Video Game Music - general discussion

Speaking of HG/SS, I'm planning on downloading some songs from the soundtrack later. Any recommendations? The battle themes for Suicune, Entei, and Raikou are a must; possibly Route 42 as well. What else?

• La-Mulana

• Awaking
• Ancient Machine
• Curse of Iron Pipe

@blueeyedrat: Oh, you've GOTTA get Cinnabar Island and Route 47. Sinjoh Ruins, too.

Doom and Doom 2 had some seriously fantastic music. FPSs don't seem to have great music anymore. It changes a lot to fit the action that's going on, making it act like a sound effect, and even though that's not necessarily bad, I do feel like we lose something because of it. The collection of Doom music can be found online in both the old midi style, and a higher quality mp2.

The Seventh Guest and it's sequel, The 11th Hour had some fantastic music. Mostly instrumental, like most video game music, but a few with lyrics were included. I'm especially fond of the ending theme from The Sevent Guest.

Naturally, everyone loves the ending theme Still Alive from Portal.

The ending theme/advertisement for Plants Vs Zombies. Really though, all music from that one is pretty great.

Aquaria is one of those really underappreciated games in a lot of ways, but one of the things that really drew me in was the music. It just doesn't let up on the awesome the whole time. There's just something about them that really sinks in and gets ahold of me. I'm not even really sure what would make the best example, so I'll choose one at random.

I think it's been brought up already, but I still feel like I should mention the Silent Hill series. They manage to hit all over the map with music that's good in the forms of instrumental, lyrical, or what amounts to glorified sound effects, but good glorified sound effects. One of my favorites that doesn't seem as well remembered by most is Room of Angel from Silent Hill 4.

The Path, while certainly not a game for everyone (we apparently don't even have a page for it), had some fantastic use of music to set the mood. In fact, I could be mistaken, but they may not have used sound effects at all, instead opting to use music for all of it. It doesn't seem to be broken down much into specific songs, but the trailer might give a feel for it, especially around the middle.

Braid had some great music, really helped to keep me from tearing my hair out at a few points. I found this one in particular to be really nice.

The largely unknown game Ghost Master had some nice sounds, especially this one from the room where you stored your ghosts.

Homeworld had a unique feel in it's music. The slow, soft way that the music rolled really fit with watching all these ships dance around in the vastness of space. This one was rather memorable.

edited 5th Feb '10 9:26:18 PM by Stranger

Not sure if it's been mentioned, but "Still Alive" from Mirror's Edge.

This. One of the few pieces of music that will consistently bring tears to my eyes.

Stranger, I see we share (almost) the same taste in music. That Ghost Master tune is awesome.

The main theme of No One Lives Forever offers some nice secret agent action.

Finally found the No More Heroes sountracks. YES -is listening to "We Are Finally Cowboys"-

EDIT: On a related note, are there any VG songs that you find to be... underappreciated? For me, there's... Marshmallow Castle (Kirby Super Star), Kingdom Valley (Sonic The Hedgehog 2006), and Rocket Surgeon (No More Heroes), among others.

edited 7th Feb '10 8:34:04 AM by Blueeyedrat

I do sorely hope that Squeenix releases an OST for Birth By Sleep. There are rumors going around that it's gonna be released in a compilation with 358/2 Days. Which wouldn't be the first time something like this has happened, so I'm hopeful.

Underappreciated songs, huh? Well, I might be saying this a bit prematurely, but with everyone and their father wanking over Margaret's theme, legitimately catchy songs such as Nathan Copeland's and Matt Helms' (composed by Akira Yamaoka, of all people) are getting ignored.

Also: Every track from Killer7 that isn't Rave On.

Back on topic: this isn't actually from a game per se, but this is a pretty awesome remix of an already awesome song from Tales Of Vesperia. If I weren't boycotting Namco Bandai based on recent decisions with the Tales franchise, I'd be more willing to recommend the original track, but...

I've been mainly listening to VVVVVV's soundtrack. Potential for everything has become an Ear Worm, and is refusing to come out. @_@

This Guilty Gear remix is just amazing.

If anyone cares, I've taken the liberty of taking all of the tracks in my iTunes Library that contain Ominous Latin Chanting and uploading them onto Megaupload.

I hope someone can enjoy them as well as I have.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=VZSZYB1V

Oooh, ominous latin chanting? Sign me up!

Granted, I made this at the request of a friend first, so there are a few anime tracks sprinkled in there as well.

And some of the songs stretch the definition a bit, what with them only containing "oohs" and "aahs" instead of proper chanting, but I couldn't just leave them out. :3

I'm sure you've heard them already by my postings, but if you like Ominous Latin Chanting (Or just Ominous chanting in general) you can't go wrong with the two tunes from Trauma Center I mentioned in this post. (I couldn't find them in the collection you gave, and my fanboy side railed at their absence. I shut him up by banging my head on a wall. That usually calms him down.)

There's also the One-Woman Wail tune of Fate from R-Type Delta.

edited 9th Feb '10 8:23:33 AM by TriggerLoaded

Ah, shit. I knew I forgot a few. D:

While doing my typical YouTube surfing, I came across this gem from Contra: Hard Corps used in the context of a cross-reference to a certain other Konami franchise. MY HSQ went through the roof when I saw the context, and the manic nature of this tune fits perfectly.

On a different note, the NES version of the Top Gun anthem. I had to look it up because The Angry Video Game Nerd played it as he called the game "a piece of shit I might have some affection for" and appropriately, it's a nice nostalgic rendition.

edited 9th Feb '10 7:14:52 PM by Cliche

Just started playing FFVI and I really like that song that plays when you're fighting the snail monster thingy.

The Decisive Battle? Yep, that's the boss theme.

Y'know, at times I find it pretty scary just how many songs I've memorized by name. Hundreds, probably upwards of 1000. O_O

edited 9th Feb '10 7:47:03 PM by Electivirus

Yep. Awesome.

I can't believe I didn't think to throw this out...

Help me!

Decisive Battle?

People,

People,

People, please.

Fierce Battle:

edited 9th Feb '10 11:55:20 PM by Enlong

So, I was searching around Youtube for the Dirge Of Cerberus soundtrack, when I discovered this...this...gem, this work of absolute art. Just listen, goddammit. LISTEN.

-*begins to cry*

edited 10th Feb '10 12:19:34 AM by Electivirus

Sad piano music tugs at my heartstrings.