Back catalogue: Classical

Review: Are video games the ultimate 21st Century culture form? It's a bold statement, but stick with it for a second. The past 100 years were defined, in pop terms at least, by two specific creative industries - music and cinema. Today, elements of both are cornerstones of what makes a fantastic playable story, the current pinnacle of an industry's journey from den of geek to den of cool, with releases such as the PlayStation 4 and 5 title Horizon: Forbidden West bringing in numbers other mediums can only dream of in the post-pandemic age of empty movie theatres, free streaming, and concert no-shows. Shifting no less than eight million copies in its first 12 months on sale, the release was praised for technical developments, combat action, acting, and visual beauty. The tunes aren't bad either. Setting the scene in a post-apocalyptic vision of the American West, several years in the future from now, it's a cunning mix of organic, folk-like elements with ambient and classical, and it's well worth a listen even if you've never picked up a control pad in your life.