Truly brilliant game music

[captaincabbage]

Yeah, just what the title says, what's some game music that really is just genius? Be it a battle theme, credits song or set piece, what music from a game really moves you?

I guess I'll start. Pretty much any song from LBP2. They're all excellent, but the ones that stick out in my mind are Sleepyhead by Passion Pit,


And Vision One by Royskopp



Aside from that, a special sout out to the Ratchet and Clank series and Left 4 Dead. They both have awesomely atmospheric soundtracks respectively.

Inb4 Halo series.

 

[Arisato-kun]

The Genesis from Persona 4 is an amazing boss battle theme. It really reflects the emotions of the player throughout the final battle.


Also all of the music from the Ar Tonelico series is completely incredible.

 

[nukethetuna]

All of the music in this game is, for the most part, absolutely fantastic, but:


And for something somewhat different, Armored Core 4, For Answer, and Nexus have some of my favorite soundtracks of all time, broken English and all.

 

[MrOramri]

I dont have a fancy video, but I must say Minecraft has some really good music that fits the atmosphere perfectly

 

[Tydanubus]

The Morrowind theme. Swelling, epic, moving. I lurves it.

http://youtu.be/ZWuNf4gxwuM

 

[Mace Tulio]

I love the Shogun 2: Total War soundtrack, so much so that I'm listening to it right now.

 

[Reyalsfeihc]

The arranged version of Baba Yetu that won two grammy`s is amazingly beautiful. I`d recommend you look at Video Games Live`s Season 1 soundtrack. `Twas quite impressive.

 

[Mr Thin]

I thought the credits music in Mass Effect was perfect. It had the right feel, the right tone.

Spoiler

The song by itself isn't spectacular, but its placement in the game was flawless.

Other than that, the Hitman theme fits the game and character of Agent 47 like a custom-fitted glove.

Spoiler

 

[Josh Horton]

I really have to say almost all of Nobuo Uematsu's work is amazing

EDIT: Civilization IV theme is pretty awesome too

 

[Seieko Pherdo]

I loved the music from Xenosaga III, Ar Tonelico, and the Shin Megami Tensei games.

 

[Wayneguard]

Just all of shadow of the colossus. Of particular note is how the battle music progresses as you work your way up the colossus. At first, when you're just walking around not aggroing anybody, the music is calm maybe with some abrupt but slight crescendos to give some tension. After you piss off the colossus, the music picks up and then when you're on its head swording its brains the music becomes full on epic. Damn that is a fine game with some fine audio.

 

[SillyBear]

snip

I think calling Passion Pit's music "game music" is a little inaccurate. I define video game music as music that was made by a composer specifically for the game. But maybe I'm wrong in thinking that, who knows!

 

[Ixnay1111]

This is what makes me want to keep going back to these games after all these years

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFs5nYHejDU&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fm33MMa9d_A

 

[KingWeasel]

The sound track to Lunar Silver Star Story Compleate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-oeKgGy2AY

and

The sound track to Arcanum

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftvpi-6Z6qw

Take those examples and enjoy

 

[Moonlight Butterfly]

:3 One that always makes me smile and this version is fun hehe.

 

[captaincabbage]

snip

I think calling Passion Pit's music "game music" is a little inaccurate. I define video game music as music that was made by a composer specifically for the game. But maybe I'm wrong in thinking that, who knows!

Nonsense. Game music should be classified as any muysic track that is included within the game. Sure there's original scores and there's licensed tracks in games, but they're both still game music.

 

[Charisma]

The Donkey Kong Country games had some crazy good music.

FF7 still a staple for excellence especially in the music department (just look at all the tools on Youtube playing FF7 themes on cheap keyboards and guitars).

Honorable mention to a shitload of different games; Megaman, Sonic the Hedgehog, FF6, and almost anything Blizzard makes.

But just so I can pretend to be hardcore with an obscure piece, here's the NES Godzilla.

Spoiler

Oh god the glorious age of 8-bit sound.

 

[JaceArveduin]

The music for the BFME games, just pure epicness

 

[Scissors61]

Driv3r.

Move Over-Teddybears Sthlm, the theme, is probably as close to absolute-zero cool music has ever gotten.

That is all.

 

[Demitri Kamoraz]

Dwarf Fortress. Sure, it's just a simple little crappy string instrument melody, but I could listen to it forevar and still not have to turn the music off.

The Morrowind theme. Swelling, epic, moving. I lurves it.

http://youtu.be/ZWuNf4gxwuM

Have you heard the Skyrim one? Add war drums and a chamber choir for Nordic lads.