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E3 2011: Skyrim’s Soundtrack is as Beautiful as Expected

June 15, 2011 | Jayson Napolitano | Comments Off on E3 2011: Skyrim’s Soundtrack is as Beautiful as Expected Share this

While Skyrim wasn’t playable at on the show floor here at E3, Bethesda was showing guests a demonstration of what the game can do throughout the day, and what we saw was quite incredible. It has everything from a brand new game engine to tweaks and modifications to the interface to make the game more accessible along with a brand new score by Jeremy Soule.

We heard a number of pieces from the game during the demonstration, and also got a feel for the game’s sound design, and on top of being one of my most anticipated games of the year, it’s also one of my most anticipated soundtracks.

Find out what we heard in our preview after the jump. (more…)
Featured, Game Music

E3 2011: Final Fantasy XIII-2 Has Lots of Battle Themes

June 13, 2011 | Jayson Napolitano | 9 Comments Share this

During our separate hands-on and hands-off demos of Final Fantasy XIII-2 at E3 2011 last week, there was a lot of music to hear. While the game pretty much controlled the same way as Final Fantasy XIII, it sounds like Masashi Hamauzu (confirmed to be working on the title) has a number of tricks up his sleeve to make sure the game’s soundtrack provides something familiar yet refreshing.

We heard a number of pieces throughout the demos, but what stood out most were the battle themes. We heard four in all, and I think you’ll be surprised by what you’ll be hearing. Hit the jump for more! (more…)
Game Music

E3 2011: WayForward’s BloodRayne Betrayal Scored by Jake Kaufman

June 9, 2011 | Jayson Napolitano | 4 Comments Share this

I suppose this news isn’t really a surprise to anyone, but we’ve confirmed that Jake Kaufman is responsible for the soundtrack to WayForward’s stunningly beautiful reboot of the BloodRayne franchise, BloodRayne: Betrayal. We saw the game in action and were not only impressed with the visuals, but also the side-scrolling action gameplay that we were told is inspired by games like Bayonetta and Ninja Gaiden (I confirmed that there are fortunately no falcons).

Regarding the soundtrack, Kaufman was responsible for scoring the game’s 15 stages and boss battles. Even more, we were told that Kaufman has created an alternate 8-bit version of the entire score which can be accessed by pressing a series of buttons. Knowing Jake personally and knowing that WayForward worked on Contra 4, I asked if the button sequence was the Contra code, but was told it’s not.

In any case, the game will be out soon for PSN and XBLA, and deserves some attention not only for its contradictory beauty with blood and gore, but also for its soundtrack. Majesco and WayForward are currently discussing the distribution of the soundtrack as well, so we’ll hopefully have more news on that soon.
Game Music

E3 2011: Mary Elizabeth McGlynn Expected to Work on Silent Hill Downpour

June 7, 2011 | Jayson Napolitano | Comments Off on E3 2011: Mary Elizabeth McGlynn Expected to Work on Silent Hill Downpour Share this

During a Silent Hill: Downpour developer panel, one of the title’s producers let it slip that there are plans to have composer Daniel Licht collaborate with series vocalist Mary Elizabeth McGlynn on a track for the game. The topic came up when it was mentioned that Daniel Licht’s music was making a perfect compliment to the game despite Akira Yamaoka’s musical legacy. I naturally commented, “But I guess we won’t be seeing any vocal tracks this time?”

We were told that they’re aiming to have the two collaborate on the title’s main theme, and I for one am incredibly excited by this news. I figured the departure of Akira Yamaoka meant the absence of McGlynn’s characteristic voice from the franchise’s future, but it appears as though I may have been wrong.

Also, there are plans to produce a soundtrack for the game, but whether or not it will be sold or included as a pre-order bonus as past soundtracks have is yet to be determined. Be on the lookout, and let us know what you think of what you’ve been hearing from Daniel Licht thus far.
Game Music, Reviews

Uematsu’s New Beginning: The Last Story Original Soundtrack (Review)

June 6, 2011 | Jayson Napolitano | 3 Comments Share this

A lot of people have been watching this game very closely. Created by Hironobu Sakaguchi at Mistwalker, people immediately drew comparisons to Final Fantasy, at least in game title. What we were most interested in, however, was Nobuo Uematsu’s involvement, which is almost always a sure thing when Sakaguchi is making a new game.

The game was released in Japan in January, and from what I saw on my trip there, it was being heavily promoted. The 3-disc soundtrack was released in February, and while there isn’t even a release date for regions outside of Japan, many picked up the soundtrack and were surprised by what they heard.

What was so surprising about The Last Story’s soundtrack? Read our review after the jump to find out. (more…)
Anime, Featured, Game Music

The Secret World of an Orchestrator: Who is Nicole Brady?

May 19, 2011 | Jayson Napolitano | 7 Comments Share this

Maybe you’ve seen the name Nicole Brady and just can’t remember where. Maybe you’ve never seen it. Therein lays the conundrum. Orchestration is a pretty thankless job; all the work they pour in to help elevate the music they work on often gets credited to the original composer, and even most fans don’t give the role much thought.

At GDC 2011, however, I was able to catch up with Nicole Brady, who worked extensively with the Eminence Symphony Orchestra when it was first established as well as being Hitoshi Sakimoto’s go-to orchestrator for projects like the Valkyria Chronicles series, Romeo x Juliet, and others.

Find out who she is and why what she does is so important after the jump! (more…)
Game Music, Reviews

Kow Otani Rocks and Rolls Over: Sengoku Basara 3 Soundtrack (Review)

May 11, 2011 | Jayson Napolitano | Comments Off on Kow Otani Rocks and Rolls Over: Sengoku Basara 3 Soundtrack (Review) Share this

Okay, not really. But when it was announced long ago that Kow Otani would be working on Sengoku Basara 3, I think a lot of fans, myself included were excited about the possibilities. As it turns out Kow Otani only provided a portion of the game’s soundtrack, and he composed music in his distinctive orchestral style, letting the other composers on board tackle the rock music.

I’d been a fan of Dynasty Warriors titles in the past, so why not Sengoku Basara? Different developers, yes, but similar styles.

Prepare to rock out in our review after the jump! (more…)