One of the many aspects that I enjoy about video gaming is the soundtrack, which if used correctly becomes an integral part in creating the atmosphere and setting, allowing us to fully immerse ourselves in the experience.
When well executed the soundtrack sits above the storyline like a puppeteer pulling at the strings of our emotions causing us to shed tears over the deaths of characters we love, smile at them overcoming their challenges or even driving us to hate and a sense of revenge or regret, hope or despair. As with movies and television series the soundtrack can prove to be the difference between captivating and delivering your emotions into a climax, or delivering the moment with the finesse of Kanye’s child naming skills.
In addition to its use as means of creating atmosphere and playing at our emotions, music in videogames is also regularly used as a device to communicate important information to the player in an artistic form. Completing a level, breaking a top score, game over, loss of a life, impending doom or oncoming ecstasy are all messages that games have delivered to the player via music, some of which have become as memorable as the games itself. In this way players know what to expect as the music gives us our cues to play out our part in the experience.
Game soundtracks and music in general have been responsible for some of my greatest ever moments in gaming, making me shed tears like an England Fan at the prospect of a penalty shootout, or smiling more than a hobbit at the sound of breakfast.
Here’s my top 3 games in which the music or soundtrack has played me like a fiddle: (You can visit our youtube page here to listen to all the tracks discussed below.)
Number 3 - Red Dead Redemption ***SPOILER ALERT***
Red Dead Redemption showed not only how music, but how at times the distinct lack of music is of vital importance to truly engaging the gamer as we can see with John’s death scene where the gameplay upto this pivotal point is accompanied by “Trigonometry,” only to culminate in silence as John emerges from the barn to meet his fate.
Chiefly composed by Bill Elm and Woody Jackson, the soundtrack consists of over fourteen hours of music which accompany the missions adding an exhilarating film like ambience to the game that Red Dead Redemption is rich in, like when you spur your horse to give chase and the tempo seemingly accelerates to match your horse’s galloping hooves.
The game takes place in three major locations - New Austin, Mexico and, further North into the US, West Elizabeth each with its own musical score setting a distinct feel in line with the story providing a sense of peacefulness with whistles, violins and harmonicas, or creating tension with horns and drums.
The majority of songs on the soundtrack are instrumental with four tracks making use of vocals for emotional effect. "Far Away", when arriving in Mexico, "Compass", "Deadman's Gun", and the prayer like "Bury Me Not On The Lone Prairie" which plays when we see John's grave which still smacks me with nostalgia and the feeling of utter disbelief I felt at this twist in the story.
This soundtrack really made me feel like I was the protagonist in a western and listening to the tracks whilst writing this has made me long for a prequel even more!
Number 2 - Final Fantasy VII ***SPOILER ALERT***
Aside from holding a place amongst my favourite games ever, Final Fantasy VII’s soundtrack composed by Nobuo Uematsu, was a work of genius covering a wide variety of musical genres from rock and techno to orchestral masterpieces.
From pumping me full of adrenaline with the boss battle music “Still More Fighting” reminiscent of Metallica’s “For Whom the Bells Toll,” to shedding tears of sadness for the first time in a videogame at Aerith’s death scene, FFVII’s soundtrack played havoc with my feelings sending me whirling through a roller-coaster of emotions. This was the first time where I can remember being completely immersed in a videogame story, where I cared for certain characters and sought revenge on others, and I genuinely believe that the game’s soundtrack played an indispensable role in this.
Even today, 18 years later “Aerith’s Theme” still brings a tear to my eye and tracks like “Flowers Blooming in the Church” and “Words Drowned by Fireworks,” fill me with an overwhelming sense of happiness and nostalgia which I look forward to revisiting with the upcoming FFVII remake.
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker ***SPOILER ALERT***
This was a tight call between The Wind Waker and Ocarina of Time, but if I had to pick just the one Zelda game’s soundtrack it would have to be the Wind Waker. The truth is that this list could have easily been compiled with LOZ games as they take the use of music beyond setting the scene and is used to move the player not only emotionally, but also physically. Through music the player also changes the wind from east to west, day to night, sunshine to rainstorm to solve puzzles, access new areas and even move through time itself. Much like with OOT, the use of music is important enough for the instruments to lend their names to the game’s titles.
Composed by Kenta Nagata, Hajime Wakai, Toru Minegishi, and Koji Kondo the music further enhances the experience of the Wind Waker through the use of orchestral sounds that play as Link swings his sword, rolls out of harm’s way or connects with a well-timed counter attack adding to the game’s light-hearted nature.
One of the standout tracks for me is Outset Island’s theme whose overall feel reminds me a little of Howard Shore’s “Concerning Hobbits” from the LOTR soundtrack. Much like Concerning Hobbits, Outset Island’s theme invokes a playful peaceful setting the story before the world as you know it is shaken up and you are led on an adventure.
Other worthy mentions are:
- the “Great Sea Theme” that plays whilst you sail reflects the game’s adventurous and heroic nature through the swelling surge of the orchestra led by a victorious trumpet that lends a sense of grandeur making the often long sailing segments far more enjoyable than they should be.
- Grandma’s Theme which plays when you first say goodbye and leave Outset Island and then again when she is sick and needs your help. This one in particular still chokes me up.
- The Legendary Hero a medieval themed version of the classical LOZ theme song which plays during the game’s prologue
- Dragon Roost Island theme in contrast to the others this piece seems to be more influenced by Andean or Incan music, relying heavily on pan flute and guitar and variations on the soundtrack such as this really give the world a diverse feel making it seem larger than it actually is.
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What game soundtracks have moved you? Share below and remember that this list is based on my opinion and that it is unlikely I will have the same list as all of you. Just because a game didn’t make it onto my top 3 list doesn’t mean that I don’t love it.
You can visit our youtube page here to listen to all the tracks discussed above.
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