# Good Game Soundtracks



## ravenus (Jun 3, 2004)

This is the thread to list some of the game soundtracks that you really liked.

My favs:
1. *Quake II* - Muscular Exodus-style guitar riffs with excellent drumming make for an adrenaline-pumped experience, even when you're just listening to it on your CD player.
2. *HoMM 3* - In mp3 format, HoMM3 has some exquisite orchestral themes for the different town types and scenarios. Great stuff, especially love the darker themes - _Dungeon_ and _Necropolis_.
3. *DooM 1&2* - Some of the stuff done by Bobby Prince on these games is worth hearing again and again, incredible what he achieved in midi. My absolute favorite is the track for map01 in DooM 2, it has an gob-smacking good neoclassical keyboard solo.
4. Love the music for the Lucasarts adventures *Curse of Monkey Island* and *Grim Fandango*.

I've heard a lot about Jeremy Soule's work for the Black Isle AD&D games, but sice I don't play that sort of stuff I haven't heard it.


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## Morning Star (Jun 3, 2004)

Good choices there, I love the HoMM3 music and Dooms.

Some favourites of mine include Dreamweb, Mystic Towers and Elvira 2: Jaws of Cerberus. Old titles, but great atmospheric music.


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## Brian G Turner (Jun 3, 2004)

Tekken 2 - great variety.


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## Hypes (Jun 3, 2004)

_Quake_ - Sonic Mayhem did the music. Great soundtrack.

_The Longest Journey_ - by Bjørn Arve Lagim and Tor Linløkken.

Also, Megadeth did a track for Duke Nukem, and NIN did one Q2 track.


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## Jayaprakash Satyamurthy (Jun 3, 2004)

Hypes said:
			
		

> Also, Megadeth did a track for Duke Nukem, and NIN did one Q2 track.


That was Krush 'Em, right?


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## Hypes (Jun 3, 2004)

NIN, or Megadeth? I'm not sure of either's title, actually. But I can pass you some samples of both, if you wish.


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## ravenus (Jun 3, 2004)

Hypes said:
			
		

> _Quake_ - Sonic Mayhem did the music. Great soundtrack.
> Also, Megadeth did a track for Duke Nukem, and NIN did one Q2 track.


A couple of corrections there...
*Sonic Mayhem* did the ST for _Quake II_ and *Trent Reznor* (not NIN) did the ST for _Quake_. *Rob Zombie* did one of the tracks on the _Quake II_ ST, track no.10 I think.

And knivesout, I think the *Megadeth* track for _Duke Nukem_ was called Grab Bag, I could be wrong on this. The main score for Duke was done by Bobby Prince.

Oh amongst other things, I also love some of the stuff done by *Alexander Brandon* and *Michiel van den Bos* for _Unreal_ (the tracks used for _Nyleve Falls, Rrajigar Mine, Dark Arena, Terranieux, Bluff Eversmoking_) and UT (_SaveMe, Strider, Suprfist, Razorback_)


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## Hypes (Jun 3, 2004)

Thank you, Ravenus. Quake II was on my mind, but I thought they were involved in QI as well. Listening to them now, in fact- brilliant music.

And I have a NIN file here that tells me otherwise... But perhaps it's simply been mis-labeled.


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## Jayaprakash Satyamurthy (Jun 3, 2004)

I believe ravenus is right on this score - I used to keep up on NIN related news and I more or less recall that it was Reznor per se rather than the NIN identity that was credited with the Quake st.


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## Hypes (Jun 3, 2004)

Conspiring against me.

_::eyes darting_


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## ravenus (Jun 3, 2004)

Hypes said:
			
		

> And I have a NIN file here that tells me otherwise... But perhaps it's simply been mis-labeled.


Reznor worked on the music and sound effects for _Quake_. Curiously, the nailgun ammo box in the game bears an NIN logo.
Reznor also worked on the sound effects for the screened demos of the upcoming *Doom 3* game, but it's unclear as to whether he has been involved in the making of the final product.


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## Foxbat (Jun 5, 2004)

> Oh amongst other things, I also love some of the stuff done by *Alexander Brandon* and *Michiel van den Bos* for _Unreal_ (the tracks used for _Nyleve Falls, Rrajigar Mine, Dark Arena, Terranieux, Bluff Eversmoking_) and UT (_SaveMe, Strider, Suprfist, Razorback_)


I agree. Unreal and UT had some of the best sounds around. My particular favourite was Nyleve Falls. Great music makes for great atmosphere


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## Hypes (Jun 6, 2004)

_Anarchy Online_ had, in my opinion, the best and most evocative soundtrack.

It was synced so well with discoveries in the gameworld itself. Nothing beats coming over a hill to discover the sunrise illuminating the incredible terrain- no other game has ever matched that.


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## Myla Starchild (Jun 8, 2004)

I like lots of RPG soundtracks, very moving and atmospheric.  All the Final Fantasy games have great music, also Wild Arms (ancient PSOne RPG, but one of the first I played that will always hold a speical place in my heart  ) had a beautiful soundtrack.

All the others I like have been mentioned, Tekken2, Duke Nukem, Quake, Doom...


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## sea_plunder (Jun 9, 2004)

i like most kind of soundtracks on games but i especially like the final fantasy games and a game called hearts of iron soundtrak. But i lyk the need for speed underground music also


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## mac1 (Jun 10, 2004)

ravenus said:
			
		

> Reznor also worked on the sound effects for the screened demos of the upcoming *Doom 3* game, but it's unclear as to whether he has been involved in the making of the final product.


He was originally onboard to do the entire games score, but has since pulled out. Unfortunately the game will not be featuring NIN and that demo track will become a rarity, I am unsure as to the reasons for this though.


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## Lacedaemonian (Jun 26, 2004)

Shenmue I & II soundtracks are absolutely amaizing and can be bought in the shops.  These games actually have several soundtracks with the full orchestral score and even the odd pop song.

I also love the soundtrack for Max Payne 2, it really complimented the story.


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## ravenus (Jun 26, 2004)

I also love the soundtrack on *Need For Speed 2*. It's the best I've heard in the series, although I haven't played *Hot Pursuit 2* and *Underground*. Heady mixture of guitar rock, electronica, world music elements. And the interactive music mixer they had was a marvel, it could mix riffs seamlessly and make you feel like you were hearing a new track. If only I could hear the music outside of the game...ahhh.


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## Lacedaemonian (Jun 28, 2004)

Ravenus you can download the NFS soundtracks I think.  Not legally mind.


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## Overread (Mar 26, 2008)

Well I was going to start my own thread - but this one already exists, so it seems a waste to waste the thread!
and it somehow manages to go on for 2 pages without mentioning RED ALERT! greatest music ever written for a game!
And then there is no mention of the atmospheric music for Homeworld - or Starcraft!
for shame!
so any newer games with worth music?


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## Quokka (Mar 28, 2008)

Can't help with the newer ones but how cool was the car radio in Outrun when it first came out. Still I have to say _Wipeout 2097_ is a personal favourite, used to love flying around Gare d'Europa to prodigy's Firestarter.


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## Lenny (Mar 28, 2008)

I think that *Guild Wars* has one of the best scores I've heard (particularly the original game). The music in *Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion *is also good, and goes down the same path as the GW music.

And can I mention the soundtracks to *GTA3*, *Vice City*, *San Andreas*, and *GTA4*? GTA3 was mostly in-house music, but it was brilliant. San Andreas was all music from the period, and again it was brilliant. Vice City was fantastic! I still listen to a lot of the music from it. And I know GTA4 isn't out for another month, but Rockstar really put a lot of thought into the music on each radio station, and you can guarantee that the music in GTA4 will follow the trend and be good music.


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## Fake Vencar (Mar 29, 2008)

I think Morrowind has a better soundtrack than Oblivion in my opinion. And the main theme tune to Quake just made me shiver!


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## TorrnT (Mar 29, 2008)

The tony hawk series, Final fantasy 7 (superb creepy ominous score), Gran torismo and i really loved the music in the first lara croft outing tomb raider 1.
My own music runs more to the heavy side of things, but I certainly appreciate a good score if it reflects the mood of the game.


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## devilsgrin (Mar 29, 2008)

both Oblivion and Morrowind have beautiful scores i'd have to agree. everything about both these games is beautiful... the music in the Oblivion trailer game me serious chills it was so intense and that in-game was just as flawless

Also in a completely opposite genre is the incredibly hardcore soundtrack to Vampire the Masquerade Bloodlines. i've added many of these to my playlists... and i'm not a metal fan by any stretch...


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## Thadlerian (Mar 29, 2008)

I'm generally of the opinion that people who don't play games miss a lot of great music.


Hypes said:


> _Anarchy Online_ had, in my opinion, the best and most evocative soundtrack.
> 
> It was synced so well with discoveries in the gameworld itself. Nothing beats coming over a hill to discover the sunrise illuminating the incredible terrain- no other game has ever matched that.


Amen to that. I could easily get lost listening to the music in cities like Old Athen, Omni Trade and Omni Entertainment, and the ocean music was jaw-droppingly awesome.

But there are other games than just AO. Most of what I've heard from _Final Fantasy_ has been great. The Rollcage games have great techno soundtracks. Imperium Galactica II has some sweet, ambient electronic scores against the space background. Same with the Russian underdog Space Rangers, and its memorable acoustic guitar Fei Theme. Not to mention Agnus Dei and some other themes in Homeworld.

MIDI files played on old-fashioned computers have great charm as well. Just consider Privateer. Woodtick in Monkey Island 2 sounds sweet as well.


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