When you have a look at online game composer Wilbert Roget’s credit from 2024 alone, the distinction and depth of his work is surprising. Roget composed the stirring, over-the-top songs heard when saving democracy in Helldivers 2, but in addition the haunting soundtrack for indie survival-via-your-car recreation Pacific Drive. Roget’s work may also be heard in Star Wars Outlaws later this month.
Polygon requested Roget some questions on his course of as a part of Polygon FM, our theme week celebrating the intersection of music and video games.
Polygon: Was there a recreation soundtrack or track that impressed you to pursue creating recreation music? Are you able to set the scene of what that felt like for you, and why the music was so efficient?
Wilbert Roget: I had performed classical piano since I used to be very younger, and though I cherished the arcades, I didn’t have video video games at house till PlayStation 1 in highschool. I’d at all times assumed I’d have a profession in music, nevertheless it wasn’t till I performed Remaining Fantasy 7 that I knew I needed to be a online game composer particularly. Uematsu’s soundtrack was in fact good by itself, nevertheless it additionally appeared extra “inviting” than some other music I’d ever heard earlier than — its clear and direct composition, combined with Uematsu’s signature melodic writing, appeared to say “Do you hear this rating? You are able to do it too!”
So I instantly started writing my very own RPG-inspired music all all through the remainder of highschool, took on indie tasks, and the remainder is historical past.
Are you able to break down certainly one of your individual songs and its influences? Was it impressed by recreation soundtracks, different music, or one thing else?
I’d love to debate the principle theme to Helldivers 2, “A Cup of Liber-Tea”!
The piece was written to characterize the Helldiver troopers themselves, so the aim was to put in writing an anthemic tune that would encourage gamers to be part of an epic, heroic effort. As with the sport itself, the obvious inspiration is likely to be Basil Poledouris’ timeless rating to Starship Troopers, although when it comes to orchestration, my largest affect was Michael Giacchino’s navy online game scores like Medal of Honor and Secret Weapons Over Normandy. The melody itself hints at Johan Lindgren’s memorable theme to the unique Helldivers a number of instances all through as effectively, notably within the ending climax.
So far as classical music influences, my selection to put in writing the piece in 5/4 time signature was a reference to Gustav Holst’s “Mars, the Bringer of Warfare”. Your entire second half of the piece was impressed by Paul Hindemith’s “Mathis Der Maler” symphony in its use of dramatic counterpoint. I layered collectively the melody from the solo violin bridge part, Lindgren’s aforementioned Helldivers 1 theme, and the four-note descending Helldivers 2 motif to create a robust climax, and a nod of appreciation to gamers of the unique Helldivers.
What are the principle devices used to document the soundtrack for Pacific Drive? How did you select these devices?
Pacific Drive was distinctive for me in that it was the primary rating the place I designed and invented the devices earlier than writing any music. I had two sonic rules: the idea of beautifying ugly or grotesque sounds, and the sound of isolation. So I recorded development drills and squeaky rusted doorways, performed a metallic colander with a doublebass bow, performed a washer dryer like a drum equipment; something that I believed sounded cacophonic in an fascinating approach, I’d document and course of into synthesized pads and leads.
On the extra conventional instrumentation facet, I performed guitar with an ebow and brass slide, and labored with vocalist D’Anthoni Wooten and doublebass virtuoso Sam Suggs. Their performances had a haunting and craving high quality that superbly conveyed the idea of isolation.
Is there anything we must always find out about your method to composing online game music?
I like to consider recreation music when it comes to “first-person” and “third-person” scoring when conceptualizing each bit. Most items would fall into the latter class: third-person cues operate as a distant commentary on the scene, centered on the story and the higher narrative themes. However in some circumstances, I might get inspiration by imagining myself standing subsequent to the participant character and observing the surroundings and scenario — for instance, the intensely quiet terror of being in the course of a warzone at night time, hidden amidst distant gunfire. I dubbed this “scoring within the first-person” as a result of music is not a commentary, however somewhat it displays the character’s emotional state alone.
