Original Hedgehog Commune Editorial Department Hedgehog Commune
Domestic game companies make games with their feet and music with their heart?
Text | Shixin
Editor | Director
The Grammys are about to set up a special award for "game music".
On June 9, 2022, the Recording Academy, the organizer of the Grammy Awards, announced that there will be an award dedicated to game soundtracks at the 65th Grammy Awards in 2023 – "Best Video Game and Other Interactive Media" prize". This means that game music is irrefutably recognized by mainstream music. This is undoubtedly a historic moment for the gaming industry, especially the gaming music industry.
What is your earliest impression of game music?
The answer might be the simple, snappy beats of notes in Super Mario, or the urgent synth sounds of Contra. After half a century of development, today's game music is no longer a simple "audio background". In the process of games truly becoming the "ninth art", music has even become one of the decisive elements that gives the game the soul.
In the domestic gaming field, attention to game music is unprecedentedly high. Well-known musicians are "stepping down from the altar". This time they are no longer scoring a wonderful movie, but composing music for each of the game characters and stories we are familiar with. Game companies have also turned into "music companies", and OST (original soundtrack) is produced faster than record companies.
This article wants to answer the following three questions:
What enables the domestic game music industry to usher in “big development”?
What trends are behind the boom in game music?
From the development of game music, what kind of changes can we get a glimpse of in the gaming field?
The music of "Glory of Kings" cannot be dark
When "Honor of Kings" was first launched, no one could have imagined that Joe Hisaishi would be the soundtrack for this mobile game.
On June 5, 2022, "Honor of Kings" officially released a music production interview on Station B. The protagonist is Japanese musician and world-class master Joe Hisaishi.
Who is Hisaishi? Not to mention famous songs such as "Kikujiro's Summer", "Castle in the Sky" and "Howl's Moving Castle", "The Sun Also Rises" should be more familiar to the domestic public.
This time, Joe Hisaishi created a character concept song called "Journey of Light", inspired by the new hero "Sang Qi" that will be officially launched in April 2022. In the world view of "Honor of Kings", Sang Qi comes from the "Valley of Mingsha" and is the prince of the "Mingsha Clan". In order to bring a new "story" back to his hometown, Sang Qi chose to come to the outside world and embark on an adventurous journey.
"Journey of Light" poster, picture source network
In the video, Joe Hisaishi talks about his creative process. "This is a story about a boy and a firefly who grow up while traveling together. It would be great if modern music rhythms could be used to let the audience feel the protagonist's journey of growth and joy."
After seeing Joe Hisaishi's interview, some players were surprised by such a "high-standard" soundtrack, and were in shock for a long time; some hoped that the official "Honor of Kings" would "increase efforts." Ridicule also followed, and comments similar to "make music with your heart and play games with your feet" emerged one after another. Some comments were more "hostile" and bluntly said that "the money is in place" and it is just "business" for the master.
On June 7, the MV for "Journey of Light" was officially released and immediately "stunned" everyone. In this piece of music, Hisaishi Joe starts with the flute and uses a long melody to describe a quiet and majestic "Valley of Mingsha". With the addition of string strings and snare drums, Sang Qi begins a vigorous "journey", following the music , the audience is immersed in the adventure together, followed by return home, narration, recovery, and starting again…
Diverse orchestrations and rhythmic performances materialize the journey. Just like Sang Qi and his tribe, Joe Hisaishi's creation turns the melody into words, telling a wonderful adventure story with music.
Hisaishi Joe conquered everyone with his extremely high-quality creations. In addition to admiration, more people noticed the many classic soundtracks of "Glory of Kings". A B site netizen mentioned in the song comment area that he has been "Amway" the original music of "Honor of Kings", but due to the huge controversy of the game itself, these high-quality music are often ignored.
In fact, the soundtrack of "Honor of Kings" has always had the "master gene". As early as 2015, during the development stage of the game, "Honor of Kings" officially invited soundtrack master Hans Zimmer to compose music for the game.
If you are a movie lover, then you will not have heard of Hans Zimmer's scores, "Inception", "Black Hawk Down", "The Lion King"… As the greatest master in the film scoring industry First, many of Hans Zimmer's music are famous for their majestic and epic feel.
Hans Zimmer, Picture Source Network
As a musician who plays electronic synthesizers, he can use unconventional orchestration and newer music logic to integrate into the symphony. This is unexpectedly suitable for a "battle"-based game like "Honor of Kings": in "push" As in "Unleashed", his music often pulls players into grand battles.
Hans Zimmer's music almost sets the mood of the entire game for "Honor of Kings". In the game theme song "Main Theme", he used French horns and violins as the main melody and a heavy drum set as the basis to play a battle song from expedition to triumph. The grandeur and fierceness of the war burst out, and the entire "Glory of the King" "The "feeling of war" is established along with the music.
In addition, the game background music "War" in the early version has long since become a classic. For many old players, when the familiar symphony sounds and the melody of Endeavour, the most primitive memories of the game are also evoked.
In addition to Hans Zimmer and Joe Hisaishi, in 2018, "Honor of Kings" also invited the famous Hollywood soundtrack master Howard Shaw, who has produced the soundtrack for the "Lord of the Rings" series, to create the same name for the annual CG "Forever Chang'an City" Soundtrack. In 2020, when the "Five Tiger Generals" series of skins were launched, "Honor of Kings" invited musician Tan Dun, who had produced the album for "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", to create a series of music "Five Tiger Generals Symphony".
There is no doubt that these game soundtracks are "masterpieces." In the domestic game circle, along with various "chains of contempt", "Honor of Kings" often becomes the focus of controversy. Its game planning, krypton gold mechanism, background story, etc. are often the targets of criticism. However, in the quarrel, "Honor of Kings" The game soundtrack of "Honor of Kings", especially the symphony, has always been well received. "Anything in "Honor of Kings" can be hacked, but the soundtrack doesn't have to be hacked."
A contradiction is formed in this way: the game itself is constantly controversial, but the music is full of sincerity. But if you carefully understand the major domestic games and manufacturers, you will find that such "contradictions" often appear. The joke of "make music with your heart and make games with your feet" not only applies to the "Honor of Kings" family, but has become a kind of Common "perception".
Chinese game manufacturers: Music companies delayed by games?
Game soundtracks follow the "master route", and "Honor of Kings" is not the only one.
In 2016, NetEase’s self-developed mobile game “Onmyoji” was launched and became an instant hit. Due to the main gameplay of the game such as collecting cards, "Onmyoji" has been controversial for nearly 6 years since its launch due to "liver" (meaning that players have to spend a lot of time and energy) and krypton gold. But it must be admitted that Onmyoji has worked hard from the beginning on the audio aspect of the game.
As a game with strong two-dimensional attributes, "Onmyoji" invited well-known Japanese voice actors such as Rie Kugimiya and Tatsuo Suzuki to dub the game characters during the development period in order to attract more target audiences. This was once widely discussed . In fact, the soundtrack of this game deserves more attention.
The famous Japanese composer Shigeru Umebayashi composed the soundtrack for "Onmyoji". Compared with Joe Hisaishi and Hans Zimmer, this master may be slightly less well-known, but his influence on the Asian film industry is not small at all.
Looking through his resume, you can see the glorious profile of the Asian film industry. He has participated in the soundtracks of more than a dozen well-known movies, including "In the Mood for Love", "The Grandmaster", "House of Flying Daggers", "The Golden Armor", etc. Won numerous awards. In 2002, he scored the Japanese movie "Onmyoji", which became an important reason why he was invited to score the game.
In order to cater to the eerie and fantasy atmosphere of the Heian period, the original soundtrack of "Onmyoji" created by Umebayashi Shigeru is full of Japanese style. With the combination of traditional Japanese instruments and Western orchestral music, the elegant, peaceful and mysterious melody sounds, bringing gamers back to that ancient time. The mysterious Kyoto.
It is worth mentioning that Umebayashi later created the soundtrack for the 2020 global hit game "Ghost of Tsushima". This time, unlike the exquisiteness in Onmyoji, Umebayashi used more atmospheric strings to create a soundtrack. The "Last Samurai"-like atmosphere shows how powerful he is.
I have to say that domestic game manufacturers really like to hire Japanese composers, and "Love of Light and Night" is one of them. Northern Lights Studio, which is also owned by Tencent and is behind "Love of Light and Night", does not love symphony as much as Tianmei. They invited younger and more popular musicians to score the game. Well-known Japanese composers Yuki Hayashi and Asami Tachibana took over. Got this mission.
Interview with Lin Youshu on the creation of the soundtrack for "The Love of Light and Night", picture source network
For otome games, the soundtrack should pay more attention to the sense of fashion and love. Lin Youshu has composed soundtracks for the well-known Japanese drama "Legal High" and the Japanese comic "Volleyball Boy". Burning and trendy are his biggest labels, and for otome games, For the soundtrack, he adopted a more dynamic and flexible presentation method, while Mami Tachibana, who is a classical music and jazz professional, started from a fantasy world view and incorporated many magnificent elements into the music.
The soundtrack of "Love of Light and Night" has also become one of the important selling points of the game. In 2021, the game was officially launched. The music by Lin Yushu and Tachibana Asami was undoubtedly successful. Some players lamented in the music comment area that "I can't bear to give up this game for the soundtrack."
Why do top gamers often choose European, American and Japanese composers for their "master collaboration" projects? This is related to the development of the domestic game music industry. In comparison, the domestic game music field has not developed for a long time, and there is a lack of professional game music producers. "Masters" are even rarer. The "outsourcing" style of music production also forces leading companies to turn their attention overseas, and cooperation sometimes becomes more like a cross-border joint venture.
At present, some domestic game companies are also moving closer to foreign countries, building more mature and professional game music studios, and promoting music creation in real time following the development and changes of games.
"Honor of Kings" is one of the representatives. They are not only good at "recruiting masters", but in the seven years since the game was launched, Tianmi's game audio center has also continued to mature around game audio and soundtracks. In addition to master-level collaboration, they have also produced many wonderful game music and won numerous international awards.
Another case is "Genshin Impact". In the two years since its official launch, "Genshin Impact" has released 10 OST albums, covering two themes: region and character, including hundreds of pieces of music, including the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, etc. Participate in playing. In 2022, music such as "Liyue", "Meditation in the White Snow" and "Fast Like Fire" from the original soundtrack of the "Original Sound" game were also selected into the Beijing Winter Olympics repertoire. For "Genshin Impact", the music itself has become an important selling point.
"Genshin Impact" rice wife theme OST promotional picture, picture source Kuaiba Game
Behind these music, composer Chen Zhiyi and miHoYo music director Cai Jinhan are indispensable.
Chen Zhiyi is a well-known composer in China. Starting from June 2020, he has produced seven original soundtrack albums for Genshin Impact. While the game version is being updated, his music creation has followed him closely. Cai Jinhan is the music operator behind many miHoYo games. He is also the manager of HOYO-MiX, a Chinese original music team owned by miHoYo. This team has already produced films for "Honkai Academy 2", "Honkai 3" and "Undecided". The female gamers of "Time Book" and "Genshin Impact" have created numerous soundtracks and are one of the most professional game music teams in the domestic game industry.
In addition to Tencent and MiHoYo, there are also game companies such as Eagle Point Network that are exploring the field of game music. The importance of game music is also constantly increasing. In the eyes of many domestic game players, many game studios nowadays The level of music is improving rapidly, and the evaluation of "a music company delayed by games" often appears.
There is no doubt that this is a compliment for the progress of domestic game music, but as mentioned above, these games famous for their music are often accompanied by a lot of controversy. In this context, "music companies delayed by games" sometimes have an unpleasant meaning: your games are not worthy of your music.
So what’s the point of putting so much emphasis on game music? What can it bring to the game itself?
There are games and music
Unlike movies, television, and images, interaction and experience are very important to game audiences.
To judge whether a game can successfully "immerse" players is a core indicator. For games with richer text content, in order for players to be moved by the world view and plot and achieve a better gaming experience, the level of "immersion" must be deeper: players must truly be brought into the game world on the opposite side of the screen.
In addition to further strengthening basic elements such as picture quality, plot design, and gameplay planning, suitable, infectious, and listenable game music can give everything a "soul."
“Fit” sets the stage for immersion. "Death Stranding", which exploded in 2019, is a good example. This AAA masterpiece has a complex and peculiar world view: the United States in the fictional world fell apart due to the influence of "Death Stranding", and under the heavy damage, the relationship between people Contact is gradually severed, society ceases to exist, and everyone becomes an "isolated island"….
The gameplay of the game is also very unique. There are no cool battles or fast-paced plots in the game. Players need to play a "courier", wearing thick equipment and walking on the devastated surface to deliver supplies to various strongholds and rebuild them. People-to-people connections.
This is a game with polarizing reviews. People who like it think it has novel gameplay and a very deep plot, while opponents think the game is boring. But no one can deny that the game shows a very unique style. Temperament: The sense of alienation between people, the cold world, you can only move forward alone, everything is cruel and poetic.
The game graphics lay the foundation: black rocks and moss, consistent rainy days, and cliffs everywhere, but the game music further "completes" this unique temperament. Many of the soundtracks in "Death Stranding" come from the Icelandic band Low Roar. Their music contains the coldness and etherealness of Iceland's regional temperament, as well as the loneliness and sadness of the corner of the earth.
"Death Stranding" game screen, picture source network
This is highly consistent with the visual style and story design of "Death Stranding". Under the singing of Low Roar, players will take themselves into the long journey of Sam, walking alone while panting and staggering.
As some people believe, really good game music is often "unfeelable": along with the ups and downs of the game process, players are completely immersed in it, and music becomes an integral part of the game world, and it will not suddenly make people feel it. You jump out of the world to feel the melody and rhythm, but fully integrate your own charm into the game to complete the fit of each part of the game.
This is the process of using music to create an atmosphere. When the stunning pictures and scenery are paired with suitable music, even if the plot is not advanced, it is a pleasure to immerse yourself in the game world. In 2018, Nintendo released "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild," the fifteenth work in the "Legend of Zelda" series. In this game, players play the role of a man who wakes up a hundred years after the destruction of the Kingdom of Hyrule. Knight Link, in order to retrieve his lost memory and his mission a hundred years ago, embarks on an adventure again.
This game is hailed by many as one of the greatest games of all time. When music is combined with super visual expression, wonderful plot and gameplay, "Zelda" is not only a pastime for players, but also a kind of enjoyment.
When you are soaring in the lead-grey sky of Tabangta Snowfield, the music in your ears can make people feel the biting cold, while in Shi Village and Hateno Village, there is a leisurely and tranquil pastoral flavor; when you wander in The soft sunshine of Krog Forest and its crispness will make people temporarily forget about the world outside that is eroded by disasters; and when you enter the castle and finally think of fighting Ganon to save the princess, the passionate soundtrack can ignite the brave man who has been sleeping for hundreds of years. passion and tenacity.
"The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild", picture source network
In the eyes of many people, "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild" is an "atmosphere game" that not only makes you feel warm, but also allows you to relax and feel the charm of the game as a work of art.
The "appeal" and "listening resistance" give game music a higher limit. In dozens or even hundreds of hours of gaming experience, the excitement and listening resistance of the music are crucial, which is related to the functionality of game music: It is not only an atmosphere output, but also an experience feedback. In the music, you feel the fate of the game characters, and in the music, you feel the power of the villain boss. The unique sense of interaction of the game music and the beautiful melody can add more fun to the game.
From an industry perspective, music marketing has also become an important part of the game.
Take "League of Legends" as an example. As one of the most popular games in the world, the amount of derivative music content of "League of Legends" is shocking. Whether it is the theme song of each season or virtual groups such as the KDA girl group, It can be seen that Riot Games attaches great importance to music marketing. The current hit in China "The Alone Warrior" also confirms this concept. Although it is only the musical work of the spin-off animated series "Battle of Two Cities", it still has an important impact on the game.
The importance that major domestic game manufacturers place on music is precisely because they have seen the "potential" of game music: it is not only a tool to improve the game experience, but can also help games achieve brand building and topicality from another medium and from another dimension. exposure.
But in the final analysis, the quality and experience of the game determine everything, and although game music can "give soul", it is not the fundamental factor in the quality of a game after all. If the overall evaluation of a game is divided into several levels, then for many domestic game products, music may have reached a high level, but the lack of gameplay is ultimately an unacceptable shortcoming. Under balance, no matter how good the music is, it is difficult to achieve its best effect.
It must be realized that whether it is games or game music, the entire game industry needs to be more mature and professional, which may be a long process. Sooner or later, music will not be the only thing that will keep Chinese games in people's hearts.
END
Look at new technologies, gain insight into new consumption, and delve into new content
Hedgehog Commune is a vertical information platform focusing on the content industry. Its focus areas include Internet information, social networking, long videos, short videos, audio, film and television entertainment, content entrepreneurship, two-dimensional, etc.
