Music in games

[~Axis~]

Music in a game is very important to me. I dont want the music to be just good, or even amazing. I want it to match its surroundings. This will make it or break it for me. It is hard to make music to paint a picture in someone's head using just music and expect someone to go head over heels for it. But coupled with visuals, it can do wonders. Music in a game for me should be able to pull me into the moment.

Lets take Undertale for instance. I just started playing the game, but a few months back i began watching a walkthrough of it to see if it was worth my time. As I was 2 mins (maybe less lol) into the video showing the opening and the first segment of the game where you walk over into a room to meet Flowey for the first time i was turned off by the graphics and completely rejected it because i was focused on the visuals during the silence, and nothing else. This resulted in me just closing the video and ignoring the game. Recently, as I played through the game, I have noticed the great gem of the game that is its soundtrack. 9 times out of 10 it will sound amazing and actually fit in with the mood.... no.... it creates the mood. The music completely sucked me into the game. I play because I actually can feel the emotion during a certain event and just be absorbed by it. Take the music played when you fight Toriel for instance. It sounds sad, yet fills you with the drive to continue on. It creates the mood. You know that you shouldn't fight and it might not end well, but it is something that you must do and cant avoid. The music turned what could have been just a cheesy, boring fight into something very memorable and touching (seriously just look at the entire situation, you cant tell me that aint cheesy without the kickass music). Same with the ominous music that plays if you decide to mercilously slaughter everyone. The music that plays on the battle screen gives me that cold shiver down my spine, it makes me feel like that i've done something very wrong. It gives me the creeps which is good. Thats how im supposed to feel... it creates that mood.

The music in the game has to create the mood and be of good quality. Thats what builds into painting that image in the player's mind and the overall experience. I think in the order of importance, music is 2nd on the list, the first being gameplay.