A little foreword: Needless to say, all of these games had music that excelled at serving as a game soundtrack, and in some cases they shined as individual pieces of music outside the immediate context it's presented in, in the game. But even so, what made these soundtracks really stand out is how characteristic of the game they sound. They nail the feel of the game so well that sometimes they feel inseparable to the game itself. In other words when you listen to these songs, you immediately think of their game counterparts as there are very few other games that share its musical language. These soundtracks have purpose, and have either been composed or compiled to serve the greater experience of playing said game beyond just being a cool piece of music. The best soundtracks across any medium have personality and these are the games I felt achieved this the best, out of the meager amount of games released this year I've played. Also, it's probably no easy feat for most of us who don't have the spare time to play games whenever they want but I do implore anyone who's unfamiliar with these games to play them first before listening to the soundtrack. They're all strong individual pieces as they are but they leave a much greater impression within the context of their game which is saying a lot because as it is, they're already beautiful compositions without a story or a game's mechanics backing them up.
1.
Bloodborne - Ryan Amon, Tsukasa Saitoh, Yuka Kitamura, Michael Wandmacher, Nobuyoshi Suzuki
Unlike the previous games released in From Software's fandubbed 'Soulsborne' series, Bloodborne's soundtrack didn't really grab me from the get go. It wasn't a case of encountering a boss for the first time and the track hooking me in instantly, nor was it a mood that I could immediately get a feel for most of the time. Bloodborne's music wasn't my initial soundtrack of the year but needless to say, over time, it has grown on me quite a bit. This was a soundtrack that the more I contemplated on and considered, the more complex it became and the craft put in became all the more apparent.
Hat's off to everyone involved in the music in whatever role they had, whether they composed it or gave direction to how it should sound.
The interview the composers gave to Playstation is a must-read for any fan of the soundtrack because it gives a little bit more insight, however brief, into the creative process of making Bloodborne's musical accompaniment. What struck me the most was their decision to stick to a particular set of instruments and timbre, avoiding for example the organ, to establish a particular soundscape. This demonstrates intention and a willingness to stick to a particular vision, a kind of craft that elevated the music for me. They really put a lot of thought and care into making this more than just a collection of great songs as the music itself acts as part of the setting, an instrumental part of the 'Soulsborne' games. As much as I like my big, proud brass I admire how selective they were in conveying what the developers desired the player should feel. Horror and dread, tragedy and triumph, these are all words to describe the music of Bloodborne and the music of many other games but the way the music itself has delivered these emotions fits none better than the pseudo-Victorian, nightmare of a game Bloodborne is. This isn't to say the soundtrack is devoid of grandiose moments for it knows exactly when to dip its toes into this mood, and this leads into another aspect of Bloodborne's soundtrack that makes it so great.
It is no coincidence that the most bombastic moment of Bloodborne's soundtrack so far comes during the second-half of Ludwig's boss fight, the first of the Old Hunter's DLC. Much like in Dark Souls: Artorias of the Abyss, we fight early on in the DLC a powerful, notable character fallen from grace that the main-game made reference to. When we finally meet the esteemed knight Artorias, we are greeted by someone crippled and insane, and the subdued music reflects this as a warrior past his prime. Likewise in the Old Hunters expansion, Ludwig is revealed to be literally the most grotesque and perverted beast we have seen so far. The music here initially isn't that dramatic, rather held back, and I'd call the cello line almost playful which makes it all the more creepier. It does grow in tension and it does build towards something but it never quite reaches a climax it's leading us towards. It's a tough fight, and once you whittle down the founder of the Healing Church hunters to half his health a cutscene plays that changes the tone of the fight completely. Here, we have our climax. Fighting Artorias in Dark Souls, he buffs himself with the power of the Abyss, becoming more aggressive and further losing what little humanity he has left but in Bloodborne, Ludwig does the opposite (props to a Gaffer for pointing this out to me). Ludwig regains his composure at the sight of his Holy Moonlight Sword which appears before him, reminding him of the proud, ruthless Hunter he once was. This is Ludwig's last hurrah, not a redemption, and the music shifts to a booming, epic track. As a little aside, I'd hesitate to go as far as calling the tracks which change as the boss fights progress, 'dynamic,' because they don't really react to your actions as much as they simply develop the further along the fight you get. This isn't a slight against what they've done, I love how they've taken the time to make the fights that much more memorable as the music that is so synonymous to these battles also develops. Not all boss fights need to have a twist or develop in some way the further we fight them, but when they do it's all the more satisfying when the music that serves as accompaniment reflects this.
There's something else about the soundtrack also which I'd love to go into more depth about but, as it is now we're a bit limited in how we can interpret or analyse it and that is the lyrics of some of the pieces. This is especially intriguing as, someone correct me if I'm wrong here, the music of Demons Souls to Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin had very little to no actual words in the music. The first time I consciously noticed this was when we're taken away to Hypogean Gaol with the stunning 'Hail the Nightmare' track which you can find a link to below. The call and response between the solo bass and the female choir we hear at the start really seals this moment, and the location, as one of the creepiest in the entire game. Another great moment is when the choir to Gehrman's theme kicks near the end of his fight with that beautiful motif they set up.
This really is From Software's finest soundtrack yet in their recent series of RPGs and I'd argue, the soundtrack of the year. The craft that has gone into placing every instrument and every musical phrase into the right moment to make of the most of it has paid off here immensely. The end result is a thoughtful, attractive collection of pieces. I really can't wait for Dark Souls 3 and see what they do.
2.
Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number - Miscellaneous
Jonatan Söderström and Dennis Wedin had no easy task when going into an inevitable follow-up to the indie hit "fuck-em-up" Hotline Miami. It's no hyperbole to say that central to its success was the songs they chose as part of its soundtrack and so naturally a lot of the attention was directed towards what tracks they would include this time.
An interview with PC Gamer the two-man dev team gave reveals that the project which turned into Wrong Number was originally meant to be an "expansion pack" which became its own fully-fledged sequel. They stated that they were "cramming everything we have in there" and that they felt it had to be "innovative...-pretty much a whole new game." From the finished product it's safe to say that they succeeded in setting out to creating a cohesive sequel that featured all the remaining ideas they wanted to include, and some gameplay grievances aside, Wrong Number was an enjoyable game with another stellar soundtrack. That "hypnotic vibe" they established so effectively in the original title carried over to its sequel and, in some ways expanded, on its sonic library to deliver greater highs and different emotions.
Wrong Number's more bombastic, 'hype,' tracks are oft-cited for a good reason. The pulsating bass and electrifying synths on tracks like Roller Mobster and In The Face Of Evil give an adrenaline rush of surgical precision that makes playing the game ridiculously fun. Söderström and Wedin have mastered the synergy between the game and the music for the standout moments of ruthless destruction. My personal favourite of these comes in Le Perv, played during the final scene of Richter's act. It was such an evocative song and I still remember throwing out all caution when the song's climax hit at around 2:55. As a whole, credit is due for turning it up to 11 and not holding back on what is a quintessential part of Hotline Miami, the killing! The soundtrack easily surpasses the original in this regard, but it's strengths go beyond.
The most memorable part of the original Hotline Miami for me was the music that would play in the little segments after each level, the track
Daisuke which signaled the end of a chapter. It was the perfect song to debuzz to and I think, much like the eerie music that plays in the level backtrack once you finish, it's just as important as the pumping music and violence that preceded it. This quiet after the storm was yet another triumph for the soundtrack, and I wondered how they'd treat it in the sequel. While no individual piece grabbed me as much as Daisuke did, they managed to expand the alternate side to Hotline Miami's music - even in the levels themselves. Magic Sword's track in Beard's final scene adds a striking nostalgic-quality to the level as you fight your way through to the enemy base. This surfy, electronic song is not what we expect in a game full of over-the-top finales and this remains as one of my favourite gaming moments of 2015. The cutscene music for Richter's levels also deserves praise for its minimalist approach with an electric guitar, synth drum and bass that somehow captures an inescapable melancholy as well as relief. These songs have stayed with me long after playing the game and find themselves on rotation on the off-occasion.
Good job to Söderström and Wedin for selectively arranging these pieces and of course, to the artists themselves that produced and composed them. The range shown in, what is at its base, a game about that timeless act of violence is phenomenal and for any medium, is an exemplar of what you can achieve with a licensed soundtrack.
3.
Undertale - Toby Fox
Like a few others, I only picked up Undertale over the recent Steam winter seal. Consequently, it's the last of the three games I've played on this list, meaning the soundtrack has had the least amount of time to mature on my ears. I admit if I had equal time with all these games Undertale would probably be higher but for now it's last. I guess you can't really avoid this type of stuff for music and end of year lists.
But even so, I can sing my praises for this gem of a soundtrack. I'm reminded of Jasper Byrne's Lone Survivor, a similar one-man video game effort made by a musician with music that knows what it's doing and can effortlessly change feel and style when it wants to. Every time this game subverts your expectations, packs in a pivotal moment, or brings in the feels the soundtrack is right there with it. Our first taste is the music set to the opening prologue that establishes that Undertale motif we'll hear throughout the course of the game, all the way up to final boss fight and ending credits. Props to Fox for putting some real effort into the soundtrack through the use of leitmotifs/motifs that we notice first as easter-eggs before realizing they are very much a substantial part of Undertale's musical language that it can draw from. When each tune is so memorable, every new moment adds onto what we've experienced so far. Undertale may be short length-wise but it is a dense game and the soundtrack reflects this in the best way possible. As much as I loved the ambient tracks that played in the towns or levels, the standouts of this soundtrack are the boss themes and the absolute pinnacle is pretty much all of the late-game tracks where Fox effortlessly interweaves motif after motif. Without spoiling anything, I'll leave it at that.
Another thing I found quite neat was the measured introduction of acoustic instruments. We quickly discover that the music won't just be a mix of chiptunes and synths as the level music of the first area we're in comes in with a piano. Later, a warm guitar plays when we reach our 'home.' We wonder what else Fox has to offer and by the end of the game I was blown away a few times by what instruments he drew in. Not altogether unexpected but no less effective. Using both synthetic and acoustic instruments, Undertale's soundtrack is a joy to listen to. The strength of these compositions is further apparent in the instrumental covers of some of the game's music, such as this excellent
saxophone cover.
This is one game in particular where I think the soundtrack should be experienced first-hand, at least most of the boss themes, so I've linked the tracks accordingly. Also, ya'll should link to Bandcamp where possible not Youtube where he gets no royalties, not that I think he'd care that much