half-life 2's music is so cool

[ChristianX]

What genre is this?

Does anybody know of any artists that create music like this?

i particularly like the song that plays in the section before the guy
that shouts "headcrabs!", then water hazard starts.
the music in this game is so underrated, and so is the sound design
for that matter

what's your favourite song?

[Табушка]

Originally posted by ChristianJPeru:

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There are games that implemented music with a way more interesting method than Half Life 2. The tracks themselves are amazing, yes, but the implementation during gameplay is just the bare minimum. They just play the tracks from start to finish a single time and after that the music completely stops.

It's not even just about looping music, you can do much more with in game music than that.

Remember Me is a good example of adaptive music that changes based on the player's inputs. If you hit combos and kill enemies, the intensity increases and new instruments are added in etc but if you get hit or run away then the intensity decreases and instruments are removed. Here are a few examples:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fp3-ox3kcXA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDVWWtYOkCo

This can make gameplay more interesting since it's as if there was a composer behind the scenes that is creating and playing the music in real time as you play, reacting to what you do and to what happens in the game's world.

Complete pre recorded tracks are important for scripted scenes of course, but you can't script a fight or exploration scene in a game since the player has the freedom of control in their hands. That's why adaptive music a great tool at enhancing a game's soundtrack.


Whether or not game X or game Y has the better soundtrack is a matter of opinion though. Deus Ex Human Revolution also has it's memorable moments like entering the LIMB clinic for the first time or the opening scene when you reach Hengsha. Both scenes have the perfect music to accompany them and make them memorable. DX:HR is one of the most atmospheric games of this decade and the soundtrack gives a huge part of that for a reason. You might prefer Half LIfe 2's soundtrack but that doesn't necessarily mean that Deus Ex's music is joke tier.

[ChristianX]

Deus Ex is not joke tier, really, it has some compositions, but it was created on some old music program, and hasn't aged well. so for starters, it's lacking the crispness that even the first half-life still has. And secondly I don't recall any moments as spine-tingling as this

https://youtu.be/N9o6MgSt55o

Remember Me looks awesome

[ChristianX]

Originally posted by Tabushka:

Originally posted by ChristianJPeru:

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Complete pre recorded tracks are important for scripted scenes of course, but you can't script a fight or exploration scene in a game since the player has the freedom of control in their hands. That's why adaptive music a great tool at enhancing a game's soundtrack.

True, it doesn't always have the most powerful effect because of player's freedom to move around and not pay attention to what the game intends, but that's not really a flaw, it's more of a uh... a thing.

[Табушка]

Originally posted by ChristianJPeru:

Originally posted by Tabushka:

Complete pre recorded tracks are important for scripted scenes of course, but you can't script a fight or exploration scene in a game since the player has the freedom of control in their hands. That's why adaptive music a great tool at enhancing a game's soundtrack.

True, it doesn't always have the most powerful effect because of player's freedom to move around and not pay attention to what the game intends, but that's not really a flaw, it's more of a uh... a thing.

That's where adaptive music can really come in handy. This video has more examples of it. It's an interesting subject and when it's done right it is truly amazing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLd5wmBNCBM

It's just a shame that Half Life doesn't have anything like this, or at least just looping music for the action scenes. But even so the tracks still manage to be memorable so I guess that's a win for HL I distinctly remember 3 scenes that I didn't forget about even a decade after. When you return to Kleiner's lab and Lab Practicum starts to play. Such a peaceful moment, it's a "calm before (and after?) the storm" type of moment. Second when you leave Ravenholm and Ghost Particle is playing and third when in Episode one you overlook a ruined section of the Citadel. During that scene "Eine Kleiner Elevatormuzik" plays. Great name.


As for Remember Me, the soundtrack is cool it just... has... other shortcomings :D
The gameplay is a bit mediocre but it's worth checking out for the soundtrack. It combines orchestral tracks with electronic elements and "glitches" in a unique way

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4qJbEowe_s

[ChristianX]

Originally posted by The Angel ver.:

Originally posted by ChristianJPeru:

ha i laugh at the music in those games

Then you have no taste.

the music in those games are fine

[sanfox]

If you like the sountrack check out the black mesa sountrack. Its better than bad, its good!

[ChristianX]

Originally posted by sanfox:

If you like the sountrack check out the black mesa sountrack. Its better than bad, its good!

yeah i love it