When it comes to soundtrack in games, most developers settle for “good enough”. But that wasn’t enough for Yuka Kitamura and the other Dark Souls III music composers. While only little has been heard of Dark Souls III’s soundtrack, the composers have already showed obvious effort and interest in creating a fantastic attempt at topping everyone’s high standards. And I respect them for it.
Soundtrack, while being one of the most important aspects of a game, is often overlooked. When it comes to talking about a game, reviewing it, or advertising it, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Gameplay? Graphics? World design? While all of these are relevant topics, most people fail to notice the effect of good soundtracks. Soundtrack is what made us at the edge of our seats in the Blood Starved Beast fight in Bloodborne. It’s what made the Firelink Shrine feel like your only, lonely home. It’s what made us look back on our journey, all the good, great, and awful moments that we’ve experienced upon finishing Dark Souls I, to the point of tears.
Music is the shorthand of emotion
I think it’s about time we started appreciating the full design of a game, not only for its soundtrack, but also for its sound design. Sound design isn’t as important, but is still very nice to have. It’s the scream that makes Cleric Beast close to terrifying, it’s the satisfying smash that makes the Kirkhammer sound heavy, it’s the sharp *TCHIINNNGG!* that makes visceral attacks and parries feel very powerful. Without these sound effects, the Cleric Beast wouldn’t be as scary, the Kirkhammer wouldn’t give the feeling that you’re smashing something awfully heavy, and the visceral attacks wouldn’t feel so satisfying to destroy your enemies with.
Like a poem, a soundtrack always tries its best to immerse you in a general mood. Whether it wants you to feel relaxed like Dustforce’s OST, or on edge like Soothing Hymn from Bloodborne, it always has a purpose. The soundtrack, if good, can be more powerful than the scenery itself.
When words fail, music speaks
Which is why I can’t stress enough how much I love Dark Souls III’s soundtrack. It sets the mood while being a perfect instrumental piece. It’s got a familiar feeling to it… As if we’ve all felt this before…
The music mainly classifies as a tragedy with a touch of action, which once again, is really fitting. The world of Dark Souls has always been a tragedy, mainly around hopeless characters that’ve accepted their fate, and an unnamed hero carving his own fate with his sword. I’m super excited to hear the rest of the soundtrack as I make my way through the world. I really hope the game is as a masterpiece as it looks like right now; with wonderful gameplay and a flawless soundtrack, it could very literally be my favorite game.
If this piece were translated into words, it would speak “Breathe, Die, Relive. Welcome to Dark Souls.”
Color me impressed.
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9 responses to “The Importance of Soundtrack and How Dark Souls 3 Nailed It (So Far)”
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Orchestral almost never conveys anything to me. It’s just noise. Wish I felt what you do.
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I feel the exact opposite. I love the orchestral music in dark souls. Dark Souls 2 is my favorite soundtrack by far. Ruin Sentinel and Velstadt, The Royal Aegis are still my favorite boss themes. My favorite final boss of the souls games is still Nashandra, in large part because I love her theme song. So much so that almost always pick Nashandra over Aldia as my final boss just because I want to her that wonderfully hauntingly majestic theme song in game once again.
Unfortunately, the music all started to sound generic and boring after Demon’s Souls, to me.
I wish they’d take a post-rock approach to the music over the orchestral approach. Someone who really understands the context of the situation the track will be playing in, and making the impression you get as fundamentally dynamic as the bosses themselves. The epic “showdown” sound in orchestra does nothing for me. But that’s just me.
What do you guys like about the music? I’m actually curious.
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I believe the quote is from a Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy
And I fully believe that music is what brings everything together in a game. Some of my favorite bosses or areas might not have been had the music been off.
So far darks souls 3 has captured me with its music…
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Haha yeah, when I was writing the article I just had to put in a quote or two in there. I’ve spent like 20 minutes picking them, and I was impressed with this one. Sadly I didn’t get around to knowing who actually said it, or where it’s quoted from, though.
Agreed. Even the title screen sounded awesome! I’m surprised they can still keep it fresh, yet sounding familiar.
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I agree, really good quote.
When A game has great music it sticks with you for years. Some even going as far as adding it to a playlist among their regular music because it’s so good.
Very few games can capture the atmosphere and character that From Soft portrays in its games in general. They are up there with Certain Final Fantasy Sound Track, Such as FFVI, FFVII, FF tactics, and FFVIII.
“Music is the shorthand of emotion”… that quote stuck with me. That’s probably the best way I’ve heard something indescribable described…
Cas
I agree and have to say music was one of several things that left an impression on me from the network test. That’s saying a lot considering this is going to be the 5th entry in the Soulsborne series.
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