Best Soundtracks ever

The world would be a very boring place without music. Imagine waking up in the morning to the horrible sound of silence, no birds singing, no wind rustling the trees, no bin men shouting at each other. Everything needs music, fact. No more so than games, surprisingly! Much like movies, games benefit hugely with a impeccably crafted soundtrack as the rhythm sways and beats alongside the experience. What would the Psycho shower scene be without the screeching violins? Music adds to the experience and without it, it is not the same. So, to celebrate the beauty of sound, here are my favourite game soundtracks of all time......


God of War series - Gerard K Marino
Not only does the God of War franchise bring epic battles and twisting narratives into the mix, it utilises a grand and majestic soundtrack composed by Gerard K Marino. The sweeping orchestra transcends faultlessly from highs to lows as the player effortlessly controls crazy man Kratos as he rips open someone's skull. The pairing of sight and sound combine to create a truly epic piece of gaming bliss. Whether it is making love to a sexaayyy Greek God or constantly punching your dads face, Mr Marino's soundtrack is always there, intensifying the scenes. A wonderful piece of composing.



SSX On Tour - Various Artist's
A 'soundtrack' doesn't have to consist of layered orchestral monsters, instead, some games simply rely on everyday bands and artists with everyday tunes. Whilst the SSX franchise is normally considered to have one of the best soundtracks of all time, I personally feel that the sub par sequel On Tour is by far the best. The range of artists goes from gangster Jurassic Park to rock gods Iron Maiden, but somehow each song fits perfectly alongside each other. One of my defining memories of gaming would be riding down the mountain listening to Banquet by Bloc Party, the many tunes have stuck with me and are still permanently booming out of my headphones! Bar a later entry, SSX On Tour is my favourite soundtrack of all time, OF ALL TIME!


Mario - Various Artists 
C'mon, seriously? How could I not do a list without the beautifully iconic Mario theme tune? Ding ding ding dinga ding dinga ding. Thats my attempted impression using text, but not even that can do the various songs justice.There are many arguments regarding which Mario them tune is the best, Super Mario 64, Super Mario Galaxy, Super Mario Kart? All of them are fantastic, but in my eyes, only one stands victorious, that is of course, Super Mario Bro's. The manic Japanese tinks and tanks just simply make you smile with their cheery tunes. So, to conclude, not only is Mario the pinnacle of pure gameplay, but he also houses the greatest collection of theme songs? Truly an iconic tune.


Legend Of Zelda Ocarina of Time - Koji Kondo
What is it with Ninetendo and their tunes? Whether its just the catchy style of exquisite execution, the whole Nintendo library seems to have a pile of great sound tracks, but if I had to pick another one, it would no doubt be Ocarina. As many of you know a full orchestrated recreation of the classic songs were performed at Nintendo's E3 conference. As the only good thing about that conference, the performance is going to go down in history as millions of nerds sat at their computers and cried their eyes out. The songs are pure gaming nostalgia, but don't forgret that they are a major component for arguably the greatest game of all time!



Portal - Kelly Bailey and Mike Morasky
The little darling of gaming stands as having one of the greatest soundtracks of all time and dare I say it, the greatest ending sequence ever. I am struggling to choose between the original or the sequel but I have decided to choose the first. What at first seems like a friendly science lab evolves into a seamlessly evil headquarters for a deranged robot, and as we take this journey, so does the music. Starting off electronic and smooth the sounds change into darker themes, utilising reverb and other crazy synth-y terms, resulting in a haunting experience with tunes that will not get out of your head. But, I hear you ask, what about Still Alive? The best song ever? Well, all I can say about Still Alive is just......... nothing, it is too perfect.


GTA IV - Various Artists
It is rare for a game to owe a lot of its success to its soundtrack, yet alone a whole franchise. That is why the whole Grand Theft Auto series is a masterclass in song choice. So you have a rare franchise which is known for its incredible soundtrack, but much like Mario, which one is best? Although Vice City and San Andreas did have lubbly jubbly soundtracks, I personally believe that the latest instalment just tips the others to the line. The reason for this is the pure range of songs, if you like Latino music, you can listen to it, if you like Classic Rock, you are catered for, the list goes on and on. With over 10 radio stations all beaming out music goodness, whatever you preference, the team at Rockstar made sure your ear buds were satisfied. 


Tony Hawks Pro Skater 2

When EA released Skate in 2007, the Tony Hawks franchise sadly diminished into nothing. The once great franchise had turned to kiddy fun, a turn that made gamers skate away. However, the Tony Hawks series holds many legacies, one being the best sports game of all time, another being some of the most intuitive controls ever, but for me, the biggest memory is its amazing soundtrack. A magical mix of thrash metal, heavy rap, heavy rock, every hardcore music genre was included and somehow managed to be coherent and fantastic. The amount of classic songs was ridiculous; the beats of Bring the Noise and the wow wow of Tom Merrelo's guitar for Guerilla Radio all came together in a nirvana of not just music heaven, but gaming heaven. Likewise, THPS 3 and 4 both had rocking soundtracks, but I believe that number 2 holds the title. Tony Hawks Pro Skater 2, in my mind, defeats all classical artsy fartsy songs, and rises to the top. Best soundtrack ever.


Honourable Mentions
Before I leave you I would like to say that I understand that this list may not be to your preference and misses out on a few other great soundtracks, here the ones that didn't make the list........