Ambiance Is Everything: Games With The Best Music

[pirate_wolf_12]

So, I was recently playing Fallout New Vegas when I entered a building to find a group of innocent doctors and charity workers brutally slaughtered whilst this somber song played on the radio in the background as my companion stood in disbelief: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqSzmVc79D4

Talk about a great moment. It would have been better though if my game hadn't glitched soon after, but that's for another thread.

So, this begs the question on what games have you played that you find have the best music (whether created for the game or before by other musicians)?

I love the games that use the old fifties and sixties music, like Fallout 3 and New Vegas as well as the Bioshock series (such as Bessie's Smith's Nobody Knows When You're Down And Out in the slums and skid row level). I also like the use of 80's music in GTA: Vice City and the alternative music on Radio X in GTA: San Andreas.

[Rikachu]

Super Mario Galaxies 1 and 2. Beautiful compositions.

[itsnotozzyitsozzy]

Silent Hill 1-4 and shattered memories(Obviously)
Kingdom Hearts 1-2(only ones I have played thus far)

[TheGuySim]

Super Mario Galaxies 1 and 2. Beautiful compositions.

So true, their music is so awesome and fits the game perfectly :D

[Oaktree]

-Dragon Age: Origins
-Icewind Dale
-Dragonriders of Pern
-Zelda (of course :D)

I tend to prefer ethereal-sounding music in games, though Zelda and Dragonriders have a lot of good rousing music. I know there are other games that have awesome music that I've played, but nothing else is coming to mind at the moment.

[Fuzzlechan]

-Dragonriders of Pern

Wait. DROP has a game!? Must... FIND!

And in order to stay on-topic: I love the music in Mario games. xD It's addicting.

[ElPresidente]

Game soundtracks are something of a specialty interest for me and deciding on the greatest soundtracks is a very difficult thing.

Looking at licensed soundtracks (i.e. where the soundtrack is made up of commercially released music) is a much easier task since, as a general rule, you have to do something pretty special with a licensed sound track to make my ears perk up.

Favourite Licensed Soundtracks

Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines

Not only is the goth/heavy rock vibe is a perfect fit for the brutal yet narcissistic game world Troika created from the extended World of Darkness universe, but it is also a perfect showcase of the genre. In many ways it is the game equivalent of the soundtrack to the 1994 film The Crow in which it provides a brilliant entry point into its specific musical focus. With bands ranging from Lacuna Coil to Ministry, the talent on display is a real who's who of the scene.


Grant Theft Auto: San Andreas

The GTA series has long had a reputation for exceptional licensed soundtracks but San Andreas is certainly their crowning achievement in this area. With the more diverse range of genres represented and an unerring accuracy when it came to selecting the most appropriate music it is hands down Rockstar's most impressive soundtrack.


Braid

Much of the credit for Braid's brilliance must go to lone game designer Jonathan Blow but there is no question the haunting soundtrack plays a significant role in producing the unique atmosphere of the game. Contrary to popular belief the music was not actually written for the game but rather Blow selected the tracks from commercial music archives (where musicians offer their creations up for sale). Kudos to Blow for knowing exactly what music the game needed but also to the amazing composers who created the music he used. Shira Kammen's delightfully Gaelic folk tune Downstream and Jaimie Seiber's grim Tell it by Heart are the highlights of an amazingly focused and beautiful package of compositions.



Original Game Soundtracks

This list is much harder for me but here are some of the immediate titles that come to mind...

Aquaria

Bit Blot's Aquaria is a very pretty game so it is only appropriate that it has a very pretty soundtrack - and it does. Taking the aquatic themes of the game for inspiration the almost 'new age' electronica soundtrack melds beautifully with the action on screen. Not every track is a winner but he ratio of wheat to chaff is very high and those tracks that are great are incredibly so; such as Lost to the Waves (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gK44op7N4w)


Nier

The soundtrack maybe as batty as the game itself but it is hard to deny that this is one of the most impressive uses of music in a game to date. Haunting orchestral arrangements mixed with most 'action packed' compositions make up the majority of the soundtrack but special regard should be paid to the vocal pieces which are the most beautiful examples of folk music I've encountered in a game.


Dune

Games like this are the reason I loved European game development in the 1990s but I digress, soundtracks like this are the reason I am addicted to game soundtracks. The soundtrack combines electronica with Middle Eastern influences to create a truly unique soundscape that provides a unusual yet wholly compatible take on Frank Herbert's science fiction opus.

...

Okay I'm spending far too much time on this post. I'm actually meant to be writing reviews so I'll leave it there for the moment but please note the original soundtracks list is woefully incomplete. There are even better ones than I've listed such as Beyond Good and Evil to name but one.

And now to work... :P

[dutch]

I'll have to agree that GTA SA has the best radio stations I've come across thus far. They fit perfectly with the time period depicted in the game, they're extremely diverse and have a LOT of songs, and really good ones. Kudos to Rockstar.

[TheGuySim]

Even though GTA San Andreas has some great radio stations, GTA Vice City has the best killer 80's soundtrack in any game! :D

[VampireSim]

It's an old game, but i have the soundtrack of most of the myst games.
Soundtrack (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJKU1KUeSpg)

Or Tomb Raider 3: India Theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHB_ZJOLayU&feature=related)
Or Tomb Raider 2: Venice Violins (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QG0lCz-x5g&feature=related)

[Oaktree]

Wait. DROP has a game!? Must... FIND!


Yeah, it's about ten years old and it isn't a particularly expansive or replayable game, but it was fun to have a game set in Pern. I also like a lot of the music, though some people complain about how the volume is too loud on some of the pieces. It never really bothered me. I think the main reason why I like it is because of the nostalgia involved. I played it when I was ten or eleven when it first came out and I recently rediscovered it and loved playing it because it reminded me of when I played it as a kid.

[Captain THPS4]

SSX 3 has a perfect soundtrack. You have the licensed rock and techno music during competitions and you also have some very nice original compositions playing in the background while boarding through the rest areas. You have some calmer music in peak 1 and 2, but when you get to peak 3 it has an ominous tone that hints you're in for the ride of your life. The game in general IMO has the best atmosphere of any game I've played period. Hope Deadly Descents proves to be just as good.

I agree about Super Mario Galaxy 1 and 2. It's just magical, makes me feel like a kid again.

Matt Hoffman's Pro BMX 2 is worth a mention. The game is about traveling around the U.S in a tour bus with your buddies and it has Passenger by Iggy Pop as one of the tracks which is perfect. Apparently the first game had a better soundtrack but I never played that one.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 (random fact: the acronym is where part of my username came from) in my eyes is the one with the best soundtrack in the Tony Hawk series. The music is great to listen to while scoring million point combos and it has a bit more general appeal than the later games.

Mario Golf Toadstool Tour deserves a mention too. It always just seems to have the right music at the right place and at the right time. I love how it picks up the pace just a tad when I'm on the green and going for the final putt. It's faster yet not distracting.

[Slipperman]

MegaMan 2 thru 5 (all NES)
Final Fantasy 6 (SNES) and 7 (PS1/PC)
Golden Sun & Golden Sun: The Lost Age (GBA)
Etrian Odyssey 2 & 3 (DS)

Tim (aka the Slipperman)

[101ita]

There's the obvious, like the Final Fantasy series (although I don't like the latest ones), Mario, Zelda...

But some games that might not be as popular, like Suikoden. The second one in the series has some of the most amazing music I've heard in a game. It's always fitting the moment. This is probably the best example (begining cutscene): http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x63igd_suikoden-2-reminiscence_music

But yes, Nobuo Uematsu is probably the best game music composer all of his work, from Final Fantasy to Blue Dragon to Lost Odyssey... They've all been so good. Now I'm looking forward to listen to his music in The Last Story when it's out!

[lizziebee]

Kirby Squeak Squad (for Nintendo DS) has an amazing soundtrack. All instrumental techno and the songs really fit the mood of the game.

[Esmeralda]

[list] Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines

Not only is the goth/heavy rock vibe is a perfect fit for the brutal yet narcissistic game world Troika created from the extended World of Darkness universe, but it is also a perfect showcase of the genre. In many ways it is the game equivalent of the soundtrack to the 1994 film The Crow in which it provides a brilliant entry point into its specific musical focus. With bands ranging from Lacuna Coil to Ministry, the talent on display is a real who's who of the scene.

Yes, this - one of the best music soundtracks ever. Also love the soundtrack of its predecessor, 'Vampire: the Masquerade - Redemption', especially the medieval portion of the game.

Also, 'Deus Ex' (and its total-conversion fan mod 'The Nameless Mod' - excellent music in that too) and 'System Shock 2', for their edgy techno cyberpunk atmosphere.

[Purplepaws]

On the smaller scale... Don't know if any of you are into RPG's, but the music in the Aveyond series is outstanding. Really, if you haven't tried them, I highly recommend the whole series. (Dare I say, they're even more addicting than sims?)

[Sparklycookie]

Portal 1 & 2. Amazing ambient music that really fits the mood of the game, especially Portal 2, which has a fantastic soundtrack <3

[Segagrey]

I have to toss up Final Fantasy...but more specifically 6, 7, 8, and 10. Each displayed Uematsu at his creative best. I don't know about 9 and 12+, but the others I've played myself and can say their praise is well deserved.

The soundtrack for Ridge Racer 4 was exceptional. It was a well appreciated split from the more generic soundtracks created for it's predecessors. The mix of funk, acid jazz, and breakbeat provided a unique and fitting context to display it's then revolutionary visuals.

The critically acclaimed, but virtually unknown, Einhander had an awesome techno/electro soundtrack that established an audible flow that carried and connected each of it's dynamic stages.

Left 4 Dead's dynamic soundtrack, actively created by the game's "AI Director" was pretty cool.

For any DnB fans, I'd suggest checking out the Rollcage series ;p

[Robodl95]

Kingdom Hearts, Mario, and SSBB all have excellent soundtracks. I'm surprised that no one has mentioned The Sims 3, it and its expansion all have great music. In particular I like the WA music, whoever composed that game did a great job. Some soundtrack from China: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWef28XqpXE very calm and pretty.

[Shoosh Malooka]

I'll put mine down for Mass Effect 1. It suits the setting and material so well. Even though some of the music is generic-y, the music in important areas is iconic. And I can remember the galaxy map music very clearly.

[Segagrey]

Kingdom Hearts, Mario, and SSBB all have excellent soundtracks. I'm surprised that no one has mentioned The Sims 3, it and its expansion all have great music. In particular I like the WA music, whoever composed that game did a great job. Some soundtrack from China: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWef28XqpXE very calm and pretty.

xD bah. You're so right. I really loved The Sims 2 music though, especially with the introduction of Nightlife. If I'm remembering right, The Sims 1 also had pretty good music.

Jet Set Radio and Wipeout also had some pretty noice soundtracks.

[Robodl95]

I like the Ts3 music best because it's more orchestral and not so computerized. All the sims games have good music though

[bethgoboom]

Almost all the Final Fantasy games have the most amazing music.

Also ChronoTrigger has beautiful music.

[Cruzy]

I absolutely love the Uncharted 2 soundtracks (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vckNK19y4rY&feature=related), really beautiful and powerful pieces of music which really fit to the different parts of the game, whether your in an intense gun-fight or exploring ancient caves theres a great sound to create the atmosphere.

[Misanthrope]

I don't play a lot of video games, but here are some songs I really love---

Guild Wars - Prophecies (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Mc0OSVrhoE)
Guild Wars - Factions (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vgfaUkLK6Y)
Dragon Age - Lelianna's Song (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAANKFPchtA)
Hunted: Demon's Forge (Trailer Music?) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnatJdnPayw)

[HarVee]

Test Drive 5, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Super Mario 64.

The music on those titles are very well suited for the Story-line and the over game genre in general. TD5 had Electronica & Industrial Metal, very well suited for the fast-paced action a racing game offers. GTA:VC was chosen because the music suited the story-line extremely well. SM64 was chosen because the music was basically a masterpiece in itself.

[TheGuySim]

Minecraft too!

It plays such relaxing music, but only from time to time, which makes you appreciate the music even more. :)

[perihelion]

Starcraft 2
Command and Conquer Generals
Might and Magic IX

I agree regarding GTA, I have a lot of GTA tracks on mp3. SimCity 3000 and 4 have good music too.

[Shoosh Malooka]

I got nostalgic for NOLF2 music. Very little of it is too serious, the soundtrack and the game.

Level 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGpRuQjRdWM

Level 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byAmmkUUoHo&feature=related

[scoopy_loopy]

Mass Effect 2. (The ambients are also amazing. I sometimes just like to stand in the city and listen. <3)

Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness. Such a pretty soundtrack, very, very powerful orchestra pieces.

[malfoya]

GTA Vice City. Easy pick ;)

.. and of course guitar hero and singstar.

[PharaohHound]

Beyond Good and Evil (music composed by Christopher Heral). I still get this track (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTdcJWDNsao&feature=related) stuck in my head all the time, and it's been years since I played the game. There's some really funky stuff (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjZCIsPyRGc&feature=related), too. And some of it's just crazy (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkuSDQ5OKXc&feature=related). :lol:

[aeval99]

Even though GTA San Andreas has some great radio stations, GTA Vice City has the best killer 80's soundtrack in any game! :D
I love that music. I don't play GTA games but I will watch my hubby play that one, just so I can listen to the music.

Another nostalgia pick would be the soundrack for Brutal Legend (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Br%C3%BCtal_Legend#Soundtrack) . A lot of those songs sound kinda silly now, but ohhhhhh the memories. And Motorhead still rocks! :p

For setting the tone of the game and just being awesome, I would say the first Buffy game (http://www.gamespot.com/xbox/action/buffythevampireslayer/index.html) for the X-box.

And another plug for my favourite game, Primal (http://www.amazon.com/Primal-Playstation-2/dp/B00007UHPJ) . Amazing instrumentals during exploration (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Nk_zB3-cOY&feature=related) and a rocking combat soundtrack by 16 volt. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owmG0BkN0cM&feature=related) .

And finally, the music of Silent Hill cannot go without a shoutout for it's ability to scare the living crap out of you.

[maxon]

It's an old game now but one of my favourites was Neverwinter Nights (the first game). I really liked the music for that. I'm a musician myself and am always really aware of how music contributes to games. It can make such a difference when the game designers get it right. I agree with a lot of the above examples.

[vhanster]

Atelier Iris: The Forest where the Witch Lives (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_KjePWDqs8)

[Synthesis]

I've always found the Halo games...though perhaps not so much Halo Reach....to have outstanding musical scores for first person shooters (which tend to reuse existing music or largely ignore it).

"The Suicide Mission" from Mass Effect 2 stands out in my head. Quite the "get me pumped" song.

Portal 2's musical score surprised me with its quality. Total War: Shogun 2 has an extremely well-suited soundtrack that really adds to the atmosphere of Warring States Japan. Someone else already mentioned Beyond Good and Evil...the soundtrack was released on the internet for free with the HD re-release, I have "Akuda House Propaganda" on my WP7, heh.

[Rawra]

Well, pretty much all my favourite games, but, let's see. Syberia, Fahrenheit, Mass Effect 2, Fallout 3 & New Vegas (yeah, lol), Beyond Divinity, The Settlers : Heritage of Kings, Heroes of Might and Magic III and IV and Grom: Terror in Tibet (what? It was funny e.e).

[ChloroformDreams]

Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines. The ambiance created in the Ocean House Hotel is absolutely brilliant. Plus, I love the soundtrack in general. I'm also fond of the original Deus Ex's soundtrack.

Music in games generally has to practically knock me on the head in order for me to notice it. So I'm sure I'm forgetting quite a few games with good music that I've played.

[Undercovers_Agent]

Timesplitters ftw

[missy harries]

I'm surprised nobodys mentioned ES: Morrowind. I thought that was a beautiful soundtrack.

[prettiammie2005]

But some games that might not be as popular, like Suikoden. The second one in the series has some of the most amazing music I've heard in a game. It's always fitting the moment.

I love you so much for this. I'm always hard-pressed to find anyone else who has played Suikoden! I absoloutely agree, the music always fits the moment perfectly!

I think Oblivion has a nice musical score. I love the sort of ambient, soothing music while you're riding your noble steed through a forest trail as the sun begins to rise. Fallout 3 has some fitting music as well. It really helps to create the post-apocalyptic mood!

[jay_envy]

I think Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas both have a gorgeous soundtrack. The music in both games captures the eeriness of the game perfectly, all while keeping that 50's post-apocalyptic feel.
Jingle Jangle Jingle (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DD_NCM_RJs)
Let's Go Sunning (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txPqV0lZaSE&feature=related)
Crazy He Calls Me (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SadX_yYa1c&feature=related) - you can never go wrong with Billie Holiday

The original music is absolutely stunning as well - gives me shivers.
Fallout 3 - Theme song (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOB278741rQ)
Fallout: New Vegas - Ambient music (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pxbz7pKZR3U&feature=related)

[ElementMK]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the epic score of the Halo series. It goes beyond the single theme that most of us have heard, for sure.

The Halo: Reach Overture (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glIV7XWRM-w) will blow your mind.
ODST - Finale (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1cvcyi9oPU)

Also, the Portal 2 soundtrack is GRATE. My favorite song is The Courtesy Call (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuC6fqK1swQ). Ah, I can almost see Wheatley ramming my motel room into a wall again (go to 2:30 and relive the moment).

[fairycake89]

Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines. The ambiance created in the Ocean House Hotel is absolutely brilliant.

I was just about to mention this game as it's one of my all time fave games, I love the music in Jeanette's club :) Isolated (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9dPtDR1PKQ)

btw ... no matter how many times I do the Ocean House quest, I am too chicken shit to do it at night with earphones in .. scary :blink:

[cameronrogers]

TROPHIE FOR FIRST PLACE: All of the PSone spyro games.
TROPHIE FOR SECOND: Mario 3
TROPHIE FOR THIRD: The urbz sims in the city on GBA

[Black_Barook!]

[list] Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines

Not only is the goth/heavy rock vibe is a perfect fit for the brutal yet narcissistic game world Troika created from the extended World of Darkness universe, but it is also a perfect showcase of the genre. In many ways it is the game equivalent of the soundtrack to the 1994 film The Crow in which it provides a brilliant entry point into its specific musical focus. With bands ranging from Lacuna Coil to Ministry, the talent on display is a real who's who of the scene.

No. No, no, no, no. No. I hate the music in Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines. It is creepy, painful and I want to smash up every single nightclub since they make it difficult to listen to the voices in my head. (Not the actual voices in my head, but those belonging to the Malkavian character I played.)

Moving on. I would have to go with Civ V and Anno 1404

[Oaktree]

Speaking of Civ, I have Civ II Multiplayer Gold edition and I really like the music in that. It's partly due to nostalgia, but I really think the music in that game fits quite well.

[kushkarnie]

World of Warcraft has some really ambient music I love to get into.
Kingdom Hearts had a great soundtrack too.
Also loved Voodoo Vince.

[SyrupFiend]

I am in love with the Assassin's Creed soundtracks. The music is so unique and original, fast paced, or emotional, and really adds to the feel and mystery of the game itself. Jesper Kyd did quite an amazing job in my opinion. But then again, I'm kinda obsessed with AC at the moment :p

And who could for get Marty's work on Halo? Although I am not a huge fan of Halo, I love the soundtrack. Sometimes I listen to it while I'm doing really mundane chores or getting ready to go out. It's like "Must tie shoes, or world will be annihilated"

[BurgundyStars]

I absolutely adore the Kingdom Hearts soundtracks. Amazing compositions. Yoko Shimomura released Drammatica, an album with several KH songs and music from other games performed by an orchestra. My favorite is The 13th Anthology (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvXJpNW3f9s) and The Other Promise (Roxas' Theme) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgUzWrTk1KI)

[GigaRevival]

Right now I'm digging the music from Deus Ex: Human Revolution; mostly because a few of the songs sound as if they are awesome remixes of the original score.

Portal/BioShock (the music played right before you enter Rapture is pretty amazing)/and Katamari Damacy (so jazzy/crazy!)

If we are talking about old school games, then Castlevania, Legend of Zelda's "Song of Healing" from Majora's Mask/Intro Song for the games, Final Fantasy (basically all of the games have great music) .

[SyrupFiend]

Love this theme from Assassin's Creed 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0i6YFrSs6c

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EaRHlo4B0Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sq87z3Wmu0&feature=related

[VacuumMelon]

I love all the Mass Effect 2 soundtrack albums, including the DLC ones. Jack Wall and Christopher Lennertz did a wonderful job. Both Dragon Age 2 and Origins had quite generic soundtracks in my opinion, but the one for Leliana's Song DLC was really beautiful, although short. And Deus Ex: Human Revolution has an epic soundtrack. I hope they'll release an album featuring more tracks than the one that came with the augmented edition.

[Black_Barook!]

Right now I'm digging the music from Deus Ex: Human Revolution; mostly because a few of the songs sound as if they are awesome remixes of the original score.

While I have yet to install and play the game I have to agree that Deus Ex: Human Revolution has awesome music. I got the Augmented Edition which came with mp3s.

[Spitfire Mouse]

Pretty much anything by Jeremy Soule and Inon Zur.

Jeremy Soule:
Icewind Dale & Heart of Winter
Neverwinter Nights I/II
Knights of the Old Republic
Morrowind
Oblivion
Skyrim (so far from what I've heard it's gonna be great!)

Inon Zur:
Icewind Dale II
Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal
Dragon Age: Origins & Awakening
Dragon Age II

But I think when I first started to take noticed of great video game music was playing the Baldur's Gate saga, so it always sticks in my head for most memorable.

Michael Hoenig:
Baldur's Gate & Tales of the Sword Coast
Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn (think I like this one more than the first)

[GigaRevival]

Pretty much anything by Jeremy Soule and Inon Zur.

Jeremy Soule:
Icewind Dale & Heart of Winter
Neverwinter Nights I/II
Knights of the Old Republic
Morrowind
Oblivion
Skyrim (so far from what I've heard it's gonna be great!)

Inon Zur:
Icewind Dale II
Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal
Dragon Age: Origins & Awakening
Dragon Age II

I can't believe I forgot the DA and Elder Scrolls series'... both have fantastic music; I agree.

[MissKampfHamster]

I Love all Sounde of Zelda Ocarina of time and majoras mask <3

[CinderEmma]

I have to say that Limbo's sound effects (can't quite qualify as music here though XD) really adds to the creepy cool feel of the game.

[Axe Gaijin]

I'll just leave this here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrziiQcJwjs

:)

[CinderEmma]

I don't tend to notice music that much unless it's understated like Limbo or horrid like Burnout Paradise. All the songs are either reused from old games (and I know this for sure, it's at least 20 of them that I recognize and I've only played a few other burnouts), classical (I do NOT want opera when I'm racing people!), or reallllly boring lame whiney music.

[minimogut]

Oblivion, all of the Halo series and most of the nintendo soundtracks, mostly LoZ and Kid Icarus

[Yue]

Castlevania :

Castlevania Lament of Innocence Leon's Theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ox2uW5Y6rj0)
Castlevania Judgment Bloody Tears (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1D34sy1ZrmA)
Castlevania Portrait of Ruins OST Meeting of Destiny (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRH_cdLlhxw&feature=related)
Castlevania Portrait of Ruins OST Faraway Days (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55kHK8XEjIM&feature=related)

They're awesome !

Phoenix Wright Trials and Tribulations: (I LOVE this game :lovestruc )

Pursuit - Cornered 2004 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JR_SJ0GHQA&feature=related)
Reminiscence- The Bitter Taste of Truth (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6eKE5YXHvI&feature=related)
Dahlia Hawthorne's Theme : Distant Traces of Beauty (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDrciJ2lVYY&feature=related)
Furio Tigre's Theme : Warehouse Tiger (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kD0p7Ma0_kQ&feature=related)
Mask DeMasque's Theme : Please Listen ! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jiCeo1Vy20&feature=related)
...
I think I'll stop here :giggler:

[MissNuki]

Any and Every ATLUS rpg.... especially Shin Megami Tensei NOCTURNE.

Granado Espada... the game has a baroque setting, but the soundtrack is this massive compilation of k-rock, k-pop, instrumental, techno, trance, classical, dj remixes, and other random things. It's just so crazy and, yet, fitting.

[Zexxa]

WoW has some amazing music.

http://youtu.be/Lrgjnyqbex4

Very awesome.

[ElPresidente]

Any and Every ATLUS rpg.... especially Shin Megami Tensei NOCTURNE.

Shoji Meguro is a genius. Simple as that. :)

[missy harries]

I'm loving L.A Noire's soundtrack (http://lanoire.wikia.com/wiki/L.A._Noire_Official_Soundtrack) right now, set's the scene perfectly, but then again when have Rockstar ever failed?
It never fails to make me smile and I'll definitely be buying it.
(side note: Vice City soundtrack kicked ass too!)

[5M0K3]

Tony Hawk Underground... Alkaline Trio, Angry Amputees, Social Distortion, Rubber City Rebels... You to name a few of the great bands on there ;)

[w4keup555]

EA skate.'s soundtrack is sooooo awesome! It gives you those really relaxed feelings of one indie song, to some fast paced in your face of another metal song, and also that chill and gangster-ish feeling of a rap song!

I still play it to this day even if it was released back in '07 :D

To those who don't know what the game is, it's Tony Hawk's video game competitor. It's sad that EA stopped making Skate at number 3. The last skate game was really good with the features and all but the feeling is not quite right as opposed to the original.


I'm also quite surprised at how music in video games can impact a certain situation... example is in skyrim, the dragon fights are INTENSE with that epic background music. Makes you want to bash dragons all over the place, haha!





sorry if bumping this old thread with my reply was a bad idea ._.

[VerDeTerre]

Music matters. If a game doesn't have good music, if it jars instead of resonates, I can't play the game.

Best music: The Sims (the original), Morrowind, Super Mario, and Mario Sunshine.

I also love the splash screen music for Apartment Life (Sims 2).

[frankokomando]

I like the music in Silent Hill. :)

[sparkinthenight]

Master of Orion 3. For all the (mostly deserved) crap that game gets, it has an amazing soundtrack. Its perfect for a sci-fi TBS game. However, my favorite game soundtrack has to go to The Sims 1. To this day the little theme that plays on the launcher can make me smile, and all the rest of the music is my favorite of the series.

[cree]

I love the music from both the Resident Evil series and the game To The Moon. And Age of Empires, but only the first 2.

[christmas fear]

i would say any super mario game. gta san andreas also had a lot of music that i liked. and i agree with the original sims music.

[minimogut]

Portal. Both games. All of the music, even though I have a playlist dedicated to my favorites.

[Navetsea]

C&C Red Alert theme song "hell march"

[candesco]

TES III: Morrowind. As soon as you start that game, then Nerevar Rising is played, which is one of the best theme songs around. Also the road most travelled and some others are great, which are played during playing.
Sacred 2 Fallen Angel. The themesong Sacred is made by Blind Guardian, as well as the combat music. And it fits nicely. It's also a great themesong. Also the random environment music is good and changes when you visit every region. Sound in tyr lysia is different then in artamark or dyr lain.
Myst III: Exile. The music in here fits with the atmosphere around.

[BloodyScholastic]

Assassin's Creed III : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QByfthwPYU . End of the story. :)