Video Game Music

[Gikoku]

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If there's one thing I love, it's video game music. <3​

Like a well-designed environment, it can not only immerse you into a game's world, but keep you coming back for more. There's plenty of bad games out there with delicious soundtracks and even vice-versa with great games that possess forgettable music. For me, the music in a game is equally as important as the gameplay, story, and in some cases the visuals. Happily making me into the avid VGM collector I am today. If a game falls flat on the music, it can make the game unbearable with tiresome tracks that are either absolutely boring or annoy the hell out of me. I absolutely love it when a good game has that one special song from out of nowhere that makes me keep on playing just to hear that one song again, and again, and again.

Is the music in a game important to you?
What are some of your favorite game soundtracks or songs from a game?

 

[Quistrix]

The thing I love about about video game music is that as soon as you listen to it, it takes you right back to playing the game itself. A most awesome feeling of nostalgia with older games especially. Huge epic orchestral pieces are sweet. But then there's those god damn annoying repetitive ones that make you want to throw your TV out the window as soon as they begin playing.

To Zanarkand from FFX, probably one of the most beautiful pieces of music I've ever heard, let alone the most beautiful I've heard from a video game.

One of the few things I liked about FFXIII was the music. Including this badass battle theme.

And finally, Zelda's Lullaby. I luv dis so much. Takes me right back to being a child getting to the part in OOT when you first meet Princess Zelda. Was a tremendous moment with that music playing.

 

[Gikoku]

One of the few things I liked about FFXIII was the music. Including this badass battle theme.

Definitely agree. Probably the best normal battle theme in the series for me, there's a number of other shining gems in FFXIII's soundtrack such as my favorite:

Soon as it kicked in, I just had to bring up the character menu so I could listen to it with no interruptions.

 

[Sephiroxas]

Then including the entirety of the rest of that soundtrack.

Definitely agree. Probably the best normal battle theme in the series for me, there's a number of other shining gems in FFXIII's soundtrack such as my favorite:

Soon as it kicked in, I just had to bring up the character menu so I could listen to it with no interruptions.

I used to do that with X-2, the opening song I'd go to load save game and leave it there for hours, napping, or the same for Kingdomhearts opening menu song.

 

[Quistrix]

I used to do that with X-2, the opening song I'd go to load save game and leave it there for hours, napping

I remember how in FFX-2(and in FFX I think) you could go to the sphere theatre in Luca and listen to all the music and watch all the FMVs. I'm not sure if this is the one you meant, but I would listen to this over and over.

And this.

Over and over and over and over...

 

[Gikoku]

I remember how in FFX-2(and in FFX I think) you could go to the sphere theatre in Luca and listen to all the music and watch all the FMVs.

Yeah, they had that sphere theater in FFX as well. I often went there for this beautiful piece of work:

I've always been a sucker for ambient music, so when I heard this track play after the Sin attack on the shore, I got goosebumps all over with that warm feeling in my tummy.

I'm not sure if this is the one you meant, but I would listen to this over and over.

I spent as much time on the main menu as I did playing the actual game thanks to that damn song.

 

[Tyloric]

I've been listening to the XIII-2 OST... it's actually amazing.

 

[Quistrix]

I've always been a sucker for ambient music, so when I heard this track play after the Sin attack on the shore, I got goosebumps all over with that warm feeling in my tummy.

Same. Although it was rather haunting with Tidus' voice speaking over it. Then you saw Yuna doing one of her low-res sendings.

 

[Gikoku]

I've been listening to the XIII-2 OST... it's actually amazing.

Ditto, there were some tracks on there that really caught me by surprise such as "Augusta Tower (Aggressive Mix)" and "New Bodhum (Aggressive Mix)".

Origa and Final Fantasy together? Yes please.

 

[Azer249]

This is one of the best i've ever herd. When i first herd this i was in shock, everytime someone asks about video game music i go straight to this beauty.

 

[Necromancer]

I always liked the music for Fable 2's intro. I enjoy hearing it every time I start a new game.

This is even better though. Sometimes I'll just walk into the Chamber of Fate, sit back for a while, relax, and listen.

I think my favorite game when it comes to music might be Assassin's Creed 2 though. Most aspects of the Assassin's Creed series only get better as newer games are released, but the biggest exception to me is the game atmosphere. The atmosphere of Assassin's Creed 2 is just so...I can't even think of a word for it, but it's amazing, I absolutely love it, and it is largely due to the soundtrack. These are some of my favorites from AC2.

This one...oh god, just simply amazing. This has to be the best piece of music in the Assassin's Creed series.

 

[SelfAppointedGunslinger]

Tour of Venice was my favourite from assassins creed 2.

As for other games I always enjoyed the original fallout soundtracks.

(Walking through a scorched desert with this playing would be boss.)

The brotherhood of steel theme was ace too, love the air raid sirens.

metal gear solid 3 ocelot youth: A good piece of showdown music if ever there was one, sums up my youthful arrogance well too.

The tavern music from skyrim was soothing, plus it reminds me of the wacky drinking quest with Sam..

 

[Necromancer]

Tour of Venice was my favourite from assassins creed 2.

Oh right! I forgot about that one. I think I like that one almost as much as Dream of Venice. I seem to recall some good Florence music too.

 

[Tyloric]

Because it amused me.

 

[mjmarin12]

One of my favorite's is the chase music from Assassins Creed

You hear it after eliminating a target. I always turned my TV volume up and when this song came on I knew it was time to run like hell.

The chase theme from Brotherhood is great as well.

 

[Quistrix]

Anyone else ever had one of those moments when you recognise a piece of music or a piece of music sounds some what familiar, and you can't quite put your finger on where you've heard it before? Then usually later you realise you heard it from a certain video game.

Had that happen a couple times. Recognise the music and then say "LOL OH THAT'S FROM SUCH AND SUCH!!!!!1111one" in a room full of non-gamers who look at you like "Wut?"

 

[Gikoku]

Anyone else ever had one of those moments when you recognise a piece of music or a piece of music sounds some what familiar, and you can't quite put your finger on where you've heard it before? Then usually later you realise you heard it from a certain video game.

Had that happen a couple times. Recognise the music and then say "LOL OH THAT'S FROM SUCH AND SUCH!!!!!1111one" in a room full of non-gamers who look at you like "Wut?"

Yep, quite a few times. I'll sometimes see a random video game track get used in a commercial (local even) or some TV promo. These tracks I hear are normally from games that were on the PSX, especially those little forgettable ones that would always come on the PSX demo discs. I've also seen some games use tracks from older games in their newer ones (for whatever reason) such as EA taking an old track from The Sims Bustin' Out and using it in new Sims games, same thing with one of their NFS games from the '90s.

What really gets me is when I see some other source using a derived version of a song (like the original Crash Bandicoot theme) and they think nobody will ever notice it. Vice-versa even, how I've heard some songs in a video game and it is a clear non-vocal rip-off of some pop song.

 

[Quistrix]

Yep, quite a few times. I'll sometimes see a random video game track get used in a commercial (local even) or some TV promo.

Once heard the Guru Guru version of the Song of Storms being played on an advert.

Was one of those

moments.

 

[Zarkes]

Music is very important to me when I game, Halo of course, has one of the best soundtracks ever. Every time I hear it it gets me pumped and I always seem to get alittle more headshot in MP.

Fable was epic, playing after dark in a blanket as a kid I'd always wait through the opening trailer.

Now I've got a special playlist with a bunch of remixes on my laptop I use as my own sort of theme to get me in the right mood ot own it up.

 

[Gikoku]

Sometimes I wish Laguna had been the main character of Final Fantasy 8, as I found his storyline more interesting while not going all emo on me. When I first heard his battle theme in the game, I completely lost it and it was on like freakin' Donkey Kong.

A winner is you, Uematsu.