Trailers

Game Music

E3 2011: Nintendo’s Got Game (Booth Audio Impressions)

June 20, 2011 | Jayson Napolitano | Comments Off on E3 2011: Nintendo’s Got Game (Booth Audio Impressions) Share this

Nintendo had a lot of stuff to show off this year. In addition to a new console announcement, there were a ton of games to play and hear on both the Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo Wii. We spent time with many of the games to catch a peek at what we can expect to hear from these games over the next year, and have posted many of the official E3 2011 trailers on our OSVchannel for your listening pleasure as well.

The games we checked out include Super Mario, Mario Kart, and Paper Mario on the 3DS as well as Rhythm Heaven, Kirby, and The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword on the Wii.

Join us after the jump for a crash course through the Nintendo booth this year. (more…)
Game Music

BlizzCon 2010: All Aboard for New Music From Diablo III

October 26, 2010 | Jayson Napolitano | 1 Comment Share this

The biggest news regarding Diablo III at BlizzCon 2010 was the new Demon Hunter class reveal. Not huge news, I know, but we did get some hands-on with the class (It was a blast!), and heard a new piece of music in the lengthy demo. What we heard was an emotional cue with swelling strings and plucked guitar in the background. This is apparently the work of Joseph Lawrence, who has been handling many of the game’s interiors, creating what Audio Director Russell Brower has been calling “amazing ambient experiences” for the dungeons, and also writing some music.

I noted that there was some silence in the game when talking to Brower, to which he commented, “I still firmly believe that silence is one of our best tools. It’s all a game of contrasts. Music is an art and a craft of contrasts. Light versus dark. Heavy versus light. And sound versus silence.” Well said, and the silence does work quite well in the game.

So, who’s all working on the game? Brower himself had teamed up with Laurence Juber to create the powerful Diablo III “Overture” reveal piece, but since that time, Juber has been inspired, creating several cues for the game itself. Joseph Lawrence has been handling the lion’s share of in-game music as far as we can tell, while Glenn Stafford scored the Demon Hunter trailer shown above and Derek Duke handled the PVP Arena trailer that was also released at BlizzCon 2010.

I’m definitely looking forward to hearing more. How about you?
Indie Music, Reviews

Like E.S. Posthumus, But Not: Immediate’s Trailerhead: Saga (Review)

August 18, 2010 | Jayson Napolitano | 3 Comments Share this

I know that artists generally don’t appreciate it when people constantly compare them to another artist, but I can’t help it in this case. We were recently turned on to the epic orchestral sounds of Immediate, a single alias for a conglomerate of composers headed by composer and producer Yoav Goren, and were ‘immediately’ reminded of the powerful cinematic stylings of E.S. Posthumus. Given the long gaps that usually fall between E.S. Posthumus albums, I was eager to find more artists who explored this unique style of music.

Enter Trailerhead: Saga. This is actually a follow-up to Immediate’s debut album, Trailerhead, featuring tracks that were written to be included in a trailer music library. You may have heard some of these tracks in various worldwide trailers and commercials for Pirates of the Caribbean 3, X-Men 3, Hellboy 2, and “Astro Boy,” among others, but this album is meant to appeal to listeners as a standalone experience, and I think you’ll find the music here appropriately epic, working in live orchestra, choir, and a host of live performers to bring the compositions to life.

Find out what Trailerhead: Saga has to offer in our review after the jump. (more…)
Game Music

E3 2010: DJMax Portable 3 Trailer

June 20, 2010 | Patrick Gann | 3 Comments Share this E3 2010: DJMax Portable 3 Trailer

Wanna get psyched for the best PSP rhythm game out there (in this editor’s opinion)? Why not start by watching this trailer?

PM Studios is a small publisher, but after bringing DJMax Fever (that’s 1 and 2 in the series) to North America, we were sold. These rhythm games feature musicians from Korea, Japan, and elsewhere, and you’re sure to get hooked on the striking visuals and music, not to mention the difficult and addictive gameplay.

The game is scheduled for a generic “Fall 2010” release. We were hoping for a concrete date announced over E3, but we’ll be patient.
Game Music

Go Go Go! Bionikku! Bionic Commando/Dead Rising Review

January 25, 2010 | Audun Sorlie | 1 Comment Share this

As a kid, I was always really into Bionic Commando on the NES. The game offered something different from the other games at time, and captured my imagination and interest quickly with the swing hook game play and WW2 influences throughout the game. My father is a writer and WW2 historian, and it was one of the few games outside of racing games I can remember him looking up from his books at and being slightly interested; the game portrayed Nazis well enough for even my old man to pick up just by watching. The music, by Junko Tamiya, was memorable and still echos in my memories to this day with its militaristic approach and emotional melodies.

In 2008, the now defunct Swedish game developer GRIN was commissioned by CAPCOM to make a remake of Bionic Commando titled Bionic Commando: Rearmed. In Japan, the remake was released as Bionic Commando: Master D Resurrection Project and while the marketing in the west relied on nostalgia and cross promotion with the development of an all new sequel, Japan took a different approach. Part of that approach was the release of a special promotional soundtrack, which also happens to be today’s review, Bionic Commando / Dead Rising.

Read on to find out more about the musical promotion for Bionic Commando! (more…)
Game Music

Miss Good Music? Alexander Brandon’s Earthscape Has You Covered

January 19, 2010 | Jayson Napolitano | 2 Comments Share this

“Over the years, popular music seems to have stagnated and congealed into far fewer styles. No more rock ‘n’ roll, no more heavy metal, no more pure synth, and music videos are now reality shows.” Agree with Alexander Brandon’s assessment of modern day music? Well, he intends to bring all that good stuff back with his Earthscape album due out in February.

For those who don’t recall, Alexander Brandon was one of the brilliant musical minds behind Unreal and Deus Ex, and is to this day known around the world within the demoscene for his releases throughout the 1990s (and he also conducted this lengthy interview with Spencer Nielsen on OSV). He recently posted the above trailer for his upcoming album, Earthscape, and it looks set to please. Not only does it sound promising from a musical standpoint, but it’s hard not to be impressed by the album’s premise. Be sure to watch for it early in February when it’s released.

Have you followed Alexander Brandon’s long career in the demoscene and in videogames? Do you agree with his assessment of modern music, and think he’s on to something with Earthscape?
Game Music

FINAL FANTASY XIII: Soundtrack Trailer

January 7, 2010 | Gideon Dabi | 4 Comments Share this FINAL FANTASY XIII: Soundtrack Trailer

In case you weren’t aware, soundtracks to Final Fantasy games are popular. Well, Square Enix is not only aware of this, but they are aware to the point of releasing a trailer for the soundtrack to Final Fantasy XIII – as in, separate from the game. The four (or five) disc set promises to be epic and you can be sure that OSV will have extended coverage of Final Fantasy XIII.

Check out the trailer after the jump! (more…)