Music has always played an important role in video games, whether we realize it or not. After all, music can aid in the creation of immersion, the control of a player’s emotion, and the establishment of the tone of the story being told.
Because musical tracks also work in conjunction with graphics, lighting, and effects to create the overall atmosphere of a game, video game developers today place equal emphasis on music composition and regard it as an essential component of the game’s overall experience.
Most importantly, many of these musical tracks sound fantastic when played outside of their respective games and can be enjoyed as a pleasant listening experience on their own, which is especially helpful during these trying times when many of us are stuck at home during lockdown.
Whether you are a casual or a hardcore gamer, video game music has always been and will continue to be both a look into the past and a road to the future, with something that everyone can appreciate and enjoy.
Now, without further ado, here are 12 video game soundtracks that you should consider including in your Work From Home playlist on the popular music streaming service Spotify. We’ve taken the liberty of recommending some well-known titles as well as some less well-known titles that may have slipped under your radar previously.
UNDERTALE
Toby Fox, the creator of this highly successful indie game as well as the composer of the game’s official soundtrack, is the man behind the success of this game. Undertale is a traditional role-playing game in which no one is required to be injured, and fighting is completely unnecessary in order to progress. Listening to the musical tracks will fill you with happiness and nostalgia, and some fans have stated that the diverse range of songs, which matches up to every mood, is ideal for studying and working while listening to the tracks. You might even be compelled to play Undertale for the umpteenth time after reading this. The soundtrack is available to listen to on Spotify.
PERSONA 5
Persona 5 is widely regarded as the best entry in the series to date, and it is well-known for its compelling story, incredible sense of style, and fantastic soundtrack. It contains 110 tracks from the game, which were originally distributed across three discs. In addition to being composed by Shoji Meguro, the song also features additional compositions by Toshiki Konishik, Kenichi Tsuchiya, Ryota Kozuka, and Atsushi Kitajoh, as well as vocals by Lyn Inaizumi. If you enjoy Persona 5’s jazz and hip hop-inspired beats, you’ll be pleased to know that all of these songs are now available to listen to on Spotify.
COFFEE TALK
Coffee Talk, developed by the Indonesian studio Toge Productions, features an awesomely chill soundtrack composed by Indonesian composer Andrew Jeremy. The OST’s soothing lo-fi beats are perfect for those who are confined to their homes during quarantine, and they may even make some of you long for a hot cup of coffee while listening to these tunes at your favorite coffeeshop while in quarantine. The soundtrack is available to listen to on Spotify.
LEAGUE OF LEGENDS
The world’s most popular MOBA title has amassed an impressive collection of musical tracks over the course of its history. Creating a wide variety of musical content for League of Legends, the Riot Games music team is responsible for everything from in-game music to cinematics, music videos, and live events. However, the songs written in collaboration with bands such as Imagine Dragons, The Glitch Mob, Against the Current, and K/DA are likely to be the most memorable of the album’s songs. You can listen to the entire soundtrack on Spotify.
CELESTE
‘Celeste’ is a fantastic platforming game with an equally emotional story to go along with it. Along with the passionate, relatable story told there, the beautiful art and adaptive music of the titular Celeste Mountain will completely transport players to another world. The music and sound effects are particularly noteworthy for the incredible amount of life they breathe into each and every location in the game. When the music is playing, it will both push you forward and slow you down in harmony with the level design. The soundtrack to the game is available to listen to on Spotify.
CRYPT OF THE NECRODANCER
A twist in the game design in Crypt of the NecroDancer is one of the most ingenious we’ve seen in a long time, and it’s worth noting. The gameplay of this dungeon-crawler is inextricably linked to its soundtrack. You and your adversaries both move in time to the music, turning every encounter into a complicated dance. If you follow the steps correctly, it’s a thing of beauty. For example, the music changes with each floor you descend within a zone, requiring you to adjust to a new tempo each time you descend. You can listen to the soundtrack on Spotify.
LIFE IS STRANGE
In Life is Strange, the author takes us on a fascinating journey through the mind of a teenager who has been profoundly affected by loss, trauma, pain, and failure. Moreover, the game’s fantastic soundtrack, which is comprised of tracks by a diverse group of talented musicians, perfectly captures these feelings. The songs are perfectly timed to the protagonist’s trials and tribulations, and they will leave you feeling nostalgic, sad, and happy as you recall memories of a life that is not even yours. The soundtrack is available to listen to on Spotify.
NO STRAIGHT ROADS
No Straight Roads is a rhythm-based action-adventure game that was developed right here in Southeast Asia by a Malaysian studio and has gained a significant international following. It goes without saying that music is at the heart of No Straight Roads, and while you can play the game in the manner of a traditional action game if you prefer, listening to the beat and learning the music will give you an advantage in combat. The original soundtrack, which was written and performed by a group of exceptionally talented musicians, is ideal for rocking out to. The soundtrack is available to listen to on Spotify.
MIHOYO
MiHoYo, the developers of the wildly popular Genshin Impact and Honkai Impact 3rd games, is well-known for producing some excellent music, thanks to the efforts of Music Director Zoe Cai and Genshin Impact soundtrack composer and producer Yu-Peng Chen. Each city in Teyvat has its own theme music, and the composers chose instruments and musical elements that best complemented the distinctive styles of the cities when creating the music for each of the cities. At the end of the day, they discovered a musical language that complemented the melodies of the games’ aesthetics, art style, and gameplay design perfectly. Spotify has the entire soundtrack available for streaming.
CYBERPUNK 2077
The game may have received negative reviews during its initial release due to a slew of bugs and glitches, but there is one thing that everyone can agree on: the game’s music, story, characters, and setting are all incredible. The soundtrack, which is filled with pure dread and the impending doom of mankind, does contain a glimmer of hope every once in a while. The tracks add an extra layer of immersion that, after you finish the game, leaves you with an indescribable sense of sadness and emptiness that is difficult to describe. Music from Cyberpunk 2077 is available for streaming on Spotify.
DOOM ETERNAL
The songs featured in Doom Eternal were written by Mick Gordon and are considered to be masterpieces. Fans have jokingly remarked that the soundtrack is actually better than the game itself, which is amusing. Gordon’s music has given new life to the Doom genre, which is essentially a cacophony of the industrial metal genre in its most basic form. This isn’t surprising, given the abundance of phasers, synths, and crunchy, distorted guitars in the music. When it comes to Doom’s music, there are so many excellent tracks that every level in the game’s campaign appears to be surrounded by the roar of hell itself. Spotify has made the soundtrack available for streaming.
ENDER LILIES: QUIETUS OF THE KNIGHTS
Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights is one of the year 2021’s most pleasant surprises, as it is a standout metroidvania that is equally appealing to longtime fans of the genre as it is to newcomers alike. When it comes to music, Mili, a classical Japanese indie music group that was founded in August 2012, produced the album’s soundtrack. Mili covers the electronic classical, contemporary classical, and post-classical genres of music, and it is not limited to songs in Japanese, but also includes songs in English, Chinese, and French. Mili is available on iTunes, Google Play, and Amazon. You can listen to the entire soundtrack on Spotify.
