The answer, according to Petri Alanko – the soundsmith behind Alan Wake and more recently Quantum Break – is simple; there isn’t one.
In the case of Quantum Break, that’s a world of time-hopping action, morally grey characters, and tough choices.
He says his approach to creating a score that’s both moving and technically fit-for-purpose and isn’t too dissimilar from creating a culinary masterpiece.
For Alanko, a great score should serve as a musical bridge between a player, the characters, and the world they inhabit.