Japanese Composers Say Western Game Music is "Dry"

[Lazzi]

Maybe if Akira Yamaoka (Silent Hill 1-5) or Shoji Meguro (Persona) had made this claim I'd be more inclined to listen.

As well, The Halo Soundtrack, The Metal Gear Soundtrack and the Mass Effect Soundtrack do prove them a little bit wrong.

You think that the might be talking more about melodies?

I guess Japan wants a catchy tune, while america want a captivating song that works with the cinematics rather than stand out or above them.

I cant really get what theyre tryign to get at.

 

[rossatdi]

1) I think the Halo score is great. Don't massively like the game. But then my friend plays the FF?? sound track in his car and that's great too.

2) For a certain type of gamer a musical 'score' isn't really very important. If you're playing a twitchy deathmatch game and need every visual and audio clue you don't often want a wonderful orchestral piece in the background. As many of the big budget western games have a realistic / gritty emphasis (I'm thinking CoD4/5, Gears, Resistance, etc) music is rarely going to be designed to sit separate as a score, but merely to support and prompt the action.

3) A lot of the technology used in the lower budget Japanese creation is likely to have been invented in big budget situations which then filtered down. Its understandable not to prefer the big budget style but its important to not reject it out of hand.

 

[A random person]

At least with RPG's I tend to agree. One of the best things about JRPG's are their soundtracks, while western RPG soundtracks are "dryer" for the most part. I agree to lesser degrees with other genres and my favorite video game music is largely Japanese, but I don't deny awesome western soundtracks like the music in Half Life whenever it plays or the Halo soundtrack.

Personally, I find almost all modern video game music to be "dry", east or west. For me, the move to CD-audio killed it. Before that, you had bleeps and bloops, and you had to work within the limitations to make something genuinely catchy. Then alluvasudden you can just hire an orchestra to drone on and on, and for the most part that's what's been done since the ps1 generation. Of course, I like poppy, overt melodies, so I'm biased. Just my opinion.

I'm inclined to agree with this. As far as I'm concerned the 16-bit era was best music wise, with enough technical improvement from the NES/Sega Master System for more intricate soundtracks, but not doing the orchestral droning you mentioned. Oh, and Chrono Trigger, that too.

 

[Worsle]

Someone hasn't played a Madden game

What about the orange box. Portal in patiqular... tell me Still Alive isnt lodged in your brain

These guys clearly have never played Elder Scrolls games.

Guys, guys, guys this is not the point. I am not going into the specific games as no one will agree all the time on any of these but they are talking about a general feel from the western fps. They are against the idea of going the hollywood direction in for game music, they are not saying all western game music is bad though.

Edit. Really is it just me that finds the article title needly combative?

Heh, no...its akin to staring a question "your momma..."

but i see your point...in general music in Western games is just a way to tell you when combat is happening or to build atmosphere...rarely memorable.

But if i did want music i wouldent buy a game, i would buy music. Mabey that kind of mindset is why?

Yes but like with movies the music in a game plays a big role in setting the mood. I would not in general listen to game or movie scores on there own (though some people do) but there roles in the game or movie them selves is vital. Take James Bond this music is rather iconic and the movie that was made without the music (thunderball I think)just does not feel right, the sense just lack the certain character and punch the Bond music brings. A good score can set something apart, it can't make a good game bad but it can help turn a good game into a clasic.

 

[Chipperz]

Halo. That is all.

If pushed, I'd point out that, while it could be argued that it wasn't done with the game in mind, the selections for the raido stations in every GTA from 3 onwards are always top-notch, too.

 

[PureChaos]

he doesn't compose game music but Toshiro Mesuda is the BEST

 

[A big red rooster]

That would be almost as insulting if I called Japan's game industry "A little too high-brow"

 

[ARM02]

Ocarina. Of. Time.

 

[TZer0]

Objection!

Jeremy Soule. I'd say the music that has anything to do with him (Guild Wars, Company of Heroes, Natural Selection for Half-Life 1 and the Morrowind series) is quite memorable and good! It fits perfectly in.

 

[SargeantGunlock]

good sound tracks
-God of War

-Halo

-Portal

Half life2

Team Fortress 2

BioShock

Quake

Fallout 3

jak and Daxter series

and I could go on and on

 

[arcstone]

These guys should go play god of war II.

In fact, I'm gonna go on youtube and listen to some of its music right now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVljywxAjH0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kMlZ111Rj8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxrKPLdX8Cg&feature=related

 

[D_987]

Amazing how many people (admittedly myself in my earlier post) have either completely ignored the article and have posted simply after reading the title...

It's already been explained so I'm not going to repeat it.

 

[arcstone]

Ocarina. Of. Time.

Is. Japanese.

 

[More Fun To Compute]

vs


They have a point.

 

[Blanks]

this would be alot more creditable if Nobuo Uematsu was part of it

 

[shintakie10]

I feel as if I should ask how many of you actually read past the tag line. This is a lot like the article the escapist put out earlier about how Obama said games were leadin to obesity in kids. The tag line drew you in, made you think Obama said exactly that, then you go and read the article and not only does the quoted line rebuke the tag line, the article itself basically points out that its nothin but rubbish to pull you in.

The entire article here is dedicated to how Japanese developers are mostly just jealous about how American publishers have massive budgets and can still fart around and have cruddy music, or just use that budget for good music that doesnt fit. Its entirely true too. Yes you have your Halo soundtracks, but you also have your Jericho soundtracks. The bad will always outnumber the good, the stated problem bein that with the budgets of those bads they should have been able to spring for a half decent soundtrack instead of just throwin in what basically amounts to random music that doesnt work.

Edit - On a sidenote...I really wish the Escapist would stop with the misleadin tag lines. It causes all sorts of bad stuff that could easily have been averted if they had just used a tag line more true to the subject matter.

 

[Zayren]

They never played Castle Crashers. Best soundtrack in a game.

But, I guess for the most part, they are right. I can't get enough Tales music, but the only song from a western game besides Castle Crashers I can think of is the awesome Halo battle theme... which I'm not even sure of the title.

Also, total lies about Monster Hunter. It's memorable for the big ass crazy monsters. The only song from it that I can even think of is the theme... I don't think there actually is any music in it besides the theme, actually...

 

[6PrinceofDarkness6]

Popularity makes a big difference when it comes to going across oceans.

 

[Worsle]

I feel as if I should ask how many of you actually read past the tag line. This is a lot like the article the escapist put out earlier about how Obama said games were leadin to obesity in kids. The tag line drew you in, made you think Obama said exactly that, then you go and read the article and not only does the quoted line rebuke the tag line, the article itself basically points out that its nothin but rubbish to pull you in.

Snip

Edit - On a sidenote...I really wish the Escapist would stop with the misleadin tag lines. It causes all sorts of bad stuff that could easily have been averted if they had just used a tag line more true to the subject matter.

Good to know I am not the only one having issues with the title, was beginning to think I had gone mad. The topic title does a horrible job of representing the contents and the responses show that quite clearly. Now a proper title to this article might have been a little dry ironically enough really but sensationalist headlines that don't mesh with the contents are even worse in the long run in my mind.

 

[shintakie10]

Good to know I am not the only one having issues with the title, was beginning to think I had gone mad. The topic title does a horrible job of representing the contents and the responses show that quite clearly. Now a proper title to this article might have been a little dry ironically enough really but sensationalist headlines that don't mesh with the contents are even worse in the long run in my mind.

Its journalism 101 really. The truth is hardly ever enough to draw someone in. Your article can be the most dry drivel ever, but if you have a tag line with enough pop, a hint of sensationalism, and a bit of controversy you'll have people readin it all day long. I just wish the escapist wouldnt sink to such low standards as that.