Overview

Released in 2007 to widespread acclaim, BioWare's Mass Effect is the latest in a new era of original IP's for the company, long famous for its games based on long-established fictional worlds. Along for the ride was composer Jack Wall, who had written the score for Jade Empire, BioWare's previous game. As the head of a team that included Sam Hulick, Richard Jacques, and David Kates, Wall was called on to provide hours' worth of music on the canvas of a vast space opera.

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Interestingly, the stated influence wasn't the standard space opera sound established by Star Wars, but rather the far more electronic (and eclectic) scores for Blade Runne and Dune. While the music is far less meandering than Vangelis and far less rock-oriented than Toto, it nevertheless has a strongly synthetic sound, with electric pulses serving as a unifying sound throughout the music.

Mass Effect isn't a strongly thematic work, though a very subtle motif is introduced in the titular "Mass Effect Theme" and alluded to elsewhere. Instead, the electronics provide a consistent soundscape for the music which is developed in a variety of interesting ways. Upbeat dance-influenced tracks like "Criminal Element" and "Virmire Ride" accompany some of the more notable action sequences in the game and are highlights with strong melody and drive. Ambient songs are also a strong presence, with the "Uncharted Worlds" map theme and gentle "Vigil" (which serves as the game's main title).

The majority of tracks, however, are suites which feature driving action or suspense music. Propelled along by synth pulses, pieces like "Battle at Eden Prime" and the latter half of "A Very Dangerous Place" explode with aggressive rhythms and electronic melodies. Much of this music accompanies cutscenes in-game, and as such is highly structured and often features a choral element as the music builds to its climax. No real instruments were used, though, giving the non-electronic parts of the score a distinctly tinny feel.

An official soundtrack disc was put out by Sumthing Else, ever the champions of Western game music, around the time of the game's release. It's a good representation of the in-game music overall, though not without some annoyances. A few dull tracks like "Saren's Base" made the cut, and some of the more atmospheric music wound up melded to action-packed tracks in the form of suites. None of the music is looped, constrained as it was to a single disc, and some of the finest action sequences were left off the disc (in particular the Matriarch Benezia battle and Virmire base infiltration). Several fan-made rips are available which alleviate the problem, however.

Summary

All in all, Mass Effect is quite impressive, taking a nontraditional approach to its genre that feels both original and appropriate. While the music suffers a bit on disc from being short, awkwardly edited, or missing, it's still a good purchase, especially for people who find Western game music too symphonic for their tastes. It will be interesting to see what direction the music takes when the inevitable sequel arrives.