(Surprise! A second article! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!)
Alright, let’s get this rolling! Just like the list from a few months ago that went over my Top 10 favorite soundtracks from film and television, this list will be going into my favorites from the world of gaming. Unlike my article from a year ago that went over my ten individual favorite songs from video games, this list is going to be taking into account a game’s entire soundtrack. There are so many amazing picks that missed the cutoff here (this was one of my hardest top ten lists to compile) that I might even need to do a follow-up in the future!
Let’s jump into it!
10) Pac-Man World 2
As this game has already received an entire article to itself, I’ve made my thoughts on its phenomenal soundtrack pretty clear. This game has the unique distinction of having a central thematic motif that is broken into individual parts/instruments, and then those smaller pieces are elaborated on to form the basis of every world’s musical themes. It’s an incredible idea executed to perfection, and the only knocks against this game’s soundtrack would be the overall low song count (only about 26 songs in total), and the fact that it could theoretically get tiresome hearing the same bits of melodies over a long play session.
Favorite Track: Pinky’s Revenge
9) Hyrule Warriors
Hyrule Warriors is a spinoff in the extremely robust Warriors franchise, which has been running strong for about two decades. Like all Warriors games, Hyrule Warriors is chock full of heavy metal head-banging tunes and orchestral masterpieces. However, it also has the added benefit of taking place in the Zelda universe, allowing it to draw from the sprawling Zelda franchise to produce one amazing remix after another. Whether its an original piece, or a guitar-shredding redux of an old classic, this soundtrack does not disappoint.
Favorite Track: Eclipse of the Sun
8) Bravely Default
Bravely Default is a unique JRPG that is built upon the strong foundations of its soundtrack. After all, one of the major gameplay features is a character’s special move, which dramatically powers up your party for as long as their individual musical motif continues. Even aside from the character themes though, this game tops itself with one amazing song after the next, and each dungeon, city, and unique boss encounter has a song all to itself. It helps that this game’s soundtrack was also performed by a live orchestra (even if the tinny 3DS speakers don’t do it full justice).
Favorite Track: That Person’s Name Is…
(Yes, I know that technically “Serpent Eating the Ground” is my favorite song from this game, and favorite song of all time just in general. I wanted to switch things up to make this list a bit more fresh!)
7) Pokémon Masters EX
Pokémon Masters EX (and another entry appearing later on this list) manages to sneak its way into my heart by one simply virtue among all others: there’s literally almost 200 tracks in this game. Not only are the majority of these songs incredible on their own, but when there’s this many to choose from, it becomes impossible to ignore a soundtrack of this caliber. On top of this, the music in this game was clearly a labor of love, as the composers of these Pokémon remixes (and the exceptionally talented performers) went all out in recreating and frequently improving beloved tunes.
Favorite Track: Battle vs. Archie
6) A Hat in Time
It’s a well-known fact that some of the most creative, unique, and consistently high-quality soundtracks in gaming can be found in Indie games (fitting, given Indies games themselves are the most creative, unique, and consistently high-quality products on the market). A Hat in Time is no exception, and it manages to produce a hefty and incredible soundtrack bursting with energy. From ragtime jazz to seedy mafia funk to upbeat club music to rocking boss themes, this game has it all. You’ll be hard pressed to find a platformer out there with a more cohesive and top-notch soundtrack.
Favorite Track: Your Contract Has Expired (Remix)
(Again, “Battle of Award 42” is actually my favorite song from this game, but if I can take the chance to spread the love of more awesome gaming music, then I’ll take it!)
5) Yu-Gi-Oh Duel Links
This is a game that manages to eke out a place on this list in a manner very similar to Pokémon Masters EX. Like that game, this one has a soundtrack of nearly 200 tracks, and almost every single one is incredible. I give the edge to this game simply because the musical stylings are slightly more inclined towards my preferences (with a lot of emphasis on orchestral epics and pulse-pounding rock tunes). YGO Duel Links also manages to incorporate motifs for certain characters and events, utilizing those musical themes to great success.
Favorite Track: Yubel
4) Fire Emblem Fates
Almost every single Fire Emblem game has an amazing soundtrack, but I still cannot get over how great Fates‘ score is. Whether it’s the sweeping battle themes that transition into frantic chaos during enemy encounters (courtesy of a very fun reactive music feature), the somber and mysterious tracks during story cutscenes, or the relaxing tones of your home castle and exploring support conversations. There’s also the glue that holds it all together in “Lost in Thoughts All Alone”, an absolutely masterwork of a theme song interwoven throughout all of Fates‘ OST.
Favorite Track: Alight (Storm)
(See previous entries as to why this is not “Lost in the Waves”.)
3) Kid Icarus Uprising
I’m not exactly sure how to describe this game’s soundtrack, or properly explain why I love it so much. There’s just something so…great about this game’s music, and how every single track just brings a huge smile to my face. It could be due to the live studio recording, like one of this list’s earlier entries. It could be due to covering a huge range of musical stylings and genres, like other entries on this list. It could be because nearly any song in the game is guaranteed to dig its way into your ear for hours (or days) on end. It’s almost certainly a combination of all of the above!
Favorite Track: That Burning Town
2) Monster Hunter World
My article from last year about my favorite songs in gaming was comprised almost entirely of epic orchestral masterpieces that depict fierce battles of hope clashing against impossible odds. It’s no surprise, then, that I’d rank Monster Hunter World so highly on this list, given that 90% of it’s soundtrack is exactly that. Every time I re-listen to a song from this game I have to reevaluate which track is actually my favorite, because I love them all so much. When you’re fighting battles against fearsome monsters for upwards of thirty minutes at a time, it’s a good thing the music slays this hard!
Favorite Track: Nay! The Honor is All Ours!
1) Xenoblade Chronicles 3
Music is essential in the world of Xenoblade Chronicles 3. When someone dies, it is the duty of the offseer to play a funeral melody that allows the deceased’s soul to find peace. It makes sense, then, that this game would possess such an overwhelmingly incredible, powerful, and unforgettable soundtrack when music itself plays such a role in the plot.
There’s hardly enough space on this list to talk about why this game’s music is so good. On a simple level, every single song is just bursting with love and care, from the heavy metal boss themes to the grandiose beauty of the explorative tracks. Xenoblade Chronicles 3 uses a lot of unique musical stylings I haven’t heard much of before either, like the frantic chanting choir of the Moebius theme, or the utilization of flutes in most music tracks.
On top of this, though, the game also excels in two other areas. The first is in paying homage to the game’s the came before it. From outright remixing a few old tracks, to cleverly interweaving motifs from earlier characters and locations, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 wonderfully drives home its themes and conclusion to this masterful trilogy. Secondly, the game demonstrates unparalleled understanding of musical theming, managing to steadily balance an ever-growing collection of motifs into one cohesive whole.
It’s in a league of its own, really.
Favorite Track: Eclipse Homecoming
But hey, that’s just my opinion!
The Contrarian Corner 