Riachu said:
NightstrikerX said:
Hephaestos said:
The two do seem pretty similar to me... (i skipped in the links you gave).
Hard to tell though without having played the games (EU yay) |
The two battle themes seem rather similar. However, the difference really lies in the musical composition of the cut-scenes. I found the ones in Tales of Vesperia to be more bold, abudant, and reflected the mood very well. Although the soundtracks in Tales of Vesperia were often re-used again and again, anyone who plays Tales of Vesperia can tell you that.
However, Star Ocean 4's soundtrack is more subtle. I'm playing it right now and watching a cutscene while I type this out. Just by watching this right now, I can tell there's a musical soundtrack playing in the background. But that's not the main point, it's so subtle that if they removed it. It would hardly make a difference.
Soundtracks should represent emotion that characters feeling, powerful; bold music playing during exciting moments. Sad, Slow music during sadder moments. Star Ocean seems to lack that, it makes it difficult to connect well to the characters. Heck, I don't even think the characters have their own theme music.
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Connecting with the characters has nothing to do with soundtrack. I can name quite a few RPGs that have great soundtracks but forgettable characters and vice versa. Soundtrack just heightens the emotions in a cutscene as well as gameplay.
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That may be, but I've always been able to reflect well with characters who are properly representated by their soundtrack. Yes, you are right. Soundtrack does heighten the emotions in a cutscene or gameplay, and the characters are part of those cutscenes. Think of it as a Triangle. Soundtrack -> Cutscene -> Character -> Soundtrack -> So forth.
Without all 3 supporting eachother it falls flat and well bam. Suddenly it's hard to care for the cutscenes, or characters. Not impossible, but now it relies more on other elements, vocals, script, story.
Every bit helps, but in a game like Star Ocean 4 where soundtrack falls flat? It means the other elements have to try harder to compenstate. Maybe that was their intention, but if I'm not praising the vocals and script on a regular basis. Critism begins to rise, like this thread.
