Playing Together

Japan is one of gaming's most important epicentres. Louise Blain goes in search of the music of this key sub-genre. Featuring such composers as Koji Kondo (Super Mario Brothers), Shunsuke Kida (Demon's Souls); Yasuaki Iwata and Manaka Kataoka (Zelda: Breath of the Wild) and Kow Otani (Shadow of the Colossus). And we hear from Cody Matthew Johnson and Yoko Honda, the composers of an arresting soundtrack to the new samurai game Trek to Yomi, featuring highly authentic Gagaku music.

Louise Blain ponders the notion of solitude in gaming. She wanders through the woods of Wyoming in Firewatch, saddles her horse in Red Dead Redemption 2 and explores the gargantuan architecture of Destiny 2: The Witch Queen. Our CutScene marks the tenth anniversary of Journey with its composer Austin Wintory. Louise talks to him about how his symphonic re-working of the soundtrack with the London Symphony Orchestra. Louise also features the soundtracks of not one, but two of this year's BAFTA-nominated game scores - Returnal by Bobby Krlic and Psychonauts 2 by Peter McConnell.

Louise Blain explores music for games that are all at sea including Sonic the Hedgehog, Minecraft Dungeons, Spiritfarer and Sea of Solitude. Her guest for the CutScene is Robin Beanland who talks in detail about his Score for Sea of Thieves, and there's music from the newly released Changing Tides in the much loved Far series.

With the release of the new action role-playing game 'Horizon Forbidden West', featuring the character Aloy, Louise Blain foregrounds music for games where women take the lead. She looks at the ways in which the representation of women has developed in gaming and features music from 'Mirror's Edge Catalyst', 'Uncharted: Lost Legacy', 'Assassin's Creed Odyssey', 'Dishonored 2', 'Control' ,'Hellblade Senua's Sacrifice' and 'Tomb Raider'. And Lousie talks to composer Joris de Man and vocalist Julie Elven about the creation of the score for the Horizon series.

As we enter the new year, Louise offers thoughts on gaming and the future - music for games set in the future plus a look at possible future developments in gaming and gaming music. And our Cut Scene features an interview with French composer Olivier Deriviere.

Louise Blain explores some of the fabulous music composed for multiplayer video games. And today's cut-scene features an interview with the composers of the global sensation Destiny 2: New Light, Michael Salvatori and Skye Lewin.

Louise Blain looks at music for games in which chosen paths determine the outcome of the game and she talks to composer Richard Jacques about his score for the new 'Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy' game. The programme also includes music from Assassin's Creed Odyssey, Deus Ex -Human Revolution, Vampyr, The Walking Dead, Hitman 2 - Silent Assassin, Detroit - Become Human, The Forgotten City, and The Dark Pictures Anthology, as well as Richard Jacques music for Mass Effect and the new Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy.

In this month’s episode of Sound of Gaming, Louise Blain carefully packs her bags to go on a journey through the soundtracks of the best survival games. These are the games where we have to carefully manage our scarce resources, forage for supplies, and craft tools and weapons to stay alive. From the dangers of the night in Don’t Starve - where our task is exactly as the title suggests - to attempting to stay warm in the frozen wilderness of The Long Dark, survival games are an often intimidating prospect. Louise will be exploring the atmospheric soundtracks of these lonely landscapes and talking with composer Ramin Djawadi (Game of Thrones, Medal of Honour).

Join Louise Blain as she journeys into the world of video game monsters. At times terrifying, fantastical or actually, just plain cute, these creatures often inspire developers and composers to some of their best music. We’ll meet every creature: dinosaurs, Pokemon to hungry sharks. And, in our cut-scene, British composer Ben MacDougall takes us through the several musical worlds that comprise the game Godfall and its new expansion Godfall: Fire and Darkness.

Louise Blain with gaming music inspired by the world history and civilisation marking the launch of 'Humankind' with a new score by Arnaud Roy. Louise looks at how world history has been potent source of inspiration for game designers and looks at the pains to which some games and their composers have gone to in order to bring the past alive. Featured soundtracks include 'Far Cry: Primal', 'Rome: Total War', 'Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey', 'Europa Universalis IV', 'Kingdom Come Deliverance', 'God Of War III', 'Assassins Creed: Origins', 'Assassins Creed: Unity' and 'Civilisation VI'. French composer, Arnaud Roy, talks about his music for the new game 'Humankind', which is out later this month; and also in the programme, a chance to hear a sneak preview of music by Austin Wintory for his new game 'Aliens Fireteam Elite'.