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ResetEra Game Soundtracks of the Year 2018 - Voting Thread (READ THE OP)[Ends Jan. 26 23:59 EST]

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SatelliteOfLove

SatelliteOfLove

Member
Oct 26, 2017
7,966
South Carolina
I'm trying to pull back to soundtracks I have a full grasp on this year; the full 10 listing gets me to do partial soundtracks. I've also been playing a ton of games that have good but sparse or merely servicable soundtracks lately which also cuts into it. As a result, it's 3 for now unless I get thru OT.

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1. La Mulana 2 ~ (Takumi Naramura, Houryu Samejima, Hiroyuki Shimonaka)

Nigoro comes back with an even harder-driving drum-tastic aural assault that stands with their famed LM1 OST.



Nothing says "careful, intricate, and detailed problem solving accompaniment" than this raucus selection of elbow-throwing up-tempo blasts directly into your ears!

Fallin' Tower * From Nibiru * Valhalla Party * Rave into the End * In Yggdrasil * Since the Creation * Twined Malice

Special shoutout to Sword of Asgard that I'd feel is the best track of the year; from the sophisticated build to the mariachi trumpets to the Wu Tang radio edit touches, this track works better than anything else this year.

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2. Bard's Tale 4: Barrows Deep ~ (Ged Grimes, Gregor Philp, Nathan Long)

The oh-so Ghàidhlig warblings hit me deep in my soul; especially Cha D' fhuair mi'n Cadal and Iain Ghlinn Cuaich...



...the cadence alone is wilting...

Then those fire-spitting battle themes: O tha' N tombaca daor, Nighean Ruadh Bhàn, and Smeòrach Clann Dòmhnaill just kick so damn good and are finished off well at the end of battle for great fanfares. A nice touch.

And finally there's the incredibly wierd dungeon themes: good stuff.


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3. Zwei!! the Arges Adventure ~ (Atsushi Shirakawa, Hayato Sonoda, Wataru Ishibashi, Maiko Hattori)

A return to reliable game making and its subsequent game music making, Falcom made a soundtrack for Zwei!! that honestly brings to my mind the GOAT Chrono Cross quite a bit. Deep whole notes, heavenly swells, mournful melodies, and epic traversal themes tie both this soundtrack to Mitsuda's masterwork but itself together into a strong concept album-like whole.

Floating Continent Arges -Main Theme- * Pavel Gardens * Floating Continent Arges −Dream of Secret Treasure− * Fairies' Villiage * Aplieste Temple



WOW. If there's one thing that soundteam_JDK delivers, without fail and without mercy, it's stone cold epic final boss themes. Again, and again, and again.

It can also get rowdy and sophisticated like CC did but this time in different ways:

Caiaphas Woods * Kenopi Volcano * Supiri Ancient Labyrinth * Dark Temple of Espina * Mythical Land Serpentina

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4. Alliance Alive ~ (Masashi Hamauzu)

Following in the footsteps of Legend of Legacy, AA does that warbled, Steven Wilson-esque Era Hamauzu you loved from that all over again but perhaps a few steps slower tempo.

Understanding * Sealed Museum * Ignition * Flight

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5. Valkyria Chronicles 4 ~ (Hitoshi Sakimoto)

Sakimoto's famed Drums of War bound in but...less. Much more piano and flute here in the stronger pieces.

A Place to Rest * Just for Fun * State of Emergency
 
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FantasyZone

Member
Oct 25, 2017
345
1. Celeste
2. Delta Rune
3. Octopath Traveler
4. Lobotomy Corporation



5. Atelier Lydie & Suelle: The Alchemists and the Mysterious Paintings
 
Morrigan

Morrigan

Spear of the Metal Church
Member
Oct 24, 2017
34,371
Haven't finished my list yet, but I'm gonna give a vote for Vampyr if only for the music that plays when you Mesmerize a citizen and are about to devour them. It's seriously amazing.
 
HOSKINGJ

HOSKINGJ

Member
Jan 5, 2018
116
1. Florence

Specific tracks:
Florence
First Dates
Wake Up, Moving On

My favourite videogame soundtrack of all time, simply stunning. One of the best uses of music I've seen in any videogame - totally, seamlessly integrated into the story and even the design.
 
jb1234

jb1234

Very low key
Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,232
Wasn't really blown away by soundtracks this year but here's the highlights. I'll expand on this post later.

1. God of War
2. Octopath Traveler
3. Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon
4. The Alliance Alive
5. Celeste
 
Confused Cheeseburger

Confused Cheeseburger

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,891
  1. Red Dead Redemption 2 - A colossal and varied spectrum of western themes both assuredly twangy and surprisingly anachronistic. The dust stirring guitars of the game's music perfectly dot RDR2's world and the big moments land massively. D'Angelo's Unshaken is astonishingly powerful.
  2. Donut County - The ramshackle mix of glitchy drums, twinkling ukelele and blipping synths is a great blend that evokes Donut County's potent style.
  3. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - The sheer scale of game history present in Ultimate's music is an achievement in itself. Returning classics, and fantastic rearrangements continue to establish Smash Bros as the industry's greatest interactive museum.
  4. Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom - Brought together by legendary composers, Cursed Kingdom's music is filled with spirited, charasmatic earworm overtures that once defined Japanese gaming.
  5. The Messenger - Bumping and bombastic chiptune done in emulated FM synthesis to great effect.
 
Pellaidh

Pellaidh

Member
Oct 26, 2017
3,178
1. Destiny 2: Forsaken
I didn't really play that many games with memorable soundtracks this year. But Destiny 2 is the one that sticks out the most. The overall quality is great, and I also appreciate how it links music with storytelling, with the Dreaming City music getting more and more ominous and distorted as the city gets more and more corrupted.

Carol of a Golden Age
Forsaken
Keep of Voices/Corrupted Version
Riven of a Thousand Voices


2. DJMax Respect
A rhythm game is only as good as its music, and DJMax delivers. At its core, I don't think any of the songs are super great, but there's still a lot to love here. For one, there's a ton of variety in genres, although there might be a bit too much k-pop, and some songs still sound pretty good. Every song also gets a full music video, and some of them are surprisingly good considering you can't even really pay attention to them during gameplay.

But the one thing that really impressed me is how the music works with the gameplay. A lot of songs purposely incorporate several different musical lines, some of which are much trickier than others. One problem I always have with rhythm games is that playing them at easier difficulties sucks. Usually, the hardest level will incorporate all of the songs, and then easier levels just take some notes away, making it actually impossible to play to the rhythm of the song. So here, DJMax can switch between different rhythmic parts of the song depending on the difficulty, meaning you are always playing along to something concrete.

The rhythm patterns are all also pretty varied, which means that different songs can feel pretty different to play, which is always a plus.

Heavenly
Quixotic


3. Celeste
This isn't really the kind of music I'd listen to on its own, but it worked really well in the context of the game. And that's a pretty big achievement.

Confronting Myself


4. Cultist Simulator
This also doesn't really work as stand-alone music, but it's not really supposed to. It's supposed to provide the sort of creepy and mysterious atmosphere a game like Cultist Simulator needs. And it works fine for that.

Cerebral Strings


5. Persona 3: Dancing Moon Light
I'm not really a huge fan of some of the remixes. But at the end of the day, this is Persona 3 music, and you can't really make it sound bad.

When The Moon's Reaching Out Stars (Hideki Naganuma Remix)
Heartful Cry ( ATLUS Konishi Remix)


6. Persona 5: Dancing Star Night:
Mostly the same as the above, but with some key differences. First, I simply prefer P3 music to P5 music. Secondly, the soundtrack is a bit too reliant on remixing the same couple of songs. And most egregiously, they put the full final credits song into the game. That song is over seven minutes long, and quite frankly has no business whatsoever being in the game.

Life Will Change (Atlus Meguro Remix)
 
zashga

zashga

Losing is fun
Member
Oct 28, 2017
4,202
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1. Octopath Traveler - Easily my favorite soundtrack of the year. Octopath Traveler harkens back to the glory days of JRPG OSTs, with expansive melodies and driving battle themes. There's a lot of music here: eight themes each for overworld areas, battles, characters, towns (actually two sets of eight town themes)... and it's all fantastic. It's also creatively woven together, such as how each character gets their own jingle that transitions smoothly into boss battles. Octopath Traveler's OST also has lavish production values that belie its inspiration's more limited soundscapes. By the time you reach the final boss theme, which features an orchestra, chorus, rock percussion, and operatic solo vocals, you realize that the game has gone overboard in all the right ways. I played this game for close to a hundred hours, and I've probably listened to the music for another hundred hours after that.


2. Celeste - Celeste's soundtrack deftly threads the needle between the game's punishing challenge and introspective story. The level themes strike the right balance between ambience and keeping you in the zone, and each track progresses to match the escalation between different sections of that level. The result is sublime; I knew from the second level (see Resurrections, below) that I was in for something special. On top of that, there's a spectacular boss battle theme and some really endearing character and incidental themes. Celeste also takes a page from other indie games like Crypt of the Necrodancer and includes remixed level themes contributed by other musicians, which are ingeniously used for the remixed B- and C-side versions of each level. The end result is easily one of the very best soundtracks of the year.


3. Deltarune Chapter 1 - It's another Toby Fox OST, which directly translates to quality. Like Undertale, the Deltarune soundtrack has a pleasing variety of sounds, from chiptunes to electric guitar tracks. There's not quite as much here, but it's still easily one of the best game soundtracks of the year. Pray we get more chapters with music this good some day.


4. Wandersong - I have a lot of respect for Wandersong's soundtrack. The game encourages and often flat out requires you to noodle constantly on a simple musical scale wheel, so the OST often takes a bit of a back seat and can't be too strongly melodic. But, having said that, there is still a lot of good and memorable music in this game. Some of it somehow meshes well with the bard's amelodic vocal blasting, some of it explicitly happens during cutscenes or other times when you're not singing, and some of it is specifically built to suit the specific sounds you make when you play the game well (which means different things in different contexts). Overall I think it's quite impressive and very memorable, despite not having scads of tracks I can hum off the top of my head.


5. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - I'm never sure how to evaluate Smash Bros. soundtracks, since the standout tracks tend to be remixes and not strictly original. Still, the level of quality is so high that it would be criminal not to mention Ultimate in this list. This game is particularly notable for the many excellent third party tracks represented in its OST, particularly Mega man, Street Fighter, and Castlevania. With so many composers contributing and incredible variety of music, pretty much everyone is bound to find more than a little to love. All of the music from Melee, Brawl, and Smash 4 is also included. It's kind of nuts.


6. Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom - Monster Boy features music from some pretty big names, including Yuzo Koshiro, Michiru Yamane, and Motoi Sakuraba. The results are somewhat inconsistent, and I wasn't able to find any information on who composed which tracks, but there is some excellent music in this game, including some that appropriately sounds like lost Castlevania tracks.


7. Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk - I've had a soft spot for Tenpei Sato's quirkily grandiose music since the first Disgaea, so this soundtrack is like a nice, cozy blanket. The labyrinth themes are the stars of the show, which is good since you will hear them for dozens of hours as you literally bang your head against the wall(s) looking for a path forward.


8. Exapunks - I don't exactly play Zachtronics games for the music; it wouldn't surprise me if a lot of players actually turn it off to help concentrate on the puzzles. That said, in addition to the expected zone-y puzzle music, Exapunks is notable for its rockin title screen. Really helps establish that cyberpunk flavor right from the beginning.


9. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Torna The Golden Country - I haven't really played this game yet, which is why I don't want to say too much about the music either. Still, from what I've heard it's another extremely high quality OST with a mix of original compositions and drastically remixed tracks from Xenoblade 2. The generally jazzy, upbeat approach is interesting given how dark the DLC's story presumably is.


x. Final Fantasy XIV - I also want to give a quick shoutout to Final Fantasy XIV, which despite not having a major expansion release this year still added some pretty fantastic music as part of its regular patch schedule. It's pretty impressive, but I don't think it qualifies for voting in this thread.


Edit: Forgot about Labyrinth of Refrain!
 
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Evilisk

Evilisk

Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,360
Honorable Mentions

HM. Astro Bot Rescue Mission
I don't have VR and don't have any interest in getting it (for monetary reasons) but ended up getting into this game's soundtrack because of one trailer (with its cutesy theme about Astro Bot). What I've heard, I've liked, though since I haven't experienced it as it was intended (in-game), I don't think I could give it a full vote. I still recommend giving the game's tracks a listen, however.

I am ASTRO BOT
Decidedly Spooky
Discotree
Tite Mites (Crystal Caves)


HM. Dynasty Warriors 9
The only game I actually did play that released last year (I don't tend to buy games on release), Dynasty Warriors 9 being only an HM pick is for a completely different reason to Astro Bot.

Dynasty Warriors 9's actual soundtrack is actually quite good, with some solid generic / non-specific battle themes [Exiles], some stellar battle-specific tracks [Wall of Silence] and some decent orchestral tracks for out of battles (including orchestral remixes of the faction themes, a musical concept first introduced in the last mainline title).

The issue with the game's soundtrack lies purely in how the game itself uses the music. Dynasty Warriors 9 and its lacking open world are well known at this point, but what's not commonly known is its impact on the music. Previous games often had one track playing per battle, to go with the single battle structure of the game, but Dynasty Warriors 9 and its use of music is a lot more advanced, and like with the open world, at times its use of music can be confusing, unclear or not thought out.

The main issue that's really common is not getting to hear any theme other than that one generic battle theme ([the Awakening] which is good but not "I can definitely listen to this for 10+ hours" good). Another issue is the game suddenly switching tracks without any indicator as to what's caused this ("am I doing well? am I doing poorly? am I being ambushed? why did the music change??? dunno because the game doesn't tell you what causes these musical cues"). Even the battle-specific tracks during missions aren't safe, as I've had the main battle theme of a chapter suddenly changed to the generic battle theme because I've stepped too far out of a designated mission area.

All of this is terribly disappointing, as music is one the biggest reasons I still love the series, and Dynasty Warriors 9 has a kick-ass soundtrack with some real classics. As great as the tracks are, however, I just cannot condone the poor use of music within the game itself. While I cannot properly give a vote for this game here, I do think DW9 still does keep up the tradition of some kick ass, rocking tunes with some cool orchestral additions to account for the game's expanded scope, and I implore more folks (including fans displeased with how DW9 turned out) to give the soundtrack a whirl.

Into the Era (Menu Theme)
Dominant Drift
Super Solid Speedrun
Cry & Slash (Battle of Jieting)
Iron Monarch (Battle of New Hefei Castle)
Theme of Lu Bu -DW Epic Mix-
 
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Remk NG

Remk NG

Member
Apr 16, 2018
535
It's a shame that this isn't getting more posts, I'm still exploring music released last year so I'll post my list later.

Also there was a new Hideki Naganumea release? wth? why didn't anyone tell me!?
 
Joeshabadoo

Joeshabadoo

Member
Jan 3, 2019
982
Barely a peep about Gris in this lovely thread :/

1. Gris - Berlinist
Barcelonian chamber music group who have been tinkering and composing music for apps and art exhibitions over the last two years, primarily meant to just provide texture that doesn't distract from some other focus, absolutely hit it out of the park in their official OST debut. A masterful blend of character themes, interludes that sync up with momentous in game events, and longer form ambient compositions designed to loop seemlessly and dynamically evolve as the player hits checkpoints in the game's main areas. They also handled all of the SFX design to ensure that various player actions/inputs are perfectly wooven into the score, harmony. Highly listenable on it's own, but crucial in the overall artistic statement that is Gris. Easy top choice.
Windmill
Firmament
In Your Hands

For my other picks, others in this thread have already said what needs to be said about them as good or better than I could, and provided solid examples

2 - Florence
3 - Celeste
4 - Smash Ultimate
5 - Splatoon 2 Octo Expansion
6 - Tetris Effect
7 - Octopath Traveler
8 - Donut County
9 - The Messenger
 
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Jintor

Jintor

Saw the truth behind the copied door
Member
Oct 25, 2017
32,433
I didn't play a huge amount of games last year, but I guess that's true every year, but I had some thoughts on the ones I did play.

1. Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion
Expanding Splatoon's already eclectic music world out into the depths of dubstep, electronica and other octarian weirdness paid off, as did the choice to front and centre Off the Hook and their righteous, beautiful melodies. Standouts: Nasty Majesty, Party, Fly Octo Fly

2. Super Smash Brothers Ultimate
What can you even say when Nintendo decides to throw as many star composers as it can at as many songs as possible from all across the gaming world, plus the standouts from the last four times they did it? Truly awesome. Standouts: Gang Plank Galleon, Out of Time, Kass's Theme

3. Deltarune
Toby Fox does it again in inimitable style, which even for a chapter one has some real bangers. Standouts: Field of Hopes and Dreams, Rude Buster, Chaos King

4. Tetris Effect
Okay I haven't really listened to it outside of the game yet, waiting for the official OST, but it's some transcendental stuff in-game. Standouts: Yours Forever

5. Xenoblade 2: Torna, the Golden Country
More like Torna, the Jazzy Country. Standouts: Main Title Theme, Battle Theme, Gormotti (Torna), Drifting Souls (Violin)

6. XCOM 2: Legacy Pack
Firaxis deserves credit not only for putting out the option to have the XCOM1, XCOM2 or XCOM:Legacy OST in-game but also for simply making this fantastic soundtrack that captures the spirit of the original while making it work in the new game's world. Standouts: Intercept, Geoscape, UFO Defence.

7. Dragonball Fighterz
One of those weird OSTs where I liked the overall effect but couldn't really tell you which songs I actually liked off it. I guess I was into the Vegeta, Hit, Android 16.



HM. Lethal League Blaze
I can't actually vote for this in good conscience since i didn't actually play the game, but fuck me, how good is the Naganuma song? AIN'T NOTHING BUT A FUNKY BEAT

HM: Yakuza Zero: Not eligible for this year but I'm late to this particular party.
Games I wish I played for the music probably: Dragalia Lost, Red Dead, Celeste, Into the Breach
 
Segafreak

Segafreak

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,756
1. Red Dead Redemption 2 - Album of the Year, OST of the decade, perhaps too good for a video game production even
2. God of War - best main theme of the series, a shame most of the epic ost is hidden away in the credits
3. Astrobot - haven't played it but listened to the songs, catchy
4. Tetris Effect - kecak stage level is so good
 
EarthPainting

EarthPainting

Member
Oct 26, 2017
3,877
Town adjacent to Silent Hill
  1. Octopath Traveler - This game to me was mostly its music and combat, so it's no surprise it ranked this high. Everyone's got their own instrument taking the lead, which is always nice to sell a character. What I found incredibly satisfying about this game though, is how it transitions into boss battles. The game has a couple of really clever loops that it can use to pace the music to its dialogue.
  2. Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom - One of the very last games I played in 2018, but one that skyrocketed all the way to number two. Its soundtrack is pretty varied, but all different flavours of great. It probably has some of my absolute favourite tracks of the year.
  3. 428: Shibuya Scramble - Shibuya Scramble is basically Cliffhangers: The Game, and that would get tiresome and frustrating very quickly if your emotions weren't properly guided. As you can tell by its placement, the game does a stellar job directing itself and you. Certainly the most 'Ace Attorney' soundtrack I've heard in quite a while.
  4. Delta Rune - You know you've got a solid year when Toby Fox can release a game and it doesn't rank in my top 3. That's not to say it's got anything bad or below expectation. Everything that's there is great, and I can't wait until the rest comes out.
  5. Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna - The Golden Country - It's basically more Xenoblade 2, but with some jazzy flair. Can't go wrong here.
  6. Yoku's Island Express - Pleasant, and relaxing, perfectly complementing the mood of the game it came from.
  7. La Mulana 2 - While I probably still prefer the La Mulana 1 soundtrack, its sequel goes in hard, and doesn't disappoint.
  8. The Alliance Alive - I typically like Hamazu's work a lot, but this was a little bit of a mixed bag. While there are some interesting tracks peppered throughout, a lot of them do not really develop a lot. This can make the music sound a little repetitive.
  9. The Bard's Tale IV: Barrows Deep - This isn't the largest soundtrack, but certainly one of the more unique sounding games of the year.
  10. Iconoclasts - I have a soft spot for games made by pretty much a single person, and while Sandberg's biggests strengths lie elsewhere, the music certainly delivered. I played this hot off the heels of Mega Man 11, which was a massive disappointment in its music to me, and it made me realise Iconoclasts gave me what I wanted from Capcom.
 
OP
OP
Grexeno

Grexeno

Sorry for your ineptitude
Member
Oct 25, 2017
24,782
Just a reminder that there is only a week left to vote.
 

Deleted member 4037

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6,989
  1. Octopath Traveler
    By far the best original soundtrack of the year, so many great and memorable tunes from the moment you boot up the title screen to the battle themes. Its got a lot going for it in terms of catchy tunes you wont be able to get out of your head.
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  2. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 ~ Torna
    A DLC so a little lower, but damn is XC2 music amazing and this is no different, there is a lot to love on this one.
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  3. Blazblue cross tag battle
    While most are from their respective games, there are a few new songs and mixes here and there that I like it enough to put it on the list
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  4. Yakuza 6
    Yakuza music is kind of underrated because of how bombastic everything else is. I think it deserves a nod at the very least.
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Kangi

Kangi

Profile Styler
Member
Oct 25, 2017
3,949
  1. Celeste - A soundtrack so good it's almost overwhelming, but instead makes you not mind dying over and over again. A very special mention to in love with a ghost, which may very well be the best track to accompany a single video game level.
  2. Kirby: Star Allies - Is Kirby music ever not good? The answer is no, of course, and Star Allies is no exception. Hyness stands out as a perfectly creepy little melody that sets the stage for one of the series' most disturbing villains.
  3. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - Pure volume necessitates its inclusion in my list. Shout-out to doing a second Magicant remix that's distinct from the other instead of, like, doing another same-y Snowman remix.
 
ASaiyan

ASaiyan

Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,228
Thanks for making this thread OP! Here are my picks for 2018:
  1. God of War - The Game of the Year really did have the Soundtrack of the Year as well. Bear McCreary's wailing Nordic orchestra really helped set the mood of this incredible game.
    Notable Tracks: God of War | Ashes
  2. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - Picking Smash for one of these lists almost feels like cheating. But how can a game with over 900 songs from across gaming history not be nominated? Even the original remixes are incredible, so I think this is earned.
    Notable Tracks: Lifelight (E3 Version) | Bloody Tears/Monster Dance (Remix)
  3. Far Cry 5 - This is the Sleeper Best Soundtrack of 2018. You may not expect much from a Far Cry game, but Dan Romer's pseudo-religious choir songs will suck you in. Seriously, take a listen to these two sample tracks if you don't believe me.
    Notable Tracks: Help Me, Faith (Choir) | We Will Rise Again (Choir)
  4. Pokemon: Let's Go, Pikachu/Eevee! - Junichi Masuda and Go Ichinose are gods of video game composing, and they've finally made our dreams come true: an official orchestration the original RBY soundtrack! Headphones on, y'all.
    Notable Tracks: Cerulean City | Trainer Battle
  5. Ys VIII - If you know Ys, you know what to expect from Falcom's sound team. Crushingly-good guitar tracks that overshadow the areas they play in, let's go!! As it turns out, there are some beautiful non-rock tracks here too.
    Notable Tracks: Sunshine Coastline | Lacrimosa of DANA (Opening Ver.)
  6. Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom - It's not quite as good as the original's soundtrack, but it's Joe freaking Hisaishi from Studio Ghibli. Do I need to say more? [NOTE: Forgive the crappy samples; best YouTube can do it seems >_<]
    Notable Tracks: Goldpaw | Hydropolis
  7. SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS - The quintessential "art" game. Somehow even the soundtrack has been remade to be more beautiful than ever before. Headphones on!
    Notable Tracks: The Opened Way | Counterattack
  8. Yakuza Kiwami 2 - Yakuza games always seem to have a good soundtracks. But the horn on that battle theme is way better than it has any right to be.
    Notable Tracks: Outlaw's Lullaby | A Scattered Moment
  9. Red Dead Redemption 2 - Captures the feel of the Wild West admirably. Dat D'Angelo track tho.
    Notable Tracks: Train Heist | May I? (Stand Unshaken)
  10. Minit - Thanks for reminding me of Minit OP! Everything about that game was short, but sweet. The music is no different.
    Notable Tracks: Awakening | Alarming Swamp
 
Young Liar

Young Liar

Member
Nov 30, 2017
3,421
1. Donut County
Daniel Koestner, Ben Esposito
Raccoon House Music


Bird of Paradise
Quack Anthem

2. Celeste
Lena Raine
Mirror Temple (Mirror Magic Mix)


Resurrections
Confronting Myself

3. Return of the Obra Dinn
Lucas Pope
Soldiers of the Sea


The End
The Doom

4. Vampyr
Olivier Deriviere
Rich Neighborhoods


Twisted Tango
Secrets

5. Florence
Kevin Penkin
Florence
Exploration
Wake up, Moving On

6. Iconoclasts
Joakim Sandberg
Greater Good
Mother
Moonlight

7. Red Dead Redemption 2
Woody Jackson and Various Artists
Unshaken
Cruel, Cruel World
House Building Theme
 
Vitet

Vitet

Member
Oct 31, 2017
2,573
Valencia, Spain
1. Octopath Traveler
This was an experience I needed to live for myself since the moment I saw that amazingly strange visual style. And the music just follows you with an equal balance between old-school RPG music and the amazing production of a nowadays big hit. It's uplifting and adventurous as no one can reach this year.
Tressa, the Merchant
Perfectly captures the personality of Tressa and has an amazing clarinet. Could not resist.
The Flatlands
Perfect for exploration, peaceful and pretty melodies. As most of the soundtrack, I think is pretty unique nowadays and has amazing tones that reminds me of old-school RPG music a lot.
Main Theme
This theme amazed me the second I heard it on the reveal trailer, It was so amazing I arranged it for a small VG band we have even before the game come out. The sense of adventure is wonderful in this track.

2. Celeste
An amazing soundtrack, I'm not posting any B-side remixes but they're amazing as well, and is one of the most memorable VG soundtracks I listened recently. Hearing the tracks again for this voting just remembered me how much I recall all of its tracks and melodies.
First Steps
The first 'real' track you hear on the game captured me from the first seconds. It tells you many things: you're on an amazing journey, you're being encouraged to do awesome things and you will hear a lot of melodies, synths, great ostinatos and atmospheric music at its top.
Spirit of Hospitality
This amazing almost-a-fugue, with the harpsichord-like synth enamored me and the constant play between each melody put you on the necessary tension for the level.
Confronting Myself
The build-up of this track with all the chanting following the events of the game is superb. You just want to help Madeline to surpass her limits by surpassing your limits on the game.
Reach for the Summit
This is it, you're "last" climb, you are reaching the top, you won all your fears to be there and you are on your way to climb the mountain at last. And the music tells you all of this amazingly. It starts epic, with a constant sense of tension and encouragement, then the main theme you heard on First Steps comes in with the piano and you get all your strength to complete this feat.

3. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
This game has some of the most amazing Nintendo tracks ever made. Sure, most/all of them are from past games but, how can we ignore the package as a whole? Anyway I'm posting only new music/new remixes examples.
Battle against Light and Dark
Amazingly mixes the two previous boss themes, using choirs, orchestra and much more, and plays a lot with the main theme in a epic track that summarizes your travel thru the spirit mode. Great
Gang-Plank Galleon
One of my most loved tracks from DKC, it starts a bit weak for my tastes, but the trumpets on the second section won me easily.
Kass's Theme
Kass is one of my favorite characters in BotW, along with his music. The complete version of his theme has me listening to it for hours, and this remix with the rhythmic mixups and ethnic style won me over instantaneously.
 
NSA

NSA

Avenger
Oct 27, 2017
3,892
1. Red Dead Redemption 2
2. Far Cry 5
3. Kingdom: Two Crowns
4. Battlefield V
 
nStruct

nStruct

The Fallen
Oct 26, 2017
3,139
Seattle, WA
  1. Red Dead Redemption 2
  2. The Messenger
  3. God of War
  4. Celeste
  5. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
  6. Astro Bot: Rescue Mission
  7. Yoku's Island Express
  8. Tetris Effect
 
GustyGardner

GustyGardner

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,443
1. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Crocodile Cacophony
We're Robots (Dr. Wily Stage 2)
Simian Segue / Bonus Room Blitz
2. Kirby Star Allies
Nature's Navel
Star Lavadom
Shadowy Partners (Olive Ocean)
3. Guacamelee 2
Infierno
Prisón El Corazón
Temple de la Serpiente
4. Celeste
Mirror Temple (Mirror Magic Mix)
Confronting Myself
Reach for the Summit
5. Delta Rune
The World Revolving
Chaos King
Field of Hopes & Dreams
6. Xenoblade 2: Torna, the Golden Country
Auresco, Royal Capital (Day)
Kingdom of Torna (Day)
Gormott
7. Yoku's Island Express
Yoku Taidua and the Village
Welcome to Mokumana Beach
Beeline
8. Pokémon Let's Go Eevee & Let's Go Pikachu
Cinnabar Island
Encounter! (Wild Pokémon)
Vermillion City
9. Spyro: Reignited Trilogy
Jacques
Enchanted Towers
Fireworks Factory
 
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Leeness

Leeness

Member
Oct 27, 2017
7,868
1. Detroit: Become Human
Incredible soundtrack, I'm still listening to it. All three composers did an excellent job making unique sounds for each character. Stand outs for me are Kara Main Theme, Connor Main Theme, and This is the End. But I'm usually down to listen to the whole thing.
2. Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna - The Golden Country
Make me cry, Xenoblade. Only 12 tracks, but all great. Battle, Auresco (Night), and Moment of Eternity are all great.
3. Florence
The game is pretty much built around the music. The whole thing is excellent. Here's a playlist!
 

Marukoban

Self-requested ban
Banned
Oct 29, 2017
2,298
Only got 2 games that stood out for me from 2018 in terms of soundtracks:
1. Octopath Traveler
An ode to classic JRPG soundtrack style, yet at the same time also push forward with orchestral arrangement.
I read threads in other modern JRPG recently and one of the complaint there is how that particular JRPG use the same battle music for the whole 60-100 hours duration of the game. Octopath has 3 different OST just for normal battle and they are all awesome.
One of my favorite soundtrack from the last 5 years.
The Riverland Theme
Primrose Theme
They Who Govern Reason

2. Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna - The Golden Country
This DLC has amazing OST, but I gave the 1st spot to Octopath because it has more tracks.
Also some of the tracks in Torna are literally the same one from the main game.
Even still, for a DLC, the effort put into OST is admirable.
Auresco, Royal Capital (Day)
Battle Theme
 
Arion

Arion

Member
Oct 26, 2017
1,807
1. God of War

Eivør's performance in certain tracks in God of War absolutely blew me away. Even though I don't understand any of the lyrics it really struck a chord with me. I looked it up afterwards and the language she is singing in is Faroese, a north Germanic language only spoken by 72,000 people in the whole world. It's no wonder that I though God of War's soundtrack was unlike anything I've heard before. It exquisitely highlighted many of the key moments throughout the game, from awe-inspiring spectacle to deeply human introspection. I still listen to certain songs on a regular basis almost a year after playing the game. Superb work by Bear McCreary and all others involved.



2. Tetris Effect

When I first heard this song in the trailer revealing the game, I knew this game was going to be something special. That is the power of this game's soundtrack. It's equal parts unorthodox, uplifting and transfixing.



3. Yakuza 6: The Song of Life

Listening to the voice of a hardened crime man singing a song about community and the joy of living is a good time.

 
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shredfearn

shredfearn

Member
Jan 10, 2019
2
Got two or three here that I don't think have been mentioned yet...

1. FAR: Lone Sails - Joel Schoch
"Straddling composition, ambient and jazz, FAR: Lone Sails is a refreshing, unexpected breeze on a warm spring day. We feel the weight of solitude and the decay of abandoned industry, inert machines – an eeriness intoned through droning cello and faltering ivories. But even in such moments, a syncopated rhythm, polyphonous string section or trumpet solo will extend a hand, willing us onward. And when the engine roars – as in the climactic, chugging cello of "Drive It!" – it feels like both vehicle and composer will be unstoppable forces."
(Available here)
2. Celeste - Lena Raine
3. Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon - Michiru Yamane et al
4. Into the Breach - Ben Prunty
5. Ni no Kuni II - Joe Hisaishi
6. The Gardens Between - Tim Shiel
7. Banner Saga 3 - Austin Wintory
8. Octopath Traveler - Yasunori Nishiki
9. Octahedron - various artists
10. Minit - Jukio Kallio

For those interested, a friend and I compiled and commented on our 20 favourite OSTs of 2018 on A Closer Listen (highly regarded instrumental music website) - that's where the FAR: Lone Sails extract comes from : )
 
Vampirolol

Vampirolol

Member
Dec 13, 2017
5,825
  1. Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna - The Golden Country
    Jazzy Epic Kickass soundtrack, probably the best I've heard in a JRPG.
  2. Super Smash Bros Ultimate
    F-Zero Medley alone makes it one of the best.
  3. Splatoon 2 Octo Expansion
  4. God of War
  5. Pokémon Let's Go
 
Darth Smurf X

Darth Smurf X

Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,038
Hoth, WI
  1. Detroit: Become Human
    Philip Sheppard, Nima Fakhrara, John Paesano
    Kara
    Run With Me
    I Am Markus

  2. Marvel's Spider-man
I usually don't take the time to vote for soundtracks, but I had to this year because Detroit's was just too good not to recognize. Kara's theme alone is so stinkin' good, let alone the other 2 distinct themes for the other main characters. It's one of the few soundtracks I'd actually buy and listen to outside of the game.

Also, Spider-man.
 
StarPhlox

StarPhlox

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,392
Wisconsin
  1. Celeste
  2. Tetris Effect
  3. Octopath Traveler
  4. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
  5. Gris
  6. Mega Man 11
  7. Donut County
  8. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 ~ Torna: The Golden Country
  9. Dead Cells
  10. Astro Bot
 
krossj

krossj

Member
Dec 4, 2017
371
1. Octopath Traveler - The music flowed incredibly well with the environments/ characters and conveyed those visual depictions so well it gave the game an overall aesthetic and feel that you don't find that often these days. I'm fond of the general bombastic film or more ambient soundtracks and the chiptune approaches with games but this is wonderful and unique in how it all goes so well with the visual design. Feels like an approach that used to be taken with rpgs but tackled in a new way.

The Frostlands, Sunlands, Riverlands are a Few examples of area themes that conveyed those environments brilliantly in atmosphere and mood. I feel the character themes encapsulate the motives of each really well, Ophelia, Olberic and Primroses being some of the highlights and the way all the characters final chapter themes play into the battle music is really well done especially with Tressa's final chapter.

It's just so good In game and for a casual listening, it feels like a blend of older RPG games approaches but with enough of a new feel to make it beautiful on its own.

Main Theme
The Frostlands
My Quiet Forest Home
The Sunlands
For Treasure/ Decisive Battle II

2. Minit - I really enjoyed how the music had an explorative feel to it while also helping contribute to the fast, run based nature of the game. Minits Awakening is a great example of this with how it transitions between being slow paced and then a quicker tempo and similarly with the Sabasaba desert track which reminded me of the tal tal mountain track from Links Awakening in a way and all the visual nods to the Zelda series in general were nicely done. The bar jukebox also had some fun micro tracks.

The sword factory, and that final boss theme that goes all out in its own unique way was great. There isn't a huge amount there with it being a short game but I thoroughly enjoyed what was there and how it accompanied the gameplay.

Minits Awakening
Sabasaba Desert
Sharp Buisness

3. Soul Calibur VI - The menu music! Not that there is anything wrong with the soundtrack as a whole, it's good with some great tracks but the menus were beautiful. Wether it was in one of the modes, scrolling through the option, waiting in the network section it just struck me how relaxing and chill the tracks were and how well they fit the overall theme of the game. Here is a brief collection of the tracks.

Main Menu
Network

Honourable Mentions

Tetris Effect - It sounds and looks incredible. I played the demo but I've just not picked it up yet, partially because I'm trash at Tetris in general. Really enjoyed how the music built with the gameplay and even from the trailer I've enjoyed the music involved with the Yours Forever track. So yeah I've just not played through it yet but looking forward to doing so. Hope they release a soundtrack at some point soon.

The Deep - Yours Forever
Ritual Passions - Flames

God of War - I haven't finished it but the music went a long way in helping compliment the beautiful art direction at points of the game. It does feel a lot like other soundtracks of similar base material but the main theme and the Ashes track are beautiful and worked very well within the game.

God of War
Ashes
 
ohlawd

ohlawd

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
2,307
Phantagrande
  1. Octopath Traveler ; The character-dependent transitions into Decisive Battle II is so freaking sick.
  2. Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna - The Golden Country ; Jazzy Gormott theme. I wonder what Mor Ardain would have sounded like in this game.


    Battle Theme
  3. The Alliance Alive ; Masashi Hamauzu, man.


    Rainy World
 
ScreamingMadden

ScreamingMadden

Member
May 5, 2018
7,353
  1. Celetes
  2. Octopath Traveler
  3. Wandersong
  4. Super Smash Bros Ultimate
  5. Return of the Obra Dinn
  6. Yoku's Island Express
  7. Donut County
  8. Into the Breach
Those are the 8 OST's that stood out to me.
 
John Rabbit

John Rabbit

Member
Oct 25, 2017
10,114
  1. The Tetris Effect -A beautiful mix of multiple genres of music, all tinged with electronic style. There are more than a handful of excellent compositions in this game that would stand on their own outside of the experience. I even love the jazz stage!
    Noboru Mutoh
    Dolphin Surf: You and I
    Ritual Passion: Flames (this one in particular on expert is....amazing)
    Metamorphosis: Always Been, But Never Dreamed

  2. Starlink: Battle for Atlas - This soundtrack just fits this game like a glove. Moving from ambient and ethereal to orchestral and synthesized, the music in Starlink is at times a little understated in the game itself, but I found myself constantly turning the music volume higher and the sound effects lower during my playthrough. It embodies the "alien adventure in an alien land" vibe perfectly.
    Trevor Yulie
    Overcome
    Drake Attack
    Our Crew

  3. Rym 9000 - This is mostly a showcase of how awesome Roex is as a musician, but their Evangelion-flavored brand of synthwave is sublime for this hyper-kinetic and stylish AF shmup.
    Roex
    Advance
    Geofront
    Virus Pt. 1

  4. Return of the Obra Dinn - This game does so much heavy lifting with its sound and music. The soundtrack to Obra Dinn manages to feel "high seas adventure!" without being too heavy-handed or shlocky. Also the sound of those bells will haunt me forever.
    Lucas Pope
    Menu
    Loose Cargo
    The Calling

  5. Dead Cells - While this game will endlessly be compared and contrasted with it's obvious influences, one of the areas Dead Cells most strongly plants a flag is in its music. Surprisingly evocative and varied, the music manages an ideal blend of the hook-y and melodic style of a Castlevania, but also establishes a strong sense of place and atmosphere with it's instrumentation (not unlike Obra Dinn).
    Yoann Laulan
    Prisoner's Awakening
    The Village People
    Clock Tower
 
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