With the release of BioWare's Mass Effect 2 just around the corner, publisher EA has announced that the first game's lead composer, Jack Wall, will return to score the sequel. The music was one of the many excellent elements that made Mass Effect so worthwhile, and Wall's previous track record merits excitement (he also scored Jade Empire, Myst III and IV and Splinter Cell).

Wall didn't work on the original Mass Effect score alone, though, and partners Sam Hulick and David Kates make a return to Mass Effect 2 as co-composers, with newcomer Jimmy Hinson added to the team. Mass Effect 2's soundtrack will become available for download on January 19th, and the game itself will ship on January 26th in North America and on the 29th in Europe, for the PC and Xbox 360.



Tyler says: I loved the music in the first Mass Effect, but I didn't buy the soundtrack because it did not include many of my favorite tracks (mostly the ambient pieces played in menu screens). But don't let that dissuade you from supporting these composers.

If you're interesting in-game composition, I strongly suggest you check out Wall's work (he's also the guy you may have seen conducting Video Games Live). My personal favorites are the intro screen music and the theme played when you're in the C-Sec Academy of the Citadel (at the three-minute mark).
Anyone planning on picking up this soundtrack day one?