What defines “good” video game music, if such a question can even be asked?
Game music draws upon a variety of musical influences — both modern and classical — and infuses them with a new purpose. The goal is to convey the emotion of a scene, and whether we find ourselves fighting an epic battle, racing a cart, or witnessing the death of our favorite character, the music pulls ours heart into the game and allows us to fully partake in the drama. When we hear video game music by itself, it carries all of the emotions associated with the original gameplay experience. Good music reminds us of the plot, the characters, the art… it all comes back to us. That’s the true power of video game music — what makes it so different and so special. To what extent are video game consumers beginning to value game music in and of itself, and how so? People are coming out in substantial numbers to attend live performances of video game music. Over the last few years, we’ve seen the rise of numerous concert series devoted exclusively to game music — organizations such as Dear Fri
