Rome 2 Total War Soundtrack - Epic or what?!

[Spartacus041]

Epic. Grand. Ominous. Sinister. Thrilling. Pure Awesome.

We've been chit chattin about battle AI, campaign dynamics, historicity and all sorts of other details. But I don't think we've been heaping enough praise on an element of the game that really adds to the visceral impact and immersion of any game. From the snippets of the soundtrack we've seen so far - from the campaign map to the latest skirmish battle and of course the Audio feature CA did with Mark strong - I think this is shaping up to the best and cinema quality soundtrack we've ever seen in a TW game. I'm pretty friggin excited about and I'm positively bronerific about Richard Beddow right now.



I can't wait to pump this in my truck.

[Jester]

not bad.jpg


but i have to play the game before i can really judge it.


also, where is this from? why wasnt it posted by CA? lol

[ROYAL SIPHAI]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhWs3DVk-FU

Still not better than this one!!!!!!!!!

[EmperorBatman999]

I'll probably like it the first time I hear it, and then cancel it out as it gets old.

[Dominian]

I like it a lot but I usually turn it off after a short while since it disturbs my immersion of the pure battle sound. Only exceptions to this for me were the Shogun and Shogun 2 soundtracks. But I romanticize medieval Japan a little more than the other TW settings. When Romans clash I want to hear nothing but the bashing of swords and shields to add to the realism.

[Doe3000]

It's pretty cool, I've got to say. Still, I wonder how it will sound in the full game. Personally I was disappointed by Richard Beddow's soundtracks for Empire and Napoleon. They were technically brilliant - The main theme for Empire is one of my favourite of all Total War tracks - but I found his battle music to be somewhat irritating because it was so bombastic. It didn't help that the music played on a continuous loop, unlike the soundtracks for all previous games.

I feel that unlike Van Dyck, Beddow is more of a movie soundtrack composer than one who composes videogame music. His compositions are grandiose and thrilling when listened to as individual musical pieces (The Indian battle music for Empire is excellent) but when I hear them in-game I tend to switch them off, something I didn't do for Medieval or Shogun for instance. I think Van Dyck creates great ambient tracks, something that plays in the background and adds atmosphere, but at the same time the music doesn't impose itself. I found Beddow's 'battle' music for Empire tended to drown out the sounds of cannon and gunfire to take centre place, while Van Dyck's accompanied the action.

So far though, from the clips of Rome II I've seen, it looks as if the battle music actually fits in well with the rest of the game - so it looks as if Rome II will be a win. But I'll reserve final judgement until I play Rome II myself.

But that Empire still sounds awesome on its own:

[VanGoth]

The soundtrack from Rome TW never grew old on me, i hope this will be the case this time around, too^^ Everything i've heard so far sounds quite promising. Battle music aside, heres hoping that the campaign map score again is tranquilizing and chilling, just like in Rome TW^^

[koovie]

I loved the soundtrack of the Teutoberg battle walk through ... those trumpets.... simply EPIC!

I dont know why there are not many discussions about the music but threads about how someone pronounced Macedon....

Music is very important to create atmosphere... no one (at least anyone with a life) gives a **** about how someone pronounces a damn name while playing it...

Thats one of the main reasons why I did not like mods like EB...... changing RTWs EPIC soundtrack for that boring soundtrack was almost a crime.

[eighthgear]

Many of van Dyck's Rome Total War tunes were awesome, but his Barbarian ones often left a much to be desired (his Shogun II soundtrack was brilliant though). The bits of Beddow's soundtrack we have heard seem fantastic - I also like that they are actual instruments. I have high hopes for the Rome II soundtrack.

[KozCDVI]

Many of van Dyck's Rome Total War tunes were awesome, but his Barbarian ones often left a much to be desired (his Shogun II soundtrack was brilliant though). The bits of Beddow's soundtrack we have heard seem fantastic - I also like that they are actual instruments. I have high hopes for the Rome II soundtrack.

I too am beyond relief that Beddows decided to use 'actual' instruments.

To me that song previewed at the top sounds no different to the Empire/Napoleon themes. Which is a disappointment because it doesn't encapsulate the era individually as much as it is clearly Beddows making the same sort of music for the same series game after game.

Hopefully there'll be a lot more variety when we actually get stuck into the game.

[Ballacraine]

TBH I think it is OK, but not great.

I'll be looking to add a lot of Rome I back in & probably take out a lot of the 'meh' new stuff.

I hope that can be modded easy.

Balla.

[warboy]

This is definitely the best song for when your cohorts are marching against an enemy battle line(from the original Spartacus), I think I will make a mod when the game comes out with this soundtrack in it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfjDhdDqWb0 start the song at 2:20 and turn your speakers right up, let the drums and trumpets scream.

[High Fist]

From 1:30 on, can anyone else hear a woman murmuring in the background? You'll need headphones but its definitely there.

[The Juggernaut]

From 1:30 on, can anyone else hear a woman murmuring in the background? You'll need headphones but its definitely there.

Yes, because it's ripped from the Tuetoberg trailer, they've got that woman talking in the background about their previous trailer. Same thing happened with mine lol

[SacredPie]

From 1:30 on, can anyone else hear a woman murmuring in the background? You'll need headphones but its definitely there.

Yeah, it kinda freaked me out lol

[MemnonOfRhodes]

Certainly not bad, but it will have a hard time beating the original soundtracks.

[Dave Scarface]

Sorry, but the original RTW soundtrack which was also used in the Decisive Battles documentaries is much better than the new music on offer.
What would have been the harm in them using the old music again? From what I've heard of the new music so far I'm not that impressed.

[Ballacraine]

Sorry, but the original RTW soundtrack which was also used in the Decisive Battles documentaries is much better than the new music on offer.
What would have been the harm in them using the old music again? From what I've heard of the new music so far I'm not that impressed.

I agree on that.

Balla

[GrudgeNL]

As much as I love the music from the original Rome TW, there's nothing in the first game as epic as this:

http://youtu.be/l_9qkAC4b5c?t=6m38s

[Ballacraine]

Yes that is quite nice, but IMO that matches 1812 better than the ancient period

Balla