Easy Vibin‘

Since I finished my last Donald Duck pocket books about 15 years ago, my only contact with the comic genre has been the uninspired leafing through Asterix-volumes when I'm at my parents' house. It's a shame, really, but you could say that about so many other genres and hobbies, and I would just end up feeling depressed about all the things I've missed out on.

For this reason, I was not aware of the Arcanepunk comic Battle Chasers from the beginning of the millennium, on which the subject of this review is based: Battle Chasers: Nightwar, a turn-based role-playing game and debut from the studio Airship Syndicate, which would later produce Ruined King: A League of Legends Story among other titles.

The score

Since I haven't played the game, but it's found its spot in the upper mid-range with a score of 75 on Metacritic (6.9 user score), I decided to listen to the score—both because of that and because Jesper Kyd, one of my favorite composers, was involved. With 29 tracks, the OST is very large and can be listened to in just over an hour.

The music of Nightwar ist für Kenner von Kyds Kompositionen für die Assassin’s Creed-Spiele wie Brotherhood eine unerwartete Reise in die stereotype Fantasy. Das machen das Theme Battle ChasersClark Powell, Jesper Kyd4 and Opening CinematicClark Powell, Jesper Kyd4 klar, deren fast schon kindlich heroische Orchestrierungen den Pfad von Immortals Fenyx Rising einschlagen.

The music remains faithful to this style for the most part, with the strings and piano creating a relaxed, yet rhythmically driving atmosphere. Examples of this minimalism are When the Smoke ClearsClark Powell, Jesper Kyd3 and Between Space and TimeClark Powell, Jesper Kyd3, whereas AweClark Powell, Jesper Kyd3 drifts more into melancholy. Contrary to what one might initially expect, however, the composer emphasizes the genre mix of arcanepunk (quasi-magical steampunk) with electric influences (Dreaming of CritsClark Powell, Jesper Kyd3, MountainsideClark Powell, Jesper Kyd3), which push the listening experience toward modern lo-fi listening.

However, it rarely gets action-packed, with Avatar of FearClark Powell, Jesper Kyd4 probably being the biggest outlier here with its proximity to Hades and the aforementioned Brotherhood . But Smugglers & ThievesJesper Kyd4 also builds up a Bastion-like speed with the guitar, while Hearts Beating Like DrumsClark Powell, Jesper Kyd4 is no less driving thanks to the combination of drums and strings.

Meinen persönlichen Favoriten des Albums habe ich neben dem dramatischen Nights CurseJesper Kyd4 in The BeginningClark Powell4 gefunden. Hier trifft asiatische Instrumentalisierung auf einen rhythmischen Groove, was ein wenig an Emperor: Rise of the Middle Kingdom erinnert. Die volle fünf 5/5 erreicht das Stück wegen seiner Gleichförmigkeit zwar nicht, aber empfehlen würde ich es trotzdem. Das gilt auch für den restlichen Score, sofern man trotz der Aufmachung kein Actionfest der Marke Darksiders erwartet. Wer über weite Strecken handzahme, Lo-Fi-artige Entspannungsmusik im Fantasygewand sucht, wird hier fündig.