Summary
- Open-world games with tough bosses rely on epic soundtracks to motivate players to victory.
- Games like Judgment, Zelda, and The Witcher 3 showcase the importance of music in boss battles.
- Stellar boss music elevates boss encounters in games like Elden Ring and Yakuza 0.
Music is an integral part of the video gaming experience, with many players having fond memories of the amazing tracks that play during peak moments in their favorite open-world games. This is especially true for powerful bosses who become all the more memorable courtesy of some cinematic tracks to accompany their melee against the player.
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The best open-world games with a focus on bosses need to nail a soundtrack that motivates players to overcome immense odds and emerge victorious. The boss fights in these titles make it clear why the music accompanying the game's visuals and gameplay is just as important, if not more so.
8 Judgment
Yagami's Toughest Battles Have An Epic Soundtrack To Match
Judgment
- Released
- June 25, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Judgment is a great spin-off set in the Yakuza universe. It has its issues, especially with the main character's personality, but most people agree that the game's combat and music more than make up for them.
The boss fights in Judgment are challenging without being too frustrating, making players take their foes seriously as they employ a wealth of powerful EX Actions to shave off chunks of their health bars. All of this is accompanied by a stellar soundtrack that conveys the mood of each battle as players make the most of Yagami's skills as a martial artist.
7 The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom
Multiple Overworld Bosses Have Unique And Catchy Music
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
- Released
- May 12, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Rated E for Everyone 10+ for Fantasy Violence and Mild Suggestive Themes
- Genre(s)
- Adventure, Action, Open-World
Japanese developers understand the importance of music in enhancing the allure of a video game. Nintendo is no stranger here, and the sheer amount of unique boss music in Tears of the Kingdom is indicative of the same.
It may lack the iconic Guardian Stalker theme from the first game that elevated the tension of these encounters, but the diverse array of boss tracks, coupled with a greater variety of enemies, more than make up for it. The music makes battles feel cinematic as Link overcomes major odds to defeat his foes one battle at a time.
6 Shadow Of The Colossus
Hearing The Music Become More Epic As Players Make Progress In A Battle Is Very Cinematic
Shadow of the Colossus
- Released
- February 6, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Blood, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Adventure
Shadow of the Colossus features only sixteen enemies that players must defeat in a massive sandbox that is otherwise totally empty. As a result, it's easy to see why Team Ico could go all out and make every enemy encounter as cinematic as possible.
Hearing the music flare up as players nail the solution to reach a colossus' weak spot and hit it for major damage never gets old. It's a huge part of what makes this game so special despite its simplicity.
5 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Geralt Faces Many Tough Enemies In Stellar Boss Fights With Intense Music
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- Released
- May 19, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
CD Projekt Red never skimps out when it comes to the music in their games, and The Witcher 3 is no exception here. The base game and the two expansions come jam-packed with some amazing battle tracks for both regular confrontations and boss fights.
The cinematic flair of these encounters is enhanced by amazing music that fans will blast on their speakers long after they're finished playing this sublime game. Every major battle is elevated by the game's OST and hammers home why fans can't get enough of this incredible open-world RPG.
4 Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
The Modern Takes On Classic Final Fantasy 7 Music Is Incredible To Behold
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
- Released
- February 29, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Blood, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Violence
- Genre(s)
- RPG
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is one of the best sequels that fans can get their hands on, showing just how much love was poured into this remake series. From its faithfulness to the game's original events all the way to the additional moments added to make things more jovial, it's easy to see why fans love this open-world Final Fantasy game.
One of the biggest draws of this title is undoubtedly the music, which adds new tracks while modernizing the classic music from the original game. This makes boss fights a joy to engage with, especially given the sheer variety of memorable music that this title has to offer both in and out of combat.
3 Elden Ring
FromSoftware's Epic Orchestral Music Shines In Their Open-World Approach
Elden Ring
- Released
- February 25, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
FromSoftware knows the impact a great boss encounter can have, and this has been palpable since their work on Demon's Souls. So, it's easy to see why their open-world action RPG didn't skimp out when it came to the music.
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Elden Ring's toughest boss fights come bundled with amazing soundtracks that emphasize just how epic these encounters are. Players will be pushed to the very limit as they fight on equal ground with these fearsome foes and come out victorious by the skin of their teeth.
2 Yakuza 0
Pulse-Pounding Music Accompanies Kiryu And Majima's Toughest Encounters
Yakuza 0
- Released
- January 24, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood, Intense Violence, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol
Yakuza 0 is one of the best video games of all time, serving as the perfect entry point for players to witness the magic of this series for themselves. Given the sheer number of incredible boss fights in this game, it's easy to see why so many people were converted to Yakuza fans after playing this title.
From Kuze's heavy guitar to the surprisingly peppy music that plays during the battles against the Five Millionaires, it's easy to see why fans can't get enough of Yakuza 0's boss fights. Some tracks are so epic that fans won't get tired of hearing these tunes for a long time.
1 Final Fantasy 15
Noctis And His Friends Never Enter Battle Without An Epic Track Backing Them Up
Final Fantasy 15
- Released
- November 9, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Language, Mild Blood, Partial Nudity, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
While the open world of Final Fantasy 15 has its issues, one can't deny that the game went all out when it came to its battle tracks. A simple fight in the overworld becomes memorable as soon as the music starts blaring, with Noctis and his friends tearing their foes apart.
This is to say nothing of the incredible boss music that makes every climactic encounter as cinematic as possible. It helps players lock in and defeat bosses even after spending numerous hours with a combat system that was somewhat wanting for a bit more depth.
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