How does composing for video games differ from scoring films or albums?

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Composing for Video Games Requires a Unique, Evolving Approach

Composing music for video games presents a distinct set of challenges and methodologies when contrasted with scoring films or crafting traditional albums. The primary divergence lies in the creation of procedural music, a dynamic form that adapts to player actions, while simultaneously adhering to the familiar structures of vocal-infused pop songs. This necessitates an intricate process of expanding musical pieces into multi-hour iterations, which are subsequently refined and integrated by game developers.
Procedural Music and its Structural Demands

The core difficulty in video game composition, as described by Woodkid, is the development of procedural music. This type of score is designed to change and evolve in real-time based on a player's in-game activities. However, this technical requirement must be balanced with the artistic need to maintain recognisable pop song formats, including vocals. Woodkid likens this process to unfolding origami, where a song is expanded into an extended, multi-hour version. These elaborate versions are then condensed and re-engineered by the game's developers to function dynamically within the game's environment.
A Thematic, Impressionistic Process

Woodkid's engagement with Death Stranding 2 highlighted a departure from conventional film scoring, where music is often composed in direct response to specific visuals and pacing. Instead, his approach for the game was more focused on creating thematic background music. This involved an impressionistic collaboration with game creator Hideo Kojima, where they began with fragments like percussion, beats, and vocal sketches. Kojima would provide descriptions of scenes and characters, and together they would build the music through a back-and-forth exchange, rather than composing to picture.
Distinguishing Game Scores from Film Scores and Albums

The fundamental difference between composing for video games and other media stems from the interactive nature of the medium. Film scores are typically linear, designed to enhance a pre-determined narrative arc and visual sequence. Album creation involves crafting self-contained songs with defined beginnings and ends. Video game music, conversely, must be flexible and reactive, capable of supporting potentially infinite player choices and emergent gameplay scenarios. This often means composers must think in terms of modularity and variability, creating musical elements that can be layered, looped, and altered without sounding repetitive or jarring. The extensive hours of music produced for titles like Death Stranding 2 underscore the sheer scale of this undertaking, far exceeding the typical output for a single film or album.

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How does composing for video games differ from scoring films or albums?

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