Games with the Greatest Soundtracks

Imag via igdb.com

Persona 5

With its extremely stylish aesthetics, Persona 5 matches that with an incredible soundtrack that takes inspiration from a myriad of genres. A mash-up of rock, jazz, hip-hop, electronic, and many other diverse styles, the music of Persona 5 is incredibly unique and gorgeous. Don't take my word for it; if you haven't played the game for yourself or listened to the soundtrack, then you're missing out.

Some of the most iconic songs, such as The Last Suprise, Rivers in the Desert, Will Power, and many more, make it painfully obvious why the game won Best Score/Music at the Game Awards in 2017. If all of that wasn't enough, there is Persona 5 Royal, Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight, and Persona 5 Strikers to bring even more incredible tunes.

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Shadow of the Colossus

A legendary game at this point, I don't think I need to explain why Shadow of the Colossus has earned such a reputation. However, I feel like not enough people talk about how beautiful the soundtrack really is. Those first few notes that echo out from the very beginning of the game instantly fill you with a sense of wonder and capture the atmosphere of the journey perfectly.

I think one of the biggest reasons why the story and emotion of the game hit so hard is due to the incredible depth of the soundtrack. It knows just when to keep things silent and when to swell into a dramatic orchestral masterpiece.

Screenshot via press.na.square-enix.com

NieR: Automata

One of my personal favorite games, NieR: Automata, is a great game in many ways, but the soundtrack in particular is something truly special. Crafted separately from the game itself during development, made for an interesting deviation from typical development cycles, as the game actually ended up changing some of its elements to match the music.

An incredible fact about the lyrics in some songs is that the singer Emi Evans crafted a completely fictional language after listening to songs in multiple languages and mashing them together into one. The result is a soundtrack unlike any other and one of the greatest I've ever heard.

Screenshot via press.na.square-enix.com

Final Fantasy (Any of them)

If I tried to pick one or the other, I'd be sitting here all day. Nearly all the Final Fantasy's have beautiful music that can't be downplayed. Iconic for a reason, Final Fantasy has always been at the forefront for music and still does so to this day. Final Fantasy XV, VII Remake, VII Rebirth, and XVI each carry on a legacy that stands out in the world of game soundtracks.

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Halo Series

Again, just like Final Fantasy, each Halo game has a wonderful soundtrack that deserves its own praise. The original epic theme has stuck with anyone who listened to it, and I guarantee that if you've played it, you probably can imagine how it sounds right now. Don't lie, I know you can!

Then you have some particularly special additions to the series, like Halo Reach or even Halo Infinite (I adore its soundtrack). While they all bring that nostalgia of the original, each one is a memorable soundscape that brings its world to life, or I guess I should say Halo to life. (Okay, that was a bad joke; I'll leave the room...)

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Doom/Doom Eternal

The soundtracks of Doom 2016 and Doom Eternal are so good that I don't even need to tell you that. Either you already know or you don't, and if you don't, then you need to go listen to it right now because what are you doing?! Full of heavy metal and dark synth music, both Doom titles are about as perfect a soundtrack as you can get, in my eyes at least. Might be a bit biased, just saying.

Mick Gordon even used a chainsaw to make some of the sounds in the songs. If that doesn't convince you, then I don't know what else will.

Screenshot via igdb.com

Kingdom Hearts Series

I have to admit, I am completely full of bias here. Kingdom Hearts is one of my favorite series ever, so of course, I had to put it on this list, but for good reason. Yoko Shimomura is absolutely brilliant here. No matter which entry in the series you pick, you'll always find gorgeous music that could easily bring a tear to your eye.

Even though the games are filled with Disney music as well, most of my favorite tracks are actually the ones original to the games themselves. Dearly Beloved alone is not only iconic but also still captivating to this very day. Okay, okay, I'll stop because I could go on forever.

I'll Be Back!

Yes, I know this list isn't the most complete; there are so many series or titles I could put in here, and that is why I will definitely be doing a sequel to this article! Maybe I'll call it Games with the Greatest Soundtracks: Part II or Games with the Greatest Soundtracks: The Sequel! Whatever it ends up being, I hope you enjoyed this little list, and as always, thank you so much for your support! See you next time!