Highbrow Magazine - playing video games https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/playing-video-games en Game Drain: What Subscription Services Spell for the Industry https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/24443-game-drain-what-subscription-services-spell-industry <div class="field field-name-field-cat field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/media" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Media</a></div></div></div><span class="submitted-by">Submitted by tara on Fri, 01/26/2024 - 12:07</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1videomodel.jpg?itok=80PxmV58"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1videomodel.jpg?itok=80PxmV58" width="320" height="480" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">With Microsoft’s acquisition of <a href="https://www.activisionblizzard.com/" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline" target="_blank">Activision Blizzard</a>, the videogame company behind the massive <a href="https://www.callofduty.com/" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline" target="_blank"><em>Call of Duty</em></a><em>, </em><a href="https://overwatch.blizzard.com/en-us/" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline" target="_blank"><em>Overwatch</em></a><em>, </em>and <a href="https://worldofwarcraft.blizzard.com/en-us/" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline" target="_blank"><em>Warcraft</em></a><em> </em>franchises, Xbox (a subsidiary of Microsoft) adds another notch to an already impressive belt of game publishers and developers <a href="https://www.pcgamer.com/every-game-and-studio-microsoft-now-owns/" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline" target="_blank">owned by the computing giant</a>.</span></span></p> <p><br />  </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">The list of franchises under Microsoft's grasp is so expansive that the Federal Trade Commission <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2022/12/ftc-seeks-block-microsoft-corps-acquisition-activision-blizzard-inc" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline" target="_blank">tried to stop the transaction</a> - <a href="https://www.reuters.com/markets/deals/us-ftc-tries-again-stop-microsofts-already-closed-deal-activision-2023-12-06/" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline" target="_blank">twice</a>. </span></span></p> <p><br />  </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">While Microsoft's questionably monopolistic hold over some of gaming's most beloved franchises is concerning in its own right, more worrisome is how Microsoft's means to capitalize on its acquisitions could fundamentally alter the whole gaming industry.</span></span></p> <p><br />  </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Microsoft’s major marketing push in gaming has been Xbox Game Pass: a subscription service that gives users access to a rotating library of hundreds of games. For simplicity’s sake, think Netflix for gaming. </span></span></p> <p><br />  </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">One of the biggest appeals of Game Pass is a monthly price lower than the cost of buying a single one of the games on offer – which is a big deal considering the price of a full release has increased with the introduction of the latest consoles.</span></span></p> <p><br />  </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">This makes a subscription-service solution seem like a more consumer-friendly way to get into a normally expensive hobby. </span></span></p> <p><br /> <img src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/3videomodel.jpg" /></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Xbox’s biggest draw comes from the inclusion of brand new games -- mainly leveraging its  popular franchises, such as <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline" target="_blank"><em>Halo</em></a> and <a href="https://www.gearsofwar.com/" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline" target="_blank"><em>Gears of War</em></a>.</span></span></p> <p><br />  </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">The most recent of these are games by <a href="https://bethesda.net/dashboard" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline" target="_blank">Bethesda Softworks</a>, the company acquired by Microsoft in 2021, which owns the popular <a href="https://fallout.bethesda.net/en" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline" target="_blank"><em>Fallout</em></a>, <a href="https://elderscrolls.bethesda.net/en" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline" target="_blank"><em>The Elder Scrolls</em></a>, <a href="https://bethesda.net/en/game/doom" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline" target="_blank"><em>DOOM</em></a>, and <a href="https://bethesda.net/en/game/dishonored" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline" target="_blank"><em>Dishonored</em> </a>franchises. Its two most recent games, <a href="https://bethesda.net/en/game/redfall" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline" target="_blank"><em>Redfall</em></a> and <a href="https://bethesda.net/en/game/starfield" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline" target="_blank"><em>Starfield</em></a>, were both given launch day access for Game Pass users.</span></span></p> <p><br />  </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><em>Redfall</em>’s launch was a notable letdown. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Spencer_(business_executive)" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline" target="_blank">Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1654108618990530561" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline" target="_blank">admitted</a> both he and the Xbox community were disappointed with the game’s condition on launch. </span></span></p> <p><br />  </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">The game has a low 56 (out of 100) critic score on <a href="https://www.metacritic.com/game/redfall/" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline" target="_blank">Metacritic</a>, with even worse user reviews. Gamers argued that the game was unfinished, mired by a large number of bugs and gameplay issues, many of which are highlighted in<a href="https://www.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/reviews/redfall" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline" target="_blank"> this review by CNN</a>. </span></span></p> <p><br />  </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">The problem with a subscription-based model is that it stifles consumer expectations. There is a lesser sense of loss when the price is four times lower than the retail rate. With the hundreds of other games available, there is still plenty of content to help justify the cost.</span></span></p> <p><br />  </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Despite <em>Redfall</em>’s disappointment and arguably bad content, the pedigree of its developer and the uniqueness of its premise undoubtedly spurred some subscriptions to Game Pass, which ultimately matters more than a purchase, or even the quality of the game itself.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/4videomodel.jpg" /></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">While Xbox obviously isn’t striving for a “Join Game Pass; we have mediocre games” model, there is less pressure to create an outstanding product since its shortcomings can be compensated by the greater overall value. </span></span></p> <p><br />  </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">In this sense, marketing matters more than content. If you build excitement over a new game, even if the game in question is underwhelming, it still has the rest of the service to fall back on.</span></span></p> <p><br />  </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">This issue can go both ways. <em>Starfield</em> was a massive success. <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2023/10/25/starfield-just-made-microsoft-and-xbox-a-ton-of-money/?sh=584220393fe3" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline" target="_blank">According to <em>Forbes</em></a>, <em>Starfield</em> is largely responsible for the Xbox’s most profitable quarter in its history. The game also spurred the most sign-ups for Game Pass in a single day since the service was created. </span></span></p> <p><br />  </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">The game has had a positive critical reception with an 83 critic score and a solid-but-notably lower 7.0 (out of 10) user score on Metacritic. </span></span></p> <p><br />  </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">While the overall response has been positive, the game has been rather contentious, with some critics dragging down the reviews on outlets like Steam, a platform which doesn’t benefit from the lower price available via Game Pass. </span></span></p> <p><br />  </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">According to <em>Forbes</em>, much of the <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2024/01/03/steam-users-may-be-trolling-starfield-with-most-innovative-gameplay-award/?sh=417ca7da3f76" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline">criticism</a> centers around the game’s refusal to stray far from Bethesda tradition.</span></span></p> <p><br /> <img src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/5videomodel.jpg" /></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">While the arguably more forgiving environment of a subscription should ease the risk of experimentation, the fact that people aren’t really forking over that much money will also mean that they are more willing to settle for mediocrity.</span></span></p> <p><br />  </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">The biggest worry with subscription-based gaming lies in the method by which it may further erode our already <a href="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/21627-digital-rights-management-and-modern-day-pirate" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline" target="_blank">tenuous ownership</a> of digital media. </span></span></p> <p><br />  </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><em>PC Gamer</em> says industry analysts are <a href="https://www.pcgamer.com/netflix-of-games-isnt-likely-says-analyst/" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline" target="_blank">skeptical</a> of the possibility of subscriptions taking over the gaming market, citing that subscription services only made up 4 percent of game spending in 2021. </span></span></p> <p><br />  </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><em>PC Gamer</em> further states that the majority of spending in gaming (79 percent of the market) was on microtransactions, in-game purchases for the products people were already playing.</span></span></p> <p><br />  </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">However, even if the subscription isn’t the big moneymaker, it does reduce the upfront cost to play games, therefore making their far more profitable microtransactions more accessible.</span></span></p> <p><br />  </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">It is important to note that Xbox’s own self-reported statistics state that Game Pass users spend <a href="https://youtu.be/UqHgSiVWVM8" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline" target="_blank">45 percent more on microtransactions</a>. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/6videomodel.jpg" /></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">In this instance, it doesn’t matter that the subscription is only a fraction of the market. The subscription becomes the vector through which you push gamers to spend on the microtransactions that really rule the market.</span></span></p> <p><br />  </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">With Microsoft buying up so many of gaming's most iconic brands, many notorious for microtransactions such as <em>Call of Duty</em>, and <em>Overwatch</em>, it’s easy to see how the subscription model may be a way to encourage in-game spending.</span></span></p> <p><br />  </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">It is still too soon to start lamenting the death of traditional game ownership. However, the fact that nearly 80 percent of game spending isn’t from the outright purchase of games doesn’t bode well for the future of the traditional model. If the subscription model leads to more stagnant and derivative games, perhaps they won’t continue to be worth owning.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>Author Bio:</strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong><em>Garrett Hartman is a contributing writer at</em> Highbrow Magazine.</strong></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>For Highbrow Magazine</strong></span></span></p> <p> </p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/game-pass" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">game pass</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/xbox" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">xbox</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/microsoft" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Microsoft</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/starfield" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">starfield</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/call-duty" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">call of duty</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/videogames" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">videogames</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/playing-video-games" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">playing video games</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/gaming" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">gaming</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/overwatch" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">overwatch</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/redfall" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">redfall</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Garrett Hartman</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pop field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Popular:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not popular</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-bot field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Bottom Slider:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">In Slider</div></div></div> Fri, 26 Jan 2024 17:07:31 +0000 tara 12976 at https://www.highbrowmagazine.com https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/24443-game-drain-what-subscription-services-spell-industry#comments Tune In: The Art of the Videogame Soundtrack https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/20007-tune-art-videogame-soundtrack <div class="field field-name-field-cat field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/music" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Music</a></div></div></div><span class="submitted-by">Submitted by tara on Fri, 06/10/2022 - 10:27</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/5videosoundtrack.jpg?itok=4-2uZCGY"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/5videosoundtrack.jpg?itok=4-2uZCGY" width="480" height="270" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Soundtracks are some of the most iconic tunes in pop culture. Think of the work of Danny Elfman or John Williams. Songs like the<em> Star Wars</em> theme are universally known, and all it takes is that first blasting note of the orchestra for the listener to imagine the yellow text crawling down from the top of the screen. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Impressive soundtracks like this have made a massive imprint on pop culture, becoming an integral part of how some of the most famous stories have been told. However, few would consider soundtracks as casual listening music. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Franchise fans may listen to the <em>Jurassic Park</em> opening, but these pieces are generally enjoyed as an accompaniment to the media for which they were created. Some films have pop music as significant parts of their soundtrack, such as <em>Top Gun,</em> with songs like “Danger Zone” and “Take My Breath Away.”</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">This has become a common trend lately, with films like the <em>Guardians of the Galaxy </em>franchise having their soundtracks composed mostly of licensed music -- however, unlike <em>Top Gun</em>, these songs weren’t made for the film. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Videogame music has also had its own massive influence on pop culture. Think of the instantly recognizable music from the first <em>Super Mario Brothers</em>, and the music from <em>Sonic the Hedgehog's</em> first level “Green Hill Zone.”</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Music in videogames has come a long way since the sometimes abrasive, albeit unique, sound of chiptune melodies. With the capacity for digital storage ever expanding, games now have fully produced and professionally recorded music to accompany them. Modern games often get the same treatment films do with full orchestral scores.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">This has led to some phenomenal music created specifically for games, music that really transcends its ties to videogames and stands on its own as enjoyable listening even for those who have little interest in the source material. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">A recent soundtrack that comes to mind are the tracks created for the “radio” in CD Projekt RED’s 2020 game <em>Cyberpunk 2077</em>. Often simplified to “Cyberpunk,” the game was a highly anticipated project based off of a tabletop role-playing game from 1988. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/2videosoundtrack_super_mario_bros-wikipedia.jpg" style="height:400px; width:292px" typeof="foaf:Image" /></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Part of the game’s soundtrack is composed of pop songs that have been created to be heard over the radio in game. When traveling in cars or just traversing around the world, players will hear fictional radio stations broadcasting music that was created specifically for the game. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">As a means of building the world, the game features music created by a wide variety of artists. While many of the real-world artists are presented under fictional band names, some notable artists who created and or performed music for Cyberpunk are: Refused, Run The Jewels, A$AP Rocky and Grimes. Grimes’s music is presented under the fictional popstar Lizzy Wizzy, a character she voices in the game. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">There are 31 songs, three volumes, of original radio music for Cyberpunk spanning genres, creating a wide variety of interesting songs. One standout -- “Resist and Disorder” by “The Cartesian Duelists” (real world artist: Rezodrone) -- blends electronic, hard rock and a driving industrial rhythm. The song feels heavy with an insanely catchy chorus that breaks up the sound before bringing it back down to the crunchy guitar riff that serves as the song’s base.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Like most of the songs on the “Cyberpunk” radio, the lyrics don’t feel constrained simply to the world of the game. Many of the punk and anti-corporate ideals expressed in the music seemn just as relevant to the real world, as they do the fictional sci-fi dystopia.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Someone who isn’t necessarily a fan of the source material, could thoroughly enjoy, and connect with, this music. Music in Cyberpunk isn’t held hostage to its medium. Most songs don’t refer to videogames or make allusions to fictional slang or terminology. This doesn’t stop the music from characterizing and building the game world in a believable way.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Arguably the greatest music in Cyberpunk is the music of the fictional band Samurai. Samurai is a key part of the story of <em>Cyberpunk 2077</em>, with one of the main characters, Johnny Silverhand (portrayed by Keanu Reeves), as a guitarist and lead singer of the group. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Samurai’s music is performed by real-world Swedish punk band Refused, and the songs are terrific. “The Ballad of Buck Ravers” is a punk song about a corporate office worker being pushed over the edge by mindless work that inevitably gets him nowhere. “Never Fade Away” is another song exploring the idea of love lost, but not forgotten. The song features a catchy chorus almost reminiscent of ‘80s classic rock, contrasting but still complementing the harder tone of the rest of the song. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">“Chippin’ in” is a hard rock song that plays with the double meaning of the gambling term with the transhumanist ideas of microchips and cybernetic implants, which serve as a key theme in cyberpunk. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/1keanureeves_anna_hanks-wikimedia.jpg" style="height:600px; width:419px" typeof="foaf:Image" /></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Cyberpunk’s radio music was made specifically as pop music, it was further from the traditional soundtrack in that sense; however, there are other games that emulate pop music as a part of their backing tracks and to great success.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Atlus’ Persona series has a long history of soundtracks, with the most recent entry into the series <em>Persona 5</em> having some of the best music yet. <em>Persona 5</em> has what would best be described as jazzy tunes with lyrics beautifully sung by the Japanese vocalist Lyn. Her vocals combined with the incredible combination of heavy bass lines, synth and string accents make for some tracks that are unforgettable. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">The songs perfectly capture the vibe of a lounge singer in a smoky jazz bar. The silky vocals and catchy melody in a song like “Last Surprise” and “Life Will Change are enjoyable, even for people who don't like videogames. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Being a fan of punk and hard rock myself, the soundtrack for a game like <em>Persona 5</em> is hardly the kind of music I would identify with my general music tastes. However, this soundtrack’s quality transcends genre preferences altogether. While not every track is accessible as casual listening (it still is a soundtrack after all), there are an outstanding number of terrific tracks to choose from.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">The Devil May Cry series is another franchise that blends pop elements into its backing tracks. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Devil May Cry has a heavy emphasis on hard rock -- relevant to the over-the-top action and character of its main protagonist, accented with electronic elements. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">The songs that really steal the show in the Devil May Cry games are the battle tracks that play during combat encounters in the game. The fifth game’s battle tracks stand out as they achieve unique sounds from the songs in the rest of the franchise, as well as helping to provide insight into the characters they play for.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">“Devil Trigger” is the battle theme for one of the game’s three protagonists Nero. “Devil Trigger” stands in stark contrast to the series norm with a sound that can almost be described as EDM. The song has an explosive, energetic attitude to it that matches the chaotic action associated with Nero’s fighting style. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">The female vocalist gives the piece an overall pop feel; however, under the surface, a solid hard rock base accompanied with hard rock backup vocals is reminiscent of songs from earlier games in the franchise. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/3videosoundtrack_rice_digital_dot_co_uk.jpg" style="height:400px; width:282px" typeof="foaf:Image" /></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">The best song from <em>Devil May Cry 5</em> is “Bury The Light,” which is the battle track for longtime series antagonist Vergil, who was released as a playable character in conjunction with the special edition of the game in 2020. <a href="https://twitter.com/composercasey/status/1308203035856760833?lang=en" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline" target="_blank">The song topped the Apple music soundtrack chart in september 2020 and ranked #7 of all September 2020 when it was released</a>.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">“Bury the Light” is an epic orchestral metal song. The song accents its heavy metal core with electronic and orchestral elements, such as its electric violin opening. The lyrics are sung by Victor Borba, and capture the character of Vergil, a man (half demon) on a quest for power that has gone too far to be stopped. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Narratives and themes aside, a lot of videogame music is all about fun. While there’s an almost infinite supply of music that deserves to be recognized, that's an ambitious task for this article. However, I think the point stands that there is a lot of terrific art created around the world, much of it overlooked in the mainstream. If nothing else, I compel you to listen to something you normally wouldn’t, videogame or not --  maybe you’ll find something new worth appreciating.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><strong><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Author Bio:</span></span></strong></p> <p><em><strong><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Garrett Hartman is a contributing writer at </span></span></strong></em><strong><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Highbrow Magazine.</span></span></strong></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>For Highbrow Magazine</strong></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>Image Sources:</strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><em>--Super Mario Bros. (</em><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Super_Mario_Bros._box.png" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline"><em>Wikipedia</em></a><em>, Creative Commons)</em></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><em>--Anna Hanks (</em><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Keanu_Reeves_2013_(10615146086)_(cropped).jpg" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline"><em>Wikimedia</em></a><em>, Creative Commons)</em></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><em>--Rice Digital (</em><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Persona_5_cover_art.jpg" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline"><em>Wikipedia</em></a><em>, Creative Commons)</em></span></span></p> <p> </p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/danny-elfman" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">danny elfman</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/john-williams" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">john williams</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/movie-soundtracks" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">movie soundtracks</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/star-wars" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Star Wars</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/videogames" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">videogames</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/videogame-soundtrack" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">videogame soundtrack</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/cyberpunk-2077" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">cyberpunk 2077</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/persona-5" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">persona 5</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/devil-trigger" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">devil trigger</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/playing-video-games" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">playing video games</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Garrett Hartman</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pop field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Popular:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not popular</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-bot field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Bottom Slider:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">In Slider</div></div></div> Fri, 10 Jun 2022 14:27:16 +0000 tara 11137 at https://www.highbrowmagazine.com https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/20007-tune-art-videogame-soundtrack#comments Dungeons & Dragons and Us: The Rise of Geek Culture https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/10702-dungeons-dragons-and-us-rise-geek-culture <div class="field field-name-field-cat field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/media" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Media</a></div></div></div><span class="submitted-by">Submitted by tara on Mon, 06/22/2020 - 06:38</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1dungeonsdragons.jpg?itok=KzzpALrJ"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1dungeonsdragons.jpg?itok=KzzpALrJ" width="480" height="270" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p> </p> <p>With the last few <em>Star Wars</em> installments being some of the most anticipated releases of the past few years, and <em>The Mandalorian</em> and Baby Yoda selling Disney Plus, one may think something major is underway.</p> <p> </p> <p>And this isn't only happening for one franchise, too. <em>The Avengers</em> franchise has continued to sell well, and <em>Joker</em> took home a score of nominations for various awards. An observer with a slightly broader frame of reference might consider that a change has happened. <em>Revenge of the Nerds</em> is no longer just the title of a delightful college movie; now it is a description of a cultural environment. Subculture has crossed the rubicon to become culture.</p> <p> </p> <p>This process isn't just confined to movies, though. Interestingly, it has extended to that apex of nerdy pastimes, the tabletop roleplaying game, <em>Dungeons &amp; Dragons</em>. Many are familiar with the game, either from garish mischaracterizations in the press or from the pulpit or from their own personal practice. Lately, though, the game isn't being characterized as a means of communing with demons or the driving factor of suicides; it's getting top billing as a pastime of characters in <em>Stranger Things </em>and <em>The Big Bang Theory</em>.</p> <p> </p> <p>The surge in popularity can possibly be traced to a moral panic taking its natural course coupled to a surge in other forms of geek culture, but why should this game take a surge when, say, other forms of geek culture, like online gaming, are also available? There are other board games and card games, and they're quite fun.</p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/2dungeonsdragons.jpg" style="height:338px; width:600px" /></p> <p> </p> <p>But <em>Axis &amp; Allies</em> and <em>Settlers of Catan</em> are fun if you're participating in the board games, and <em>Magic: the Gathering</em>, for example, is both an acquired taste and only fun if you're playing. Other, more popular card games, like <em>Cards Against Humanity</em> or its more literary equivalent, <em>Dick</em>, which is of similar rules but uses cards bearing quotes from Melville's <em>Moby-Dick</em>, can, after a while, get boring, especially after your friends have worked through the permutations of algorithmic humor.</p> <p> </p> <p>There are a few areas where the tabletop roleplaying games, <em>Dungeons &amp; Dragons</em> being the marquis brand among them, excel compared to these alternatives. Firstly, if you have a regular game night, a long-term roleplaying campaign allows players to have a series of adventures over the time populated by similar characters. Secondly, tabletop roleplaying games allow players and game-masters, the people refereeing and managing the game, flexibility. <em>Dungeons &amp; Dragons</em> can be described as a collective storytelling enterprise, as well as a game; this goes for other tabletop roleplaying games, as well.</p> <p> </p> <p>In this storytelling enterprise, players choose to be characters, shaping the story as they tell it through their play. And, while the game-master can set out a pretty well-crafted world and path through that world, players have been known to riff – like jazz musicians or a comedian telling a shaggy dog story.</p> <p> </p> <p>In fact, it's a common story among game masters, or Dungeon Masters as they're known, for an intricate and well-planned design to be made for the players, yet the players, through their action, go another direction, forcing some improvisation on the part of the game master. Of course, one can also purchase premade campaigns and play by the book. Because players can build their own characters, potentially with conflicting goals and aims, to say nothing of general demeanors and personalities, at the discretion of the game master, there is an abundant opportunity for the plot taking unforeseen turns – even if it's modeled after a well-known fantasy novel.</p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/3dungeonsdragons.jpg" style="height:188px; width:600px" /></p> <p> </p> <p>Perhaps this leads the reader to a new theory for what <em>Dungeons &amp; Dragons</em> offers its players. Of late, epic fantasy series have made for well-received adaptations to both television and motion picture screens. It is easy to sympathize with characters in realistic fiction. We have often heard of people in or around our own lives winding up in situations similar to those in realistic fiction.</p> <p> </p> <p>But how often do we get to join a cadre of heroes on a mystical quest to recover a lost artifact? Rarely have the mechanics of wish fulfillment been so accessible to someone willing to play a part, roll some polyhedral dice, and maybe suspend a little disbelief. With a bit of effort, you, too, can make an epic tale fitting of Homer, heavy on brain-teasing puzzles with which to challenge your heroes or with enough hack-and-slash action to satisfy even the most bloodthirsty barbarians.</p> <p> </p> <p>Here is the genius of the game: the control it affords both the game master and the players over the direction of the story, which is a victory all its own.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Author Bio:</strong></p> <p> </p> <p><strong><em>Adam Gravano is a contributing writer at</em> Highbrow Magazine.</strong></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>For Highbrow Magazine</strong></p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/dungeons-and-dragons" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">dungeons and dragons</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/dungeon-master" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">dungeon master</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/big-bang-theory" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Big Bang Theory</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/stranger-things" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">stranger things</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/games" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">games</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/axis-and-allies" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">axis and allies</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/wizards-coast" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">wizards of the coast</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/geek-culture" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">geek culture</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/playing-video-games" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">playing video games</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tabletop-games" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">tabletop games</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/magic-gathering" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">magic: the gathering</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Adam Gravano</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pop field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Popular:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not popular</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-photographer field-type-text field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Photographer:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Wizards of the Coast; Google Images</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-bot field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Bottom Slider:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Out Slider</div></div></div> Mon, 22 Jun 2020 10:38:54 +0000 tara 9637 at https://www.highbrowmagazine.com https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/10702-dungeons-dragons-and-us-rise-geek-culture#comments