Introduction
Welcome to NeoGAF’s second annual Game Soundtracks of the Year thread! Video game soundtrack discussion is common here, and many posters highlight music as one of the most important components of the games that they play. By creating and maintaining this thread, we hope to
1) Create a common point of reference for GAF’s favorite soundtracks from 2011.
2) Expose people to soundtracks for games that they haven’t played, including some from relatively niche titles.
3) Create an extensive archive of this year’s soundtracks for future enjoyment and reference.
4) Give credit to the talented composers of the gaming industry.
We feel that music can be enjoyed separately from play experience in a way that other aesthetics can’t. Music’s abstraction prevents it from being entirely game-dictated. Composer continuity is much more noticeable among otherwise different games, too. Video game composers also tend to be much more visible and organizationally independent than visual artists and game designers. Finally, as many owners of Nier can attest, quality game music CAN drive purchases.
This thread will both conduct a poll and feature an archive.
Voting Rules
To keep things simple, we have opted to use a tiered three vote system. For your vote, pick your three favorite game soundtracks of the year and rank them in the order of your preference. Your first pick will receive three points, your second pick will receive two points, and your third pick will receive one point.
If you can’t think of three soundtracks, it is okay to vote for only one or two; keep in mind, however, that these points aren’t flexible (no selection will receive more than three points, and only one selection can receive three points), so selecting less than three soundtracks will reduce the weight of your vote. If you want, you can also provide links to any specific tracks that stand out to you, but this isn't required.
Sample Ballots
1. Game A (Will receive 3 points)
2. Game B (Will receive 2 points)
3. Game C (Will receive 1 point)
Honorable Mentions (if any)
-or-
1. Game A (Will receive 3 points)
2. Game B (Will receive 2 points)
3. (Blank, no additional points allocated)
Honorable Mentions (if any)
-or-
1. Game A (Will receive 3 points)
2. (Blank, no additional points allocated)
3. (Blank, no additional points allocated)
Honorable Mentions (if any)
Voting will end on January 13th at 11:59 PM (PST). Vote tallying will not begin until after the voting period closes, so you can edit your post and change your vote as many times as you want until then.
Discussion is highly encouraged! Feel free to describe what makes your selections stand out from the rest. Post as many honorable mentions as you want. If you’re so inclined, you should respond to others’ choices as well, positively or negatively (keeping things civil, of course). Quotes from Gaffers will be incorporated into the final results and archive thread.
Obviously, if you have any criticisms, suggestions, or requests for us, we’d be happy to hear it. Here are our own highlights from the year to get things started, followed by the archive in its entirety (the archive is currently unfinished, but we’re quickly updating it).
Welcome to NeoGAF’s second annual Game Soundtracks of the Year thread! Video game soundtrack discussion is common here, and many posters highlight music as one of the most important components of the games that they play. By creating and maintaining this thread, we hope to
1) Create a common point of reference for GAF’s favorite soundtracks from 2011.
2) Expose people to soundtracks for games that they haven’t played, including some from relatively niche titles.
3) Create an extensive archive of this year’s soundtracks for future enjoyment and reference.
4) Give credit to the talented composers of the gaming industry.
We feel that music can be enjoyed separately from play experience in a way that other aesthetics can’t. Music’s abstraction prevents it from being entirely game-dictated. Composer continuity is much more noticeable among otherwise different games, too. Video game composers also tend to be much more visible and organizationally independent than visual artists and game designers. Finally, as many owners of Nier can attest, quality game music CAN drive purchases.
This thread will both conduct a poll and feature an archive.
Voting Rules
To keep things simple, we have opted to use a tiered three vote system. For your vote, pick your three favorite game soundtracks of the year and rank them in the order of your preference. Your first pick will receive three points, your second pick will receive two points, and your third pick will receive one point.
If you can’t think of three soundtracks, it is okay to vote for only one or two; keep in mind, however, that these points aren’t flexible (no selection will receive more than three points, and only one selection can receive three points), so selecting less than three soundtracks will reduce the weight of your vote. If you want, you can also provide links to any specific tracks that stand out to you, but this isn't required.
Sample Ballots
1. Game A (Will receive 3 points)
2. Game B (Will receive 2 points)
3. Game C (Will receive 1 point)
Honorable Mentions (if any)
-or-
1. Game A (Will receive 3 points)
2. Game B (Will receive 2 points)
3. (Blank, no additional points allocated)
Honorable Mentions (if any)
-or-
1. Game A (Will receive 3 points)
2. (Blank, no additional points allocated)
3. (Blank, no additional points allocated)
Honorable Mentions (if any)
Voting will end on January 13th at 11:59 PM (PST). Vote tallying will not begin until after the voting period closes, so you can edit your post and change your vote as many times as you want until then.
Discussion is highly encouraged! Feel free to describe what makes your selections stand out from the rest. Post as many honorable mentions as you want. If you’re so inclined, you should respond to others’ choices as well, positively or negatively (keeping things civil, of course). Quotes from Gaffers will be incorporated into the final results and archive thread.
Obviously, if you have any criticisms, suggestions, or requests for us, we’d be happy to hear it. Here are our own highlights from the year to get things started, followed by the archive in its entirety (the archive is currently unfinished, but we’re quickly updating it).
