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COMP TRACKS IN REAL-TIME WITH OUR VIDEO PREVIEW TOOL
| | Fast - Find the right music faster by comping tracks with your video online |
| | Private - Videos load instantly and are never stored on our server! |
| | Multiple Sources - Use videos from your device or videos online! |
Learn more about our video preview tool HERE
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DownloadRoyalty Free Adventure Music
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Music For Adventure Games
Choosing music for adventure games can be tricky because they have a bit of everything crammed in.
They have a flowing story, action, drama, romance, tragedy, the lot.
So, where some other games might be okay with just a couple of musical variations, adventure games need more.
In many ways, choosing music for adventure games is much like scoring a movie one scene at a time.
Like a movie, adventure games tend to follow the three-act format, beginning, middle, and end.
The Beginning
The beginning of an adventure game is where you introduce the main character and their story/situation.
For the most part, the music in this section shouldn't be too overwhelming.
Don't forget, this part of the game is where players are just getting used to the controls, so nice stress-free music works best.
The exceptions are when you are highlighting the events that led to your adventurer being on this quest.
Whether you do that through a cutscene or walk-through gameplay, you can match the music to the action.
The beginning of the game is very much about storytelling, so keep that in mind when choosing music.
The Middle
The middle is where the bulk of the action will take place; now you can ramp it up with the music.
When the player is familiar with the characters and the story, you don't need to worry too much about music being a distraction.
Whether its all-out action in a gunfight or problem-solving against the clock, you can match the music to the gameplay.
The End
The end is all about resolution, coming to the end of your quest.
Any good adventure game has one massive confrontation before you can walk off into the sunset.
There are lots of areas that you need music for here, but the two main things are the final confrontation and the conclusion.
The confrontation should be a culmination of every small battle throughout the game, and that should be reflected in the music.
It's quite common that the final battle music will be an amped-up version of previous game music.
That could mean more instruments, increased tempo, etc.
The conclusion music should make the player reflect on their accomplishments.
It should also mirror the main character's contentment; music in major keys with a tempo of around 90bpm is a good starting point, then adjust to suit.
Different Types of Gameplay
We briefly mentioned earlier, a few different types of gameplay, let's take a closer look.
Action
Action gameplay needs the music to match the tempo of the action.
If the action is 100mph, but your music is dragging, it will seem entirely wrong.
The music must have the player fully engaged and feeling like they can't take one step out of place.
Rock or electronic music is often a fantastic choice for action scenes, but the main thing is matching the tempo.
Problem-Solving
Classical music is often used in problem-solving scenarios because it has an aura of intellect around it.
It's also great for creating tension and release, as is jazz music.
Against the Clock
Whether you are running from an enemy or the clock, the best approach is to think about the time signature.
Odd time signatures like 7/8 and 9/8 are perfect; the uneven count will have the player's heart racing without time to stop. (In a good way of course)
Lots of Incidental Music
Incidental music is music that matches a particular action or sequence and is usually pretty nondescript on it’s own.
It fits the moment perfectly but doesn't need to be memorable.
For example, in a thriller movie, when someone slowly reaches for a door handle, and you hear the string section start to shriek, that's incidental music.
Adventure games are full of it, and while it might seem like the least of your musical choices, it's these choices that will maintain continuity throughout your game.
Whatever you need, you’ll find it in our huge selection of royalty-free music.