There are shades of sci-fi in tracks like “Forgotten” and “Out of Service”, the latter veering into psychological horror territory. When you tune in to it, the OST is markedly eclectic. The coarsely mystic undertones remain, but they are overlaid with thematic motifs consistent with the game’s story. Whereas the nature of Morgan’s music seems synonymous with that of the Wasteland, Zur’s work explores humanity’s place within it. Talking to IGN in 2008, Zur said he was ‘going for more of the psychological effects rather than describing what’s going on on the screen.’ The soundtrack is generally ambient in nature, but it has an edge that colours the in-game experience. The soundtrack explores the human potential of the Capital Wasteland: the likely thoughts, fears, and responses of the player. A major strength of the game is that it crafts a kind of psychological ambience around its players. The ‘feel’ of Fallout 3 is a commonly cited appeal. Morgan’s music feels like an ode to the Wasteland itself in Fallout 3, Zur uses those ethnic/industrial components to explore the player’s place in it. There is something mystical about them, suggestive of a newly discovered planet - vast, hostile, untameable. Mark Morgan, who composed for Fallout and Fallout 2, said that, ‘The challenge to me was to blend a kind of odd ethnic and industrial sound design into something not only musical, but emotional.’ This is clear to hear if you listen through his two soundtracks. Not everyone likes where it wandered after its acquisition by Bethesda, but the continuity in soundtracks between 2 and 3 is unmistakable. Fallout 3, obviously, exists in the context of the Fallout franchise. To fully understand the game’s soundtrack, you need to look where it came from. Composer Inon Zur’s ambient work, juxtaposed with the warm, crackling tunes of Galaxy News Radio, provided the perfect accompaniment to the fresh, terrifying possibilities of the Wasteland.
Inheriting the legacy of an acquired franchise, yet announcing itself to millions of console players, Fallout 3’s soundtrack is crucial to both the game’s atmosphere and its lasting impact.
Generally - though not quite universally - adored, the game occupies a peculiar space between continuity and innovation. Last modified 8 World On Fire: the Music of ‘Fallout 3’ From Galaxy News Radio to the old-school homages of Inon Zur's ambient soundtrack, Fallout 3 owes much of its brilliance to its musicįallout 3 is a unique beast, something taken for granted sometimes.
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