Favourite videogame/PC score from the 90's?

Dude, you've just made my day with this topic. Where to begin...

Wing Commander III and IV (George Oldziey), those bring back memories of good old-fashioned sci-fi drama with good actors like Mark Hamill, Malcolm McDowell, John Rhys-Davies, cheesy looking sets, and decent effects (at least for such low-budget projects). For me the music stood out, it may have been cheap-sounding midi tunes, but at least there were some memorable themes. I remember watching the intro from WC IV again and again, just to hear the cool opening music. And the finale music is pretty emotional, again if you listen past the synthy approach.

The Dig (Michael Land), absolutely gobsmackingly beautiful, a truly original work that still to this day sounds fresh. The game was groundbreaking, as it was one of the first really interesting sci-fi stories that delved a little deeper than the usual 'hero goes to battle in unknown worlds blasting the shit out of numerous enemies'. There was actually a very human side to The Dig and it still holds warm memories of good puzzling and intricate storytelling. The music helped create an ambience unlike any other game.

The Lucasarts adventures like the Monkey Island series had some good music too, and don't forget Outlaws by Clint Bajakian, a true hommage to Morricone in more than a couple of tracks.

Command & Conquer (Frank Klepacki) has some tunes in a trance / industrial rock style with a cool vibe, and Dune 2000 does have a more symphonic edge, despite being synthesized as well, but I like the sound of it.

Then there's the music of Final Fantasy (Nobuo Uematsu). Tunes like One-Winged Angel (FF VII), Liberi Fatali (FF VIII), the opera from FF VI: groundbreaking stuff for videogame music if you ask me. I could post many more tracks but suffice it to say that the Final Fantasy music by the Mr. Williams of videogame music is highly memorable and brilliant, especially in their orchestrated versions. I've just bought the Distant Worlds albums, with concert pieces performed by the Royal Stockholm Orchestra and featuring choir in some of the cues from practically all the Uematsu FF's up to part eleven. Rousing stuff.

Then there's Medal of Honor by Giacchino, which everybody knows I guess. The first encounter with Giacchino and a love affair since then.

And then a little known Belgian company released an adventure game in 1999 that would win the hearts and minds of many gamers worldwide, the game is called Outcast, an ambitious game featuring a stunning world, varied gameplay and incredible orchestral music. Composed by Lennie Moore, it's one of my favourite soundtracks of all time, and any self-respecting fan of thematically rich works should have this one in their collection. Amazing doesn't even describe it.

There is so much more great game music out there, but they're pretty obscure and the composers aren't the most well-known out there. Needless to say I've always been terribly fascinated by videogame music, and in recent years, there has been a really incredible output quality-wise , surpassing film scores at times.

I checked out The Dig only recently, it's really wonderful.

Did any of you play the Sonic The Hedgehog games on Sega Game Gear and Genesis? Those had very simplistic audio chips but the tunes are incredibly catchy and among my favourites even today. Bobby Prince did some really good MIDI scores for Doom, Wolfenstein 3D, Biomenace, DemonStar (yep, I loved this game ) too. I got introduced to Michael Giacchino's MOH scores and some of the Final Fantasy music much later, love them today.

One very obscure score special to me is the music from Toy Story 2: Action Game by Andy Blythe and Marten Joustra, sampled but very well-done tunes with some great individual boss themes.

Well, there's no accounting for taste!

Seriously, I love the fact that it includes these vast, Wagnerian harmonies with delicious synth textures...it's just so otherworldly and spiritual. Tracks like "Monument" and "Cathedral of the Lost" are wonderful examples of my beloved religious sound.

Boy did I ever... I still occasionaly play those for nostalgia's sake, and to hear the catchy music. The very first game on Genesis / Mega Drive has the most memorable tunes, Green Hill Zone, Marble Zone, Spring Yard Zone, Starlight Zone... Wonderful. Whoops, that's the geek talking here.

There is actually a suite Sonic music which is found on Video Games Live (their second CD offering). Check out the clip and your smile will raise.

You said it Thor.

And a shame you found it unremarkable Alan, because it really isn't.

No, they wouldn't. When I have some time, I plan to patch the score through superior samples.

Not too sound like a moron, but how exactly do you plan to do that?

BILL BROWN's :RAINBOW SIX. Awesome stuff and very ahead of its time.

Sweet, I'd love to hear how those MIDI tunes turn out upsampled. I didn't know something like that existed.

I vote for Outlaws.

That is all.

Peter

Listen to the MIDI strings in the background at 0:15 and onwards, those are my socalled "sci fi chords":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kt8vD5y0eE8




Of course I played IV too; it even included the brilliant Malcolm McDowell. I agree about the better production values, but I somehow have a more nostalgic relationship to III. I never really played I and II.

Main title theme from Panzer Dragoon (1995).

Orchestra !!!

Shame the rest of the soundtrack was only synthesized but I like the music nonetheless.

"Interactive movies", as I believe they were called, were always a pleasure of mine. THE RIPPER (with Chris Walken!), THE 7TH GUEST (from 1993, the first of its kind?), GABRIEL KNIGHT: THE BEAST WITHIN, MYST, the PHANTASMAGORIA games etc.

One of the Wing Commander games had Malcolm McDowell, both Mark Hamill (and I haven't played any!)

Most of the FMV (Full Motion Video) games were really short and all you had to do is click in the right place in the right moment, yes.

Did you play the CD version of Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Father?

Mark Hamill voiced the cop friend of yours (inspector Mosely, Mostly as Gabriel says) and Tim Curry as Gabriel. Brilliance.