Top 10 Video Game Soundtracks Of All Time
10: Silent Hill Origins
While most Silent Hill soundtracks are a series of intense noise experiments broken up by the occasional piano piece or weighty rock song, Silent Hill Origins stands out amongst the others. As you play the game (which is just as strong, if not stronger than any mainline series entry) you start to realise that almost every track carries the plodding forward momentum of a trip-hop beat. Akira Yamaoka has crafted an album’s worth of tracks here that easily stand on their own merit, more so than any of his previous work due to the use of more traditional musical structure and focus on percussive instrumentation with rhythmical layers that compel the listener to nod their heads in a trance. Nevertheless, the music of Silent Hill Origins still maintains that classic, creepy atmosphere that fans expect of the series.
9: Undertale
Undertale is a homage to so many things, not least of all via its music which utilises a combination of both nostalgic 8-bit sounds and modern orchestral samples. But where it really stands on its own is its absolute hailstorm of quirky, catchy, memorable melodies. Expertly crafting leitmotif, Toby Fox has composed a staggering amount of tracks that cover the huge range of emotion necessary to compliment the heartfelt story of Undertale. Several times, after being lulled into a sense of calm and relaxation, you’re hit in the gut with some of the most epic boss battle music ever created. This soundtrack will have you tingling with goosebumps and possibly even bring a tear to your eye. It’s an integral part of the excellent vision Toby Fox had for Undertale.
8: Tenchu: Wrath Of Heaven
Being the first in the series to appear on the PS2, Tenchu 3 was naturally a more ambitious project than its predecessors, with a presentation as slick as an Azuma Ninja’s blade. Noriyuki Asukura composed the music for the first 3 Tenchu games and the high production values can be heard in the music too. Asukura achieved this by refining ideas from previous games upon each installment, you can hear many re-used melodies, though the structures are more interesting and the instrumentation more varied in Tenchu 3. The gorgeous combination of traditional Japanese instruments and modern synths layered by thick delay effects is often eerie and dripping with atmosphere, perfect for a stealth game. The soundtrack is also epic when it needs to be, once stealth is broken and it’s time for a grueling boss battle, Asukura kicks it up a notch with some incredibly memorable melodies, contributing to the enjoyment of these fights immensely.
7: Metal Gear Solid 3
The music in the previous two entries in this series come very close to Snake Eater in terms of quality. Both Tappy and Harry Gregson Williams’ interpretation of Metal Gear Solid 1’s soundtrack are equally enjoyable in their own rights due to slight stylistic differences. With Metal Gear Solid 2, Harry Gregson Williams expanded on some of the motifs, especially the main theme, with his own equally iconic ideas which have become staple….(at least until MGS4 ruined everything.) So what makes MGS3’s soundtrack stand out? Well, the same thing that makes it stand out in general: EVERYTHING! The cold war era spy theme bleeds through to every aspect of the game including its soundtrack and while it may seem cheesy to some, the twangy guitar and generous helpings of flutter tongue stings coming from the wind section are perfect to put you in the mindset of Naked Snake. Then there's one of the most emotional pieces of music ever composed 'debriefing' which comes at the epic conclusion of the game. Many have been moved to tears by it and it moves an already iconic moment in MGS to legendary status. Few games are as immersive as MGS3 and the soundtrack is a huge part of that experience.
6: Spyro the Dragon
Perhaps the most instantly recognisable game soundtrack in the world, Spyro the Dragon’s music is practically a genre of its own. Don’t believe me? Check out my mate’s in-depth analysis where he even figures out a Spyro ‘formula’ and composes his own track that would fit right in with this universe of colourful dragons and dragonflies. Stewart Copeland’s barrage of polyrhythmic percussion and ever-moving melodies bring the quirky themes of each individual level in Spyro the Dragon to life in a way that possibly no other game has for their own worlds. While Spyro 2’s smattering of more ambient tracks slow the pace occasionally, the original Spyro does not have a single track that doesn’t supercharge the experience.
5: Banished
Banished is a game of beautiful simplicity, though the graphics are quite bland compared to the latest blockbuster titles, Banished still manages to give me goosebumps with its swirling snowstorms, roaming wildlife and medieval village ambiance. The exact same can be said of its music. One of the most interesting aspects of the game is helping your villagers survive the cold each winter and indeed, the soundtrack itself has a distinctly ‘chilly’ feel to it. There’s one track in particular that literally sounds like a snowstorm, don’t ask me how, but every so often the beginning of this track will coincide perfectly with an outbreak of winter snow and that’s why this game is simply magical.
4: Jade Cocoon
Most of the soundtracks on this list make the spot because they compliment the tone of the game perfectly. Jade Cocoon is a tricky one because it’s not your typical JRPG by a long shot. The whimsical aspects found in most of Jade Cocoon’s contemporaries soon give way to sadness, helplessness and hostility as protagonist Levant inches his way through this world of uncharted dense forests and none too welcoming wildlife. Kimitaka Matsumae’s use of intense soundscapes covered with intriguing percussive instrumentation sends constant chills down my spine and the counterpoint in the main theme is the perfect blend of sadness and hopefulness for Jade Cocoon’s gripping story. Matsumae only has a few credits to his name as a composer, but it’s a name that always pops into my head when I think of the most affecting soundtracks in gaming.
3: Divine Divinity
Having only recently played Divine Divinity, this archaic CRPG from 2002, my appreciation for older games has become even stronger, not least in part for its fantastic score by Kirill Pokrovsky. The reverberous strings and eerie vocal chants made the land of Rivellon feel absolutely massive! The taverns are full of life, the caverns are full of...well, the undead mainly, and the music brings it all together. The soundtrack is also quite expansive, 44 tracks covering the various areas of the game which at first seems like a simple Diablo clone but like the soundtrack evolves and changes as the player journeys through forests, snowfields, deserts and volcanic wasteland. My favourite track ‘Sighs of the Elvenkind’ features a lush harp arpeggio gently moving the track forward. Drawn out cymbal swells lull you into each of the flowing motifs. On top of it all, there’s the gorgeous combination of male and female vocals that really embodies the title of the track with intermittent whispers trailing off into silence. At the point of hearing it, I remember exclaiming out loud that this soundtrack is simply one of the best things in existence.
2: Chrono Trigger
Yasunori Mutsuda’s work on Chrono Trigger brings out the wealth of emotion in the game more than most modern games do, using only the sound chip of a SNES. This is one epic journey and each melody in Chrono Trigger is set to match that journey every step of the way. Many of the pieces such as ‘Tyran Castle’ and the battle theme have a distinctly prog-rock feel which is quite an achievement, along the lines of the Earthbound composers’ attempts at recreating different musical genres with Nintendo sound chips. I think the stand out thing about Chrono Trigger’s music though, is the character themes that are as diverse and entertaining as these amazing characters are themselves. Frog’s Theme is, of course, a fan favourite and this also embodies the feeling of the soundtrack as a whole. This is classic JRPG music at its absolute finest.
1: Final Fantasy VIII
Nobuo Uematsu is the guy that got me into music, so naturally, this was a hard pick as he has done so much and each Final Fantasy in particular has a soundtrack tailor-made for the themes and atmosphere of the games. For me though, Final Fantasy VIII has just that bit more going for it, perhaps because there’s a lot more urgency in a lot of the tracks like ‘The Landing’ and ‘The Stage Is Set’ that not only compliment the military or mercenary feel of the game (a much-needed boon to your suspension of disbelief) but these also both appear in my favourite part of the game side by side when the two Gardens clash. But then there’s a lot of incredibly chilled pieces too. Fisherman’s Horizon is one of my favourites, it characterises the innocence of the people of the town who are shut off from the rest of the world in their idyllic safe haven. Perhaps the epic opening and Liberi Fatali is what sets it apart, undoubtedly one of Uematsu’s best pieces and his first foray into both choral and orchestral composition. The thing is, this soundtrack is gargantuan. There are far too many amazing tracks to mention but I think what they all have in common, and what makes this my favourite soundtrack of all time, are the counter melodies that constantly play off of each other and keep each track moving forward. You can find it in ‘Blue Fields’ with the interaction between the pizzicato strings, percussion and woodwind. As one melody ends, another is usually beginning. Of course, it stands to reason that I would choose ‘Shuffle or Boogie’ as the namesake of this video series. Without a doubt, I can say that Final Fantasy VIII is my favourite video game soundtrack of all time.
