Best Game Soundtrack
Chrono Trigger Original Sound Version is the official soundtrack album for the 1995 role-playing video game developed by Square for the Super Famicom (SNES). Composed primarily by Yasunori Mitsuda, with contributions from Nobuo Uematsu and Noriko Matsueda, the album contains 67 tracks spanning three...
Why this score?
Chrono Trigger score is a game-music canon landmark with exceptional fan and critic reputation.
Scoring methodology
The Chrono Cross Original Soundtrack is a 1999 video game music album composed by Yasunori Mitsuda for the role-playing game developed by Square. The score is recognized for its diverse musical influences, blending Celtic, Mediterranean, and traditional Japanese instrumentation with orchestral arran...
Why this score?
Chrono Cross soundtrack is widely revered for Mitsuda's melodic range and world-music fusion.
Scoring methodology
Minecraft: Volume Alpha is the first soundtrack album for the sandbox video game Minecraft, composed by Daniel Rosenfeld under his stage name C418. Released digitally in 2011, it features the ambient and minimalist music that played during the game's early development phases. Tracks like "Sweden" an...
Why this score?
C418's minimalist Minecraft album is beloved, hugely influential in ambient game music and culturally enduring.
Scoring methodology
A critically acclaimed precision platformer about climbing a mountain, both literally and metaphorically. Celeste's tight controls and ingenious level design present a formidable challenge, perfectly complemented by a compassionate Assist Mode that makes it accessible to all. Its narrative, dealing...
Why this score?
Celeste scores 9.4/10 due to its exceptional level design, engaging narrative, and smooth controls. However, the steep learning curve and limited replay value are minor drawbacks.
Scoring methodology
The "Silent Hill 2 Original Soundtracks" is the official musical score accompanying the 2001 survival-horror video game developed by Konami. Composed and produced by Japanese musician Akira Yamaoka, the album was released to coincide with the game's launch. The soundtrack blends dark ambient industr...
Why this score?
Silent Hill 2 soundtrack is revered for emotional dark ambient and melodic themes, a horror-game benchmark.
Scoring methodology
"The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Original Game Soundtrack" is the musical score for Bethesda Game Studios' 2011 action role-playing video game. The music was primarily composed by Jeremy Soule, who sought to evoke the Nordic and mountainous environments of the game's setting. Its main theme, "Dragonbo...
Why this score?
Skyrim soundtrack has enormous player affection, iconic Dragonborn theme and strong ambient RPG reputation.
Scoring methodology
The NieR Gestalt & Replicant Original Soundtrack is the official musical score for the 2010 action role-playing games NieR Gestalt and NieR Replicant, developed by Cavia and published by Square Enix. The music was composed primarily by Keiichi Okabe and his studio Monaca, with vocals by Emi Evans pe...
Why this score?
NieR soundtrack is critically adored for invented-language vocals and emotional originality, a modern cult classic.
Scoring methodology
The DOOM Original Game Soundtrack is the official score for id Software's 2016 first-person shooter DOOM, composed and produced by Australian musician Mick Gordon. The music combines heavily distorted electric guitar riffs, industrial synthesizers, and aggressive electronic percussion designed to ma...
Why this score?
Mick Gordon's DOOM score is a modern game-music landmark, acclaimed for sound design and metal intensity.
Scoring methodology
Austin Wintory's 2012 soundtrack for Thatgamecompany's PlayStation 3 game Journey represents a landmark in video game music. The orchestral score follows a player's journey through a desert landscape, with a notable cello theme representing the protagonist. In 2013, it became the first video game sc...
Why this score?
First Grammy-nominated game score, acclaimed for interactive emotional structure and elegant orchestration.
Scoring methodology
The Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Original Game Soundtrack is the 1997 score for the Konami video game, primarily composed by Michiru Yamane. It departs from the rock-focused themes of earlier series entries, incorporating diverse genres such as classical, gothic choir, progressive rock, and te...
Why this score?
Symphony of the Night soundtrack is highly acclaimed for stylistic range and melodic gothic identity.
Scoring methodology
The Super Mario Galaxy Original Soundtrack is the official music album for Nintendo's 2007 Wii platformer. Composed by Mahito Yokota and Koji Kondo, it is distinguished by its extensive use of live orchestral arrangements performed by the Super Mario Galaxy Orchestra, marking a significant shift for...
Why this score?
Nintendo's orchestral Mario Galaxy score is highly beloved and often cited among best Mario music.
Scoring methodology
Minecraft: Volume Beta is the second official soundtrack album for the sandbox video game Minecraft, released in 2013 by composer Daniel Rosenfeld, known as C418. The album expands on the game's audio with longer ambient tracks designed specifically for the game's menu screens, Creative mode, and ho...
Why this score?
Expanded C418 Minecraft score is highly admired, more varied but slightly less iconic than Volume Alpha.
Scoring methodology
A run-and-gun boss rush game famously animated in the style of 1930s rubber hose cartoons. Every frame is hand-drawn and watercolor-painted, creating a visually stunning and authentic period piece. The gameplay is notoriously challenging, requiring pattern memorization and precise reflexes across ex...
Why this score?
Cuphead scores 9.2/10 due to its exceptional hand-drawn animation, challenging and engaging gameplay, and rich retro aesthetic. However, the steep learning curve and limited online multiplayer options are minor drawbacks.
Scoring methodology
Hades: Original Soundtrack is the 2020 score composed and produced by Darren Korb for the roguelike video game developed by Supergiant Games. The music uses acoustic guitar, hammered dulcimer, and other instruments associated with Mediterranean and Balkan traditions, combined with rock and electroni...
Why this score?
Darren Korb's Hades score is acclaimed for genre fusion, vocal themes and award-winning game association.
Scoring methodology
Final Fantasy IX Original Soundtrack collects Nobuo Uematsu's score for Square's 2000 PlayStation role-playing game Final Fantasy IX. The music supports the game's medieval fantasy setting with orchestral, folk-influenced, electronic, and character-specific themes, including recurring material drawn...
Why this score?
Final Fantasy IX score is widely loved as late Uematsu solo work with strong thematic range.
Scoring methodology
Cuphead: Original Soundtrack is Kristofer Maddigan's score for Studio MDHR's 2017 run-and-gun game Cuphead. Recorded with live musicians, it draws on big band jazz, ragtime, early swing, and related styles associated with the period that inspired the game's 1930s animation aesthetic. Many tracks acc...
Why this score?
Cuphead's live jazz soundtrack is acclaimed for authenticity, craft and distinctive game identity.
Scoring methodology
Halo 3: Original Soundtrack presents music written by Martin O'Donnell and Michael Salvatori for Bungie's 2007 Xbox 360 game Halo 3. The score develops the series' established choral, orchestral, electronic, and percussion-based themes while adding music composed for the trilogy's concluding campaig...
Why this score?
Halo 3 score is highly regarded for emotional orchestral expansion and franchise-defining themes.
Scoring methodology
Ori and the Will of the Wisps: Original Soundtrack Recording is a 2020 album of original music for the platform-adventure game by Moon Studios, composed by Gareth Coker. The score continues and expands the orchestral and choral style established in the earlier 'Ori and the Blind Forest' (2015). Coke...
Why this score?
Gareth Coker's Ori sequel score is widely praised for orchestral beauty and emotional fantasy themes.
Scoring methodology
The Music of Red Dead Redemption 2: Original Score is a 2019 album featuring the instrumental score composed by Woody Jackson for Rockstar Games' open-world western video game. The score supports the game's narrative set in late 19th-century America and combines ambient, atmospheric textures with we...
Why this score?
Woody Jackson's score for acclaimed game is widely praised for dynamic western atmosphere and emotional themes.
Scoring methodology
Halo 2: Original Soundtrack is the official soundtrack album for the 2004 Xbox video game 'Halo 2,' composed primarily by Martin O'Donnell and Michael Salvatori. The score extends the choral and orchestral style of the original 'Halo,' with the iconic main theme rendered as the 'Mjolnir Mix' featuri...
Why this score?
Halo 2 soundtrack is iconic in game music, blending choral themes and rock collaborations with strong fan acclaim.
Scoring methodology
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Original Soundtrack is a five-disc album compiling the musical score from the 2017 Nintendo video game. Composed primarily by Manaka Kataoka, Yasuaki Iwata, and Hajime Wakai, the soundtrack breaks from traditional orchestral fantasy scores by utilizing minimal...
Why this score?
Sparse, dynamic Zelda score was initially divisive but now widely admired for restraint and integration.
Scoring methodology
The Last of Us soundtrack, by Gustavo Santaolalla, is a collection of instrumental pieces supporting the acclaimed video game of the same name. Primarily featuring acoustic guitar and subtle instrumentation, it creates an intensely emotional atmosphere reflecting the post-apocalyptic world and chara...
Street Fighter II: The Definitive Soundtrack is an audio compilation documenting the musical score of Capcom's influential 1991 arcade fighting game. The soundtrack features the original compositions created by Yoko Shimomura and Isao Abe, whose electronic stage themes are closely associated with th...
Why this score?
Street Fighter II themes are arcade-game music classics, globally recognizable and strongly influential.
Scoring methodology
The Final Fantasy VII Remake Original Soundtrack is the official musical score for the 2020 action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix. The soundtrack consists of newly arranged and original pieces built upon the 1997 compositions of Nobuo Uematsu. The score was primarily handle...
Why this score?
Ambitious remake soundtrack acclaimed for arrangements and scale; massive length and nostalgia dependence temper consensus.
Scoring methodology
The Transistor Original Soundtrack is the score to the 2014 sci-fi action role-playing game developed by Supergiant Games. Composed and produced by Darren Korb, it features vocal performances by Ashley Barrett, continuing their collaboration from the studio's previous title, Bastion. The music incor...
Why this score?
Transistor score praised for Ashley Barrett vocals and stylish electronic atmosphere; strong cult consensus.
Scoring methodology
The Bastion Original Soundtrack is the 2011 music album composed and produced by Darren Korb for the action role-playing game developed by Supergiant Games. Characterized by what Korb termed an "acoustic frontier trip-hop" style, the score blends acoustic guitar, strings, and electronic percussion t...
Why this score?
Bastion soundtrack helped establish Supergiant's music identity; strong indie-game acclaim and memorable songs.
Scoring methodology
The Silent Hill 3 Original Soundtracks album features the musical score for the survival horror video game Silent Hill 3, composed by Akira Yamaoka and released in 2003. The music blends dark ambient soundscapes with industrial rock elements, reflecting the game's psychological horror atmosphere. It...
Why this score?
Silent Hill 3 soundtrack adds acclaimed vocals and industrial atmosphere; strong fan reputation below SH2.
Scoring methodology
The Persona 4 Original Soundtrack is the official musical score for the 2008 PlayStation 2 role-playing game developed by Atlus. The music was primarily composed by Shoji Meguro, who shifted away from the darker tones of previous entries to create an upbeat, pop-rock oriented soundtrack. The album f...
Why this score?
Persona 4 soundtrack has strong fan love for pop-rock identity and vocal battle themes.
Scoring methodology
The Silent Hill Original Soundtracks is the official music album for the 1999 survival horror video game developed by Konami. The score was composed by Akira Yamaoka, who utilized a blend of industrial beats, dark ambient textures, and melancholic melodies to create a psychological horror atmosphere...
Why this score?
Akira Yamaoka's first Silent Hill score is influential horror ambience; rough textures are intentionally abrasive.
Scoring methodology
The Stardew Valley: Original Soundtrack is the official music album for the 2016 farming simulation role-playing game Stardew Valley. The game's creator, Eric Barone, composed and produced the entirety of the score himself. The music features primarily electronic, synthesized tracks that reflect the...
Why this score?
Eric Barone's self-composed soundtrack is warmly loved and strongly tied to game's cozy identity.
Scoring methodology
