Massive orchestral warfare scoring from Jason Graves years before Dead Space made him a household name. Rise and Fall: Civilizations at War hands you commanders like Alexander the Great and Cleopatra, and the music matches that scale blow for blow.
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"Charge of the Babylonians" layers war drums under surging string sections, while "Cleopatra Is Summoned" shifts into something more exotic with modal melodies and softer percussion. "A Hero Will Fall" carries genuine emotional weight, pulling back the bombast for something almost mournful.
Graves was clearly already thinking cinematically here, building tension and release across every track. If you want proof that great game composers don't come out of nowhere, start here.