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[Fbh]

Got sent some random video today that had the Halo 2 theme song in the background, which I hadn't heard in a while, and it just got me curious.

What would you say was the last game that had a truly iconic main theme?
I mean iconic as in really well known, the type of song that most people who are at least a bit into gaming will recognize and associate with a certain game even if they haven't actually played it. A main theme that attains a level of popularity that will get it literally dozens or probably hundreds of covers, or spawn tons of memes, or that even over a decade later will have millions of people watching a video of some dude signing it in a church.


Was it Skyrim?

 

[VictorVectors]

Rip and tear... until it's done OP




Mick Gordon explaining why you like Metal now.




SHRED

 

[Rest]

The Legend of Zelda


Doesn't get more iconic than that.

 

[Krappadizzle]

Doom 2016
Prey
Breath of the Wild
Witcher 3

All of those have pretty memorable main themes.

 

[SEGA_2012]

Yakuza 4. "For Faith" is iconic.

 

[SlimeGooGoo]

.

 

[Banjo64]

Doom 2016
Prey
Breath of the Wild
Witcher 3

All of those have pretty memorable main themes.

I can hum every single song/melody from OOT. I played BOTW for 80+ hours and can’t remember a single jingle except the cooking sound.

The Witcher 3 and Skyrim trailer songs are absolute certified bangers though.

 

[MilkyJoe]

Battlefield 1942

 

[kyliethicc]

 

[Handel]

The last properly iconic main theme is probably Skyrim's. Other game songs have become iconic since, but none of them main themes.

 

[Moonjt9]

I’d throw in Gwyn’s theme from Dark Souls as absolutely iconic by now.

 

[SCB3]

Destiny has some good ones

I still miss MGS having its iconic theme stripped away

 

[Perrott]

 

[Calverz]

 

[Snowdonhoffen]

If you're talking about games from the last few years, this is the only theme that has been stuck in my head in recent months

 

[Soodanim]

Rip and tear... until it's done OP




Mick Gordon explaining why you like Metal now.




SHRED

The first one is just a modern take on E1M1, the actual iconic theme. Everything else might be good, but it’s nowhere near what the original did. Worlds apart. Metal by its very nature is chaotic. Nothing stands out because there’s so much going on. That makes it good for chaotic gameplay, but not for making something memorable. Note how the one using E1M1, the one you’re more likely to remember, is much slower and simpler.

Iconic themes have become rarer as games have moved towards orchestrated pieces. I noticed how little I cared about music, which had for the most part become a background sound to barely be noticed much less remembered, in the PS3 gen when I realised I couldn’t name modern games with great music like I could for older games.

So far Skyrim has been the best answer. Love or hate the game or the composer, the theme is memorable and has oomph.

Banjo64 Witcher 3 sounds like it belongs in Marvel/Avengers, which is either a testament to its quality or the emulation skills of the composer.

 

[ahmyleg]

Yeah, it's probably Halo. There've been some good OSTs here and there over the past 20 years (Mirror's Edge great main theme comes to mind, Max Payne as well), but no OST has had as much of an impact on a game's popularity since. Like, what is Halo without the music? Certainly not Halo.

Same could be said for movie scores. Barely any iconic ones in the last 20 years. I guess Harry Potter and Pirates of the Caribbean are pretty recognizeable but they kinda suck compared to stuff from pre-2000s.

Hell, the 2010s was the worst decade of music in general so whaddya expect, right?

 

[Raonak]

TLOU.

Felt like that theme is iconic for anyone who's played the game.

 

[AV]

+1 for Doom 2016.

 

[supernova8]

I'd say the light breezy BOTW overworld music is pretty iconic for me. It's like watching a ghibli movie and playing zelda at the same time.

 

[Birdo]

 

[tommib]

Not that long ago.

 

[Fart Knight]

 

[Bwesh]

 

[nightmare-slain]

 

[kretos]

 

[Werewolf Jones]

 

[M1chl]

MGS 3, Mafia 2, MGR: Revengeance. Maybe MGS V if the theme from _why are we still here_ is main theme.

 

[Ass of Can Whooping]

 

[Kokoloko85]

Returnal for the latest lol

 

[jigglet]

Fadder

 

[Orta]

 

[supernova8]

When I hear this, somehow I can only SEE this:

 

[Solrac]

 

[Flabagast]

so good

 

[Atanascovich]

After 30+ posts I still only recognize skyrim. So that's your answer. I can remember mortal kombat but is older

 

[Krizalidx11]

Nothing beats this

 

[Havoc2049]

Not the last, but very memorable.

 

[mindfreak191]

The picks in this thread are a disappointment, you're missing this baby right here:

 

[Reizo Ryuu]

This is going to be highly subjective, anything that has made an impact on you is going to be memorable; I for one didn't remember the skyrim one at all, because the game does nothing for me.

 

[zaanan]

Metal by its very nature is chaotic. Nothing stands out because there’s so much going on. That makes it good for chaotic gameplay, but not for making something memorable.

At the risk of sounding cliche, your definition of metal fucking sucks.

 

[Bernkastel]

 

[Drac84]

Uncharted Theme

 

[Hitmonchan107]

I'm surprised no one mentioned Undertale. Megalovania is absolutely iconic. The soundtrack is full of bangers like this:

 

[Havoc2049]

Sea of Thieves has an amazing and award winning soundtrack. Music also plays an important part in the game. Sea of Thieves also started the tik tok/YouTube shanty craze.

We Shall Sail Together


Sea of Thieves Intro


The recent Glitterbeard quest.

 

[Dav-Kripler]

 

[Dav-Kripler]

 

[Dav-Kripler]

At the risk of sounding cliche, your definition of metal fucking sucks.

Preach ! In honor of your response...

 

[Handel]

I'm surprised no one mentioned Undertale. Megalovania is absolutely iconic. The soundtrack is full of bangers like this:

Megalovania is not a main theme, else I'd have posted it. If we're talking all game music in recent times, Devil Trigger from DMCV is easily the most iconic.

 

[Zannegan]

For all its flaws, Skyward Sword had an awesome, memorable main theme. That's the most recent one I can think of off the top of my head.