Topic: Lords of Shadow Xtended Score?

[Tanatra]

I was the one who asked Sindra to make this topic. I’ve known her, Bloodreign, Jorge, and quite a few other regulars here for almost a decade. My account on this site was removed years ago due to inactivity on my part and since then I’ve been quite happy in a retirement of sorts at CVC, but growing discontent with this discussion has forced my hand.

All of this began with two posts in the LoS topic:

Didn't Araujo say that Konami told him to make the music more epic and move away from the "efeminate" style of the older Castlevania music?

As for the LoS score---the in-game score is good, although repetitive and only a small sample of the whole thing. I'd reccomend you D/L the extended score. It's massive and pretty friggin' awesome. It seems what they did was record a ton of tracks and then pick & choose only a handful for the game itself. Hopefully we get more of it in the DLC.

Is it possible that somewhere out there are unused tracks that are perhaps not so different old-school CV music? If so, then why not ask Cox on Twitter? Given his track record, I’m sure he’d be more than happy to answer this question for us all. Hell, he’s purportedly been lurking lately, so he’s probably read this topic. If anyone is on Twitter and this discussion has piqued your interest, make it happen.

Although it’s tempting to call bullshit on Thunderbrand, I believe he simply misspoke and meant “game rip” instead of “extended score”. It was an easy mistake to make – the OST consists of only 20 or so tracks and is pretty half-assed, whereas a game rip entails every track in the game, be it cinema scenes, action sequences such as the choral jingle that plays whenever you get a sub-weapon upgrade, etc. For this reason, it’s pretty easy for someone to innocently dub it an “extended” score and thus instigate online shenanigans.

The game rip at FFShrine as well as the link that thernz posted are one and the same. Doubtless the link that UZO sent to Sindra was any different (plus it goes to a site that requires registration anyway.)

Are there unused tracks on the game rip? I can’t say for certain due to the way the entire score just blends together, but I didn’t notice any additional homages to old-school CV music, nor any differences in genre, style or composition. Don’t get me wrong, the LoS score is brilliant, but it’s more cinematic in scope, focusing on the big picture instead of individual tracks like in previous games. This, I think, is the root of all the reservations that CV fans have with the music of LoS.

I hope this post has cleared up any confusion caused by this topic as well as answered any questions that it has raised. Just so everyone knows, I didn’t “come out of retirement” just to make this one post; I owe a debt of sorts of Jorge (PM inbound). Also, as much as I love LoS and the direction it’s taking the series, be it for better or for ill, don’t expect me to be overly involved in discussions about it as I consider revolving door fan speculation and analysis to be a massive waste of my time - time that is better spent outside talking to girls or something.

[Ahasverus]

Are there unused tracks on the game rip? I can’t say for certain due to the way the entire score just blends together, but I didn’t notice any additional homages to old-school CV music, nor any differences in genre, style or composition. Don’t get me wrong, the LoS score is brilliant, but it’s more cinematic in scope, focusing on the big picture instead of individual tracks like in previous games. This, I think, is the root of all the reservations that CV fans have with the music of LoS.

This. Great post man, very meaningful.

[Sindra]

Tan's a very insightful guy.He basically nailed everything on the head. This is a game rip rather than an "Extended Score", which is fair.


It's also unfortunate. I would have loved to have an actual extended score with grand and epic renditions of a few (not a lot, mind you) oldschool tunes from past CV games. Subtle nuances like what they did with "Final Confrontation" (which, I'll admit, has grown to be my favorite track of the game) including "Beginning" in it. Homage to past Castlevania games, despite LoS being a new step in a new path, will go a long way with older fans.

This goes on to my argument that all it takes is a few minor, subtle inclusions and cameos to make the difference between attracting oldschool fans ALONG WITH new fans than not. Mr. Cox would be wise to keep that in mind in future incarnations of this side-series he's now responsible for.

[Chernabogue]

Hearing "Beginning" in "Final Confrontation"?? Dude, I need your hears.

[Ahasverus]

Hearing "Beginning" in "Final Confrontation"?? Dude, I need your hears.

Yes it was there in the most climatic moment, my eyes became wet when I heard it fighting  Satan (It played at the last quick time event in my case) I heard it before in the trailer of course but It gave me chills in battle  Castlevania Lords of Shadow Music - Final Confrontation (5:29)

[Chernabogue]

Yes it was there in the most climatic moment, my eyes became wet when I heard it fighting  Satan (It played at the last quick time event in my case) I heard it before in the trailer of course but It gave me chills in battle  Castlevania Lords of Shadow Music - Final Confrontation (5:29)

Wow, man, I hardly believe it is a reprise of "Beginning". The music may sound a little bit like it, but I'm not convinced. The music is still very epic (one of my fav from LoS).

[Ahasverus]

If you play it on piano you would find out that they share the same notes however with no alterations (flat notes as opossed to the original sharp ones) so yeah that's beginning  

[Jorge D. Fuentes]

As I said a while back, that part also sounds like a part of "Red Dawn", a special song in The Dracula X Chronicles.

[Chernabogue]

As I said a while back, that part also sounds like a part of "Red Dawn", a special song in The Dracula X Chronicles.

You're right. It sounds like both tracks, but I think it is unintentional (it's only my opinion).

[Vampire Killer]

Yes it was there in the most climatic moment, my eyes became wet when I heard it fighting  Satan (It played at the last quick time event in my case) I heard it before in the trailer of course but It gave me chills in battle  Castlevania Lords of Shadow Music - Final Confrontation (5:29)

HOLY CRAP!!  You're right!

When I read this I thought "no eff'in way", but I played it, skipped to 5:25, and at 5:29 it started, in violins no less.  Puts a huge smile on my face, thanks.

[Ahasverus]

You're right. It sounds like both tracks, but I think it is unintentional (it's only my opinion).

Are you going to argue with THE PIANO!!  I swear they are the SAME notes and Cox confirmed it was beginning too long a go when the Kojima trailer was revealed  but yeah so there is it

[Chernabogue]

Are you going to argue with THE PIANO!!  I swear they are the SAME notes and Cox confirmed it was beginning too long a go when the Kojima trailer was revealed  but yeah so there is it

Yeah, I can EVEN argue with the piano! (jk)

BTW do you have a sheet music or even a MIDI of the song? I'd be interested in looking through it.

[Maedhros]

Only the end of the music sounds like Beggining at all. Nonetheless, it's the only music I found "memorable" on the entire game.

[Vampire Killer]

Only the end of the music sounds like Beggining at all. Nonetheless, it's the only music I found "memorable" on the entire game.

Suck on lemons much?

[Ahasverus]

Yeah, I can EVEN argue with the piano! (jk)

BTW do you have a sheet music or even a MIDI of the song? I'd be interested in looking through it.

No I play it by ear sorry but I'm sure you can convert a MIDI into sheet notes with Finale or Sibelius