The Greatest Game Music

Reviews of truly outstanding game music

Most recent review

Final Fantasy V Soundtrack

Final Fantasy V Soundtrack (Pixel Remaster), 2021, Nobuo Uematsu / Various

Among the trio of SNES Final Fantasy titles, the franchise’s fifth instalment has always been the underdog, which ultimately only added to its appeal. First, there’s the simple fact that the 1992 SNES version of Final Fantasy V was not released in the West, inevitably adding to the mystique surrounding the game. It took until the release of Final Fantasy Anthology in 1999 that US audiences were able to finally lay their hands on the game. Then there’s Final Fantasy V’s main claim to fame – a job system that builds upon that introduced in Final Fantasy III, offering countless options to customise your party. The game felt like a throwback to the NES Final Fantasy titles in other aspects as well. Its fairly simplistic plot and stereotypical (yet enjoyable) characters felt like a conscious step away from Final Fantasy IVs more complex narrative.

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Featured review

Sabre Team Soundtrack

Since an internet search for screenshots of the Atari ST version’s cover came up empty, a screenshot of the Amiga port’s cover has been used above.

Sabre Team Soundtrack (Atari ST), Matt Furniss, 1992

During the second half of the 1980s and into the 1990s, video games starring burly soldiers defending the Western way of life were a dime a dozen (we can at least partially thank Rambo: First Blood Part II and the following wave of copycat movies for that). By 1992, the formula required a bit of tweaking to still elicit interest, and so Krisalis Software made the smart move to turn Sabre Team into a turn-based strategy simulation. Gamers put together a team of four elite soldiers, making the most of limited action points per unit to move them around the isometric maps and attack enemies. Details like the amount of noise produced by different weapons and the weight of their respective ammunition added a surprising amount of realism to the gameplay, turning Sabre Team into one of the Atari ST’s best strategy games.

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Matt Furniss - Atari ST Works

Matt Furniss – Atari ST Works, 1990-1992

Many computer game soundtracks of the 80s and early 90s consist of only one longer cue, sometimes with a few shorter pieces and jingles added. As such, these scores don’t warrant individual reviews, even when these works are of outstanding quality. What makes more sense is to combine several such soundtracks by a single composer into one review.

Part of the ecosystem of European (and particularly British) home computers was that games were usually released across a range of platforms, including the C64, Amiga, Atari ST, ZX Spectrum, PC, Amstrad CPC and Acorn 32-bit – obviously to increase presence in the marketplace and increase sales. Due to the technological differences between all of these systems, they would also feature different soundtracks – or rather one score ported and adapted to each platform. That was the situation developer Krisalis (previously trading as Teque Software Development) and their in-house composer Matt Furniss found themselves in during the late 80s and early 90s.

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Demons of Asteborg Soundtrack

Demons of Asteborg Soundtrack, 2021, Jacob Altmann / Roland Sepherulo

The number of retro games that fashion themselves as new Sega Genesis titles isn’t huge, but since the 2010s, there has been a steady trickle of such projects. 2021’s Demons of Asteborg was one of the stronger Genesis look-alikes, combining aspects of classic titles like Ghouls’n Ghosts and Castlevania: Bloodlines – and even a bit of Space Harrier. Developer Neofid Studios seasoned this Gothic platforming action with Metroidvania elements – and following a successful Kickstarter campaign, they even released Demons of Asteborg as a physical Sega Genesis cartridge (in addition to Switch and Steam ports). The game met with positive reviews praising the title’s polished gameplay and lovingly crafted presentation.

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Featured review

Actraiser Renaissance Soundtrack

Actraiser Renaissance Soundtrack, Yuzo Koshiro, 2021

One of the most fondly remembered games of the first generation of SNES titles is Actraiser. Only the fourth SNES game to be released in Japan, Actraiser was developer Quartet’s first project. It was the beginning of an auspicious career that would see the company create some of the most memorable SNES projects. Actraiser was the rare game that offered something unique at the time – a combination of side-scrolling platforming action and city-building simulation. The whole concept was held together by Actraiser’s mythical narrative, pitting a protagonist with god-like powers against the forces of darkness. Unfortunately, 1993’s Actraiser 2 met with a less enthusiastic response, after it focused entirely on (punishingly difficult) platforming. And so, the franchise stopped dead in its tracks, seemingly forgotten by new rightsholder Square Enix – until out of nowhere, the company announced remake Actraiser Renaissance in September 2021.

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Streets of Rage 4: Mr. X Nightmare Soundtrack

Streets of Rage 4: Mr. X Nightmare Soundtrack, Tee Lopes, 2021

The renaissance of 2d gaming, which kicked off in the 2010s, wasn’t just a boon for indie gaming. Enterprising developers successfully revived classic franchises that had lain dormant – and among them was Streets of Rage. 2020’s Streets of Rage 4 arguably didn’t break any new ground, but it was a skilfully executed take on perenially satisfying beat’em up mechanics. Commercial success followed strong reviews – a year after launching, the game had sold over 2.5 million copies worldwide. Of course, that meant DLC would soon follow and indeed arrived in the shape of Streets of Rage 4: Mr. X Nightmare. The expansion’s main addition was a new Survival Mode (seemingly inspired by roguelikes), three new playable characters and a more challenging difficulty level.

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Final Fantasy IV Soundtrack

Final Fantasy IV Soundtrack (Pixel Remaster), 2021, Nobuo Uematsu / Various

True, Square‘s Final Fantasy had been a milestone in RPG history, refining concepts introduced not long before by Dragon Quest. Sequels Final Fantasy II and III were among the best-selling RPGs of their generation, offering gameplay innovation (FFII) and what’s maybe the 8-bit era’s most polished, expansive role-playing game (FFIII). However, it was really with Final Fantasy IV that the franchise joined the ranks of gaming’s most hallowed and revered titles. Final Fantasy IV was a massive influence on the development of the entire RPG genre, particularly through its focus on dramatic storytelling and fleshed-out characters. The game’s legacy as a trailblazer seems secure – there’s a good reason why it keeps appearing on various “best games of all time” lists on both sides of the Pacific, clearly beloved by generations of gamers.

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