Games
It can make or break a game. Here's our favourites
There are many components that go into great games that make them memorable. Sometimes, it’s the characters and the stories they tell us. Other times, it’s the beautiful and mesmerising worlds we find ourselves in that we can get lost in forever. Most times, however, there’s a common denominator- and that’s a damn good soundtrack. Here’s our take on the best video game soundtracks to have ever graced our ears.
Journey
We’re starting this list off in the best possible way, and that’s with the indie masterpiece that is Journey. The game has you travelling through a desert as a small robed figure, meeting other players along the way and interacting with one another through sounds and chimes in-game. That’s the beauty of Journey- the game has no dialogue, instead relying on music to draw out emotions and carry you through this little adventure. The soundtrack, composed by Austin Wintory, complements the game’s art and visual style perfectly- and if you don’t believe us, then perhaps the fact that it was the first game to be nominated for a Grammy will convince you. A must-play on all fronts, this is one you’ll definitely want to experience first-hand.
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Probably the most surprising entry on this list, but absolutely no less deserving. Naughty Dog struck gold with the Uncharted series, starting back in 2007- it filled the Lara Croft-shaped hole in many of our hearts while giving us even more than we had hoped for, setting up one of the greatest action-adventure series we’ve ever seen. That wouldn’t be quite the same if it weren’t for the soundtrack though. Most fans can recall the moment of booting up the game for the first time and hearing the timeless menu music kick in, a perfect set-up for the journey to come. It inspired a sense of adventure in us, and really helped put us in the shoes of Nathan Drake and all of the crazy escapades he found himself in. Furthermore, the music found throughout both in and out of combat matches the spirit of the game to the tee, and definitely aided it in becoming the Game of the Year for 2009. Go on, boot up that menu music again- the nostalgia is unreal.
Final Fantasy VII
It can be hard to narrow down the Final Fantasy soundtracks to the very best, considering that each of them has a slew of loyal fans who would rally to call their favourite the very best- and you can’t argue with them. The games have reached iconic status, with there even being an orchestra who tour and perform only Final Fantasy music live. That being said, however, we’ve decided to go with the seventh instalment as our favourite. Arguably the most tragic of all Final Fantasy games, and the game that ushered in a new era on the PlayStation, Final Fantasy VII had a beautifully complementary soundtrack composed by Nobuo Uematsu which most players won’t forget. Given that music is one of the biggest triggers for nostalgia, we can guarantee that this is one that won’t easily be forgotten.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Is there anything that this game didn’t do perfectly? CDProjektRed’s 2015 magnum opus raised the bar for every game that came after it, delivering near-flawlessness on every aspect it offered. One of the shining stars for sure was the soundtrack, created by Polish composer Marcin Przybyłowicz. It managed to truly capture the feeling of the game, utilising classic Polish instrumentation to convey the old-world settings as you played through them. You were always aware of what was happening around you by how well the music complemented the actions of Geralt, speeding up during tense battled and mellowing out during those long treks through the wilderness. Even more impressive was how well it brought out emotion during some particularly intense storylines (such as that with The Bloody Baron). While The Witcher trilogy is done for, we can’t wait to hear what CDProjectRed manage to come up with for Cyberpunk2077 and beyond.
Halo 2
Halo is undoubtedly most known for its anthemic, choir-chanting theme which was introduced with the first game Halo: Combat Evolved. While definitely iconic, there was something memorable about the shredding goodness of Halo 2’s theme music. Utilising a different approach with guitars this time around, Bungie manage to secure the talents of legendary guitarist Steve Vai to compose the theme song, and it really paid off. It doesn’t end there though- the ambience as one plays through the campaign also proved to be memorable, with some very touching moments amplified by the choice of music. So while it maybe true that fans with have their favourites, there’s no doubt that this starting up the game and hearing that theme made you pumped up to go out and save the world one more time.
We know there’s a lot of other deserving choices for this list, but we couldn’t include them all! If you haven’t heard some of these, why not go check them out for yourself? You’ll thank us later.
