The Blerd Blog

Musical Styling to Location

Hi friends, and welcome to the first installment of Video Game Vibes! This is a segment of the blog all about gaming! We’ll talk all about many different aspects of gaming – gameplay, levels, and especially the topic of this post – music!

One of my favorite franchises, if not my favorite, is Sonic the Hedgehog. I love the series’ for many different reasons – the fun and iconic characters, the diverse and fun levels, the match-up between high speed action and platforming, and of course, the incredible soundtracks accompanying almost every game. I know the series has been divisive, both for good and bad reasons, but one thing almost everyone can agree on is this – Sonic games have some next-level music! Almost every game in the franchise is packed with fantastic tracks ranging in genres from rock, rap, jazz, EDM, and more, and whenever you see reviews of the latest release, even the most “anti-Sonic” page commends the music!

Sonic’s Globe-Trotting Adventure

One of my favorite soundtracks in the series comes from the 2008 release – Sonic Unleashed. This game’s story – in case you don’t know – centers around Dr. Eggman, the series main antagonist, unleashing a spirit from inside the Earth, Dark Gaia, in his latest attempt to rule the world. As a consequence of this, the continents of the world are split apart, and Sonic is zapped with energy turning him into a werewolf like creature at night, called “the Werehog”. Sonic must now travel the world, gathering the Chaos Emeralds – powerful MacGuffins in the series – to restart the Dark Gaia Temples, and put the world back together.

As you can imagine, a globe-trotting adventure means diverse locals, and you’d be right, but instead of abstract or cartoony landscapes, Sonic Team opted to base the game’s levels on real-world locales. For example, Apotos, the first level, is based on real-life Greece, and Spagonia is based on Italy. Holoska is based on Antarctica, and Empire City on New York. This is already a novel idea, giving you the player a taste of these different locales – but the music is where this really shines!

Musical Spotlight

Each of the game’s locales not only takes inspiration for level design, but in music as well. This means there is a vast array of musical stylings found here, making for an buffet of fantastic tracks. I’m gonna list a few of my favorites, but really the whole soundtrack deserves a listen.

Recommendations

#1 – Endless Possibilites – Vocal Theme, by Jaret Reddick and Tomoya Ohtani

Starting off, we have the main vocal theme for the game. Almost every mainline Sonic game has a vocal theme that summarizes or displays the thematic elements of the story. In this case, this theme highlights one of Sonic’s core character traits: his ability to keep moving forward and finding new adventure. The theme tells you the player that you can go to places no one’s ever been, and that all it takes is starting from somewhere. You don’t have to wait for the “perfect moment”, but instead take that first step with courage and excitement. Man… so inspiring! I know for me, as someone who has trouble with overthinking and procrastination – this song is a huge inspiration for me! Definitely give it a listen if you need that extra motivation!

#2 – Windmill Isle, Day – Tomoya Ohtani

The first main level, Windmill Isle, is heavily based on Greece, and this track puts you in the mood immediately. It’s upbeat and fast-paced nature makes you truly feel like you’re exploring the neighborhoods and towns of the countryside!

#3 – Chun-nan, Night – Kenichi Tokoi

Chun-nan, as the name implies, is themes around China. The nighttime tracks of the game are usually more laid-back and relaxed, due to the Werehog’s gamelay being more combat focused than the blazing speeds of regular Sonic. This track is very chill, perfect for the hub area, and I personally recommend it as background music for when you’re reading or doing some work. It always helps me focus!

#4 – Rooftop Run, Day – Tomoya Ohtani

This is my personal favorite level theme, and many other fans as well, as this level and its theme are continuously remixed in future games. No other track gets me pumped up like this one. Themed around Italy, this track is a high-speed race through the streets and rooftops of Italy. The middle section where it slows down, before going back to the main melody is particularly excellent! If you listen to no other level track, check this one out!

#5 – Dragon Road, Day – Kenichi Tokoi

Another fantastic daytime track, with a high-speed race down the Great Wall of China, and beyond! The mix of orchestra and electronic elements work seamlessly!

#6 – Empire City, Night – Fumie Kumatani, Tomoya Ohtani

This locale is themed around New York and other big cities, and this track just gives off the vibes of strolling through the Big Apple, taking in the sights, talking to locals, visiting Central Park, etc. Another great track to relax to!

#7 – Super Sonic vs. Perfect Dark Gaia – Tomoya Ohtani, Hideaki Kobayashi

I don’t want to say any story spoilers, but this track is for the final boss of the game. Many of the mainline Sonic entries remix the main vocal theme for the finale, and this is no exception, and arguably one of the greatest versions! A fully orchestral and epic rendition of Endless Possibilities, making you excited and ready to take on one last challenge!

Conclusion

Sonic Unleashed is a fantastic example of theming driving a game’s sense of design, particularly in its musical accompaniment. These examples are just the tip of the iceberg, as every level’s track is well themed. There’s also so much music in the game- there’s tracks for every day and night location (both the hubs and levels), and for bosses, cutscenes, and a vocal theme for the opening and ending. There’s so much here to enjoy – so I definitely think you should check it out if you haven’t!

That’s all for this installment – let me know what you thought in the comments! Have a good one 🙂