Does it really count if all you do is grab songs off of magnatune?
In that case I’ll nominate Civ4 for all the dead genius composers (and a couple living ones.)
Oh that reminds me, the Dune 1 soundtrack. First great use of my Soundblaster. I actually still prefer the DOS midi version over the Amiga mod version or the, frankly, painful CD release.
Hmm, is the MoHAA soundtrack somehow rippable (was it Redbook Audio, or had they wised up)? I still have the CDs lying around, I’m sure.
Rome Total War:
The music in this game and how it is used in context to what is happening is truly masterful. I would post links but I do not have the post count to do it yet.
I have removed the www from the begining of each link so I could post them.
While marching towards an enemy:
Defeat! : youtube.com/watch?v=vNwsFT_MJjs
Main Theme :.youtube.com/watch?v=9rXx2dPsC8w&feature=related
While poring over the campaign map: youtube.com/watch?v=GityoGjUj0g&feature=related
The music alone is outstanding, coupled with its perfect use in context with what was happening makes this a masterwork of game music un-equaled before or since.
I want to give more love to the Mass Effect series for doing videogame music just about flawlessly. The main menu song of the first game could not have possibly struck a better note if it tried. It’s the most subtle and quiet song ever written and it still suckered me in immediately. Then the game began, and damn if they didn’t continue the trend. The songs are always too quiet and in the background to draw my attention away from the actual game, but they definitely help hammer home the sci-fi setting.
And sticking with the sci-fi theme… Rez, the Deus Ex series and Unreal 1 / Unreal Tournament 1 all boast damn fine soundtracks. Or I guess I should say, they may only be decent when compared to my favorite “real” electronica artists and what-not, but in the context of playing those games, they are fantastic.
Oh my God… I love that scene!
From CoMI, apart from that, the dueling banjo’s scene:
Sands of Time had some of the best music to fit the atmosphere at hand.
Nothing like metal and butt cheeks to go with your Prince of Persia. But I did enjoy that song, might be for “Warrior”.
That. Hands down, my favorite in the entire game. Sends me chills every time I hear it.
Was reminded of the funky beats to ToeJam and Earl in Panic on Funkotron. Never did beat it.
Chrono Trigger
Secret of Mana
Shining Force 2
Skies of Arcadia, hands down for me.
Wow, how could I have forgotten Morrowind? Definitely a fave.
And I also forgot one of THE greatest, most atmospheric and possibly underrated soundtracks ever (also some of the best lead voice acting): Blood Omen Legacy Of Kain.
And all Final Fantasy games starting with IV had great soundtracks but FF IX’s is, like the game itself, vastly underrappreciated.
The dueling banjos are indeed awesome, but it is hard to top “A Pirate I Was Meant To Be” :)
I’m listening to this right now, and it’s amazing, so I’m glad someone mentioned it (and surprised I didn’t). Here are some examples as to why this soundtrack rocks.
You can also download all of the MP3’s here:
Goooood one. As far as creepy music goes, Ramirez’s theme is a favorite. Honestly, Skies of Arcadia just makes me unnaturally happy.
I don’t mind the ME score, it’s ok. But am I the only one who thinks it has too much of a Blade Runner/Vangelis influence?
By ME I assume you mean Mass Effect? Or do you mean Mirror’s Edge? If Mass Effect, I thought it had more Terminator in it than Blade Runner. And I’ve never heard of Vangelis, so I can’t comment.
Vangelis is the guy who wrote the Blade Runner score, so if you’ve seen that movie, you’ve heard his music. He also wrote the theme to Chariots of Fire, which no doubt you know. Very influential '80s synth-inflected composer. A lot of the C64 guys, incidentally, were influenced by his music, as well as by Kraftwerk, Jean-Michel Jarre, and Ryuichi Sakamoto.
Ah yes. I love Chariots of Fire. Jean-Michel Jarre I used to listen to constantly during the 80s.
Speaking of Mirror’s Edge, I listen to “Still Alive” a lot. (Music video here). In the beginning I had a lot of trouble just associating the words “Still Alive” with anything other than the song in Portal, but now, the tune that always pops in my head is this one from Mirror’s Edge.
Well, Cosmos was my favorite show when growing up, and was more responsible for my outlook on life than any other TV show, but that wasn’t because of the music.
Thanks for the youtube links to the Star Control 2 music btw, I couldn’t resist going through them all yesterday. A lot of games had interesting melodies and themes that really shine now that we hear them re-done through modern instrumentation like a symphony orchestra doing the Super Mario theme. But I just don’t count anything from the midi-music era as being good music because of the instrument sounding so primitive. Star Control 2 and its .mod music files were the first time I remember being wowed by the music in a game.
But I just don’t count anything from the midi-music era as being good music because of the instrument sounding so primitive.
Early computer game instrument sounds are an acquired taste (I adore the sound of the C64 SID chip, personally), but you can still separate the quality of the composition from the instruments it’s played on. The remix scene can help keep classic tunes alive in a more ear-friendly arrangement.