Lost Soul Aside Really Should Have One Game Award Locked…

It's a bit hard to believe Lost Soul Aside could win many (if any) awards at this year's Game Awards ceremony, considering its mixed reception and overall failure to impress. The game launched with an array of performance issues that the developer has since fixed, but the core of its DNA still falls short of many titles that are currently front running the race. Lost Soul Aside will no doubt find the coveted Game of the Year award outside its grasp, especially with big hits like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Donkey Kong Bananza, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, and Death Stranding 2 already more likely to win. However, there is one category Lost Soul Aside actually performs rather well in that, if it didn't win it an award, should at least earn it a nod.

Obviously, Game of the Year is the one title that any game, including Lost Soul Aside, would love to have at the end of 2025, but there are plenty of other categories available for games to earn some recognition in as well. Categories like Best RPG, Best Art Direction, and Best Narrative all aim to give titles that might have done well in one area and not in others a chance to be recognized. Lost Soul Aside might actually be one of those titles, with its soundtrack at least deserving a nomination in 2025's Best Score and Music category.

Lost Soul Aside's Soundtrack Is Awards-Worthy but Not Untouchable

Critical Praise Points to Its Music as a Standout

While Lost Soul Aside's reviews have been divided on almost every other aspect of the game, the soundtrack has proven to be one of its high points. Critics have noted its variety, as well as its mix of modern and epic vibes, suggesting it is one of the few parts of the game that actually makes its journey worthwhile. The involvement of renowned composer Yoko Shimomura alongside Zhengtao Pan gave the score depth and credibility, with Jillian Aversa's vocals on "Luminous" only reinforcing its prestige.

This consensus matters because The Game Awards' Best Score and Music category is decided primarily by industry jurors, with critics' impressions carrying more weight than audience votes. Lost Soul Aside's soundtrack might not be enough to put the game in contention for Game of the Year, but its music allows it to stand out as a serious contender. Other titles currently being eyed for an award in the category are Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, South of Midnight, and Death Stranding 2, but that doesn't necessarily push Lost Soul Aside out of the running. If nothing else, if it did earn a Best Score and Music nomination alongside those titles, it would be among the greats, highlighting all the more the quality of its soundtrack.

A Familiar Track Could Complicate Its Awards Case

However, there is a bit of a catch with this potential nomination. For all the original material included in Lost Soul Aside's OST, some players quickly recognized that its first major boss fight used "To Glory" by Two Steps From Hell, a well-known 2011 library track. This isn't a case of recycling from an old game, but it is a non-original piece that many have heard in trailers and media for over a decade. While The Game Awards explicitly allows licensed music in the category, the use of "To Glory" still creates a problem with how Lost Soul Aside's soundtrack is perceived. For jurors expecting a wholly original score, it could make parts of the soundtrack feel less so.

The bigger picture, though, is that this catch doesn't actually disqualify Lost Soul Aside from at least being nominated for and potentially winning Best Score and Music. As long as the bulk of the game's soundtrack is strong, Lost Soul Aside still has a legitimate chance to be recognized. If it does receive a nomination, it will be because the jury values the quality of its original pieces over the one familiar track it happened to use.

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