Discussionist: It must be the music
Once a barely-audible symphony of ‘bleeps’ and ‘bloops’, the music of video games has evolved considerably. Now undoubtedly on par with the most iconic film soundtracks – as some would keenly argue – video game soundtracks are proving to be just as memorable and just as monumental as the content they’re seeking to compliment.
They might remind you about the time you stormed a train platform; they might evoke the tension felt amidst the infiltration of an islanded terrorist safe-heaven; or they might invoke memories of the first-time you stepped foot upon a ring-shaped alien world.
So, what do video game soundtracks mean to you? What is your favorite original soundtrack?
You know what to do, folks. Let the discussion commence.
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means a lot to me, if the game has a great story but is accompanied by bad music, it’ll ruin the mood, and vise versa. Not to mention sometimes make video game purchases based on who the composer is, cause I like their work that much
Without a doubt the greatest soundtracks belong to the Final Fantasy franchise, notably Mr. Uematsu. His Metal/Classical music style is just incredible, I’m sure most here would agree.
I know this might sound like a broken record, but of course my personal favorite is FF VII. Every time I hear that theme song it simply makes me feel like I’ve traveled back to a younger simpler time. A time when it didn’t matter which console you played, or which genre you liked, you just popped the game in and as soon as music played you just knew you were about to experience something incredible.
I have actually burned a number of CD’s of gaming music to listen to in the car over the years. Music and sound is just as important in visual storytelling as the characters and graphics themselves. Perfect examples include any form of ‘recurring’ melody which becomes embeded with a thought or memory. This is a wonderful story telling technique and when done right can compliment both gameplay and cutscene alike. It’s wonderful how simply listening to a peice of music can evoke both emotions and, perhaps more relavent, the wish to play the game again. For me, I need only hear the first bars of the Valkyria Chronicles main theme to have my spine shivering with a sort of rapture.
My personal favourite peices of gaming music include most all Final Fantasy soundtracks, with the number 1 being Aeris Theme, Cosmo Canyon and Suteki Da Ne. I’m also a big fan of the music in the Silent Hill series, and more interestingly the game “Nier” from Cavia/Square Enix – which has some of the best and most underrated music to date. Oh, and not forgetting Eternal Sonata, a game with both amazing original score and assorted works of Chopin!
Honestly though, there’s too many moving and personally affecting soundtracks to mention in a simple comment. Indeed, since beginning to write this comment, I have loaded up a YouTube tab and begun to listen! (They’ll be stuck in my head all night now!)
The soundtrack of a game is a vital part of the game for me. Far more than Graphics. Looking back on games, I never remember how good the graphics were, but I remember the music.
It’s also important to remember that, graphics become outdated, but music never does.
I think a good music track is crucial for setting the mood in a particular scenario.
Top soundtracks is a really tough question..
For me, in no order – Tales of the Abyss, Mega Man 2, Terranigma, Super Mario Galaxy 1, Donkey Kong Country 2 come to mind as ones I think are fantastic. Plenty of others though.
As for favourite individual composer? Well, I think Motoi Sakuraba does quite well – especially considering how he seems to be in almost everything these days. How he continues to draw inspiration and keep producing new music is great.
I think it’s hard to say that any style of music is without a doubt ‘the best’, as it’ll all come down to preference. (Sorry, FF music does very, very little for me)
Video game soundtracks, to me are the pinnacle of what music should sound like.
They often tell the story or a story in general, and that means a lot to me. Beautiful pieces such as Shenmue “Sedge Tree” or even other masterpieces like Chrono Cross’s “Another World” track are exactly what all music must try to express.
Even without knowing the situation in a Videogame, you will always feel that “emotion” in any track you listen too and for that, I greatly appreciate videogame soundtracks.
So much meaning is embodied in videogame music as it not only interprets its own games meaning and feel, but a little creativity from yourself as well.
While “general” music is great, I feel as though nothing else out there can actually do what the videogame music does to me.
As for my favorite track, that is indeed a VERY VERY VERY hard choice.
I think I may have to choose the Shenmue main theme, named” Sedge Tree” and its various remixes such as the “Sedge Tree orchestra”
While that was probably my hardest choice yet, Chrono Cross, and Heavy Rain may have some of the greatest osts I have ever heard.
This was probably my longest post ever on the internet.
Well today is my last day as an 16 year old. Tomorrow is my b-day and I wanted to write a good post to celebrate that.
If anyone wants to discuss some of the reasoning I’ve posted, please feel free too!
Just few things :
Music sells the game in my case. When i saw “Contains music by Motoi Sakuraba” on the package of “Tales of Eternia” – i was sold. I didn’t need any more convincing.
The same goes for Yasunori Mitsuda ( Chrono Trigger OST ), Nobuo Uematsu ( Final Fantasy ) or Rob King ( Might and Magic ), and many others.
Unfortunately – today’s soundtracks kinda suck in comparison…developers seem to insist on getting this dull, ever-the-same orchestral score for each and every of their “epic” rpg games. I don’t want to be negative – but honestly, try to remember a tune from Final Fantasy 7 or Chrono Trigger. Just one, not 5 or 10 – i bet you can do it. Now try to remember a tune from let’s say Mass Effect 2 or Dragon Age – can you ? Well, i can’t.
So as i said – for me, there’s no great story-based game without at least fair soundtrack. It just doesn’t work – it’s like a movie with no sound.
Oh and just to mention – my favourite soundtrack would be :
- Final Fantasy 7 by Nobuo Uematsu
- Chrono Trigger by Yasunori Mitsuda
I love them both equally.
FF Music. POKEMON MUSIC!!! Who doesn’t know all the tunes on red/blue?!?!?! From pallet town theme to pokemon center theme all the way to indigo plateu and champion battle theme, i remember it perfectly.
Yes i agree. the music is very important. I remember the soundtrack from
the first Diablo was amazing, the music from Super Mario RPG the legend of the seven stars was very nice too.
and who doesn´t know all the song from the ocarina of Time in Zelda !?!? all tunes from that game where very impresive.
Some games would not be as good as they are without its music, yes story and gameplay are important but music makes them perfect.
Final Fantasy games, everyone who played them agrees with me, that you just cant forget the music in FF games.
Recently i love how CyberConnect 2 makes their music for games, here are some samples:
CyberConnect 2s sample 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMvIFaOx03Q
Sample 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juJ8WYj2fRI&feature=related
Sample 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDYknUkcyfI
My favorite original soundtrack would most certainly be Kingdom Hearts II OST although when you reflect all these decisions, you realize there can’t be ‘single’ favorite. Chrono Trigger is another game with wondrous tracks and brash compositions that instantly spark confidence.
I’m pretty sure everyone ANYWHERE can recognize the FF victory fare. Thats legendary music born through games right there. But when it comes to my favourite, it would have to be the Super Robot Wars music. Every single OP and ED for the games (all sung by JAM Project of course) just pumps me up and get me ready to handle anything from robot dinosaurs to galaxy crushing baddies!
My favorites original soundtracks are:
-Tales of the Abyss
-Legend of Zelda games.
-Metroid Prime.
-Some FF Games like IV, VI, VII, IX and X.
-Persona series.
Final(fucking) Fantasy, ’nuff said.
No, really a One-Winged Angel or Liberi Fatali are masterpieces.
Or you could say Square (Enix) music in general.
Kingdom Hearts also has some of the most touching music pieces, Dearly Beloved for example.
And not to forget the Metal Gear Solid series. Harry Gregson Williams ftw!
I have to be honest and say that I myself would never buy a videogame for the soundtrack alone, no way in hell, BUT, I have bought soundtracks for several games that I never owned myself but did play them and HAD to have the soundtrack (same goes for art books, especially Final Fantasy). Also, without the right music even the best playing game feel’s a little soulless, after all, music at it’s best says what cannot be said any other way, it inspires us to appreciate those aspects of the game world that we cannot see but instead imagine to be there, furthering that suspension of disbelief any good fiction strives for.
Most of my favourite music in general comes from Namco’s ‘Sound Team’ (BEFORE they were Namco Bandai >_>). Beyond that, Street Fighter 2′s music is epic, never really been bettered as far as overall fighting music is concerned (although Virtua Fighter 2 had the odd memorable song), and King of Fighter’s 1999 and 2000 has some truly amazing work contained within as well. Street’s of Rage had the best opening of any fighting game ever (still sends a chill down my spine and inspires my imagination after all these years), and so on.
As for a favourite soundtrack, any of the Ace Combat games from 3 onwards is a work of art soundwise (and in every other way), all beautiful, but the one that hit hardest was Ace Combat 4.
It was powerful when it needed to be, heartbreaking when it wanted to be, and literally, at one point my mother sat and watched me play through almost a whole mission, just so she could hear the background song in full. But the best bit (I’m listening to it now actually ^_^) was when about half-way (or maybe a little more) through the game, the mission menu music changed to what turned out to be the track ‘Prevail’
I remember leaving the mission screen on sometimes just to relax, before the CD was available, closing my eyes and finding myself transported to some magical place, far beyond the realm of even the best game imaginable.
Marvel Vs. Capcom 2, on the other hand, is a perfect example of how a great game can be almost ruined by the music, seriously, finishing that game actually felt like punishment. (anyone who’s heard the credits knows what I mean).
Sorry if that seems harsh, I just love the game and wish the music wasn’t so ill-fitting. The fact that the PSN download gives you the option of listening to your own music instead is quite telling…
One last thing, Tekken 2, specifically ‘BE IN THE MIRROR’. As others have said, graphics get dated, good music does not, and that track is a timeless classic. If you haven’t heard it, do so, you might be pleasantly surprised. ;)
My favourites are ICO and SOTC, FF, MGS and definitely Nier is the best I have ever heard on this generation of consoles.