Dead Space Composer Tomb Raider

Of this generation, the Dead Space games are a prime example of titles with great atmosphere -- part of which stems from the tension-filled music. It has been revealed that series composer Jason Graves will also be scoring the upcoming Tomb Raider.

Developer Crystal Dynamics has said in the past that their Tomb Raider reboot would place more of a focus on Lara Croft and her fight for survival, rather than her body. With that being the case, Graves would be the perfect composer for the game, as his Dead Space 2 score was filled with tension inducing tracks and the oft emotion-piece.

In Square Enix's interview with Graves, it's revealed that Tomb Raider will use a different theme song than in the past. Crystal Dynamics' re-imagining of the series has led them to start with a clean slate, and that includes the music. As such, Graves composed an entirely new theme for the game.

The main theme song is considered by Crystal Dynamics to be the most important piece of music in the game. Aside from being used in previous trailers, the studio also wanted a theme that could be used in a wide variety of contexts, ranging from action filled scenes to more emotional and dramatic moments.

Though not commonly recognized as an integral part of games (though thankfully there is a "Best Original Score" category at the Spike VGA's), music does play an important -- if at times subtle role in how a game impacts the player. Titles like Nier and VVVVVV are raised to new levels based on their scorers alone, especially in Nier's case where the music helps to emphasize the bond between the main character and his daughter. In Graves' own Dead Space scores, the music isn't always readily apparent, but it helps to add tension and grip the player during moments of pure horror.

With that said, it's always good to see a developer put emphasis on a game's audio and music. Crystal Dynamics' Tomb Raider reboot had already caught the eye of the Game Rant staff (read our E3 preview), and knowing that work is being put into every little crevice should help to earn it accolades come release early next year.

Tomb Raider releases March 5th, 2013 for the PS3, Xbox 360 and PC

-

Follow me on Twitter @AnthonyMole.

Source: Joystiq