I can’t say that Eldevin has ever risen very high on my MMO radar, but over the past year or so I’ve noticed that it has cropped up more and more often when people have asked for underrated games to recommend. It’s basically a generic — if full-featured — browser-based MMO that has a common DNA ancestor in RuneScape.
The other day I did spend a few hours playing it, and from there I spent more time seeking out the soundtrack to see if it is worth a listen. While there are very few tracks available, the ones that I heard all rated highly on a scale of “pretty good” to “quite memorable indeed.” It definitely sounds far better than this game looks, which can’t help but brush up its overall image.
Let us take a journey to the fairy-drenched lands of Eldevin, where the middle ages have never gone out of style, and give this score a listen today. As always, let me know your own impressions of these pieces in the comments below!
“Main Theme”
After a somewhat melancholy opening, Eldevin’s main theme bursts out into a stirring and triumphant theme that might well be repurposed for some action movie trailer. There’s a couple of nice interludes with the violin and piano that give our ears a break before the theme charges right back at us. Surprisingly good stuff that gives me hope for the rest of these tracks.
“Starting Town”
I’m a huge sucker for the tranquil and homey sounds of starter areas, and this track does that sort of thing quite well. It’s suitably quiet, with a flute taking us through the paces as we get to know this world. I think that these slow-paced pieces are underrated in how effective they can be in drawing us into virtual worlds like this. No need to have battle horns blaring when we’re trying to get the lay of the land.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVYoTfarRHs
“Forest of Adera”
Seriously, how does this soundtrack have something this good in it? This piece is another one of those cinema-worthy themes that sways and dances to its own rhythm. It puts in mind the season of autumn, with the last glory of the trees giving their all before it all falls down. A lovely track that delivers a rich, substantive experience.
“Othalo”
More quite and ominous than any other track we’ve listened to thus far, Othalo takes us to a more uncertain space. There’s still some beauty, thanks to the dulcimer’s crisp notes, but underneath it all is a hesitancy to commit to either joy or despair. I found it quite calming and a perfect background track that could play for hours without my conscious really registering it.
“The Vault”
Blaring and crashing all over the place, The Vault is most definitely an action piece that attempts to create a sense of urgency and motion. I say “attempts” because I am on the fence as to whether this is too noisy and busy for its own good.
“Glacial Plains Xmas”
If you like those kinds of emotion-drenched piano tracks, this one may suit you. It may have nothing noticeable to do with Christmas music, but the ever-flowing nature of this piece is enjoyable and uplifting. In moderate doses, I can really get into a track like this, especially if I was exploring a visually appealing terrain to match.
MMOs are meant to be heard as well as seen, and chances are that music ties your memories to these games more than you might realize. Every two weeks Jukebox Heroes listens through a game soundtrack and picks out the highlights to share and discuss. And if you like this column, then don’t miss the author’s MMO music podcast, Battle Bards!
