Summary
- From 8-bit chip-tunes to live orchestral scores, music plays a central role in creating iconic and memorable gaming experiences.
- Games such as Gothic 3, Hollow Knight, Assassin's Creed 2, Genshin Impact, Sonic Unleashed, and The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim have all been praised for their immersive and emotional music, which enhances the player experience.
The music of video games plays a central role in keeping games iconic and memorable years later. The 8-bit chip-tunes of Super Mario Bros is instantly recognized today, even by non-fans. As technology grew more powerful over the years, live orchestral music could be implemented into games, which in recent years has become very popular.
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Indeed, some video game music has such a large fan following that many live concerts have been performed. Franchises like Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog, famous for its quality music, have spawned a large musical following due to its iconic songs. Similarly, other games continue to be well known for their music and many have beautiful orchestral scores written by some very talented composers. This quality music helps immerse players in the landscape and aesthetic of the games they were composed for.
8 Gothic 3
A memorable orchestral score
Gothic 3
- Released
- November 20, 2006
- Developer(s)
- Piranha Bytes
- Platform(s)
- PC
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
The third game in the Gothic series was the first to utilize an entire orchestra to perform the game’s music. The Bochum Symphony Orchestra from Germany performed music composed by Kai Rosenkranz.
As well as an orchestra, the sound team also utilized a variety of instrumentation from around the world. From a Gospel Choir, to a Japanese taiko band, Gothic 3 introduced players to a richer and more varied soundtrack than anything that’d come before in the series. The result is a truly memorable, iconic, and engrossing score. The tracks are each beautiful and dramatic in their own right, reflecting each part of the game. It helps give a powerful and immersive player experience.
7 Sonic Frontiers
Brilliant and beautiful music
Sonic Frontiers
- Released
- November 8, 2022
- Developer(s)
- Sonic Team
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- Metascore
- 75
The bestselling 3D Sonic game has a phenomenal soundtrack, the official release being titled “Stillness and Motion” for a reason. Away from the pulsating hard rock songs and beaty electronic level themes, much of the music is beautiful and gentle, including a variety of musical instruments. The themes of most islands are arranged into seven “movements;” as Sonic unlocks more of each map, the music steadily builds into sweeping orchestral pieces. Each theme was composed by notable Sega musician, Tomoya Ohtani.
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Ohtani’s music is much more experimental than in previous games. The island themes are each unique and highly emotional in their own way, melancholic and beautiful. Ohtani brought in a lot of varied sounds, from Celtic-inspired vocals to Iranian percussion, and included the Nashville Scoring Orchestra. This unique flavor, supported by gentle electronics, creates moving musical pieces. In The Final Horizon update, the game's main theme "I’m Here" received an orchestral rendition.
6 Super Mario Galaxy
An instantly iconic soundtrack
Super Mario Galaxy
- Released
- November 1, 2007
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo
- Platform(s)
- Wii, Nintendo Wii U
- Genre(s)
- 3D Platformer
This incredible platforming title is accompanied by some memorable and beautiful music. From exhilarating orchestral pieces like Good Egg and Gusty Garden's amazing themes, there are also piano-led gentle pieces that are truly tear-jerking, like "Gateway Galaxy". The theme of "Space Junk Galaxy" is one of the most emotional tunes, reflecting the essence of the vastness and loneliness of space. The Comet Observatory theme, which steadily grows as new areas are unlocked, is a gentle and beautiful piece. This game was the first Mario title to use a full orchestra.
Its sequel, Super Mario Galaxy 2, also has an engrossing soundtrack which was once again full of memorable tracks. From the thrilling "Sky Station", to the gentler themes of World 1 and 2’s Maps, and the emotional theme of "Cosmic Cove," both titles feature some beautiful music. The two games' scores were composed by Mahito Yokota and Nintendo icon Koji Kondo.
5 Hollow Knight
Eerie yet hauntingly beautiful
Hollow Knight
- Released
- February 24, 2017
- Developer(s)
- Team Cherry
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, macOS, Linux
- Genre(s)
- Metroidvania
The successful indie title features a truly elegant soundtrack, characterized by an overall sense of eerieness and melancholia. Composed by Christopher Larkin, he created a mesmerizing score, with each piece unique in its own way but corresponding accurately to the setting. This helps immerse the player in the quest of the Knight.
With a largely orchestral soundtrack, some pieces are piano-led with a gentle, almost soothing, melody, creating a sense of quiet. The piano also accompanies hauntingly beautiful violins. The “City of Tears” theme is truly breathtaking, with mesmerizing vocals immersing the player in an atmospheric setting. The whole soundtrack is truly emotional yet beautiful with a sense of ambiance.
4 Assassin’s Creed 2
Beautiful and authentic music
Assassin's Creed 2
- Released
- November 7, 2009
- Developer(s)
- Ubisoft
- Platform(s)
- macOS, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One
The soundtrack to this follow-up title is truly mesmerizing. With the game set in Renaissance Italy, composer Jesper Kyd crafted an authentic, yet dramatic and hauntingly beautiful score. The result is a truly wonderful soundtrack to listen to, loved by players and critics alike.
Kyd worked with a 13-person choir and an orchestra to craft a truly awe-inspiring score. Many pieces feature beautiful yet haunting vocals that create a sense of eerie quiet. A common motif plays in numerous tracks, which have even reappeared across the franchise. There are common undertones of tension and anger, which perfectly complement the story of Ezio. With the use of operatic vocals, Kyd created a score that reflects the period and setting perfectly.
3 Genshin Impact
An immersive, emotional soundtrack
Genshin Impact
- Released
- September 28, 2020
- Developer(s)
- HoYoverse (Formerly miHoYo)
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC, iOS, Android
- Genre(s)
- RPG, Action, Adventure, Gacha, Open-World
Unlike other HoYoverse games like Honkai Impact 3rd, Genshin Impact’s soundtrack utilized multiple orchestras. As head of the music team, Yu-Peng Chen’s score for the game was performed by four orchestras: London Philharmonic, London Symphony, Tokyo Philharmonic, and Shanghai Symphony. His approach was chiefly to provide players with an immersive experience, via beautiful captivating music.
Genshin Impact has a wonderful orchestral soundtrack, from the game’s main theme to Mondstadt’s relaxing melodies. There are many gentle themes, but some are hauntingly beautiful, such as "Lover’s Oath". This game’s music is truly brilliant and emotional, providing players with a truly special immersive feature of gameplay.
2 Sonic Unleashed
A diverse and engrossing soundtrack
Sonic Unleashed
- Released
- November 18, 2008
- Developer(s)
- Sonic Team
- Genre(s)
- Platformer, Beat 'Em Up
Sonic games are upheld for consistently brilliant soundtracks, but what makes this score unique is its sheer variety of orchestral music. To accompany Sonic and Chip’s speedy globetrotting adventure, the music matches each locale using traditional instruments and styles from around the world. From the Gamelan music in "Jungle Joyride", to the Chinese Violin in "Dragon Road", the game immerses players in a musical journey. The incredible dramatic main theme “The World Adventure” was performed by the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra.
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Sound director Tomoya Ohtani and his team crafted many beautiful and moving pieces using this wide variety of instrumentation, even a “Day” and “Night” rendition of the level and hub world themes. The Day versions are bright and jumpy, but still have awe-inspiring music; the violins in "Windmill Isle" and "Rooftop Run" are unforgettable. The Night variations are typically softer and gentler, providing an emotional and beautiful listening experience. This title is an absolute masterpiece of video game music, offering many engrossing and emotional delights.
1 The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
A critically acclaimed orchestral score
Skyrim
There’s a clear reason why this game has one of the best video game soundtracks to date. All The Elder Scrolls games are reminiscent of the grandeur of The Lord of the Rings movies’ soundtracks. Skyrim lives up to this and features some truly awe-inspiring compositions by Jeremy Soule. Though this title had a more aggressive tone compared to its predecessors, there’s still a host of gentle yet dramatic tracks with a wide range of orchestral instrumentation.
Immersive and sweeping, some tunes are strings-led with a beautiful, dramatic, and even emotional effect. Gentle tracks are soothing and truly beautiful. Yet each piece is varied and borrows from traditional Nordic, medieval, and classical influences. Indeed, the entire score gives a deeply immersive experience to players, full of impact. There’s no wonder this score is held up by critics and players, and remains a fan favorite.