#29: Baten Kaitos

[maxnichols@mastodon.gamedev.place]

#29: Baten Kaitos

I think this is Sakuraba's (Golden Sun, Tales of..., Star Ocean, Dark Souls) best soundtrack. Ethereal harp tracks, rock band battle music, baroque antagonist theme, operatic wailing. I couldn't describe a through-line for it, other than: it's good

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0N9t4xrFi0o&list=PL68E09FBCFDD19453&index=46

[maxnichols@mastodon.gamedev.place]

#30: Ikaruga

A vertical shmup with 5 stages, each a set length, so the soundtrack is tightly choreographed to the action. The composer was also the director.

Songs I recommend:
All of them. It's a short OST and they flow nicely from one to another, like an album.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAn6XxsDDTI&list=PL8672D0B6E92456AD&index=2

[maxnichols@mastodon.gamedev.place]

#31: Cladun: This is an RPG

it's a big soundtrack with some misses, but what stands out is very good in a classic JRPG-take-on-Celtic-with-rock-elements kinda way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHq1OhKbrzs&list=PL5zdIKeI6ktBPo_0wDGeIJCjtPS04wkEf&index=11

See:
Water that Connects Life
Water that Connects Life 8bit
Slicing the Wind
Earth of Wind and Blood

[maxnichols@mastodon.gamedev.place]

#32: Atlantis 2

Lots of woodwinds and chanted song and quiet ambiance for this 1999 point & click adventure from French studio Cryo Interactive. Some really great relaxing or meditative stuff.

See Rhea's Garden, Stars, and The Jaguar God

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4RPLKu77C0&list=PLJaKbPlXXQokQoVJE-vxHMY9JKIUuTZlh&index=26

[maxnichols@mastodon.gamedev.place]

#33: Drakengard 3

It touches the same musical styles as Nier, its spin-off series. Driving auto-tuned choral rock, tortured melodramatic breaking-voice song, sepulchral piano and bells, etc. You know xD

See:
-This Silence is Mine
-The Rising Fool
-Final Song

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7M_iHQOY44&list=PLdR7m7PFLzQ4IQOx4ISPlkzhMvdYrCiUP&index=33

[maxnichols@mastodon.gamedev.place]

#34: Odin Sphere

Wagner-esque classical opera is the biggest influence. He did compose the Valkyrie after all. It has a dragon named Wagner!

See
- Storming Battlefields
- Grueling Road to Glory
- Battle in the Netherworld
- Battle in Ragnanival - Second Movement

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKqeZQQONqE&list=PLWdUkdaN3GL21Pm3S_FoTTJvt_iMxP50A&index=18

[maxnichols@mastodon.gamedev.place]

#35: Ogre Battle: March of the Black Queen

Militaristic pomp and march. Brass and drums. Kinda reminds me of Warcraft 2? Very good shit, though I DO have the nostalgia glasses.

See:
- Accretion Disk
- Revolt
- Impregnable Defense
- White Storm
- Overture

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_shi9uuIctc&list=PLe0LPbpC0Di7yxQohRKWGhKQwY-m4CWfP

[maxnichols@mastodon.gamedev.place]

#36: Frozen Synapse

Dubstep-y electronica and synth, mostly, but less EDM and more melodic and melancholic. By nervous_testpilot

See:
- Deeper
- Triumph
- Focus

https://nervoustestpilot.bandcamp.com/album/frozen-synapse-original-soundtrack

[maxnichols@mastodon.gamedev.place]

#37: Eastward

Stretching the limits of "little-known OSTs" here a bit, but at the least it's not as known as it SHOULD be!

Jazzy synthwave bops, ominous crunchy synth for antagonists and bosses, it's just great synth all the way down. Really excellent

https://joelcorelitz.bandcamp.com/album/eastward-original-soundtrack

[maxnichols@mastodon.gamedev.place]

#38: TrackMania 2 Stadium

Focused, steady EDM beats with some dubstep sensibilities. A lot of the tracks are pretty good for awhile and then suddenly drop amazing segments. Really fun to drive to on a clear highway IRL

See:
- Hydroplane
- Tachmania
- Tail Lights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3VRPVUjb1A&list=PL4WO4CSC8XIUarv6wZ1P6pxy8U7TtpTNo&index=4

[maxnichols@mastodon.gamedev.place]

#39: Arcanum

OST by Ben Houge, who did a lot of Sierra soundracks in the 90s. There's a lot of lingering, haunting orchestral stuff, tapping into more wistful or melancholic vibes than most others

See:
Arcanum Main Theme
Caladon Catacombs
The Vendigroth Wastes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftvpi-6Z6qw&list=PL747E3997A25A9FF6

[maxnichols@mastodon.gamedev.place]

#40: Concerto Gate, by Hiroki Kikuta

Kikuta's trademark Twinkling staccato orchestral stuff. Sounds halfway between his Mana and Indivisible soundtracks.

So unknown in English that I had to upload the playlist myself, haha

See:
- Selvaggio
- Appassionato
- Lamentoso
- Mormorando

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tF_OUYxGnKg&list=PLoD-h5kl7mRA1NsMpdZa1VrLf_8jeRliQ&index=11

[maxnichols@mastodon.gamedev.place]

#41: You Have to Burn the Rope

Newgrounds Flash game, circa 2008. As a sophomore game design student I thought this game was CUTTING commentary on the state of AAA games.

This soundtrack has basically only one song in it, by Reachground. It is catchy as hell.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaePM7M_pic&list=RDGaePM7M_pic&start_radio=1

[maxnichols@mastodon.gamedev.place]

#42: Eternal Darkness
A well-known game, but I never see discussion of it's excellent and interesting soundtrack. It's a lot less minimal and ambient than you'd expect from a horror game.

See:
- Snake Princess
- The Chosen
- Black Rose
- Gateway to Destiny

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_6vuWMW-OY&list=PLRnwItmM9-WGBvzvgXYYLy1ii5NNZjFMM&index=3

[maxnichols@mastodon.gamedev.place]

#43: Metal Saga: Chain of Sandstorm

"What if Mad Max was a JRPG and it's soundtrack was somehow really chill, jazzercise-y and/or breakbeat?"

See:
Route 99 (1-04)
Morgue Town (2-03)
Dungeon Dance (2-21)
Junk Mountain (2-22)
Stronghold Ruins Sites (2-24)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8UGCeKl20E&list=PL5EEn4paE0seIoQ67agWPUcHDO-tFknqA&index=4

[maxnichols@mastodon.gamedev.place]

#44: Soma Bringer

Mitsuda's trademark minimalist celtic/orchestral-jazz stuff. You'll immediately hear the Chrono lineage. Beautiful work

See:
- Zain, The Floating Continent
- The One Who Soars Over the World
- Graave Stronghold
- Exploration of the Secluded Land

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7k0NTJqotg&list=PL6y9niWh_EgNo5YQI9jN3VsvTc6L-ExoX&index=43

[maxnichols@mastodon.gamedev.place]

#45: Castle Crashers
Drum'n'bass/synth/EDM, with some "epic" chorals thrown in. It was an all-star cast of Newgrounds musicians, and it shows.

See:
Four Brave Champions
A New Adventure
Barbarian Assault
Factory
Flooded Grounds
Alien Hominids
Medusa
Winterbliss

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JawxAgo81Uk&list=PLaEhyKrOpBW1VT_UlbQxGy8YMlk-tVwDX&index=1

[maxnichols@mastodon.gamedev.place]

#46: Batman: The Video Game (1990)

Good-ass side-scrolling action chiptunes. Same composer as Journey to Silius. It sounds like Megaman to my ears.

See:
- Gotham City
- Chemical Factory
- Ending ~ Credits

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gppJ8K5CWgs&list=PL4BD1DA56FED680DB&index=3

[maxnichols@mastodon.gamedev.place]

#47: 13 Sentinels

Alternating brooding vs epic electronic battle themes. This is Vanillaware's best soundtrack.

See:
LEUCINE
Brat Overflow
VALINE
Between the Lines
METHIONINE
The Tower of Knowledge
Hard Pill to Swallow
Last Line of Defense
EDGE OF THE FUTURE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYYHT2BMRQQ&list=PLlXLtmVXr6k4CtsJU5tbvMrssJbvcTVGh&index=11

[maxnichols@mastodon.gamedev.place]

#48: Secret of Evermore
An SNES RPG made at Square USA, it's a very interesting blend of RPG aesthetics. And it shows in the music, which is a bit less melodic and more atmosphere than most other SNES RPGs

See:
- Hall of Collasia
- Final Battle
- Minor Minion

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukeV1P00FP4&list=PL863A2CB725623D2D&index=24