Stepping Up to the Plate and the West's Need for a Brilliant Composer

Several years ago if you had told me that the video game industry would be raking in more money than the film industry I would have called you crazy. Sure, I have been a gamer since I could read a book, but my loyalty to the digital age would not blind me from the reality that gamers add up to only a small portion of the overall population here in the US. Thankfully I was proven wrong and it appears as though the massive legion of nerds has spoken with their wallets and crowned video games as the most promising form of entertainment over the past two to three years.

What finally tipped the scale, in this writers humble opinion, was the rise in power of the western market. There has always been a lot of consumers here in the states, but most of the bigger titles and development of video games was being shouldered by our friends over in the land of the rising sun. Still, empires refuse to last forever and in as little as five years, America has stolen the torch from the Japanese to produce some of the most innovative titles to come out in years. Despite this newly minted achievement for us Yankees, I couldn't help but notice that not all is so smooth and polished with our titles. We can nitpick about personal tastes regarding game play till the cows come home, but the one area that seems universally inferior to yours truly is the musical department.

Did you know that in Japan almost every game that is released also has its soundtrack sold separately? Not only that, but they sell well to boot! In America, video game scores are basically stillborn upon release, and I doubt any executive working at EA would even entertain the thought of selling a game's soundtrack on CD as they may risk losing the money spent to print them on disc.

There's is nothing sweeping or grandiose about American musical scores. In most games it functions solely as static white noise that gets drowned out to provide ambiance. Several advocates for American game music will argue that the subtlety of ambiance is something lost to this nimrod's thick noggin, but even if that's the intended purpose and even if that music helps boost the mood of the gaming experience, I still walk away unable to recount any of the songs in my head.

Let's look at "Mass Effect 2", one of this years biggest titles. The game is an epic masterpiece in almost every sense of the word, but the one thing it is missing is an appropriately memorable score. This isn't to say that the music was bad or in any way inappropriate for the context of its vision but there wasn't anything that resonated with me long after my play through. In fact, the only bit of music that I still remember to this day is a very haunting (and short) piano piece that plays as Shepard drifts off into space at the beginning of the game. I highlight that musical number because it serves a dual purpose of being subtle while still managing to lodge itself into my brain. Another Western title that should be examined is the "Fallout" series. Unlike many other games out there, the "Fallout" series has repeatedly provided catchy tunes, the problem is that none of the tunes being remembered were composed for the game. "Fallout" manages to set its mood by using "old timey" jams from days long since past and it does so very effectively. Sadly, these old songs, while good, only serve to overshadow the games original score if one even exists in the first place (its hard to tell). You might think my argument to be spurious, but I am being honest when I say that I can only name a few Western game composers off the top of my head, and none of them have done anything that I'll remember a decade from now. Japan on the other hand has always had A-list musical composers who's names are electrified with so much celebrity that they generate hype for the projects they are working on. If you doubt what I preach, simply go to youtube and look for songs from games like "Chrono Trigger" or "Final Fantasy"; better yet, go here: http://www.nintendo.co.jp/wii/sx4j/ and listen to that for a few minutes and you'll pefectly understand what this whole article is about.

Normally I try not to draw comparisons between film and games, but perhaps American companies just need to higher the guys working in the film industry. Grab this years top contenders like Daft Punk or Hans Zimmer for the next big American video game release and allow it to dominate the foreground. Don't throw it into the back and let it die without proper appreciation! You are the kingpin of the gaming world now, America, it's time you exercised your noble duties and made music an important part of game production. That or just go get the Japanese composers since they seem to know what they are doing around here.

New Year, New Posts

After taking an extended holiday I feel it is time to get on with things and start writing once more for the site. Before I continue on with some new topics there are a few leftovers that need to be dealt with from last year, specifically, a few movie reviews that need to be posted before my "year in review" piece. You can definitely look forward to something great in the next few days... as soon as I get around to it.

Ravenous Winter Festival Geeky Shopping Guide. Day 24: Love

Yes, it's cliche, trite, and sappy but I don't know a single person who couldn't use a bucket load of friendship and love during this chilly winter season. Whether they be geeks, jocks, squares, preps, freaks, fashionistas, emos, workaholics, straightedges, or even grinches everyone appreciates the company of others to remind us that this world can be a magical place so long as we have one another. So avert your eyes from that new television or smartphone for just a moment and enjoy the company of others.

Go on! Why are you sitting there reading this blog?! Have a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanuka, Crazy Kwanzaa, Willy Winter Solstice, or whatever; it's cold outside and you're not going anywhere so you might as well spend some time with those you care for.

Ravenous Winter Festival Geeky Shopping Guide. Day 23: Dolls

No self respecting nerd will admit to it but we all play with dolls. We may call them miniatures or action figures but let's face it, they're dolls. This is nothing to be ashamed of, okay maybe it is, but it isn't necessarily unusual.

So put aside any preconceptions or biases you might have with grown adults owning a plushy of their favorite super hero and allow them to embrace their inner geek. Heck, some of them even fire projectile weaponry, you can't get more manly than that!... alright, you win, it is pretty lame. Don't judge us! Dispense with the toys!

Ravenous Winter Festival Geeky Shopping Guide. Day 22: The Old New

Believe it or not but new games are still coming out for all of your old gaming consoles. From the Atari 2600 to the Sega Dreamcast, indie developers are hard at work trying to reclaim some of that old magic from yesteryears. Now I know what you are thinking, isn't this what you talked about earlier this month? No, then I was talking about actual classic games that came out nearly 2 to 3 decades ago. These games, while they are intended for ancient hardware, were created just recently. So if you have a fan of old school gaming, why not buy them one of these gems, they'll reinvigorate your friend's spirit with a bit of nostalgia while simultaneously treating them to a brand new experience. How often does that happen? Not often at all; it's a unique gift that few think of and one that can't be topped.

Ravenous Winter Festival Geeky Shopping Guide. Day 21: The Cheese

Garbage day, everyone! With the holidays rapidly approaching we'll soon be buried knee deep in the fallout of the winter season. But don't throw out that trash just yet, you may unwillingly dispose of a priceless gift opportunity! For reasons far beyond my understanding, bad things are seen as golden calves amongst nerdish social circles. Whether they be intentional or unintended travesties, geeks embrace these mistakes of artistic creation with more love and affection than should be legally allowed.

So forget about all the new Oscar worthy films and the games that are getting all the rave reviews. Go dig yourself up a 20 year old gem that should not have even seen the first signs of daylight and pass on the shiny new product proudly displayed on current store shelves. Much like a fine wine or cheese these things take time and a refined sense of taste to see them for what they truly are. Garbage; but garbage that deserves some appreciation.

Ravenous Winter Festival Geeky Shopping Guide. Day 20: Communal Gifts

We nerds have a nasty tendency to lock ourselves in our rooms. Not that we hate company or anything, we just enjoy a little solitary confinement so that we can go uninterrupted whilst doing our geeky things. This isn't to say that we don't want others to volunteer their time to hang out with us, in fact we look forward to it.

Instead of getting your friend a gift that they will probably be using alone, buy them something that encourages group play. Purchase a multi-player console game or a board game, something that will get you all together in one room and spend some quality time with one another. Online games don't count either, it has to be something that forces people to interact with one another in the same room. The novelty may not last past the first month but the memories will linger; that I can guarantee you.