The Greatest Game Music

Reviews of truly outstanding game music

Most recent review

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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Featured review

Streets of Rage 3 Soundtrack

Streets of Rage 3 Soundtrack, Motohiro Kawashima / Yuzo Koshiro, 1994

By the time Sega got around to developing Streets of Rage 3, the company faced a bit of a conundrum. Streets of Rage 2 had left its mark on one of the most popular video game genres of the early 90s. It emerged as a true genre classic by making smart, incremental changes to the formula introduced by Streets of Rage. There was precious little left to improve, so where could the developers take the franchise with Streets of Rage 3? The answer: add a few new gameplay mechanics, change the game’s visual style somewhat, but otherwise leave well enough alone. Well, that last point applied to the Japanese version of the game. When ported to the West, the game’s difficulty was significantly cranked up, to the point of unfairness and frustration. Sadly, to this day, Streets of Rage 3 serves as a reminder of how not to localise a game.

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Ultimate Rivals: The Court Soundtrack

Ultimate Rivals: The Court Soundtrack, Honnda, 2021

Putting together usually impossible dream teams is something video games have always excelled at, all the way back to King of Fighters ‘94. And so, Ultimate Rivals: The Court‘s concept is simply another take on a proud gaming tradition. The game pits athletes from various pro sports (NHL, NBA, MLB, WNBA, soccer etc.) against each other on the basketball court. With that kind of set-up, you’re not going to get a realistic basketball simulation. Instead, each athlete brings their own unique moves derived from their regular sport to the game, as teams of three face off against each other on futuristic courts. Of course, this kind of over-the-top, arcade-style basketball gameplay will remind seasoned gamers of the immortal NBA Jam franchise – and developer Bit Fry Game Studios were clearly aware of that historical connection, even bringing in NBA Jam announcer Tim Kitzrow.

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Streets of Rage 2 Soundtrack

Streets of Rage 2 Soundtrack (Sega Genesis), Motohiro Kawashima / Yuzo Koshiro, 1992

Often enough, sequels to successful games or movies follow a predictable path – repeat the formula that made the first outing a winner, but make sure to tweak and polish your approach. If all goes well, the result is a product that doesn’t innovate, but makes a good thing even better. That’s precisely what happened with Streets of Rage 2. Its predecessor was a strong entry in the very crowded genre of early 90s beat’em ups. It didn’t stand out as a classic, though – but Streets of Rage 2 definitely got there. With nearly flawless gameplay and outstanding visuals, Streets of Rage 2 might well be the greatest beat’em up released for the Sega Genesis – and one of the entire genre’s all-time greats.

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