Favorite VG music?

[Andy Chalk]

Okay, so it turns out Blizzard has pulled all the outtakes (and just about everything else) from their FTP. Does anyone have an alternative source? I haven't had a chance to go looking yet, but based on the list on DiabloII.net it looks like I missed a few, and I want 'em.

 

[spengler [deprecated]]

Amazing sound design:
System Shock 2
Bioshock
Quake

Amazing musical score:
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Silent Hill

 

[Virgil]

Of all time, I have to pick Secret of Mana. Even being 16-bit, the music itself was just so incredibly polished and integral to the experience. It's unfortunate that it really is little more than a MIDI though, so the audio doesn't hold up as well. I keep a few 'remixed' tracks in my library - http://www.ocremix.org/remix/OCR00859/ is one of my favorites.

I also have to mention The Black Mages [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Black_Mages], Nobuo Uematsu's 'metal' band that plays remixed versions of some of the best Final Fantasy music.

 

[Goofonian]

I had a massive fetish on the dodgy ass music from jazz jackrabbit back when I was 11. I spent hours finding a player that could play the proprietary music data files, and then listened to the soundtrack for a good couple days straight.

Strangely I got much more enjoyment from the music than from the game itself.

 

[Ajar]

I like the Black Mages' rendition of the final battle from FFVI -- not that I ever finished FFVI.

 

[thefreemarket]

The opening to Fallout 2, with Louis Armstrong's version of "A Kiss to Build a Dream On."

The only music in a game that gets any notice outside of the game for me now is Amon Tobin's work on Spliter Cell.

and to stick with Red Storm for a second, i always enjoyed the prebattle rainbow six music. It always made me feel like i was in some cheeseball Jerry Bruckheimer super action movie, arming myself to the teeth for that dramatic world saving romp where i get the girl and kill the baddies.

 

[boony]

Halo, Ico, Morrowind, Oblivion, the music that is playing when Samus first lands on Tallon IV in Metroid Prime, Final Fantasy IX, and the song "Red Moon" from Disgaea.

 

[Bongo Bill]

I just can't get enough of the Grim Fandango soundtrack.

 

[a|A]

I love the music from :

Grim Fandango
Psychonauts
Quest for Glory ( all of them )
Monkey Island ( wooo! )
Zelda : Ocarina of Time
One Must Fall : 2097
Metroid ( any of them really, they tend to recycle the same tunes )
Bioshock ( The Orchestral Soundtrack, not that horrible Moby stuff )
Civ4 and Battlfield 1942 Title Music
Mafia
Kings Quest 6
Gabriel Knight Theme

ooo there's just so many!

 

[Zera]

To me, Capcom makes the best game music
Inti Creates also make good remixs to their own music, like ZXA Tunes

 

[Anton P. Nym]

Admittedly I'm a big Halo fan, so maybe I'm not the most unbiased voice to volunteer the Halo soundtracks, but the music and sound-design is a significant part of why I'm such a big fan.

I still have the soundtrack CDs for Mechwarrior 2 and the first Aliens vs. Predator kicking around; they make occasional appearances on my mp3 player.

BioShock had lots of stuff I enjoyed.

And to bust out the Golden Moldies, Spy Hunter, Outrun, and Moon Patrol.

-- Steve

edited to add: Going to the Video Games Live concert was an amazing experience if you're into game soundtracks. As many thumbs up as are permissable by your species.

 

[Pyrrian]

I've always had a soft spot for Ace Combat. A lot of the stuff doesn't really work independently of the game, but I think they did a pretty good job of using the music to help subtly insinuate the "noble aerial knight" feeling of the game. It really sets the pace for the game, and the final mission tracks are darn fitting for those last-stand, final-battle sorts of things.

I've also thought Halo tends to do a pretty good job with music, at the very least in the cut-scenes. Also, did anyone play the original Kingdom Under Fire? I thought that stuff added a different feel to a medieval combat game, and really liked it.

As far as older stuff goes, early Mega Man games had some seriously catchy 8-bit jams. The ending music of Streets of Rage 2 always gave me a pretty satisfied feeling when I beat the game in those Genesis days, and it still does today on Live Arcade.

 

[SatansBestBuddy]

It may not be out yet, but Guitar Hero III is going to have what is easily one of the greatest soundtracks to ever grace a game.

I mean, have you seen the huge list of songs that have been announced for the game?

And adding downloadable tracks further on down the line, plus rerecordings of lost master tracks, and co-op career.... dammit, I want this game, solely because the music will kick so very much ass.

There's an artical about it on this site somewhere, but I don't know how to do links, so you'll have to find it yourself.

Anyway, for games that have good music with being built for said music, I'd have to say I'm pretty surprised nobody's mentioned Super Mario 64 yet, as that game had some really good stuff, it's good enough that you often times can't tell it's midi.

 

[twilight_dweller]

The Guitar Hero soundtrack.

:3

 

[Dragonmaw]

Any song in Megaman 2, and the Halo soundtrack (I'm a sucker for epic, orchestral scores.)

 

[OblivionRising [deprecated]]

The Metal Gear series has a beautiful score. My favorite is the ending theme to Metal Gear Solid/The Twin Snakes. I believe it's called "The Best is yet to Come."

 

[Jenkins the Red [deprecated]]

I've got to say that I really enjoyed the music from Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles, back on the 'Cube. One song that really sticks out for me was a waltz from this manor-like level. I still catch myself whistling it every now and then.

 

[MrKeroChan]

maybe it's a sign of middle age, by in my humble opinion, the best union of music & gameplay that i've ever come across is Mechwarrior 2/GB/Mercs

 

[acerbity]

Final Fantasy Tactics pwns this topic up and down, even in spite of the fact it was all synthesized.