GDC 2025 Session Viewer

This session will explore the creative process behind composer Winifred Phillips’ Grammy-nominated musical score for the video game Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord. Released in May 2024 by Digital Eclipse, the Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord video game is a remake of the 1981 game that inspired franchises like Baldur’s Gate, Dragon Quest, and Final Fantasy. The original game had no musical score, so Phillips created new music that remained faithful to the 44-year-old game. In addition to her Grammy nomination, Phillips has also won the Telly Award, two Gold NYX Game Awards, and a Global Music Award for the Wizardry score. For this project, Phillips researched Medieval and Renaissance music, both style and instrumentation. Introducing orchestral anxiety into the music of the dungeon maze helped to keep things apprehensive. Combat music in Wizardry consisted of unnerving chromaticism, gestural flourishes and broad thematic statements reinforcing the epic stakes. By combining historical research with orchestral momentum, Phillips' Grammy-nominated music for Wizardry built a culturally rich fantasy world while paying tribute to the spirit of the classic game.

Takeaway

By incorporating authentic Medieval and Renaissance influences, the musical score was able to add cultural depth to the game's setting. Attendees will get a behind-the-scenes look at the research and creative process, including notation excerpts illustrating the recurring themes found throughout this award-winning score.

Intended Audience

This talk is intended for composers with an interest in using the tools of music history to add cultural depth and richness to a game's fictional world. A basic understanding of music theory is helpful, but not required.