Well, it was a hell of a year for game music guys, I think I narrowed it down well enough, but then I forgot both Danganronpa 1 and 2 were this year. Welp.
WELL LETS NOT BEAT AROUND THE BUSH, LETS DO THIS.
THE TOP 3
1. Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze
Anyone surprised? DAVID WISE YO. This soundtrack is just phenomenal with so much variety and emotion into it. It practically tells its own story. Listening to this OST almost feels like you are going on a journey. I am going to be a bit more simple on the descriptions of the songs on this game due to the game itself being a rather simple and fun platformer.
Grassland Groove
This song is just pure joy and whimsy. You can just picture running across an green grassland at top speed with the wind in your hair. Donkey Kong is known, however, for having songs of every type, happy and sad.
Scorch 'N' Torch
Case in point. Imagine that same grassland or savannah you ran through and loved, but burning and dying. That is exactly what this stage was and exactly what this intense and emotional song is conveying.
Big Top Bop
I never expected to find a song that basically sounds like it belongs in Devil May Cry here. The last game had mediocre boss themes. I was expecting a good one this time, but wow. WOW. The kicker is that this is ONLY the very first bosses theme. Very intense...but...
Bashmaster, The Unbreakable
...This song is on another level. This is the penultimate bosses theme, and man does it live up to that role. The name of the boss is Bashmaster, The Unbreakable and this song conveys that so well that I think its actually better than the actual final boss song, which is great too.
DK Island Swing
Of course this had to be here. DK Island Swing is THE classic Donkey Kong Country song. It may not be in every game (DKC3 pls) but this song IS Donkey Kong to me. The Returns versions were pretty good but this Tropical Freeze one captures the spirit so well without completely rehashing the original's feel. Well done Wise.
2. Danganronpa Trigger Happy Havoc
Danganronpa is a series I didn't expect to enjoy as much as I did. The story, characters and atmosphere are so damn good. The music goes a LONG way towards the atmosphere. Now Danganronpa 2 technically has a better OST but a lot of the songs are just remixes of the first game and I gotta pick the original for being first and coming up with the general tone of the music of the series. The Danganronpa series has been expertly composed by veteran composer Masafumi Takada of killer7, God Hand, and No More Heroes fame.
DANGANRONPA
This is the intro theme. It perfectly captures what DR is gonna be, hip and catchy as hell, but sinister and creepy. Its a mishmash of electric, rock, piano, and an ominous lady singing. Its all over the place and crazy...just like Danganronpa.
Box 15
This song plays when a murder has occurred and you and the rest of the Hope's Peak students who have survived thus far must investigate and find the evidence needed to correctly work together and pin the murderer as the suspect...who is one of the students among them. It is sly and smooth with a sinister jazzy sound. Perfect for this kind of situation.
Mr. Monokuma's Lesson
The theme of Monokuma, the cute mascot antagonist. This song is goofy as hell and at first you just sort of laugh when it plays. Of course as the game goes on you come to fear and dread this song, because bad things usually happen when it does. Great use of making a song that carries a certain tone actually represent another, in this case, a goofy song invoking dread.
Class Trial Solar Edition
If you played the Phoenix Wright series, you could say that this is Danganronpa's objection theme. This usually plays when you contradict someones testimony or evidence and it just hypes you up for that. It's use in the game is actually rather simple but I love this song so much that its up here simply for that reason. So damn good.
New World Order
Whenever this song plays, you know a big reveal or twist has happened. It can be a good or bad one, but you just know that something huge is about to go down or has gone down when this starts playing. This song is iconic to the series and actually remains in DR2 unremixed. So many of the most memorable scenes of this series have happened when this song plays, that it is by far my favorite song in the series for the association with those scenes alone. The song itself conveys the theme of the series perfectly. HOPE vs DESPAIR. Which will win?
3. Persona Q Shadow of the Labyrinth
I knew this was gonna be a good game. It is a Persona game made by the Etrian Odyssey team, a wonderfully talented team that makes hardcore RPGs. I did not think however, that it would have the best soundtrack out of the entire Persona series. I shouldn't be surprised, because the people who composed, performed or guest starred on this OST is a who's who of the Megaten Sound Team (Atsushi Kitajoh, Toshiki Konishi, Shoji Meguro, Yuzo Koshiro, Yumi Kawamura, Shihoko Hirata, Lotus Juice, and many more) I hope Persona 5 takes this kind of style with it. Meguro hardly even worked on this OST either, quite a few people do not know that.
Maze of Life -Title Screen Ver.-
The title screen/main menu song. Persona always has a piano song playing on all of its main menu's, bar Persona 2 Eternal Punishment (PSP Version) due to that game's central theme being "change your way." This one, like all the rest, is made to be memorable and invoke a certain emotion or feeling from the player. This theme in particular, invokes both the feelings of nostalgia and of closure. There are many reasons for both of those but the most obvious is that this may be the final time we have an RPG with either of these cast of characters that so many people have grown to love. (P4 Dancing doesn't count lol)
Laser Beam
Slick, dirty and smooth as all hell, this boss theme sure left an impression on me. I always wanted music like this for Persona, and I finally got it, in the game I expected to have rather cutesy music. It combines the absolute best of the Persona series battle music from its inception all the way to 4, with techno industrial vibes from 1 and 2, awesome guitars, Yumi Kawamura background singing, and Lotus Juice doing his thing. It helps, that the bosses in this game are actually a challenge compared to most Persona games. I really hope P5 has a musical style similar to this one.
F.O.E.
The legendary F.O.E.s of Etrian Odyssey are in this game too, so they naturally deserve a great theme. For their battle theme, instead of making anything Persona, they straight up gave them a thing that sounds like it belongs in the mainline Shin Megami Tensei games. Hard rock letting you know your ass is about to be kicked.
Memories of Time
Persona is known as a series that while it can be goofy and charming, it can also get very dark and sad quickly. I expected PQ to be mostly free of this, but it keeps this tradition up too. This song is just dripping with emptiness, loneliness and despair. I am glad to know that the sound team at Atlus can still make gut wrenchingly sad songs. It is a skill that has served them very well, as fans of the series and other Megaten series know all too well.
Footsteps of Time
I never thought Persona could have final dungeon music like this. Again, this is straight out of the SMT Mainline playbook., but I think this is actually better than most of those too. It is so emotional and climactic it just hypes me up hearing it. It perfectly represents the ultimate march of you and your friends towards the final confrontation at the end of the last maze. Imagine if any of the other Persona game's final dungeon song was like this. It would be the most climactic thing ever.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
These almost made the cut for a numbered position, it was very close. KI Season 2 actually was my 3rd for the longest time but then I remembered Danganronpa 1 and 2 also came out this year.
Killer Instinct Season 2
I am only putting 3 cuz there is only 4 new songs in Season 2 so far and the 4th (Riptor's Theme) is disappointing to me. Mick Gordon continues his work on the amazing Killer Instinct 2013 OST. That is really all there is to say about this one other than the fact that these themes are SO GOOD. Now these don't have OST releases and the KI songs are known for having many dynamic effects and changes so if there are bad edits or cuts in these links, understand that the Season 2 OST is not released yet, as Season 2 is not even finished yet.
Downtown Demolition
This theme. THIS THEME. THIS THEME GETS ME SO PUMPED EVERY TIME. This theme alone almost secured Killer Instinct Season 2 for 3rd place. I don't think there is much more to say about this. This song is just amazing. The perfect song to beat the crap out of the other fighters to. The best part is the super long build up for the song to break out into a remix of TJ Combo's Killer Instinct 2 theme at 3 minutes 47 seconds.
City of Dawn
Maya's theme in Killer Instinct Season 2 is unique among all the other themes. Most of the character themes have a throwback to their old Killer Instinct 1 or 2 themes in the middle of the song, but Maya's is straight up a remix of her Killer Instinct 2 theme all throughout. This song sounds very exotic and elegant. It gives you the image of a serene and peaceful lost ruin...so the song's intent was done perfectly here of course!
Forbidden Archive
Kan-Ra's theme sounds sinister and mysterious. That fits very well with his status as a new character and a villain. The song gives off a Babylonian feel mixed with an electric sound, as Mick Gordon loves to do, when he isn't shredding hard on a guitar or making amazing rap beats. The best part of this theme is the off key, sinister remix of the Killer Instinct theme at 3 minutes 8 seconds.
Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair
Technically, this soundtrack is even better than the first game's. I could not give this one top spot though, because many of this game's songs are remixes of the first game's songs. Still, this is Masafumi Takada at the top of his game with cerebral and catchy songs that invoke many different feelings at once.
DANGANRONPA [2nd GIG]
This is the same theme song as the first game, but turned up to 11. It is way more bombastic and the guitars make it even better than the original. It does fit as this game is more climactic than the first. The whole section that starts at 1 minute 16 seconds until the end of the song really makes this one better than the first, in which that section is weaker than the second one.
Beautiful Ruin
This song is so peaceful and serene, but with a hint of sinister undertones. There is a small remix of the first game's Beautiful Dead in there. (A theme I absolutely love but it wasn't the top 5 of DR1) This song, like Beautiful Dead, plays during the Daily Life sections, so it makes sense that the song is peaceful. The song, however, does a great job of also making that peace seem fragile, as it is in Danganronpa. You can always expect Daily Life to switch to Deadly Life any moment now...
Objection -CROSS SWORD-
This song plays during the Rebuttal Showdown sections of the Class Trials of DR2. Basically, it amounts to the main character, Hajime finding a weak point in a suspect's defense or argument/logic. After point that out, Hajime gets into a debate with the suspect with the suspect constantly spouting things at you and you have to find a weak point in all their yelling and arguing. This song totally feels like 2 people yelling at each other doesn't it? Chaotic and frantic, another song used perfectly.
Class Trial Odd Edition
This song replaces Class Trial Solar Edition from Part 1. This song certainly feels much more desperate and sad than Solar Edition, which makes sense due to them making the group way more intimate with each other and the cases more tragic. Where as the original felt it was making the situation more hyped up, this one is almost filling you with dread. Such a good song.
Ekoroshia
This song is simply Holy Crap, Shit Just Got Real But It Keeps Getting Even Crazier and Realer: The Song. I cant really go more into it without starting to get into spoilers. A truly climactic song once you know the context of it.
Halo 2 Anniversary
Halo is a series very near and dear to me. Halo 1 Anniversary's remixes were not that amazing but they knocked it out of the park here. Sure there is weak songs here and there but for the most part they honored Marty O'Donnell's work very well. This OST can't rank higher than honorable mention though due to those unfortunate remixes that weren't as good as the originals, but I still very much enjoy this OST. Halo 4 lacked the classic halo feel in its music(Feeling of holiness and awe inspiring mystery) so I hope Halo 5 goes back to this style.
Halo Theme Scorpion Mix
This brass heavy remix of the Halo theme is used in the mission "Metropolis." It starts playing when you cross the long bridge when riding a Scorpion Tank and you have to battle across the bridge. It starts out pretty normal but then when the brass really kicks in at 58 seconds it gets really powerful. Like the top comment on this video said, "When you drive the Scorpion, you're supposed to feel powerful, indestructible... unstoppable. This music makes you feel that way." A strong and powerful remix of a classic theme.
Impart
Impend on the original Halo 2 soundtrack was a strong theme, and Impart is a faithful remix that makes the song even more powerful. The first 30 seconds are beautiful and then it turns industrial. The majestic choir serves as a great counter balance to the heavy drums and industrial beat. It retains the originals mysterious and alien feeling.
Kilindini Harbour
Earth City was a fan favorite song of Halo2 and this remix is a good update, with a much heavier choir and like the Scorpion Mix, the brass adds a lot of weight compared to the original, a sound I very much enjoy. It plays during 2 sections of the game, both of them considered climaxes of the two levels they play in, so this song is memorable to fans of Halo 2 for that reason. It represents 2 different feelings in the 2 levels it plays in though. In Metropolis, it represents the invasion of earth and the hopelessness of that situation, where as in Great Journey, it represents the new Human/Elite Alliance. I always like when a song can be used unchanged and it gives off a completely different feeling than it used to.
This Glittering Band
Another fan favorite done well. This Glittering Band is a great remaster of a classic song, thats all I can say about this one really. They made the choir much stronger compared to the original and I feel its to this song's benefit.
Unforgotten Memories
Some would call this the second Halo theme. Unlike the actual Halo theme, this one even made it into Halo 4. (It's not in Halo 1 though, offsetting that) This song is basically a nostalgia trigger for me, and I will forever love it. This is a beautiful and well done remake of the original. Marty would be proud.
LTTP
Killer Instinct Season 1
Mick Gordon is excellent as always here. Season 2 is just as strong, but Season 1 remains king for being first. The songs here leaned toward heavy metal however. Season 2 seems to have greater variety. Regardless, I rate KI as a soundtrack in its entirety, not split up into 2 seasons, but I do this for this topic's rules.
The Instinct
I was never a big Killer Instinct guy, I hardly ever played it back in the day. But I, like many people, admired the theme song of the original. When I heard this new version, I cheered. It perfectly captures the new game's fast pace and heavy feel. I could gush about this theme all day but I'll just let the link do the talking. One point I will comment on is that this version has a new opening compared to the original classic Killer Instinct theme but fading in the original opening riffs 2 minutes 55 seconds is pure genius.
The Tiger Warrior
A main character's theme true and true. This song packs a very distinct eastern flair mixed with a heavy edge. It fits Jago's image as a peaceful monk, but also with no choice but to violence. A great theme to fight to and unique among the rest of the themes.
Touch Me and I'll Break Your Face
Orchid is the other main character of Killer Instinct, and her theme also portrays that. It is much more upbeat, electric and modern compared to the other songs that are typically more heavy. (in Season 1 anyways) Mixing classic bits of Orchid's previous themes in the song is once again, genius. (This version I posted actually lacks those somewhat) Such a slick and cool theme for a fighting game.
Warlord
Pure heavy metal. Spinal's theme deserves props for how it was made alone. I will copy and paste the facts. Spinal’s new theme was a global effort that combined the talents of twenty people across five countries over three months. The “Spinal Choir” consisted of thirteen men singing in Swedish in Gothenburg. The lyrics were written by Mick Gordon and Pontus Rufelt. The choir is pretending to be warriors who are attempting to summon Spinal to aid them in a foreboding battle. The brass for Spinal was recorded and arranged by Hugh Davies in Guildford, UK. The “horn” sound you hear over the ‘Ready’ text is the sound of a Tibetan Kangling, a human leg bone flute. Also they added Spinal's laugh itself and the sounds of bones as instruments into the song itself. Wow. The perfect theme for an undead skeletal warrior.
Type-03
Fulgore is my favorite Killer Instinct character. He is a classic and one of Killer Instinct's primary antagonists. He is a war machine made to kill, a Terminator basically. So it's theme needed to strike fear and anxiety into opponents. I feel like they accomplished that tenfold. The theme itself is fast paced and unrelenting, never giving you time to breath or think, its just beating the crap out of you just like Fulgore is. Neat stuff.
Shin Megami Tensei IV
The Megaten series is very near and dear to me. This was my game of the year in 2013, warts and all. Such an amazing game for a handheld, though part of me wishes it was a full blown console release. It's OST was no slouch, I wish I could post every song as they are almost all amazing. I have narrowed it down to 5 songs.
Main Theme
The title screen theme. Dark and hard edged, it lets you know right away what kind of universe SMTIV takes place in. People in the know about where SMTIV goes understand what the hard edged and industrial sound is supposed to represent, but people playing without knowledge might be confused as the first few hours of the game do not suit this theme. I'll just say it fits SMTIV to a T. Just as good as the SMT Nocturne theme.
Tokyo
The theme of the Tokyo over world. Such a great and mystifying theme. It is rather calming especially compared to the song I linked above it, but it has a slight industrial and late 80's early 90's tint to it, like much of the soundtrack.
Battle A2 - (Tokyo Battle)
The second normal battle theme in the game. The first is good too, but this one is classic Megaten. It sounds a lot like a tribute to the very first Shin Megami Tensei's battle theme, and that makes sense. The rest of the game is a huge tribute to all the other mainline games anyway. High energy and uplifting but dangerous, it sets the tone amazingly for battling among the post apocalyptic Tokyo's danger filled streets.
Battle B2 - (Boss Battle Theme)
The boss theme of the game. Oh man. This song is so menacing and overbearing, especially at some of the early bosses and a few in late game. This one is also classic Megaten and I wouldn't trade it for the world. When I first heard snippits of this in trailers I was ready for the full version. I wasn't.
End Credits
The staff roll in a game is the end of a journey. So it is fitting that the song that plays also feels like its the end of a journey. This one does a neat thing by adding in 2 songs to the mix that signified the beginning of your journey, but this time they do nothing but show that your adventure is indeed over. Depending on the choices you made, this could mean many things, but above all else...it is indeed all over...for now anyway.
PHEW. THATS IT. IM DONE. IM FREE! This was fun, I'll do it again next year. Till next time people!