With Ghost of Tsushima being just 11 days away, we thought there was no way to increase our excitement. How naive we were. The official PlayStation Soundcloud account decided to give fans a sneak preview of the upcoming game’s soundtrack.
Don’t get too excited. There are only two short snippets. However, it is enough for us. They sound beautiful. It looks as though Ghost of Tsushima will be a game that appeases both the eyes and ears. Expect beautiful visuals and an accompanying soundtrack that will immerse you into the world of the Samurai.
What is fascinating about this game is that the music is being scored by two separate composers. While this isn’t unheard of, it is quite rare. According to Dr. Bradley D Meyer, the Audio Director at Sucker Punch Productions, two composers were hired due to the size of Ghost of Tsushima.
Read what Meyer had to say about the two composers here:
“You may be wondering why we chose to have two composers score the game. First off, Ghost of Tsushima is BIG. There is a lot of content and we knew we would need a lot of music to fill the world and support the evolution of Jin’s journey from samurai to the Ghost. Secondly, when done properly, having multiple voices sculpting the score can weave a more diverse and elaborate musical tapestry for the game’s story and action to sit upon. Ilan and Ume both brought something very special to the score that we used to craft the emotional backbone of the entire world: from the story to combat to exploring the island.”
The soundtrack for the game was created by Ilan Eshkeri and Shigeru Umebayashi. Eshkeri is known for his work on 47 Ronin, Centurion, Stardust and The Sims franchise. While Umebayashi is known for working on House of Flying Daggers, The Grandmaster and True Legend.
Both composers have worked on very different projects but they brought something to the table. Umebayashi very much focused on crafting the sounds of the land as well as the more emotional story arcs. His scores focused more on themes that Jin would experience- Serenity, Occupation, Exile, Haunting, and Sanctuary.
“When I was composing music for the game, I was inspired by Japan’s nature, climate, traditional lifestyle, and classical Japanese music. My compositions feature various Japanese instruments, including shakuhachi, koto, and Japanese taiko. But the instruments are nothing without the players. For me, I view musicians as crucial avatars of myself. They materialize the music that I envision and want to tell, delivering it to the listeners. Without this collaboration, I would merely be a street musician who nobody listens to.
When listeners hear the music for the game, I hope that they feel the hearts of the people of Tsushima – those who love the land, living and plowing with the natural bounties it offers, and those of the warriors who take their katanas and follow the way of the samurai.”
Check out Umebayashi’s track!
Eshkeri, on the other hand, focused more on crafting Jin as a character. Crafting various melodies and themes that suited jin on his journey.
“Jin’s theme, “The Way of the Ghost,” was one of the very first pieces I wrote. Usually productions are ready for music after everyone else has been working on the game. As much as you might understand the story, it always takes time to really get under the skin and appreciate the depth of well written characters and story. While some of my first sketches evolved, this theme really stuck.
It’s all about how the people of Tsushima see him. He is their hero: strong, infallible, inspiring and full of hope, but what really fascinated me about Jin is the contrast of what is going on inside him. In order to save his home and the people he loves he must go against everything he was taught to believe in and break the code of the Samurai. Throughout the game, Jin is a character in deep emotional conflict and this, above all else, is what drew me to Ghost.“
Check out Eshkeri’s track!
Not only can we not wait to play this game, but we also can’t way to immerse ourselves in this world. This historical setting is something we’ve never personally experienced in the gaming realm. There is a lot to look forward to and we hope you are as excited as we are.
Ghost of Tsushima is out on the 17th July. Be sure to pick up your copy and prepare to face the Mongol invaders as either the Ghost…. or the Samurai. Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
