Yeah, so evidently... Iron Realms released some theme songs for each of their games. If you want to take a listen and judge them for yourself, they are here:
See, I don't know if it's just me, but the whole cheesy-music-playing-while-loading thing brings me right back to Runescape days, and I'd like to think Aetolia's playerbase is much more mature than that. That song kinda gives off a weird vibe, and definitely one I'd consider even remotely close to Aetolian.
Feelings, sensations that you thought were dead. No squealin' remember, that it's all in your head.
I only listened to the Aetolia one. The song didn't make me think of Aetolia -at- -all-, but I generally liked it. (Then Ansnom argued with me that Knife Girl didn't have anything to do with Aetolia at all.)
Oh, but I liked the song. I may try to adapt it into one of Camille's piano pieces, but I'd feel like I was stealing it then... It really reminds me of the Arnika theme from Wizardry 8, which is here:
My avatar is not representative of how I or my character look.
I want the sheet music for it. The harmonies fascinates me to no end and I sit here conducting my own little head. Love it!
I've only played two of these games seriously and tested one of the others, so you definitely shouldn't go by my descriptions, but these are the images I get from simply listening to the music
Achaea - A note of everyday life, dramatic parts in the middle, moving towards a peaceful ending.
Aetolia - A place of intrigues, intricate patterns, plots and a sense of something dark.
Imperian - Focus is on warfare, dark, melancholic nuances with drums in the background
Lusternia - Frivolous life filled with revelations, light, and airy music hinting at few conflicts.
Midkemia - Ordinary life becomes epic, music striving forward, building up to a crescendo.
Fun fact! A crescendo actually means 'building up' or 'rising'. It's generally the preface to a louder dynamic, such as conducting a crescendo from piano or mezzo-piano to forte or fortissimo.
Achaea doesn't fit at all. Achaea hasn't been anything like that for ages. The music is meh.
With Aetolia, I can see what they're going for. The harpsichord, the staccato stabs with the strings; they're trying for a cold, forbidding sound, but unfortunately the chimes and sparkles completely ruin the effect they've just begun to establish. It's like filling a glass of fine wine with packets of sugar. Terrible.
Imperian is okay, but a bit monotonous.
Lusternia is... this is just atrocious. What are they even trying to do? Harp and voices? The sounds don't complement each other, they fight with each other. They're too densely packed and conflicting with each other. It's waaaaaaay too sparkly. It doesn't at all suggest the sort of world Lusternia actually is! It makes it sound like it's Care Bear Land or something!
Midkemia sounds like elevator music in its first half. Then it sounds like it's trying to rip off Metal Gear Solid and Pirates of the Caribbean. Out of all these songs, it's probably the best. I'm an unapologetic sucker for brass and strong percussion. This actually sounds like something close to good.
Comments
It really reminds me of the Arnika theme from Wizardry 8, which is here:
Achaea doesn't fit at all. Achaea hasn't been anything like that for ages. The music is meh.
With Aetolia, I can see what they're going for. The harpsichord, the staccato stabs with the strings; they're trying for a cold, forbidding sound, but unfortunately the chimes and sparkles completely ruin the effect they've just begun to establish. It's like filling a glass of fine wine with packets of sugar. Terrible.
Imperian is okay, but a bit monotonous.
Lusternia is... this is just atrocious. What are they even trying to do? Harp and voices? The sounds don't complement each other, they fight with each other. They're too densely packed and conflicting with each other. It's waaaaaaay too sparkly. It doesn't at all suggest the sort of world Lusternia actually is! It makes it sound like it's Care Bear Land or something!
Midkemia sounds like elevator music in its first half. Then it sounds like it's trying to rip off Metal Gear Solid and Pirates of the Caribbean. Out of all these songs, it's probably the best. I'm an unapologetic sucker for brass and strong percussion. This actually sounds like something close to good.
Overall opinion: Meh.
It isn't, mind, that just seems to be the consensus for some reason.