5 Reasons You Should Be Excited For GTA V’s Original Score

GTA V is perhaps one of the most anticipated titles in gaming, ever. Some might even argue that it is the most anticipated game… period. However, I am not here to discuss those matters, but will instead focus on a very interesting news Rockstar Games revealed about the game just a short while ago. For the first time ever, GTA V will have an original score!  I won’t go into detail about the specific press release, so for that you can go over to Richard’s article. So, go there first because he talks about it in-depth, then come back… ok, done ? Now lets talk about the reasons why I think you should be excited about GTA V’s original score.

1. Music Is A Powerful Tool

Even though the Grand Theft Auto has had really interesting theme tunes, it never had a proper score. The missions you’d play would either be accompanied by the games radio, if you were driving the car or complete musical silence as you cleared objectives. However, even though tense, it was never particularly memorable in terms of setpieces. Sure, you can name some amazing missions like Three Leaf Clover (probably the inspiration for GTA V‘s heist setting) or End of The Line, but you still have an element missing from them, and that’s music!

You see, music is like an emotion amplifier, one that tells you what to feel at certain moments and emphasizes on the emotions you might already have after a particular scene. It keeps the experience tense and varied! For example, I personally love Need For Speed: The Run more when compared to other games in the NFS series. Why? Because it had amazing music by the talented Brian Tyler. Every race in that game felt cinematic and intense due to his music, in fact, even when I played Most Wanted recently, I was playing the soundtrack from The Run behind it. It just made it feel more epic.

So, I am pretty sure that GTA V will benefit greatly from that decision, especially since the game will feature dynamic and explosive heists. The music will be more then enough to get you on the edge of your seat and leave some memories behind! In fact, if it is anything like Payday 2‘s heist music, we are in for a treat!

2. GTA Is A Blank Sheet In Terms Of Music.

When you play a game for the first time, depending on its genre, you will know what to expect from the music. Let’s say that, if you play a war game like Call of Duty, there’ll be pounding percussion, hectic strings and heroic brass work. If you happen to be playing a sci-fi game like Assassin’s Creed, there’ll be electronic synths, ambient sweeps, and perhaps even futuristic drum samples. And, if you happen to be playing a horror game like Dead Space, you will hear vibrating(tremolo) strings, ominous ambiance, and relentless brass work. Basically put, everything has a style related to it, which you won’t find in another genre.

So, how about GTA V, what should you expect from it? Honestly, there wouldn’t be anything to expect from it because there isn’t a style related to it. Even though you have had some main themes in the series, they hardly qualify to be the series’  main signature style because the beautiful thing about it is, they’re varied. So, it is going to be a surprise for the gamers, as to what kind of themes GTA V will have.

On the other hand, what this means for the composers is that they have no rules set, basically their wet dream! They can do anything they want with the sound, and if they succeed, it can become the series’ signature. So, I think that due to the liberties, the composers might have done a great job. I cannot stress how important liberty is for a composer’s creativity, it really helps with the soundtrack overall!

3. The Game Does Not Have 1, or 2 But 3 composers!

That is right, Rockstar Games has decided to give it their best and have assigned not just one, but three composers to the games music. The composers that will be responsible for the games music are, Edgar of Tangerine Dream, Hip Hop creators Alchemist and Oh No and most importantly… “Woody Jackson“. If you haven’t heard his name before, then know that he is the composer who was responsible for L.A. Noire and Red Dead Redemption, the later which even won him a VGA award for best score!

Now, mind you that this is not the first time there are multiple composers for a videogame, as we have had Lorne Balfe working with multiple composers before. Such as, with Hans Zimmer on Modern Warfare 2 or Jesper Kyd on Assassin’s Creed: Revelations. However, the way they are utilised is special, because…

4. Each Composer Will Be Responsible For A Different Character/Setting.

One thing Rockstar Games has been emphasizing from the get go is that, each character will feel and play different. Michael will not be the same as Franklin, who in turn wouldn’t be same as Trevor. They will have different playstyles and abilities, and what better way to highlight that then giving them their own themes?

In fact, even the places will have different musical moods altogether. For example, once you enter the expansive and beautiful country side, you will hear themes from Woody Jacksons. Perhaps something like Luz y Sombra from Red Dead Redemption. In my opinion this will give more characteristic to different places, and make them feel more alive!

Furthermore, Woody Jackson especially, has the tendency to create really exciting scores, one that definitely fuels the gameplay. To get what I mean, try listening to Horseplay from Red Dead Redemption above. It has this very interesting rhythm to it that, although subtle, packs a punch. I will be glad, if you hear music like this playing during chase scenes, but I wouldn’t be surprised!

5. Rockstar Knows What It’s Doing When It Comes To Soundtrack

By now, you are probably wondering why I am already praising the soundtrack to GTA V, even though it has not yet been released. Well, I can safely say that I completely trust Rockstar Games when it comes to video game soundtracks. In fact, for a game they have put not only millions of dollars in, but also have put a lot of effort into it, they won’t do anything without putting serious thoughts into it.

Do you know, when Max Payne 3 was revealed to have Health behind its soundtrack, I was highly skeptical? And yet, the soundtrack became one of my favourite albums ever! That experience told me, that Rockstar doesn’t mess around with the music in game. They will only choose someone, if they think it will enhance the general experience of their game. With Max Payne 3, Health was an amazing choice, and I hope the same will be for GTA V.

So, those were the reasons that should get you interested in the games original soundtrack, and the game itself, which is about to release in just a few days. Have fun and happy gaming!