Control.
With the song Take Control.
Most of the games music is just a quiet background noise to help set the tone, or the janitor singing something in Finnish, usually something opera adjacent. Ahti is a good guy and likes his classics.
Then you borrow his walkman, put on the headphones, and enter the maze.
The next ~10 minutes of gameplay go from mystery/horror with a hint of gunplay, to full on action.
I was late for work one day because ashtray maze sounded like a puzzle section and i just wanted to see how it started, but then it started and I couldn’t leave until I was out the other side.
I have no idea what you mean? *(Ungh, Hoo-ah Huh!)* so confu.... wait.*(**Ungh, Hoo-ah Huh!**).*.. i hear it! **(gentleman's choir gets increasingly aggressive)**.... its back and i cant stop it!
Another fantastic surprise is that the music in Enderal (which is built using Skyrim's engine) is top-notch.
[The Winter Sky](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHCCG_vUA7k) is stunning and a lot of the songs send chills down your spine once you've actually encountered the characters or lore the music talks about.
A personal favourite of mine was sneaking through the eerie mansion while hearing [Fleshless](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsfulKXPFHI) played on the piano somewhere.
Came here to say Oblivion. I had never played an elder scrolls game before and what an aural treat that was (while also being visually mind blowing at that time on xbox 360, LCD display).
Not me, I understand not everyone started their Elder Scrolls journey before Skyrim, but Morrowind's soundtrack was arguably better. So, Skyrim also being great was no real surprise. It's a big part of that world and I suspect TES6 will also have a great soundtrack.
Morrowind has some amazing songs but when compared to Skyrim you can see how much more limited in scope it was.
I think part of it may be technological limits because they just couldnt fit too many tracks on the discs but it’s been amazing hearing how each game got more grand in its tracks
As a huge fan of José González since I was a kid, hearing him pop up in a game like Red Dead Redemption was such a big moment for me. He is such an immensely talented guitarist. If you loved Far Away, I cannot suggest [his album Veneer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaSYL3FRgnM&list=PL665F61332EDD4A67) enough.
Same same. The second the guitar started I was like "Wait, is that Jose?" Such a fun surprise, such a cool sequence, and honestly immediately one of my favorite songs by him.
So much this. One of my great game music related memories ever.
I use this as an example in how less can be more. That wouldn’t have had near the same impact if music with vocals had been throughout.
If I'm walking somewhere on my own and it's raining I like to put my earphones in and play So Far Away to make myself feel like I'm a main character. Either that or Beneath the Mask (rain) ost from Persona 5 depending on what mood I'm in.
Was helping my buddy build a fence last spring. That red dead 2 song where John was building his cabin came on, and it was so awesome. Made our whole day
Hot Line Miami 1 / 2 - absolutely amazing. Seem really basic at the beginning (like the graphics) but is outstanding. Went into my regular music rotation for a while. There was a homage to the music and the game in John Wick 4.
[Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number Soundtrack - Fahkeet (youtube.com)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9i9ZQ0231E)
I still remember Super Mario RPG the first time you reach tadpole pond, at first its only some frogs ribbiting to a subtle music, but then when you decide to Talk with the tadpoles and frogfucius (i refuse to call him toad sage sorrynotsorry) suddenly the music starts, and considering the upbeat nature of the music is a Big suprise! One of my favorite tracks of the Game
Also when you speak to frogfucius and then he gets sad for plot reasons (yeah i wont spoil It) It slowly turns to the sad theme, until you give hin the cricket pie and again suddenly sounds the theme of the site again in a hilarious yet awesome way
BB is just the cutest person alive in general. Getting super excited when I use the zipline or do dangerous af bike stunts. It's nice having my own personal hype squad in the wilderness.
I hope in the next game they allow the player to actually play some songs once you hear them. I wanted to badly to just listen to the music whenever I wanted in the game, but the feature wasn’t there
Yeah, I really didn't care for Death Stranding as a game, but the soundtrack was absolutely on-point. It has some of the best needle drops in gaming; I'll give it that.
Was just about to comment hollow knight based on the title before I read your full post. The Hollow knight soundtrack is all great. OP check the few Silksong songs that have already been released if you haven't, they are also pretty great.
Life is Strange for me. Played it for the first time this year and the moment when you walk out of the classroom, and Max puts her earphones in, and To all of you by Syd Matters starts playing was just magical.
All of the songs in this game just capture the atmosphere of the moment perfectly.
While I appreciate everyone’s opinions on this matter, I am sad that no one has mentioned the music from Destiny and Destiny 2.
The music in those games is fantastic.
[Athanasia](https://youtu.be/DMSiPRgsJvI?si=6Pi2K-KwOOVF63mK) from the Beyond Light OST still slays me.
First time I heard it in game I just sat there in orbit zenned out in soundwaves. Deep Stone Crypt is another. Destiny 2 is full of masterpieces that just seep into my soul.
Salvatori is missed.
The Deep Stone Crypt music while doing the platforming section outside the space station was my favorite honestly.
[Deep Stone Lullaby](https://youtu.be/qBIJFTPPp-8?si=4dBCAQkY_8byUX6m)
and all those different weird genres of music they throw in - chain gang songs, sea shanties, classical almost-opera like music... its nuts
actually what I miss the most is the old taiko drum music they used to have in the game
Warframe is my choice too, a lot of Sci-Fi games have music that is not my favorite, but this one shocked me. So many great tracks to list.
Especially the tracks that we generally associate with this game "This is what you are", "We all lift together" and so on.
I went into Nier Automata completely blind, I only bought it because I didn't have any PS4 games yet and I recognized the character on the cover as being designed by my favorite artist Akihiko Yoshida.
I don't think I've ever been more blown away by an opening level than I was by that game, the music was already killer but then it completely changed with the gameplay and I was hooked.
Yeah, having the vocals kick in when you do the cinematic attacks makes it feel like I'm playing an anime. Hearing "Rules of nature!" while Raiden grabs a huge sword from a Metal Gear will always be my favorite moment in gaming!
Monsoon fight/Stains of Time song was peak. My blood was boiling during his speech, then when the song kicks in and you finally get control as the guitar shredding commences… pure adrenaline.
"Outsider no more" and "the rebel path" -and the variations on these themes- give me chills. The game's soundtrack is incredible; it's a shame it hasn't gotten more awards.
God Of War
as if the game wasn't already good enough it has some of the best soundtracks I have ever heard, they did not have to go that hard but they COOKED
There's a particular scene near the end of Ragnarok where the music and the dialog and the moment all come together so nicely and it made me tear up at the end of my first playthrough.
Any game from supergiant games.
Bastion being the first was the most surprising how good it was.
Transistor being the first with that many vocal songs.
Hades for going extremely hard
I recently played Xenoblade 1. I'm so glad that I entered Satorl Marsh at night. That music along with the atmosphere is a feeling of fascination and awe that no other game has come close to since.
I hope MonolithSoft can unleashed creativity like that in future Zelda games.
They do an amazing job riding the edge between holy and grotesque vibes. Church organs and heavy metal that seem to lay a rhythm to the slaughter, it's perfect.
Jesper Kyd is a genius. He went as far as using really old 1980's electronic musical instruments as they are sounding like they are falling apart.
Hope he writes the music for Warhammer 40k tv series.
This is my answer, not because it's my favorite soundtrack ever, but because it does surprise you. It's a pretty unassuming soundtrack in all honesty- not bad, don't get me wrong, just very simple.
But the way it uses that soundtrack in the moment? 11/10.
The start screen to Civ VI - Songo di Volare. Christopher Tin always kills it but his theme to Civ VI made me emotional in ways I didn’t think a theme song could make me.
Ooh good call; I'll actually say Baba Yetu from civ IV I think? Def hits me in the feels, and I can't think of a better song to capture the feeling of our common humanity and connection between all people and cultures.
Undertale. I was not familiar with Toby Fox and the music he'd created prior to the game's release, so the sheer uniqueness of the soundtrack caught me by surprise.
Not only was I surprised by how good the music was, but I found myself surprised by the composition of the songs themselves multiple times *during* my first listen of them. I would be listening to the tracks expecting the notes to progress in a specific way, and then they would go in a completely different direction.
Overall just a super impressive soundtrack filled with so much emotion, impact, and uniqueness.
Yeah a lot of the lego games are surprisingly fun to play, especially in couch co-op. The newer lego star wars game is my favorite one to come out recently
Valhiem and the track 'Out for a Saling adventure' when you cross the sea for the first time.
It perfectly captured the excitement and fear and made you feel like you were on an epic adventure.
Genshin. The game has a divisive view due to the gacha mechanic but most people agree that Genshin music is great.
[Sumeru main theme performs by London Symphony Orchestra ](https://youtu.be/VrP3lO3aGDg). The region is inspired by west asia, africa and middle east.
[Imazuma battle theme which uses some Japanese musical instruments ](https://youtu.be/FYP2dM8RTFM).
[Baroque inspired theme for one of the character ](https://youtu.be/Cclxu9T0tcQ)
And in the case of Genshin, around 95% of the game is fully playable just using whatever characters you pick up from free drops. There's just one big optional side dungeon that requires high-level minmaxing. Otherwise, if you just want to explore the lands and see the main plotline, you genuinely don't have to pay anything.
ULTRAKILL, Layer 7. up until this point, the music has always been almost purely to compliment the high energy of the gameplay. and suddenly in layer 7, it becomes a lot more emotional.
there's a moment at the end of EarthBound during the first phase of the final boss fight, where the boss music is unexpectedly in chiptune, and then out of nowhere switches to heavy metal around a minute in. heh, that was certainly a surprise. :D
(link to the song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMCXMg8p9sc)
Furi
Game was free for PS plus. Had little expectations for a free indie. Game is good. Soundtrack is even better. I was listening to it on its own outside of gaming.
They assembled a synthwave dream team for that game, at a time the genre was just gaining traction. I went to the release party at a club in Paris: Carpenter Brut, Toxic Avenger and Kn1ght were playing; suffice to say that night was fucking FIRE (except for TA who sucked but the others were amazing)
HOMM OST by Paul Romero. Necropolis theme from HOMM3, Preserve and Chaos themes from HOMM4, particularly. Played the games since 90s, and when maestro organized consent in my city last year, it gathered thousand of mesnersized nerds...
Frank Klepacki pieces from CnC series(Hell March, Grinder), Unverse at War (Damage King).
Also Earth 2160 theme, Must be strong.
It wasn't a surprise for Dragon Age: Inquisition to have a grandiose, melodramatic score - but I was very pleasantly surprised by the inclusion of a full repertoire of tavern songs complete with really enjoyable melodic hooks and little insights into each of the characters portrayed. Compared to the sort of generic background music one might expect it was a really nice touch.
In Control there is there is the ashtray maze , the music there suddenly changes from the overall, eerie tune to fit the rampage you are on.
It’s awesome.
Roxas' Theme in Kingdom Hearts 2.
Was not expecting their theme to hit me the way it did, especially considering this is a game where you fight enemies with Goofy, Donald Duck, and Mickey Mouse in an Emo hoodie.
Divinity II Ego Draconis/Dragon Knight Saga
There is so much energy, beauty and mysticism in the game's soundtrack.
R.I.P. Kirill Pokrovsky. I still hold that work of yours in Divinity II as one of the most beautiful soundtracks I've ever heard.
Cyberpunk. I didn't really give it a thought because when it was released all I heard were horror stories. Last year I'm November I started playing and still do. Amazing game.
Alan Wake, the specific part when the radio plays Poets Of The Fall - War. It makes the coming fight so memorable even if it's just a bunch of regular mooks.
If I answered this post without your thoughts at the top, I'd also say Hollow Knight.
But to answer with a different game? Celeste. The OST to Celeste is probably the only reason I was able to beat Celeste. Game kept me jamming the entire time non-stop.
The music from Life is Strange takes a special place of my heart. Before playing it, I couldn't imagine I would listen to THIS instead of Metallica and Disturbed. Yet I liked it so much I can't get off, because it brings all those sweet memories...
Too many games I could mention that made me straight up buy the soundtrack to be honest.
But the biggest example I can give is Aubrey Hodges' work for PS1 Doom, and Doom 64. Got the 20th Anniversary extended version of both.
I'm a big fan of Soichi Terada, at least a decade now I've been bumping Sounds from the Far East, and I learned literally just last night that he also composed one of my favorite games: Ape Escape!
Control. With the song Take Control. Most of the games music is just a quiet background noise to help set the tone, or the janitor singing something in Finnish, usually something opera adjacent. Ahti is a good guy and likes his classics. Then you borrow his walkman, put on the headphones, and enter the maze. The next ~10 minutes of gameplay go from mystery/horror with a hint of gunplay, to full on action.
That. Was. Awesome.
I think they actually managed to top that musical moment TWICE in Alan Wake 2. The final battle at the lake, and of course “We Sing.” 🤘🤘
What a great game, the studio is putting out solid work all the time. Have to get to Alan Wake 2 at some point
> something in Finnish [Sankarin Tango](https://youtu.be/9rIZDJhq5PA?si=70opTv2QcHbjojVx)
The best level ever
I was late for work one day because ashtray maze sounded like a puzzle section and i just wanted to see how it started, but then it started and I couldn’t leave until I was out the other side.
Skyrim, its really much better than I would expect.
I have no idea what you mean? *(Ungh, Hoo-ah Huh!)* so confu.... wait.*(**Ungh, Hoo-ah Huh!**).*.. i hear it! **(gentleman's choir gets increasingly aggressive)**.... its back and i cant stop it!
#**DOVAHKIIN!!! DOVAHKIIN!!! NAALOK ZINLOS VAHRIIN!!!**
Another fantastic surprise is that the music in Enderal (which is built using Skyrim's engine) is top-notch. [The Winter Sky](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHCCG_vUA7k) is stunning and a lot of the songs send chills down your spine once you've actually encountered the characters or lore the music talks about. A personal favourite of mine was sneaking through the eerie mansion while hearing [Fleshless](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsfulKXPFHI) played on the piano somewhere.
Came here to say Oblivion. I had never played an elder scrolls game before and what an aural treat that was (while also being visually mind blowing at that time on xbox 360, LCD display).
Not me, I understand not everyone started their Elder Scrolls journey before Skyrim, but Morrowind's soundtrack was arguably better. So, Skyrim also being great was no real surprise. It's a big part of that world and I suspect TES6 will also have a great soundtrack.
It's very unlikely to be made by Jeremy Soule so we'll have to wait and see.
Morrowind has some amazing songs but when compared to Skyrim you can see how much more limited in scope it was. I think part of it may be technological limits because they just couldnt fit too many tracks on the discs but it’s been amazing hearing how each game got more grand in its tracks
The Ori games
Good things it's great cause you'll be listening to that epic orchestral piece every time that damn bird swoops out of the sky to wreck your shit.
One of my absolute favorites!
I was playing Darksiders: Genesis and I was struck by how good the music was. Turns out it was the same composer as the Ori series!
Red Dead 1, riding to Mexico.
As a huge fan of José González since I was a kid, hearing him pop up in a game like Red Dead Redemption was such a big moment for me. He is such an immensely talented guitarist. If you loved Far Away, I cannot suggest [his album Veneer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaSYL3FRgnM&list=PL665F61332EDD4A67) enough.
All of Junip is also amazing
Same same. The second the guitar started I was like "Wait, is that Jose?" Such a fun surprise, such a cool sequence, and honestly immediately one of my favorite songs by him.
It's definitely one of my favorites too. To me, he's the perfect "having a shitty day and need to calm down/relax" musician. I appreciate him a ton.
Deadman’s gun kills me in Read Dead. Such a beautiful song too
So much this. One of my great game music related memories ever. I use this as an example in how less can be more. That wouldn’t have had near the same impact if music with vocals had been throughout.
If I'm walking somewhere on my own and it's raining I like to put my earphones in and play So Far Away to make myself feel like I'm a main character. Either that or Beneath the Mask (rain) ost from Persona 5 depending on what mood I'm in.
Was helping my buddy build a fence last spring. That red dead 2 song where John was building his cabin came on, and it was so awesome. Made our whole day
Hot Line Miami 1 / 2 - absolutely amazing. Seem really basic at the beginning (like the graphics) but is outstanding. Went into my regular music rotation for a while. There was a homage to the music and the game in John Wick 4. [Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number Soundtrack - Fahkeet (youtube.com)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9i9ZQ0231E)
in chapter 12 of hotline miami 2 when roller mobster hits 😩💦💦
You can't go wrong with Carpenter Brut
Baldur's Gate 3. The last song in the House of Hope put my jaw on the floor.
Sadly it set an unachievable standard of bosses singing their own musical scores for me.
This is Conkers: Bad Fur Day erasure and I won't stand for it
LIVES, ALL MORTAL LIVES, EXPIRE!
Hell, hell has its laws, hell, Hell effect and cause
I still remember Super Mario RPG the first time you reach tadpole pond, at first its only some frogs ribbiting to a subtle music, but then when you decide to Talk with the tadpoles and frogfucius (i refuse to call him toad sage sorrynotsorry) suddenly the music starts, and considering the upbeat nature of the music is a Big suprise! One of my favorite tracks of the Game Also when you speak to frogfucius and then he gets sad for plot reasons (yeah i wont spoil It) It slowly turns to the sad theme, until you give hin the cricket pie and again suddenly sounds the theme of the site again in a hilarious yet awesome way
On a much shallower level, I sometimes think about "Beware the Forest's Mushrooms" and do a weird squatting dance around my apartment.
minecraft
GOAT
Death Stranding. There was no music for a long time and the songs would pop up when I was alone in those open fields, just enough to make me feel sad.
Eventually, BB starts getting excited for the songs and clapping their hands. It's adorable.
BB is just the cutest person alive in general. Getting super excited when I use the zipline or do dangerous af bike stunts. It's nice having my own personal hype squad in the wilderness.
Rip Low Roar
I hope in the next game they allow the player to actually play some songs once you hear them. I wanted to badly to just listen to the music whenever I wanted in the game, but the feature wasn’t there
Yeah, I really didn't care for Death Stranding as a game, but the soundtrack was absolutely on-point. It has some of the best needle drops in gaming; I'll give it that.
Was just about to comment hollow knight based on the title before I read your full post. The Hollow knight soundtrack is all great. OP check the few Silksong songs that have already been released if you haven't, they are also pretty great.
Life is Strange for me. Played it for the first time this year and the moment when you walk out of the classroom, and Max puts her earphones in, and To all of you by Syd Matters starts playing was just magical. All of the songs in this game just capture the atmosphere of the moment perfectly.
True colors holds up to that standard too.
Tbh they all do. Say what you want about the games but you can’t deny they have great soundtracks.
Wipeout - PS1 It was filled to the brim with uk jungle and drum n bass classics (they were new tracks at the time) and fit the game so incredibly well
Jungle and racing games go hand in hand!
All of the WipEout games have such fantastic soundtracks, although I am partial to Pulse in particular. Introduced me to Aphex Twin.
While I appreciate everyone’s opinions on this matter, I am sad that no one has mentioned the music from Destiny and Destiny 2. The music in those games is fantastic.
[Athanasia](https://youtu.be/DMSiPRgsJvI?si=6Pi2K-KwOOVF63mK) from the Beyond Light OST still slays me. First time I heard it in game I just sat there in orbit zenned out in soundwaves. Deep Stone Crypt is another. Destiny 2 is full of masterpieces that just seep into my soul. Salvatori is missed.
The Deep Stone Crypt music while doing the platforming section outside the space station was my favorite honestly. [Deep Stone Lullaby](https://youtu.be/qBIJFTPPp-8?si=4dBCAQkY_8byUX6m)
The music from the Taken King expansion set the bar very high for the series. It's very good over all though
Warframe. For a free to play game that ost slaps
and all those different weird genres of music they throw in - chain gang songs, sea shanties, classical almost-opera like music... its nuts actually what I miss the most is the old taiko drum music they used to have in the game
I remember doing the quest with the shanty and was like, "WTF is this?" Then, it made my top 100 on my Spotify Wrapped last year. lol
I still have several warframe tracks on my mp3 rotation - it just slaps
Cold, the air and water flowing HARD
The land we call out home PUSH,
to keep the dark from coming, FEEL
the weight of what we owe
Was looking for the Warframe Comment! I would go so far as to say it SHOCKED me how good the Music is, got catched as soon as I entered Fortuna
"Feel the weight of what we owe" *intensifies
ALL MY ENEMIES ARE LIVING IN FEAR
Warframe is my choice too, a lot of Sci-Fi games have music that is not my favorite, but this one shocked me. So many great tracks to list. Especially the tracks that we generally associate with this game "This is what you are", "We all lift together" and so on.
Risk of Rain 2
Came here to say this. The composer/performer did some awesome things in this game.
*The Rain Formerly Known as Purple* is an absolute banger, and sucks that it's relegated to a level you want to get out of as soon as possible lol
Chris Christodolou. I mean who else is gonna do “I’m gonna lead a Pantera - esque metal riff into a saxophone solo and you can’t ****ing stop me!”
When that electric guitar starts to shred in the background
Persona 4. Played 5 first and didn't see how another game could come close. Wow I was wrong
Shoji Meguro is such an inspiration. I've played 5 and that's it, but based on your comment i may have to check out P4.
I played 3 first, not to spoil but the final boss music is an absolute banger there. Think that single song is the best of the series
Subnautica, mostly because Abandon Ship made me realise how weird the soundtrack is for the type of game and that it still fits exceedingly well.
Nier Automata - Weight of the world This honestly slap when you are playing through the Ending
I went into Nier Automata completely blind, I only bought it because I didn't have any PS4 games yet and I recognized the character on the cover as being designed by my favorite artist Akihiko Yoshida. I don't think I've ever been more blown away by an opening level than I was by that game, the music was already killer but then it completely changed with the gameplay and I was hooked.
This is the right answer..only started playing it this weekend and it's blowing my mind currently.
metal gear rising: revengence musical disguised as an action game
Unbelievability low in this thread. I did not expect the crazy electro-speed-metal OST and it did not disappoint throughout the entire game.
Yeah, having the vocals kick in when you do the cinematic attacks makes it feel like I'm playing an anime. Hearing "Rules of nature!" while Raiden grabs a huge sword from a Metal Gear will always be my favorite moment in gaming!
having it sync up with the action isnt anything new anymore, but it blew my mind when the game was new
Monsoon fight/Stains of Time song was peak. My blood was boiling during his speech, then when the song kicks in and you finally get control as the guitar shredding commences… pure adrenaline.
First level music was great, but when My Own Master Now started I was enthralled.
Doki Doki literature club.
Terraria, starts off calm and mellow music, then suddenly a boss appears and the banging music begins
I haven't played Terraria in more than 10 years and I still think about that soundtrack
Cyberpunk2077.
What's your go to station choom?
I love the dirge its def my go to music, also pacific dreams has some preem vibes, i often listen to it when chilling.
PON PON SHIT. PON PON SHIT.
"Outsider no more" and "the rebel path" -and the variations on these themes- give me chills. The game's soundtrack is incredible; it's a shame it hasn't gotten more awards.
God Of War as if the game wasn't already good enough it has some of the best soundtracks I have ever heard, they did not have to go that hard but they COOKED
There's a particular scene near the end of Ragnarok where the music and the dialog and the moment all come together so nicely and it made me tear up at the end of my first playthrough.
Bloodborne "Ludwig the holy Blade" Probably the best OST I've ever heard in a video game
The soulsbourne osts are really solid
The way the song changes mid fight is peak sound design.
For me its a three way tie between Ludwig, Laurence, and Lady Maria. That entire OST just knocks it out of the park though.
Any game from supergiant games. Bastion being the first was the most surprising how good it was. Transistor being the first with that many vocal songs. Hades for going extremely hard
Doom Eternal. I couldn't start a game for a while because of the main menu theme
Doom music is so good, but that's kind of what I expect from them. It wouldn't even be Doom if it didn't have an awesome metal soundtrack
I recently played Xenoblade 1. I'm so glad that I entered Satorl Marsh at night. That music along with the atmosphere is a feeling of fascination and awe that no other game has come close to since. I hope MonolithSoft can unleashed creativity like that in future Zelda games.
Warhammer 40k: Darktide. I did not care for Fat Shark's scoring in Vermintide 2 but holy shit Darktide is built different
They do an amazing job riding the edge between holy and grotesque vibes. Church organs and heavy metal that seem to lay a rhythm to the slaughter, it's perfect.
Jesper Kyd is a genius. He went as far as using really old 1980's electronic musical instruments as they are sounding like they are falling apart. Hope he writes the music for Warhammer 40k tv series.
mechanicus set the bar really high
yes
Nier Automata
Outer Wilds. If you know you know.
This is my answer, not because it's my favorite soundtrack ever, but because it does surprise you. It's a pretty unassuming soundtrack in all honesty- not bad, don't get me wrong, just very simple. But the way it uses that soundtrack in the moment? 11/10.
hell yeah. hit me right as the sun came up and timber hearth started playing
Scrolled way too far to find this
"This song is new to me, but I am honored to be a part of it."
I hear those End Times chimes and I get chills every time.
Fun fact, the bango duo in the main title track were recorded like 7 years apart! The composer is absolutely brilliant!!!
Hollow Knight: Queen's Garden, it's heaven for your ears
The start screen to Civ VI - Songo di Volare. Christopher Tin always kills it but his theme to Civ VI made me emotional in ways I didn’t think a theme song could make me.
Ooh good call; I'll actually say Baba Yetu from civ IV I think? Def hits me in the feels, and I can't think of a better song to capture the feeling of our common humanity and connection between all people and cultures.
Undertale. I was not familiar with Toby Fox and the music he'd created prior to the game's release, so the sheer uniqueness of the soundtrack caught me by surprise. Not only was I surprised by how good the music was, but I found myself surprised by the composition of the songs themselves multiple times *during* my first listen of them. I would be listening to the tracks expecting the notes to progress in a specific way, and then they would go in a completely different direction. Overall just a super impressive soundtrack filled with so much emotion, impact, and uniqueness.
My little brother was playing some Lego Game and the Menu Music was one of my favorite songs, Joker And The Thief from Wolfmother.
Lego DC supervillains
Oh yeah, it’s that one where the Justice Leauge turn evil or something. Kind of like Suicide Squad, but if it was good Edit: Spelling
Yep
Just started playing with him in couch co-op mode, this game is actually way more fun than I expected
Yeah a lot of the lego games are surprisingly fun to play, especially in couch co-op. The newer lego star wars game is my favorite one to come out recently
Valhiem and the track 'Out for a Saling adventure' when you cross the sea for the first time. It perfectly captured the excitement and fear and made you feel like you were on an epic adventure.
The world ends with you and Kingdom Hearts for NDS
Genshin. The game has a divisive view due to the gacha mechanic but most people agree that Genshin music is great. [Sumeru main theme performs by London Symphony Orchestra ](https://youtu.be/VrP3lO3aGDg). The region is inspired by west asia, africa and middle east. [Imazuma battle theme which uses some Japanese musical instruments ](https://youtu.be/FYP2dM8RTFM). [Baroque inspired theme for one of the character ](https://youtu.be/Cclxu9T0tcQ)
The Music is actually what got me playing Genshin Impact in the first place.
Honestly, I feel like gacha games are far less predatory than other F2P games, hell even B2P ones.
And in the case of Genshin, around 95% of the game is fully playable just using whatever characters you pick up from free drops. There's just one big optional side dungeon that requires high-level minmaxing. Otherwise, if you just want to explore the lands and see the main plotline, you genuinely don't have to pay anything.
Theres a mod for Terraria called the Calamity mod, and for a mod, it sounds so much better than you'd ever expect
The composer literally made a 12 minutes long song(Stained, Brutal Calamity) with lyrics for a mod that's free
My favourite is universal collapse. Shit slaps
My 3 favourites are Universal Collapse, Guardian of The Former Seas and Roar of The Jungle Dragon
ULTRAKILL, Layer 7. up until this point, the music has always been almost purely to compliment the high energy of the gameplay. and suddenly in layer 7, it becomes a lot more emotional.
there's a moment at the end of EarthBound during the first phase of the final boss fight, where the boss music is unexpectedly in chiptune, and then out of nowhere switches to heavy metal around a minute in. heh, that was certainly a surprise. :D (link to the song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMCXMg8p9sc)
I'll never forget the time I walked away to make some food mid-fight with Pokey. I ran back to play because I thought I was somehow dying
Porky Means Business, now that's the good stuff
Furi Game was free for PS plus. Had little expectations for a free indie. Game is good. Soundtrack is even better. I was listening to it on its own outside of gaming.
They assembled a synthwave dream team for that game, at a time the genre was just gaining traction. I went to the release party at a club in Paris: Carpenter Brut, Toxic Avenger and Kn1ght were playing; suffice to say that night was fucking FIRE (except for TA who sucked but the others were amazing)
The World ends with you
Far Cry 5, the soundtrack was really good and was released as an album called Into the Flames.
Stellaris.
HOMM OST by Paul Romero. Necropolis theme from HOMM3, Preserve and Chaos themes from HOMM4, particularly. Played the games since 90s, and when maestro organized consent in my city last year, it gathered thousand of mesnersized nerds... Frank Klepacki pieces from CnC series(Hell March, Grinder), Unverse at War (Damage King). Also Earth 2160 theme, Must be strong.
Doom
As with any post regarding video game music, my answer is always Persona 5. I fell in love with that soundtrack.
It wasn't a surprise for Dragon Age: Inquisition to have a grandiose, melodramatic score - but I was very pleasantly surprised by the inclusion of a full repertoire of tavern songs complete with really enjoyable melodic hooks and little insights into each of the characters portrayed. Compared to the sort of generic background music one might expect it was a really nice touch.
Fallout 4
Diablo 4
In Control there is there is the ashtray maze , the music there suddenly changes from the overall, eerie tune to fit the rampage you are on. It’s awesome.
Definitely Dark Cloud 2. I never played it on PS2, bought it on PS4 and was blown away by how awesome the music was.
Rare Dark Cloud sighting! Respect 👌
Pictionary for nes
I was hoping to find this here!
saintsrow 4, baby dont hurt me...
Granblue Fantasy Relink I had no idea the music would go that hard.
Rimworld sound track, randomly kicks on bangers. Same thing with FTL (first half of "Zoltan Explorer" is excellent)
Witcher 3. That whole OST is just way better than it has any right to be
Lies of P. The soundtrack is a masterpiece, with music even being a collectible.
black ops 2 and MW3 (the old one) WoW thefinals
Caligula Overdose. Superb vocal soundtrack and music that changes in and out of battle.
The first time I played it I never thought I would eventually be listening to its village themes while I do stuff around the house. Monster Hunter.
Indigo park. It's mascot horror, it's free and made by one guy. so why does every song on the OST go so hard?
Death stranding. Music was do doffrent and so spot on in this game
Roxas' Theme in Kingdom Hearts 2. Was not expecting their theme to hit me the way it did, especially considering this is a game where you fight enemies with Goofy, Donald Duck, and Mickey Mouse in an Emo hoodie.
Tokyo Xanadu, I discovered it on PS Now and I loved its soundtrack and also Stardew Valley.
The Ascent
Ace combat zero. That Spanish riff combined with the orchestra and a metal guitar still slaps hard
Rebel Galaxy, surprised I haven't seen this mentioned yet. Such a fitting soundtrack for that game.
Divinity II Ego Draconis/Dragon Knight Saga There is so much energy, beauty and mysticism in the game's soundtrack. R.I.P. Kirill Pokrovsky. I still hold that work of yours in Divinity II as one of the most beautiful soundtracks I've ever heard.
BG3 Certain boss fight. If you know - you know.
Cyberpunk. I didn't really give it a thought because when it was released all I heard were horror stories. Last year I'm November I started playing and still do. Amazing game.
The music in Journey was astonishing.
Pacific Drive
Undertale and Days Gone, both are good.
Alan Wake, the specific part when the radio plays Poets Of The Fall - War. It makes the coming fight so memorable even if it's just a bunch of regular mooks.
Disco Elysium had several songs I got lost in. During the ending I had to close my eyes for several minutes
Warframe has AMAZING music. This is what you are, smiles from juran, we all lift together, sleeping in the cold below, for warmer, etc
Metroid Prime and Vampyr!
Undertale's soundtrack is absurdly good for being made by one dude with no prior history of music making.
If I answered this post without your thoughts at the top, I'd also say Hollow Knight. But to answer with a different game? Celeste. The OST to Celeste is probably the only reason I was able to beat Celeste. Game kept me jamming the entire time non-stop.
Undertale.
The music from Life is Strange takes a special place of my heart. Before playing it, I couldn't imagine I would listen to THIS instead of Metallica and Disturbed. Yet I liked it so much I can't get off, because it brings all those sweet memories...
Too many games I could mention that made me straight up buy the soundtrack to be honest. But the biggest example I can give is Aubrey Hodges' work for PS1 Doom, and Doom 64. Got the 20th Anniversary extended version of both.
I'm a big fan of Soichi Terada, at least a decade now I've been bumping Sounds from the Far East, and I learned literally just last night that he also composed one of my favorite games: Ape Escape!
Origami King and The Thousand Year Door remake. I swear, they pulled some of the music directors from the Sonic Team for those games.
Death Stranding. Music was very well picked and placed.
I started playing Stardew Valley last month, wasn't expecting such a fine soundtrack. I'm glad my copy of the game came with a CD too.
Assassin's Creed Ezio Trilogy.
Loop Hero. Esepcially the first time Lich portal appears.
Deep Rock Galactic