Press reviews/comments on Tomb Raider soundtracks by Troels Folmann:
USA Today & CNN:
“…Audio is top-notch. The enjoyable orchestrated soundtrack makes Legend feel more like a motion picture than a video game, as does the professional voice acting…”
Read the whole review here or here
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XBox World
“…The grunting groaning Lara is back in full force and this time she is accompanied by a varied soundtrack that is grandeur at times and more subtle at others. The music has been recorded to a high standard and provides a captivating aural experience when it kicks in during key moments in the game…”
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Thumb bandits
“…The audio in Tomb Raider: Legend is also beautifully executed. The musical score is worthy of a big budget movie and sound effects are spot on too…”
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Gamepro
“…Legend’s sounds sparkle, too, with booming gunshots that will make your subwoofer sweat. Driving background rhythms add atmospheric flair to the acrobatic exercises without grating on the nerves, a key requirement in a game that often requires you to replay a difficult jumping puzzle several times before achieving success…”
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Gamedaily
“…The music is beautiful, and perfect ambience to the levels provided in the game…”
Read the whole review here
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Clubskill
“…Crystal Dynamics and Co. have squirted out quite a decent soundtrack for the game, from the score on the 007 / 24 esque intro video to the in game chase music, it all seems very high budget. No midi tunes, no repetitive electro drum beat, we’ve got real singing and real choir vocals, and it gives it that real epic feel to the game, something that most soundtracks can’t manage to get right…”
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TeamXBox
“…a finely crafted soundtrack that includes everything from tribal beats to a full symphony ensemble, and you have the finishing touches to a solid adventure…”
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Amped Ugo
“…you’ll doubtlessly be impressed by the sound effects and musical tones lightly emitted from sound system. Music is never thrust upon you, but its there, complementing the gameplay well and rounding off a solid audio package…”
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XboxAddict
“…The tracks set the mood for the dangers that await around the corners, and then dynamically change to forewarn of approaching enemies. Sure, it’s nothing new to games, but the music arrangement provides the extra ambiance of a movie like feel…”
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Gamerfeed
“…The music is beautiful, and perfect ambience to the levels provided in the game…”
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Loaded, INC
“…The soundtrack is an appropriately moving mix of tribal tunes that includes a lot of woodwind work. The main title alone may persuade players to just sit there and soak it all in…”
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Gamerwithin
“…A great collection of music and voice acting accompanies the game’s impressive visuals. The expansive game soundtrack offers a collection of music that suits each individual level that they appear on, which often aid in immersing the player into the game’s world…”
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Gamevortex
“…Background music is sweeping and orchestral and a perfect companion to the gameplay, whether you are shooting it out with enemies or calmly exploring a trap-ridden temple…”
Read the whole review here
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Gamezone
“…As for the game’s sound, the game’s soundtrack, voice acting and sound effects make this a satisfying cinematic experience. The eclectic score, for one, changes with each situation and area. In Peru, for instance, the score mixes in pan flutes fitting of the region’s music…”
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Gameboomers
“…the musical score provides notably dramatic backdrop, but it’s not intrusive, adding very helpful emphasis and colour throughout the game…”
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Advanced Media Network
“…How do you top off an impressive graphical package that helps to pull the player into the world of Lara Croft? With an equally impressive audio package that pulls the player in the rest of the way and doesn’t let them go. A top notch score mixed with outstanding atmospheric pieces and some of the best voice work in a recent game work to create a refreshing audio experience. The score is always fitting to whatever location Lara is in, from the mountain tops of Nepal to a party in Tokyo. The score is enhanced future by being mixed with strong environmental audio helping to create an audio experience that will leave players feeling as though they are right next to Lara dangling from a cliff or getting the chills as they guide her through a dark Tomb…”
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2404
“…On the one hand, the infrequently and non-intrusively used musical score tends to be varied and sublimely fitting to the environment and action at the time – I particularly enjoyed the female choral vocals while I climbed around the icy mountain peaks and precarious temple ledges of Nepal. The music definitely strikes just the right notes atmospherically…”
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GameXC
“…Legend doesn’t have a continual score, but when the music is present, it’s mighty damn fine to listen to…”
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AC Games
“… Acoustically, Legend’s musical accompaniment is perfectly pitched for Lara’s ever-changing blend of thought provoking platforming and high intensity gunplay. For the former, Legend’s orchestral compositions are rather fitting for the picturesque locations within – setting an encouraging yet untroubled aura to flex those gymnastic abilities. The latter, however, sees the once tranquil qualities dissipate, in favour of an accelerated tempo and jazzy melody that sets an atmosphere riddled with panic and agitation. The composition almost always matches the situation and even the aesthetics of the level’s theme on many an occasion. Bolivia’s mountainous and indeed tropical characteristics have been depicted through the use of traditional instruments to capture the locale’s flavour, whereas Japan’s urban metropolitan, Tokyo…”
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Pro Gamer
“…The soundtrack is also excellent…”
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XPG Gaming
“…The voiceovers and music are especially well done. I love the way the music in the game corresponds to the location. It really helps to immerse you into the Tomb Raider world…”
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Game Power
“…Tomb Raider Legend’s audio is certainly one of its strengths – the game’s soundtrack is at times wonderful, harkening back to the original games with some haunting vocal and orchestral themes…”
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Gamespot
“…The music is also excellent, and provides a perfect backdrop for a grandiose, globe-trotting adventure…”
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ACE Games
“…The soundtrack is a work of genius. There’s a certain meditative quality to the jungle levels, which almost hypnotises you. With the peaceful surroundings of the jungle itself to lull you, the sunlight glistening through the trees and the subtle tingles of the music combined, you can really find yourself relaxing in this game.That is until some inconsiderate henchmen runs up and starts shooting at you. Then the soundtrack quickly evolves into a trip-tropic mood, upping the tempo but not ruining your well-balanced and karmic state of mind. It’s not all hippy love and brown rice though; the music beefs up as the action becomes grittier later on…”
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Sony PSP World
“…We’ve certainly come a long way from the standard of audio in the first PS1 games. Both the music and voice work are of a very high quality especially when you consider that there’s no real ‘Hollywood’ talent. The music is both atmospheric and, occasionally very haunting adding much to the games overall atmosphere…”
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Cheat Code Central
“…The games audio is one of its shining stars as … the musical score hasn’t been sacrificed in the least for the handheld. Use headphones and marvel at the quality…”
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Gaming Excellence
“…As with every Tomb Raider game to date, the audio presentation is beyond reproach. The music sets the tone perfectly for the continuing adventures of Lara and is easy to adapt to the ever-changing happenings on the screen…”
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Game Chronicles
“…The music is perfect thanks to a wonderful score by Troels Folmann that blends into the background creating just the right mood for the stunning visuals. It really helps to sell the moment in scenes like Lara reaching the top of the cliff overlooking the massive waterfalls of Ghana, or when she has an emotional “reunion” with her mother.
In all, there is about five hours of original music much of which is divided into micro-scores that are cued to various actions allowing it to overlap so you can actually compose your own soundtrack by the way you play the game. It’s truly an adaptive soundtrack.
The sound design is just as impressive. Consider this. The original Tomb Raider had a single sound for footsteps and we all remember those almost-sexual grunts and groans as Lara clambered over rocks. In Legend, Lara can have anywhere from 300-600 sound effects going on all at once…”
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Gaming Trend
“…Music has always been a strong part of the Tomb Raider games, and Legend is no exception. Ever-present but never obtrusive, Legend’s soundtrack nicely conveys a sense of wonder in the puzzle tombs as well as an appropriate sense of peril in the battle and boss segments…”
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Gaming Horizon
“… The music has been overhauled slightly, now with some spots featuring a techno feel, but the game still has a strong remnant of the classical touch that the series has used almost exclusively – especially while exploring tombs and examining massive environs…”
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Eurogamer
“…brooding soundtrack that fits perfectly with the dynamic ebb and flow with the action. You might not even notice the discordant ambience while you’re desperately pulling off a death-defying series of jumps, but now and then you’ll sit back and soak it all up and appreciate that palpable effort has gone into making it the best game it could be…
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Jeux Video
“…The compositions are beautiful, limpid, adapt to the situations and the resumptions of the original topics are intelligent, respectful while offering more exotic variations… (translation from french)
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Computer and Video Games
“…For all intents and purposes this is a new Tomb Raider game. Even if you played the original several times, chances are you won’t remember its structure. You should remember its theme music though and I was glad it greeted me in the menu, albeit in a re-imagined state of course…”
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Pro-Gamer
“…The music fits the game perfectly, and numerous sounds will bring back memories of the original adventure…”
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Trusted Reviews
“…It’s a perfect mix of nostalgia and new thinking. Think of it like a fantastic cover version: the iconic lyrics and the central melody haven’t changed, but the sound and the harmonies are different, exciting and intriguing…”
Read the whole review here
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Tomb Raider Chronicles
“…But a review cannot convey Troels Folmann’s part in all of this. His score simply amplifies the challenge to dizzying heights, and first time round we simply sat there stunned, eyeballs glazed, hearts thumping hard and hands involuntarily twitching on the mouse as we tried to defeat him. We got the scaly bugger second time round… BAFTA Award-winning composer Troels Folmann has once again infused Anniversary with the same magic present in Tomb Raider Legend, perfectly encapsulating each moment as it unfolds during game-play. From the playful accompaniments around Croft Manor to the overwhelming assault during the battle with T-Rex and the final conflict with Natla, Troels has once again scored an incredible soundtrack and I wouldn’t be surprised if he taps another BAFTA for his contribution to the overall success of Anniversary…”
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Ace Games
“… The first thing I recognised was the opening music in all its glory. Of course, the music has been given a little bit of a Twenty-First Century spruce up, but nothing major enough to distract you from the familiar, heart warming sounds. And another familiar sound is the sound of the wolf, howling in the tombs…”
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Game Zone
“… As for the games sound, Anniversary has a great soundtrack that still manages to make you feel like you’re playing an epic adventure. With a sweeping score that plays well throughout the game, its the sound effects that add something new to exploration…”
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Play Magazine
“… Music and sound effects play an integral part to achieving the atmosphere and isolation in Anniversary. Lara often is left is relative silence whilst she raids her way towards her objective. Events in the game often trigger some music. Whether thats encountering the occasional enemy or compounding the effect of entering a new area of the level for the first time. This is incredibly effective and the sparing use of music definitely means less is more in this case. This serves well to ensure you feel it’s just Lara and a bit of disgruntled wildlife on each level…”
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GWM
“… Unlike most games, the music and sounds here are kept to a minimum; when traversing environments, players will only hear nominal effects through environmental objects such as water. However, when players are engaged in combat, the music shifts into high gear; this prompts a sense of urgency from the player and goes a long way towards maintaining interest in the experience…”
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Total PlayStation
“… music (in classic series fashion) pipes in when first coming across a huge vista or new area is wonderful stuff, simultaneously familiar and yet new…”
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Dark Zero
“…The soundtrack is top quality, with Legend composer Troels B. Folmann returning to knock together a few tunes that all add to the epic feel of the game. If youre interested you can check out a few samples on the official site. Finally the sound effects all have some nice bass to them with the individual traps all having a unique sound to let you know what’s coming…”
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Atomic Gamer
“…The atmosphere of the original Tomb Raider was vastly different from some of the later games, and that has been reproduced in Anniversary. Here, you are alone most of the time and with a slow, brooding soundtrack, youll feel truly lost, buried in some ruins hundreds of miles from any real civilization…”
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Gamespot
“…It’s also a really great-sounding game. You’ll hear plenty of small ambient effects like animal calls and dripping water, and Laras grunts and yelps as she scales these incredible antiquities will resonate differently depending on the size of the room. Music is generally used sparingly, but it always swells to a flourish at all the right moments…”
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Boomtown
“…Beautiful soundtrack… (Audio 9/10) …”
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PC-Games
“…Ambient music and sound effects are very well implemented, with music that varies in style and origin according to the locale…”
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UGO
“…Many of us have seen the “enhanced” remakes of classic Japanese RPGs on todays portable consoles – often those have the same gameplay and story but with new sounds, music, and re-done sprite graphics. This remake goes way, way beyond that to totally revolutionize the original Tomb Raider and truly make it modern again, 10+ years later. With great gameplay, devious but doable spatially-oriented puzzles, the occasional quick action sequences, moody dynamic music, and a nearly worry-free experience on the PC…”