Brendan’s Top 10 Best Videogame Soundtracks

September 12, 2012 By Leave a Comment

My two favorite forms of media entertainment are videogames and music. Obviously, I enjoy to occasional TV show or movie, listen to quite a few podcasts, and I actually read quite a bit as well. But when push comes to shove, if I’ve got time to space I’d almost always prefer spending with a controller in my hand or headphones over my ears. Luckily enough, videogames are a pretty great source of good music. And to be clear, I don’t mean themes — there are tons of great videogame themes The Elder Scrolls, Final Fantasy, Halo, Uncharted, etc. I mean full on soundtracks. Granted, as games try harder and harder to be movies, we’re left with far less memorable, overly “epic” orchestrated scores that begin to blend together. But there are still some that manage to be impactful and memorable, not to mention the myriad of retro games whose 8- and 16-bit soundtracks went on to inspire an entire genre of music.. Anyway, enough blathering — here are my 10 favorite videogame soundtracks.

10. Brutal Legend

Is it unfair of me to include this game? Probably, but I’m doing it anyway because I love metal. Brutal Legend is a metal-as-fuck game about metal that uses over 100 awesome metal songs in some of the most metal ways ever. The end.

Not only that, but there was a bunch of original music composed for the game as well.

9. Rayman: Origins

Rayman is near and dear to me. While others were picking mushrooms some fat plumber in a pedo stache and suspenders, I was off exploring the magical dreamland of Rayman. The music in the series has always been important. Often, entire sections of the games would be centered around musical notes and timing. But no matter if the music was integral to the gameplay, or just background to it, the dream-like world of Rayman was brought to life by its music. Rayman: Origins is by far my favorite game in the series, and it also features without a doubt the series’ best music.

8. Castlevania 2

Halloween is my favorite Holiday. Many of my favorite death metal and doom metal bands are that way because they sound like Halloween. Every time I pop in a band like Hooded Menace or Graveyard, I feel like it’s Halloween. Castlevania 2 sounds like Halloween. It’s a bit dark, slightly creepy due to minor chord melodies (that are incredibly catchy). Castlevania 2 has probably my favorite NES soundtrack, and is the perfect example of 8-Bit chiptunes music.

7. Metal gear solid 3

Big Boss makes Chuck Norris look like a chump, and James Bond like a pansey. Hideo Kojima’s complex commentary on the future of war began with electro-symphonic rock, but when the series took us back in time, to delve into the inanity and insanity of the Cold War, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater took a page from 007, switching things up with funky, 60-era spy flick grooves, complete with it’s very own “Bond Song.” It’s one of my favorite theme songs to any piece of media ever.

6. Metroid Prime

Metroid always had spacey, strange sci-fi songs that offered an ominous sense of being alone on an alien planet. But Metroid Prime added another element: wonder. The beauty and detail of Tallon IV created a strong sense of place. It was lived in, there was history in every crevice and brick. Metroid Prime certainly made you feel alone, and the soundtrack is appropriately alien and sci-fi, but the wonder you feel when entering Chozo Ruins or Phendrana Drifts for the first time compel you to explore this planet in a way few other settings do, and a large part of that is due to the wonderful soundtrack, punctuating every new secret and discovery.

5. Dark Souls

For the most part, Dark Souls is silent. Often, the only soundtrack to your demise is the ambiance of you environment, and the menacing sounds of the enemies that hunt you. When music does kick in, it is usually understated, dark, melancholic — like the game itself. But when you find yourself face-to-face with the morbid and terrifying bosses of the game, the ordeals are scored by massive sections of brass horns and woodwinds, gothic choirs, piercing string instruments, and pummeling drums. Despite the overwhelming obstacles and depressing atmosphere, Dark Souls provides some of the strongest feelings of reward and accomplishment of any game, and the soundtrack underscores that struggle perfectly.

4. Shadow of the Colossus

Much like Dark Souls, Shadow of the Colossus is a quiet and understated game, for the most part. Traversing this empty land is a lonely and bleak affair; but felling the 16 hulking, majestic beasts that roam the land is daunting and terrifying. Each boss fight  is (again, much like Dark Souls) scored by songs as epic and awe-inspiring as the beasts themselves. And like Dark Souls, there is a sense of accomplishment with each victory. But unlike Dark Souls, you don’t feel like a hero — you feel like a monster. As you watch these beings die, you feel as if you’ve betrayed them of something for more important than just their life. And every note drives the tendrils of guilt deeper into you.

3. The Legend of Zelda (series)

I don’t have to say much here. There’s probably only one other series with as well know and iconic music in the world of videogames (and I didn’t even mention it on this list. GASP!). The Legend of Zelda is the music of my childhood; It’s music I’ll remember for the rest of my life.

2. Doom

C’mon.

1. Mass Effect

Mass Effect’s music is astounding. The synthetic elements of the songs meld into the organic sounds of tangible instruments. This creates and entirely unique sound — you know when you’re listening to a Mass Effect song. But it’s not just the fact that the songs are good, or memorable, or that they give the universe an identity, but that they make you feel something. The mysterious galaxy map song fills you with curiosity and wonder at the immensity of space; Mass Effect 3′s theme weighs down on you as you’re face with an inescapable fate; and the theme for Mass Effect 2′s Suicide Mission may be the most inspiring piece of music I’ve ever heard. Not matter what the final game did or did not do for you is irrelevant because no matter what, when the final moment comes you feel something.

Runner Ups:

Red Dead Redemption

Pokemon

Diablo series

Final Fantasy XII

The Elder Scrolls series

What are you favorite videogame soundtracks? Think I’m insane for including/forgetting something? Sound off in the comments! Also, suggest some other list ideas to me. I realize that they’ve been mostly broad topics, and thus result in a lot of cross over and feature similar games on each, and to be honest I’m running out of things to say about a lot of these games/series, but I still love doing lists. So if there’s a topic or idea you’ve got for a list, let me know in the comments as well, or email us at askpowercords@gmail.com!

Want more video game music? be sure to check out the latest episode of the Power Cast!

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Power Play Episode 5: More Minecraft

June 9, 2012 By 3 Comments

Episode 5 is now up on YouTube. While these videos have been coming out on a daily basis this week that rate is going to slow down to more of a weekly basis or so. Also while we have been coming back to Minecraft as of late there will be a larger variety of games explored in the weeks to come, Minecraft has just been ideal for what we have been looking for. There has also been a lot of work lately going into other possible series and there will potentially be a debut of a new series in the next few weeks or so. So like always subscribe to our channel and if there is anything in particular you would like to see from us please let us know in the comments below!

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The Witcher 2: Enhanced Edition Review

May 31, 2012 By 4 Comments

How often in a role playing game do you actually feel the decisions you make affect the narrative in truly sweeping ways? More often than not, it seems like we’re selecting between two hallways that ultimately lead to the same room, the only difference between the two is that one is painted red and the other blue (when you play the muppet’s party cruise).

In CD Projekt RED’s The Witcher 2, the differences between those hallways would be one is painted red, and the other is a freeway.

The Witcher 2 is unlike many games in the RPG genre for many reasons. The game is set in a rather realistic world, where monsters are rare and truly monstrous, and where casting a powerful magic spell can leave even the most adept sorceress exhausted for days. You take the role of Geralt of Rivia, a Witcher. Witchers are genetically modified humans, able to ingest alchemical potions and utilize magic — things that would lead most normal humans to a gruesome death — and are tasked with hunting down dangerous creatures.

Geralt is suffering from the all-too-common RPG affliction, amnesia, something he’s had twice now over the series’ two games. Geralt is wrongly accused of killing a king for whom he was sworn to protect, after it is discovered the king was assassinated by a fellow witcher. Geralt is let free, under the sole provision he help hunt down the assassin and his cohorts, now known as the “Assassin of Kings.” The assassination couldn’t have come at a worse time — the the land is being torn apart by numerous warring kingdoms and rebel factions.

Each aspect of the game’s scenario comes into play in some form or another in the gameplay in ways that go beyond just plot devices.

For example: Geralt’s amnesia explains his need for a skill tree to expand his combat abilities. The skill tree works just as any other, with players unlocking new skills and bonuses after each level gained. These make a surprising difference in the difficulty of the game, as early on, some of the most basic enemies can kill you if you’re not careful. This does create a rather steep learning curve for the first couple hours of the game, but thankfully with the Enhanced Edition updates, many of the random shifts in difficulty — both harder and easier — have for the most part been eliminated. Still, by the middle of the game I was practically invincible in even the toughest fights.

Geralt’s ability to use potions and alchemy is also a strong point of the gameplay. Geralt is armed with a magic pendant that shows pickable plants and herb, as well as hidden items and secrets. By collecting ingrediants found in the wild, you can bring up a menu where Geralt can meditate, make potions, or take potions. Potions vary wildly in terms of stat bonuses and buffs, and give a much needed leg up in combat. They also come with a toxicity level — the more toxic a potion is, the higher your toxicity level rises. I was usually able to take between 2-4 potions before my toxicity was maxed. It’s both an interesting mechanic, and provide some realism to the RPG trope of potion taking.

You also have special magical abilities, called signs, which can aid you in combat in both offensive and defensive capacities, adding yet another layer onto the combat system. There is even a sign available for use in conversations, which acts as a sort of “Jedi mind trick,” persuading others to see things your way.

The conversations play out a lot like Mass effect or Dragon Age’s would, but without a dialogue wheel informing you of the “good” or “bad” options. In fact, every choice in the game has its own pros and cons, forcing you to listen to what others have to say and weigh your options, instead of simply clicking on the one that matches your alignment. There were many times I sat back in my seat and took several minutes to really think about the choices the game was giving me. They are all wonderfully complex shades of gray, never black and white or simple. While I certainly have my issues with overly-cinematic games and the illusion of control most RPGs give you, in The Witcher 2 I felt my decisions were not only hard to make, but were extremely important. When I went back to see how other options may have turned out, I found that I missed out on entire chunks of the game that other players saw, and vice-versa. It’s one of the few times a game has given you options with real consequences on the story’s path.

The Witcher 2 is beautiful.

The world the game takes place in is very gritty and realistic, bringing to mind George R.R. Martin’s A song of Ice and Fire series (a.k.a. Game of Thrones), with all its political intrigue, mature sexual themes, violence, and a setting that feels grounded and relatable. The landscapes look like real places, the people and clothing — even the Elves and Dwarves — look more medieval than fantastical. That realism is boosted by the game’s gorgeous graphics. Truly, it’s one of the most beautiful PC games to come out in several years. Even at the lowest settings, the game’s animations, lighting, and texture rival even the sharpest console titles. The high graphics fidelity only add to The Witcher 2‘s immersiveness. While not entirely open like Besthesda’s RPGs, the world is still massive and filled with things to discover and quests to undertake in each of the game’s 3 acts. I never felt at a loss of things to do, though some quests did randomly fail when I completed others, but with the number you’ll have active at any particular moment, it’s a non-issue.

The Witcher 2 is complex, beautiful, and deep. The story is mature, and despite the  largely cinematic presentation, provides the player with hard choices and real consequences; the combat is layered and dynamic, even if the difficulty is inconsistent. Overall, The Witcher 2 is a prime example of the RPG genre, the PC version is a strong reminder of the power PC games can hold. I very much recommend to any RPG fan, or gamers looking for something a little more mature and grounded, but nontheless fun to play.

Pros: Gorgeous graphics; deep gameplay and combat; the story and setting are much more mature and interesting than most fantasy RPGs; choices are important and never black and white.

Cons: Steep learning curve; inconsistent difficulty; requires powerful machine to run a higher graphical settings; some story elements are cliched or contrived.

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Crysis 3! It’s coming!

April 16, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Last week I commented on the rumors that Crysis 3 was going to be unveiled, citing my hopes for a return to the jungle and sandbox gaming, as well as my excitement for seeing more for this series.

Well, it looks like those wishes were granted.

As you may have seen on numerous gaming news outlets, Crysis 3 has been officially revealed, along with new sceens and details on the game.

Crysis 3 will return players to the jungle of New York — not the concrete jungle, but the honest-to-goodness jungle. It seems as though Crysis 3 will be a mashup of both the urban and tropical settings from the previous games, creating a unique landscape to experience. According to the game’s website, New York has been encased in a “Nano Dome”, turning the city into a wilderness of grasslands, dense forests and canyons, and the subway system into a deep labyrinth of caves.

“You’ll need to plan for any situation in the wreckage of the city. With the dome overhead and alien technology on the loose there’s no telling what challenges you’ll face. So, you better be ready to use every situation and environment to your advantage, because you won’t get a second chance. It’s a jungle out there.”

This new setting will combine the sandbox gameplay and tropical setting of the first Crysis, with the intense urban set pieces from its sequel. Players will take the role of Prophet (which is surprising given the event of Crysis 2), and will be armed with a high-tech bow, as well as Nano Suit abilities, and plenty of other weapons.

On top of that, Crysis 3 will be powered by Crytek’s new Cry Engine 3, promising to continue the series’ tradition of pushing graphics fidelity further, and with less hardware requirements.

Personally, I am extremely excited for this game, and it’s been a while since I’ve said that about a first person shooter. In fact, between Crysis 3 and Far Cry 3, I’ve actually become interested in the FPS genre once again.

We’re sure to hear a lot more about the upcoming game between now and it’s tentative Spring 2013 release window, but for now, peek these awesome screen shots:

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Crysis 3?

April 13, 2012 By 3 Comments

So you’ve probably heard  about Crysis 3 listings being leaked on Origin, and rumors that CVG and Swedish gaming mag Games Reactor will soon be unveiling big news on the Crysis franchise, so it’s only safe to assume it means Crysis 3.

For those who don’t know, Crysis is a FPS series made by Crytek, the same studio who made the original Far Cry (one of my personal favorites).

The leaked box art certainly looks Crysis-y:  the nano suit, what looks like a city in the back ground…

… AND A  BOW!?

HOLD THE PHONE. The game has a bow? Forget what we’d like to see in Crysis 3, somebody get a Kickstarter going for a new Turok game! GO! GO! GO! But in all seriousness, I’m excited to see more from Crysis 3. But I really hope they go back to the jungle (though the box art seems to depecit yet another city, rumored to be london). I just prefered the jungle setting, I mean think about it:

Stalking dinosaurs the enemy faction in dense, beautiful Crytek Engine jungles. Sneaking behind a patrol unawares, drawing back your bow and landing a perfectly shot arrow into a raptor your target, you turn on stealth and super speed and book it out.

How could that not but awesome? I guess we’ll just have to wait and see. But as far as the gameplay goes, I’m sure the upgrades to the formula and gameplay mechanics of Crysis 2 will show up in 3 (if not expanded upon), and they’v probably figured out yet another way to get better graphics out of lower requirements — good news for everyone.

Bring this back!

I just worry that the series has gone permanently urban. Makes sense from a marketing perspective, but I’d be disappointed. Crysis 2 had strong gunplay and great set pieces, but I miss the openness of the jungle, and the odd juxtaposition of death and war against the picturesque paradise. As much as I hate to pidgeon hole Crytek, they’re good at jungles, open environments, and stealth gameplay — I’d love to see more of that!

But why am I worrying? The game has a bow! Bows make everything better…

… I miss Turok.

How about you guys? Stoked for Crysis 3? What’d you like to see in the rumored sequel? Cool with the urban setting, or do you want a return to the jungle –or something else entirely? And while we’re at it, who else totally wants to see a new Turok game??

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PWRCORDS PODCAST EPISODE 1!

February 28, 2012 By 1 Comment

WOAH! Hey, that’s right, we’ve started a podcast!

Technically, this is releasing a bit later than we intended… See, we recorded almost a week ago, with the intention of it premiering either Friday or Saturday of last week. Kinda missed that deadline.. but here it is now!

And damn, is it long. We’ll be (hopefully) posting these at the end of each week, and they’ll more than likely be somewhere around an hour long each time. Buuut, for this one, you’ve got us for a whole whopping 2 hours and 4 minutes. We broke it up into two section, the first we talk about the site, recent posts/articles, and discuss this week game, album, and movie of the week posts. In the second part, we help you get to know us better, and chat about how we all met, our hobbies, and get into some kinda strange territory. I end up laughin a lot in the second part.

Anyway! We’d love it if you guys would check it out, comment, and send us questions/feedback on it. It’s our first episode, and we’re still working some stuff out, but we hope you guys enjoy it as much as we enjoyed recording it.

See you soon!

Pwrcords Podcast Episode 1

Length: 2:04:07

Featuring: Brendan, John, Nick

Download Pwrcords Podcast Epidose 1. (Right click, save as. Or click to listen in your browser.)

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Game of the Week, February 10 2012: A Love Letter to Super Metroid

February 11, 2012 By 2 Comments

Welcome to the first entry for our new Game of the Week column, where every week our fine writers feature one of their favorite games, and why you should love it too! This week, Brendan fills us in on an the SNES classic, Super Metroid.

There are games that define a franchise; games that define a genre; even games that define a console.

Super Metroid is a game that defines an era. Sure, maybe it’s a broad statement, tinted slightly with nostalgic goggles used to look back on fond memories, but there’s something of a universal truth to the statement:

“Super Metroid is one of the greatest games ever made.”

What is it? Before we get into why it’s one of the best game of all time, let’s talk about what the game actually is. Super Metroid is a 2D, side scrolling, action/adventure game, with a heavy emphasis on exploration. The game puts you in the power-suit of Samus Aran, the female protagonist of the Metroid series, and the galaxy’s biggest badass. Super Metoid built on the open-ended exploration of the original Metroid game on the NES, adding a map to see where you are and what’s left to explore; meters showing how much of the map you’ve seen, and how many items you’ve collected; and an inventory where you can keep track of/activate abilities and equipment you’ve earned — abilities like the classic Morph Ball and grapple beams, and equipment like the x-ray visor and super missles. Depending on your completion rate and your time, you receive different endings. All of these simple design decisions create an extremely addictive sense of exploration.

What really amplifies that pull to discover is the game’s setting. Super Metroid takes place on the planet Zebes. On this planet, ancient alien ruins, labyrinthine cave systems, underground research facilities, and even a crashed space frigate create a sense of isolation and mystery. Samus is alone on her mission; after a Human Alliance space station is attacked by the Space Pirate Ridley, and the last living Metroid (which were wiped out by Samus in the Gameboy’s Metroid II: Return of Samus) is stolen, Samus tails the Pirates to the planet to save the Metroid and destroy their plans and defeat the nefarious Mother Brain.

Sure, a rather bare-bones and cliched sci-fi plot, but the Metroid franchise has always told its stories through gameplay and the player’s own experiences, rather than dialogue-heavy cut scenes — even when the story involves other characters for Samus to interact with (at least, that was the case up until Metroid: Other M was release a few years ago).

Super Metroid’s atmosphere and world are immersive and compelling, and the game’s music is simply amazing, adding more dimension to the already alien surrounding.

Why do I love it? Pick any of the gameplay elements I listed above: the music, the atmosphere, the gameplay, sense of exploration and mystery — few other games reach the peaks that Super metroid does, and it’s my personal belief that no other 2D action/adventure game has reach quite the levels of mastery that Super Metroid does.

Along with the Gamecube’s Metroid Prime, it hold a special place in my heart as one of my favorite games of all time. Between both Prime and Super Metroid, as well as nearly every other game in the series, Metroid has solidified itself as my absolute favorite video game series of all time, and is responsible for pulling me back into gaming just a few short years ago. Super Metroid has given me something special, and the series’ formula has made for some of the best experiences I’ve ever had as a gamer.

And I’m not alone in that sentiment. The game created a thriving (and still active) speed running community, who took Super Metroid’s gameplay and turned it into something entirely new.

Not only that, but the game’s music is by far my favorite video game music (aside from Metroid Prime’s). Fellow fans created the band Metroid Metal, who cover and arrange metal version of classic Metroid tunes into prog-metal masterpieces. It’s probably the best way the experience the music of Metroid outside of the games.

Unfortunately, the series took a rather grave turn with the recent Metroid: Other M, and I’d be remiss not to mention it. Other M’s heavy focus on story, and the mischaracterization of Samus from bounty-hunting warrior, to an over-sexualized, incompetent and helpless liability infuriated fans. Futhermore, the changes to the gameplay were too far-removed from that of the series’ past. Sure, some fans lamented the switch to first person in the Prime series, but you can’t ignore the fact that those games still captured the feel and look of the Metroid series. Other M took Metroid to unnecessary and insulting territory. It is my hope that one day we’ll see Samus return with a game worthy of the Metroid name. And seeing as Nintendo’s next generation has begun, I have hope.

I’ve beaten Super Metroid numerous times, but I’ve never grown tired of it. From that first time I played it on a friends SNES some 16 years ago, I was hooked. As the game nears its 18th birthday, I have more than enough reason to return to the dark depths of the planet Zebes, and you should too.

Super Metroid is available on the Wii store. Check out more Metroid Metal at their official website.

And seriously, PLAY THIS GAME!

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