Top 10 Modern Video Game Soundtracks

you’ll want to crank up the volume to 11

you’ll want to crank up the volume to 11 when you’re playing these games

welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re

welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re counting down our picks for the top ten

counting down our picks for the top ten

counting down our picks for the top ten modern video game soundtracks for our

modern video game soundtracks for our

modern video game soundtracks for our list while we usually stick to one title

list while we usually stick to one title

list while we usually stick to one title per franchise we’ve decided to allow

per franchise we’ve decided to allow

per franchise we’ve decided to allow overall series when we couldn’t lock it

overall series when we couldn’t lock it

overall series when we couldn’t lock it down to just one game

we’ve ranked the soundtracks from the

we’ve ranked the soundtracks from the sixth generation of consoles and later

sixth generation of consoles and later

sixth generation of consoles and later anything earlier will be in our retro

anything earlier will be in our retro

anything earlier will be in our retro video game soundtrack clip

and remember we’re focusing on

and remember we’re focusing on soundtracks as a whole not just one-off

soundtracks as a whole not just one-off

soundtracks as a whole not just one-off themes as we already have lists for that

themes as we already have lists for that

themes as we already have lists for that last leaf games that used licensed

last leaf games that used licensed

last leaf games that used licensed tracks are excluded so no dice GTA what

tracks are excluded so no dice GTA what

tracks are excluded so no dice GTA what number 10 God of War series

since the first game the music in this

since the first game the music in this series has carried the tone the

series has carried the tone the

series has carried the tone the composers use a range of our kestrel

composers use a range of our kestrel

composers use a range of our kestrel themes to help establish the titles epic

themes to help establish the titles epic

themes to help establish the titles epic feel

it’s not like we need any more

it’s not like we need any more motivation to help Kratos take revenge

motivation to help Kratos take revenge

motivation to help Kratos take revenge but the inspiring music certainly helps

but the inspiring music certainly helps

but the inspiring music certainly helps the use of ancient and ethnic

the use of ancient and ethnic

the use of ancient and ethnic instruments gives it a unique sound

number nine Scott Pilgrim vs. the world

number nine Scott Pilgrim vs. the world the game

considering that this game tells the

considering that this game tells the story of a gamer and bass player it’s

story of a gamer and bass player it’s

story of a gamer and bass player it’s not surprising that it had a great

not surprising that it had a great

not surprising that it had a great soundtrack

chiptune punk band Anamanaguchi scored

chiptune punk band Anamanaguchi scored the side-scrolling brawler and their

the side-scrolling brawler and their

the side-scrolling brawler and their synthesised arcade sounding music is a

synthesised arcade sounding music is a

synthesised arcade sounding music is a perfect match for the game’s quirky

perfect match for the game’s quirky

perfect match for the game’s quirky visuals

we’ve got one editor here at WatchMojo

we’ve got one editor here at WatchMojo who has this soundtrack playing on his

who has this soundtrack playing on his

who has this soundtrack playing on his iPod constantly and we can’t say we

iPod constantly and we can’t say we

iPod constantly and we can’t say we blame him number 8 Crysis 2

hans zimmer is one of the most

hans zimmer is one of the most sought-after composers in hollywood so

sought-after composers in hollywood so

sought-after composers in hollywood so trying his hand at video game scoring is

trying his hand at video game scoring is

trying his hand at video game scoring is not all that surprising

the result is that the orchestral sound

the result is that the orchestral sound that Zimmer perfected in movies like

that Zimmer perfected in movies like

that Zimmer perfected in movies like inception and the Dark Knight translates

inception and the Dark Knight translates

inception and the Dark Knight translates perfectly into the dark post-apocalyptic

perfectly into the dark post-apocalyptic

perfectly into the dark post-apocalyptic world of crisis

if you have to kick alien ass you might

if you have to kick alien ass you might as well hear some awesome music while

as well hear some awesome music while

as well hear some awesome music while you’re doing it

you’re doing it

you’re doing it remember me number seven Final Fantasy

remember me number seven Final Fantasy

remember me number seven Final Fantasy 10 this was the first title in the

10 this was the first title in the

10 this was the first title in the series with voice acting and fully

series with voice acting and fully

series with voice acting and fully three-dimensional areas as opposed to

three-dimensional areas as opposed to

three-dimensional areas as opposed to pre-rendered backgrounds and the music

pre-rendered backgrounds and the music

pre-rendered backgrounds and the music was equally innovative

it was the first time that composer

it was the first time that composer Nobuo Uematsu had help composing for the

Nobuo Uematsu had help composing for the

Nobuo Uematsu had help composing for the games as they created a score consisting

games as they created a score consisting

games as they created a score consisting of over four hours of music ranging from

of over four hours of music ranging from

of over four hours of music ranging from solo piano to pulsing techno

it just nudges ahead of final fantasy

it just nudges ahead of final fantasy xiii thanks to the recent remaster

xiii thanks to the recent remaster

xiii thanks to the recent remaster giving the soundtrack a full facelift

this series revolves around modern-day

this series revolves around modern-day people reliving historical conflicts

people reliving historical conflicts

people reliving historical conflicts appropriately the soundtracks combined

appropriately the soundtracks combined

appropriately the soundtracks combined old sounding music with modern vibes and

old sounding music with modern vibes and

old sounding music with modern vibes and each of the series soundtracks fits the

each of the series soundtracks fits the

each of the series soundtracks fits the theme of their game rather well for

theme of their game rather well for

theme of their game rather well for example with the first game being set in

example with the first game being set in

example with the first game being set in Jerusalem the music has a biblical tone

Jerusalem the music has a biblical tone

Jerusalem the music has a biblical tone while in the fourth game the pirate

while in the fourth game the pirate

while in the fourth game the pirate theme makes you feel like a true

theme makes you feel like a true

theme makes you feel like a true swashbuckler

number five Elder Scroll series this

number five Elder Scroll series this powerful RPG franchise made the leap to

powerful RPG franchise made the leap to

powerful RPG franchise made the leap to consult with morrowind and its music was

consult with morrowind and its music was

consult with morrowind and its music was an equivalent step forward for the

an equivalent step forward for the

an equivalent step forward for the series composer Jeremy sewells use of

series composer Jeremy sewells use of

series composer Jeremy sewells use of stirring strings and booming percussion

stirring strings and booming percussion

stirring strings and booming percussion matches the epic quality of each game as

matches the epic quality of each game as

matches the epic quality of each game as the gameplay in the series continued to

the gameplay in the series continued to

the gameplay in the series continued to progress Sool matched the developers

progress Sool matched the developers

progress Sool matched the developers work for Skyrim he added a 30 man choir

work for Skyrim he added a 30 man choir

work for Skyrim he added a 30 man choir which she layered three times to sound

which she layered three times to sound

which she layered three times to sound like 90 voices

before portal to the soundtrack for this

before portal to the soundtrack for this puzzle-platformer contains both a score

puzzle-platformer contains both a score

puzzle-platformer contains both a score and individual songs all of whit’s

and individual songs all of whit’s

and individual songs all of whit’s perfectly complemented the inventive

perfectly complemented the inventive

perfectly complemented the inventive game

composure Mike Moravsky created a score

composure Mike Moravsky created a score which is generated in real time based on

which is generated in real time based on

which is generated in real time based on gameplay leading to music which takes

gameplay leading to music which takes

gameplay leading to music which takes over 70,000 years to repeat itself indie

over 70,000 years to repeat itself indie

over 70,000 years to repeat itself indie rockers the national and Jonathan

rockers the national and Jonathan

rockers the national and Jonathan Coulton wrote the songs both of which

Coulton wrote the songs both of which

Coulton wrote the songs both of which helped to establish the game’s powerful

helped to establish the game’s powerful

helped to establish the game’s powerful emotions number 3 Red Dead Redemption

Red Dead did an incredible job of

Red Dead did an incredible job of establishing its Western Senate and the

establishing its Western Senate and the

establishing its Western Senate and the score by Bill elm and woody Jackson had

score by Bill elm and woody Jackson had

score by Bill elm and woody Jackson had no small part in its success they used

no small part in its success they used

no small part in its success they used instruments found in cowboy films and

instruments found in cowboy films and

instruments found in cowboy films and consultant traditional Western musicians

consultant traditional Western musicians

consultant traditional Western musicians to create music that fit the title

nothing screams Wild West like hearing a

nothing screams Wild West like hearing a fiddle and jaw harp as you ride on

fiddle and jaw harp as you ride on

fiddle and jaw harp as you ride on horseback carrying your revolver

Colossus would be a good way to describe

Colossus would be a good way to describe koa toddies score for this game though

koa toddies score for this game though

koa toddies score for this game though the epic orchestral score is only heard

the epic orchestral score is only heard

the epic orchestral score is only heard during cutscenes and when you encounter

during cutscenes and when you encounter

during cutscenes and when you encounter the titular Giants the music manages to

the titular Giants the music manages to

the titular Giants the music manages to be just as impressive as the colossi

be just as impressive as the colossi

be just as impressive as the colossi themselves just listen to this theme

themselves just listen to this theme

themselves just listen to this theme while taking on the third Colossus

now I know what the next Godzilla film

now I know what the next Godzilla film means to include

before we get to our number one let’s

before we get to our number one let’s take a look at some honorable mentions

modern video game music has come a long

modern video game music has come a long way since the early days of beeps and

way since the early days of beeps and

way since the early days of beeps and bloops but this action-rpgs achievements

bloops but this action-rpgs achievements

bloops but this action-rpgs achievements stand alone God’s anger Lyle Pearson

stand alone God’s anger Lyle Pearson

stand alone God’s anger Lyle Pearson Masari forward

then God’s gonna hurt you

then God’s gonna hurt you play with loaded guns composer darin

play with loaded guns composer darin

play with loaded guns composer darin corp describes the sound as acoustic

corp describes the sound as acoustic

corp describes the sound as acoustic frontier trip-hop and the bizarre hybrid

frontier trip-hop and the bizarre hybrid

frontier trip-hop and the bizarre hybrid of bluegrass and techno is perfect for

of bluegrass and techno is perfect for

of bluegrass and techno is perfect for the games trippy self-reflexive tale by

the games trippy self-reflexive tale by

the games trippy self-reflexive tale by the way joss whedon Vance does this tune

the way joss whedon Vance does this tune

the way joss whedon Vance does this tune remind you of anything

there are so many amazing soundtracks

there are so many amazing soundtracks that it’s impossible to cover them all

that it’s impossible to cover them all

that it’s impossible to cover them all so let us know which Tunes you have

so let us know which Tunes you have

so let us know which Tunes you have playing on your iPod and for more

playing on your iPod and for more

playing on your iPod and for more immersive top 10s published daily be

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