When it comes to soundtrack in games, most developers settle for “good enough”. But that wasn’t enough for Yuka Kitamura and the otherDark Souls IIImusic composers. While only little has been heard of Dark Souls III’s soundtrack, the composers have already showed obvious effort and interest in creating a fantastic attempt at topping everyone’s high standards. And I respect them for it.
Soundtrack, while being one of the most important aspects of a game, is often overlooked. When it comes to talking about a game, reviewing it, or advertising it, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Gameplay? Graphics? World design? While all of these are relevant topics, most people fail to notice the effect of good soundtracks. Soundtrack is what made us at the edge of our seats in theBlood Starved Beastfight inBloodborne. It’s what made theFirelink Shrinefeel like your only, lonely home. It’s what made us look back on our journey, all the good, great, and awful moments that we’ve experienced upon finishingDark Souls I, to the point of tears.
Music is the shorthand of emotion
I think it’s about time we started appreciating the full design of a game, not only for its soundtrack, but also for its sound design. Sound design isn’t as important, but is still very nice to have. It’s the scream that makesCleric Beastclose to terrifying, it’s the satisfying smash that makes theKirkhammersound heavy, it’s the sharp TCHIINNNGG! that makes visceral attacks and parries feel very powerful. Without these sound effects, the Cleric Beast wouldn’t be as scary, the Kirkhammer wouldn’t give the feeling that you’re smashing something awfully heavy, and the visceral attacks wouldn’t feel so satisfying to destroy your enemies with.
Like a poem, a soundtrack always tries its best to immerse you in a general mood. Whether it wants you to feel relaxed likeDustforce’s OST, or on edge likeSoothing Hymnfrom Bloodborne, it always has a purpose. The soundtrack, if good, can be more powerful than the scenery itself.
When words fail, music speaks
Which is why I can’t stress enough how much I love Dark Souls III’s soundtrack. It sets the mood while being a perfect instrumental piece. It’s got a familiar feeling to it… As if we’ve all felt this before…
The music mainly classifies as a tragedy with a touch of action, which once again, is really fitting. The world of Dark Souls has always been a tragedy, mainly around hopeless characters that’ve accepted their fate, and an unnamed hero carving his own fate with his sword. I’m super excited to hear the rest of the soundtrack as I make my way through the world. I really hope the game is as a masterpiece as it looks like right now; with wonderful gameplay and a flawless soundtrack, it could very literally be my favorite game.
If this piece were translated into words, it would speak “Breathe, Die, Relive. Welcome to Dark Souls.”
