Brief Continuity in Assassin's Creed

One of the best things that can be brought to a game or film series are the various aspects that connect them all. While the idea of a continuing story counts to a certain level, it goes (and should go) much deeper than that. When I think of Star Wars or Indiana Jones, John Williams comes up. He created the incredible continuity of both of the franchises, and he continues to work on them.

This continuity helps immerse us, draw us closer, and allows the audience create a special bond with the film or game. The consistency of the writing the script is just as important as themes. When some writers may get replaced, someone else takes one a new role, etc. there is risk of falling away from the original project and stray from the path intended and paved from the beginning. 

While my experience with the Assassin's Creed series of video games is lacking, I have noticed that there has been some amount of continuity. Ubisoft created a whole world that attempts to tell a story that took place from the beginning of time and progressing through history until present day. While interesting, it is a bit far fetched. 

One of Ubisoft's most recent installments to the franchise is a trilogy that is deeply integrated into the story. The first begins in China, resumes in India, and ends in Russia. They are so well connected, yet take place several years apart from each other. 

There are subtleties found in the games. The original Assassin's Creed theme written by Jesper Kyd appears in Assassin's Creed Chronicles China, but it is possible to miss. It is heard during one level, but instead of an instrument playing it, you hear on of the guards whistling the tune while you sneak past him. This same theme is re-composed as the theme for Assassin's Creed Rogue. It is fairly simple, but is very catchy and memorable. 

Listening to the most recent soundtrack release to the series, Assassin's Creed: The Best of Jesper Kyd, I noticed the theme appearing frequently. Having never really heard the scores for the first few installments I was unaware of this theme. The first time I heard it was during the score for Rogue, then in Chronicles China by means of whistling as mentioned above. 

Since Jesper Kyd scored the first bunch of games in the series, he had plenty of time to solidify this theme in the series enough to make it significant. It makes sense for Ubisoft to have this theme mentioned in the Chronicles Trilogy since they take place around the same time as the first few games where it first appeared. 

There have been several composers that have broken up this continuity, writing their own unique themes and sounds into it. For this reason The togetherness of the games fades away the closer they are to present day. 

The Assassin's Creed series has been a product of excellent music, and with all that said, I must say that it features some of the best game music I have heard. What is your favorite Assassin's Creed soundtrack?

Presently the Past in Battlefield 1

Battlefield 1 is an impressive masterpiece from EA. This beautiful, cinematic game that offers an amazing and unforgettable experience that is both visually and audibly stunning. EA selected a new set of composers this time around in order to get away from the modern electronic scores produced for Battlefield 3 and 4. Ultimately, this allowed them to return to their early roots in the series in terms of sound, which was much needed for this game since it goes several years into the past. 

The explosive opening sequence gives the player a sense of loss, offering them a realistic view of the "war to end all wars" where both sides experienced countless casualties. 

I was pleasantly surprised to hear the return of the well-known Battlefield theme, bringing roots from the original appearance allowing us to hear it in a way that it hasn't been played in several years. Yes, Battlefield wouldn't be the same without that old tune (and it seems they will never omit it), but I almost didn't expect to hear it this time (what was I thinking?). It is such a rewarding experience to hear it come up each time throughout the series. Throughout several different variations, I definitely find that the London Philharmonic's performance of the theme in The Greatest Videogame Music is by far my favorite. 

The Battlefiled 1 score overall brings back those classic fps vibes from the early days when Call of Duty 1 was still a thing to be reckoned with. Coupled with the graphical enhancements of the modern age, this game almost feels like they remastered an all-time favorite, bringing with it renewed excitement. 

Whether you have played this game or not, I highly encourage you to check it out. If you are a film score enthusiast, this might just please you as it did me. The line between film and game music is being blurred as scripts become more complex and captivating. 

Divide by Chris Tilton

Divide is a new game that will be arriving on January 31, 2016 exclusively for the PlayStation 4. I do not want to go into too much detail to promote the game since my goal is the music, but I can say that the game looks very intriguing. You can learn more at the PlayStation Blog.

While Chris Tilton has been composing for many years, I only just discovered his music when I first heard the score from Assassin's Creed Unity. I instantly fell in love with it. It is definitely one of the best game scores I have listened to. You can hear his music from Volume 1 of the score. I felt that Ryan Amon (the Bonus Tracks) and Sarah Schachner (Volume 2) did an excellent job, but it easy to say that Chris Tilton's Volume 1 is easily far superior.

The EP for Divide is out and ready to listen to. If you are subscribed to a streaming service, I highly recommend you look for it (I guarantee it is available to you). If you enjoy it, it can be purchased through Bandcamp, which will allow you to access a lossless copy of the music. It is currently $2.99.

The Divide EP is also available on Bandcamp if you prefer some hi-res audio - https://t.co/fQRNln3Cb7

— Chris Tilton (@christilton) December 8, 2016

In Tilton's new score for Divide, you definitely get the same feel and similar sound from Assassin's Creed Unity. Unfortunately this is an EP which is very short. I am hoping, along with others I would expect, that we will eventually see a regular release of the score that is more full of content. As of this time I have not found anything that points to a release of this kind.

Let me know what you think of this score in the comments. Are you hoping for an extended version as well?

Firewatch

 

There are two games out currently: Firewatch and Overwatch. I kept hearing so much about Overwatch, thinking that it was Firewatch, but I just mixed them up and forgot one of the titles. Today's score comes from the Steam game Firewatch.

   Firewatch is a very interesting take on the first-person point of view. You are stuck in the wilderness of Wyoming trying to solve a mystery and communicating through a walkie talkie as the only way of breaking the silence and loneliness. The graphics are that beautiful and simple/complex type that modern games often have. For being released only about three months ago, it has over 12,000 reviews that give it a very positive score.

   To match the visuals and story, the Chris Remo gives us a very interesting and somewhat minimal soundtrack. The piano in the beginning of Prologue sounds similar to the Fallout theme with all of the chords. This score was given a unique feel that brings it away from that similarity by adding some artificial sounds and eventually an electric guitar in track 2. This simple music is exactly what was needed, because a score too good can distract from the type of graphics in this game, and it does.

   Beartooth Point introduces an acoustic guitar which helps give the feel of the countryside. Some parts of this score remind me of Monument Valley's score, which was very simple to go with its simple yet complex, mind-bending architecture. Without the guitars in this score, it would be too much like Monument Valley.

   This score is a great representation of a composer creating something enjoyable with limited resources. By this I mean that there is no orchestra or expensive instruments. They are very basic, yet the composer was still able to use his imagination with the artificial sounds. The official soundtrack is only 33 minutes long, which makes me guess whether the demand for quantity of music was low or there is a significant amount cut out. I haven't come to actually playing this game yet, though I highly recommend it. The game can be found at the Steam Store. The soundtrack is also available there for $5.99

   Track 15, An Unfortunate Discovery arrives as a surprise, as it introduces something new. There are violins. They sound somewhat artificial though, which could be that they are generated, but it sounds more natural in the next track. Catching Up returns to the prominent piano and its captivating, deep chords. The final conclusion comes with Ol' Shoshone. An acoustic guitar defines a resolving tune while Sean Vanaman sings calmly.

One thing that I will start doing is posting a high quality copy of the artwork for each album, because I know how hard they can be to find. If you haven't already, my recommended resources section offers some very useful links to high resolution artwork that is hard to find.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

   Brian Tyler scored 2011's most anticipated game, and the concluding chapter to the (arguably) greatest Call of Duty games ever made. The epic story just doesn't compare to later releases. Today's score, Modern Warfare 3, is almost too good for the game. Don't get me wrong, the game was fantastic, but the music is just so good.

   The beginning theme starts things off very slow with an intriguing percussion and soothing string melodies. While it begins to build up, the intense music to come is foreshadowed. Brian Tyler wrote one of the best video game scores that I have ever listened to. MW3 is an orchestral masterpiece that occasionally gives us some electric guitar, but mostly focuses on the natural orchestral sounds.

   Prague Hostilities is a new take on the once peaceful sounding theme from the beginning and adds a feel of unresolved conflict and dark bass. Intense action is frequently heard due to the game's setting and subject, but that intensity is toned down with slow build ups and moments that are mysteriously calm.

   I admire the use of the viola in the beginning of I Stand Alone because it has a very unique and unusual sound at times. The viola gave this track an interesting sound to start it off. The ending is equally enjoyable, featuring the main theme that rises and gives a somewhat victorious feel before ending with the brass and percussion hitting a note that does not sound like a resolving victory.

   Hamburg invasion introduces the electric guitar as we enter deeper into this war that spans the globe. Once again, the main focus is the orchestra. Now, when you reach Battle For New York, there is an exception. The excellent orchestral representation of the war is intense, a little victory medley in the middle before reaching a quiet, calm state. Just when it seems nothing is going to happen, you wait, before you suddenly get slammed in the face with the electric guitar. Were you expecting that?

   Interestingly, two excellent film composers worked on the previous title, giving this series a true cinematic feel and sound. Hans Zimmer and Lorne Balfe scored Modern Warfare 2, but Brian Tyler was much needed for Modern Warfare 3. This is the last chapter where everything gets crazy and the final confrontation and resolve is met. This requires much more intensity in the music.

   I admire creativity, and I almost believe that this is one of Brian Tyler's most creative and original work. Consider the brilliantly placed electric guitar so that it actually sounds good. Also, the occasional synth appearances are welcome additions. The various percussion techniques and instruments used help give each track a sound different enough to distinguish from each other, but consistent in overall sound.

   Paris Siege is an epic five minutes of unrelenting tension that stands out as one of the most interesting pieces throughout the score. Special Forces brings back that electric guitar experience from Battle For New York, but at a much lighter scale. It gives off an epic feel that seems to sound like things are going good for the right side.

   The main theme for Modern Warfare 3 is one of the most memorable, so I am glad to hear it brought up frequently, but not too frequently. It can sometimes get annoying hearing the same theme over and over again, but there is a perfect balance. You are actually excited to hear it when it shows up.

   One thing that Brian Tyler wrote into this score is some quieter parts that tone down the action so that we are not always racing toward the goal. There is some sneaking that goes on, but sometimes you get caught and you have no choice but to shoot your way out of the situation.

   MW3 End Credits is an epic conclusion to this great score, presenting the main theme once more. The strings give you a huge performance that bring a close to this adventure and leave you with a satisfying ending. What are your thoughts? Do you have a favorite game score?

Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception

Following my series this week on scores recorded at Abbey Road, today's score comes from the popular PlayStation exclusive Uncharted 3. The Uncharted series is an epic adventure that follows Nathan Drake as he chases after the greatest treasures on earth. This is also the game that is known for consuming 24.2 TB of storage with all of its assets during development.

Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, the final chapter, is due for a release on May 10 of this year. According to soundtrack.net, the official release for the soundtrack is May 17, will be limited to 3,000 copies, and interestingly will see a change in composer. Henry Jackman will be replacing Greg Edmonson, who scored the first three games.

The third installment is what my main focus is on today. Greg Edmonson has spent a good amount of time with this series. This gave him time to evolve the main theme for Nathan Drake. The title for the theme in the second game in given a "2.0" tag at the end, and the third a "3.0". Although they tend to generally sound the same, there is definitely some uniqueness given to each take. In Nate's Theme 3.0, you really feel the epic adventure that is to come. The brass is more profound and the percussion has a "darker" sound to it in the beginning.

The score is not like any other game score that I have previously listened to. It has a more unique feel. I also love how there is a combination of a victorious sound (as heard in Nate's Theme), action, and other music that incorporates the style of music in the particular region that Nathan is in.

At certain parts it sounds quite like some traditional classical guitar, especially in Small Beginnings. The traditional orchestral sounds create an interesting Middle-Eastern style of music with the sharps planted to produce a sense of mystery. There are some Middle-Eastern vocalists and instruments as well that are heard occasionally.

I keep thinking of Jerry Goldsmith's score for The Mummy when I listen to this, just from the musical feel of the sandy places, not from copying. This is heard throughout the majority of the score. Now, if you are afraid of spiders, then Arachnophobia could make your skin crawl. Just imagine a bunch of spiders crawling up your body and across your face. Did you feel them?

Nearing the end, there is some brief and faint electric guitar heard in the background in Boarding Party. Second-Story Work introduces some Spanish sounding guitar. By this time, there is mostly action and intensity since the end and conclusion is finally nearing.

When the conclusion arrives, you get Something Better, a beautiful track that brings in the resolve and leaves you with that sense of victory and accomplishment on a massive scale, thanks to the strings. Just like the latest Uncharted, this score is limited in its CD release, so if you are fortunate enough to own it, kudos to you! The rest of us will have to settle with the digital copy.

Final Symphony

To go along with the Patrick Doyle's beautiful score from Monday, I thought that some music from the popular video game franchise Final Fantasy would be perfect. The album Final Symphony is a collection of the music and you have to hear it first before saying anything.

I know just about nothing about Final Fantasy, but absolutely love the music in this album. The structure of the tracks and overall sound definitely leans toward the classical side, but only considered a classic in the game industry. The complexity of the themes is astounding, giving this the name of best video game music is history.

Yes, there is some great game music out there, but this transcends it all. Being probably one of the most creative game scores I have listened to (and the most classical sounding), from the soothing piano, to the beautiful strings, and everything playing in perfect harmony, this is not traditional game music.

Final Fantasy tends to rely on the strings for the majority of the themes, but in the Symphonic Poem, there are several instruments that add a fullness and very curious sound. It is in no way serious, as it flies down paths that make you chuckle. The main theme is heard throughout the entire piece, although not frequent. The rest is made up of various other themes and sounds/techniques.

Encore: Final Fantasy X is another beautiful piece that presents some themes that create a state of absolute peace and joy. The epic action and length return with the Symphony in Three Movements which is 41 minutes total of extra music.

Now, I hope that you are ready to listen to this noteworthy compilation.

Prominent Themes: Assassin's Creed Series

The Assassin's Creed series has some incredible themes that I am astounded by. They easily are the best in video game history.

Jesper Kyd composed the music for the first and second as well as Brotherhood. I honestly am not a huge fan of this music, but it does in fact fit the period of the game very well, which take place during the middle ages/Renaissance period.

Jesper Kyd returned for Revelations, which spiked my interest. This music is much better, especially since Lorne Balfe was brought on to work on the multiplayer content. Generally, high expectations are put on film composers, so being a composer mostly for films, Lorne Balfe lived up to my expectations on his work for this score.






He must have done a good job because he returned by himself for the third installment. This is where the music begins to get really good. The theme that Balfe set in the beginning of this score is just amazing.



A small project that came with Assassin's Creed III for handheld gaming systems is Liberation. Winifred Phillips scored this game and met the high quality sound that Lorne Balfe put on the III name in the series.



Brian Tyler scored the fourth major installment named Black Flag. This game takes place around the same time and place of Pirates of the Caribbean when pirates were one of the biggest threats. The score is very calming and does not reach the high intensities that is common with Brian Tyler. It does its job very well, making me think of the ocean and the Caribbean. I enjoyed this entire score from beginning to end.





The next two installments come together: Rogue and Unity. Rogue was scored by Elitsa Alexandrova while Chris Tilton (Volume 1), Sarah Schachner (Volume 2), and Ryan Amon (Bonus Tracks) scored Unity. To start, Rogue has a very well written theme that portrays the frigid temperatures in the new American colonies. Chris Tilton takes on the violent French Revolution with fast spiccato and impressive intensity. The interesting thing about these two is that there are slight hints of the theme from Rogue  hidden inside some of the music to Unity. Chris Tilton's music is by far better than the other music produced in Rogue and Unity.




The latest installment of the series takes place during the Romantic Period in London, titled Syndicate. While I do believe that Austin Wintory's music for this game does fit the setting perfectly, the overpowering violin at times can get a bit obnoxious. Of course, this is probably the style of music that was popular at the time, so I still applaud his work, just not so much outside of the game.

Batman Series (Video Game)

Not every video game score that I listen to is one that I enjoy enough to listen to over and over. Game scores have come a long way over the years and have entered the cinematic atmosphere that films have been thriving in for years. The music has become so good, it is sometimes hard to distinct whether it is from a game or movie. This of course is limited to certain scores and not all of them. Some simply do not do well when listened to outside of the game it was made for.

Today I will be focusing on the Batman series of video games:

• Arkham Asylum (2009) by Nick Arundel and Ron Fish
• Arkham City (2011) by Nick Arundel and Ron Fish
• Arkham Origins (2013) by Christopher Drake
• Arkham Knight (2015) by Nick Arundel and David Buckley

                   

Batman: Arkham Asylum Soundtrack

Arkham Asylum, the first release, has a heavy, creepy feeling to it. Batman's story is incredibly serious and dark, and this portrays the right emotions. The themes are simple, but the tracks are too short and I feel the album doesn't present enough content from the game. They do present a slight eeriness, first set up in track 1 (A Plan Revealed), so listening to this while you work is not a bad idea. There are a few action sequences, but they are short and not very loud. Track 1 is an excellent introduction and, assuming that it is the theme that plays while on the title screen, is well composed. 

Despite being relatively interesting, I was not completely impressed by this score. Sure, I may listen to it again, but it never fully grasped my attention. It is fine if you get distracted easily by really good themes and you want to listen to something while you work or read.

Batman: Arkham City Soundtrack

Arkham City is the first score in this list that really grabbed my attention enough that I was convinced to listen to it multiple times. The main theme is excellent music for the title menu and sets the mood for something less eerie than the previous release and much more epic. It still has that usual dark theme that Batman receives. This theme is definitely film worthy.

Arkham City is an entirely new score compared to its predecessor, providing much more interesting action sequences and longer lasting tracks that don't seem to stop suddenly. It captivated my attention all the way through like film scores tend to do. I am not at all saying that Arkham Asylum is a bad score at all, but I believe that some game scores fit the game just right in their repetitive, mixed and mashed state and not secluded from their original purpose.

It Was The Joker calms things down with a very intriguing and mysterious sound to it that builds intensity before entering I Think You Should Do As He Says, which introduces some choir and really begins to shape the album. The balance between interesting action and mysterious "filler" music that temporarily slows the pace is perfect. It somewhat reminds me, in certain parts, of the music from the TV shows Arrow and The Flash where the strings go rampant.

Batman: Arkham Origins Soundtrack

The binning of Arkham Origins starts off promising, going full blown into the action but quickly quiets down slightly to introduce the main theme. This album maintains higher tempos and tends to be significantly louder than previous releases. It is also chaotic, much to the liking of Dead Space 3, but not to the extreme extent that Dead Space 1 and 2 accomplished (I will feature these albums at a later date).

If Arkham City didn't provide enough action to your liking, then this album will surely appeal to you. The majority of the music is packed with some noteworthy action making this sound similar to Hans Zimmer's film music. Of course, some may disagree since it takes either an avid gamer or an accustomed listener to enjoy game soundtracks in most scenarios of game scores.

In the game, it is during winter and is obviously around Christmas time because of track 12: Carol of the Bells (Joker's Theme). This is actually pretty funny. The Joker always has some amount of comedy surrounding him in both the films and the games.

Hallucinations interestingly has hints of Molussus from Batman Begins. The comedy returns in The Thieving Magpie which is a hilarious take on a more classical sounding piece. Shadow of the Bat has some impressive cello work that I absolutely love, mostly because it is one of my favorite instruments.

The end title suite is an epic post ending, and the final ending suite is a conclusion and summary of the entire album, including the Joker's Christmas theme.

Batman: Arkham Knight Soundtrack

Arkham Knight is a great example of a more up to date and modern example of where game scores are now. There is much more music available this time around, even if you just consider volume 1. The themes are also more complex and drawn out, the action is not overdone, and there is much more character to the music. Arkham Knight sounds the closest to the actual films than any of the previous game releases when considering

There is more variance in this score that provides a relatively new listening experience, yet it still maintains the basic feel of the series with those incredible bass sections like in Remnants. The fact that this is very orchestral and does not rely on a synth for artificial sounds just enriches the music so much. Just like David Buckley's previous work on Call of Duty: Ghosts, the violin and strings are really well presented.

Although I was unable to look at volume 2 of this great music, I have a link to it above if you are interested in looking into it.

My favorites are Arkham City and Arkham Knight because they are not just interesting, but they have a way of not making it too obvious that you are listening to a game score. That is not always the reason I continue to listen to game scores or enjoy some over others. I admire creativity, and some game scores are just very interesting, even if they are obviously not from a film. 

What do you think? Do you have any favorites?

I do not post anything on Saturday or Sunday, so see you again on Monday!