Best Video Game Soundtrack -- Ever

Medic · Post by **Medic** » 2005-03-17 06:27am

I used to be in Final Fantasy 6's camp, despite the quality and probably because more than a little bit of bias on my part. I always loved the Ace Combat 4 soundtrack as well. Ring of Red had some great music as did Zoe 2. But I've finally found the best video game soundtrack, for both it's quality and it's quantity.

Ace Combat 5. The Hangar song (in the first half of the game) is just great. Again, the game's composer (I assume it's the same guy) manages to mix classical orchestrated instruments with guitars and rock n roll type drumsets seamlessly together. The music is great and after some reflection, really blows AC04 out of the water. I used to think the opposite and to be certain, AC04 has some great songs, but it doesn't have nearly the quantity and the quality is at best, marginally better, although I now believe AC05 beats it out there too.

So, any other submissions to the best video and PC game soundtracks out there?

Bertie Wooster · Post by **Bertie Wooster** » 2005-03-17 08:32am

I really liked the Heroes of Might and Magic 2 soundtrack. The music went wonderfully well with the mythical elements of the game.

Icewind Dale had an excellent soundtrack too.

Brother-Captain Gaius · Post by **Brother-Captain Gaius** » 2005-03-17 09:18am

Commandos 2: Men of Courage - one word: Epic.

Command & Conquer and C&C Red Alert 1/2 - many famous pieces, including Mechanical Man and of course Hell March.

Chaos Gate - obligatory 40k mention.

AniThyng · Post by **AniThyng** » 2005-03-17 09:49am

ah chao's gate. "Milles Fortes" chanted every few seconds or whatnot
i loved that game

my personal favourite has got to be the soundtrack to bobble bubble.
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what?

Lord Pounder · Post by **Lord Pounder** » 2005-03-17 10:11am

The music to Homeworld was suitably atmospheric. Every time i hear William Barber all i can think of is a battleship on fire and venting atmosphere.

Stravo · Post by **Stravo** » 2005-03-17 10:49am

Final Fantasy VII had a great soundtrack - Cloud's Theme will always have a special place in my heart and the Orchestral version of One Winged Angel is AWESOME.

I like the random songs from the 80's that pop up on the cars that I steal in GTA:Vice City, really makes me feel like I'm back in the 80's.

I add a vote for Homeworld, it had a very atmospheric soundtrack that just made you feel like you were part of an epic story.

White Haven · Post by **White Haven** » 2005-03-17 10:51am

Homeworld's was excellent....but it was all downhill from the Launch scene. That was....perfect.

Dead_Ghost · Post by **Dead_Ghost** » 2005-03-17 10:52am

No offence and/or disrespect meant, but a similar thread has been posted before, by Darksider. Everyone's answears might be somewhat influenced/equal to the ones posted there.
Anyway, my fav soundtracks are C&C: Tiberian Twilight and Red Alert too, following with the soundtracks from the Civilization games.

SirNitram · Post by **SirNitram** » 2005-03-17 11:37am

White Haven wrote:Homeworld's was excellent....but it was all downhill from the Launch scene. That was....perfect.

Agreed... But then again, I don't think anyone could sustain that past the opening. That was a rare gem.

White Haven · Post by **White Haven** » 2005-03-17 11:40am

Oh, I didn't mean to imply otherwise. I mean, downhill from perfection is only natural, yes?

Queeb Salaron · Post by **Queeb Salaron** » 2005-03-17 12:05pm

Obviously none of you have ever heard the Toejam and Earl soundtrack.

Fools, all of you.

Rogue 9 · Post by **Rogue 9** » 2005-03-17 12:11pm

Halo, dammit!

Mmmmmmmmm, MJOLNIR... *Hums the escape music from the Maw.*

Slartibartfast · Post by **Slartibartfast** » 2005-03-17 12:30pm

Spy Vs. Spy.

Ace Pace · Post by **Ace Pace** » 2005-03-17 01:06pm

White Haven wrote:Homeworld's was excellent....but it was all downhill from the Launch scene. That was....perfect.

Burning of Khrak.

But yes, you win

Freespace 2 deserves a mention.

General Zod · Post by **General Zod** » 2005-03-17 01:10pm

pretty much all of square soft's games have had fantastic music, with a handful of exceptions.

alternatively the soundtracks for tekken tag tourney and tekken 3 were good. as were the soundtracks for the various KoF games. gah. too many good ones to pick a single one.

White Haven · Post by **White Haven** » 2005-03-17 01:16pm

I have /never/ played an RTS that made me want to beat the holy howling hell out of some random enemies as much as I did during the Burning of Kharak. Those poor assault frigates.

Ace Pace · Post by **Ace Pace** » 2005-03-17 01:24pm

White Haven wrote:I have /never/ played an RTS that made me want to beat the holy howling hell out of some random enemies as much as I did during the Burning of Kharak. Those poor assault frigates.

Too bad you had to capture them

Trytostaydead · Post by **Trytostaydead** » 2005-03-17 01:24pm

TOTAL ANNIHILATION

Ryoga · Post by **Ryoga** » 2005-03-17 02:10pm

Guilty Gear X/Guilty Gear XX

Also, Final Fantasy 10. I don't think there's ever going to be a piece of music as emotional as the ending theme (not Suteki Da Ne).

Darth Bowser · Post by **Darth Bowser** » 2005-03-17 02:33pm

Queeb Salaron wrote:Obviously none of you have ever heard the Toejam and Earl soundtrack.

I miss that game.

Singular Quartet · Post by **Singular Quartet** » 2005-03-17 02:50pm

Stravo: With finally owning the FFVII soundtrack (all four discs of it

) I must agree with you.

However, one game that I always felt had rocken music was Doom and Doom 2. Haven't really played Doom 3 yet, so I can't say anything about that, but fuck... Doom and Doom 2, man. They knew what they were doing with them thar MIDIs....

Dartzap · Post by **Dartzap** » 2005-03-17 03:13pm

Cn&C Red Alert 1 and 2 were pretty damn cool. i still play Hell March when im off fighting the hordes on some multiplayer games

Post by **fgalkin** » 2005-03-17 08:37pm

Bertie Wooster wrote:I really liked the Heroes of Might and Magic 2 soundtrack. The music went wonderfully well with the mythical elements of the game.

The HoMM 3 soundtrack was the best of the series, IMO.

Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

DarkSilver · Post by **DarkSilver** » 2005-03-17 08:39pm

FF6's Cele's Theme, and the piano version of Terra's theme

The Final Fantasy VII Soundtrack still ranks as the best VGmusic in my book

Except maybe Chrono Trigger....

YT300000 · Post by **YT300000** » 2005-03-17 08:44pm

For starters, every Star Wars game. Even the ones that don't use movie music (like KOTOR, Republic Commando, Dark Forces, etc) are amazing.

Halo. Martin O'Donnell is great.

"Tom Clancy" games also have great soundtracks, especially the main themes. To my ear, Bill Brown is often like a cross between Hans Zimmer and James Horner.