The plot is quite fascinating. An asteroid is approaching Earth and a team of astronauts is sent up to divert it from its collision course with Earth. After completing their mission the astronauts explore the asteroid and find that it is actually an alien spacecraft that takes them across the galaxy and leaves them stranded on a dead alien world. Their new mission? To get home. Sound like the plot to a summer blockbuster? Well you half right. The Dig wasn't a movie, it was a bestselling game produced by Lucasarts, George Lucas's gaming company. The plot itself was originally an idea that Steven Spielberg wanted to see turned into a movie but at the time costs would have been astronomical to pull off the effects shown in the game.
The Dig is a fascinating interacting adventure where the player controls three different characters in their efforts to get home. The music included here by Michael Land is meant to serve as background music and as such it isn't as imposing as most soundtracks would be in a game. The Wagnerian style of the score gives it an elegance not often seen in game soundtracks. Because it is background music, there is not much in way of a central theme, but the music is coherent mainly due to the fact that it is consistent in its style.
One of the main challenges facing Michael Land was the fact that in a game such as The Dig a players actions could potentially change the mood of the scene dramatically. As such, it was necessary for it to be adaptable to the scene in question. As a whole, this unusual soundtrack has found a place in my collection simply because I am a fan of the game and the music is perfect for when I'm studying or typing away at work. It is getting harder to find but I highly recommend looking into it or the game. Both are excellent.
Total time: 40:22
1: Mission to the Asteroid (9:54)
2: Another World (3:33)
3: Ghosts (1:48)
4: The Ancient City (3:42)
5: Underwater Cavern (2:12)
6: A River Canyon (4:11)
7: The Madness of the Crystals (2:21)
8: Tomb of the Past (2:10)
9: The Monument (2:47)
10: Dimensions in Time (4:00)
11: Cathedral of the Lost (3:35)