Crusader | The Ruins of Greed, 2023 | Animated short film, Mondlicht Studios

TheCGBros Presents “Crusader | The Ruins of Greed“ by Mondlicht Studios Music is a vital aspect in any visual creation, including computer games and game cinematics, as it helps to set the tone and mood of the work. In computer games, music plays a special role by enhancing player immersion into the game world and augmenting their emotional response to the events in the game. One of the most famous and recognizable game soundtracks is from the game Skyrim, composed by Jeremy Soule. The soundtrack is characterized by its powerful and dark sound, incorporating strong baritone lines and a dark orchestra, which results in an intense emotional tension. Dmitry Romanovich, a composer who creates music for cinematics, was inspired by Soule’s composition “Tundra“ and wrote the track “Cold Inside.“ The track is cold, epic, and oppressive and creates an atmosphere of danger. The music was created based on atmospheric sounds, such as wind and mystical ambient, and is an integral part of the track’s success. When the Ilya Nodia heard the track, he immediately envisioned a scene from Skyrim, with a protagonist exploring a snowy area in search of a chest but facing a strong opponent and losing. With the help of Unreal Engine and custom animations, Mondlicht team was able to bring this vision to life in a short fan video. It’s incredible to see how one music track can evoke such vivid visual associations and a story in the mind. The music and visual elements work together to create an unforgettable gaming experience, making it clear that music plays a crucial role in the success of any visual work. But that’s not all that makes this video special. Mondlicht Studios also incorporated mocap animations created in collaboration with Victor Manin from Anvil Frame. The team absolutely loves how these animations are able to enhance and speed up character movements, and plans to implement them more and more in future projects.