High-level criticism

This is the music review of
Soul Harvest (2019) | Fallen God (2020).

When SpellForce 3 was released in 2017, I didn't know what to make of it. At first, I was really looking forward to it, because SpellForce. Eleven years after its predecessor (not counting the addons), the series was finally getting revitalized !Then came the worry that it wouldn't be as good as the great second or even the very good first games. On the other hand, it could only be better than the disastrous cash-grab expansions Faith in Destiny and Demons of the Past.

After the first tests, it quickly became clear that SpellForce 3 was no top game. There were simply too many bugs for that. But after a few patches, the opinion barometer stabilized in the upper third of the scale and I was willing to give the game a chance. I haven't regretted this decision, but in the end the first work from the German Grimlore Games wasn't what I had hoped for.

The hybrid game concept of role-playing and real-time strategy is still unique and continues to work very well in the third part. Here, however, the focus has been shifted somewhat: Instead of a larger hero squad and reduced base building, we now have a smaller party with stronger resource and worker management. In addition, the role-playing aspect was streamlined and instead of mana there were only cooldowns.

For me, as someone for whom the story and characters were always more important and the strategy part more of a nice gimmick to make life easier for my heroes, this design decision is a step in the wrong direction. But maybe I just like the Age of Empires / Warcraft brand of strategy more than this mixture of Company of Heroes / Northguard and the like. However, as this is a matter of taste, I can keep my criticism to myself here. Meanwhile, there's nothing to complain about in terms of the (German) voice acting, everything here is on a class level.

What bothered me, however, was the exploration of the world of Eo and the actual story. The story itself is interesting and well told, but as a prequel it takes place before the events of its predecessors. As a simple means of welcoming newcomers to the series and making them understand what it's all about, the time jump was somewhat irrelevant in my opinion. Because what made SpellForce so special was the world, with its rugged islands connected only by portals that, like walking through a Stargate, always revealed something new to us. In SpellForce 3, on the other hand, we travel before the cataclysmic Convocation through a connected world that feels more like a Neverwinter Nights or (not least because of the art style) Diablo IV.

This makes this spin-off seem like one role-playing game among many. As such, SF3 is not bad and newcomers should certainly have fun; for me as a fan of the series, however, almost nothing of the story about the mages and the plague of the ‘burning blood’ has stuck with me. In fact, it was only on re-reading that a few memories came flooding back - memories of some pretty fun times, but they couldn't replicate the childlike joy I had back then. Well, I was only 14 at the time, but the hope was there. Nevertheless, don't worry, this review won't be a rant, as I can now happily announce that at least the soundtrack is in no way inferior to its predecessors.

Although, that's not entirely correct. After all, the music for SpellForce 2: Shadow Wars is one of the best fantasy role-playing game scores of all time, emulating the epicness of Howard Shore's work for The Lord of the Rings-films in the best sense. SpellForce 3 doesn't quite reach this dynamic range of powerful battle drama and heartbreaking melodies, but it still plays in the upper league of atmospheric musical accompaniments ... but from the beginning.

The original soundtrack comprises 50 tracks and provides us with almost three hours of wonderful fantasy variety. Composer Bastian Kieslinger, who works as audio director and sound designer at Grimlore Games, knows how a good score works. Unfortunately, there is hardly anything about the German on the net. I was only able to find the following biography on music-week.com:

[Bastian Kieslinger completed] his bachelor's and master's degree in game design at the Mediadesign University of Applied Sciences in Munich, graduating top of his class. During his studies, Bastian worked on music and sound design for various projects by Wolpertinger Games (Phobos, Poopocalypse, Ravensburger Puzzle), Brightside Games (Zeit²), Realmforge (Dungeons) and Coreplay (Chaos Chronicles). [...] You can listen to a selection of his work on his SoundCloud.

Apart from his Soundcloud tracks, it is difficult to get a taste of his other compositions. I can therefore only assume that he was able to live out his fantasy vein for the first time in Realmforge Studios' kid-friendly Dungeons-games and is now bringing it to bloom in SpellForce 3 . Or squirting? This metaphor somehow doesn't work so well ... never mind. What does work well (a segue straight from heaven!) is the main motif of the score. We hear it in the first track and within a few seconds we get it blasted in our faces that Kieslinger means business.

Bastion begins with an overture of strings, which are quickly replaced by drums and a male choir, as we know it from Sykrims Dragonborn-theme: Short shouts in some made-up language that swell, supported by the winds, and pause briefly at second 51. A moment, a moment, a plateau. Then the orchestra unleashes its full force in a symphony of heroism and unyielding beauty. In this battle hymn, the Runes of Magic-theme meets Overwatch, pathos meets perfection. There is nothing I can criticize, no note seems superfluous or out of place.

A minute has passed, Bastion is getting weary, the onslaught is over. The ritardando forces the piece into walking pace, the strings and delicate female vocals accompany us. The battle has been fought, the fight is behind us - but we are not yet at the end. In typical Hollywood style, we look at the scenery, leave the ground and fly towards the sky as the orchestra rises up one last time: Catharsis, uplifted, liberated. It's done ... what an introduction! We will also encounter the theme as a quote in other tracks such as Face the Light , but never with such force.

Unfortunately, Kieslinger no longer reaches this high level to the same extent, which distinguishes his work from that of his colleagues in his predecessors, but he still has a few bangers in his quiver: Greykeep is the theme for the Citadel of Men and as such, like Heroes of Might and Magic V or the corresponding Hawkeyrie from SpellForce 2, is given angelic qualities. Underpinned by resolute brass and percussion, these evoke a steadfast, even defiant sovereignty.

Many other pieces swim in the waters of great originals such as Dragon Age: Inquisition or the later Final Fantasy-games and skillfully transport the classic heroic story. Despite the story, there are not many dark or depressing tones, which means that Kieslinger follows the style of its predecessors. The gentle piano in Rest or Mulandir, the choir in Don’t Cry, Sister Forest, the aria in Bitter Still or the melancholic Fields of the Past - like the pieces by Sillescu and Langer (or their respective role models from The Lord of the Rings), they are all signs of a score that sees the beauty in sadness, not its inevitable depression.

Other highlights for me include the hopeful Angar Arandir and the dramatic March of Destiny, which reminds me a little of the later Baldur’s Gate 3 . Black Blizzard meanwhile, has a subtle Pirates of the Caribbean-vibe and Red Morass is like a fatalistic Supreme Commander in fantasy guise. Many of the other tracks are on an equally high level, but for me these seven tracks (see list) are the spearheads.

So let's summarize again: The music is excellent, almost outstanding. There is hardly anything that clearly falls short or can be criticized. Nevertheless, it doesn't quite reach 5/5 on my rating scale. Why? Because the score doesn't have the variety of its predecessors, which I inevitably have to measure it against. It would probably look different in a rating vacuum, but the 0.5 points don't make this masterpiece any less listenable. So you should definitely check it out!

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Soul Harvest

Soul Harvest, the first standalone expansion for the fantasy role-playing game from Grimlore Games, was released in 2019. It was very well received by fans and the trade press and, in addition to a new campaign, also features two new factions: the dwarves and the dark elves. Despite screenshots and videos, I'm not sure if I've played the expansion, but my omniscient inventory list says I have. Good thing Alzheimer's isn't hereditary...

Nevertheless, I wouldn't say that the game was forgettable, and the OST is only partially so. The 17 tracks by Bastian Kieslinger focus more on the melancholy and gloomy tones this time. Overall, much of what I positively emphasized in the music of the main game has been reversed here: It's still about a big fantasy world, but due to the story-driven focus on the theme of racism and displacement, often in the minor key version. The resulting variation is not badly done and moving in many places, but it doesn't catch me like the music in the main game.

Awakening, for example, is a sung variation of the main theme Bastion. Homecoming, on the other hand, is a solemn string and piano adaptation of the impressive Greykeep, which is reminiscent of Hush from Anno 1800 in its presentation. This ‘ heavy’ carpet of sound is only broken up now and again, for example with Rerah, which almost approaches the cheerful fantasy of a Trine in its carefree nature.

Conversely, with Overgrown and Divinity exactly the kind of dark ambient anxiety that the SpellForce-series has fortunately lacked until now finds its way into the score. Of course, if you want to provide a suitable background for horror and suspense, you can't avoid this form of music, but I don't need it for my personal well-being. That's why the music in Soul Harvest is once again of a high standard, but it doesn't trigger the enthusiasm factor of the main game for me. It remains a nice variation, instead of a painting, it's more of a look outside the box.

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Fallen God

With 2020 Fallen God , I am certain that I have not played it. This time, the story of the second expansion revolves around a tribe of driven-out trolls, 50 years after the events of SpellForce 3 and, consequently, Soul Harvest. That's all you need to know to guess the direction composer Bastian Kieslinger is taking the score this time. While Soul Harvest was still characterized by the deliberate tones for the pointy-eared dark elves and dwarves blessed with manageable growth, Fallen God reduction to the brute shines through at all moments.

Once again, the twelve-track score begins with a variation of the main theme: Force is just as powerful as the original, but the tribal influences rob the piece of its grandeur and narrative. There is no battle, no back and forth. Instead, in keeping with the story, it sounds like the departure on a jungle expedition. Again, the music is not badly made, it's just not as 'beautiful' as that of the main game.

In keeping with the pragmatic protagonists, the score of the expansion has been reduced in many respects: Melodies repeat quickly or are partially missing, the instrument selection is limited to the expected. Instead of high female vocals, we hear male throat singing (Raw), percussion and low brass dominate, the pieces seem sluggish and ponderous. But where a Game of Thrones for example, enlivens the wildness of the northern inhabitants with exciting motifs, much seems the same here. Only in Temple of the Sacred Seal do I like the uniformity and repetition of the cello, which reminds me of the music in the A Plague Tale-series.

In my opinion, you can tell that Kieslinger has tried to serve the desired purpose. He succeeded, but I can't help but think of him as a painter who has been given a hammer. With a lot of talent, you can certainly create something great with it, but with a hammer in your hand, everything looks like a nail. He hit it on the head here, but not in my heart.