Most memorable video game soundtrack?

The soundtrack to Inital D mountain vengance.


There was one song. It was one of the worst songs ever.

Unfortunately, whenever I play a game either the music sucks or it's so perfectly integrated thhat I don't even think about as seperate from the overall effect (affect? whatever).

The only thing I can think of right now is Halo. All the music in that was awesome. Gotta love the chanting monks.

My Vote for Best Sound Integration

It's pretty old, but the Fugue from Obisidian. You're trying to refurb a meca that's necessary to continue to the next level using simple machine-code. For each piece of the sequence you sucessfully complete, you get another layer of harmony, so that there's a huge, complicated finale when all the pieces are in place.


The best I've seen recently has been Beyond Good & Evil...the propaganda song is SO catchy.

Resident Evil 2 had awesome mood music.

I know it's been a while since this thread was created, but since then I've been listening to more and more video game music. It was difficult trying to choose my most memorable soundtrack, but here it is.

AIR:
I have recently gotten quite fond of this soundtrack contained in this game, which I have not played before. It's considered to be one of the most popular and critically acclaimed visual novel games. For start to finish, it was a great listening experience. If it wasn't for the animated series (which was based on the game), I wouldn't have had the opportunity to hear the wonderful music in this game. Even if I haven't seen the television series, just listening to the music alone gives me the powerful emotion contained in the visual novel. So far, no video game soundtrack has done that to me before.

Every single song in AIR is very memorable indeed, especially the opening theme "The Bird's Poem" and "Moon Child". I also enjoy the insert song "Blue Skies", which is performed by Lia. Although I am unable to understand what she is singing in "Blue Skies" without reading the translated lyrics, it still carries the sad and sorrowful emotions at the end of the game. All the songs in the game are very well done, including the unused pieces that were not present in the game itself (the third, fourth, and sixth are my personal favorites). It's a shame that very few people have heard of AIR or its music. An excellent soundtrack overall.

Honorable Mentions (in no order):

Phantasy Star Online:
PSO was always a game that I've enjoyed on the Dreamcast. One of the best things about it was the music. Even though it was different from the traditional Phantasy Star music, I was very impressed. A lot of the boss themes were very well done along with some of the levels. My favorite song has to be the ending theme "Can Still See The Light". A sad ending theme, but just when you think it's over, the song hits you with a big orchestral ending to it. Very nice overall.

Ikaruga:
Perhaps the best shooter music that I have heard so far. My favorite songs include the first boss theme (Butsutekkai) along with the first (Ideal) and third (Faith) levels. The music has a lot of action and energy in them (especially the boss themes). A great soundtrack overall.

Sonic The Hedgehog 3 and Knuckles:
The game definitely had some memorable music. Some of my favorites are from the Death Egg Zone, Hidden Palace Zone, Wing Fortress Zone, and the Icecap Zone. It is still one of my favorite video games for the Genesis. It's just too bad that I no longer own the game.

Grandia II:
The music in this game is simply amazing. I plan on buying the two OST's very soon. Every song in the game matched the scenes as well as the towns and cities. "Canção do Povo" and "A Deus" are wonderful songs that carries a lot of emotion. The final boss music is also great to listen to. It's a great soundtrack overall.

Sonic Adventure:
Although it was different from the usual Sonic music (back in the Genesis days), I enjoyed a lot of the songs in this game. Some of my favorite songs include "Open Your Heart", "Run Through the Speed Highway", "Crazy Robo", "Skydeck A Go! Go!", and "Boss: CHAOS ver.6". The character themes are great as well. The music in Sonic Adventure is still one that I listen to.

Final Fantasy VI:
This will always be my favorite Final Fantasy game of all time. Not only did it have a great storyline, but also had some memorable music. I even went as far as buying myself a piano music book containing all the songs in this game. The final boss theme was excellent, and also the character themes as well, which seemed to match them well. I also enjoyed the ending piece at the end of the game, and the battle and boss themes. A soundtrack that I still enjoy to this day.

KH has the best soundtrack or maybe ff7.

hmmm.

Suikoden Series (simply amazing.)
FF 3/6 (about the only thing from Umatsu that's good IMO.Another world on FFX soundtrack was about the only good piece of music in that game.)
Digital Devil Saga (A nice change from the norm.)
Wild Arms Series (excellent all around.)
Legaia 2 (soild stuff.)
Arc the Lad: Twilight of the spirits (excellent mix of classical and guitar.)
Silent Hill 2 & 3 (Great work all around.)
Xenogears (Yasunori Mitsunada owns.)

quote:

Originally posted by Trisa Sonic The Hedgehog 3 and Knuckles: The game definitely had some memorable music. Some of my favorites are from the Death Egg Zone, Hidden Palace Zone, Wing Fortress Zone, and the Icecap Zone. It is still one of my favorite video games for the Genesis. It's just too bad that I no longer own the game.

Agreed. I've always been a fan of the music from that game, along with Sonic 1 and 2. Some other games that I can think of with memorable soundtracks (in no particular order) are:

Ristar
Chaotix
Toshinden 1 & 2
Streets of Rage series
Mortal Kombat II & 3
Tekken 1 & 2
Soul Calibur series

And, of course, the Pop'n Music and Guitar Freaks/drummania series.

I had no idea that there were even game soundtracks?!

Shenmue I and II:

It'd be a sin to separate these titles IMO because they're so closely linked; but anyway the music is amazing. It's set in fairly modern-day Japan and China, and it's incredibly realistic, but the music grounds it in traditional fantasy so the game becomes, in a word, epic. I especially like the music in the towers of Kowloon, the main theme, and Shen Hua's theme. Not to mention the fact that there are a good deal of jazzy numbers, some catchy j-pop played in the stores, and most genres are covered, as evidenced by the tapes you can collect in the first game. I guess the best complement I could pay the Shenmue soundtrack is that it does justice to the games--it's my favorite game soundtrack of all time, created for what's become my favorite game franchise of all time.

Myst (specifically Myst 3):

All the Myst games have great music. The first is new agey, often creepy, and fits the surreal environments perfectly. Riven, the second Myst game, features quite a bit of African-style percussion with a distinctly Arabic flavor to the music, making it both fresh and familiar. Now, Myst 3 and 4 are truly amazing, as they're both orchestrated masterpieces to rival most movie soundtracks. And the sound is culturally diverse, but reflects the flavor of any given age. You really gotta hear the Myst 4 theme to believe it.

Sonic 1 to Sonic Adventure 2:

No, I'm serious. In the first game you had masterpieces like the Green Hill Zone, the Starlight Zone and the Scrap Brain Zone. It's decidedly docile when compared to future Sonic music, but that's probably what makes it so great. It's nostalgic as hell. Sonic 2 is the best of the bunch, with some awesome themes like Oil Ocean and Emerald Hill. A good deal more vibrant and fast-paced to reflect the tone of the overal game, which is quintissential Sonic. As for Sonic CD, well...I don't know about the fabled Japanese soundtrack, but the American one is beautiful (especially Collision Chaos). Still, probably my least favorite of the Sonic soundtracks, if only because it's the least Sonic-y. S3&K was great. I think my favorite from Sonic 3 was probably Act 2 of Hydrocity, which was both fast-paced and tame enough. Incredible piece. But Marble Garden and Ice Cap were good too (usually the Act 2 remixes were slightly better than the Act 1 ones). The classic music of Sonic and Knuckles, in my mind, though, is Act 1 of Lava Reef. IMO it's the best piece of music in all of the Sonic games.

Sonic Adventure 1 was awesome, and I think for the most part it's exactly what the old ones would have sounded like with fuller instrumentation. The metal-ish music actually fit the Sonic universe quite well (far better than the horrid JGR-style hip-hop in Sonic Rush).

Sonic Adventure 2 was pretty much the same as SA1. Metal Harbor was probably the best.

Oh, and the second level of Sonic Heroes had some great music.

Zelda:

The dungeon theme and overworld theme from the original Zelda are evidence enough that this series was headed somewhere great. Then comes the dungeon theme from the underrated Zelda II. Of course, Ocarina of Time has the best music of the bunch, with some stirring temple music (specifically the Forest Temple and Spirit Temple) and, in my opinion, an overworld theme that is actually superior to the original. The Wind Waker is almost equally good, though it goes for a more minimalist approach. The best track from The Wind Waker is the one played during the storybook opening.

Starfox 64:

Star Wars-ish. Love the Sector Y and Zoness themes. Very militaristic, and it helps the player take the game seriously and believe something's really at stake, in spite of things like talking animals. Gotta love it.

Donkey Kong Country 2:

Rare's best, and that's saying something. Sticks with the pirate theme of the game. Frantic and exciting most of the time, but also oddly classical. It really sets the tone for the game, and I'm convinced that maybe half the reason I consider DKC2 one of the best platformers of all time is because of its soundtrack.

Ack, I'll post more later.

I can tell you I like the music for Panzer Dragoon, Goldeneye, Jet Force Gemini, Vectorman, Morrowind, Ristar, and a good deal of other games, but I'd like to explain it n.n

quote:

Originally posted by Yomiko I had no idea that there were even game soundtracks?!

you know the music from games, that the sound tracks...

I agree...Sonic 1, 2, and 3+Knuckles all had amazing music. So monstrously catchy, and not annoying-catchy like that song from the first level of Sonic Adventure 2.

So did the old Super Mario Bros. games on NES. I still hum the Mario 3 ending every now and then. Zelda, too, has extremely memorable music. And the original Starfox and Starfox 64. So did the old, old, old Megaman games and the first few X games.

Really all of the old classics.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Resident Evil (Remake and 4), and Gran Turismo 4. I know the last one is just a bunch of soundtracks, but it had some great songs on it. The rest because the music totally set the mood for the atmosphere.

Path of Neo had a great sound tracks, so did soul calibur 3

Metroid, and Metroid: Zero Mission. Brinstar, Kraid, Norfair, Ridley, Tourian, and more, all very original soundtracks by Tanaka and i love THEM ALL!!!!

Mario. Just about everyone knows atleast one mario song.

Personally, I've found nothing to be as forgettable as Final Fantasy music, but for me...

Sonic, Mario, Tetris, Dr. Mario... Those games I pretty much remember all the music and can perform most of them in scat, Acapella.

I would have to say Mario...because well... its everywhere! And when you hear something even resembling any of the Mario World tunes... your head just sparks up looking around for Mario.

But otherwise... its a tough choice...
I think either Sonic Adventure 1, SKies of Arcadia, or Phantasy Star Online.

Skies of Arcadia would fit the deal. Sonic Adventyre 1 comes REEEALLY close though because its all so jazzy and poppy. But I love the feeling of SoA, its tragic, triumphant, and goes right along with the rough life of a pirate. Really expresses the characters as if they were alive.

...man I love the characters in the game...the story... the game is best during the middle...like around when gilder and Carla appear, and you switch roles with Aika and Vyse. So cool.

(Grandia 2 and Sonic R comes close just because it is so crazy, but Sonic spans only over 6 songs >.<, and Grandia 2 from what I can think of seems a little linear, alrough still pretty good.)

I'd have to go with the Zelda series, especially ocarina of time and majora's mask. the lost woods and gerudo valley tunes are great

other worthy mentions (in my humble opinion) are:

Timesplitters 2, fire emblem for GBA and rome total war for PC

I have to agree, the Sonic soundtracks from I, II, III, and Knuckles are classics that are memorable and catchy. And someone said this from an earlier post but I also like the Halo soundtrack as the soundtrack and the score is epic and dramatic.
Peace.