On Soundtrack Saturdays I recommend game soundtracks. I share a few of my favorite tracks, talk about why everyone should listen to the soundtrack, and a little bit about the composer. This week's choice is Baldur's Gate III by Larian Studios.
THE STATS
Name: Baldur's Gate III
Developer: Larian Studios
Publisher: Larian Studios
Release Date: August 3, 2023
Genres: Adventure, RPG, Strategy
Composer: Borislav Slavov
MY FAVORITE TRACKS
(The full list of tracks are linked by playlist below... and I highly recommend some good headphones to best enjoy all of the subtle elements of the music!)"Dance upon the stars tonight, smile and pain will fade away..."(Length: 2:47) The balance between the vocals and delicate instrument choices made this absolutely lovely. It puts me in mind of a bard performing in a tavern, coaxing tears and coins from listeners.(Length: 4:44) Listen to Bobby invoking the moody cello in the beginning -- bringing it back mid-way through as a reminder! Subtle vocals behind the instruments, wandering melody, an almost accidental cadence with the notes being passed between instrument sections... It really gives you the feeling of wandering on a quest, and the emotional tension of needing a cure.(Length: 2:34) You know this one had me with the harp. Yeah, that's really all it took to be among my favorites.(Length: 2:53) I absolutely had to include this track as my favorite dangerous/villainous/epic song. It sounds like it could be straight out of a Dark Souls game between the strings and the choral voices, and it has that fantastic range of mood from thunderous to suspenseful!"I feel your breath upon my neck, a soft caress as cold as death..."(Length: 3:53) I didn't expect to like this song, but the more I listened to it... it felt like a weird fusion of several alternative rock bands and ren faire. The lyrics make it intriguing. As a bonus, there is an Instrumental version that makes me think of one of the recurring musical themes of the anime Fairy Tail at its very beginning."Hold tight, don't fight, don't fight, don't lose the power..."(Length: 4:38) When I first tried to play this game, I had some graphics issues that would make the game crash during character creation. This song, in this version, is what plays during character creation. And boy howdy did I get very familiar with it! But at the same time, I love it to pieces. There's also a Choral version (more vocals in place of some instruments but no words) and a Credits version (piano added, and vocals with lyrics), but they don't have the "vibe" that fits with the game, in my opinion. The theme is used in Last Light as well, using the (mostly) same rhythm but different notes. You know you have a good theme when you can use it in multiple tracks and have all of them sound unique!
You can listen to the full soundtrack here:
WHY DO I RECOMMEND IT?
It feels like the game's been out long enough that most people who'd be interested in it would have played it, but I know there are people who don't get to play some of the bigger games who would love this gorgeous soundtrack. There is something beautiful and fulfilling about developers who invest in quality composers for a game's soundtrack -- you are rewarded with this.
This is a soundtrack that will call to mind exact scenes of the game's story. It will fit seamlessly into a playlist for your TTRPG night. It will carry you to your favorite fantasy realms and beyond. Musicians can appreciate the nuances of the compositions, the balance of instruments and exemplary, selective use of vocals. It's obvious why the game won Best Score and Music at The Game Awards (among many, many others!).
THE COMPOSER
I wrote about Bobby (Borislav Slavov) when I blogged about another Larian game back in 2020, Divinity: Original Sin II. He was the composer then, and I mentioned him to be the likely composer for Baldur's Gate III -- look at me go! In any case, if you aren't following Bobby on Twitter you really should be. It's a good way to get a feel for what he's working on -- or find other enjoyable music.
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