10 Awesome And Underappreciated Video Game Soundtracks

Video game soundtracks have come a long way since their early embryonic inception. From the simplistic, catchy chiptunes of the 1970’s arcade cabinets, to the more elaborate digital synthesizers and sampling effects of the 1980’s and 1990’s home computers, to modern day’s even more sophisticated pre-recorded, multi-layered, multi-genre and orchestral compositions, the audio soundscapes of video games have morphed and evolved alongside the ever-developing technology they were born into. With these advancements in sound design and audio technology, video games have been blessed with incredible licensed and original soundtracks that can comfortably go toe-to-toe with TV and film’s finest — heck, there are even numerous annual awards specifically related to the year’s finest video game music. Furthermore, it’s also not uncommon to hear the dulcet tones of Jeremy Soule’s The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and the stirring scores of Nobuo Uematsu’s Final Fantasy series glide gracefully over the air-waves. Even my dad — who has zero interest in video games — has bought a Final Fantasy OST and absolutely adores it. Go figure. Essentially, video game soundtracks are increasingly being taken more seriously, not only by the developers, composers and publishers, but also by music fans and video game fans who like to listen to great music. Video game music is a crucially important component of the video game experience and is just one of the many integral ingredients involved in creating memorable titles in one of the fastest growing modern industries in the world. The power of a great soundtrack cannot be understated. It has the potential to elevate a very good game into a great one. There are titles like Sound Shapes and Rez that gift the player with the conductor’s baton and places them centre-stage, as an active participant in the creative process within the game’s audio-visual magical worlds. There are also titles like the Fallout series, that thoughtfully select vintage licensed tracks and partner them together with stunning, tuneful orchestral symphonies to create its own alternative universe, unique identity and tangible mythos. And then, there are the following 10 wonderful soundtracks that may have been overlooked or simply fallen through the cracks. Despite this, they'll no doubt have you pumping up the volume while letting the noisy world outside slowly melt away — and you don’t even have to love video games to appreciate them. 10) No Man's Sky Okay, so the actual core game was a bit of a laborious slog, but Sheffield-based 65daysofstatic's ambient futuristic electronica sci-fi score remains one of the best aspects of Hello Games' ambitious project. It's a progressive, experimental soundtrack that cleverly adapts to the gameplay within No Man's Sky. Surprisingly, most of the 6GB download of the title is made up of the audio that was recorded for the enormous, procedurally generated space exploration sim. If the core experience was as engrossing and interesting as the music found in Hello Games' space survival adventure, the developer would have had something truly special on their hands. Unfortunately, the overall result was a disappointingly shallow gameplay experience, fused with a tremendous score that is both extraordinarily chilled and profoundly arresting in equal measure. 9) Silent Hill: Homecoming Sure, this game is infamous for being the black sheep of Konami's critically lauded horror series, by virtue of it being the first Silent Hill title to be developed outside of Japan, but its eerie industrial post-rock soundtrack is super underrated and arguably one of the best soundscapes that composer Akira Yamaoka has ever crafted. Frankly, all of the Silent Hill soundtracks are sublime, but Silent Hill: Homecoming is one of my personal favourites. Much like its predecessors, it's an unsettlingly atmospheric and creepy horror score that gets right under your skin. Yamaoka and vocalist Mary Elizabeth's chemistry is beautiful and on-point here with an emphasis on evocative, vivid lyrics and heavy rock swagger. The anthemic One More Soul To The Call stands out in particular along with the understated, melancholic piano of The Terminal Show title-theme. It's a really underappreciated game that deserves your attention, particularly if you're a fan of great survival horror. Plus, the monster designs are totally "OH MY GOD WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?" but in the best way possible. Definitely an underrated gem. 8) Nights Of Azure This Japanese action-RPG from Gust is home to a criminally underrated melancholic pop soundtrack that's brimming with catchy, melodic piano, synths and strings. Its beautiful chord sequences are saturated with sadness and heartache, which complements the title’s heartbreaking love story between a half-monster, half-human holy knight and a divine saint - that old chestnut. Sadly, the actual core game can’t quite match the epic emotional heights of its incredible soundtrack and narrative, but what a soundtrack it is. This is a powerful, stirring and uplifting J-pop aural treat with terrific production values and rich emotional cadence. Simply gorgeous. 7) Crypt Of The NecroDancer Danny Baranowsky has crafted some truly fantastic video game soundtracks over the course of his career, from the uber-addictive hardcore platformer Super Meat Boy to the creepy roguelike insanity of The Binding Of Isaac. However, Crypt Of The NecroDancer is my personal favourite of a brilliant bunch. It’s got an insanely catchy electronica score that veers from break-neck disco one moment to balls to the wall electro-rock stompers the next. The game is also a charmingly novel and unique dungeon-crawler roguelike, where you have to use your rhythm skills to match the beats of the music to best the dungeons’ nasty traps and monsters. You definitely haven’t played a game quite like this one. Plus, it’s got a superb soundtrack to boot. 6) Thumper Who’d have thought that a tagline like “rhythm violence” could be a popular… thing. US-based developers Drool did, and the good news is that the results here are marvelous. This is a mind-bending voyage through the very fabric of space and time — a trippy, otherworldly march into the far reaches of an unknown outer dimension. It’s basically like that wacky psychedelic boat ride in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory where they go through that crazy tunnel. But way trippier. Thumper is a sleek and addicting arcade rhythm-action experience that tasks you with trouncing giant creepy-looking bosses to the beat of a hypnotic, atmospheric score. It’s a great example of a game’s music and a game’s gameplay mechanics slotting together neatly and working effectively in tandem with one another. That it makes for a really sweet VR experience is icing on a very psychedelic cake...and no, not that kind of cake. 5) Lone Survivor: The Director's Cut Jasper Byrne will get another mention shortly, but up first is his Silent Hill-inspired 2D survival-horror experience Lone Survivor, which he pretty much single-handedly developed and composed the soundtrack for — crikey. Like its horror source material, Lone Survivor is a dread-drenched journey into madness and paranoia that respectfully pays tribute to its heart-on-sleeve inspiration. A few songs, such as the Mogwai-esque Sleep Forever and Moving On, radiate with hope and lift the listener up, but on the whole, this is an unsettling assortment of eerie guitar, ambient electronica and atmospheric synth that’s best listened to at night for maximum potency. 4) Valiant Hearts: The Great War One of the few video game soundtracks that has the power to make me tear up. Ubisoft’s Valiant Hearts: The Great War is a heartrending score awash with touching piano melodies, which helps imbue the gritty war-torn backdrop with much-needed emotional weight. It lends a welcome heartfelt authenticity to the sad and tragic proceedings found within it. Its World War I source material is delicately handled and both its narrative and score are filled to the brim with heart, gusto and character. Unremittingly haunting and emotive, this video game soundtrack melts hearts and moistens the eyes. 3) FTL: Faster Than Light Subset Games’ FTL: Faster Than Light is one of my favourite games of all-time. It’s a remarkable rogue-like spaceship strategy sim with a punishing, but rewarding learning curve. Ben Prunty’s magnificent sci-fi electronica score legitimately makes you feel like you’re on a voyage through the cold expanse of space. Interestingly, Prunty recorded two tracks of each song on the album — an “Explore” version and a “Battle” version. The game cross-fades between each version of the song on the fly when needed. Opening track Space Cruise is an undisputed highlight, with lo-fi Star Trek-esque synths and echoey keys, whilst the final boss fight’s Last Stand is eerie and ominous with a ferociously catchy bass-line that demands your full attention. This is one video game soundtrack that boldly goes where no one has gone before. 2) Child Of Light Ubisoft Montreal’s Child of Light is a sublime turn-based RPG set in the mythical land of Lemuria. Impressively, the whole of the game’s dialogue is written in rhyming poetry. It also looks the part too with a terrific painterly art-style reminiscent of children’s fairytale books. Its wondrous soundtrack is written and performed by French-Canadian singer-songwriter Cœur de pirate (French for “Pirate’s Heart”) with support from Montreal-based Bratislava Symphony Orchestra. It’s a beautiful, romantic score filled with hope and optimism with sweeping strings and heartfelt piano. Child of Light not only boasts a wonderful soundtrack, but is a tremendous RPG experience, too. 1) Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number Is this one of the best video game soundtracks out there? Absolutely. If you haven’t had a chance to check out any Hotline Miami tunes then I implore you to stop reading this and change that fact, pronto. Both Hotline Miami games have phenomenal soundtracks, but the sequel edges out the first title by a hair’s breadth due to its more consistent pedal-to-the-metal, high-octane velocity. Both are exemplary examples of 80s-inspired synth-wave, with a focus on adrenaline-filled beats and electronica hooks that really get the blood pumping. Jasper Byrne’s insanely hypnotizing breakbeat anthem Voyager is a highlight, along with Benny Smiles’ closing Hotline Miami Theme, but honestly, the whole album is an absolute belter and deserves your unreserved attention. They’re great tunes to drive to, work out to, strut to — heck, listening to a Hotline Miami soundtrack instantly makes everything better. It also helps that the core games themselves are incredible blood-soaked twitch action gems. If you like 80s music, you'll love this.