Bioshock

• Featured, Game Music

  OSV Composer of the Year Award 2010: Garry Schyman

  January 28, 2011 | Gideon Dabi | 3 Comments Share this OSV Composer of the Year Award 2010: Garry Schyman

  

  What an amazing year 2010 was for the world of game music! It may very well have been the best yet. I speak for everyone here at OSV when I say that picking our favorite scores was among the most agonizing decisions we had made in recent memory. Though picking out the best score is an incredibly difficult experiment in subjective reasoning, picking out the best composer of the year proved to be slightly more concrete as evidenced by an uncharacteristic unanimous approval.

  Many composers this year had runaway scores that were simply spectacular and came, seemingly, out of nowhere [I’m looking at you, Alanko (Alan Wake), SoulEye (VVVVVV), and Scott Morgan (Darksiders) – just to name a few!]. Mainstays like the great Russell Brower pumped out two glorious scores in StarCraft II and the World of Warcraft: Cataclysm expansion. But, as is often the case, one horse seems to catch his stride with a bit more gusto and, when the dust settles, shows itself to be the winner. (more…)

• Game Music

  Editorial: Context Is Everything

  August 10, 2010 | Gideon Dabi | 6 Comments Share this Editorial: Context Is Everything

  

  One of the most heated subjects of debate among the writers here at Original Sound Version is whether or not it is essential for one to experience a soundtrack in its original context in order to properly review, enjoy, appreciate, or analyze it critically.

  As musicians, music lovers, writers, and music critics, it is imperative that we give this music the opportunity to speak the way the composer intended. With amazingly few exceptions, scores are written for their subjects after – at the very least – the basic concept is fleshed out. In the case of film, most of the time, the movie has finished being edited before the composer lends his hand. If this is the genesis of scores, it must be accepted that these composers are writing this particular piece and this particular score based on something. It is safe to assume that without this inspiration as the impetus to the score, the work would not have been written – at least, it would not have been written the way it was (There have been instances where a piece was originally written for another project and then wonderfully added to the current work [i.e. “Regurgitation Pumping Station,” “Rain Rain Windy Windy,” and “Jelly” from Kyle Gabler’s World of Goo soundtrack], but this is less common).

  How, then, can we possibly ignore the very basis of these scores? By definition, they are designed to accompany, enrich, and flesh out the drama in the games and films we love. Listening to an original score for a game without seeing/playing it is like ignoring the lyrics to a song. (more…)

• Game Music, Reviews

  Bioshock 2: A Return to Rapture and to Form (Review)

  March 3, 2010 | Gideon Dabi | 1 Comment Share this Bioshock 2: A Return to Rapture and to Form (Review)

  

  Garry Schyman has been an awfully busy man this year. In fact, both Bioshock 2 and Dante’s Inferno were released on the same day. Coincidentally, both games were treated with a fair amount of skepticism and derision at the mere announcement of their respective developments. Whilst Dante’s Inferno was deemed a game that could not possibly be anything short of ludicrous based on its source material, Bioshock 2 was deemed needless; the sequel that had no business being made. Much to the dismay of the nay-sayers, Bioshock 2 – by most accounts (including my own) – has proven itself to be very deserving of being made and could very well be a GOTY candidate.

  From the phonographs and radios pumping out oldies tunes to the highly regarded “Cohen’s Masterpiece”, the music of Bioshock was integral to creating the world of Rapture and, subsequently, the game’s incredible artistic success. Often times in games, the same composer is not brought on to score the sequel. Most developers (and filmmakers, for that matter) often have someone else play on the themes written by the previous composer. Equally often, the original’s score is forgotten about and a whole new score and set of themes are written for the sequel (read: Army of Two: The 40th Day). In this case, 2K Marin chose to keep Mr. Schyman and have him lead us all back to Rapture.

  Was it a good move? Does Schyman manage to rekindle our love for Rapture? Click the jump to find out! (more…)

• Game Music

  To Hell and Back: A Conversation With Garry Schyman

  February 23, 2010 | Gideon Dabi | 7 Comments Share this To Hell and Back: A Conversation With Garry Schyman

  

  Just before the release of Dante’s Inferno, I had a wonderful opportunity to sit down with composer Garry Schyman and pick his music-filled brain. Philosophical pontificating about the craft and the gaming business ensued and it was certainly worth every minute. Most exciting for me was a nice insight into the main theme of Bioshock.

  Click on to read as I badger the mind behind Bioshock, Bioshock 2, and Dante’s Inferno! (more…)

• Game Music, Reviews

  Garry Schyman’s Score Sends Me To Hell: Dante’s Inferno (Review)

  February 8, 2010 | Gideon Dabi | 2 Comments Share this Garry Schyman’s Score Sends Me To Hell: Dante’s Inferno (Review)

  

  In addition to the great poet, Virgil, who is Dante’s guide through his perilous and horrific journey through Hell (and his own redemption), we also have a musical poet to guide us through Visceral Games’ Hell. Much like in 2007’s Bioshock where the underwater city of Rapture became the true antagonist and star of the game, Dante’s Inferno’s Hell is clearly the star here. And, now that I mention it, both games’ scores were composed by same man. Coincidence? Of course not.

  It is the great Garry Schyman that tells us with a fervent hand to “Go To Hell.” The only thing left to decide here is whether or not we are happy that he is the one to have sent us there and, more importantly, do we feel like his score has driven us down deep enough into the scourge of all creation to merit the blessing of Dante Alighieri.

  Click the jump to find out! (more…)

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