In lieu of me doing a best games of 2010 or some sort of GOTY list with games I haven’t played or finished, I will make a list that I actually know a lot about. As I have said before I have GIGS worth of video game soundtracks and video game inspired music in my collection. I have a bit of everything in there from 8-bit chiptunes, to orchestral numbers performed on a grand scale. I am not one to discriminate when it comes to my music. That being said, here are the best of the best for 2010… well at least four of them, again in no real order.
Super Meat Boy – I think it says a lot that I don’t even own this game but I have the soundtrack. This is the simplest of the soundtracks that I will list here, at least for the most part. I wasn’t blessed with the ability to compose music, but if I had been I would probably spend most of my free time trying to makes chiptunes that sound as good as these. Every track has a very distinct sound and feel to them. Again I haven’t played the game but I can envision how well they would match up to the action taking place on screen. From what I understand the game is a throw back to super hard core platformers of yesteryear and the soundtrack matches that perfectly.
Mass Effect 2 – Much like the soundtrack for the first game this one is crafted perfectly. It’s no wonder that Jack Wall is touring around the world with the “Video Games Live” show. This soundtrack is moody, plain and simple. There are a select few game soundtracks that when played can summon up such a vast number of feelings, the strongest of which being the urge to go back and play the game. I have yet to finish the game itself ( I know, I know) but the soundtrack is often on infinite repeat on my iPhone. If there was ever a style to emulate for your next scifi epic movie it would be this. Not since the soundtrack of Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion has a musical score managed to take to me to another world so seamlessly.
VVVVVV – So, much like the Super Meat Boy score, this one is done mostly in the fashion of 8-bit (or less) chiptunes. Playing VVVVVV is both confusing and totally addicting, much like the soundtrack. Songs are all over the board and it fits perfectly with the game play. It’s like someone pulled out their old C64 and decided to boot up and make music again. As simple as the controls are for this game, the soundtrack follows suit. As Jeff Gerstmann said, the makers of this game took the retro feel and really ran with it. There really is no clear way to explain what VVVVVV is about but I can sum up the soundtrack in a few words, Retro-Awesome.
Red Dead Redemption – First of all Rockstar has always been a developer that has gone all out with their soundtracks. Really starting with GTA Vice City, when they split up the radio stations and put songs and artists on there that were easily recognizable by pretty much anybody. Red Dead being set in the early western expansion of the 1900’s is a far departure from modern day Liberty City. Inherently this makes it much harder to score. I mean, cowboys didn’t hop on a horse and start hearing Bon Jovi’s “Wanted Dead Or Alive”. That being said Rockstar managed to perfectly capture the feel of the old west in each and every track. Most notably “Far Away” by José González seems to sum up both the story, and the drama that takes place in the game. Actually the few tracks that actually have lyrics on the soundtrack sound as though they were something you would most defiantly heard in a saloon on a cold rainy night. The blend of a sad violin, harmonica, and even a whistle are enough to plant you firmly in the shoes of John Marston as he sets off to clear his soul of all that he has done wrong. As cliche’ as it sounds, bravo Rockstar, this is easily the best thing that I have heard in a video game… ever.
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