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I find that music in videogames is usually (not always) better when it is composed especially for the game. It usually has a unique feel to it that no other game will match, and it will change depending on the mood of the game.
Can you imagine punk-rock artists having tracks in romance scenes between Link and Zelda, or in the heated battles against the Death Star in Rogue Leader? The music would just sound stupid.
This does not mean that the games don't appeal to an adult audience mind! How many adults do you know scream really loud, swear and do obscene things all (or most) the time?
Ok, you may be like it yourself if you had a supervisor like mine in Marks & Spencers, however, not many people will actually be like this themselves.
I'm not saying that kind of music doesn't appeal to anyone, but it does mostly appeal to male teenagers who are of confused nature, and will believe anything they see on MTV2 to be real.
If you look at any real adults' collection of CD's, they will most likely feature calmer songs, or some of the pop-style (shudders) but will not likely feature any childish swearing and songs about wanting to commit suicide or do something to a dogs backside. What kind of an image is that sending to teenagers (the agegroup who these bands know are their biggest fans).
Anyway, Nintendo's games don't usually feature any kind of music already written for money making purposes because it wont usually match the game.
Jet Set Radio, as far as I'm aware, had music written for the game, but was not of the normal gaming style of music. It suits the type of game, but I doubt it would if the game was made for the music.
Crazy Taxi 2 is one of the only games I've played which are an exception to my view on music in games. The music, although pre-written and performed by The Offspring, does seem to suit the game to a large degree, but maybe it's because of their style, and the style of the game, just managed to be compatable with each other.
Anyways, that's my view on this topic. Anyone else like to comment?
I'm scarred for life now, you know.
What about Punk in Mario Kart?? I think that'd work quite well in a mad 150cc race!
To offer two examples:
Zelda should always have specially written music. It's epic style, and deep stories demand a massive score of classic tunes that range from the normal "village life" theme to the "epic battle with pigman" tune
Meanwhile, a game like Crazy Taxi is perfect when played with the Offspring in the background- it's loud, energetic and mad- just like the game!
Sonic
I hope Nu-metal and punk don't take over in-game music, because the suck and its mainly wannabe kids who listen to them. In some games i like the in-game music because it helps me feel the mood of what is happening in the game, but if they introduced punk and nu-mtal into an RPG like Final Fantasy, then it just would not work. It would get rid of the mood and the game will just not be as enjoyable. Thats my opinion anyway feel free to think different.
Another opinion of mine which i am going to share with yopu is that i believe that the music in certain games does add to the gameplay. It may not be a large major part but it does. Music can convey many emotionsm which is very useful for games e.g. if there is an angry or sad mood in a game then the music can be made to suit this emotion. If it's not perfect just by the computer animation the music will make it near perfection (nothing is perfect). So as i said using Nu-metal and punk in computer games would not be such a good idea as the emotions can't be conveyed as easily compered with the style of music at the present time(unless its a game like tony hawks then i don't give a damn)
I can just imagine now Slipknot playing in a Final Fantasy when someone like Zidane is going into trance, or when someone is very angry in FF because someone close to them was just killed. It just won't work, it would be a bad mixture of two different things. They would contasteach other and more than likely make the game not so exciting.
anyway enough of my incessent rambling before i begin to bore you.
lata
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Fish-e
I normally turn the volume down and stick my own music or the radio on.