Memorable Music in Gaming #57

This week we’re all about the unsettling side of the soundtrack. These 5 are a masterclass in using a cacophony of sounds to create a vibe that at once screams “You’re not welcome here. Turn back before it’s too late!”

Megaman X7 | PS2 | Soul Asylum

Look at the name. It’s called Soul Asylum. Is it any surprise it sounds the way it does?

I’m not familiar with the lore of Mega Man, so I’m not sure how well this fits with the philosophy of the X series. Its repetitive tones, however, are effective in setting an unnerving vibe.

Mega Man X7 OST, T14: Soul Asylum - Crimson Palace Stage 2

Half Life 2 | PC | Radio

To me the Seven Hour War is perhaps this series’ scariest narrative. Think about it: the entirety of Earth and its denizens under the absolute control of the Combine in one average school day.

If the Combine Theme is successful in conjuring up images of the alien army winning the battlefield; then Radio is all about the post-apocalyptic aftermath of their brutal success.

The distorted scream alone is enough to give one proper nightmares.

Half life 2 - Radio scary extended

Silent Hill 3 | PS2 | Prayer

Don’t act surprised, you knew Mr. Yamaoka would be on the list when you read the intro.

Throat singing is never not cool. This style of singing just fits the atmosphere of Silent Hill. It sounds motivated and driven, like there’s a ritualistic purpose to all this.

I also urge you to listen to Nature Ganganbaigal’s segment in the heavy metal choir from Doom Eternal.

Silent Hill 3 OST - Prayer

Earthbound | SNES | Giygas

Giygas terrifies me—not just as an antagonist, but because of what it represents. It's an abstract, unknowable force. The boss fight isn't against a character; it's against the entire screen.

If I were a sentient audio format, this is the last theme I'd want to encounter in a dark alley.

Earthbound / Mother 2 Soundtrack: Final Battle (Giygas)

Control | PC | Metamorphosis

Control’s soundtrack is one of the best out there. The entire thing is hollow and stark, very much like the Brutalist architecture so prevalent in the game.

I find it cool that Martin Stig Andersen - one half of the composer duo - is allowed to live out his signature audio design that he perfected in Limbo and Inside.

Metamorphosis - Control Original Soundtrack

Article by:  Hamza

 

 

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Memorable Music in Gaming #53

This week, we’re all about celebrating the third entries in some long-running franchises. If the second game’s job is to build on the success of the first, then the third gets stuck with the tricky task of living up to the hype of both and carrying the legacy forward.

Hopefully our selection this week might make you appreciate these games even that much more.

Max Payne 3 | PC | Dead

Say what you will about the game, but there's no denying the soundtrack by Health is an absolute banger. A stark departure from the neo-noir vibes of the first two titles, Max Payne 3 dives into a new art direction that could only be elevated by industrial noise. Thankfully, that's exactly what they went with.

If bands like Portishead or Imminent Starvation, or composers like Paul Leonard-Morgan, are in your daily rotation, this one’s right up your alley.

DEAD

DOOM 3 | PC | Main Theme

Seems like I was always destined to be a Tool fan. Growing up, I played this theme on loop without realizing there was already a progressive rock band doing this full-time. Now, not only is Tool in my top 5 bands of all time, this theme is one of my top 5 most-played video game tracks.

It shares plenty of DNA with Tool’s Lateralus, but also stands tall on its own merits. It was, after all, composed by Tweaker, a band co-founded by Chris Vrenna of Nine Inch Nails fame.

Tweaker - Doom 3 Theme (Doom Eternal gamerip, highest quality)

GTA III | PC | Main Theme

I belong to that nearly-extinct minority who thinks GTA III is still the best mainline 3D GTA title ever. Yes, San Andreas and Vice City have excellent storytelling, and IV and V are unforgettable in their own rights, there’s a certain je ne sais quoi to the one that kickstarted the modern sandbox genre.

GTA III comes from a time when the world was reeling from the Y2K scare, and when 3D in gaming was beginning to be the norm, so there’s a rather different feel to this game. This opening theme is a near perfect encapsulation of what the underlying philosophy of GTA is all about.

For a game centered around violent acts, this is one soothing piece of music.
 
GTA III FULL Theme HQ

Silent Hill 3 | PC | End Of Small Sanctuary

At this point is it even a surprise anymore to see any Akira Yamaoka-penned music from Silent Hill on any “best / memorable music” article?

End of Small Sanctuary, as the name and its usage in the game implies, is the safe-space music from the soundtrack. It’s meant to make you relax before you plunge into the horrors of Silent Hill. It is also at-once nostalgic and makes you reminisce about the good ol’ days of Good Riddance and 3 Doors Down.

Silent Hill 3 OST - End Of Small Sanctuary

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 | Sega Genesis | Ice Cap Zone Act 1

Simple, catchy, groovy—there’s not much to say about this track other than how unapologetically feel-good it is.

Ice Cap Zone (Act 1) - Sonic the Hedgehog 3 [OST]

 

Article by: Hamza

 

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