Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Composed by Greg Edmonson
Concord Records (2008)
Rating:
9/10
“...it’s noble, it’s
memorable, it’s dynamic, it’s exotic, and — perhaps most importantly
— it’s just plain fun.”
A Shiny Sequel
Review by Marius Masalar
The rain is pouring down outside my window, which seems appropriate since I feel
like I ought to be in some tropical jungle climbing improbably large ancient
monuments and pillaging treasures instead of sitting here and reviewing GREG
EDMONSON’s score for the multi-award-winning video game sequel, UNCHARTED 2:
AMONG THIEVES. Good music will do that to you: it will move you, inspire you,
and conjure up vivid images in your mind. In the case of UNCHARTED 2, the images
are probably of a dashing adventurer performing various acts of extreme
archeology with significantly less concern for te laws (of the country, of
physics…) than, say, Lara Croft. All while trying to get his true love and true
lust to get along as they accompany him for the ride. I’m sure we can all
sympathize. Especially with such a rousing musical score to represent the
journey.
Fans of the first UNCHARTED game are in for a treat right off the bat when
“Nate’s Theme 2.0” (1), a familiar and iconic melody, bursts out of their
speakers as this album’s introductory track. This cue sums up the game aptly:
it’s noble, it’s memorable, it’s dynamic, it’s exotic, and — perhaps most
importantly — it’s just plain fun. “The City’s Secret” (2) introduces the
sequel’s primary thematic material in the form of a plaintive Erhu line before
continuing on into a fairly subdued example of exploration music that showcases
EDMONSON’s philosophy of structuring cues as suites of short build-and-release
segments that reflect the non-linearity of the gaming medium. This structure is
encountered consistently throughout the game’s score. In a frenetic action
setting, one notices it in the next track, “Bustin’ Chops” (3).
Many of the low-key gameplay cues, including “Breaking & Entering” (5), and “The
Heist” (23) don’t really distinguish themselves particularly well as dynamic
listening experiences, but keeping in mind that they’re meant to be fairly
unobtrusive in-game, one can only fault them for injecting moments of blandness
into an otherwise exciting and engaging album listening experience. The action
cues, on the other hand, are spectacular and occasionally surprising (the
“Western” fiddle interjection around 1 minute into “Helicopter & Tank” (7) comes
to mind). The percussion layering is admirable and helps emphasize the exotic
locales visited by the cast of the game over the course of the narrative.
Unlike in many video games, there is a deeply moving and profound level to the
music of UNCHARTED 2, reflecting the game’s emphasis on storytelling alongside
its gameplay. Tracks like “Reunion” (4), “Marco Polo” (8), and “Train Wrecked”
(12) really showcase this tragic and stirring side of the score, making
spectacular use of the game’s main theme and making use of some shiver-inducing
elements of beauty, including Erhu solos and a short vocal passage in the latter
track that’s sung in a similar manner to the haunting opening of ARMAND AMAR’s
score to HOME.
Among the more typical Erhu and Duduk statements of exotic ethnicity in the
score, EDMONSON makes use of something large, loud, and a little bit terrifying.
Your first opportunity to hear it clearly is in “The Monastery” (9), a cue for
the harrowing level in the game that requires you to infiltrate a beautifully
rendered old Tibetan monastery. After a lull in the music, you hear a blaring,
thunderous monstrosity of a sound that apparently belongs to an ancient type of
Tibetan ritual horn, vaguely resembling the European Alpenhorn. Along with it,
there are brief statements of Gamelan and traditional Tibetan percussion —
contributing to an undeniably localized sound. The combination appears along
with iconic Tibetan throat singers and a strangely lilting, Bhangra-like rhythm
in “Broken Paradise” (16).
While the original release concluded EDMONSON’s work with a nice summation of
the game’s themes between the titular “Among Thieves” (18) and “A Rock & A Hard
Place” (19), the recent CD release also includes 3 bonus tracks to close off the
album after CARMEN RIZZO’s contribution, “The Road to Shambhala” (20). The bonus
tracks are worthy additions, exploring more highlights from the expansive set of
material written for the game. It’s worth mentioning how fundamentally cool
RIZZO’s track is. Combining the game’s ethnic instrumentation with a
trance-ambient vibe and a mesmerizing off-kilter beat, the track is a suitable
and authentic contemporary spin on the traditional elements of the score.
I’m happy to be reviewing in an age where game scores are raising the bar so
consistently in terms of creativity, craft, and emotional content. Scores like
UNCHARTED 2: AMONG THIEVES remind us just how inspiring the gaming medium can be
for composers, and how lucky their audiences are, having been spoiled with such
rich musical accompaniments to their exploits. The comparatively huge ensemble
of live orchestral and solo players perform brilliantly, and the mix —
especially on CD — is powerful and vibrant. From the sweeping themes, to the
exotic soundscapes, GREG EDMONSON wields his talents expertly and delivers a
listening experience that’s nearly as effective out of the game as it is in it.
A rare and laudable achievement.
