Music is integral to most other forms of entertainment (video games included).
It serves as a spice that makes films, TV shows, documentaries, adverts/jingles, and even audio presentations inviting to watch or listen to, as the case may be.
In video games, music comes in the form of soundtracks like intro/theme/battle songs, incidental tunes, in-game radio audios, and background scores that accompany graphics.
They enhance the overall experience and emotional impact of the game’s content.
They specifically complement the very scenes or story lines where they are inserted into a game to convey the right mood and reinforce the scene’s story element.
Game soundtracks play crucial roles in delivering digital content, so much so that it will be drab to play any game without its soundtrack.
As a result of these and many other numerous beneficial uses of game soundtracks, a lot of attention is now being given to their development.
Game soundtracks have evolved over the years from the moderate yet expressive sound chips of characters in retro consoles; full musical instrumentations are now being used to produce original tunes that are bespoke for each game.
Each soundtrack tells the story of a game better than anything else.
Sometimes, they get us moving our bodies in line with the rhythm, or at other times, we feel a surge of adrenaline welling up in us as we start tapping and clicking our way to victory in the virtual world.
The list below presents game soundtracks capable of doing this magic. We can’t simply get enough of them.
Halo: Combat Evolved
- Date: June 11, 2002
- Genre: Video game soundtrack
- Length: 65 minutes, 8 seconds
- Soundtrack composer: Martin O’Donnell
- Soundtrack producer: Michael Salvatori
- Game developer/publisher: Bungie Inc.
The soundtrack for the video game Halo: Combat Evolved was made with different musical instruments and styles, like haunting Gregorian voice chanting, string orchestra, and percussion, which creates a grand, otherworldly atmosphere.
It has an epic and cinematic quality that perfectly brings to life the game’s science-fiction theme and action-packed gameplay.
Of course, the whole idea behind this is to create an immersive experience for players in the game’s universe to enhance players’ emotional perception of key moments in the game.
The Light In Us All – Planet Coaster
- Date: November 17, 2016
- Genre: Construction and management simulation
- Length: 3 minutes, 10 seconds
- Soundtrack composer: Jim Guthrie and J. J. Ipsen
- Game developer/publisher: Frontier Developers
Planet Coaster is a single-player construction and management simulation video game that is rich and invitingly colourful, similar to what we see in Starburst.
The game embodies joy and a sense of wonder, specifically designed to immerse the player in the virtual creative environment.
And of course, the music composed by Jim Guthrie and J. J. Ipsen perfectly stringed various scenes together.
It is a mix of melodious, light-hearted tones made with a combination of different musical instruments.
As a result of this, this soundtrack has remained timeless and memorable in the hearts of all those who have played the game before.
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
- Date: September 1, 2015
- Genre: Acoustic, ambient, classical, electronic
- Length: 161 minutes, 37 seconds
- Soundtrack producer: Harry Gregson-Williams
- Soundtrack album producer: Ludvig Forssell
- Game developer/publisher: Konami
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain soundtrack has a sombre tone that creates a feeling of tension and suspense with a hunger for war and revenge.
There are also licensed pop and rock songs that are some of the greatest tunes of the 1980s included in the game’s soundtrack, which reminisces about the nostalgic feel of the period in which the game was set.
Without the music of Metal Gear V: The Phantom Pain, the emotional and psychological depth of the game’s narrative, which highlights the complexities of the protagonist, Big Boss, and his journey, would not have been achieved.
Aside from making it on this list, Metal Gear is renowned for adding the best soundtracks to its games.
For example, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (2000) is still rated high for having one of the best game soundtracks of the 2000s.
The soundtrack is a beautiful melancholic vocal spiced up with a lot of memorable emotional depth.
Need for Speed Unbound
- Date: December 2nd, 2022
- Genre: hip-hop, electronic, and alternative music
- Length: 3 hours, 42 minutes
- Game developer/publisher: Criterion Games and Electronic Arts
The video game Need for Speed is vibrant and energetic, which truly reflects the game’s title and theme.
The street racing video game boasts a diverse mix of about 70 hip-hop, electronic, and alternative tracks from various artists.
The combination of these soundtracks contributes to the game’s edgy and modern racing thrill.
These artists include America’s A$AP Rocky (Shittin’ Me), Japan’s Tohji for Yodaka (with Loota and Brodinski), Ukraine’s Alina Pash for Warrior (Воїн), Kenya’s Slikback for Ascension, and a host of many others.
The game’s music pumps adrenalin, which is perfect for daredevil street racing. Some people even enjoy playing them while driving. Of course, they abide by city speed limits.
Grand Theft Auto V
- Year: 2013
- Genre: Hip-hop, synthpop, dancehall, video game music, soundtrack
- Length: 216 minutes, 13 seconds
- Soundtrack composer: Woody Jackson, Tangerine Dream, The Alchemist, and Oh No
- Game developer/publisher: Rockstar Games
Rarely will you go through a list of the top video games without coming across the ambitious 2013 action-adventure game Grand Theft Auto V.
It is a uniquely massive game in all ramifications; little wonder it easily gained a huge fan following after its first release.
The full list of songs in Grand Theft Auto V is an eclectic mix of licensed tracks across various genres, including hip-hop, rock, pop, electronic, and country, played on in-game radio stations.
They cater to satisfy different musical tastes and cultural preferences as a player progresses through the game.
The rich soundtrack helps to create and immerse the player in a vibrant, virtual living world in the fictional city of Los Santos.
This, of course, adds depth to the game’s storytelling and atmosphere.
Conclusion: Game soundtracks are Now in Playlists
Music is essential in video games, and it has been so for a long time now.
They enhance the overall playing experience by impacting the emotional feelings we attach to the video games we play.
Game soundtracks come as introductory theme sounds, battle songs, incidental tunes, in-game radio audios, and background scores.
They all complement scenes and storylines, conveying the right mood to reinforce the right narrative in the player’s mind.
Their evolution from simple sound chips to complex compositions has made them crucial for immersive gameplay, and it can only get better.
Similarly, the ability of these soundtracks to influence human emotions well is why many people have adopted some of them into their music collections.
People relate to these soundtracks as they would to regular music.
Thus, it is now a common feature to find approved game soundtracks on some music playlists, either for personal enjoyment or for public functions.