Overview

The RPG WorldShift by Black Sea Studios plunged gamers into a 21st century war featuring humans, mutants, and aliens. Like the game, the score by Borislav Slavov didn't have particularly high production values or a sufficiently original vision, meaning it pales slightly to the giants its tries to emulate. However, it is still one of the better cinematic imitations out there, with memorable melodies, deep moods, and serviceable orchestration. The soundtrack was bundled with the collector's edition of the game.

Body

The opening theme for WorldShift, "Infinitum", sets the futuristic militaristic theme of the soundtrack. Inspired by the precedent set by Hans Zimmer, Slavov fills the piece with marching rhythms, dominant brass, and electronic backing. These stylings are hugely derivative and aren't convincingly imitated with the middle-end samplers used here. That said, the track is eventually elevated by its use of Russian-influenced choral elements, to provide a more anthemic interpretation of the main melody, and string-based discords towards the conclusion. The final result is quite memorable from a melodic perspective and stays true to the game's setting.

A large proportion of the soundtrack is focused on conveying a dark futuristic mood. "Primal Force" serves well as background ambience with its blends of ethnic and electronic percussion, yet is also fascinating on a stand-alone basis thanks to its original features and ever-changing development. "Swoop On" is relatively understated, in contrast, yet manages to offer some deliciously dark soundscapes reminiscent of Jason Graves. Another flawless piece of in-game scoring, "Road to Extinction" re-introduces the orchestral component with its ever-building string motifs to convey a sense of fate.

"Fight Your Way" is one of the most action-oriented tracks, and maintains a fast pace with its dominating use of militaristic instrument. The cinematic vocal in this theme gives the track a more dramatic and emotional shade, to powerful effect in the featured scene used during the game. Thankfully, "Shift for Your Life" provides a break from the orchestral instrumentation at the climax, by focusing on Middle Eastern rhythms and instruments. It's another cinematic cliché of a different sort, but it's a well-produced and memorable track in context nevertheless.

Further emulating the approach of Remote Control Productions, "Commander's Call" use low-pitched string ostinati and electronic beats to set a tense pace. The patriotic brass lead only makes the track more derivative, though thankfully the melody is strong enough to inspire emotions. This will be enough for certain cinematic buffs, although many will find the stylings a turn-off... The title track finally manages to convey a brighter feel at the end of the game with its gliding strings and triumphant fanfares. It has more in common with Pirates of the Caribbean than The Rock, but still expresses no voice of its own.

Summary

Overall, Borislav Slavov has done an impressive job complementing the settings and developments of WorldShift: the suspense tracks are mysterious, the action tracks are adrenaline pumping, the cinematic tracks are intriguing, and the headlining themes are memorable. Note, however, that the majority of this music emulates the music of feature films, particularly by Hans Zimmer's company. These emulations are generally convincing — with solid composition and — though rarely exceed their counterparts due to slightly dated technology and a lack of creativity. This will be fine for those looking for yet more Zimmer-style music, though will be a turn-off to a lot of other listeners out there.