As someone who has played more indie games than I dare to count, I know a good soundtrack when I hear one. But, equally, because I’ve heard so many, and when you have such a crowded field full of amazing entries, it’s nearly impossible to achieve the consensus of “best.”
But that doesn’t mean we can’t highlight some truly amazing game soundtracks from the past few years, and that’s exactly what we’ll do.
The Last Of Us Composer Discusses The “Magical” Music Process Used For Joel, Ellie And Abby
The Last of Us' Gustavo Santaolalla talks about his method of producing music for characters Ellie, Joel and Abby.
One of the best things about indie games is that they’re always willing to take creative risks, which translates to some incredible music.
Whether it’s chiptunes, electronica, instrumental, or a mix of genres, there’s some pumping music to keep you motivated. So, get ready to dance with this diverse field of musical masterpieces.
10Death’s Door
Walk with the Crows
Death’s Dooris basically what would happen if you take mechanics popularized in series likeThe Legend of Zelda, and mix them with dark and mysterious storytelling.
In it, you play a reaper Crow who is tasked with gathering souls and bringing them home. Things get complicated when one soul goes missing, and you’re led on a crazy mission through a bleak and fascinating world.
A melancholy sense of instrumentation permeates the entire game, and that translates very well to the music as well.
From Hall of Doors to the Summit, Estate of the Urn Witch, and Shall We Dance, the game makes use of pianos and other instruments to bring this bleak world to life.
It’s sort of likeCastlevania: Symphony of the Nightby way of Zelda, and it gets you grounded in this astounding little world.
Climb a Mountain of Emotion
Celestemanages to do the impossible. It takes challenging platforming mechanics and marries them with an emotional tale about depression and finding the strength to carry on.
Every inch of the journey mirrors this constant struggle and imbues it all with a sense of magical realism. The game is both eerie and emotional, sweet and sinister.
As you make up the mountain, there’s an ethereal sense of whimsy and discovery. This is exemplified by tracks such as First Steps, the ghostly Spirit of Hospitality, and comes to a head in the tension of Anxiety.
It’s also important that Celeste is a great showcase for the musical talents of Lena Raine, a well-known and respected name in video game music.
8Blasphemous
Get Ready to Repent
Death’s Door might be a moody adventure, but it has nothing on the gravitas ofBlasphemous. The world of Cvstodia is a horrifying realm where the so-called Miracle has warped reality into a living nightmare. And only the Penitent One has any hope of saving the world from itself.
As you might imagine, the game isn’t one of cheerful music. It’s honestly reminiscent of theLord of the Ringsmovies, especially the portions where Sauron’s forces utterly overmatch the heroes.
There’s great guitar work, and everything is anxious and dark, from La Muerte de Los Relinchos to Que Las Campanas Me Doblen and Cantes de Confesion.
These tunes might not put a smile on your face, but they will make you believe the world of Cvstodia is one that’s just as possible as our own.
Get Out of Hell
It’s frankly a little unfair how amazing of a jobSupergiant Gamesdid on Hades. It was a ton of fun to play, with amazing voice actors and an engaging story, and had incredible music.
And unlike some of the darker entries, it manages to strike a balance between adventure, dismay, and those essential little moments of joy.
Tales of Kenzera: ZAU Uses Marvel’s Black Panther Choir So African Music Can Be “Embedded Into Its DNA”
Tales of Kenzera: ZAU soundtrack is heavily influenced by the rich traditional music of Africa and Marvel’s Black Panther choir adds to this.
I never thought of an instrument like the Lute as exciting before, but they managed it in Hades. The overall soundtrack is dark and hard-rocking, and does a very good job of mirroring the stakes of Zagreus' near-impossible quest.
There are a lot of great songs included, though some of the standouts are No Escape, The Painful Way, and Mouth of Styx. Escaping the underworld has never been so exhilarating.
6Sea of Stars
The Call to Adventure
It’s always a challenge to try and live up to a classic game like Chrono Trigger. What’s astounding is thatSea of Starsmanaged it and is thespiritual successor fans have been hoping for, despite taking place in The Messenger universe.
It tells a tale about childhood friends, dangerous magic, and dark forces best left sleeping. Just as the game’s story alternates between an uplifting call to adventure and dark moments of despair, the soundtrack is very flexible.
From early fare like Devoted Warriors and Crucible of Confirmation to songs like Cursed Woods and The Dweller of Woe, you’ll find several songs you’ll adore in this unforgettable adventure.
5Wandersong
Big Bard Energy
Since we’ve had a lot of dark stuff so far, let’s lighten up with a game likeWandersong. Not only is this adventure lighthearted, but it’s also colorful, both in gameplay and in visual aesthetic.
It’s sort of a choose-your-own adventure, where you wander around singing and interacting with a varied cast of characters.
While the game is colorful, there’s still a decent variety of songs included. That said, most of them are upbeat and magical tracks, from Falling Stars to The Sword, Dreamscape, and Spooky Jam Sesh.
10 Best Musical Anime, Ranked
Tune into melody-driven anime like Your Lie in April, K-On!, and Carole & Tuesday for soulful stories and soundtracks.
It’s not all fun and games, however, and the story will slap you awake when you least expect it. An emotional, cheerful, and quirky platformer full of memorable tunes.
4Cassette Beasts
Rewind and Enjoy
Generally, we don’t play creature-tamer games for the music. So it’s remarkable that the music in Cassette Beasts still crawls around my head a year after playing it.
We’d even go so far as to say that the music design in the game is even better than the colorful visual aesthetic, which is saying something.
The best way to describe the music is dynamic and energetic, with a lot of electronic style. It might be a little dated, but that doesn’t change how fun it is to listen to.
From key tracks like Cross Your Heart to Wherever We Are Now, Archangel Encounter, and Face Down, you will find multiple songs you love as you wander around battling creatures and making friends.
3The Messenger
Musical Ninja Magic
The Messenger could have just been a simple Ninja Gaiden clone, but instead, it proved to be an ambitious and incredible adventure. It features ninjas, demon armies, and time travel, and that’s just the tip of the katana.
Whether you’re wandering through 8 or 16-bit levels, there are complex acrobatics, fierce foes, and plenty of surprises.
Not to be outdone, The Messenger also has an amazing musical design that holds up to this day. Featuring artists like Rainbowdragoneyes and others, they crafted a soundtrack full of unforgettable chiptunes.
Some of the best examples are The Demon Army (Underworld), Hills of Destiny (Autumn Hills), Harness the Winds (Howling Grotto), and The Time Gauntlet (Tower of Time).
Just when you roll the credits, you’re ready to start on Sabotage’s next adventure, the aforementioned Sea of Stars!
2Shovel Knight
Get Ready to Dig In
Shovel Knightis a bit of a marvel. Not only did it make a name for Yacht Club Games, but it laid the foundation for a universe of other adventures like Shovel Knight DIG and Pocket Dungeon.
That’s plenty impressive, but it’s also a really engaging retro platformer with some amazing music.
The music in the game that started it all is action-packed and rousing, with chiptunes that will center you deeply in this fantasy universe. Each member of the Order of No Quarter has their own unique track, and they’re all a blast.
Some of my personal favorite tunes are Strike the Earth, the watery ambiance of A Thousand Leagues Below, and Of Devious Machinations. Honestly, this is one game you just need to own the entire soundtrack. It’s that good.
1Just Shapes & Beats
If You Know, You Know
Generally, when you’re attending an event like PAX West, you want to avoid the crowds. So trust me when I tell you that anything that draws you deep into the beating heart of one is something remarkable.
That was me the first time I heard the siren song of Just Shapes & Beats at PAX West, and I haven’t looked back since.
Not only is the game a frenetic and colorful mix of the bullet hell and rhythm genres, but it features an unbelievable mixture of songs from a constellation of talented artists.
It’s sort of like an electronic dance club, with tunes like Mortal Kombat andeven songs borrowed from Shovel Knight.
That said, some of the best songs are the works of Danimal Cannon (Long Live the New Fresh), Sabrepulse (Termination Shock), and Kubbi (Cascade). But you’ll be hard-pressed not to love one of the 80-something songs in this fantastic indie vision.
