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The best Xbox soundtracks

  • oaksproutoaksprout696,885
    Posted on 26 July 21 at 18:49
    Zombies World said:
    Where's The Messenger?
    The Messenger being left off this list is a crime.
  • CheevoMamaCheevoMama247,918
    Posted on 26 July 21 at 19:32
    Great list! I've never played or heard of the soundtrack from Furi so now I'm interested!
  • Posted on 26 July 21 at 19:36
    J2B9 said:
    If you're interested in that you might be interested in a podcast series with composer Austin Wintory talking with other composers.
    And since you mentioned AC2 here's one that was done recently with Jesper Kyd
    https://youtu.be/qm-I6pS0W0k
    Austin Wintory is great - really talented, hardworking, and super-passionate about music AND video games. I'd really recommend listening to his You Gotta Hear This podcast with Troy Baker, and also Play, Watch, Listen with (again) Troy Baker, Mike Bithell, and Alanah Pearce.
    “How vain it is to sit down to write when one has not yet stood up to live…”
  • Posted on 26 July 21 at 19:36
    Thankfully video games seem to have avoided the "Marvel Symphonic Universe" problem that Every Frame a Painting discussed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vfqkvwW2fs (mostly because a lot of Hans Zimmer's proteges don't work in video game music or do so sparingly).

    As far as musical choices....I was surprised not to see Hotline Miami for Licensed Music.

    Similarly for instrumentals, Kine is about a jazz band forming and wouldn't work if the jazz music was lazy or uninspired.
  • Posted on 26 July 21 at 20:39
    Great article, @BadRubberPiggy. I enjoyed reading it, although I'm a bit bummed that you didn't throw in the Halo series in there.
  • mtndude96mtndude96231,545
    Posted on 26 July 21 at 21:47
    If you haven't already, go play the Ori games. They are so good.
  • Posted on 26 July 21 at 22:11
    Silicon Iceman said:
    Great article, @BadRubberPiggy. I enjoyed reading it, although I'm a bit bummed that you didn't throw in the Halo series in there.
    Thanks! Mentioned a few times here now but I went for Destiny over Halo for a few reasons - cheating a little as it’s effectively four or five OSTs in one including all the expansions, but it is what it is. Planning a community-led follow-up article for later in the week, and would be remiss to not have Halo front and centre there, plus the piece generated a ton of great talking points and alternatives so I really feel like that kind of healthy discussion should be both reflected and rewarded.
  • Posted on 26 July 21 at 22:35
    oaksprout said:
    Zombies World said:
    Where's The Messenger?
    The Messenger being left off this list is a crime.
    Then lock me up - as much as I liked The Messenger’s OST, I thought the likes of Shovel Knight and Cyber Shadow nailed that faux-retro vibe a little better.

    Divine nX said:
    Great list! I've never played or heard of the soundtrack from Furi so now I'm interested!
    Amazing game, amazing soundtrack. I envy anyone experiencing it for the first time, as I can never do that again. Just talking about it makes me want to go back and replay it, which I still need to find time to do…
  • J2B9J2B91,255,182
    Posted on 26 July 21 at 22:53
    LurkingWriter said:
    J2B9 said:
    If you're interested in that you might be interested in a podcast series with composer Austin Wintory talking with other composers.
    And since you mentioned AC2 here's one that was done recently with Jesper Kyd
    https://youtu.be/qm-I6pS0W0k
    Austin Wintory is great - really talented, hardworking, and super-passionate about music AND video games. I'd really recommend listening to his You Gotta Hear This podcast with Troy Baker, and also Play, Watch, Listen with (again) Troy Baker, Mike Bithell, and Alanah Pearce.
    I agree, and yeah I originally heard about Austin from Play, Watch, Listen which is amazing!
  • Posted on 27 July 21 at 00:40
    There are so many games on the Xbox family that this list will never be complete or without debate, but there are some games that I think deserve the recognition:
    Halo 3: ODST
    FFXV
    Coffee Talk
    Phantasy Star Universe
    Catherine
    All of those OST's really brought things to the table. Coffee Talk is some of the best lo-fi music out there, and FFXV and PSU have some beautiful orchestral arrangements. ODST was enhanced largely from its brooding jazz take on Halo, and Catherine really is a masterpiece in music setting the scene and emotion of a story.
  • Sensei NeoSensei Neo1,752,800
    Posted on 27 July 21 at 08:04
    Missing Deus Ex and Xcom 2012
  • Vr EnglishVr English890,121
    Posted on 27 July 21 at 11:22
    Wow what an in-depth article. Exactly my jam too thanks.
  • x SATELE SHAN xx SATELE SHAN x1,212,422
  • Stevo6483Stevo6483404,641
    Posted on 28 July 21 at 10:24
    Ah I loved Fez. What a great game and a great soundtrack. Such a shame it's not a BC title and my 360 is in the loft.
    Stoke me a clipper, I'll be back for Christmas... Whatever!
  • Posted on 28 July 21 at 13:16, Edited on 28 July 21 at 13:28 by GaryBlack2311
    Halo CE - the original title music is an epic masterpiece (only topped by Lindsey Stirling's cover, it's simply epic).
    The songs from Poets of the Fall in Alan Wake would really deserve a place on that list.
    Stardew Valley is a great game and the music is nicely tuned and fitting for it, but i don't remember it as strikingly "good" or special to the point that it really draws your attention directly to it. It's just background music, nothing i'd say "great track".
    With Nier i agree to an extend, although i found the soundtrack of nier replicant to be slightly better than the one of Automata. Especially "Song of the Ancients".
    Still, FF15 had one or two of the automata tracks from available in the car's "radio". I was basically only playing those song in a neverending loop as i found them to be much better than the other ff15 music.
  • techy804techy804144,173
    Posted on 29 July 21 at 08:03
    First time I've seen JSRF metioned anywhere (besides JSRFMP, of course) in a long time.
    I've only played 5 games on this list but I've listen to most of these soundtracks, I agree with this list 100%
  • EstocoImoEstocoImo541,722
    Posted on 31 July 21 at 07:53
    Great list!
  • HyperglideHyperglide580,440
    Posted on 31 July 21 at 16:52
    Some underrated OST's I've heard over the years not on the list.

    Final Fantasy XV https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLlHLFZSdI4
    The Mummy Demastered https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ko2Q2IRmxo0
    Jotun Valhalla Edition https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ydb8apXmC0
    The Aquatic Adventure of the Last Human https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38pAV-KXhRQ
    Blasphemous https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UaQ251kgEM
    Valfaris https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzzpdmeGDDk
    A Plague Tale: Innocence https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rLzHnrWmQg
    Hellblade: Senuas Sacrifice https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Um8BFSh4xo
  • C64 MatC64 Mat2,164,539
    Posted on 05 August 21 at 07:15
    BadRubberPiggy said:
    BRiT wtfdotcom said:
    Death’s Door not being in the list is disappointing.
    Fair, finished it this week but this list has been ages in the making and while I thought the soundtrack was amazing, I'm not sure what I'd bump to make a spot for it. Still a great recommendation tho!

    Dutch x Monster said:
    Imagine not inclduing Doom 1993s Ost in Chiptune....
    I really had to hold back from just flooding that section with retro stuff tbf. Otherwise, Street Fighter, Castlevania, Mega Man, and that lot would have ruled the roost. OG Doom OST is obviously amazing, but the new version gets the series some love here so it's not all bad, right?
    I'm gonna go all the way back and suggest the C64 title music for Treasure Island Dizzy.
    "I gotta be honest, entering a bunch of 25 character codes to have gear spit out of the magic box kinda sucks" - Rista B
  • Removed Gamer

    Removed Gamer

    Posted on 05 August 21 at 11:13
    Hyperglide said:
    Some underrated OST's I've heard over the years not on the list.

    Final Fantasy XV https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLlHLFZSdI4
    The Mummy Demastered https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ko2Q2IRmxo0
    Jotun Valhalla Edition https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ydb8apXmC0
    The Aquatic Adventure of the Last Human https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38pAV-KXhRQ
    Blasphemous https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UaQ251kgEM
    Valfaris https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzzpdmeGDDk
    A Plague Tale: Innocence https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rLzHnrWmQg
    Hellblade: Senuas Sacrifice https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Um8BFSh4xo
    The thing about FF XV's OST is thats its a mashup of all FF titles ever created, and basicly all but a few FF's have insane OST's
    Rainbow Dash best Pony
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