Today I just want to quickly focus on a subject that I'm very passionate about: video game music. While there is so much to say, let's just focus on the variety of video game music and the nostalgia.
Variety
Video game music is interesting--to say the least--partly due to the insane variety. I love music in film and I don't want to discredit it at all, but I find video game music to be more diverse, at least when it comes to popular content within the mediums.
I think it is really interesting how unpredictable video game soundtracks can be. With something like Call of Duty, soundtracks can be fairly predictable; however, when you look at games like The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt, you realize just how original a soundtrack can be.
In contrast to this HUGE more cinematic soundtrack from The Witcher 3, a game like Shovel Knight can also have an amazing soundtrack but in a completely different way.
On top of that, there are absolutely tons of video games out there with good soundtracks, and, unlike films, it's easier for smaller companies/people to make very successful games thanks to environments like Steam for distribution. (ex. PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds which has been more popular than tons of AAA titles) With the increased focus on indie developers, it may be more exciting--and maybe even easier--than ever to create music for video games.
Nostalgia
This is really only relevant to people who grew up playing video games... well actually this whole post has a slight bias towards people who just appreciate video gaming in general. Video games have always been such an important medium of entertainment and escapism in my life.
Much like how people feel nostalgic when hearing a song they loved when they grew up, video game music can have that same effect, of course. However, video games differ from every other medium of entertainment because of the emotional and time investment they require.
I have had video games like The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion that have completely encompassed my life, and, by the time I finished the game, I must've put around 150 hours in. With that much time in a world, music has a huge impact; now, when I hear a song from the game it reminds me of the whole experience I had while playing it.
While I have felt the same type of nostalgia from other forms of music, video game music has an extremely unique quality to it. I have found more and more love towards video game soundtracks as I've grown up and seen the impact they make on my memory.
All I can think about when listening to the Halo 3 soundtrack is how crazy difficult it was to beat the game on legendary difficulty, and the satisfaction my friend and I had when we completed the game. Not to mention we beat the game in a single night and didn't fall asleep till 8am the next morning. These are the types of moments that a good soundtrack can help me relive and appreciate.
In conclusion, I absolutely adore video game music for so many different reasons. The medium is ripe with amazing pieces of work and I hope you're able to appreciate it as much as I do.
My Shameless Self Promotion
I made an fun little video game music album a while back for a non-existing game I created a story for. If you're interested in checking it out I'll supply a link right... HERE
