Dragon Age - Soundtrack Review @ GearDiary

GearDiary has another article from Mike Anderson reviewing the soundtrack for Bioware's Dragon Age in detail. You can read his take on what worked and what didn't here.
More information.

An odd review that mostly talks about the number of songs that are or aren't on the OST.

But when it comes to "Dragon Age's soundtrack is good", I couldn't agree less. I thought it was tripe. Specifically, the entire soundtrack felt cheap; easily banged-together standard tropes of music, reminiscent of the kind of soundtracks you'd hear in 80s sword and sorcery-sploitation flicks. I know that's the best we get as videogame consumers, but that's no reason to be happy with it.

Lelianna's Song is the most blatant example. Not only is its presentation and timing in the game itself so horrible as to be laughable (and I did literally laugh when I first saw that scene), the song itself is tawdry at best.

Normally I don't care that much, but in Dragon Age the soundtrack was actually intrusive, the terrible combat tracks interfering with my enjoyment of the game. I can take a mediocre soundtrack, I take issue at mediocre soundtracks interfering with my game.

And then to hear it praised over the infinitely superior Borderlands soundtrack, for no other reason than that DA:O has Zur's name attached to it…Ugh…though both seem to have lost out the mainstream "best soundtrack" awards to the likes of DJ Hero and Guitar Hero World Tour, so the less said on mainstream VG OST criticism the better.
And don't get me wrong, the soundtrack often hits the right notes, it's bombastic and epic for a bombastic and epic game. It's just that most of its tracks aren't very good. I loved Orzammar's theme, tho'.

This isn't a good fantasy soundtrack. This is.

It's such a shame because I love Dragon Age: Origins. It's endless legions of filler combat, it's tawdry soundtrack and its occasional badly-directed "dramatic scene!" were the only letdowns.

PS: sorry if my tone is belligerent. I keep trying to polish up this post to make it sound less snooty but you can only do so much with such an opinion.

A few things:
- I guess I play too many games, as this *was* one of the best game soundtracks of 2009
- I don't think I was overly positive on the review, as I said it has nothing new to say, doesn't compare with the classics of the genre, and won't reside on my iPod for long.
- Also, I don't think you sound belligerent, or if you do, then I don't mind because I appreciate what you are saying

I liked the title theme. I haven't heard Leliana's song yet. The rest was just OK in my opinion and not very memorable. Certainly no exclusive listening material …

Yeah, DA´s soundtrack is certainly nothing special.
Most of it felt very mechanically composed and flavourless, which is why I´ve put music volume down early into game - as a sorta glimpsey hum it worked well enough. On higher volumes it quickly started to be intrusive instead of atmosphere emphasizing.

Originally Posted by txa1265
- I guess I play too many games, as this *was* one of the best game soundtracks of 2009

I can't deny that. I just don't like how game soundtracks that would be barely above mediocre in films get a pass because hey, it's VG soundtracks. DA:O just isn't good, but yes, it's one of the best, but which angle are we going to look at it here; as one of the best, or as one of the best of a horrible bunch.

Also, Borderlands has it beat, knuckles down. I didn't play that many games this year, but I think I like the soundtrack of any game I played more than DA:O, including, I dunno, Risen, and Arkham Asylum.

Originally Posted by txa1265
- I don't think I was overly positive on the review,

Well, you didn't say much in the review on the music at all. Though good job on calling them out on what does look a bit dodgy.

Originally Posted by txa1265
- Also, I don't think you sound belligerent, or if you do, then I don't mind because I appreciate what you are saying

Cool.