Players take game soundtracks for granted. Older and more obscure games get even less recognition than modern games do, although popular games like those in theElder Scrollsfranchise andHadeshave raised the bar for quality and the economic viability of video game soundtracks.
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All the following games had great soundtracks, but they never got the same publicity, although some have emerged as cult classics or have been remastered and re-released, most remain obscure titles. These games are worth lifting out of the shadows for both the music as well as the graphics and gameplay.
8Loom (1990)
A part of theLucasArtswave that dominated point-and-click gaming throughout the 1990s,Loomnever really rose from obscurity, but it had a lot going for it. One of those things was the soundtrack, and no other game has done the same thing since.
The lore of the gameis about music anyway, and the main character has to learn magic through musical notes. However, the overall soundtrack of the game is theSwan Lakeballet by Tchaikovsky, and despite the early MIDI technology, musician George Sanger was able to do a more than decent conversion.
7Bastion (2011)
Before there wasHades, another game with a great soundtrack, the good folks at Supergiant gave usBastion. Other common traits this game shares with its rogue-like brother are hand-painted backgrounds and lovable non-player characters.
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Written and performed by the same composer, Darren Korb, this was his first attempt at making a soundtrack for a video game. AlthoughBastionwas never as popular asHadesit got as much critical acclaim for many of the same reasons.
6Hollow Knight (2017)
A popular gameamong the Metroidvania crowd,Hollow Knightalways got some attention for the unique artwork and creative storyline, as well as the lore on which the game was based. Developed by Team Cherry for various platforms, it was critically acclaimed, but the soundtrack didn’t get the same recognition until later.
Christopher Larkin, in collaboration with a few other artists, created the music forHollow Knight,which is haunting to its very core. The use of acoustic string instruments and piano makes perfect sense for a game with a strong occult touch.
5Jet Set Radio (2000)
Remember when nothing was more badass than in-line skating?Jet Set Radioremembers, and it brings with it several examples of the best music of the era to complete the immersion factor. A game that uses licensed music can be either awful or excellent, and this one is the latter. There are a few unique compositions for the game as well, courtesy of musicians Hideki Naganuma and a team that included Richard Jacques and B.B. Rights.
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The soundtrack is an eclectic mix of jazz, acid jazz, hip-hop, rock, and electronic dance, and the North American versions include heavy metal. The game itself was popular in a certain niche but was always regulated solely to consoles, hence its relative obscurity.
4Hotline Miami (2012)
Hotline Miamiis a top-down shooter game, which means that the player has a bird’s-eye view of the action going on below. Although the game is only ten years old, it’s set in Miami in 1989, so the graphicsand design deliberately have a vintage look.
That’s not all that immerses the player in a bygone time. The soundtrack is a mix of electronic synthwave from Perturbator, El Heurvo, and M|O|O|N, among others; all modern artists who revive the sound of the 1980s electronic music wave.
3Secret Of Mana (1993)
Originally for the Super Nintendo,The Secret of Manastill enjoys a loyal fan following and is currently available on a variety of different platforms beyond the vintage console. The music was composed by Hiroki Kikuta, and it was his first attempt at a video game soundtrack.
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This is a time when the concept of a video game soundtrack was still fairly new, and it was a challenge for Kikuta to adapt his epic plans to the limited capacity of the Super Nintendo. The game was lifted out of relative obscurity in 2008 when it was ported to modern consoles and hand-held devices, and the soundtrack has been available in North America since 1994.
2Grim Fandango (1998)
IfLoomwas the game that started the rise of LucasArts, its decline was marked byGrim Fandango.Both the look and the soundtrack were on the experimental side, which didn’t appeal to everyone, and the new concept of online entertainmentpushed stand-alone and click-based adventure gamesout of the spotlight.
The whole game had a 1930s vibe and the soundtrack matched the motley look. It included some unique compositions by Max Steiner and Adolph Deutsch and was made up of jazz, bebop, folk, and an orchestral score. There’s even a mariachi band in there somewhere.
1Ico (2001)
This game is only available on the PlayStation 2 platform, which is the main reason it didn’t get more attention.Icois a beautiful game with some stunning artwork, a compelling story, and a great soundtrack to match.
Throughminimal dialogue, a creative, artistic design, and of course music,Icocreated a game that was deeply immersive and critically well-received. The soundtrack was composed by Michiru Oshima and is hauntingly ambient, relying on chanting voices and stringed instruments, and has been released separately by Sony Entertainment.
