Gameplay and story are often regarded as the two pillars that hold up a video game, but the value of good music cannot be overstated. It’s the one aspect of any game that can have a crucial impact on every second of the entire experience. Good music can elevate great games to even greater heights, and there was no shortage of that in 2019. Here, we’ll be recognizing what we felt were the best video game soundtracks of the year, before picking a winner from our ten nominees.
NOTE: The nominees and winner were decided by an internal vote held among the entire GamingBolt staff.
THE NOMINEES:
KATANA ZERO
Katana Zero’s unflinching style and tone shines through in every aspect of the experience, and the excellent soundtrack is hugely responsible for that. The game’s fast and stylish action is always accompanied by the blaring electronic music, performed by a selection of incredible artists that have done some truly amazing work here. This is one of those scores that is a joy to listen to even when separated from the game that it stems from.
ARISE: A SIMPLE STORY
Music is always important in any game, but in a game such as Arise: A Simply Story, it seems doubly so. Because this is one of those games that is more of an experience than anything else. Arise relies heavily on emotions and on wowing players with its striking imagery, but it’s fair to say that its narrative beats and its visual excellence wouldn’t be nearly as impactful if not for its beautiful, melodious soundtrack.
ASTRAL CHAIN
PlatinumGames never fail to have excellent music. From Vanquish to Metal Gear Rising to Nier: Automata, this is one area where this studio has been surprisingly consistent- so it’s no surprise, then, that Astral Chain has one of the best soundtracks of the year. From themes that quietly play in the background during the downtime to the tracks that blare on when you’re in the middle of hectic battles and boss fights, Astral Chain’s music never fails to keep up with the game’s frenetic and chaotic nature.
BLAZING CHROME
Blazing Chrome sets out to be the best Contra game in recent memory, even though it does not bear that name, and it does so with great aplomb in every way possible- that, of course, includes the music. The frantic, bombastic action of the game is brought to life with some excellent hard rock (ish) music, which contributes so much toward making sure that the game is able to achieve the tone and style it is going for. It’s also a soundtrack that only keeps getting better the more you play the game, to that extent that by the time you reach the end credits, you might even find yourself humming some of its tunes even when you’re not playing the game.
THE WALKING DEAD: THE FINAL SEASON
After seven years of watching her grow into a badass post-apocalyptic survivor, in 2019, we finally bid farewell to Clementine in The Walking Dead: The Final Season. It was an emotional experience, and thankfully, every aspect of these final episodes – the music included – did justice to those emotions and the weight of the situation perfectly. When it comes to the conclusions of such story-driven games, and when those conclusions are so weighty, good music is usually among the most important things, and The Walking Dead: The Final Season passes that test with flying colours.
SAMURAI SHODOWN
Samurai Shodown (2019) is, happily enough, an excellent revival of one of the most beloved fighting franchises. And though it might not have been the best it could have been in terms of things such as its base roster and the single player content it launched with, where the soundtrack is concerned, we could not have asked for anything better. Samurai Shodown, both the series and the game, have a very unique tone and aesthetic, and the reboot’s music complements that perfectly.
DEATH STRANDING
Traversing the desolately beautiful and ruined world of Death Stranding is an experience unto itself, one that is perhaps the biggest defining factor of the game, and it’s fair to say that if not for the excellent score, that experience would not have been half as memorable as it is. When you’re trudging down a mountain after a gruelling trek and finally lay eyes on your destination in the distance, and when that sight is accompanied with the camera pulling back and a beautiful song beginning to play in the background- the rush of emotions you feel in that moment is beyond description. And that is just one of many examples of the musical genius of Death Stranding.
OUTER WILDS
Outer Wilds is one of the most unique and engaging games of the year, and exploring the depths of its vast and beautiful world is an experience unlike any other. And the wonderfully diverse soundtrack is exactly what makes that as special as it is. Exploring every new location, chancing upon every new discovery, even just sitting back and watching the stars in the sky- every single one of these moments is accompanied by one of the best soundtracks we’ve heard in a game for a long, long time.
DEVIL MAY CRY 5
Devil May Cry has always had a very unique and particular style with its soundtracks, so as the game that was billed as a long-awaited revival for this beloved series, it was crucial for DMC 5 to have a good score. And predictably enough, it did not disappoint- not even in the slightest. Every tense combat encounter, every over-the-top cutscene, every ridiculous line of dialogue is accompanied with the most DMC music you will ever hear, and it is absolutely glorious. Pull My Devil Trigger? Um, yes please.
STAR WARS JEDI: FALLEN ORDER
Across all media, Star Wars has one of the most beloved and instantly recognizable soundtracks of all time, so any game based on the property is pretty much guaranteed to have great music. Roping in remixed versions John Williams’ legendary tunes and mixing them with compositions of its own, Fallen Order constantly makes use of music that elevates every second of the experience. It captures that Star Wars tone and aesthetic perfectly – as do other areas of the game – and that is perhaps the biggest praise we can give it.
WINNER:
DEATH STRANDING
Death Stranding as an experience is hugely reliant on atmosphere, and the game’s music contributes to that atmosphere immensely. Ludvid Forssel’s soundtrack is unique, and yet so perfect for the kind of game this is, while also making use of a selection of excellent songs from CHVRCHES, Low Roar, and Silent Poets at exactly the right moments. More importantly, this is also a soundtrack that knows the importance of silence, and how much that can add to the experience when used right. Hideo Kojima games have, throughout the year, always displayed a keen sense of great music, and Death Stranding is a game that proudly upholds that tradition.