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What the hell is going on with the Killzone: Shadow Fall soundtrack?

I didn't really like Killzone SF all that much, but it had its moments. Specifically, it had a killer soundtrack from Lorn, a music producer I'm pretty fond of. He makes spooky electronic dance music, and it turns out he was a pretty incredible fit for a shooter. Most of the moments in Shadow Fall that really impressed me were underscored by his music.

I unfortunately didn't preorder the CE of KZ:SF, so I missed out on the soundtrack as a bonus. No biggie, I thought. I can wait until they release the retail/MP3 version. Here we are, several months later, without anything. I decide to do some research. Even Lorn doesn't know why it's not out:

X6FN1ne.png


This is in December, which is already well after the projected release date for the soundtrack. Weirdly enough, the soundtrack isn't even available to people who preordered the game yet. A post on the Killzone blog blames a problem with PS4 updates, and provides a "sampler" of two backing tracks that (to my ear, at least) aren't from Lorn but another composer who worked on some of the other music in the game.

Due to the delay of a required update for PS4, we are currently unable to distribute Shadow Fall's soundtrack to everyone who pre-ordered the Shadow Pack. Rest assured, the update will be coming shortly and everyone who redeemed their voucher will receive a copy of the OST as soon as the update has arrived.

Wait... what?

Apparently the soundtrack was finally deployed to people who preordered the game, with zero fanfare, after a recent PS4 update. Hooray, right? One step closer to a release I can purchase! Only no, not really, because you apparently have to listen to the OST through Killzone. Not only is this mondo lame, but I'm also not really sure if this is what anyone expected, wanted, or were even warned about when preorder bonuses were originally listed.

So what gives? Is there some dispute between Sony and Ninja Tune (Lorn's label)? Save me, video game journalism, I really want to listen to this jam properly arranged and not as part of some bootleg youtube video of someone standing still to record.
 

Quote

Member
Thats weird. It's really good. I didn't notice how great it was till about half way through then when I put headphones on. It has taught me that i've probably missed a lot of soundtrack due to shitty TV sound.
 

RoboPlato

I'd be in the dick
I totally forgot about this. You have to listen to it through SF? Is that some work around for the lack of MP3 support? So odd
 
Wait, so they actually did release it to pre-order folks? Or was this pre-emptive "it should be here soon" talk that never panned out. I'll have to look when I get home.
 
Yeah, it thought it was me, but Killzone: SF had an impressive soundtrack. Really set the mood/atmosphere and sounded unique compared to so many other games I thought.
 
Wait, so they actually did release it to pre-order folks? Or was this pre-emptive "it should be here soon" talk that never panned out. I'll have to look when I get home.

Granted, it's just over a soundtrack that most people who preordered didn't really care about, but it just seems strange to have one of the advertised deliverables bungled so badly without anyone pointing it out.
 
It's out as a dedicated app for the PS4, as of a few weeks/month ago or so.

Kind of sucks that you don't get the MP3 or any type of lossless files, but it's there for people who preordered and got the Shadowpack preorder bonus. Gotta go to the PS Store, navigate to the Games section, go to Killzone: SF, and then Extras. It's there.
 
It's out as a dedicated app for the PS4, as of a few weeks/month ago or so.

Kind of sucks that you don't get the MP3 or any type of lossless files, but it's there for people who preordered and got the Shadowpack preorder bonus. Gotta go to the PS Store, navigate to the Games section, go to Killzone: SF, and then Extras. It's there.

Yeah, I covered that in the OP. Although it being a separate app is even sillier.
 
It's out as a dedicated app for the PS4, as of a few weeks/month ago or so.

Kind of sucks that you don't get the MP3 or any type of lossless files, but it's there for people who preordered and got the Shadowpack preorder bonus. Gotta go to the PS Store, navigate to the Games section, go to Killzone: SF, and then Extras. It's there.

Thanks, that's bonkers. They should have at least sent a message directly to customers waiting for it. I hope they consider releasing it on its own for everyone else, but sounds unlikely at this point.
 

sector4

Member
Will check when I get home, the soundtrack to this was easily the best part of the game, and I was waiting to hear about when we'd get it. Though this isn't how I wanted it...
 

Famassu

Member
Well, to be frank, it's not surprising. The way Sony handled digital OSTs on PS3 was awful as well, though you did end up with mp3s.
 
Wow, that was super buried in the PS Store. Why it doesn't show up in the related goodies on the home menu is beyond me.
 
Best game soundtrack of 2013 and one of the best ever, imo.
This. The sad part is practically nobody has heard it except for the few that own a copy of the game. In a year full of amazing OSTs, this one still found a way to stand out from the rest. It reminds me of the Max Payne 3 OST so much, but with space Nazis. Really hope they release it soon so I can buy it.
 

PAULINK

I microwave steaks.
Damn, from what I've played of the story, I had a really low opinion of the "music". Maybe it gets better.
 

sector4

Member
Well, to be frank, it's not surprising. The way Sony handled digital OSTs on PS3 was awful as well, though you did end up with mp3s.
I only got digital soundtracks for David Cage games (Heavy Rain and Beyond), but they were pretty good. The just ended up in your music section of the XMB, and you could copy them to a USB HDD.
 
yeah, this app thing is pretty dumb. Guess I'm either stuck listening to it on my PS4 or using the headphone out on the controller to record each track manually.
 

coolasj19

Why are you reading my tag instead of the title of my post?
Is this supposed to be free? Because I just downloaded it for free. And it's super ultra buried. And it's downloading at an insane 3ish megabytes a second for me. It's insane because my Internet isn't that kind of good.
 

Famassu

Member
I only got digital soundtracks for David Cage games (Heavy Rain and Beyond), but they were pretty good. The just ended up in your music section of the XMB, and you could copy them to a USB HDD.
Sure, but finding and downloading and then "extracting" the OSTs was a very cumbersome process, especially in the new PS Store.
 

GoaThief

Member
I've been lazy and not looked up who did the soundtrack despite thinking it's the best I've heard in a while along with AC4, it all becomes clear.

I wouldn't call it spooky though, definitely post Breakcore fallout. I'll be buying once the respective companies sort it all out. Sony usually gel well with indie labels, the God tier Planet Mu artists have a fair shake on Music Unlimited for example.
I honestly thought it was okay at best. A Realm Reborn takes soundtrack of 2013 for me. Square-Enix always has the best music in it's games.
Yuck. :p

Trite pop cheese fests.
 

Rainy Dog

Member
I thought the soundtrack was incredible too. I enjoyed just making slow prgress through much of the game when nothing was really happening just absorbing the visuals and music. It was often kind of at odds with the setting as well, which somehow made it even more effective for me.

Didn't realise it was by a Ninja Tune artist, though. Hats off to Sony/Guerilla for knowing their stuff. I'll have to get his own material checked out.
 

Rndm

Member
Every once in a while I check back to see if anything has happened, but still nothing; it's a shame.

Also, why does Sony want to distribute it through the PS Store so hard? And then they've always been just MP3s with 256kbps, not even AACs that Sony used to push so hard..

Isn't there a way for Sony to just send every user who redeemed the code for the Shadow Pack a mail with a link and a code to download the OST from a website? Many other games did that too and I really don't know why Sony just doesn't do that because it prevents them from releasing it commercially as well.

And well, if they ever decide to release it commercially on iTunes or CD, I'll definitely dl that as well; I just hate these MP3s so much.


Edit: Really starting to think that something went totally wrong and I have no idea if it's because PS4 doesn't support music files yet or because the can't get it on the store. But I don't really think it has to do with Ninja Tune. Lorn and his label had a contract with Sony, so why would Ninja Tune then have anything to do with the distribution of the OST? It was clear that Sony was doing one anyways and that stuff is resolved ahead of the collaboration. BTW I was really impressed by the soundtrack, loved the electronic feel a lot and I was even more impressed when I found out that Lorn was partly responsible. Cherry Moon is still among my top songs somewhere (heard it first in GT5 and then DiRT 3 (which had great music in it)).
 

Melchiah

Member
Loved the soundtrack. Hopefully it'll be released eventually in a form that can be played on a stereo, as I never listen to music via a console.
 
Thats weird. It's really good. I didn't notice how great it was till about half way through then when I put headphones on. It has taught me that i've probably missed a lot of soundtrack due to shitty TV sound.
You miss a lot of great audio in games through TV speakers, not just music.
 

Dibbz

Member
The Shadow Fall soundtrack was amazing. I'm guessing it plays through the game since the PS4 doesn't have MP3 playback yet.
 

Dahaka

Member
Thats weird. It's really good. I didn't notice how great it was till about half way through then when I put headphones on. It has taught me that i've probably missed a lot of soundtrack due to shitty TV sound.

:O Never use your TV Sound again. Get stereo speakers or good headphones at least. Anything good will survive the PS5 as well. Easily.
 

Waveset

Member
Love Lorn but don't have a PS4.
Would be nice to be able to pick up the soundtrack separately. Ubisoft done good with Amon Tobin's music for Splinter Cell and released it on DVD-Audio.
 

GoaThief

Member
Reviving this thread.

I don't even see it on the PS4 Store?

What the hell Sony?!
Good question, forgot about this.

Also as I didn't reply last time;

Do you have a problem with these two tracks, son?

No problem with them, no. I just wouldn't listen to them outside of this thread as I am of the opinion that they're not very good.

So you haven't played the game I see.
I don't see the need to play them. Why should it matter so much, enlighten me please?
 
6 months. Half a year. It's been 6 months since the game launched, and still nothing about being able to download the soundtrack without having the preorder code. Why?
 
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