SpellForce 3: Fallen God
SpellForce 3:
Fallen God
05.04.2025
Trollt sich
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.
