The role of music in the gaming industry
Music is a natural amplifier of any emotion. This tautology can be verified in various ways and in fields as diverse and far apart as cinema and the world of video games, documentaries and smartphone apps, and in all those products of human ingenuity – and creativity – that are able to entertain and amuse, generating genuine pleasure for the mind and body. It is a truth that many people almost take for granted, but its decisive importance in the extent of our involvement, even in our most insignificant entertainments, certainly deserves to be analysed carefully, with the aim of further emphasising its decisive role in the enjoyment of people’s pastimes and entertainment.
Try to imagine a scene from an action film without a soundtrack: all that would remain is an incoherent jumble of people and things engaging in reckless, even pathetic activities, without awakening any kind of emotion in the viewer. The musical accompaniment, in this case, amplifies the emotional charge contained in the gestures of the actors, making each of their actions – and particularly the most visually impressive ones – epic and unforgettable. In the climaxes of our enjoyment, the music takes us by the hand and gently accompanies us in the enjoyment of our pleasure, almost always linked to an epic action we are witnessing (perhaps at the cinema) or performing in the first person, albeit virtually (as when we play a video game).
A habitual presence
Products that trigger our enjoyment, such as cinema or video games, cannot in fact be limited to a mere graphic representation of their protagonists, inserted in a precise storyline, but must be completed with a sort of external superstructure that enhances people’s enjoyment: in this superstructure there is room not only for the soundtracks and accompanying music, but also for the quality of the graphic effects and the general level of the images, videos and all the other visual effects that accompany the action. In a way, it is precisely the power of soundtracks that gives great films the stature of a colossal: what would the Lord of the Rings trilogy be without the extraordinary soundtracks that accompany the actions of the different characters? It would be a film without depth, without character, a film based solely on the high level of special effects and the individual acting of the actors.
The music of video games
This principle, of course, also applies to video games. First-person shooters and strategy games could certainly not generate high rates of engagement without dynamic and exciting soundtracks that keep the player glued to the screen. In some cases, the music of a video game can help the player to immerse himself even deeper into the scenic universe to which the video game belongs. Just think of the Tropico series and its pirate video game: without the pirate soundtrack, clearly inspired by the pirate and seafaring rhythms of antiquity, the evocative power of this video game would certainly have been less, generating a much less impressive effect. Without a catchy, rhythmic soundtrack, even the most popular shoot-em-ups would lose a good deal of their appeal, as would all video games of a strategic nature (like Kohan: Immortal Sovereigns, for example).
Most online video games, especially the more dynamic and immersive ones, are also based for the most part on the evocative power of music: some of the most popular online shooters, for instance, are almost always accompanied by a particular soundtrack capable of conferring an extremely dynamic rhythm to their actions, prompting them to act in time to the music, in a frenetic and almost feverish manner.
The power of music has also been realised by some of the best online gambling portals, which continue to use methods very similar to those employed by their colleagues specialising in video games to increase player involvement. The best online casinos in Bahrain, for example, accompany the different stages of the game with high-quality sound effects that completely transform the gaming experience, making it even more unique and engaging. All this, in addition to the breadth of the games on offer on the site (and the very useful reviews to guide each user in choosing the game that best suits his or her tastes), makes this portal a must for all those who like to have fun safely and with extreme discretion (also thanks to the anonymous forms of payment).
Music is the faithful companion of our amusements, of any immersive and dynamic experience in which we love to immerse ourselves, and which (thanks to audio effects) we would never want to give up.
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