Part two of our Rock On focus on gaming and music features 10 video games that bring down the house with killer soundtracks. From GTA to Parappa the Rapper, we've got all your musically important games in one story.
The original Halo soundtrack didn't move mountains in terms of orchestral significance, but the music was a core element in consistently creating the mood of the gameplay. The soundtrack's blend of symphony and synthesizer shifts at near-perfect times during the course of Halo, creating a wonderful ambience in this beautifully-crafted sci-fi dance.
If Peter Jackson had done his homework, he'd have commissioned Jeremy Soule to compose the soundtrack to his smash-hit The Lord of the Rings films. Soule's work on The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is just stunning, and sets the game's tone perfectly. The music just sets the tone of the game almost flawlessly, from the swooping, majestic opening theme to the pounding battle anthems to the gentle, fluttering melodies in the forested areas. Oblivion's soundtrack is simply a classic, and a shining example of the artistic merit found in the best video games.
It's hard not to fall in love with a game about a rapping dog, but it's even harder to resist when that game is chock full of some of the most creative (and bizarre) raps around. Parappa the Rapper put the music-genre on the map in regards to the PlayStation, and still holds a venerable place in the hearts of gamers around the world. Whether you were laying down phat rhymes with an onion-headed karate instructor or cooking burgers with a ghost, this game took interactive music to a whole new level.
EA's SSX snowboarding (and later skiing) series is all about being cool on the slopes. Appropriately enough, you need cool tunes to do that, and so far the series hasn't disappointed. Starting off with the first game, EA has crafted each game's soundtrack around various themes, and included a wide array of different music genres. While all of the installments have been stellar when it comes to music, SSX Tricky perhaps scored a gold with its unique pace-based musical system featuring the talents of human beatbox Rahzel.
Contrary to popular belief, Symphony of the Night was not the first CD-based Castlevania game (that honor goes to Dracula X on the PC Engine Duo). Nevertheless, the orchestra score that accompanies what is considered the greatest Castlevania game ever featured a smattering of beautiful melodies countered by hard rock riffs that fit perfectly against the giant castle's many different areas. It's just oo bad that the pristine audio is hamstrung by some of the worst "voice acting... ever in a video game.
