How Games Use Music to Keep You Invested

Music enhances lots of areas of our lives, and gaming is no exception. Ever since video games began, the sound effects and music have been part of the experience.

They shape our experience, guide our emotions and are our companions throughout.

In gaming, music can heighten tensions, make you feel triumphant or help you to relax.

Music in games is a storytelling tool. It draws us in to new worlds, helps us connect emotionally with the action and draws us in deeper.

The music may be a huge orchestral piece to add grandeur, or it may be a simple repetitive loop.

Whatever the type, it influences our thoughts, feelings, and actions—helping us to remember how we felt when playing.

In this article, we’ll explore how games use music to keep us invested in the action.

Whether you prefer role-playing adventure games or fast-paced first-person shooters, the impact of the music is universal.

The Role of Music in Games

Music ticks a lot of boxes, and game designers put lots of thought into musical accompaniments and sound effects. Below are the three main roles of music for gaming.

Establishing Atmosphere

Music is used to set the tone. Just like in movies and TV shows, sound and music are integral to establishing the desired atmosphere.

The Legend of Zelda would feel completely different if it had the music for Silent Hill, for instance.

Like in films, we expect eerie music in horror games but uplifting sounds in adventure games.

Being Immersive

Alongside its role in establishing an atmosphere, music helps games be more immersive.

This is especially true when the music is dynamic and reacts to the player’s actions.

When we’re in combat, we can expect the music to be different to when we’re exploring a place.

A great example is Red Dead Redemption 2. Wherever you are and whatever you’re doing as a player, you’ll find the soundtrack adapt.

So, if you’re in a gunfight, you’ll hear different music compared to when you’re wandering through the wilderness.

This makes players more immersed in the gameplay and helps to deepen their experience.

How Games Use Music to Keep You Invested — A visual of the fusion of music and gaming

Guiding Player Emotions

In all aspects of our lives, music influences our emotions, so it’s no surprise that it’s used for this purpose in games too.

Whether it’s soft, melancholic tunes or triumphant scores, what we hear influences how we feel in the moment.

In The Last of Us, for example, there are poignant melodies, which make us feel the moments of joy and heartbreak. This creates a deep emotional connection with the game.

Driving Focus and Energy

Even fast-paced, repetitive games like Tetris use music. Here, it’s a subtle motivator that helps us maintain focus and momentum.

When the tempo accelerates, we feel a sense of urgency. So, for example, when the Tetris grid is filling up and we’re running out of space, we feel more challenged and are driven to perform better.

Music as a Tool for Player Engagement

Music engages players and keeps them connected—and invested. It heightens excitement and anticipation, especially during pivotal moments.

When you see loading screens, you’ll often hear evocative music to draw you into the narrative.

Anticipation is also built similarly in boss battles. Those of us who remember the 90s and Sonic The Hedgehog will remember the epic boss battle music that builds tension and adrenaline.

Supporting Gameplay Mechanics

Music also has a supporting purpose: it supports changes in gameplay mechanics.

For instance, auditory cues are used to signal changes in the games. In Tetris, the music gets faster to signal urgency, and other puzzle games also use subtle cues to draw attention to actions within the game.

Replayability

Music—if it is good—is a big part of why players come back to games. Music is often as memorable as the game itself, and developers strive to create a soundtrack that players would be quite happy to listen to even when they’re not playing.

The Psychology of Music in Gaming

Music influences how players think, feel and behave during gameplay. Game developers use the psychological effects of sound to improve the game experience for players. For example

Upbeat and triumphant scores will give the player confidence and increase excitement.
High-tempo music helps players stay alert and react quickly.
Slow, sombre melodies will create introspection and evoke sadness
Calming background music, like that in the strategy game Civilization, promotes deeper thinking and decision-making.

Shifts in-game music are deliberately used to transition the player through different parts of the game.

In The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, you’ll have piano melodies when exploring but dramatic orchestral arrangements when in combat.

This music mirrors your journey as a player. It emphasises tension and calms in moments of relief.

When the soundtrack is repetitive and rhythmic, game developers help players maintain concentration.

Certain patterns of music are known to stimulate cognitive engagement and reduce feelings of fatigue, so game developers tap into these rhythms to keep players engaged for longer.

Popular Trends in Game Music

One trend at the moment is to involve well-known composers and musicians in-game soundtracks.

The benefits of this are twofold. Firstly, the collaboration adds prestige to the game, and secondly, it brings in new audiences who follow the artist’s work. One example is Cyberpunk 2077, which has tracks from Grimes.

Music Outside Gaming

The gaming industry’s growth has influenced other areas of entertainment.

Game music has been taken outside the games and performed live in concerts around the world.

One such example is Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy. It’s also possible to listen to game tracks on platforms like Spotify.

The growth of music in gaming has also branched into other areas, including iGaming.

Online casinos often utilise aspects such as music and design to engage players, and with such in-depth and honest feedback available on casino review platforms, you can find something to fit every genre and style you’re interested in.

Websites like AskGamblers offer insights into various aspects of gaming and connect players with opportunities to explore games to match their tastes, and music is a heavy influence here, too.

Examples of Iconic Game Soundtracks

We’ve mentioned a fair few game soundtracks in this article, but here is a summary of the ones that have become just as legendary as the games themselves.

The Legenda of Zelda series. Ocarina of Time is one of the most iconic soundtracks. The composer, Koji Kondo, uses a range of memorable motifs to make a soundtrack that is instantly recognisable.
Final Fantasy VII. This is a masterpiece soundtrack with a range of tracks to accompany different elements of the game. From Aerith’s Theme, which is haunting, to One-Winged Angel that’s full of adrenaline, the music in this game is one of the most revered in its genre.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. The soundtrack of Skyrim is composed by Jeremy Soule, who creates orchestral arrangements with elements of folk to reflect the mythical world. The music reinforces the game’s narrative throughout.