Is Video Game Music Underrated?

Is Video Game Music Underrated?

Time Stamp: April 6, 2024 12:05 PM
Source Node: 2537488

Video games are a form of art. Although others may disagree and think that video games may be a waste of time, energy, and so on, video games have brought millions of people together to enjoy immersing narratives, memorable characters and worlds, and all the sounds that come with gaming. 

As someone who enjoys many forms of entertainment, be it movies, TV shows, mangas/animes, art and paintings, and video games. I appreciate all the work developers, artists, authors, musicians, and so on, do to perfect their craft and contribute to their communities.

However, during the Oscars, a remark was made by Ludwig Gorransson during his acceptance speech for winning Best Score. 

Gorransson stated, “To my parents, thank you for giving me guitars and drum machines, instead of video games.” 

“Oppenheimer” is a cinematic masterpiece, winning 7 of the 13 awards it was nominated for, telling the story of the man who built the atomic bomb during World War 2, and the repercussions of doing so.

Gorransson is a two-time Oscar winner and an incredible composer. And as excited as I was for it winning so many awards, the question dawned on me – why did he feel the need to make that comment? Perhaps Gorransson does not view video games as a form of art. Perhaps he views them as a waste of time. Either way, the comment could have been reworded, or even avoided. This comment, however, set off many fans and developers of the gaming community. 

This got me thinking, why is video game music not talked about more? After all, video game music requires similar steps to producing music in a movie or as a musician. They require composers, talented musicians, singers and vocal leads, producers, and so on. That’s not to say that video game music is unheard of, after all, the Grammys and The Game Awards have their selective categories dedicated to the music and scores of video games.

But it feels as if the genre of video game music is outcasted. So, I want to highlight some games that have elevated the sounds of gaming. 

“Persona” 

A fan favorite in JRPGs, Persona combines city pop and jazz aspects, to create beautiful melodies when the player is running and exploring the areas they encounter. However, it does not stop there, when in combat, players instantly get switched from their dungeon exploration music to upbeat, intense, and fast music which truly makes the players feel whatever it is they are fighting for.

It is fascinating how the composer Shoji Meguro and the ATLUS sound team can come together to create music so fitting and beloved by their community. All are inspired by city pop and jazz musicians, along with other genres of music such as hip-hop, rock and roll, and more.

If you have not listened to any of the Persona soundtracks, do yourself a favor and give it a listen – you won’t be disappointed.

“Final Fantasy VII” and “Final Fantasy VII Remake”

Final Fantasy VII – the fan-favorite installation in the “Final Fantasy” franchise, and a beloved JRPG. And Final Fantasy VII Remake is the original game’s modern, refined, and beautiful retelling. Both of them have great soundtracks, if there is one word for FF VII music, it is intense, from “let the battles begin” to the iconic “one-winged angel” and everything in between. 

Both FF VII and FF VII remake were composed by Nobuo Uematsu, often considered the “Beethoven” of video game music.

FF VII Remake held to its roots, but the Square Enix sound team knew how to spice it up with a modern and refined sound. While still keeping to their roots that kept gamers wanting more. It is truly something to behold in the game but even listening outside of the game makes everything feel intense. It’s incredible.

“Red Dead Redemption 2”

Moving away from the JRPGs for a little. Red Dead Redemption 2 has a gritty, violent, 1899 American Western that you only find in other Western mediums. However, it is good and only adds to the feeling of the game. 

Composed by Woody Jackson, the music in the game not only makes you feel the weight of the criminal activities being conducted at the hands of the player, but the music in the latter half beautifully comes together to give you a sense of the weight of your actions. “Unshaken” is a great example of that. However, Red Dead Redemption fans cannot forget the beautiful, anxious, and gritty “Blood Fueds and Ancients.”

Woody Jackson and the sound team composed something special, unique, and bittersweet for fans. And although perhaps not the player’s favorite soundtrack, it should be highlighted more. 

“TEKKEN”

There are a variety of fighting games that bring great music, after all, no one wants peaceful, funny music when fighting intense battles against your opponent right? Tekken captures the essence of a fighting game song as a whole, although there are too many sounds to cover. Some just stand out a little more than others. 

“Moonlight Wilderness” is always the first thing that pops into my head when I think of Tekken. It truly feels like the perfect fighting game song. However, there are so many others such as “Karma” and “Arisa” in Tekken 6. “Jet” and “Kitsch” in Tekken 4. “Moonsiders 1st” in Tekken 7, the list goes on. 

Tekken just knows how to make you feel immersed with their music and when it comes to the discussion of video game music, especially fighting game music, deserves a seat at the table. 

Again, there are hundreds of video game soundtracks out there, “Elden Ring,” “Dark Souls 3,” “Super Smash Bros,” “Kingdom Hearts,” “The Last of Us,” “NiER,” “Metal Gear”. There are simply too many great soundtracks. This is why video game music deserves recognition when it comes to the pantheon of music genres and artists. 

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