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1Bit Reviews - Halo 5 Soundtrack


1Bit

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Prior to the game's launch on October 27th, Kazuma Jinnouchi has released the full soundtrack on Soundcloud for our ears' pleasure, and after listening to it multiple times, I feel like giving my quick, humble opinion on the score for the game!

 

 

 

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All in all, nothing to complain about! Kazuma's abilities as a composer clearly shine in this soundtrack with his masterful combination of themes and motifs from both the classic Halo trilogy and Halo 4's newer, more synthesized pieces. His ability to switch between the two helps to also distinguish the two main characters within the story itself; Master Chief and Spartan Locke.

 

 

 

While Chief's tracks often pay respects to the classic motif's and are characterised by violins and big brass, Locke's tracks have an extra amount of complexity to them, with unique and interesting synthesized layers combined with the large orchestra befitting of a sweeping sci-fi narrative.

 

 

 

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At this point, before seeing how they're implemented in the game itself, my favourite track from the OST has to be Blue Team. This track pays homage to the fan-favourite piece 117 from Halo 4's OST as well as involving new and fresh elements which give it the distinct Halo 5 vibe.


It is notably more emotional and dramatic than it's predecessor and is one hell of a track overall. The Trials may be excellent due to it's capturing of some of Halo CE through 3's most memorable motifs, but Blue Team is a masterpiece.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some other notable tracks that made an appearance on the score would be Scavengers and Crypt. These are two more stand-out pieces that are not only used beautifully in the game but also are excellent to listen to by themselves.

 

Scavengers most recognisably takes elements from Halo 2's soundtrack and, unsurprisingly, is one of chief's themes. The constant of the drums driving the narrative of the track are incredibly reminiscent of Marty's and marks one of the few examples of the newer Halo tracks that makes use of Halo's history with scores lead by powerful drums alone. This when combined with it's incredible third act, where all elements of the orchestra come together in one final effort (see what I did there?), make Scavengers yet another piece Kazuma can be proud of.

 

Crypt in comparison, seems to stray slightly from the classic motif's and yet still retains poise, elegance and an exhilarating 'Halo' feel. The track makes use of more electronic sounds, befitting of the moment in the game when it is used (traversing Genesis' landscape trying to locate Cortana). This is infused with the 117 motif that is a recurring element of the track to make a piece that feels personal to both Chief and Cortana simultaneously, in a similar way to how Green And Blue did before it in Halo 4's campaign.

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