. What's the fuss? My ears stink, but I can't see much technical difference between a good film score and good game score. The PROCESS certainly differs. Mansell put it nicely in one of the articles, where the job is akin to that of a dj, dishing out the right tracks to reflect what the player does that can change and morph on a dime.

But the music is the music, man. If Bioware digs on Clint's funky beats, who cares if he comes from film? He's a fine composer, and in lieu of Jack's absence, I think he'll do a much better job than many people fear. This isn't like that time George Lucas decided to write & direct the Prequels himself.

 

[PanicxBoss]

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Requiem for a Dream isn't Mass Effect-y, really. Moon, on the other hand? I could totally see something that sounds vaguely like this working out beautifully in ME3. It's got action blasts, poignant themes, and soothing melodies. And that's just one song. Let's compare his sci-fi stuff, not his drug-drama stuff. If anyone can fill Jack Wall's shoes, it's Clint.

 

[VectorZero]

Fingers crossed, cautiously optimistic.

*thinks about rewatching Moon*

 

[Spitfire]

Clint Mansell is a talented and versatile composer, but he has some big shoes to fill. Doubly so, given that Bioware will undoubtedly want ME3 to sound even more larger-than-life than ME2. I just hope that we won't end up listening to Requiem For A Dream - In Space.

 

[MiracleOfSound]

I've not seen it but I hear the Fountain score was a bit large. I gotta say though, thats a fair point my friend. All I can really say to that is that we don't know what the tone will be for large parts of the game, given that what little we know suggests there may be some hard scenes of a ruined and desolate place, and Shepherd's Home. The potential definitely intrigues me given, as you say, Mansells affinity for haunting music.

Yeah, after hearing a couple of tracks from the Fountain I do feel a little more optimistic. I mean his stuff would be perfect for very poignant scenes (like the inevitable heroic, self sacrificing deaths that ME3 will probably be littered with), I just hope he's also not afraid to let go and make some bombastic, borderline cheezy OTT action music for the combat and 'Shepard runs fast while everything explodes around him' scenes.

 

[tjdavids]

I really thought you guys had figured out how to resurrect Tchaikovsky.

 

[The Youth Counselor]

Darren Aronofosky's movies have some of my favorite soundtracks of all time due to this Clint Mansell. So I'm psyched for his contributions to one of my favorite game series.

 

[Callate]

I hope Mansell will keep the main "Mass Effect" theme and maybe work in some of the other themes from ME and ME2's other pieces. I'm sure Mansell is more than competent, but I'll miss Wall. Cautiously hopeful.

 

[Electrogecko]

Very interesting. Let's hope he makes the clean transition.

I really need to pick up ME2.....