What makes for a great video game soundtrack? Well, PC Gamer went ahead and asked some of the very best VGM composers there are. As BAFTA Games in Concert is about to kick off in the UK (on May 23), the gaming outlet sat down with Boris Slavov (Baldur's Gate 3), P.T. Adamczyk (Cyberpunk 2077), Inon Zur (Starfield), Sea Power (Disco Elysium), and Jesper Kyd (Assassin's Creed) to learn more about the tunes that will actually be played during the concerts.
If you follow video game music closely, you probably won't learn many new things in the video. However, it offers a precious, 21-minute long sneak peek behind the scenes and inside the minds of the musicians who helped define some of the most memorable gaming experiences of the century.
From Jesper Kyd's iconic 'Ezio's Family' theme, which is still making its way into the latest Assassin's Creed entries, to P.T. Adamczyk using the sound of squeaky gas station doors in some tracks for Cyberpunk, it all comes down to what Inon Zur calls "the 3 W's": the when, the where, and the why all this is happening. That's the starting point of any good video game soundtrack, the multi-award-winning composer of Starfield, Fallout 4, and countless other unforgettable OSTs told PC Gamer.
The video also focuses on cases where traditional music bands are brought in to compose for a video game. Jan Scott Wilkinson, from the British band Sea Power, offers precious insights on his experience scoring Disco Elysium. For him, working closely with ZA/UM's creative director, Robert Kurvitz, was critical in finding the right sound for the game.
BAFTA Games in Concert kicks off on May 23 in Gateshead. You can learn more about the venues and the setlist on the official website.
