I typically always listen to the music that comes with video games when I play. But I have friends who mute games, or they listen to their own selections not related to games.
I like to know what the game makers deemed to be good music and good accompaniment to their work, so that’s why I usually do. I like the idea of remember games by their game play, graphics, as well as music. When I hear game music of games I have played, it brings back memories, good, bad, or neutral.
I do think that listening to the game music while playing is an important part of experiencing the game as a whole.
That being said, I initiated this thread because I want to know a few things:
In our community here, what do people typically listen to when they play games, and here’s a poll for that:
Game Music that was built into each game
Other Video Game Music of your own choosing
Mute
Popular Music
Classical
Public Radio
Other
0voters
If you do not listen to the music intrinsic to the game, please let me know what you listen to.
Do you listen to game music outside of playing video games?
And now to the crux of the matter, I want some recommendations for video game music that you particularly enjoyed.
I suppose I should let everyone know that Final Fantasy 8 OST is always on my mobile device, I listen to it rather often when I am doing other things. But when I play games, I always listen to the intrinsic music supplied by the games.
In my opinion Dream of the Shore Bordering Another World is one of the most beautiful pieces of music in a videogame. There are so many wonderful covers of it…gutzalpus’ piano cover is great as is
I definitely have a few soundtracks that I liked to a surprising degree, but I have found innumerable uses for the Foul Play soundtrack.
I wanted to also indicate that some games are fun to play with music over them, but in those cases I just shuffle the Pandora, it isn’t necessarily that I have something I want to listen to, but I just want some noise over the game.
It depends on the game. If it’s a game like Poly Bridge (just a recent example that comes to mind), I will usually listen to an audiobook or podcast while playing. That’s not to say the soundtrack is bad, it’s just not integral to the experience. And after hearing it a few times it becomes repetitive.
This reminds me, didn’t someone once say they mute the entire game (music + sounds) ? Oh yeah, it was:
To which Gnuffi responded
As for great game soundtracks, a few that come to mind are: Jet Set Radio/Future, FTL, anything from Supergiant games, Castlvania: Symphony of the Night, Mega Man 2, DuckTales. Though I typically don’t listen to the OST outside of the game.
For me it depends on the kind of game I’m playing / how long I’ve been playing it for.
When I used to play a lot of Minecraft, I never used to listen to the music because you can only listen to the same thing for so long. Generally, I would probably listen to classical music or audiobooks if I’m chatting with people.
Also, if I’ve been spending a lot of time on a puzzle game or something I may get bored of the music and mute it and listen to something else.
Otherwise, if I’m playing pretty much any other type of game, I will happily listen to the game’s soundtrack.
Game soundtrack recommendations: Check out Machinarium’s soundtrack. Its beautiful. Also, just generally the music by Tomáš Dvořák.
For the most part, I don’t go digging for OSTs outside of the game unless it’s one that I really enjoy or it’s one that transcends the game’s experience on its own. For example - and here’s me showing my age again - back in the day I bought this one, because I not only loved the game, but I was big into the music scene: Wipeout 2097/XL soundtrack
And there was this one from the XenoGears OST that went into regular rotation on my MP3 player: Star of Tears
Beyond that, I generally haven’t bothered to load up the OSTs from the games I own, because most of them are atmospheric, instrumental stuff that I’m usually not too keen on listening to outside of the context of the game. Doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy them, just means that I’m not going to pick them over something else in my music library.
I typically just listen to the music that ships with the game because that’s what the creator intended to set the mood of what you’re playing. I’m not saying non-vanilla = bad, but imagine some of your favorite games with some random music playing. At least for me, it detracts from the experience. I would only change the music out for a game I don’t actually care for and am just grinding in… e.g. Warframe, Maple Story (read: games I pretty much don’t bother with)
Where is the option to switch to the music of your liking when the game music gets too repetitive? I usually do that when it’s some kind of game I play for long hours like ARPG/MMO farming and leveling time.
I mean, it definitely depends. In something like Heroes of the Storm(a game i have 500+ hours in at least) i usually find my favorite podcast or else i’ll find some good background jams while playing.
If the game is new, i’m ofcourse all ears for whatever it tells me. Music, dialogue, SFX, ambiance.
Especially if the core appeal is story or atmosphere based.
Like Telltale games, Oxenfree, or Witcher 3.(just the most recent examples on the top of my head)
That’s my take, more or less.
Here we go. I’m starting of here with just a few tracks, don’t wanna be too spammy right off the bat.
Gonna drop two for Killer instinct first, cuz it’s ost is that great.
That swedish viking choir.
The hypest workout music.
Guardian heroes.
This has a bunch of great gems. Was hard picking between this track or ‘toki’ off the ost, but this one got it for being bouncy and fun.
And… Warcraft 3. Because i could sleep to that entire soundtrack.
Never had a chance to play this game, so I was not familiar at all, thank you!
? Oh yeah, it was:
