Many games feature amazing music, but certain games take it beyond even that.
Games like DOOM are known for the “procedural” composition they use to marry gameplay and sound, and not only that, the way the music is a perfect tonal match to what is happening.
What games have you played that feature music that doesn’t just make you notice it, but also pulls you further in?
I’ve been playing Halo 3: ODST for the first time recently. I have to say, I love the soundtrack and it often makes the game feel very lonely. It’s perfect.
Literally every game by Supergiant. Most recent would be Hades 2, when I finally beat the 3rd boss and start slashing into the fourth area, the music was so hype I was smiling all the way through.
A better pick may be Transistor though. It’s kind of a half action half strategy game, where you kind of pause to plan out and execute your next moves. During that pause phase, the music would turn into a muted version, and main character would hum to it in sync.Also, Journey and Abzu. They simply are experiences that should not be had without good headphones.
So uh… Fun thing about Transistor.
As the credits roll, Red sings for the first time in the game. The death of her lover at the beginning of the story turns her mute, which is why she only ever hums to the music in the game. During your first play-through. At the end of the game, the credits roll to the tune of “Paper Boats” which is the first song in the game to have lyrics, sung by Red.
It’s an emotional high point that hits hard. She can sing again!
But there’s more.
In new game+ Red no longer hums during all pause screens. She now sings the previously unheard lyrics of several songs in the game!
Well shit, I guess I have something to do this weekend now
Today feels like a good day to play Transistor again… I keep getting owned in Hades 2
I NEVER PLAYED NG+ SO I DID NOT KNOW THAT. WTF LOL😂
Bastion’s soundtrack still sticks in my head to this day, Darren Korb does amazing work.
Chants of Sennar has an amazing soundtrack, as does Tunic.
Diablo 2. The music fit that game perfectly.
The SFX are pristine, too.
Also username checks out.
So not quite what you’re asking for, but right when deeprock galactic came out I found this artist on bandcamp called dreamsaboutdogs. They make electronic music, and their album Cursed quickly became my unofficial deeprock soundtrack. It just meshes super well with the gameplay, I dunno.
I told my deeprock homie about it and now he does the same thing, so it’s not just me lmao
Terraria and Stardew Valley
My day gets 200% better whenever I hear that summer song
Doom 2016
Oh. Just actually read the body of your post!
I mean it’s a damn good pick.
Diablo 1. I have a hard time playing the game anymore, it’s super clunky, but the guitar music from the overworld fucking slaps
Agreed. The Tristram theme has no business sounding as good as it does. I
I can’t believe nobody’s mentioned Furi!
The game is a boss rush fighting game that’s incredibly fun to play, and the developers worked with multiple different artists to make the soundtrack. Literally gave them spec sheets for the boss fight they were making music for and info on how the stages progressed etc. So the soundtrack is a living part of the fights themselves. 10/10 highly recommended
Totally agree.
6.24 You’re mine You are the end Wisdom of rage A monster
All synth bangers.
Introduced me to carpenter brut and toxic avenger
Furi is fantastic. The mechanics are arguably even tighter than the music.
Deus Ex Mankind Divided.
Rain World.
Super Metroid.
I’ll second Nier Automata. There aren’t even any words in the lyrics, it’s amazing.Nier Automata. There aren’t even any words in the lyrics, it’s amazing.
Except for the “final” track, “Weight of the World”, which is just amazing and chilling, especially in the context of the game and lore if you make it to the end of true ending e. Apparently the Japanese version uses a take where the vocalist started crying during it, and in the English version you can hear the vocalist struggling towards the end.
And there’s the one track that’s name escapes me with the robots chanting “become as gods”.
A lot of the other tracks have chanting, but it’s intentionally not in any language, despite every track having a pretty heavy emotional feel to it.
The game is magical. Love it.
Lately I’ve been playing Angel Pop! It’s a tough little bullet hell from playdate, I’m not very good but the soundtrack is great https://studionnnn.bandcamp.com/album/angel-pop-playdate-soundtrack
Wasteland 3’s soundtrack is full of bangers. The ambient music and generic combat music is good, but the game has a lot of special tracks that play over specific combat moments. They are religious or nostalgic songs being covered by modern bands, giving the soundtrack a kind of distorted feel. It’s very good.
Pretty old now, but Jet Set Radio/Jet Set Radio Future
Cell-shaded skating/graffiti game from my childhood will always have a place in my heart, and my playlists
Check out Bomb Rush Cyberfunk, it’s a spiritual successor to Jet Set Radio released in 2023. They consulted with Hideki Naganuma on the soundtrack.
WarCraft 2
Alan Wake (the og one). It’s music was so in tune with the atmosphere, and it is one of the very few soundtracks I listen to.
For me it will always be the first Dead Space. The sountrack (and sound effects) were beyond chilling.
Twinkle twinkle little star…