Games Revue

No More Heroes was very much like Devil May Cry 3 in that a lot of the soundtrack was variations or remixes of a central theme. Here, however, it was taken a step further, where it seems like virtually every track in the game features the same central section, heard here at the ‘chorus’. The soundtrack was composed by Masafumi Takada, who’s best known for his work with Suda51 on killer7, and while it arguably lacks the variation of the previous game, due to the insistence of adhering to the same themes, that doesn’t make it any less listenable.

Again, we avoid going for the obvious shot, everyone and their grandmother having heard Pleather For Breakfast a billion times by now. Instead, we bring Ten Tons of Titanium to the table. And no, it’s not just you, yes, it does sound familiar, and yes, it is deliberate.

System Shock 2 was one of those games no one really liked until everyone decided they did. Upon its original release, it received rave reviews, then promptly sunk without a trace. Then Bioshock came out, was a big hit and everyone decided to see what they’d been missing in the meanwhile (and promptly questioned why Bioshock wasn’t as detailed or in-depth as its ancestor). Still, better late than never, unless you’re a former member of developers Looking Glass Studios who, sadly, folded soon after.

Despite being, essentially, a survival horror game, albeit one played from a first-person perspective, Looking Glass decided not to go for the standard ‘soundtrack made of creepy noises’ approach, and instead went with something a little different. The OST consists primarily of a mix of dance, drum and bass and electronica, and this difference makes it stand out in a field of me-toos in the wake of Silent Hill, a game that showed everyone how grinding metal and chugging noises should be done – lessons that pretty much everyone ignored or didn’t quite get thereafter. Ops 2 is a great example of this approach – in game it accentuates the feelings of loneliness and isolation you’ll experience. Out of the game, it becomes a stand-out track from a stand-out OST.

System Shock 2 was one of those games no one really liked until everyone decided they did. Upon its original release, it received rave reviews, then promptly sunk without a trace. Then Bioshock came out, was a big hit and everyone decided to see what they’d been missing in the meanwhile (and promptly questioned why Bioshock wasn’t as detailed or in-depth as its ancestor). Still, better late than never, unless you’re a former member of developers Looking Glass Studios who, sadly, folded soon after.

Despite being, essentially, a survival horror game, albeit one played from a first-person perspective, Looking Glass decided not to go for the standard ‘soundtrack made of creepy noises’ approach, and instead went with something a little different. The OST consists primarily of a mix of dance, drum and bass and electronica, and this difference makes it stand out in a field of me-toos in the wake of Silent Hill, a game that showed everyone how grinding metal and chugging noises should be done – lessons that pretty much everyone ignored or didn’t quite get thereafter. Ops 2 is a great example of this approach – in game it accentuates the feelings of loneliness and isolation you’ll experience. Out of the game, it becomes a stand-out track from a stand-out OST.

Something a little different now, since this list isn’t all loud and angry combat themes (just most of it). Hometown is the ending theme from Silent Hill 3. It’s basically a re-imagining of the opening theme from the original Silent Hill as sung by Joe Romsera. I could’ve gone the easy route and thrown up You’re Not Here, or any one of a thousand pieces of music from SH2, but that would’ve been obvious, and in case it’s escaped yout attention, obvious is not how we do things around here! In any case, I found Hometown hideously cheesy at first, and frankly, still do. But it’s grown on me over the years, and even though I cheerfully take the piss out of it while singing along, its still one of my favourite songs from the game, and the series as a whole.

Something a little different now, since this list isn’t all loud and angry combat themes (just most of it). Hometown is the ending theme from Silent Hill 3. It’s basically a re-imagining of the opening theme from the original Silent Hill as sung by Joe Romsera. I could’ve gone the easy route and thrown up You’re Not Here, or any one of a thousand pieces of music from SH2, but that would’ve been obvious, and in case it’s escaped yout attention, obvious is not how we do things around here! In any case, I found Hometown hideously cheesy at first, and frankly, still do. But it’s grown on me over the years, and even though I cheerfully take the piss out of it while singing along, its still one of my favourite songs from the game, and the series as a whole.

If you remember the worryingly glowing review of Prototype I did back in June, you’ll recall me gushing over the tutorial stage, of all things. Set right at the end of the game, it gave you an opportunity to dick around with some of the powers you’d later get to play around with right off the bat as the world goes to hell around you. I described it as one of the best intros I’d ever played, and the music that accompanied your carnage added immensely to the overall feeling that this, as I said back then, was Armageddon in hi-def.

Six months on, and my feelings haven’t changed a bit. This is still one of the best games of 2009 and this track, Memory In Death, is one of the best pieces of music in the game. If you still haven’t played this yet, rectify that ASAP.

If you remember the worryingly glowing review of Prototype I did back in June, you’ll recall me gushing over the tutorial stage, of all things. Set right at the end of the game, it gave you an opportunity to dick around with some of the powers you’d later get to play around with right off the bat as the world goes to hell around you. I described it as one of the best intros I’d ever played, and the music that accompanied your carnage added immensely to the overall feeling that this, as I said back then, was Armageddon in hi-def.

Six months on, and my feelings haven’t changed a bit. This is still one of the best games of 2009 and this track, Memory In Death, is one of the best pieces of music in the game. If you still haven’t played this yet, rectify that ASAP.

Time for something a wee bit older now. To anyone raised in the 16-bit era, the name Yuzo Koshiro is one that will likely cause a twang of nostalgia, the man being responsible for some of the best soundtracks on the Megadrive (or ‘Genesis’ if you prefer) and the SNES. Streets of Rage is probably his best known work, and while the second game is usually seen as the best of the series, I’ll always prefer the original above all. For my money, the soundtrack to this one represents some of his finest work, and the boss theme, Attack of the Barbarian, stands head and shoulders above them all.

Time for something a wee bit older now. To anyone raised in the 16-bit era, the name Yuzo Koshiro is one that will likely cause a twang of nostalgia, the man being responsible for some of the best soundtracks on the Megadrive (or ‘Genesis’ if you prefer) and the SNES. Streets of Rage is probably his best known work, and while the second game is usually seen as the best of the series, I’ll always prefer the original above all. For my money, the soundtrack to this one represents some of his finest work, and the boss theme, Attack of the Barbarian, stands head and shoulders above them all.

The Christmas season has just officially started (if you ignore the two or three month lead-up to it) and chances are, you’re already sick of the deluge of carols and songs committing aggravated assault on your eardrums. Well, wouldn’t you know it, I’ve got just the remedy for you! Probably.

Yes, from now until Xmas Day, we here at Overclocked on Caffeine are going to be listing an alternative to the usual crap piped endlessly, in the form of 25 of the best tracks from various games. Sort of a combination advent calender/antidote (hence: Antivent – s’good, innit?) to the Xmas Virus, but with a little extra at the end for those dumb brave enough to follow me all the way to the end.

We get off to a storming start with METHOD_REPLEKIA/ from the criminally unknown and under-appreciated Ar Tonelico 2. The game features characters who use songs to trigger and power their magic attacks, and the track in question is played whenever one of the main characters triggers their most powerful special attack. If ever a song stated clearly and explicitly “You are fucked” then it kicks in, it would be this one. And if that’s not un-Chistmassy, I don’t know what is.

Play it loud, folks!