Flashpoint is the name of a reoccurring musical theme which has been used throughout the ARMA series.
Overview[]
Beginning with ArmA: Cold War Assault (then-known as Operation Flashpoint: Cold War Crisis), Flashpoint has since been remixed for every subsequent main title in the series with the exception of ArmA 2. The track was initially composed by Ondřej Matějka.[1][2] Reoccurring elements include the series' distinctive classical motif accompanied by other instruments depending on the era of the game.[3]
ArmA: Cold War Assault[]
In Cold War Assault, Flashpoint serves as the game's main theme and is used at multiple times throughout the main campaign (usually during intro cutscenes).
An alternate remix of the theme was also used for the ninth track, and is titled as Secret.
ArmA: Armed Assault[]
Black Ops is the title of Armed Assault's remixed Flashpoint. It is the sixth track and to match the series' jump into the modern era, incorporates an extended, metal-themed, two minute-long second half.
An alternate version of Black Ops is titled as Flashpoint Rearmed (the second track), and is essentially a rerecording of Cold War Assault's Secret.
ArmA 3[]
Composed by Ján Dušek[1], ArmA 3's rendition of Flashpoint is now titled as This Is War[4] and partially incorporates electronic elements to the theme to suit the near-future setting. Three altered and slightly shorter versions are used for the main menu and certain in-game sequences (suffixed as a, b and c).
This Is War has the most sub-variants of Flashpoint thus far. Remixes were made for the release of the:
- Bootcamp Update (two versions: VR Remix and VR Remix - loop)
- Helicopters DLC (Heli Remix)
- Marksmen DLC (two versions: Marksmen Remix and Marksmen Remix 2)
- Apex Expansion (four versions: Apex Remix, Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3)
- Malden DLC (two versions: Malden and Flashpoint)
- Laws of War DLC (Laws of War Remix)
- Tac-Ops DLC (Steel Pegasus)
- Tanks DLC (Tanks Remix)
To celebrate its sixth year of release, a special edition of This Is War was unveiled on September 12th, 2019.[5] It is titled as This Is War - 6th Anniversary Remix.
ARMA Reforger[]
Reforger's iteration of Flashpoint is titled as Return to Everon. Composed by Dominik Svoboda[6], the theme's use of orchestral elements matches the series' return to its original Cold War setting.[3]
Flashpoint and several of its derivatives (namely from ArmA 3) have also been re-recorded as part of the "Legacy" soundtrack. These tracks were orchestrated by Jan Vašina:
- For ArmA: Cold War Assault: Flashpoint (2022)
- For ArmA 3: This Is War (2022)
- For ArmA 3's Laws of War DLC: Laws of War (2022)
- For ArmA 3's Malden DLC: Malden (2022)
Also included as part of the "Legacy" soundtrack is Reforger (2022). The track was specifically used in the "Road to Arma 4" trailer and mixes parts of Flashpoint (ArmA: Cold War Assault), This Is War (ArmA 3), and the Reforger track from ArmA 2.
Alternate versions[]
| Game | Title | Track | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ArmA: Cold War Assault | Secret | Composed by Ondřej Matějka | |
| ArmA: Armed Assault | Flashpoint Rearmed | Composed by Ondřej Matějka | |
| ArmA 3 | Main Menu | Composed by Ján Dušek | |
| ArmA 3 | VR Remix | Composed by Ján Dušek | |
| ArmA 3 | VR Remix - loop | Composed by Ján Dušek | |
| ArmA 3 | Heli Remix | Composed by Ján Dušek | |
| ArmA 3 | Marksmen Remix | Performed by the Bohemia Band | |
| ArmA 3 | Marksmen Remix 2 | Performed by the Bohemia Band | |
| ArmA 3 | Apex Remix | Composed by Ondřej Konvička | |
| ArmA 3 | Apex Remix - Part 1 | Composed by Ondřej Konvička | |
| ArmA 3 | Apex Remix - Part 2 | Composed by Ondřej Konvička | |
| ArmA 3 | Apex Remix - Part 3 | Composed by Ondřej Konvička | |
| ArmA 3 | Malden | Composed by Varhan Orchestrovič Bauer | |
| ArmA 3 | Flashpoint | Composed by Ondřej Matějka/Varhan Orchestrovič Bauer | |
| ArmA 3 | Laws of War Remix | Composed by Ondřej Konvička | |
| ArmA 3 | Steel Pegasus | Composed by Ondřej Konvička | |
| ArmA 3 | Tanks Remix | Composed by Ondřej Konvička | |
| ArmA 3 | 6th Anniversary Remix | Composed by Erik Osvald (KeOSz) | |
| ARMA Reforger | Flashpoint (2022) | Orchestration by Jan Vašina Originally composed by Ondřej Matějka | |
| ARMA Reforger | This Is War (2022) | Orchestration by Jan Vašina Originally composed by Ján Dušek | |
| ARMA Reforger | Laws of War (2022) | Orchestration by Jan Vašina Originally composed by Ondřej Konvička | |
| ARMA Reforger | Malden (2022) | Orchestration by Jan Vašina Originally composed by Varhan Orchestrovič Bauer/Ondřej Matějka | |
| ARMA Reforger | Reforger (2022) | Orchestration by Jan Vašina Originally composed by Ondřej Matějka |
Video[]
Trivia[]
- In ArmA 3's Old Man mini-campaign/scenario, various remixes of This Is War and Flashpoint can be listened to on vehicle radios.
- Piano props in Reforger provide the user with the option to "play" a version of This Is War.
- Cold War Assault's Flashpoint is featured as one of the playable music tracks in Take On Helicopters, a flight simulator title released by Bohemia Interactive.
- As of December 2023, ArmA 3's iteration of Flashpoint (This Is War) was the most popular version of the theme. At the time, it had over one million plays on Spotify.[3]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Bohemia Interactive a.s., 2014, REPORT IN: JAN DUSEK - AUDIO, Arma 3, viewed 11 October 2023, <https://arma3.com/news/report-in-jan-dusek-audio>.
- ↑ Bohemia Interactive a.s., 2023, Audio Design, Sound Engine, and Soundtrack | Discussions with Jan Dušek, Twitch [Online Video], viewed 20 April 2023, <https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1797930598>.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Bohemia Interactive a.s., 2023, Arma Reforger: Making of the Soundtrack, 23 December, viewed 23 December 2023, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPIGJATr4u4>.
- ↑ Valve Corporation 2013, Arma 3 Soundtrack, Steam, viewed 11 October 2023, <https://store.steampowered.com/app/249860/Arma_3_Soundtrack/>.
- ↑ Bohemia Interactive a.s., 2019, HAPPY BIRTHDAY ARMA 3, Arma 3, viewed 14 September 2019, <https://arma3.com/news/happy-birthday-arma-3>.
- ↑ Valve Corporation 2022, Arma Reforger Soundtrack, Steam, viewed 11 October 2023, <https://store.steampowered.com/app/1982980/Arma_Reforger_Soundtrack/>.