Memorable Music in Gaming #49

For my third and final edition of my Dungeons & Dragons Memorable Music articles I’ve been pulling from games that are pretty old now. It’s a testament to how good these soundtracks were then, and still are today. Gameplay has evolved, graphics have gotten better, but the music has aged flawlessly over the years, evoking powerful memories and emotions whenever I hear them play.

Neverwinter Nights – Forest Boss

This song just hits my nostalgia hard. The beginning just has this sense of scale that makes you think of an epic, grand battle about to take place, but even midway through, there’s a shift in the tempo that somehow makes everything feel just that much more amazing to me.

Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn – Jaheira’s Romance Theme

While so many of the songs in this series drive hard and fast to create a sense of urgency during big, bombastic battles, there’s a lot to be said about some of the quieter, more emotional songs, such as this one.

Planescape: Torment – Deionarra’s Theme

Haunting, sad, and a little unusual – this song in many ways encompasses this unique game itself.

Icewind Dale 2 – Skeleton of a Town

The twinkling sounds at the start remind of the snowy fields of Icewind Dale, before giving way to a more sweeping song that I could listen to on repeat while writing stories of fantastic lands – or simply recalling my adventures in this one.

  

Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance – Ciraxis the White Dragon

Perhaps not the most challenging boss fight, but any time a white dragon is involved, there’s a greater sense of awe involved, and Ciraxis was certainly an entertaining battle with an excellent musical score to back the encounter up.

These are just some of the many songs that come to mind when I think of Dungeons & Dragons games, and this really just touched on the old Bioware titles from years ago. Not the really old Gold Box games, or the newer titles like the MMO Neverwinter Nights (which has a fantastic soundtrack as well). Any of your favorites in here, or glaring omissions? Thanks for reading!

Article by: Nick