Unreal Collector’s Edition Soundtrack
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Album Title: Unreal Collector’s Edition Soundtrack |
| Record Label: Epic Games |
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| Catalog No.: 7433 |
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| Release Date: May 22, 1998 |
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| Purchase: Buy Used Copy |
Overview
Unreal set the precedent for many first-person shooters with its excellent story-led presentation and ground-breaking engine. Among the many impressive features of the game was its soundtrack by Alexander Brandon and Michiel van den Bos. The electronic music for the game set the atmosphere for the title wonderfully while being enjoyable on a stand-alone level too. In addition to a full 20 track soundtrack release, a 13 track soundtrack was included with the strategy guide version of the game.
Body
Despite its sparing length, there are a couple of exclusive tracks featured on the soundtrack for Unreal. One of these is the main theme, which sets the tone for the game with its mixture of synthy melodies and sci-fi soundscaping. It’s a great track, though the opening track on the commercial release is somewhat better in my opinion. Less impressive is “Extreme”, which is too short to be a worthwhile exclusive despite its functional merits.
Among the conserved tracks on this release, “Dig” wouldn’t be out of place in a stealth section of a game, with its slow beat and thin textures. The way the melody comes in actually reminds me of some of the gold produced during the Amiga days, although the sampling is considerably more mature. Another surprisingly emotional track is “Skytown”, which evolves through a considerable dramatic arch during its playtime. It’s a vivid complement to the setting that works well on a stand-alone basis too.
I was also impressed by Brandon’s “Vortex Rikers” and “Ruins”, which provide a somewhat darker perspective on the Unreal universe. Michiel van den Bos’ “Chizra” is quite a bit more abstract than Brandon’s tracks, with its mixture of industrial and ethnic percussion. “Cellars of Dasa” is also quite effective in context, though I would have preferred other selections such as “Wargate” or “Erosion” from the commercial soundtrack in its place.
As with the commercial soundtrack, the release ends with a bonus remix interpreting the music from Unreal in a Euro dance style. It’s an enjoyable track with plenty of melodic emphasis and upbeat stylings, though hasn’t stood the test of time particularly well unlike the rest of the music here. It is stylistically quite superficial and doesn’t have much mainstream appeal either, given it is a bit dated compared to today’s club beats.
Summary
Overall, the soundtrack for Unreal was an impressive achievement in game music. It succeeds in being melodically compelling, functionally effective, and technologically commanded, and remains an enjoyable stand-alone listen to this day. That said, this strategy guide soundtrack features just 30 minutes of music and omits a number of great tracks, so it is better to head for the commercial soundtrack release.
Do you agree with the review and score? Let us know in the comments below!
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Posted on August 1, 2012 by Joe Hammond. Last modified on August 1, 2012.
About the Author
Joe Hammond When I first heard the music of Nobuo Uematsu in the Final Fantasy series at about 17 years old, my love of video game music was born. Since then, I've been revisiting some of my old games, bringing back their musical memories, and checking out whatever I can find in the game music scene. Before all of this I've always been a keen gamer from an early age. I'm currently doing a PGCE (teacher training) in primary school teaching (same age as elementary school) with music specialism at Exeter University. I did my undergraduate degree in music at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. My main focus at the moment is my teaching and education work, though who knows what will happen in the future. I like a variety of music, from classical/orchestral to jazz to rock and metal and even a bit of pop. Also when you work with young children you do develop a somewhat different appreciation for the music they like.
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