My big hope for thiis game is that the soundtrack won't...put me to sleep

[daven]

I don't want to have a go at PoE's soundtrack because it is fine, but that's it... it's just fine. There's the odd piece which is pretty good and memorable but most of it sounds depressing and the battle music is a ripoff of BG2's. 

 

BG1 and 2 had fantastic music, also Neverwinter Nights. I think some people might disagree because it's basically the exact same tune just recomposed or whatever but it works really well for me at least.

 

Icewind Dale music fits brilliantly for the style it was going for. Pillars its just OK compared to these, but i guess it's harsh to compare it since they were so good.

[Wormerine]

Wait... beta has new track? I could swear that they are all from PoE1...

[PneumaticFire]

People who prefer generic, hamfisted epic for the sake of epic music, over Pillars' subtle and complementary music (bar repetitive combat music), are like people preferring McDonalds to a proper restaurant meal ;-)

 

Seriously, there were some stand-out tracks for Pillars 1, and a similar approach, mixed with more ambience and a flavour suiting the setting would be ideal.

 

Pillars main appeal was a throwback to games with more depth and substance. I'd like the music to reflect that personally and hope they don't change that

[Mazisky]

I've found most of the PoE tracks very enjoyable, the only problem with the combat tracks was they had a bad loop system, so they were interrupted and "restarted" in a cheap way, feeling more repetitive than they were.
 

[The Sharmat]

People who prefer generic, hamfisted epic for the sake of epic music, over Pillars' subtle and complementary music (bar repetitive combat music), are like people preferring McDonalds to a proper restaurant meal ;-)

 

Seriously, there were some stand-out tracks for Pillars 1, and a similar approach, mixed with more ambience and a flavour suiting the setting would be ideal.

 

Pillars main appeal was a throwback to games with more depth and substance. I'd like the music to reflect that personally and hope they don't change that

Both of the things you describe are bland in different ways, to me. Don't put words in peoples' mouths. Yes, there were one or two stand out tracks, but on the whole PoE's music only got stuck in my head through raw repetition rather than most of the tracks being memorable or making me feel something. Though again, Shadow of the Sun and one or two other tracks are an exception.

Edited April 2, 2018 by The Sharmat

[Drowsy Emperor]

I finished the game yesterday and I don't remember any of the PoE music, even after 50+ hours of gameplay. *shrug*

[SonicMage117]

Yes. It's not a matter of the style or genre but the actual tracks themselves. The ost served the game (Pillars 1) well but the tracks weren't memorable - at least to the vast majority of people who played it.

 

For that reason, I'm not expecting anything amazing for Deadfire but something at least tolerable. It's rare that a widely known game has a bad ost now days.

[The Sharmat]

I think it's rare for a widely known game to have a particularly good one either, sadly. Seems like the Japanese put more effort into soundtracks for their AAA titles. But maybe that's just my personal tastes. A shame either way, since I prefer the way western devs handle RPGs in every other respect.

[daven]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLfyRQfHAio&index=3&list=PL1504051B3E0F033C

 

The Iron Flail fort music reminds me of this piece from The Killing Fields. It's probably my favourite piece in the game. Most of the music sounds really depressing, which isn't a bad thing but sometimes more triumphant music could be played, it just feels like you're on a constant downer.

 

There aren't any parts like in BG1 when you're heading to the Iron Throne compound and have the candelkeep music playing in Baldurs Gate motivating you.

Edited April 7, 2018 by daven

[daven]

I think it's rare for a widely known game to have a particularly good one either, sadly. Seems like the Japanese put more effort into soundtracks for their AAA titles. But maybe that's just my personal tastes. A shame either way, since I prefer the way western devs handle RPGs in every other respect.

I was trying to think of some recent high quality soundtracks, probably Persona 5 but like you say it's a Japanese game. The Dragon Age games don't have particularly memorable soundtracks but they serve the game well enough. I suppose Pillars is the same. 

[Boeroer]

Best track of PoE is the music that plays when you enter Caed Nua for the first time, especially when you meet Maerwald.

 

If I want to name games with great soundtracks (that I played), it's FTL and Hotline Miami. But that music would be a tad weird in Deadfire (except maybe in the Furnicula bar on the BiB island ).

[SonicMage117]

 

I think it's rare for a widely known game to have a particularly good one either, sadly. Seems like the Japanese put more effort into soundtracks for their AAA titles. But maybe that's just my personal tastes. A shame either way, since I prefer the way western devs handle RPGs in every other respect.

I was trying to think of some recent high quality soundtracks, probably Persona 5 but like you say it's a Japanese game. The Dragon Age games don't have particularly memorable soundtracks but they serve the game well enough. I suppose Pillars is the same.

Hollow Knight, The Witcher 3, Nier Automata, Skyrim, Rayman Legends, Jet Set Radio... So many, I can't really name them all.

 

A song that I'll remember for the rest of my life is: Shovel Knight's Courage Under Fire. I don't know why that is but that's a testinent to a catchy tune! Hehe

 

 

https://youtu.be/H-oPvcdS-JE

[Sonntam]

 

I think it's rare for a widely known game to have a particularly good one either, sadly. Seems like the Japanese put more effort into soundtracks for their AAA titles. But maybe that's just my personal tastes. A shame either way, since I prefer the way western devs handle RPGs in every other respect.

I was trying to think of some recent high quality soundtracks, probably Persona 5 but like you say it's a Japanese game. The Dragon Age games don't have particularly memorable soundtracks but they serve the game well enough. I suppose Pillars is the same. 

 

Persona's soundtrack made me want to become deaf. After 40 hours of only one single highly memorable song playing during fights (same damn song repeated every damn trash fight!) I could not take it. I hate it. People complain about PoE OST not being memorable? Thank God for that. 

[The Sharmat]

Best track of PoE is the music that plays when you enter Caed Nua for the first time, especially when you meet Maerwald.

Nah, it's Shadow of the Sun triggering in the first flashback segment in the prologue.

[waltc]

Hey, thanks for all the responses!  I didn't expect many, if any!  Anyway, I wasn't implying that PoE music was poor--not at all, it's very well done and I agree with those who thought so!  It's just that--seriously--it lulled me to sleep (not literally cutting z's... ) but it simply sort of sapped my energy and enthusiasm.  A better description might be that I found it kept "lulling" me.  (Morrowind did the same thing long years ago. Wonderful game that nearly put me to sleep after a decent play--I tend to play for hours at a time.)   I like edgy, kind of bizarre, occasionally off-pitch type of musics--that don't necessarily sound good at all when listened to as a mere sound track, but music which serves to compliment the game--and where you are going--your quests, etc. A sound track that really only takes shape when it accompanies what is happening in the game.  Battle music doesn't always have to be throbbing, etc.--heck, sometimes no music at all during a battle is quite evocative.  That's all--something more in tune with the sort of high fantasy we all like so much in these games and films.  But as far as the LoTR goes--I was as big a fan as anyone--but it's been done to death in 2018, know what I mean?  Wife and I pulled out the BLuRays the other day and decided to watch all three movies again--and I'll tell you, much as I fondly remember these films, we both thought they were already a bit *dated*--and that was something I never thought was possible. But it's true.  After something is heard for the 50th time it loses something in the translation.  Anyway...I hope this is a bit more clear--but it probably isn't..