Outland
Original Soundtrack: Ari Pulkkinen
Sound Design: Ari Pulkkinen
Publisher: Ubisoft
Music Style: Ethnic, ambient, orchestral
Release: Q2/2011
Outland is based on a apocalyptic spirit world, which is shattered by two by powerful and immortal entities. Musical score in Outland complements the ancient and highly contrasted world by combining strong melodies, diverse emotions and rhythms. All in-game chapters have a unique feeling and feature ambient music styles combined with ethnic instruments and percussion that supplement the exceptional visuals. Outland features over an hour of original music.
Some inspiration for Outland soundtrack was taken from original Fallout games, Passion Of The Christ (the movie) and Apocalypto (the movie).
Outland sound design is deeply tied to the spiritual athmosphere, making the world an alluring and unique place to visit. Lots of different sounds were made to enhance the characters, spirit energy and action.
Quotes from reviews
- “Atmospheric music sounds like what you’d imagine for your own personal spirit quest“ -Game Informer
- “Music fits right in with every other aspect of this game, skillfully shifting between ominous ambient tracks and pounding tribal beats to perfectly fit the mood of your actions.“ -GameSpot
- “The art style and soundtrack make the game an absolute aesthetic stunner and audio treat.“ -PAL GN
- “The sound is amazing in every aspect. The music really sets the mood.. Playing this through some quality surround headphones or a nice setup is a must.“ -ZTGD
- “The music and sounds are subtle, but completely enhance the visual feel of the game. Outland is simply stunning.“ -Maroonersrock
- “There is some amazing music in Outland. It’s never in your face (rather, ear), but it’s always complimentary to the area you’re in.“ -TheGameFanatics
- “With the soothing tunes playing in the background, it’s very difficult not to be captivated by such an experience. Outland’s use of tribal, new age music is not only appropriate for setting the environment, it demands to be appreciated. Without dominating or adding annoyance to the gameplay, the audio plays a significant part to the game’s exceptionally brilliant atmosphere.“ -Rotorob
- “Outland’s audio is great in this way because it fits the experience like a glove. AriTunes did a great job of mixing silence and pulse-pounding orchestral music to set the mood and bring the game’s world to life. It’s both mysterious and familiar. High-quality sound effects also complement the music and sound mixture, creating a believable and vibrant world.“ -WeGotThisCovered
- The soundtrack is as captivating and stimulating as the visuals, and it evokes similar feelings of wonder; from the metallic clangs of your sword against ethereal beings to the subtle tunes that follow you as you progress through the game, the whole package is a captivating, organic experience.“ -Disorder Magazine
- The soundtrack doesn’t play a false note; always sombre and reflective, yet adaptable the environment. It’s well worth a listen and to get some appreciation. “ -PalGN AU
- The music is equally impressive, with an epic soundtrack that really grabs you and won’t let go. Yes, XBLA music can be done the right way, folks. We haven’t been this addicted to in-game tunes since “The Donut Song”.“ -NFamousgamers
