Susan N.
It’s that time again! The writers of Chalgyr’s Game Room get together to cover some of our favorite music in video gaming. This month we are bringing the strategy genre to the forefront, and that is no easy feat! While several game genres have subgenres within them, the list of games and the memorable music out of those genres can be a little simpler to narrow down. However, strategy contains RTS, Tactical turn-based, AND 4X strategy games which makes the list a bit tougher to shrink down. I have one for each of those subgenres because it’s impossible to pick only one or two songs in total.
Starting with the strangely easiest subgenre of RTS, I have two picks that are the most memorable pieces. In a move that should shock no one, the first is the track titled “Heart of the Swarm” from Starcraft 2 Heart of the Swarm expansion. It was written by Neal Acree and Cris Velasco, although there are multiple artists attributed to the Starcraft 2 OST. Second, is also a track that should shock absolutely no one, and it is arguably the most memorable track of all time. How do I know this? It’s because I’ve never played a Command & Conquer game and yet I am still familiar with the music. THAT is how legendary Frank Klepacki’s Hell March is. Not only do I know the song, but I also have several OCRemixes of the track as well. I can’t put it down and I also can’t explain why it’s an infectious song.
Under the subgenre of tactical turn-based strategy there are a couple of legendary composers, but only one stands at the top. He is a musical giant. And although it was confusing to some of my colleagues, I’m a fan of Battletech. When Harebrained Schemes and Paradox Interactive released Battletech in 2018, I was all over it. This means that the composer for Battletech is none other than Jon Everist, who has written music for The Lamplighters League, Overwatch 2, Star Wars Outlaws, and Shadowrun: Hong Kong. I can’t pick out a single track for Battletech because there are so many good ones, but if I had to pick something it would be Coronation Day. There’s something to be said about the quiet build before everything goes to hell. This song plays as Kamea Arano ascends the throne and it is also the point where her uncle disapproves of her decisions and launches a coup d’etat behind her back. It’s quite the hook for players. The music effortlessly conveys the rise to power as well as the sinister plot unfolding. The music and the game are top notch in my books.
The last subgenre I’m covering is 4X strategy. There’s a ton of beautifully composed tracks attributed to the 4X genre like Endless Legend, Age of Wonders, Humankind, Sins of a Solar Empire, and many more. However, there are two titans when it comes to music for me and that is Andreas Waldetoft who is responsible for the masterful pieces in Stellaris. The other is Christopher Tin of Civilization IV. I’ve previously talked about how I feel about Baba Yetu from Civilization IV so I won’t go into too much detail. This piece captivated its audience in a big way. There have been very few games where I can honestly say I would open the game just to hear the music. (The other game that has managed to achieve this was Jack Wall’s Theme song to Myst IV Revelation.) Baba Yetu, will always top the list for me. However, Andreas Waldetoft has written some amazing pieces for Stellaris. I particularly love the song called Faster than Light. It begins with a soft melody that builds in the background with long notes. Then, the vocalist enters the track with her beautiful soprano tones. When travelling through the vastness of space to take out your opponents, this song keeps your focus on the objective. And although I haven’t played a ton of Stellaris, the music is simply breathtaking.
Nick
Lind Erebros – King’s Bounty: The Legend
Mikhail Anatolyevich Kostylev (better known in many parts of the world as Lind Erebros) is a Russian musician and composer who has crafted albums (the Elven Oratory trilogy) and movie soundtracks (two credits currently - Twenty-eight Panfilov's Men and Tanks) alike, but is probably best known for his video game credits, which include Royal Quest, Age of Decadence and three of the Shadow Flight titles.
However, my first experience with Lind Erebros' music was the King's Bounty Series. I absolutely love these strategy games (at least the classic ones - I was less fond of King's Bounty II which Lind Erebros' music did not grace). While the stories told within the games can be a bit strange or even downright goofy at times, the strategy is top-notch and the army building elements are downright addictive.
Even with those qualities, the thing about these games that always stood out the most for me? The music. Horns and flutes that create both quiet, reflective moments and those punctuated with walls of sound that ratchet up the tension. The first game in the series, King's Bounty: The Legend's soundtrack was the highlight of the game for me. Just give a listen to the song Home Lands, and tell me you don't immediately feel like you're embarking on a magical adventure. The creepy, ethereal sounds of Fear hauntingly reflect dark, dank crypts during your explorations. Last but hardly least, Warlord Horn and In the Heart of Battle are the embodiment of music you would expect to hear as you enter an epic battle.
Valerie
Duane Decker - MechCommander series
Remember these? MechWarrior 2, MechCommander 1, MechCommander 2, and MechCommander GOLD? I fell in love with these game series with their awesome mechs, the Real Time Strategy genre, and the beautiful music that created the atmosphere, the workmanship of the mechs, and the progression through the game. Duane Decker is such a powerhouse in music composition for games, television, movies, mobile games, his own albums, as well as licencing production music for TV and films. You can check out his credits here!
In the immortal words of one of the mech pilots, "This is Goblin! Do what I can sir!" Each and every pilot had their own voices that resonated with the gamers that have played the games. The music brought you into the atmosphere of being on your own and having missions to accomplish. The opening sequence, down through the skirmishes, and right to the very end you were entrenched in the mech atmosphere of combat. Nothing says it better than the track where you're lining up your mechs to take down an enemy.
Over the years Duane Decker's mech music has been an integral part of focussing on the work I was doing or just enjoying a few tracks to feel like just me inside my mech towering above the combat field. Each track on MechCommander 1 was related to the mission you were on. I couldn't find anywhere a list of track names. They were all listed as either 'Track 1' or 'Music 01'. The track I just listed is reminiscent of reflecting on what had just transpired after victory. One person listed this title for that track and called it 'Reflections' in the comments.
A big Thank you to Susan N. for whispering in my ear the series we used to play together years ago!
Now as I write this, I am longing to play again. So, while you are enjoying the music feast we presented this month, I'll be pulling out my old game cds and firing up whichever MechCommander or MechWarrior game appears first! Happy Summer Holidays all in North America. It's turning out to be quite the heat wave!
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