Gaming Soundtracks for the Elitest Music Major

[RachaelIsaacHill]

As someone who has an unhealthy fascination with orchestrated soundtracks, I ask you, Escapist - what game has had the most memorable score to you? My boyfriend bought me the special edition Skyrim soundtrack for christmas, which has been pretty fabulous, though I admit I do enjoy some of WoW's Wrath expansion music a little better. And, say what you want about the HALO franchise, those composers know their business.

So fellow Escapists, what instrumentals do you listen to when words are too... wordy?

 

[NerfedFalcon]

Me? I tend to enjoy synths, myself. And very few game composers do that better than Junya Ota. I'm sure you've heard this in some form or another, even if you don't know it:


The rest of the music from the entire Touhou series is pretty good, too. I just brought that one up because of how many other people tend to.

 

[Riobux]

In terms of most memorable score, it used to be very firmly the Silent Hill 2 soundtrack (followed by Silent Hill 3 soundtrack for the rare good song like Never Forget Me, Never Forgive Me) with amazing and varied songs like Promise, Betrayal/Black Fairy and Overdose Delusion. However, recently, Bastion's soundtrack has caught my eye as being particularly good with songs like A Proper Story, Blynn The Breaker and The Bottom Feeders. Also worth noting is the soundtrack of ilomilo which I think somewhat flew under the rader, with songs like March Of The Ilomilos and Me And My Paper Plane having a nice warming childlike feel to it.

 

[4RM3D]

Most soundtracks only have a few interesting songs. Because of this I never tend to like the whole soundtrack.

A few exceptions:

NieR Gestalt & Replicant OST >> A must-listen for orchestra fans
Odin Sphere Original Soundtrack
Trusty Bell ~Chopin's Dream~ Original Score
Advent Rising Original Soundtrack

 

[The Wykydtron]

I would say best soundtrack ever, but Persona 4 still exists.


Best menu music ever

Also UMVC3's soundtrack is pretty good. Unless it's not and i've just got the Turnabout Mode theme looping constantly...

 

[Moonlight Butterfly]

Nobuo Uematsu has composed some amazing music for Final Fantasy over the years. Here is a couple of my favourites


Bit more of a serious one


There are loads more on youtube.

These are performed by the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra

 

[Lieju]

Most memorable? Probably Super Mario 3. A lot of that has to do with nostalgia, of course.

But I really liked the music of Metroid Prime, and I usually hate music like that.


Also, back when I lived with my mom and we only had one tv, Metroid Prime was the only game ever she didn't complain about because of the noise since she liked the soundtrack.

 

[GundamSentinel]

The Shadow of the Colossus OST is always enough for me.


Oh, and the Demon's Souls Soundtrack deserves mention.

 

[Double A]

Baten Kaitos

This song's from the same game, but it's a bit... different. That doesn't affect its status as the best song in the game, however.

Golden Sun: Dark Dawn (this is probably my favorite series ever - I've played it more times than Pokemon)


Finally, Advance Wars: Dual Strike. Pick ANY CO's theme. ANY. They're all amazing. Especially Grimm's.

 

[Magnus]

I like the Silent Hill 1-3, Shatter, Akuji The Heartless, Soul Reaver and Return to Wolfenstein soundtracks pretty much more than any other.

 

[xplosive59]

One of my favourite soundtracks is that of Final Fantasy 6, this is probably the best soundtrack that Nobuo Uematsu has composed for a Final Fantasy game followed then by Final Fantasy 4.

 

[werty10089]

I'd personally have to say what I usually say in these kind of threads, and that is the original Spyro the Dragon game soundtrack. It's good on so many levels.


Also, the same company seems to have developed this equally amusing score fitting another one of my great gaming recommendations.

 

[Canjul]

The Shadow of the Colossus OST is always enough for me.

Seconded. Shadow of the Colossus has a frankly incredible soundtrack. IMHO it beats out every other game soundtrack there is (not that there aren't other nice ones)

 

[Phlakes]

I'm not a music major, but I am very well versed in the game musics [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/groups/view/Top-Ten-Songs].

And I mean this in an honest not-trying-to-advertise way, but you could probably find some good ones looking through those.

You might enjoy this one-

You can't mention Metroid Prime without including Torvus Bog.

How dare either of you mention Prime without including this sexy thing-


(Although I agree hard with your choices)

And speaking of Deus Ex: HR I love the soundtrack in that game and the first Deus Ex.

Dear lord yes, this is one of my favorite songs from any game ever-

 

[-Seraph-]

The Ys series has some of the most awesome music I've heard in any game series. Has a varying styles of music, but it's most notable stuff is like a mix of like 80's power metal and symphonic music.

My favorite theme in the entire series:

Spoiler: Some of my favorite themes from 1,2,3, and 7

Not a series known to many, and it deserves a lot more mention. I could list some of the obvious choices out there, but damn does Ys music always get me in a rocking mood when listening to their more intense tracks.

 

[Post Tenebrae Morte]

The entire Silent Hill series is known for its wondrous music, so if your a music major, they'll do more than just satisfy you.

 

[neonsword13-ops]

Most memorable score?

Persona 4 will take home the all-time favorite for a long time to come. I mean, just listen to it.

Although, there are many other classic soundtracks in this thread already. So, I'm going with something a bit more nostalgic for me.

Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness

EDIT: Wait, how could I forget Wind Waker?!