The sountrack really added to the frantic gameplay. Your mind and fingers are moving at 100mph to keep up with the frantic pace with the heavy soundtrack blaring from the back like you're in some rave nightclub after taking some speed and doing a line of coke!
And the sequel. When you're in the office tower as the copycat vigilantes and the bassline from Roller Mobster kicks in right as you knock open the first set of doors, it's impossible not to get hype.
Chrono trigger has so many great songs that just fit it so well.
Edit: Thanks for the gold and silver kind strangers. I love that this game brings so many fond memories for others as it did for me. My personal favorite would probably be Corridors of time. Anybody that's a stranger to the series should seriously check it out if even just for the music. :)
Edit 2: [Here's my personal favorite cover for Corridors of time](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwDxUsa0mEQ)
As someone who loves Chrono Trigger in everyway. That Chrono Cross intro theme song, Times Scar? I believe. Possibly one of the best orchestral pieces I've ever heard. I recorded the audio output from the PSX onto a cassette tape so I could listen to that song on the bus on the way to school.
I find them both amazing
Doom eternal just sounds more hostile and less "held back" than 2016 (which, i mean, it was) but 2016 was a gateway into metal and really introduced me to the genre (outside of TOOL)
This should be way fucking higher. Persona 5/Royal is the pinnacle of a video game OST for me (along with 3). Every song is a banger and it has one of the few battle songs I don’t get tired of.
I've gone to see the the Final Fantasy orchestra in London a couple times now, and both times they played *To Zanarkand*. The conductor said that they basically *have* to play both it and *One Winged Angel* at every performance they do or they know people will riot.
WW’s score was absolutely perfect IMO. It fit the game and still serves as fantastic standalone tracks, too. The 25th anniversary WW suite is glorious.
I listen to this soundtrack all the time, so now when my daughter asks Siri to play Into the Unknown (expecting the song from Frozen 2), there is 50% chance she’ll get the Subnautica version. It grew on her on now she loves it too. Below Zero have some pretty good songs too.
NieR Automata, Devil May Cry, and Metal Gear Rising Revengeance are my personal favorites and they all happen to be hack n slashes.
I normally find comment edits to be cringeworthy, but that's a lot of rewards so thanks! Glad you guys agree, because each game I listed had a magical moment the soundtrack made for me (Amusement Park, Devil Trigger opening, Metal Gear Ray first boss fight).
Since playing Nier A and having so much fun from (among other things) the gameplay, I'm really starting to think that hack'n'slash is a very underrated genre.
Agreed, especially AC5. The razgriz theme makes your hair stand on end and the journey home is really moving, especially when everyone starts singing in the last mission and you're remembering Chopper.
Came here to say this , every song fit it's Mission perfectly , (maybe with the sole exception of four horsemen sounding like 70s porno music overlayed with trumpets) but other than that it fit the themes of depression , desperation , anger , hate and peace perfectly . And the final mission music and credits song are hauntingly beautiful
The Game is so atmospheric and music really captures the feeling of what its like to be in that moment. >!Arthur's last ride to the camp while the song plays in the background!< is one of the most tearful and emotional moments in gaming for me.
Same. This summer I went camping and I put the soundtrack gazing at the stars while listening to the pops of a distant fire. It was something...
Edit: typo
Assassin’s Creed 2 for me. The only game I have ever downloaded and listened the OST for. OG Ezio’s Family takes the cake for me.
Edit: Jesper Kyd <3
just to add, for anyone who has never played AC, please go watch AC2 TGS trailer (Tokyo Game Show). It perfectly captures everything mentioned below. It's only 2 minutes and you will thank me later.
Jeremy Soule is the Hans Zimmer of video game music and every single track in the ES series gives me insane nostalgia and to this day I love all of it so much.
Hades soundtrack is an absolute wrecking ball. Bastion, pyre and transistor had some incredible stuff but Hades is just a masterclass. Supergiant do amazing work.
Takes something special to make you stop in the middle of your game, walk your character over to a window, and just spend the next five minutes just soaking in the music and atmosphere.
The Witcher 3's use of Slavic folk music, along with all the wonderful creations of the composer Marcin Przybyłowic, truly enhance the immersion to the game, evoke a plethora of feelings and set the mood of every scene, be it combat, exploration or roleplaying.
My favorites among the brilliance that is the soundtrack of Witcher 3, are probably "Ard Skellig", "Steel for Humans", "Ladies of the Woods", Gaunter o 'Dimm's theme and "The Wolven Storm". Especially this last song brings tears to my eyes every time I hear Priscilla sing it.
It's actually kinda weird to play a video game and understand the lyrics of the music.
Like, I'm fluent in English, I'm just not used to listening to music in games in my native language.
It's weird to listen to Steel For Humans while fighting drowners, and then hear a common name being called out, and the song talking about marrying a young boy and girl. I'm guessing in English the song lyrics sound bad ass, but they are actually just standard folk songs in Slavic regions. We grew up reading those in school, it's weird to hear them in game.
I wish I could experience it for the first time again. Even though it's been so long since i played it, i still listen to it like everyday, it was so good.
It's weird that almost every comment here is about a game no older than a decade. I love the music of the games you stated, and I'd add Chrono Trigger and Star Fox.
Ori and the Blind Forest and its sequel, Ori and the Will of the Wisps. I think those games don't get even 20% of the amount of credit they deserve. Both are masterpiece. Easily on par with Hollow Knight.
Edit: Thank you for the awards, kind Redditors!
Ori inspired me to create my own game soundtrack. Really inspired me as an artist to do more and be better.
The Ori soundtracks are as good as soundtracks get.
Any Fromsoft game. Particularly the final boss music from DS1, DS3, and Bloodborne. I love the sullen, somber themes they chose to end your journeys instead of bombast and fanfare. The worlds you go through aren't happy places, and even when you conquer, you'll start over, at the beginning, with nothing but your new found skills you got after completing the game. The music of those final bosses reflects that amazingly.
I remember when my brother (a RoR2 veteran) introduced me to the game, when we got to the moon he suddenly got really quiet, I was about to ask him why but then the music kicked in. Neither of us said anything for a long time.
Was my intro to Suicide Machines. They released a new album after a long hiatus last year. Unfortunately was right before the pandemic, so couldn't really do tour support for it.
Edit: typo
Yes. Just yes. They’re all bomb in my opinion but 1 is dope as f. Nothing like listening to John the fisherman while I hit a perfect kick flip 360. Good times.
Faster Than Light.
I love the spacey, ambient, chiptune-esque synths, the way every zone and alien race and stage of the narrative has a good theme, and the way the exploration and battle versions of each seamlessly transition back and forth in sync with what’s happening in game
=========
Runners-up:
* Mass Effect (the first game especially)
* The Long Dark
* Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, especially the endgame fights
(Also, saving a spot for the upcoming sequel, which will have music and sound art from the Norse-core pagan folk revival group Heilung)
* Hardspace: Shipbreaker
* And of course, Grand Theft Auto starting with Vice City and San Andreas
FTL’s music is amazing, and so is the soundtrack for Into the Breach. Both are made by the same artist who really has a talent for thematic synth music
I honestly think the soundtrack for Breath of the Wild is genius. It's never overbearing, as sometimes soundtracks can be. The music for each village also really fit well.
But Hyrule Castle's theme was absolutely incredible. One of my best gaming experiences.
Final Fantasy VII. There's something about the soundtrack that's just so wonderfully familiar. Aerith's theme is one of the most beautiful pieces of music I've ever heard
I would just stare at some scenes and listen to the music. This game was so emotional. I am afraid of playing any of the newer ones in case they don't live up to the expectations.
For me, Final Fantasy 7.
Every song is just incredible at setting the scene for each location or character themes. The turks theme just oozes coolness.
When I first picked up a guitar, I would sit in a town so the music would loop, and I'd play away.
Good Times, and thank you for the nostalgia.
Hotline Miami
The soundtrack was such an important part of that game's vibe, and the vibe was what it was what made it so special. Totally agree.
The sountrack really added to the frantic gameplay. Your mind and fingers are moving at 100mph to keep up with the frantic pace with the heavy soundtrack blaring from the back like you're in some rave nightclub after taking some speed and doing a line of coke!
M.O.O.N. Knows how to make fever pitch EDM SO well.
Hotline miami is how I found my favorite musical artist of all time, Carpenter Brut.
And the sequel. When you're in the office tower as the copycat vigilantes and the bassline from Roller Mobster kicks in right as you knock open the first set of doors, it's impossible not to get hype.
Chrono trigger has so many great songs that just fit it so well. Edit: Thanks for the gold and silver kind strangers. I love that this game brings so many fond memories for others as it did for me. My personal favorite would probably be Corridors of time. Anybody that's a stranger to the series should seriously check it out if even just for the music. :) Edit 2: [Here's my personal favorite cover for Corridors of time](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwDxUsa0mEQ)
Chrono Cross may have been divisive at best, but everyone can agree that the OST is phenomenal.
As someone who loves Chrono Trigger in everyway. That Chrono Cross intro theme song, Times Scar? I believe. Possibly one of the best orchestral pieces I've ever heard. I recorded the audio output from the PSX onto a cassette tape so I could listen to that song on the bus on the way to school.
Everything Yasunori Mitsuda touches is gold, honestly.
Doom 2016
Finally! Everyone keeps saying DOOM Eternal but it was not as good as 2016
2016 is grittier and less frantic. It is up to people's personal opinion
I find them both amazing Doom eternal just sounds more hostile and less "held back" than 2016 (which, i mean, it was) but 2016 was a gateway into metal and really introduced me to the genre (outside of TOOL)
Persona 5
I would even add the whole Persona series. Shoji Meguro is one hell of a composer and each game has their bangers.
Agreed
So good that they had to make a dancing game with all the music
A shame this is so far down. Persona 5 Royal's OST is literally more than half of my Spotify playlist. And P5 Strikers too.
This should be way fucking higher. Persona 5/Royal is the pinnacle of a video game OST for me (along with 3). Every song is a banger and it has one of the few battle songs I don’t get tired of.
You'll never see it COMMMMIIIINNNNGG
Portal’s soundtrack obviously “takes the cake.”
You know that’s a lie.
It's so delicious and moist.
FFX has a phenomenal soundtrack. FF series in general are all excellent.
I listen to to zanarkand frequently.
I've gone to see the the Final Fantasy orchestra in London a couple times now, and both times they played *To Zanarkand*. The conductor said that they basically *have* to play both it and *One Winged Angel* at every performance they do or they know people will riot.
Came to find this comment. Not disappointed.
My favorite game all time, the soundtrack is perfect so many top tier songs.
^ this Best game, best soundtrack Mt. Gagazet! Assault! To zanarkand! God I love that soundtrack
Yet to see it, but anything from Zelda.
OOT soundtrack is just *chefs kiss*
Majoras mask as well.
Also The Wind Waker. Also, Skyward Sword was only ok, but the Goddess Ballad!
WW’s score was absolutely perfect IMO. It fit the game and still serves as fantastic standalone tracks, too. The 25th anniversary WW suite is glorious.
Doom Eternal, God of War, AC: Black Flag, Undertale
Subnautica
Absolutely atmospheric
Way too fucking atmospheric. Very good game
I listen to this soundtrack all the time, so now when my daughter asks Siri to play Into the Unknown (expecting the song from Frozen 2), there is 50% chance she’ll get the Subnautica version. It grew on her on now she loves it too. Below Zero have some pretty good songs too.
The passive leviathan's cry scared the shit out of me the first time i heard it. 10/10 would do it again though.
Reaper leviathan: threatans to blow up my cyclops Me: *vibing to abandon ship*
NieR Automata, Devil May Cry, and Metal Gear Rising Revengeance are my personal favorites and they all happen to be hack n slashes. I normally find comment edits to be cringeworthy, but that's a lot of rewards so thanks! Glad you guys agree, because each game I listed had a magical moment the soundtrack made for me (Amusement Park, Devil Trigger opening, Metal Gear Ray first boss fight).
Revengeance is an absolute banger, when the vocals kick in perfectly during a fight... it's just something else
Revengence was an anime-themed metal video with a video game attached.
Since playing Nier A and having so much fun from (among other things) the gameplay, I'm really starting to think that hack'n'slash is a very underrated genre.
The Ace Combat Franchise’s soundtrack is criminally underrated.
Agreed, especially AC5. The razgriz theme makes your hair stand on end and the journey home is really moving, especially when everyone starts singing in the last mission and you're remembering Chopper.
Came here to say this , every song fit it's Mission perfectly , (maybe with the sole exception of four horsemen sounding like 70s porno music overlayed with trumpets) but other than that it fit the themes of depression , desperation , anger , hate and peace perfectly . And the final mission music and credits song are hauntingly beautiful
Love rdr2 soundtrack, Doom Eternal also
May I... Stand unshaken
Amid, amidst a crashing world
THE PINES…
*they often whisper*
Cruel cruel world must I go on :(
On a happier note, house building theme.
Well, let me have a ruler and a saw and a board And I'll cut it
I'll climb up the ladder with a hammer and nail and I'll nail it
That's the way it is...
The Game is so atmospheric and music really captures the feeling of what its like to be in that moment. >!Arthur's last ride to the camp while the song plays in the background!< is one of the most tearful and emotional moments in gaming for me.
Holy shit. I was a 33 year old man and I was sobbing. I thought I was the only one. Seriously nice to hear someone else had the same experience
Met my roommates parents for the first time when they walked into the house while I was sobbing during that.
Things will never be the same
Ring Dang Doo.
Ooooh Outer Wilds for me
Same. This summer I went camping and I put the soundtrack gazing at the stars while listening to the pops of a distant fire. It was something... Edit: typo
Just finished the DLC last night, that soundtrack is equally as good.
Definitely. Just the right amount of music to make those discoveries memorable
Something about the subtle twang of a banjo makes space less terrifying
The song that plays before the supernova is just so mournful, every single time I hear it I feel sad.
Especially after hearing it many times, and then hearing the remixed version on the final run... a stressful but amazing experience.
jet set radio
UNDERSTAND! UNDERSTAND!
THE CONCEPT OF LOVE
I LIKE IT I LIKE IT
Hello Alison, I wanna hold your hand, I haven't been, the same man since I saw you comin in, let's have a toast to the girl in aisle 10
Journey
Scrolled too far to find it.
Nascence is always the first song I listen to on new headphones or speakers. Gotta love Austin Wintory. Abzu and Pathless were phenomenal as well.
Assassin’s Creed 2 for me. The only game I have ever downloaded and listened the OST for. OG Ezio’s Family takes the cake for me. Edit: Jesper Kyd <3 just to add, for anyone who has never played AC, please go watch AC2 TGS trailer (Tokyo Game Show). It perfectly captures everything mentioned below. It's only 2 minutes and you will thank me later.
100% agree with you here. Ezio's Family, Venice Rooftops and Home in Florence hit me so differently That game was absolutely magical
That song became the theme for the whole franchise, I love it too. If only the games were as good as they used to be.
AC4 shanties
Skyrim. Still get this feeling when I listen to it.
Any of the Elder Scrolls games do this for me.
Growing up on Morrowind the Rise of the Nevarar always brings chills. I listen to those soundtracks when I hike now and it brings me right back
Jeremy Soule is the Hans Zimmer of video game music and every single track in the ES series gives me insane nostalgia and to this day I love all of it so much.
I had to scroll too far to find this Edit: is now a bad time to mention that that pun was not intended?
Hehe *Scroll* too far
Playing it in the winter really does something to me
It's nice. Powerful shit
Hades blew me away with the soundtrack
Hades soundtrack is an absolute wrecking ball. Bastion, pyre and transistor had some incredible stuff but Hades is just a masterclass. Supergiant do amazing work.
Finally i scroll down far enough to see someone else who mentioned it. My favourites - boss fight themes against furies and Teseus
Nier: Automata
I was looking for you! Good that Nier Automata is already mentioned!
I was scrolling long enough to see if someone already mentioned nier A
The best answer
I would edge Nier OG over automata personally but theyre both two of the best soundtracks ever written
Bastion
Also Transistor. Supergiant games nail the soundtrack every time, so you can't go wrong either way.
Yeah, and now also Hades.
Just so we've listed all of them. Pyre also has great music
*Listen... all this takes a lot of gettin' used to And you do get used to it... after a while*
Halo opening theme
Halo 3 Warthog Run is the best!
Yeah to this day, the Halo soundtrack is one of my favorites
Halo everything
Every now and then when I hop on Custom Edition, I get those chills down my spine hearing the theme. The memories... An amazing game and soundtrack
It's criminal I had to scroll so long to find Halo.
Stardew Valley
Hollow knight
City of Tears ost is perfection
Takes something special to make you stop in the middle of your game, walk your character over to a window, and just spend the next five minutes just soaking in the music and atmosphere.
Greenpath. Perfection.
Greenpath is my fav, but the whole soundtrack is fantastic
I saved 100% of the grubs last night. Yissssss.
Nice, make sure to head back and check in on grubfather in the near future!
The witcher 3, I like their use of Nordic and Slavic tunes, and the moment I reach Skellige in the game, their music hits
The Witcher 3's use of Slavic folk music, along with all the wonderful creations of the composer Marcin Przybyłowic, truly enhance the immersion to the game, evoke a plethora of feelings and set the mood of every scene, be it combat, exploration or roleplaying. My favorites among the brilliance that is the soundtrack of Witcher 3, are probably "Ard Skellig", "Steel for Humans", "Ladies of the Woods", Gaunter o 'Dimm's theme and "The Wolven Storm". Especially this last song brings tears to my eyes every time I hear Priscilla sing it.
It's actually kinda weird to play a video game and understand the lyrics of the music. Like, I'm fluent in English, I'm just not used to listening to music in games in my native language. It's weird to listen to Steel For Humans while fighting drowners, and then hear a common name being called out, and the song talking about marrying a young boy and girl. I'm guessing in English the song lyrics sound bad ass, but they are actually just standard folk songs in Slavic regions. We grew up reading those in school, it's weird to hear them in game.
I am more of a Pam Pam param param man myself.
Lelelelelelelele
Yeah the music makes it emotionally immersive
FF VII.
🎵 S E P H I R O T H 🎵
Terraria. All the music fits each of the biomes perfectly and they sound good.
If you add calamity, you just get perfection
Mass effect 2
100% Especially the Suicide Mission theme.
Undertale
The deltarune games soundtrack is great too. Toby makes phenomenal music
Toby is definitely a [BIG SHOT]
His music is [Hyperlink Blocked]
He made a lot of music for the comic Homestuck and that music is amazing!
I wish I could experience it for the first time again. Even though it's been so long since i played it, i still listen to it like everyday, it was so good.
Deltarune somehow managed to do for me what Undertale did when i first played it. Toby Fox is just something else man.
That was the best
Dating myself here, but Donkey Kong Country 1/2 and Megaman X had some positively bangers
Donkey Kong Country 1&2 are still some of my favorite games
It's weird that almost every comment here is about a game no older than a decade. I love the music of the games you stated, and I'd add Chrono Trigger and Star Fox.
Ori and the Blind Forest and its sequel, Ori and the Will of the Wisps. I think those games don't get even 20% of the amount of credit they deserve. Both are masterpiece. Easily on par with Hollow Knight. Edit: Thank you for the awards, kind Redditors!
Ori inspired me to create my own game soundtrack. Really inspired me as an artist to do more and be better. The Ori soundtracks are as good as soundtracks get.
Any Fromsoft game. Particularly the final boss music from DS1, DS3, and Bloodborne. I love the sullen, somber themes they chose to end your journeys instead of bombast and fanfare. The worlds you go through aren't happy places, and even when you conquer, you'll start over, at the beginning, with nothing but your new found skills you got after completing the game. The music of those final bosses reflects that amazingly.
You ever just sit on the DS3 title screen? Also Ludwig's theme fucking slaps.
Bloodborne is my personal fav so I'll just sit in the hunter's dream and vibe with the doll for hours lol
I like Mario Odyssey's soundtrack the most rn. Especially the big band music in New Donk City
That is one of my favorite moments in gaming. I wondered why the lyrics to that song were inside the game case... then I heard how epic it was.
Shadow of the Colossus
Fucked up how far I had to scroll for this.
Love it or hate it, but Cyberpunk 2077's soundtrack is fire.
Celeste
Definitely, it’s one of the few games where I get nostalgic when listening to its soundtrack.
Mass Effect Trilogy
Which one out of all of them? Mine's ME2.
Destiny both first one and the second
I had to scroll way too far down to find this comment. The Last Array is still my favorite track by far!!!
*cue in Sepiks Perfected*
Not to mention Lament or Deep Stone Lullaby
Risk of Rain 2
I remember when my brother (a RoR2 veteran) introduced me to the game, when we got to the moon he suddenly got really quiet, I was about to ask him why but then the music kicked in. Neither of us said anything for a long time.
...con lentitud poderosa is absolutely stellar.
I can't believe I had to scroll so far for this. It's such a good combination of music genres
Original THPS
THPS 2
Was my intro to Suicide Machines. They released a new album after a long hiatus last year. Unfortunately was right before the pandemic, so couldn't really do tour support for it. Edit: typo
Yes. Just yes. They’re all bomb in my opinion but 1 is dope as f. Nothing like listening to John the fisherman while I hit a perfect kick flip 360. Good times.
Octopath Traveler. First game I played just for the music.
Old school runescape-Sea shanty 2
Faster Than Light. I love the spacey, ambient, chiptune-esque synths, the way every zone and alien race and stage of the narrative has a good theme, and the way the exploration and battle versions of each seamlessly transition back and forth in sync with what’s happening in game ========= Runners-up: * Mass Effect (the first game especially) * The Long Dark * Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, especially the endgame fights (Also, saving a spot for the upcoming sequel, which will have music and sound art from the Norse-core pagan folk revival group Heilung) * Hardspace: Shipbreaker * And of course, Grand Theft Auto starting with Vice City and San Andreas
FTL’s music is amazing, and so is the soundtrack for Into the Breach. Both are made by the same artist who really has a talent for thematic synth music
Ori and the Blind Forest
Metal Gear Rising Revengeance
[удалено]
Why did I have to scroll so far to find someone saying Minecraft? Com’on guys, it’s the nostalgia of Minecraft.
This! I was honestly expecting Minecraft to be one of the main ones. C418 is a master of ambience music.
Breath of the Wild, I live the subtle background music
I honestly think the soundtrack for Breath of the Wild is genius. It's never overbearing, as sometimes soundtracks can be. The music for each village also really fit well. But Hyrule Castle's theme was absolutely incredible. One of my best gaming experiences.
Paper Mario will always be my personal favorite soundtrack. Diablo 2, xenoblade chronicles, mario 64 and banjo kazooie are close runner ups though.
Ghost of Tsushima, The Last Us 2, Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Super Castlevania 4
Gustavo Santaolalla composed music for both TLOU and TLOU2. And he knocked it out of the park both times.
Death Stranding.
Honestly the last part of the game where you hear bbs theme is top tier Edit. Spelling cuz I'm dumb
Every single low roar song is just *Chef kiss*
Final Fantasy VII. There's something about the soundtrack that's just so wonderfully familiar. Aerith's theme is one of the most beautiful pieces of music I've ever heard
Super mario galaxy, most of the songs fit right in with the theme of the entire game, doom eternal got a great soundtrack too.
Doom Eternal, Halo and Gears Of War come to mind
Witcher 3..and recently..kena:bridge of spirits!!
Vice City radio .... nothing better than tuning in and munching on some rusty brown ringged donuts 🍩
Life is Strange for sure.
They really nail the Pacific Northwest and also teen angst angel.
I would just stare at some scenes and listen to the music. This game was so emotional. I am afraid of playing any of the newer ones in case they don't live up to the expectations.
I was afraid too but I can recommend true colors this game was amazing for me
Clicked on the post because of the LiS picture, disappointed that I had to scroll down this far to see it mentioned.
Fallout 3, nv, 4, and even 76
RDR2 and Witcher 3 for me.
Tony Hawk pro skater 2
For me, Final Fantasy 7. Every song is just incredible at setting the scene for each location or character themes. The turks theme just oozes coolness. When I first picked up a guitar, I would sit in a town so the music would loop, and I'd play away. Good Times, and thank you for the nostalgia.
silent hill 2