Best Video Game Soundtracks – 20 Games With Incredible Music
Great game music elevates the entire experience. These soundtracks are so good they stand alone as incredible albums.
Orchestral Masterpieces
1. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
- Composer: Jeremy Soule
- Standout Track: "Dragonborn" (main theme)
The choir chanting in dragon language over sweeping orchestral strings is instantly recognizable. Skyrim's soundtrack perfectly captures the feeling of epic Nordic adventure.
2. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild / Tears of the Kingdom
- Composer: Manaka Kataoka, Yasuaki Iwata
- Standout Track: "Main Theme"
Minimalist piano that builds to full orchestra. BotW broke from Zelda tradition with sparse, ambient music that makes every melodic moment feel earned.
3. NieR: Automata
- Composer: Keiichi Okabe
- Standout Track: "Weight of the World"
Multilingual vocals (English, Japanese, and a fictional language) over emotional orchestration. The way music dynamically shifts between quiet exploration and intense combat is seamless.
4. Final Fantasy XIV
- Composer: Masayoshi Soken
- Standout Track: "To the Edge" / "Close in the Distance"
Soken composed hundreds of tracks across expansions, spanning genres from metal to jazz to orchestral. Each raid tier has its own musical identity. The Endwalker finale is emotionally devastating.
Electronic & Synth
5. Celeste
- Composer: Lena Raine
- Standout Track: "Resurrections"
Layered synth that builds alongside the game's difficulty and emotional arc. Each chapter's music reflects the protagonist's mental state. The B-side remixes add intensity.
6. DOOM Eternal
- Composer: Mick Gordon
- Standout Track: "The Only Thing They Fear Is You"
Industrial metal meets djent. Heavy, distorted, aggressive – perfectly matches the gameplay of ripping demons apart. Every track is a headbanger.
7. Hotline Miami
- Composer: Various artists
- Standout Track: "Hydrogen" by M|O|O|N
Retrowave and synthwave that defined a generation of indie games. The pulsing electronic beats match the frantic, violent gameplay perfectly.
8. Cyberpunk 2077
- Composer: Marcin Przybylowski, P.T. Adamczyk
- Standout Track: "Never Fade Away" by SAMURAI
Original songs by fictional bands, ambient Night City atmosphere, and emotional story themes. The radio stations alone are worth playing for.
Atmospheric & Ambient
9. Hollow Knight
- Composer: Christopher Larkin
- Standout Track: "City of Tears"
Melancholic, atmospheric, and hauntingly beautiful. Each area of Hallownest has a distinct musical identity. The rain-soaked piano of City of Tears is unforgettable.
10. Journey
- Composer: Austin Wintory
- Standout Track: "Apotheosis"
Grammy-nominated orchestral score that builds throughout the entire game. From quiet desert to triumphant mountain summit, the music mirrors the emotional journey perfectly.
11. Outer Wilds
- Composer: Andrew Prahlow
- Standout Track: "Travelers"
Each planet has its own instrument played by a different traveler. When you find all the travelers together, their individual themes combine into one beautiful ensemble. Musical storytelling at its finest.
Genre-Defining Scores
12. Undertale
- Composer: Toby Fox
- Standout Track: "Megalovania"
Toby Fox composed 101 tracks that range from chiptune to orchestral. Character leitmotifs weave throughout, creating musical storytelling that enhances every narrative moment. Megalovania became a cultural phenomenon.
13. Hades
- Composer: Darren Korb
- Standout Track: "Good Riddance"
Greek mythology-inspired rock with vocals by Ashley Barrett. Each region has a distinct sound, and the vocal tracks during key story moments are showstopping.
14. Persona 5
- Composer: Shoji Meguro
- Standout Track: "Last Surprise" / "Rivers in the Desert"
Acid jazz, funk, and J-pop create the coolest soundtrack in gaming. You'll never get tired of hearing "You'll never see it coming!" during battle transitions.
Piano & Emotional
15. To the Moon
- Composer: Kan Gao
- Standout Track: "Everything's Alright"
Simple piano melodies that will make you cry. The emotional weight these compositions carry is remarkable for their simplicity.
16. Ori and the Will of the Wisps
- Composer: Gareth Coker
- Standout Track: "Escaping a Familiar Foe"
Full orchestra that swells with the game's emotional beats. The chase sequences are scored like action movie set pieces.
Rock & Metal
17. Guilty Gear Strive
- Composer: Daisuke Ishiwatari
- Standout Track: "Smell of the Game"
Each character has their own rock/metal theme song with vocals. The genre ranges from power metal to jazz fusion to hard rock. Fighting game soundtracks don't get better.
18. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
- Composer: Jamie Christopherson
- Standout Track: "Rules of Nature"
Lyrical metal that kicks in during boss fights. The vocals sync with gameplay phases, creating unforgettable boss battle moments.
How to Listen
Most game soundtracks are available on:
- Spotify – Most major game OSTs
- YouTube Music – Including fan uploads of rare tracks
- Steam – Some games sell soundtrack DLC
- Bandcamp – Indie composers often sell directly
FAQ
Q: What game has the best soundtrack ever? A: Subjective, but NieR: Automata, Hollow Knight, and Persona 5 consistently top polls.
Q: Can I use game music for studying? A: Absolutely. Ambient tracks from Hollow Knight, Skyrim, and Ori are perfect study music.
Q: Why is game music so good? A: Game composers must create music that enhances gameplay, stands up to hours of repetition, and evokes emotion. These constraints breed creativity.