Like open-world games, scoring an MMORPG is tricky business. The player is often in the same areas for several hours at a time, essentially forcing the composer to neuter his score of being too melodic – as an overly melodic score can grow tiring to the ear after many hours of gameplay. Inon Zur is a composer who is no stranger to fantasy RPG’s tackles RIFT with a slightly different plan of attack than either of his Dragon Age scores. In this score, Zur chooses not just to rely on typical fantasy tropes, but to give it a distinctly modern feel, as well. This is no easy feat within the confines of the already-boxed-in criteria of an MMO score. What is especially refreshing about Zur’s score in that it is all new music whose only similarity to other fantasy scores is some orchestration and voices.
But did it work out as well as advertised? Does the score of RIFT grow tiring? Does it create the proper feeling for the world? Most importantly, does it adequately silence the voices of newbs who are constantly asking where to turn in quests? Read on to find out! (more…)
