Composed by Ben Houge, Arcanum's soundtrack features an unusual instrumentation by avoiding the predominantly symphonic orchestration common to RPG soundtracks. Instead, it is scored almost entirely for string quartet. The songs follow the conventional RPG soundtrack format: short, impressionistic vignettes which are looped in-game, with each area using different tunes, and alternative songs for combat. The soundtrack was produced by Ben Houge and Jeff Pobst, with Leonid Keylin on first violin, Kathy Stern on second violin, Vincent Comer on viola, Susan Williams on cello, Evan Buehler on marimba, and Ben Houge on djembe, rainstick and synthesiser. The game's soundtrack has been well received, and was listed amongst the 12 best video-game soundtracks of all time by Forbes in 2012.
The soundtrack, composed by Ben Houge, was not commercially released, but is available for free download (however the website that hosted the free music has been taken down so is now provided below). The sheet music is also provided.
Song Name | Download | Youtube Video |
---|---|---|
Main Theme | Arcanum Main Theme | |
Demise of the Zephyr | Arcanum Demise of the Zephyr | |
Wilderness | Arcanum Wilderness | |
Tarant | Arcanum Tarant | |
The Tarant Sewers | Arcanum Tarant Sewers | |
Caladon | Arcanum Caladon | |
Caladon Catacombs | Arcanum Caladon Catacombs-0 | |
Dungeons | Arcanum Dungeons | |
Battle at Vendigroth | Arcanum Battle at Vendigroth | |
Tulla | Arcanum Tulla-0 | |
The Isle of Despair | Arcanum Isle of Despair | |
Mines | Arcanum Mines | |
Cities | Arcanum Cities | |
Radcliffe's Commission | Arcanum Radcliffess Commission | |
The Vendigroth Wastes | Arcanum Vendigroth Wastes | |
Villages | Arcanum Villages | |
Qintarra | Arcanum Qintarra | |
The Wheel Clan | Arcanum Wheel Clan | |
The Void | Arcanum The Void | |
Kerghan's Castle | Arcanum Kerghans Castle | |
Towns | Arcanum Towns | |
Dwarven and Combat Theme | Arcanum - Dwarven and Combat Theme | |
In Memoriam (bonus track) | Arcanum Soundtrack - Ben Houge - In Memoriam |