Zen Albatross Top 5 Game Soundtracks of 2009
All things considered, 2009 was a pretty good year for game music. And it’s especially refreshing to see that a great deal of its best soundtracks came from the indie games circuit. In this post I’ll be counting down my top 5 videogame OST picks from the past year. You can also check out the post on Original Sound Version to see some of my colleagues’ choices. Click through to see which discs (or downloads, or whatever) made the cut.
5. Rhythm Tengoku Gold / Rhythm Heaven - DS
I’ve never been a huge fan of J-Pop, but I’ll be damned if I still can’t shake the insanely catchy tunes of the latest Rhythm Tengoku game from my head. I hear it in my sleep. I dream about applauding monkeys and maraca-tailed lizards. Pop music is not supposed to make people like this. But Rhythm Heaven does, and honestly, I’m totally okay with it. Despite the sub-par English versions of the game’s vocal tracks, there are a ton of memorable sequences that are brought to life by Rhythm Heaven’s ridiculously upbeat and highly infectious soundtrack.
4. World of Goo - PC/Mac, Wii (WiiWare)
Kyle Gabbler’s original compositions for his sludge-building puzzle game, World of Goo are as eccentric and charming as the gameplay itself. The soundtrack’s darkly cartoonish feel is reminiscent of a Danny Elfman score, yet still uniquely fitting of the game’s wacky and original concept. An outstanding achievement for Gabbler, whose C.V. now includes “composer” in addition to “maker of awesome award-winning indie games.” Is there anything this man can’t do?
3. Bit.Trip Beat - Wii (WiiWare)
If you pay attention to any of my news coverage, it should be obvious why the soundtrack to Gaijin Games’ retro-inspired rhythm game, Bit.Trip Beat has made my Top 5. Minimalist 8-bit bleeps and bloops stack atop one another, laying the foundation for unbridled audiovisual bliss. Throw in a few guest appearances from New York chiptune legend Bit Shifter and you’ve got yourself a lo-fi soundtrack that perfectly complements the stripped-down retro gameplay that the boys at Gaijin Games are so fond of. You can download all 10 tracks for a mere $6 at CD Baby.
2. Shatter - PS3 (PSN)
Rarely is a game’s soundtrack so good that it drives me to immediately purchase the game itself. But such is the case with Shatter, the steroid-induced brickbreaker game from New Zealand studio Sidhe. One of the most compelling things about Shatter’s soundtrack that it’s completely unashamed of what it is — a techno/trance odyssey that at first seems to break nearly every established electronica taboo since the early 90’s. But despite any initial feelings of silliness, Jeremiah “Module” Ross’ bloghouse-style compositions still produce a listening experience so entrancing that I could begin to imagine what the game was like before even having played it. Throbbing beats, screaming guitar solos and calming electronic synths coalesce to form one of the most engaging gaming soundtracks of the year.
1. Machinarium - PC/Mac
While a lot of games this past year have made excellent use of audio for the purpose of setting tone and atmosphere, none can come close to the moody and unconventional soundscapes heard in Amanita Design’s point-and-click puzzle adventure, Machinarium. Composer Tomas Dvorak has not only created one of the most stylistically diverse soundtracks of the year, he’s managed to dream up a fully-realized audio experience that reflects and enhances the grimy and melancholy world of Machinarium — and its quirky robotic inhabitants — perfectly. Running the gamut from sloppy, metallic dubstep to haunting woodwind ambience, every track is befitting of the game’s gorgeous hand-drawn visuals, lovable characters and contemplative, environment-based puzzles. I have no doubt that Machinarium’s sound design will be looked back upon as a landmark achievement in game audio for years to come.
[Read more soundtrack picks on OSV!]
