Music in video games is as important an aesthetic component as visual artstyles and story themes. It sets the tone for each area and character, often without the player ever noticing. Some elements of video game soundtracks have nonetheless become iconic, able to rocket people back to the emotions that they felt when playing through some of their favorite games.
It is one thing to have a good soundtrack that fits the narrative and themes of a video game, but many games in 2019 went a step beyond simple thematic cohesion. This list includes ten games from 2019 that made unique stylistic choices, or pushed the boundaries of video game music to great effect.
Some of these games have music that can be listened to on its own, while others are impressive because of how artfully the music sets a given tone. Each of these games provides a relatively unique approach to music, so it is impossible to rank them in order of quality.
Ape Out
Ape Out is a gorgeous game that makes a very simple premise into a stunning expression of what great video game design can convey. It uses an auto-generated jazz beat to follow along with the mayhem caused by the player. Using only percussion, the free-form jazz drums evoke the brutal, chaotic, and primal actions of a gorilla tearing its way out of captivity.
Cymbals splash as guards are splattered against walls, and a wild beat ramps up to evoke the chaos of the jungle as combat becomes more and more intense. Each main area makes use of a different drum kit, and details like where the player positions their ape or what direction they throw guards in can change which pieces of the drum kit are used.
In this way, the player creates the music much like they create the artistic splatters of color across each stage. There is no soundtrack to listen to from Ape Out; the only way to experience the music is as a component of a holistic gaming experience.
Cadence of Hyrule
Cadence of Hyrule is a Zelda-themed take on the action-adventure-rhythm-game formula created by the original Crypt of the Necrodancer. The player must make actions along with the beat, navigating enemies and areas that move to the rhythm of each zone’s music.
This formula combined with Legend of Zelda’s music and monsters makes for a perfect mix. Zelda has some of the most iconic music ever created for video games, and nearly every familiar song is masterfully reworked into an up-tempo version to create a sense of excitement and energy.
Pulsing drums and bass make keeping rhythm easy, while unique use of vocals, woodwinds, strings, synths, and electric guitar make every area and boss sound different from the last. From the haunting chords of the fairy fountain to the funky grooves of Gerudo Valley, each song in Cadence of Hyrule is a treat.
Control
Control has a very unique style of creepiness, and as such its music is not something most people would choose to listen to on its own. However, it is perfect ambiance. Each track is always a unique flavor of surreal, creeping, and intense. The already-discordant pitches warp in the presence of enemies to add to the ominous feeling of foes appearing, while near-inaudible undertones create an otherworldly backdrop.
All of this was achieved by using a unique set of sounds and samples to put together the game’s music. The developers recorded sounds of objects sliding across concrete or breaking, even recording notes on a burning piano so that the strings inside would actively warp with heat. The end result is a musical effect that feels as if it has been twisted and altered by the otherworldly forces in the Oldest House, sending constant shivers down the listener’s spine.
Death Stranding
Death Stranding is a game that creates emotion by carefully manipulating the player’s experience with landscape, music, and slow, deliberate gameplay. The music of the game matches Death Stranding's sweeping, harsh, and beautiful landscapes. It uses melodic, slow electronica and ethereal voices to put the player in a trance-like state of calm as they trek across barren vistas for lengthy missions.
In a game that has quests for which the player must walk for up to a half-hour at a time, a good soundtrack is paramount. Luckily, Death Stranding delivers with a score that won a 2019 Game Award for its ability to bring out all the barren futurism of the game's setting.
The long treks are accentuated by shifts in the music and camera movements in a way that makes the game feel especially cinematic. The swelling music helps elicit all the emotion that a broad horizon can, contributing to Death Stranding’s experimental design.
Devil May Cry 5
Devil May Cry 5 is impressive not just because of the quality of its music, but also its sheer quantity and diversity. The soundtrack stretches on for nearly five hours from end to end, ranging from solemn, brooding, and spooky to amped-up techno metal with punky flair.
The music also reacts to the player’s current rank in combat, bringing in the chorus of a character’s theme during the S-levels of combat so that the energy increases just as the player falls into their combo-slinging groove. Devil May Cry's music fits its art, characters, and story beats to a tee, contributing to the gameplay with style and panache.
Disco Elysium
This game was one of the sleeper hits of the year. Easily missed, Disco Elysium nonetheless gained critical and popular acclaim because of its incredible storytelling and character customization.
In a game that focuses primarily on story, dialogue, and choices, ambiance is a lot more vital than in games that rely on action and complex mechanics. Themes for individual characters, as well as multiple themes for each area lend tremendously to the game’s atmosphere. The music is an interesting mix of sweeping orchestrals and Western twang, even ranging out to funky beats on occasion. This fits in perfectly with the game’s charming humor and incredible worldbulding.
Kingdom Hearts 3
Kingdom Hearts 3 has music that makes every moment of gameplay sound like an uplifting montage of the area being explored. A huge orchestra performs spirited, thematic takes on familiar Disney worlds that sound like blockbuster movie scores. The songs include swelling orchestra tracks, fun jams and grooves for more lighthearted areas, and truly epic boss music.
With such a sprawling number of worlds, Kingdom Hearts 3 has a staggering amount of individual areas to provide music for. Undaunted, the musicians for Kingdom Hearts crafted music for each area that puts the best songs in many other games to shame.
Outer Wilds
Each important moment of discovery in Outer Wilds is punctuated by musical cues. Whether haunting or homely, every song is always a little sad, lonely, and thoughtful. This is perfect for a game about mystery, discovery, exploration, and introspection.
One of two major styles define each track, which use either warm folk instruments or chilling piano and synth. The music uses a very simple mix of instruments, but in this case less is more. Tracks can overlap in beautiful ways, mixing comforting tunes and homesick chords that often shift into the ominous and mysterious.
Sayonara Wild Hearts
Some may say that Sayonara Wild Hearts is more style than substance, but in this game style is the substance. This pastel neon dream of a game is quirky, stylish, and wholesome all rolled into an experience that relies deeply on music.
Synth pop is great mood music for the game, but is also good listening in its own right. The music in Sayonara Wild Hearts uses both dreamy synths and rhythmic pop beats with romantic vocals to set the tone for a game that is all spectacle and joy.
Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order
Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order sounds just like Star Wars should. It emulates the orchestral masterpieces that John Williams crafted for the movies incredibly well, but also introduces some interesting takes on music within the Star Wars universe.
The beginning of the game features Mongolian throat-singing rock as an alien bop in the main character’s music library. This was just one of many things Fallen Order adds to the canon of Star Wars. In-universe cantina music and otherworldly performances have always caught fans' interest, and adding to the setting's musical catalog is a great way to build out Star Wars lore.
Most of the music in the game is orchestral tracks that fit right in with the iconic scores written for the movies. With cues taken from familiar cinematic themes, they achieve the perfect blend of striking, romantic, and hopeful that makes Star Wars music unique.