Composer Jack Wall has discussed why he failed to return for Mass Effect 3 having created the much-loved music for the first two games in the series.
Wall worked with developer BioWare to create the 80s sci-fi music-styled soundtracks for Mass Effect, released in 2007, and its sequel, 2010’s Mass Effect 2. Mass Effect 2 in particular is often cited as one of the greatest action role-playing games ever made, and Wall’s soundtrack, which includes the rousing ‘Suicide Mission,’ is considered a series high-point by fans.
But Wall failed to return for 2012’s Mass Effect 3, which came as a shock to fans. Now, in a new interview with The Guardian, Wall discussed why, pointing to a falling out with then Mass Effect development chief Casey Hudson.
“Casey was not particularly happy with me at the end,” Wall said. “But I’m so proud of that score. It got nominated for a Bafta, and it did really well … [even if] it didn’t go as well as Casey wanted.”
The Guardian suggested a “creative tension” between Wall and Hudson, but Wall remained vague. “Fallouts like that happen, it’s just part of the deal,” he added. “It’s one of the few times in my career that’s happened, and it was a tough time, but it is what it is.”
Wall did, however, go into a bit more detail on the challenges he and BioWare faced getting Mass Effect 2 out the door and Suicide Mission into the finished product, which may provide some insight into Wall and Hudson’s relationship at the end of the project.
“It was the biggest mind-f***ing thing I’ve ever done in my entire life,” Wall said. “And there was no one available to walk me through it, because they were all freaking out trying to finish the game. I handed it in, and they had to do a lot of massaging on their end in order to get it to work, but they did it… and the result is still one of the best ending sequences to a game that I’ve ever played. It was worth all that effort.”
After Mass Effect 2, Wall went on to make music for Call of Duty games, most recently composing the soundtrack for Black Ops 6. BioWare, meanwhile, is currently working on the next Mass Effect game following the release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard. BioWare is yet to announce the composer.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at [email protected] or confidentially at [email protected].
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