Nothing really brings a video game together (or, for that matter, a movie or show) like an amazing soundtrack. Perhaps someday in the future I’ll look at my ten favorite gaming soundtracks, but for this weekend I’ll instead specifically highlight the ten particular songs which I rank as my favorites. Links to the songs will be included!
10) Beyond the Sky – Xenoblade Chronicles
I’ve talked about how good the ending to this game is, and the beautiful ending song definitely aids in bringing it all together. It’s the only song with lyrics in the entire game, which helps it stand out. It’s a gorgeous melody that never fails to give me goosebumps as it syncs up perfectly with the final cutscene. For those of you out there who aren’t a fan of traditional game music, give this a listen.
9) Brother’s Keeper – Uncharted 4
The climactic sword duel between Nathan Drake and Rafe is the stuff of final boss legends, and the action is only highlighted by the dramatic tune of this theme. It’s loud at the rights parts, quiet at others, and matches the back-and-forth swordplay excellently. The hectic finale of the song really seals the deal. Pulse-pounding to its very core!
8) VS Nega Wisp Armor – Sonic Colors
Sonic games have a tradition of remixing the upbeat rocking theme song from each respective game into an epic orchestral rendition during the final boss fights. Sonic Colors is no different, but I feel that it pulls it off better than any other Sonic game. This song just feels so good, I can hardly describe it. You can just envision yourself running down a racetrack at the speed of sound, sprinting off to save the world.
7) The Battle of Award 42 – A Hat in Time
It’s the gradual escalation of this song that really does it for me. Each distinctive phase of the track aligns with the progressively more insane boss battle perfectly. The jamming tune gets more and more rocking as your dogged opponent throws everything they have at you. The showtune-esque finale is also such a great way to bring it home, and I love the recurrent central motif that plays three times throughout, once in each phase.
6) Ludwig, the Holy Blade – Bloodborne
FROM Software, the creators of Dark Souls and Bloodborne, are the masters of epic orchestral pieces, and this song really encapsulates everything that Bloodborne has to offer. The slightly off putting, almost somber first half reflects the sad, deformed state of one of the world’s greatest warriors. Meanwhile, the bombastic second half represents the brief glimmer of recognition Ludwig achieves as he remembers his former purpose in his dying moments. This is one astounding boss battle tune.
5) Shantien Phase Four – Monster Hunter Frontier
Imagine, if you will, that you and your team of hunting friends have been battling with all their hearts against a huge catastrophic elder dragon. After three full phases of high-flying airship combat, your vessel has crashed and the creature is wounded. It roars, unleashing all the power it has left, and your weary comrades ready themselves for the final round. Got this picture locked in your head? Whatever you thought of, I’m sure a song just like this one fits the bill, bringing one heck of a fiery conclusion to this amazing creature’s battle.
4) Slave Knight Gael – Dark Souls 3
FROM Software, the creators of Dark Souls and Bloodborne, are the masters of epic orchestral pieces (am I in a time loop?). This track, the final piece of music that will ever be produced for the Dark Souls series, brings the trilogy to a close in a truly unforgettable way. It’s lengthy, beautifully orchestrated, chillingly good, and indicative of your player character and Gael’s final, futile struggle for control over the dark soul. An unforgettable finale.
3) Shinryu (The Worm’s Tail) – Final Fantasy 14
Okay, you’ve guessed it by now: I’m a sucker for grand orchestral music tracks. I won’t deny it. What I will claim is, with respect to pure orchestra and choir video game music, this song is the best of the best. This track sets the stage for the duel against a magnificent dragon of the heavens, and the instrumentation truly reflects that. When the choir comes in at the end, you can bet that I’m lost in the hype every time.
2) Lost in the Waves – Fire Emblem Fates
The theme song of Fire Emblem Fates, Lost in Thoughts All Alone, was already an impeccably great song. So, what happens when you make that song into a duet, crank up the grandiosity by about eleven, and lay it down as the backdrop for the most emotionally fulfilling level in the game? You get one unforgettable piece of amazing music, that’s what. This song sounds extremely good (thanks in no small part to Matt Mercer and Rena Strober), and the memories of playing this level and finishing this game late one night a few years back will stick with me forever.
1) Serpent Eating the Ground – Bravely Default
Sometimes there comes a song so fundamentally and unequivocally good that it blows all other competition out of the water. Let’s make it clear. As much as I love the nine songs lower on the list, this one is greater than them all by a sizable margin. It’s a perfect piece of musical genius in every sense of the word. It effortlessly balances fiercely climactic tones, melancholic reminiscence, and heart-stopping hype. The way it intermixes the four main character’s distinctly unique character themes, alongside the game’s world map theme and overall main motif is stunningly stellar.
This isn’t just my favorite video game song. It’s my favorite song…ever. And I doubt anything will ever top it.
But hey, that’s just my opinion!
The Contrarian Corner 