With the leak of GTA V’s soundtrack the other week it got me thinking about the importance of music in video games.
Not just the sweeping orchestral scores, the tactical dubstep that seems to be everywhere or even the carefully chosen tunes for so many radio stations but a mix of them all together. Music can make or break a game and a really good choice of song can make a real lasting impression on a gamer. Here are some of my favourite musical moments from gaming. This is by no means a perfect or exhaustive list and it’s not in any particular order, that’d be too hard to call.
As always with these types of posts I’ll try and keep the spoilers to a minimum but if you haven’t played one of these games and don’t want to know, please skip ahead just to be on the safe side.
Snake Eater (Vocals only version) - Ladder Climb - Metal Gear Solid 3
I could have chosen many different tunes and moments from the Metal Gear Solid series but this is one of the first scenes I think of when either Snake Eater or music in games comes to mind. Some of it is the nostalgia of playing it for the first time. I love Snake Eater, I think it’s a really brilliant game and it’s my favourite of the Metal Gear Solid games.
The song, unsurprisingly, is a homage to past Bond themes and the full orchestral version is pretty damn awesome too. With this version I think it’s the simplicity of just the vocals that really makes it. It seems especially poignant given the boss fight that happens just before it. It’s a very significant moment in the game and the ladder is obviously there to give players a break from the action and a time to reflect. The song definitely helps with that which is why it’s one of my favourite musical choices from any gaming series.
La Verdine - The Running Man - Mafia
Ahh, Mafia. This takes me back. This was one of the first sandbox-esque games I ever really played (I was 12 when it was released) and from playing it spawned a love of mobster movies, I also really enjoyed Mafia II. Both games have some awesome soundtracks and some pretty memorable moments but this one takes the biscotti for me. It’s a key moment in the story too, it begins Tommy’s journey into the Salieri family. Mafia was one of those games that really turned me towards gaming. Everyone’s got a few of those, those games where you’re playing and you think “this is awesome”.
Mafia was also probably my first experience with some classic jazz tunes, not that I realised that at the time. With classics from Django Reindhart and this brilliant piece by the group Latcho Drom throughout. You just need to watch the video above to figure out why this piece is perfect for the scene. The group formed as a homage to Django and his style which suits the setting perfectly and the sheer pace of it gives a brilliant sense of urgency to it. And just in case you want to listen to the whole song (which you should) it can be found here.
Power - Saints Row: The Third
Now we move away from the serious to the ridiculous. This is one of the most appropriately cool soundtrack choices ever. Whilst I prefer GTA to Saints Row overall, I still enjoy the hell out of Saints Row: The Third. Why? Because you’re a badass or bad-arse as my cockney-voiced, fat, transgender, steampunk/dominatrix always said.
This song perfectly complements the entire game, especially this mission. It’s big, it’s brash, it’s definitely not modest or subtle. It’s totally over the top and it’s brilliant because of it. ‘Nuff said.
Far Away - Red Dead Redemption
Anyone who has played through Red Dead Redemption will tell you a different story about this part. When I played through this bit it was dark, it was raining and then this song started playing but for a friend it was glorious shining sun. And we both had the same reaction. Whoa. This. Is. Perfect.
It happens quite a way into John Marston’s journey and comes just as the player crosses the border into Mexico for the first time. The tone is sombre, without being depressing. It’s reflective and the tone matches the lyrics, which in turn beautifully distil the essence of Red Dead. Cold winds, harsh, unforgiving surroundings and a man finding himself further and further away from his goal. The whole soundtrack for Red Dead Remeption is a work of art with some really great songs but for me, this is the highlight. And one of the highlights of this generation.
La Mer - Bioshock
Bioshock is another of those “this is awesome” games for me. It’s one of my all time favourite shooters and Rapture is in my top three environments. The music was a really key part of getting the atmosphere right in Rapture both in Bioshock and the direct sequel, from the tension building scores to the songs you could only just about hear. One particular terrifying moment that is etched into my memory is hearing a rendition of “How much is that doggy in the window” but on an apparently very broken record. So instead of a soothing lullaby I heard a creepy “How much is that doggy in the doggy in the doggy in the doggy” OH GOD NO MAKE IT STOP.
Choosing a single piece from Bioshock is difficult but for me, it has to be this one. It plays as you climb down the stairs in the lighthouse just before you climb witness Rapture for the first time. The juxtaposition of a familiar, soft melody with the harsh noises as the lights come on and the looming, imposing figure of Andrew Ryan make a brilliant juxtaposition of the familiar and the unsettling which, I think, brilliantly sets the tone for the entire game.
The Soviet Connection - Grand Theft Auto IV
I’m unashamedly a big fan of GTA IV. I know that it isn’t without it’s flaws, and I mentioned before that I don’t think it has aged particularly well especially on consoles. But this isn’t a place to praise the game overall, just it’s soundtrack. Music has been a huge part of Grand Theft Auto especially since Vice City brought some big names to the radio stations. I imagine that Rockstar spend almost as much time carefully picking the music as they do on anything else.
I could have chosen any number of songs from the San Andreas or Vice City soundtracks, or even the theme from San Andreas but instead I went for the main theme of Grand Theft Auto IV also known as The Soviet Connection. It plays throughout the intro and I think it matches the scene perfectly. There’s an urgency to it, a sense of foreboding and tension. It’s another perfect choice of theme song for getting the tone just right. I can’t wait to see what they do for Grand Theft Auto V.
So that’s my list. Like I said it’s by no means exhaustive and I was trying to pick the best most memorable musical moments from some of my favourite games. There are some other stand out songs that I didn’t include. Some of the songs in Fallout 3 were inspired, the reggae-dubstep hybrid soundtrack to burning fields of marijuana is definitely memorable too. Not to mention some other classic themes, Metal Gear Solid, Sonic the Hedgehog, Mario.
Enough of my thoughts, what are your favourite musical moments in gaming?
