Over the course of the last decade or so, the bar for the best video game soundtracks has been steadily getting higher. Games like the early Halo titles, for instance, set an ever-rising standard for orchestral scores; a standard which more and more franchises have since risen to. These days, even indie titles often have incredibly high-quality soundtracks. However, with so many great game soundtracks coming out now, it’s easy for some to pass under gamers’ radars.
There’s no shortage of articles around on the subject of “Top 10 Video Game Soundtracks,” but this isn’t one of those. Most gamers already know how good the soundtracks of Destiny, Skyrim, or Bloodborne are, for example. I don’t need to tell you about those. Rather, for this list, I’ve selected ten of the best video game soundtracks from lesser-known titles, or which are from games which generally weren’t appreciated for their music. With any luck, there will be at least a few entries here which you haven’t heard yet. Of course, this list is completely subjective. As such, if there’s anything you think we should cover in the future, let us know!
Top 10 Video Game Soundtracks #10: Hyper Light Drifter
First up on our list is Disasterpeace’s haunting and oftentimes sombre soundtrack from Hyper Light Drifter, the first (and thus far only) game released by indie studio Heart Machine. While the writing, setting, and plot of Hyper Light Drifter are all worthy of praise in their own right, it is the soundtrack which so perfectly weaves the story together and complements the game’s minimalist, pixelated aesthetic superbly. If you’ve not played this indie masterpiece yet, it’s certainly worth doing so. Heart Machine’s second game, Solar Ash Kingdom, was announced last year, though its release date has yet to be revealed.
Top 10 Video Game Soundtracks #9: Hollow Knight
On the subject of haunting soundtracks, Hollow Knight’s subterranean ruined setting of Hallownest is ideal for such a score, and Christopher Larkin’s incredible soundtrack certainly delivers that and more besides. Hollow Knight, like our last entry on the list, is another excellently made (and critically-acclaimed) indie game, this time from Team Cherry. Larkin’s soundtrack serves as a perfect, varied accompaniment to the many locales found within Hallownest, and to its denizens. Indeed, the game’s boss fights feature some of its best music; whether it’s Grimm’s gothic carnival-organ theme, the martial brass of the Hive Knight‘s theme, or indeed, the majestic duelling theme of the ever-valiant Dung Defender.
Top 10 Video Game Soundtracks #8: Battlefield V
Battlefield V is better known than most of the games on our list, but games in its genre don’t tend to have the most standout soundtracks. In fact, whether the game is your cup of tea or not, the Battlefield V soundtrack is well worth consideration. Composed by Johan Söderqvist and Patrik Andrén, who also worked on the music for Battlefield 1 (which is also well worth a listen), Battlefield V’s soundtrack is as dramatic as you would expect for a first-person shooter. However, it’s also sweeping, orchestral, and in places – just like the game’s single-player story – deeply moving. Of particular note is their version of the British patriotic hymn, I Vow to Thee, My Country. This song, first composed in 1918, is often sung at Remembrance Day events in the UK. Söderqvist and Andrén’s version may well be one of the best ever recorded.
Top 10 Video Game Soundtracks #7: Anno 1800
Released last year, Ubisoft’s Victorian-era city-building simulator Anno 1800 might well have passed many gamers by. After all, city-building sims tend to be a somewhat niche genre. (Although Anno 1800 did manage to outsell its predecessor four times over in its first week.) Regardless, whether games of this sort are your cup of tea or not, Dynamedion’s soundtrack from Anno 1800 certainly deserves more widespread attention. It perfectly accompanies the period aesthetic of the era showcased in the game. Perhaps too often, media portraying the Victorian era focuses solely on its grimy, industrial, urban side. However, it was an era defined as much by art, academia, and exploration as it was pollution and industry, and this soundtrack captures that magnificently.
Top 10 Video Game Soundtracks #6: The Banner Saga
One of the reasons why Austin Wintory’s soundtrack from Stoic Studio’s The Banner Saga (including all three instalments of the franchise) is so powerful is that it is unique in its genre. While the game’s Norse-inspired setting has some parallels to other games (although it would be hard to find a match for its artwork), the soundtrack is remarkably different to the sort of music you might expect from such a setting, and far more powerful for it; thus earning it a spot on our list of best video game soundtracks.
It certainly fits The Banner Saga excellently in that regard, for the series is a masterpiece of an RPG with a story that focuses far more on the relatable struggles of its characters than on the Norse backdrop. Indeed, Wintory’s score does an excellent job of conveying the sense of being constantly on the move and trying to outrun a doom that follows behind. In this case, quite literally the end of the world…
Top 10 Video Game Soundtracks #5: Frostpunk
Like Anno 1800, the soundtrack from Frostpunk does have a sound reminiscent somewhat of the Victorian era. However, Frostpunk deviates significantly into a fully original sound; more dramatic, more intense, and more desperate. After all, Frostpunk isn’t about the world as it was in the 1800s; it portrays a world at the end of the century frozen by global cooling, and the hardy people left struggling to survive. The acclaimed strategy game has plenty of merits besides its soundtrack, but that soundtrack is certainly worth enjoying too, irrespective of its role in Frostpunk. Composer Piotr Musiał masterfully captures the sound of the era and gives it an urgency and sense of struggle which perfectly suits the game itself.
Top 10 Video Game Soundtracks #4: Sayonara Wild Hearts
An indie gem from 2019, Sayonara Wild Hearts was described as a “pop album video game,” by its creators, Swedish developer Simogo, and it certainly is that. The only mobile game on our list, Sayonara Wild Hearts is also now available on consoles, PC, and the Switch. A full playthrough of this gloriously artistic and emotional rhythm game’s story only takes an hour or so. However, playing that hour is indeed like listening to a full pop album, with every section defined by its music; that of composers Daniel Olsén and Jonathan Eng. Although it was nominated for Best Soundtrack at the 2019 Game Awards, the award ultimately went to Death Stranding. If you want to go on an emotional, musical journey, rather than simply listen to a soundtrack – this game is well worth your time.
Top 10 Video Game Soundtracks #3: Transistor
The second game to be released by SuperGiant Games, back in 2014, Transistor’s soundtrack was composed by Darren Korb; the same composer who has scored all of the studio’s other titles. Transistor has a strikingly unique and lavish art deco -inspired aesthetic which is underpinned throughout by its soundtrack. The music also features the vocal talents of Ashley Barrett as the game’s protagonist; a famous singer in the game’s world named Red. Indeed, it’s Barrett’s vocals which help to make Transistor’s music one of the best video game soundtracks, in my opinion. Although Red’s voice is stolen at the start of the game, her songs (and hummed melodies) nevertheless appear throughout, either in flashbacks or key moments of the story. An in-game record player also allows gamers to listen to the full soundtrack at their leisure.
Top 10 Video Game Soundtracks #2: Ori and the Blind Forest
The first game to be released by Austrian-based developer Moon Studios, Ori and the Blind Forest received critical acclaim upon release, and for good reason. The game’s art style is stunning, and its story is deeply emotional and well-told. The soundtrack, composed by Gareth Coker, is without a doubt one of the best video gaming soundtracks ever created, and serves as a perfect accompaniment to the game’s vivid fantasy setting.
Like Sayonara Wild Hearts, this game lost out on Best Soundtrack at the Game Awards in 2015. (Coincidentally, to another Kojima game; Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain.) A sequel, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, launched last month and has already received universal acclaim. Rather than include that soundtrack in its own entry, we recommend that you check out both, if you haven’t already. Coker’s score for the sequel is just as good, if not better in places, than that of the original; cementing the franchise’s place as one of the best-scored games of all time, in my humble opinion.
Top 10 Video Game Soundtracks #1: Gris
The final entry on our list is Gris, an indie platform-adventure game from Spanish developer Nomada Studio. Published in August 2019, the game received generally positive reviews. However, as an indie platformer, it didn’t receive major mainstream attention. That didn’t stop it from winning eight awards last year, mostly for art and visual design. It won the Games for Impact award at the Game Awards.
The game’s grandly sweeping and moving soundtrack was the first game soundtrack composed by Berlinist; a Spanish band and music producing group. At times calling to mind the cosmic scope of Hans Zimmer’s Interstellar soundtrack, with haunting vocals and a gently flowing piano score, this soundtrack definitely deserves more attention. If you’ve not heard it yet, do yourself a favour and listen to the whole thing in one sitting. The best video game soundtracks aren’t merely background music, and Gris’s soundtrack manages to be far, far more than that.