Amazing UNDERRATED Original Soundtracks

[Moeez]

"It's a good day to die."

This thread is for the amazing OSTs of games that are more obscure, forgotten or were just plain bad, so they went unnoticed by most game enthusiasts. I know I've mentioned Too Human's score in other threads but I felt it needed to be singled out. One of those games where much like Nier, the soundtrack was the best part.

FUCKING EPIC ("Gods and Chaos", "Relic")

FUCKING EMOTIONAL ("Frey Expresses Doubt", "World Tree")
I'm no musics professor, but what really knocks me over with Too Human's soundtrack is the absolute variety of motifs within a single song. Makes it not memorable for that one riff, but something instantly hummable and memorable throughout. I can't help miming a music conducter through the entire score. It has enough variety to match the memorable beats from retro games instead of sounding like filmic ambient filler.

 

[Tohuvabohu]

What immediately comes to mind is Oddworld.

I know Oddworld was a "greatest hits" game but I never really hear the soundtrack mentioned as much as it should be. It's probably one of the earliest games I remember playing that had a contextually sensitive music. Not only that, but the soundtrack was brilliantly "subtle" yet meshed in perfectly with the moods and settings of each environment.


I love how Ellen Meijers also blended in ambient noises (usually from the nasty critters that infest the area), makes the entire massive and surreal universe of oddworld feel alive, and hostile. That up there is the basic tone for the entire vault.

Spoiler: Paramite Tension

Those who remember Oddworld might remember the Paramites. The complicated creatures that roam mudomo vaults. This short tune starts playing whenever one is on screen. You can hear the subtle scuttering of a Paramite blended into the song, and the chirping of those goddamned Fleeches in there as well.

"Tension" is a good word for it, since any aggressive creature can potentially kill the shit out of the skinny and fragile Abe in any moment. Paramites were much more tense to be around since they had pretty complex behavior. A lone paramite can actually be passive or friendly. But if you accidently back one into a corner, or spot a group of them together. GET THE HELL OUT OF THERE!

Spoiler: Paramite Action

This is the song that plays if you're unlucky enough to piss off a paramite. It again fits perfectly into the "tribal" feeling of the vaults, and the fleeting panic of trying to get your ass away from the angry paramite as soon as possible.

Also of those songs, which like you said use a variation on each other, can potentially all play within a few moments and fit in so perfectly that you might not even notice 3 different songs playing in succession since it feels like one experience.

They say that one of the biggest associations of videogame nostalgia is the music in it, and I sure as hell agree with that. Oddworld is just one of many games I think to have brilliant soundtracks which will always be memorable.

 

[Tragedy's Rebellion]

Zanzarah the hidden portal has some nice scores and you can download them free at http://forum.funatics.de/viewtopic.php?f=56&t=3259 , they have an almost innocent-like charm while combining great melodies and medieval themes.

EDIT: Huh, it seems the download links have 404'd :\ i hope i have them all downloaded somewhere in my comp.

EDIT2: I managed to find some on youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g__t_TYFCX8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoocFr9eDfw&feature=related
(don't know how to embed sorry)

 

[mb16]

EvE has some good ones, but as not many people play it they aren't that well known
this is only a small selection

 

[Mr. Omega]

Spoiler: I said it before, I'll say it again, the Bomberman series, especially Bomberman The Second Attack

Spoiler: Another great choice: the Advance Wars series

 

[King Toasty]

I was going to say Doctor Who, but then I realized it's about games. Sooo... I got nothing. But I'll check the ones posted.

 

[Mordekaien]

Demigod


Because this game was pretty medicore, but when you stormed your enemies with this playing in the background, you were feeling badassery pouring from the screen.

 

[Mossypne]

I know it isn't underrated but i really love Uncharted 1's Nate's theme tune!!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFeBVoEeIwM[/youtube]

 

[Dingoman013]

if you like this guy you should check out matsuo hayato and what he did for the hellsing ova series. hes one of my favorite artists ever and if you ask anyone i know they'll tell you how big of an honor that is.
These two are some of my personal Favorites:
Gradus Vita: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFZjegvE6OA
Stolzer Aristokrat: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFhPBv_9xwo

He has 3 Cd's with a few duplicate tracks on each but its all good.
Hellsing ova series black dog
Premium warsaw recording selection
Nazi CD

also its a great anime
msg me if you want some more info or want me to throw together a download 4 u

 

[Soviet Heavy]

The Dawn of War games, despite not being underrated, aren't credited enough for their awesome soundtracks. The first game was done by Jeremy Soule, Winter Assault through Soulstorm were done by Inon Zur, and Dawn of War 2 was done by Doyle W. Donehoo.

Here is a Soule tune.

Inon Zur

Donehoo

 

[Nightmare-Child]

Makai Kingdom comes to mind.

 

[Giantpanda602]

The Starcraft 2 and WoW soundtracks are both pretty good.

 

[Neverhoodian]

Total Annihilation. It has a grandiose, sweeping score that wouldn't be out of place in a major blockbuster film...and the game was made in 1997. Composer Jeremy Soule is one talented man.

Spoiler

 

[solidstatemind]

Actually, Bungie has some fantastic OSTs: and don't start dumping buckets of flaming Halo-Hate on me-- I'm actually referring more to the Myth soundtracks as well as Oni.

The Homeworld and Homeworld 2 OSTs are awesome

Most Bioware games have good scores.

And the surprise of them all: the Unreal soundtrack. (Of course, I have a great deal of affection for Unreal. To this day, I remember stepping outside of the ship and, for the first time in an FPS, seeing the sky.)

 

[GothmogII]

Actually, Bungie has some fantastic OSTs: and don't start dumping buckets of flaming Halo-Hate on me-- I'm actually referring more to the Myth soundtracks as well as Oni.

The Homeworld and Homeworld 2 OSTs are awesome

Most Bioware games have good scores.

Don't mean to seem like I'm picking on you or anything, but that's Adagio for Strings, composed by Samuel Barber (in the 30's I think), it's a nice version, and it fits the soundtrack perfectly, but hardly underrated or indeed original with regards to the Homeworld ST.

The Turanic Raiders theme is perhaps a better showcase of Homeworld's original score:

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Anyway:

Spoiler: Battlezone

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Activision's Battlezone mind you. Many people I've seen online seem to have fond memories of this tank-sim/shooter/rts hybrid, less seem to remember the music, which even on its own is fantastic.

Spoiler: Planescape Torment

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Apparently, the OST for Torment was composed almost entirely in the final week before it was released. It's still an awesome listen, and fits the setting like a glove.

Spoiler: Dark Reign

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For the Imperium!!

Spoiler: Star Control II

<youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6W_fzCW0L84>
<youtube=pRjWQv6_y0o&feature=related>
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Kinda cheating I know, because I'm linking to the remixes and not the actual OST from Star Control 2. But the remixes more than do the originals justice.

This one, Mystic Shadows however, deserves it's own out of the spoiler box position I think:
<youtube=sMoFtVXjQAY> Also, if you have not played this game. Go do so. NOW. (Warning, patience may be required, but it is worth it.)

http://sc2.sourceforge.net/downloads.php

 

[TehCookie]

Spoiler: Have fun getting this out of your head.

All the songs fit the game so well but I won't bother posting them all.

 

[Idlemessiah]

I've been playing Spyro the Dragon today, so I gotta say that. It was composed by Stewart Copeland too so it's awesome!

 

[solidstatemind]

Actually, Bungie has some fantastic OSTs: and don't start dumping buckets of flaming Halo-Hate on me-- I'm actually referring more to the Myth soundtracks as well as Oni.

The Homeworld and Homeworld 2 OSTs are awesome
snip

Most Bioware games have good scores.

Don't mean to seem like I'm picking on you or anything, but that's Adagio for Strings, composed by Samuel Barber (in the 30's I think), it's a nice version, and it fits the soundtrack perfectly, but hardly underrated or indeed original with regards to the Homeworld ST.

The Turanic Raiders theme is perhaps a better showcase of Homeworld's original score:

snip

For the record, I am familiar with Adagio for Strings-- or more correctly, Agnus Dei (in this case performed by the Choir of New College, Oxford, I believe). For instance, it was also used in the movie 'Platoon'. I was simply using the first song on the soundtrack. And while that song can't be said to be underrated, the soundtrack is as a whole, at least in my opinion.

But you're right, the Turanic Raiders theme is more representative of what you'll find in the other songs on the soundtrack. My personal favorite is:

 

[sushkis2]

There was a game trilogy on ps1 called Gex. The one that stands out in the soundtrack section is the second one. Especially the later Rezopolis levels (Daamn, that techno beat still gives me the chills)


And of course the disco room, lol