Heyo, I want to talk about some of my favourite game soundtracks. These live in my head rent free and I often fall back on a number of them when struggling to find something varied to listen to, or want to dwell in/induce certain moods. I might add to this over time if I come across something new that blows me away or if I forgot a beloved soundtrack because I haven't played it in ages.
I feel that there are a few categories of game soundtracks that are identifiable outside of their musical styles;
- Original soundtracks that are extremely solid within the game, and are also easily listenable on their own.
- Original soundtracks that are excellent in the environment of the game, but not as easy to listen to without that context. They have a lot of great ambient/incidental tracks that construct the mood of the game, but maybe aren't very melodic or listenable on their own.
- And there are soundtracks that are essentially just well curated licensed music playlists; your GTAs, Need for Speeds, Tony Hawks, etc. The games wouldn't feel the same without them.
This is all subjective, and a lot of soundtracks can blend between the categories above. These are also not in any particular order :)
Contents
Special Mentions & Licensed Music Playlists
Dreamfall
Dreamfall has amazing ambient and background music throughout across a variety of styles. It does a lot for the worldbuilding in both worlds; the dystopian cyberpunk world of science, and the renaissance/medieval fantasy world of magic. When shifting between them, you are immediately grounded by their unique soundscapes and music. Then in several transitional cutscenes, Dreamfall employs a few lyrical indie pop style tracks that have an almost young adult television drama feel to them. Reminded me of the kind of music you would hear in similar scenes from something like Dawson's Creek, Buffy, and other WB/CW shows of the 2000s. Another big standout for me was the cyberpunk world's music, lots of very cool future trip-hop sounding stuff. The 'St. Petersburg' track is a good example, feels like the it could be background music in Dark Angel. And the lyrical 'magnet' songs like 'My Darling Curse' and 'Be With You' are phenomenal in game, while also being decently listenable on their own. The instrumental of My Darling Curse feels like if 'future coffeehouse' was a genre. The music also compliments the narrative themes used throughout Dreamfall, but that is harder to explain if you haven't played it.
Uru: Ages Beyond Myst
I have played through this game via Myst Online: Uru Live, but the base game is essentially the same just without online interactivity. The music of Uru is this phenomenal mix of contemporary and classic, 'world' music while also feeling otherworldy. Each track grounds you so well in it's respective environment, whether that is New Mexico's Cleft, A gallery or cavern library built by ancient non-humans, or a strange new world in Teledahn. You become very familiar with these songs as you typically spend quite a bit of time on each age trying to solve their mysteries, or just lingering and enjoying the vibes. Myst Online: Uru Live also has several extra tracks to accompany the new ages added over the years which have been created by fans/players, it is worth checking out and the game is free from their website. I regularly throw on The full Uru sountrack as background noise when doing stuff.
Myst
The original game, a time capsule of early 90s soundscapes. I have only played through the original game, not realmyst, masterpiece edition or the remake. I am not sure if there is any difference between them, outside of improved quality on the others (Myst was released in 1993 after all). Deeply emotional and dark at times (in line with the story), but also very whimsical in a 90s-00s television movie style, The Last Message - Forechamber Theme is a good example of both. There is heavy use of synth harp/strings performing staccato stabs (dramatic punctuating short notes, I'm not musical at all I asked a friend who explained this for me), as well as the instrument that sounds like wood blocks being hit together in a warehouse (found out this is called a talandon/semantron). I feel like these two sounds were used in EVERYTHING in the 90s and early 00s, especially games and television, Sirrus' theme in the Mechanical Age is a good example. Just such a solid soundtrack even outside of the game if you're in the mood.
GTA2
Outregeous multi genre masterpiece of Y2K splendor. Unlike the newer GTAs, 2 does not use licensed music, so all the radio tracks were made in house by DMA's music team. Genuinely something to behold as they created so much convincingly real radio music across various styles of the era (1999). I regularly throw on this video which contains all 30 songs without radio presenter interludes. You can easily find videos/playlists with the radio commentary, but I would advise against that because they say some pretty fucked up stuff. My absolute fav radio tracks are; Real Love, Jacking In Hilltown, The Diner, Flymutha and God Bless All The Universe, also the main theme tune slaps. There is actually no way to change radio stations in game, it just plays a random one in every new car you steal. Probably why I came to enjoy pretty much all the songs.
1080° Snowboarding
Why is this so good? It didn't need to be, it could have just been curated licensed stuff. Another extremely solid soundtrack that is comprised of jungle, drum n bass, acid techno, and some metal tracks. How is THIS only the menu music? oh you won or lost a snowboarding race? here's some of the chillest dnb tracks of all time. Training on the halfpipe? jungle is massive. I also absolutely adore Dance!, This Is A Test, and Call Me. This was Kenta Nagata's second soundtrack ever, after Super Mario 64! So wild, good enough to be listened to without the game.
Lego Island
Hands down the greatest soundtrack music aimed at children ever made. The designer who pitched the idea of the game was a regular on a local San Fransisco radio station full of musicians and voice actors, who were uniquely adept for a soundtrack like this. It is very fun without being patronizing, and adds a lot to the worldbuilding with lyrics referencing in-game people and concepts. The original audio quality is quite compressed (to fit on the CD with the game). I only found out recently that Lego Island was on the cutting edge of 3D graphics at the time, from this making of video by MattKC (guy that started the game's decompilation). I played this game a lot while growing up, tracks like 'Brick by Brick', 'Park', and theLego Island Theme will forever be ingrained in my mind.
The Longest Journey
The first game in the Longest Journey-Dreamfall saga, so similar vibes with creating soundscapes for the science based cyberpunk world and the magic based medieval fantasy world. A lot of shorter tracks that only work in the context of the game, but there are a few standouts. Again I really resonate with the jazzy/trip-hop future coffeehouse style stuff from the cyberpunk world like; 'Winterland', 'Dragon', 'Dolphin', and 'Shark'.
KOTOR 1 & 2
Really epic sounding strings and orchestral stuff, highly emotional at times. It sort of plays with the general Star Wars score, creating similar stuff and weaving in melodies from the films here and there. KOTOR 2 feels more sinister and uneasy, which compliments the themes and story really well. They are quite similar but I think I enjoyed 2's music more (as well as the game itself). Plus they are both 20-40 hour playthroughs so it all really burrows in your mind. I think my fav standout tracks are; 'Manaan (Ahto City)', 'Jedi Academy', 'Dantooine', and a lot of the cantina tracks like 'Javyar's Cantina', this jazzy track (or more accurately 'jizzy' track) from the Taris Upper City Bar, and this one that plays in the card games corner of Nar Shadaa's entertainment promenade.
Red Faction 1
Amazing accompaniment to the impromptu Mars worker's revolution. Lots of industrial ambient stuff throughout the levels with a number of standout rock, metal and electro tracks during action setpieces. Feels influenced by 80s-90s action movie scoring quite a bit. 'Faction', 'Ghost In The Machine', 'MooGroov', and 'Self Destruct Sequence' are a few standouts, but there are almost 70 tracks with similar vibes, with roughly half being shorter adaptive tracks (that only play in response to actions/events).
The Sims 1, 2 & Online
Music to live and die to. Build mode music from 1 used to make me sad as a kid, it's very low and slow, buy mode is super peppy though. I recently came across this video that explains Sims 1's music really well. Sims 2 theme music blows my head off, and the quality remains strong throughout the game. Recently I have tried out a fan made revival of the Sims Online and found out it has some amazing unique tracks. 'World Map 2' and 'Map View 4' have permanently altered my brain chemistry (those track names may be wrong, most uploads are by fans).
Stardew Valley
What is to be said that hasn't already been said about this one. One man show from the sole developer, great daily and emotional music all throughout the game. The spring day tracks are a certified anti-depressant (It's a Big World Outside & The Valley Comes Alive). Good relaxing music if you just need something to put on.
Blade Runner
This is a point and click adventure from 1997 with several endings, acts as a side-quel of the original movie. Some of the Vangelis style stuff from the films as well as more unique cyberpunk themed stuff in specific areas of the world. Lots of cool tracks like 'The Eyes Follow', 'By Invitation Only', and 'Animoid Row'.
Special Mentions & Licensed music playlists
Halo 1 & 2: Obviously well known, the theme music is fantastic, especially it's reprisal in the final mission 'The Maw'. The soundtrack as a whole does a lot to make the Halo ring feel otherworldly throughout the game, and that carrys over into 2 as well. Not super listenable outside of the game though, and I have yet to play 3.
Robot City: super moody and dark, this opening scene in your apartment is a good example. We had this game growing up and I was so scared of it as a kid with it's music and creepy robots. I have been meaning to try and play through it properly sometime.
Fury 3: I don't even know the genre of this, edgy MIDI styled 90s stuff. I have had the melody of 'Egypt Boss' randomly pop back into my head consistently since 1995. Listening to it now, it's not as grand as I remember, but definitely evokes "You are in a flying craft above an apocalyptic wasteland and the existence of earth depends upon you". I think a demo of this game came bundled with Windows 95, or a common software pack we had for it, and 'Egypt Boss' was in the one level included. It was a good demonstration game for joystick use, kind of like how solitaire teaches people how to use a mouse.
Saints Row (2022): Licensed music mostly but it does have original tracks in a southwestern style through menus. They placed a few tracks from 'Cipher' the 'classic' hip hop station in pivotal missions and it worked super well. I think I enjoyed that more because it was my favourite station. By 'classic' it means 90s-00s stuff like Feel Me Flow, Slam, Sound of da Police, and Tres Delinquentes.
GTA 3, Vice City, San Andreas & GTA 5/Online: Just licensed radio station music, well curated though. I love FlyLo, Soulwax and Motomami in 5, everything in San Andreas (my most played GTA game by far), and theres some great DnB and techno in 3. Hate the original tracks in 5, they play mainly during grindy missions in Online which feel unfairly designed to annoy players into paying real money to skip them.
Battlefield 1942 & Vietnam: 1942 has the BEST version of the battlefield theme. Vietnam just plays licensed 60s stuff, but it works; 'White Rabbit' as main menu music, obligatory 'Fortunate Son' etc.
Tony Hawk's Underground 1 & 2: Licensed pop punk and rock fare.
Need For Speed Underground 1 & 2: These still hold up with many bangers, amazing 'epitome of cool' time capsules.