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Most memorable video game MUSIC, your top 3
Creslin321
Member Posts: 5,359
Music may not be the reason most of us decide to play a game, but it is probably one of the top reasons that we REMEMBER a game. Even if a game doesn't have the best gameplay or graphics, a gripping soundtrack can make said game live on in our collective memories for years.
So what are your top 3 (or more or less, doesn't have to be 3) video games (from any time) for MOST MEMORABLE MUSIC and why? What made their music so great?
Mine are:
1. Final Fantasy VI - Nobuo Uetmatsu is a genius. I loved listening to his music throughout the Final Fantasy series, but I think Final Fantasy VI was his magnum opus. Final Fantasy has a lot of melodrama in it, and it's hard to made convincing emotional scenes with 16-bit characters, but Uetmatsu's music really conveyed the emotion of each scene to the player. Every character had a theme that was not only excellent, but also taught you about that character's personality. You only need listen to Setzer's theme once to know that it's about carefree adventurer, or Cyan's theme to know that it's about honor and tradition.
2. Chrono Trigger - Much like FFVI, Chrono Trigger brought that almost operatic feel where every character had their own theme that really told you about their personality; Frog's theme is a great example of this. It also had truly great incidental music, like the Millenial Fair which I still listen to sometimes today.
3. Planescape - Torment: The music of PS:T was dark, desperate, alien, and cold. And this is exactly what the artistic theme of the game was. I don't think I've ever played a game since where the music and the art meshed so perfectly. When I walked through the streets of the Hive, I really felt immersed in the dark world of PS:T. The music was so good in fact, that it showed up in a Nicolas Cage movie (8MM).
Are you team Azeroth, team Tyria, or team Jacob?
Comments
In no particular order and I refuse to stick to just 3
(SNES) Ogre Battle: March of the Black Queen - Wall of Defense - One of the great tactical/rpgs ever made. Great music, but Wall of Defense was one of the rarer songs in the game. It was also the most epic and fitting for a battle map song. Also, they remade Ogre Battle's predecessor, Tactics Ogre: Let us Cling Together for the PSP several months ago. They remade "Wall of Defense" as "Impregnable Defense" and it's more epic than ever.
(Multiplatform) Fallout 3 - Main Menu Theme - Epic theme. Let's you know sh*t's about to get real.
(Sega Master System) Phantasy Star (1, that is) - Dungeon Arrange 1 and 2 - Best RPG the platform had back in the day. Looking at screenshots, I thought it was shite. But a friend bought it, brought it over and we gave it a whirl. I was blown away by it, and these 2 were a few of the dungeon crawl themes and they really stood out. A few of the later Phantasy Star games redid them, most notably Phantasy Star IV. But I'm still nostalgic for the original 8-bit versions of the themes.
(Multiplatform) Street Fighter 2 - Ryu and Ken's classic stage BGMs. I also dig these guys' remakes of them (Ryu & Ken). Ryu was my favorite character. Believe it, there's a version of Ryu's theme with vocals. You must defeat this singing to stand a chance. Not sure where it came from. It's... um... amazing? LOL!
(PC) Shogun Total War - Battle Victory Song. As I said as a reply at YouTube, it's SOP that if you win a battle, you gotta dance with your troops.
(NES) Super Mario Bros - It's the goddamn Super Mario Bros theme song, okay? I dunno about this one though.
(Sega CD) Lunar 2: Eternal Blue - The Lunar games had great music with them, but the intro to Lunar 2 was beautiful, IMO. The link provided shows the intro, menu theme, and the opening when you start a new game. It gets awesome here.
(Sega CD) Snatcher - One of Hideo Kojima's works from the early-mid 90s. I absolutely *LOVED* this game back in the day. You definitely can see visual character inspirations that Hideo Kojima drew from, namely Blade Runner and Terminator. The intro song, "One Night In Neo Kobe City" is the hook for the game. When I heard this song starting the game, I knew I was in for good ride. I was really disappointed the sequel, Policenauts, never made it to US shores.
(Genesis) Warsong (Der Langrisser in Japan... not making it up) - Another strategy RPG, and another that I loved back in the day. Cool music throughout, but the best song actually belong to the badguys when it's the AI turn to move and act. Enemy Phase 2. There's several possible player and enemy turn songs, but this one is the best. Player Phase 3 is also a nice one.
(Genesis) Target Earth (Assault Suit Leynos in Japan) - This game follows the tried and true, space war anime vibe of the 80s and very early 90s. The game many felt was very hard, but I absolutely had a blast with it. Lots of friendly and enemy mecha and ships in the game, and you're never sure if they'll make it or not. The game really felt like it threw me into a space war setting. Another developing twist in the game was that you learn about the enemy's origins and why they went to war with Earth. They started out long ago as a sort of long range exploration group but something went wrong and was able to communicate with home. But they were so far away and were told by Earth that they were on their own. The forsaken expedition had to do insane things to survive and adapt, but were bent on coming home for revenge. Intro? Epic. Ending? Very short but cool in a movie sort of way.
Sorry for the constant edits, but I keep remembering the old video game songs that I loved from years ago.
"I have only two out of my company and 20 out of some other company. We need support, but it is almost suicide to try to get it here as we are swept by machine gun fire and a constant barrage is on us. I have no one on my left and only a few on my right. I will hold." (First Lieutenant Clifton B. Cates, US Marine Corps, Soissons, 19 July 1918)
Damn, that brings back such great memories, where did amazing RPGs like this go!? Can't recall how many times I let this intro play over and over back in the day. {one thing that just came to mind was the rather interesting means to save your game ~ by spending your hard earned XP to buy a save...LOL}
I've been trying to find and choose my top 3, but I seriously can't do it. There are hundreds that I'd rather place all at #1 instead...
WoW, Lament of the Highborne This video doesn't do the song justice though.
I don't know the song(s)/score(s) nor do I really play the game but man...EvE has awesome music. I can study to that shit.
Oh yeah, that. I don't even remember that, really. Because when I got Lunar 2 for my Sega CD, I went on a looonnggg play session. Non-stop. Beat the game in 2 days, and it wasn't short, either
Lunar 1 & 2 had some very memorable characters.
Oh, and another one:
(Genesis) Revenge of Shinobi - One of the early Genesis / Megadrive titles, the second of Sega's "Shinobi" games. Best song was for the Chinatown level.
"I have only two out of my company and 20 out of some other company. We need support, but it is almost suicide to try to get it here as we are swept by machine gun fire and a constant barrage is on us. I have no one on my left and only a few on my right. I will hold." (First Lieutenant Clifton B. Cates, US Marine Corps, Soissons, 19 July 1918)
I can remember two that stood out.
On the nintendo, there was Silius. I remember how the music would get me pumped to play the game, and I was often firing my weapons in rhythm with the song that was playing.
Another all time favourite is the first game to the Wipeout series. I felt that the music complimented the game perfectly and even enhanced the feel of a futuristic racing game with deadly high speeds. The best song from the soundtrack is probably Messij, and I was so thrilled when I noticed I could use the PC CDROM in the normal CD music player, and must have listened to the soundtrack a month straight.
I know FF VII tops my list, Ariel's theme, when I first played through the game and at that certain point...the tune made that moment much more tragic. And then of course the final battle with Sephiroth. in all music helped make that game, same with all the Final Fantasy's of the past really.
I know I will catch alot of flak for this, but the OP said memorable...so the first (few) times I walked into Stormwind 6 years ago and the trumpets and drums started playing as you walked under the archway and across the bridge.
ok so I only have two I can think of now.
I just have a top one
But for some strange reason i prefer this version from the original, its kind of stupid to say so but this version recall more the game than the original record, maybe because my bard played a lute une hundred million time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lO4kl3-EQSw&feature=related
here is the original just for the aske of it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cq0rmlmY8bw&feature=related
Great games and composers.
Fable I [Danny Elfman]
Morrowind [Jeremy Soule]
Oblivion [Jeremy Soule]
Maybe I can edit in why later.
WoW also has some good ones as mentioned in this thread (Lament of the Highborne, Ashenvale, etc.)
EQ2-Main theme
EQ2-Faydark area music
WOW-Ashenvale (pre cata)
Really? This game sucks and Im not having fun? Im going to unsub right now. Thanks for the tip.
Corridors of Time (Chrono Trigger)
Passing of the Blue Crown (Mega Man 3)
Bloody Tears (Castlevania 2)
Writer / Musician / Game Designer
Now Playing: Skyrim, Wurm Online, Tropico 4
Waiting On: GW2, TSW, Archeage, The Rapture
1)donkey kong country series soundtrack (SNES) I loved it as kid, and I love the game even today
2)morrowind main theme
3)Medievil soundtrack (ps1), it was cool like Danny Elfman's music
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spFZKH5NeAE Dynasty warriors 7
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27-DsLJ76aA Chrono Cross Opening
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0x0-EYfwP-c&f NIER -Emil's Sacrifice (I cried during the scene when this played)
Forth would have to be Frogs Theme
"You have some serious mental issues you may need to seek some help for. There are others who post things, but do not post them in the way you do. Out of every person who posts crazy shit in this forum, you have some of the craziest and scariest" -FarReach
Mechwarrior 2: Ghost Bear's Legacy (PC, 1995). I still catch myself absent-mindedly drumming random tunes from it almost 15 years since I last played. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKgrUtAJrLY)
Jackal (NES, 1995). Similar to above, haven't played since the late 80s but still catch myself daydreaming out songs for no good reason. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Skk9h-UHN6E)
Final Fantasy VI (SNES, 1995). Specifically the Celes and Kefka theme songs, and the Zozo and Veldt location music. I even maintain a rotating set of midi files that I use as ringtones and text alert sounds on my cell phone. Yes, I am that guy.
Edit: added links.
These aren't what I'd call the best video game soundtracks (though I would classify them as my personal favorite), but they are some of the most catchy and memorable.
Pilotwings 64 - example 1, example 2, example 3
Wave Race 64 - example 1, example 2, example 3
Banjo-Kazooie - example 1, example 2
I consider Pilotwings 64 to be a favorite because it's just so easy to listen to. They're hardly loud or fast paced, and personally, I think it fits very well with the theme of the game (which as you guess is laid back and more about the atmosphere than anything else - though it's brutally hard at times).
Wave Race 64 is simply fun and catchy - I also love the jazz-fusion style.
With Banjo-Kazooie it's mostly the Gruntilda's Lair meldey that I get stuck in my head, but the instruments Grant Kirkhope used in the soundtrack are so oddly unique (not in a bad way); they're sounds I've never heard in any other game. You can't tell me you didn't enjoy 'em!
Currently Playing:
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Anarchy Online
Age of Conan
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Tried: AO,EQ,EQ2,DAoC,SWG,AA,SB,HZ,CoX,PS,GA,TR,IV,GnH,EVE, PP,DnL,WAR,MxO,SWG,FE,VG,AoC,DDO,LoTRO,Rift,TOR,Aion,Tera,TSW,GW2,DCUO,CO,STO
Favourites: AO,SWG,EVE,TR,LoTRO,TSW,EQ2, Firefall
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Nobody said Zelda:Link to the Past for SNES yet? i am abashed.
Nostalgia free fall when i hear those tunes.
The Deep Web is sca-ry.
For me Square has always had the best music. In most of their games on the fantasy side. But to pin it down I would say:
1. Kingdom Hearts
2. FFVI
3. FFVIII
These 3 are the games I have the full soundtracks for and find myelf listening to them more often than others.
Would like to add, World of Warcraft would be next on that list for music.
Omg that music was so bad, i always played that game on mute (the only game I ever did that). Terrible!!! I can still hear that dreadful music sometimes in my dreams. Worst game soundtrack ever created. (MY OPINION)
I am apalled and must resist the urge to take up arms against you sir!
That being said, the thread is about the most memorable, so if your dreaming about this music still, then it goes on your list!
Still a Win.
The Deep Web is sca-ry.
My favorite are:
Guild Wars
TES: Oblivion
Uncharted
I used to have the Guild Wars and Oblivion soundtracks and I listened to them when I was in a bad mood.
HAHAHA, u win this one
)
King's Field (pretty much anything from the series, especially II and TAC)
Chronicles of Spellborn
Oblivion
Super Mario Brothers
WoW original log in theme
Conall's Valley AoC