Soundtrack?

[WINBACK]

Battle Arena Toshinden 2
Bloody Roar: Primal Fury
Dead or Alive 2 & 3
Evil Zone
Guilty Gear
Gundam Battle Assault
Kensei: Sacred Fist
Psychic Force 2
Soul Calibur I, II & III
Street Fighter EX & III: 3rd Strike
Tekken 3
Virtua Fighter 2
…and almost any SNK fighting game with an Arrange Soundtrack (ex. KoF ‘94~2000, Fatal Fury 3, Art of Fighting 2)


Anyone whose dabbled with the titles above may also be familiar with their memorable soundtracks, mostly composed during a time when fighting game soundtracks were geared more towards amplifying a stage or a character for a fight scene to create style or tension, and not just drab background-noise filler slapped together to keep the player pressing buttons (ex. Arcana Heart, Marvel 3, Mortal Kombat, Soul Calibur V, Street Fighter IV, Street Fighter x Tekken).

Soundtracks aren't essential for a fighting game's quality in gameplay or anything, but they still provide a level of enjoyment that keep you intrigued and make you feel better about the amount of effort that went into the game overall. Dead or Alive 1 was okay for it's time, but DoA2 and DoA3 were a cut above many other fighting games when they came out. DoA4 I was pretty disappointed with compared to previous games since almost all the songs seemed too trance-themed or focused on energy noises, in fact some of the tracks I couldn't even tell apart at first and it all seemed very forgettable.

The few times I've watched a DoA5 match video (which I don't really do) or witnessed the early build I wasn't really able to pay attention to the background music, meaning either the sound effects were much higher which drowned out the BGM or because the music was simply generic. Anyone have any input on how they feel the soundtrack is faring? Is the BGM still character-based like previous titles, or has it become stage-based like the Soul Calibur series?


On a side note: Tekken Tag Tournament 2 on console will have a custom soundtrack function where you can upload any music you've put on your PS3 and set it to a particular stage in the game or even the character select screen. Now this is cute and all, but to me, it sounds like Namco saying "Well since we don't try to make good soundtracks anymore, just upload your own!" I confirmed this since the arcade-version of the TTT2 soundtrack came with the release of Tekken Hybrid last year in November. I listened to it a few times in my car and 90% of the music is techno, electronica, dance-themed horsehit that makes me wanna veer off the road and crash into a fucking glowstick factory. Japan just doesn't try anymore.

 

[CyberEvil]

The music in DoA5 is relatively solid, if a bit less impactful. The SJ6/IPL build had a weird audio glitch that would make the music occasionally get really loud so when we were playing in less loud venues like the rooms, we had the music turned down to compensate. I love the music on Scramble since it's a remix of the badass DoA4 trailer music (E3 trailer), and the rest of the music is pretty strong as well. I'm not a huge music guy, though, so hopefully a few of the people that do pay more attention kept their ears open while playing.

 

[werewolfgold]

The music is stage-based, although it borrows a few tracks from DOA4. Sometimes, the music will switch depending on what's going on. For instance, the music in "Home" changes if you switch floors and in "Depth" if you break the elevator.

I definitely don't think it's as memorable as before, but i think that's because the music doesn't seem to be as pronounced in this game. You can barely hear it in most videos. This also may be due to a shift away from melodic style into more theme-based style.

On the side note: You didn't like the Moonlit Wilderness and Snow Castle remixes in TTT2? To say that "Japan" isn't trying because it used some techno in the game seems a little bit overstated...

 

[Forlorn Penguin]

I haven't really cared much for the DOA5 soundtrack up to this point, aside from the menu theme and Alpha-152 (which is a DOA4 track that now plays on the Depth stage). We haven't heard that much of the soundtrack though, or at least I'd assume we haven't.

I'm getting the CE though, so I get to have a copy of the soundtrack whether it's good or not. I hope it's good though.

 

[PhoenixVFIRE]

On a side note: Tekken Tag Tournament 2 on console will have a custom soundtrack function where you can upload any music you've put on your PS3 and set it to a particular stage in the game or even the character select screen. Now this is cute and all, but to me, it sounds like Namco saying "Well since we don't try to make good soundtracks anymore, just upload your own!" I confirmed this since the arcade-version of the TTT2 soundtrack came with the release of Tekken Hybrid last year in November. I listened to it a few times in my car and 90% of the music is techno, electronica, dance-themed horsehit that makes me wanna veer off the road and crash into a fucking glowstick factory. Japan just doesn't try anymore.

I want that SO bad....

 

[Master_Thespian]

DOA5 soundtrack is pretty dull from what I've heard. it's actually my biggest non-gameplay gripe.

 

[UnD34D]

On a side note: Tekken Tag Tournament 2 on console will have a custom soundtrack function where you can upload any music you've put on your PS3 and set it to a particular stage in the game or even the character select screen. Now this is cute and all, but to me, it sounds like Namco saying "Well since we don't try to make good soundtracks anymore, just upload your own!" I confirmed this since the arcade-version of the TTT2 soundtrack came with the release of Tekken Hybrid last year in November. I listened to it a few times in my car and 90% of the music is techno, electronica, dance-themed horsehit that makes me wanna veer off the road and crash into a fucking glowstick factory. Japan just doesn't try anymore.

Sounds like my TTT2 soundtrack will sound a lot like KoF and Gundam Battle Assault.

 

[matsu]

Soulcalcalibur V's custom soundtrack should be the standard for fighting games.TTT2 did well with the new custom soundtrack, i didn't know about it.Smart move.Game developpers always try to sell many dlc's but it is these kind of features they need to think about to step forward in the fighting genre.TN did a great job too with customisable randoms and online Lab.What's next personal command list?I heard there is tis kind of feature in TTT2 with Combo but not sure about it....

 

[werewolfgold]

I dunno. The advent of custom soundtracks in general always kind of irked me. I know it kind of sucks if the soundtrack isn't all that. But, I think that it's supposed to go with the general ambience of the game. I mean, why have games create music at all if people are just going to play pop music over it?

 

[Forlorn Penguin]

I dunno. The advent of custom soundtracks in general always kind of irked me. I know it kind of sucks if the soundtrack isn't all that. But, I think that it's supposed to go with the general ambience of the game. I mean, why have games create music at all if people are just going to play pop music over it?

I understand that completely, but I still believe that players should have the freedom to play other music too. I mean even if I like the soundtrack, I'll hear it so much that I'll want to just play my own stuff from time to time.