(*UPDATE: I sold the film rights to my novel, Psycho Save Us. Thank you guys for your support.)
For this article, there will be no judging a game's soundtrack based solely on if the game was any good or if it fell just shy of its potential or pissed us off. In short, if the soundtrack affected me positively, and gave me "the feels" or "the chills" or "the wills" (the will to persevere no matter what), and as long as it served the game in a meaningful way, it will be credited as such.
For this article, there will be no judging a game's soundtrack based solely on if the game was any good or if it fell just shy of its potential or pissed us off. In short, if the soundtrack affected me positively, and gave me "the feels" or "the chills" or "the wills" (the will to persevere no matter what), and as long as it served the game in a meaningful way, it will be credited as such.
These rankings are also mostly arbitrary, the #9 could easily vault into my #1 next month, and #1 might fall all the way to #10, or off this list entirely, if I'm just not feeling it as much that month. This is MY LIST for the greatest video game soundtracks of all time, and how I feel about them at the moment of writing this. It also serves as a recommendation list, for all those soundtracks you might have missed in your busy life.
This...this is just beautiful. We're starting out this list with one of the most gorgeous pieces, and the particular song I've linked above starts off slowly but builds to something truly epic at around the one-minute mark. The MGS series is nothing if not epic, and its music has always complemented it nicely, but never has the series' themes of struggle, betrayal, hope, and sweeping vision been more encapsulated than in this piece.
9. Mass Effect 2
Like MGS, the Mass Effect series as a whole has never let us down when it comes to a soundtrack. It combines some synthesized instruments with Star Trek and Star Wars-style themes at times, delivering epicness that reflects both classic "spacey" realms and the tone of the story you're being presented. The piece above, entitled "Suicide Mission," feels like the most heroic music you could ever imagine playing when you are going into a final battle that you cannot imagine surviving. Just like John Williams left an indelible mark on the Star Wars franchise with his music, the Mass Effect series would never have been quite as good without this music design.
8. Shadow of the Colossus
Considered one of gaming's crowning achievements for its visual style and gameplay, Shadow of the Colossus had one of the most intense soundtracks ever, one that made you FEEL the size of the opponents you were up against. It's always key for a soundtrack to reflect emotionally what your character is feeling, to "give voice" to the internal forces churning within our heroes and villains. The immensity of the colossi is definitely felt in this soundtrack, as is the near impossibility of your mission.
7. Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
If you're going to make a game that goes on forever, spanning many realms, kingdoms, villages and towns, you're going to need a soundtrack that feels both epic and not redundant. Skyrim was a game that went on (still goes on) forever, and throughout the game, our ears were treated to a variegated assortment of tunes that ranged from beautiful and subtle bard's tunes, to full-throated choirs roaring our name: "DOVA-KIN! DOVA-KIN!" It also inspired many people to perform covers of its music, like the YouTube performer Malukah above, which vaulted her into well-deserved stardom.
6. Grand Theft Auto IV
Okay, you can debate all day which GTA you think is the best installment of the series, but I will fight you tooth and nail if you defy me on the selection of the greatest SOUNDTRACK of the series. I mean, just listen to the video above, and tell me that it doesn't immediately make you feel like you're up to Tony Soprano-style shenanigans. I rest my case!
5. Halo 2
Again, just like with GTA, you may debate which game in the series you like best, but admit it, it was the "Mjolnir Mix" that came out of Halo 2 that gave you the best adrenaline rush of them all!
4. Journey
I don't even have to speak. Just listen to the song above all the way to the end, and then you shall know The Truth, my fellow traveler.
3. The Legend of Zelda
Okay, this one is kind of a cheat, because, well, much of the Zelda music gets reused and transformed by new orchestras over time. But this is a modern soundtrack, even if it is based off of many of the old themes from the original NES game. So, I say this one counts.
2. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
Yeah, okay, MGS was already on here, but this is PART THREE, dammit, and so much of it caught the action, stealth, and intrigue of the entire series. Not just the "Snake Eater" theme song that everybody remembers, but the very essence of the greatest tactical espionage game ever made. The song I've linked above was the "CQC Theme" and made me feel the grittiness of both the sneakery and the battles experienced in this series.
1. Mass Effect 3
If I can repeat MGS on this list, I can damn well repeat ME. Again, it's not about the best GAME, it's about the best score for that game. Say what you will about the ending of Mass Effect 3, I have my own issues with it, as well, but there can be no denying that the music hit an emotional tone that absolutely needed to be hit in order for a final-chapter game to be what it needed to be.
SO THAT'S IT! What did I miss? Comment below and let me know what you thought of the list, if you think it's crazy, and what you think should have been added.
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