The Overlord DLC introduces four new pieces of music to the already large list of Mass Effect music. One might wish for more, but not when it’s this disappointingly bland. There’s not a single track in the Mass Effect trilogy that I would turn off per se, but the difference between the best and the worst is quite marked.
The slow debut, “Final Conversation,” doesn’t evoke nearly as much atmosphere as some of the pieces from the core game, despite trying. The strings and vocals are pretty, but not memorably employed here or even appropriate for the Mass Effect universe. The piece ends with melancholy trumpets that carry an almost patriotic tone. “Boss Combat” meets, but does not exceed expectations with its incessant percussion and generic melody. Another battle track, “Combat Troops,” sounds far too similar to other tracks in the series to make one pause and take notice.
The aptly named “Tension Rising” simply plays it too safe, and that seems to be the theme here. Perhaps time restrictions or a creative drought or apathy limited the effectiveness of the composer during Overlord’s development. Or perhaps this is merely what happens when Jack Wall isn’t involved. The results are sadly unimpressive regardless.
