"A soundtrack that instantly brings images."

Depending on your state of mind when you are listening to it, you may totally hate or love it. In my case, it was almost 50-50. The arrangements of "The Dig" are smooth and soothing and can put you in deep relaxation like the soundtrack of "Ecco". This soundtrack is more like a movie soundtrack than a game one. Steven Spielberg, no less, was supposed to do a movie based on the novel by Alan Foster, but the cost was too high at the time.

The track "Mission to the Asteroid" clearly states the variety of style that awaits you throughout the entire album. "Mission to the Asteroid" also introduces you to the ever-present "ambient" style that (even if this one mixes with other styles) you can always hear in the background. The track "Another World" gives the impression of Man against the unknown based on Michael Land's arrangements.

The next one down the list, "Ghosts", is a extremely interesting track on the album because of the "instruments" involved. In some way, you could compare the instruments used by the part this music plays in the game. The "Ghosts" track is accompanied by a ghost which appears in the game, the first "living" thing the characters encounter thus far. The overall childish tone of "Ghosts" really contrasts with the overall somber tone of the album.

"Underwater Cavern" is my favorite piece of the album because of the really slow and spooky tone that the piano gives to this track. "Underwater Cavern" also gives the feeling of an enclosed and dark place. "Ancient City" give the feeling of a deserted, desolate place, by its slow moving violin along with the English horn that can faintly be heard closely knitted with the violin.

Even with these brilliant features, "The Dig" soundtrack had a few tracks that didn't sound as good. For instance, "Tomb of the Past" and "The Monument" are too smooth compared to the album in general. Also, "Cathedral of the Lost" tries to give a grand finish to the album, but fails miserably in its task. However, this final track does give an okay finish to this soundtrack.

At the finish line, "The Dig" soundtrack is a good soundtrack if you like the "ambient" style. However, like every CD ever printed, this one has jewels and flaws. I also found that this soundtrack brings something new to this category of music. This soundtrack has something special; a "soundtrack that instantly brings images."

PG Editor's Comments:

Michael Land modeled "The Dig" soundtrack after a film score. His goal was to use the music to enhance the setting and mood of the game. Land wanted an "ambient and mood-setting" score with "an occasional swell of dramatic power." He was heavily inspired by the Classic German composer Wagner who incidently was a major influence for the music of Hitler's Third Reich. According to Land, "The themes reflect an interplay of the emotions of the game: the vastness of space, the dark and ominious landscape of the planet Cocytus, the magic and danger of higher realities, and ultimately the redemption of spiritual simplicity."