Game series with the best music.

[Andy Shandy]

I know we get a fair amount of game music threads, but I suppose this one is only very slightly different (until it inevitably turns out that somebody has made this thread before)

What ONE game, or series of games, would you say has the best music overall in gaming?

I ask this, because at this very moment, I'm basically binging on various Sonic tracks, and in my opinion, they do have fantastic soundtracks pretty much each and every time.

Spoiler: From the very first level, in the very first game...

Spoiler: Through some of the later games...

Spoiler: Hell, even when the game itself is utter shit

The music has always remained absolutely fantastic.

But of course, that is only my opinion, so feel free to add your favourite. And please, if you can, spoiler the videos. It makes it much easier for everyone. And only ONE series!

 

[shrekfan246]

Spoiler: Listen, and eargasm.

There are a lot of game soundtracks that I feel complement the game rather well while I'm playing, but are nothing more than background noise for extra sensory entertainment. Journey transcends that barrier, and reaches heights that I only ever could've imagined. It's not just good game music; It's good music on its own. Even taken completely out of context of the game itself, Austin Wintory's composition remains stunningly beautiful and perfectly encapsulates the feeling of a long journey one might take.

Spoiler: The whole 58-minute OST for those who want to spend the time.

 

[The Abhorrent]

May as well get one of the primary contenders out of the way first...

Spoiler

FFVI - The Opera Scene[/youtube]

Even if the reception of the games in the Final Fantasy series has been far less amicable in the past several years, the music of the games within it is among some of the best out there. Heck, quite often the games fighting for "best game soundtrack of all time" had their tracks composed by part of the team(s) involved in Squaresoft's (yes, that's deliberate) titles at some point.

As far as games go, here's a few examples:

- Final Fantasy VI (as shown above)
- Chrono Trigger
- Chrono Cross
- Xenoblade Chronicles (perhaps a tad early to call, but definitely making a run for it)

It's not just nostalgia speaking either, there's a damn good reason these games have had such revered and memorable soundtracks - they're damn good, and do a superb job of enhancing the feeling of the scenes where they're used.

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

This is a question I have asked myself literally hundreds of times, and I still don't have an answer. Depending on what mood I'm in, what games I've been playing lately, and what kind of music I've been listening to most lately, the answer is always changing. Sometimes it's Halo, or sometimes Mass Effect, or Assassin's Creed, or Deus Ex, The Elder Scrolls, Bastion, Journey, Shadow of the Colossus, Metal Gear Solid, Silent Hill... All of these and more are frequent flyers at the top of my list.

I can tell you what definitely doesn't have the best music in gaming. Minecraft. I tell you, for all else that I love about Minecraft (which is a hell of a lot), I'm working on a big project on it right now and I can't stand listening to the three recurring tunes in that game over and over again for more than 20 minutes at a time. They get so bloody grating it's unbelievable!

 

[Sack of Cheese]

Heavenly Sword. Especially the title music, which was just to die for.
Everytime I fire up this game I have to stop and listen to the whole song before entering the menu.

 

[Terminate421]

The halo music has always been the best IMO. Solid mystical style combined with great combat beat works

 

[Nomad of the Stars]

The Persona series hands down for me. I've yet to play the first or Eternal Punishment, so I don't know about them (though I hear IS and EP are quite similar in that regard), but all the other installments had great soundtracks with each their own unique style compared to the previous that fits with the game. Especially 3 & 4.

Spoiler: Innocent Sin

Spoiler: 3

Spoiler: 4

 

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

I've played a lot of games with good soundtracks, but I can honestly say that the only time I ever got lost in the music was in Mass Effect. I could have stayed in my room all day if there weren't planets that needed scanning

can it wait for a bit? I'm in the middle of some calibrations

Have to agree though, some of that music, just hearing it for a few seconds can send chills up my spine (in any of the 3 games there are key moments where the music kicks in and my spine orgasms out of every vertebrae)

OT: would also like to say kingdom hearts, love the music, and have quite a few of the tracks on my ipod.

The Persona series hands down for me. I've yet to play the first or Eternal Punishment, so I don't know about them (though I hear IS and EP are quite similar in that regard), but all the other installments had great soundtracks with each their own unique style compared to the previous that fits with the game. Especially 3 & 4.

Spoiler: Innocent Sin

Spoiler: 3

Spoiler: 4

you know, i don't quite get it, everything about the persona music (fast paced, spastic, random, actiony) says I should absolutely love it, but every single track i've ever listened to from all the persona games makes me hate the game with a passion (before i've even had a chance to play them.), I've always wanted to play the games based on their combat/rpg'ness, but this music is making me loathe ever starting them. (not trying to antagonize, just cannot understand why i can't stand the music while others eargasm over all of it)

 

[Auron]

I think more along the lines of which composers to be fair, sometimes they change between series but if I had to choose I'd get Frank Klepacki's run with Westwood.

Spoiler

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPHmV7ipNsQ[/youtube]

One of my favourite tracks by Frank Klepacki

Spoiler

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jATpLiSAmo[/youtube]

The cut GDI theme from Tiberian Sun also from Klepacki.

Spoiler

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdCN1T8Fmj8[/youtube]

Nod crush is another one of my favourites.


Bonus stage

Spoiler

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvpGBi5pMnM[/youtube]

David Arkenstone just nailed the Harkonnen themes in ways that can never be topped.

Spoiler

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-oJZQVDllc[/youtube]

I also love Jesper Kyd's work on Hitman and Assassin's Creed, this song is not especially complex and he did better ones but I love it it's the intro to the very first Hitman.

 

[FFP2]

Hands down the Final Fantasy series. Probably the only consistent thing about the series.

Also Persona 4. It sounds kinda like J-pop most of the time but it's great. I don't know if other games in the series have music as good as P4 but it does seem likely.

 

[Soviet Heavy]

Since this question is just going to be asked again in two weeks, I'll toss out another in a long line of good soundtracks.
Mark Griskey: Knights of the Old Republic 2

 

[Nomad of the Stars]

you know, i don't quite get it, everything about the persona music (fast paced, spastic, random, actiony) says I should absolutely love it, but every single track i've ever listened to from all the persona games makes me hate the game with a passion (before i've even had a chance to play them.), I've always wanted to play the games based on their combat/rpg'ness, but this music is making me loathe ever starting them. (not trying to antagonize, just cannot understand why i can't stand the music while others eargasm over all of it)

Well, the primary reason I like it so much is the way it seems to fit with the game so well.

Persona 3, for instance, is based in a modern city, hence the more pop-like tracks [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XD9UStr1mOE], and has a story that ends up becoming quite sad/dark at some points, with fitting lonely/sad themes [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-5tjmHsx7s]. The music in the last section of the game really set the mood for me, a strong sense [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nABFT41RDdQ] of determination against incredibly low odds, and got me really pumped for the final battle, which itself had an appropriately epic song [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fg_cpAqrYE].

Really that's what made the soundtrack so amazing from my point of view, just how well it fit with what was going on. Yeah this is a pretty standard thing for good soundtracks, I just feel that the Persona (particularly 3 in my opinion) games do it better then most. It helps that I think that they're pretty good tracks on their own too.

 

[Charli]

Spyro the dragon. First 3 games.
Face it. You can basically see yourself skateboarding around that area for HOURS trying to get all those pointless combos.

I don't know what it was... Nearly every track in those games just had Good vibes woven into them.

I think as a kid I just lied down for 20mins with spyro in Autumn plains. This version is a bit harsh but coming from the TV at the time it was very soothing.

 

[MorganL4]

Halo........ When I think music in video games my first thought is GTA (because half the time I played that game just to drive a virtual car while listening to the radio) and next I think Halo, because that score is epic... And because I know a guy who played trumpet on the first three scores.

 

[Maximum Bert]

Rock Band yeah! no? ok I always though the Ar Tonelico series had excellent and very distinctive music which they tied in very well the game lore and structure.

Spoiler: 2 random tracks if anyone cares

The above second track is one that I really like the flow and build of even if its a bit different from the rest of the games music.

 

[sammysoso]

It's Halo for me.

Big sweeping orchestra, choir, and just enough electronics to lend an otherworldly atmosphere. I loved how the trilogy had several themes that were developed and adapted throughout.

ODST was a wonderful departure, with noir elements lending a different atmosphere. Reach had a much more raw sound, almost like a rough draft of the original Halo sound. And Halo 4 bringing new sounds, with some small hints back to the older games.