Music and sound ratings in game reviews

[kelsoanim]

Am I the only one that misses a Music and Sound rating in game reviews? Now before you answer I want to say that I don't take a huge amount of stock in final review scores. However, I do appreciate certain category scores with summaries next to them to give an idea of what the experience is like for each category. With that out of the way, music and sound is super important to me in games. A muted game seems like I'm only getting part of the package, like I'm previewing the game at an event or something. When I game has amazing music or atmospheric sound design, coupled with perfectly picked and timed sound effects it easily adds to the enjoyment of the game.

I wish game reviewers would stop using the ambiguous "Presentation" category as a catch all for visuals, cutscenes, UI, music, etc. and go back to a more sensible: Gameplay, Graphics, Sound, Replay Value, etc. I know that some major review sites have done away with score categories and now just have pros and cons. That's fine but I've read entire reviews that don't mention the music or sound at all.

When a game has great sound it bumps it up the list for me and helps make that game a favorite. Here are some of my favorite game soundtracks (not in any order, and not necissarily my top 3). What are some of your favorites?

Act Raiser
Super Mario Galaxy 1 / 2
Castlevania Symphony of the Night
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Xenoblade Chronicles

[Valkyrie-Favor]

Neither of those rating systems are sensible, but more on the "sound" category in particular:

What if a game has awesome music and unimpressive sound effects? Or if the SFX and the music are good but the acting is atrocious? Having one category for "sound" is pretty stupid. There's more than one kind of sound in the game. You can do that with "graphics" too.

Some Japanese game zines have separate categories for "Game graphics" and "character design" because the anime illustrations are so important. Take Hexyz Force - the lady protagonist is remarkably beautiful, but the 3D dungeons are a joke. Over there, a cute girl is as likely to sell a game as a somewhat photorealistic environment. Do you think these two categories are enough? What about animation, frame rate, art style? With the exception of frame rate, how is that supposed to be measured with a number?




In any case, you should take a look at our "criminally underrated game soundtracks" thread. There's a lot of good stuff in there

[Hobie-wan]

Second image hotlink fail.

[Valkyrie-Favor]

It worked fine for me, from several different browsers and IP addresses. However, I've replaced it with a link to photobucket.

[Gamerforlife]

You can't expect too much from game reviewers. They're generally a lazy lot. Seriously, any schmuck can land a job writing game reviews these days.

[BoringSupreez]

You can't expect too much from game reviewers. They're generally a lazy lot. Seriously, any schmuck can land a job writing game reviews these days.

I've heard that a lot of professional game reviewers are the guys who go to journalism school, but aren't good enough to get a job in the news or writing for a magazine. That could just be people criticizing reviewers for giving the "wrong score" to their favorite games, but it could be true.

[BoneSnapDeez]

Just my personal preference, but I don't think the music of most modern games is even worth talking about. So much generic "orchestral" stuff that's instantly forgettable. The chiptune tracks of old really stood out in a way that made people take notice.

[Xeogred]

Just my personal preference, but I don't think the music of most modern games is even worth talking about. So much generic "orchestral" stuff that's instantly forgettable. The chiptune tracks of old really stood out in a way that made people take notice.

Basically this.

The only OST's that continue to really stand out thesedays for me are still typically Japanese stuff. Xenoblade, Asura's Wrath, Skyward Sword, etc are some of my favorites from the last gen. Otherwise Jeremy Soule is always awesome, Mass Effect and Assassin's Creed (Jesper Kyd related ones) were good, etc.

Too much orchestral stuff or utterly forgettable "ambiance"... MELODY needs to make a comeback.

[BoringSupreez]

Just my personal preference, but I don't think the music of most modern games is even worth talking about. So much generic "orchestral" stuff that's instantly forgettable. The chiptune tracks of old really stood out in a way that made people take notice.

Basically this.

The only OST's that continue to really stand out thesedays for me are still typically Japanese stuff. Xenoblade, Asura's Wrath, Skyward Sword, etc are some of my favorites from the last gen. Otherwise Jeremy Soule is always awesome, Mass Effect and Assassin's Creed (Jesper Kyd related ones) were good, etc.

Too much orchestral stuff or utterly forgettable "ambiance"... MELODY needs to make a comeback.

I totally agree with the last sentence. Not every game needs the London Symphony Orchestra to provide the soundtrack... at least, not unless it's being directed by a genius like Harry Gregson-Williams.

I can't say that I've noticed Japanese games being any better about it than Western games though.

[Xeogred]

I think it's an issue pretty much everywhere and in Hollywood especially. I miss Jerry Goldsmith.