(Image courtesy of SteamDB. “The music of ‘Hades II’ reinforces its narratives and further immerses players in its world.”)
Aaron Preziosi
Connector Contributor
Video game music can be just about anything: Sweeping, orchestral soundscapes that fill players’ headphones as they explore fantasy worlds, thrumming electronic beats accentuated by gunfire and shouting, blissful ambience punctuated by soft footfalls in some idyllic green landscape: They are as malleable as the medium itself and serve to reinforce a game’s themes, ideals, and/or narratives; usually a combination of two or more.
A recent example of such music is that of Supergiant Games’ “Hades II,” released last month on Sept. 25. As a sequel to SSG’s 2020 title, “Hades,” it features very similar themes in both gameplay and music, but each have evolved; they have been iterated on and changed accordingly to fit the new narrative and create an experience that is both better than and distinct from the first game. Each track is handcrafted by composer Darren Korb to fit the areas and narrative beats they accompany.
For example, the track “Death to Chronos” accompanies the game’s title screen. It is an electronic beat, accompanied by twanging acoustic guitar and long, warbling synth and introduces several recurring leitmotifs; a musical signature of sorts associated with a particular narrative idea such as a character, place, or theme. The track also roots itself in the musical identity of “Hades” as it recalls that game’s main theme in its own plucky guitar.
Moving further into the game, after their first run, players will hear the ambient track “The Crossroads.” In the area of the same name, the player only hears the track’s first half which consists of very few actual instruments. It is primarily crickets, frogs, and windchimes: sounds the player character Melinoe would actually hear in the peaceful Crossroads. Not only does this immerse the player in the world Supergiant has crafted, but it helps convey that the area is peaceful and deep in the woods. The second half of the song only plays when the player uses the in-game music player and incorporates many elements from “Death to Chronos,” rendered in more organic, acoustic sounds. It reinforces the idea that Melinoe has sworn this oath to destroy the Titan of Time, and both she and all the other characters she is supported by and confides in at the Crossroads are always thinking about it.
At the halfway point of an underworld run, Melinoe is stopped by the Scylla, the man-eating sea monster of ancient Greek myth, alongside two sirens. This is one of many points of divergence between traditional Greek myth and the world of “Hades II,” as Scylla isn’t a cursed, writhing, monstrous nymph, but a grinning anthropomorphic sea mistress with sharp teeth, a stagelike clam shell, a microphone and even huge tentacle-hair meant to mimic that of 80’s pop stars. And as her fight commences, she introduces herself and her band triumphantly as “Scylla and The Sirens,” an oceanic pop band who lure in the denizens of Oceanus with sweet calm melodies, then perform rock/pop songs in the actual venue. Not only does this mimic the actual mythical depiction of sirens, but it also makes the boss music the player hears while fighting the band diegetic: It isn’t just playing through their speakers, songs like “Coral Crown”, “I Am Gonna Claw (Out Your Eyes)” and “Rock And A Hard Place” are actually being heard by Melinoe.
While the Scylla fight is one such example of creative use of music in the game, there are many more to be found and heard. Players are encouraged to open their ears and listen to what the soundtrack of “Hades II” has to say.
Listen here.
