pub: La-La Land Records. 2 CDs 300 copy limited edition 120 minutes 44 tracks. Price: $19.98 (US). GBP13.37 (UK). ASIN: B005L3HL8A).

check out website: www.lalalandrecords.com

The music on this double CD, ‘Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception’, is composed by Greg Edmonson who was also responsible for writing the score to the first two ‘Uncharted’ games. The composer, who comes from Texas, has been around for some time and has lots of experience in writing music orientated towards Science Fiction. He has numerous awards to his name. While perhaps not in the same category as John Barry, who composed much of the ‘James Bond’ music, Edmonson is nevertheless a very talented musician as this CD demonstrates.



‘Uncharted’ seems to be a phenomenal success in the realms of videogames. Anyone who has played these games will be very familiar with the background music. Many will undoubtedly wish to collect everything connected to the games and this limited 3000 copy edition as the box says, will be right up their street. Apparently the CD version delivers a lot more than the digital download, almost 50 minutes extra making the full-length of the package over two hours.

There is a dynamic Arabic theme running through the score, ranging through all moods and emotions. At some points, it's quite electrifying. This orchestral music is more classical than anything else and it has a lot of depth to its quality. It is certainly a good accompaniment to the video game but it can be enjoyed on its own. In fact, you don't really need to have any experience or knowledge of the game to appreciate this and it is a piece of music in its own right, independent of anything else.

I'm not sure why this was made as a limited edition because it could surely sell well beyond the 3000 mark. Of course, it's available as digital download albeit as a restricted version. Maybe as time goes by the CD will become a coveted item. I certainly think it is a possibility that as time goes by and technology changes, leaving behind the videogame to posterity being overtaken by yet more fantastic and futuristic games, the music will live on to a more certain future.

On its own, it's likely that this music would never surface to popularity. It simply would not have a launch platform. Boosted by its reason for creation, it will go on to become an independent success in the future. If it still available on CD, I would certainly suggest it is worth purchasing, but failing that, there is always the digital download to fall back on. Of course, it has already got an advantage in that it has been well listen to by the thousands who have played the game.

Rod MacDonald