Buying games based on the composer/ sound director

[puke_face]

I really like the music on the katamari games. I've been thinking about buying a lot of them.. (I only own Katamari Forever for the PS3), And have been looking at the list of games he (Yū Miyake) has done music for. They include

* Tekken 3 (1997)
* Tekken Tag Tournament (1999)
* Ridge Racer V (2000)
* Tekken 4 (2002)
* R:Racing Evolution (2003)
* Katamari Damacy (2004)
* Ridge Racer (PSP) (2004)
* We Love Katamari (2005)
* Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection (2005)
* Ridge Racer 6 (2005)
* Me & My Katamari (2005)
* Beautiful Katamari (2007)
* Katamari Forever (2009)


Do any of you guys buy video games based on not strictly, but mostly the composer? Who is your favorite composer?

[Pulsar_t]

Well I know I got both Etrian Odyssey games partly because Yuzo Koshiro composed the music. But if the game itself is average (e.g. Dark Void) with an excellent soundtrack (scored by Bear McCreary) I end up skipping the game and getting the music itself.

Too many composers to bother listing.

[sputnik]

To be honest I often play games with the sound off... Does that make me a bad person?

[Incognito D]

I wouldn't buy a game purely based on the soundtrack but it might make me take interest.
Composers that seem to crop up a lot in my game music collection and that I can name offhand include:

- David Wise/ Eveline Fischer (Donkey Kong Country series) (who knows what since )
- Yuzo Koshiro (Streets of Rage, Shenmue, Wangan Midnight)
- Hideki Naganuma (Jet Set Radio, JSRF, Sonic Rush, Ollie King)
- Richard Jaques (Jet Set Radio, JSRF, loads more...)

I'd say these guys are my favourites.

Koji Kondo as well, though since he composes for Nintendo, and their big releases are usually immense anyway, I wouldn't say he persuades me to buy the games.

[winds]

To be honest I often play games with the sound off... Does that make me a bad person?

Absolutely it does!! haha.
My friend does something similar and turns the game music all the way off, then pops open his itunes and listens to his own music. I always tell him he's a baffoon! You don't get to experience the game fully the way it was intended! I work in sound design, so I may be a little bit biased, but truthfully sound counts for 50% of the mood and whatever the media may be, whether its a game, movie, or anything like that. Especially with newer games.

[puke_face]

@ pulsar_t

I hadn't even heard of dark void until now. The plot sounds okay, but like you said... looks kind meh as well. The Etrain Odyssey games look pretty promising. I understand there are alot of composers out there, no worries in not listing all of them, lol.

@ Incognito D

I completely forgot about Donkey Kong Country's music. That is one of the best I've heard. I have yet to play Streets of Rage, Shenmue, Wangan Midnight, Jet Set Raido or Jet Set Radio Future. Do you recommend all of them?

@ winds

I couldn't agree with you more. The music in the game can either make or break it.

Another few of my favorites are Fable I and II, Forza Motorspot 2 and Need For Speed Hot Pursuit 2, along with the classics like Mario Bros. and the 007 for N64.

[Incognito D]

I completely forgot about Donkey Kong Country's music. That is one of the best I've heard. I have yet to play Streets of Rage, Shenmue, Wangan Midnight, Jet Set Raido or Jet Set Radio Future. Do you recommend all of them?

I can recommend all of them except Wangan Midnight. I think it's only out in Japan in the arcades or on PS3, so unless I get a PS3 I'll never get to play it. I discovered the music by chance on Youtube while listening to other Yuzo Koshiro music.

All the other games there are like my favourite games ever so yeah I recommend them!

[Cassidy]

I have definitely bought games based on who the composer/sound designer was.

Sound and music are huge to me, but I can certainly understand why others don't place them in as high of esteem.

Grant Kirkhope is one. I loved his work in Banjo-Kazooie so I picked up Grabbed By The Ghoulies day one. The music was pretty much the only good thing about that game!

Same as Koji Kondo. Ocarina of Time is my favourite game score of all time so I'm naturally drawn to his work.

Okay, was that pretentious enough?

[Gooseberrysoda]

I loooove Graeme Norgate. He composed the music for my all-time favorite FPS, Timesplitters Future Perfect. Every song in that game is catchy, and good enough to put on your iPod.

[puke_face]

Man, you guys are mentioning all sorts of games I haven't played, lol. Banjo-Koozie is one that looked alot like Crash Bandicoot in my opinion, but never gave it a shot. Never even got around to time splitters. I've got a lot of gaming to do.