The list begins with a relatively new addition to the list. Shadow of the Colossus inspired awe through both its impressive boss battles, and equally impressive soundtrack. What made this game so captivating was not only what you could hear, but also what you couldn't. Natural ambient noises filled the air in the vast fields of the game, which created a calm environment ready to be shattered by the thumping drums of battle. An eerie melody would linger in the background as you struggling to climb the colossal beast, but it wasn't until you actually latched onto its body that the real tune kicked in. Finally solidifying Shadow of the Colossus the number ten spot, was the beautiful piano track playing over the game's ending sequence.
Taking a detour from the traditional synthesized sounds of most soundtracks from that era, Peter McConnell’s work on Grim Fandango brought something special to the gaming world. Most are familiar with the wacky sounds of the classic LucasArts games, and Grim Fandango maintained this tradition despite its heavy focus on Mexican style, jazzy instrumentals. The music is as entertaining as it is enjoyable.
Harry Gregson-Williams can be credited as one of the most influential composers in bringing the sounds of video game music to a more mainstream audience. His work on the original Metal Gear Solid possessed many orchestral elements, but did not rely solely on the sounds themselves, rather their arrangement. He furthered his success with the completion of the Snake Eater soundtrack. The main theme of Metal Gear Solid, one of most recognizable tunes in video gaming up there with the Legend of Zelda theme, is better than ever here covering numerous genres in its six minute running time. Furthermore, it would be unforgivable not to make mention of the James Bond-esque title track which had fans everywhere chanting "Snaaaaakeee Eeaaateerrrrr..."
Katamari Damacy's unmistakable sound captures every bit of the wacky fun feel that the game did back when it came out of nowhere in 2004. Rolling over everything from paperclips to skyscrapers with a magic sticky ball from space necessitated an equally ridiculous soundtrack to match. A random assortment of odd sound effects, catchy tunes, indiscernible Japanese lyrics and exclamations of "feel so good!" and "do your best!" came together to form one of the most fun and cheerful soundtracks ever produced.
#6: Mega Man 2 (NES)
As video games continue to improve in the most technical sense, we still find ourselves eager to return to the classics now and then. The same reasoning brings many of us back to our favourite soundtracks we remember from those very same games. As such, it's no surprise to find Mega Man 2 here on this list. Long before orchestral sounds became commonplace, there were 8-bit bleeps and blips which stayed in your head long after the game was turned off. While it may be inaccurate to say that each track captured the context and atmosphere of the stage, they still kept us humming along the entire time. It was not until the player reached Wily's first stage that the sheer brilliance of the entire soundtrack shone through. Now nearly two decades later, it still hasn't lots its charm.
Motoi Sakuraba has composed such a vast number of top quality soundtracks in his time, but his work on the classic tri-Ace RPG shines brightest of all. "Behave Irrationally" is the album's most powerful track largely due to the tragic events it was associated with in the game. Other songs such as "Oblivion's Joy" and "An Illusion of the Brainstem" are more uplifting tracks which again, match perfectly to their settings. There's a highly cohesive element to the music and the game, and despite standing out as a beautiful collection of songs on its own, it's really this factor which uniquely qualifies it for this spot.
Silent Hill 2's is a soundtrack unlike any other. It's one thing to compose a beautiful melodic soundtrack, but only songwriter Akira Yamaoka could create a soundtrack which so perfectly matches the gruesome atmosphere of the game it was written for. You have never heard the sounds of beautiful piano and screeching machinery melded together so well before. It is that which sets Silent Hill 2's soundtrack apart from so many others, it can go from haunting, to terrifying, to soothing, but you never for a moment feel as if anything is out of place. Best listened to alongside the game's imagery, but anyone with a taste for obscurity can find something to love in this masterful soundtrack.
If ever any game series were to be judged based on its contributions to the advancement of video game music as stand-alone genre, the Final Fantasy series would undoubtedly hold the number one spot. It may not be possible to combine all the games into a single entry, but Nobou Uematsu's timeless soundtrack for Final Fantasy VI (III) stands out ever so slightly above and beyond the others. While "Tina" (Terra's Theme) carried a certain emotional sound with it, Zozo's "Slam Shuffle" was an uplifting, toe-tapping tune. In both "Devil's Lab" and "Aria De Mezzo Caraterre" we can almost feel the composer struggling to transcend the limitations of the SNES audio hardware with clearly orchestrated and choral sounds respectively. Finally it was the famous Dancing Mad which really solidified the decision, an extraordinarily long track which accompanied an equally extraordinary final boss battle.
The Chrono Cross soundtrack is widely regarded by many gamers to be the greatest video game soundtrack of all time, and for good reason. The profound impact of Yasunori Mitsuda's work would become evident to players almost immediately as the game's pinnacle track "Time's Scar" accompanied the opening cutscene, leaving people breathless. The rest of the soundtrack deviated from the synthesized melodies everyone was used to and instead put primary focus on acoustic guitar and flute, which created a uniquely celtic sound.
Quite possibly the single most impressive original score composed for any video game to date, the Headhunter: Redemption soundtrack went largely unrecognized due to the lackluster popularity of the game. Written by composer Richard Jacques and recorded entirely by the London Session Orchestra, it delivers a powerful and dramatic orchestral experience unlike any other, from its thumping drums and trumpets, to its soothing yet memorable ambience. The track "End Credits" is an up-tempo arrangement of Headhunter's "Jack's Theme" and sums up the entire experience perfectly. It serves arguably, as the most incredible song ever written for a video game.
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