The best game soundtracks
Are you searching for the best game soundtracks? You’re not alone. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of cruising around in your favourite car to the backdrop of some of the most well-crafted music in the industry. Whether it’s rocking out to the tunes blaring from your speakers in GTA V, or enjoying the silence of No Man’s Sky, a game soundtrack can make or break a gaming experience.
In our opinion, Burnout 3: Takedown is the ultimate gaming soundtrack, but what do you think? We’ve asked you, the PC Game Spotlight community, to name your favourite video game soundtrack and explain why. From old classics like GTA Vice City, to modern masterpieces such as Horizon Zero Dawn, and even some surprises like Killing Floor 2, we’ve put together a list of the best game soundtracks, as voted by you.
Here are the best game soundtracks:
Burnout 3: Takedown
A user reminisces about the impact Burnout 3 had on their music taste:
“I’ve always had a pretty diverse taste in music and while a lot of it stems from my teenage years where I discovered bands like The Strokes and Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Burnout 3: Takedown directly influenced my taste in music. I remember being stuck at the main menu screen for about ten minutes just listening to the opening song for the game. It was the first time I’d heard drum ’n’ bass, and I’ve been hooked on it ever since.”
Burnout 3: Takedown is voted as the best game soundtrack by PC Game Spotlight readers.
Tony Hawk Pro Skater
A lot of you credit Tony Hawk Pro Skater for introducing you to new genres of music, which is a pretty great reason for choosing a soundtrack.
“It definitely helped me discover new music”, writes one user. “I still listen to some of the songs today”, another says.
Tony Hawk Pro Skater makes the list of best game soundtracks.
GTA San Andreas
Many of you mention GTA San Andreas and its iconic soundtrack. You’re not wrong – the game is still played today partly because of its timeless soundtrack.
“GTA San Andreas’ soundtrack is one of the main reasons I still play the game today”, one user writes. “I play the game because of the music, it’s absolutely amazing”, another says.
GTA San Andreas makes the list of best game soundtracks.
NFS Underground
There was nothing like NFS Underground back in 2005 and its soundtrack was the perfect blend of gameplay and music. You can listen to the soundtrack here.
JSRF
Another game with a perfect soundtrack is Jet Set Radio. It introduced a lot of people to new genres of music, including one of our writers.
“Jet Set Radio was the first game that I played that had a soundtrack that I actually enjoyed listening to outside of the game”, he writes. “It introduced me to a lot of different genres, especially reggae and ska, that I listen to to this day.”
NFS Most Wanted (2005)
Some of you also mentioned NFS Most Wanted (2005) for its perfect blend between a great soundtrack and a great racing game.
“The soundtrack fits the game perfectly and really gets you into the racing spirit”, one user writes. Another mentions how it “has some of the best car chase music ever”.
Prince of Persia: Warrior Within
Prince of Persia: Warrior Within introduced one of our writers to metal, and this was one of the main reasons it made our best PC games of all time list.
“Warrior Within was the first of the series I played, and it introduced me to metal. I had previously listened to plenty of rock music, but Warrior Within introduced me to the likes of Disturbed, Slipknot, and Mudvayne. It was incredible, and I still listen to these bands today.
Final Fantasy X
Final Fantasy X is timeless, and its music is no exception. Many of you have mentioned the game’s score, which is undoubtedly one of the best video game soundtracks.
Cyberpunk 2077
Cyberpunk 2077 has only been out a few months, but its soundtrack has already made a pretty big impact on the RPG game scene.
“Cyberpunk 2077’s soundtrack is one of the best I’ve heard in a game, and it’s fitting for the dark, grimy world CD Projekt Red has crafted”, one user writes.
Zelda: Ocarina of Time
The Zelda series is known for its epic music, and there’s no better example than the Ocarina of Time.
“Ocarina of Time’s music is so good that when I was a kid, I used to go to bed listening to the game’s intro every night”, one user writes.
SSX: On Tour
SSX: On Tour was a big hit in 2005, and its soundtrack was a big part of that.
Wild 9
Wild 9 is another game with a perfect soundtrack, according to a few of you.
Killing Floor 2
Killing Floor 2 is one of the best PC games, and its soundtrack is a big reason why.
Divinity 2
Divinity 2’s soundtrack is so good that a lot of users credit it for helping them to enjoy the game.
“Divinity 2’s soundtrack was so good that I listened to it for three hours before I even started the game”, one user writes.
Life Is Strange
Life Is Strange had the perfect soundtrack for its pre-superpowers moments, and it helped the game be as memorable as it is.
Skyrim
The soundtrack for Skyrim is so good that it’s helped the game earn itself a place in our best open-world games list.
That’s all the best game soundtracks, as voted by you. If you’re interested in game soundtracks in general, we’ve got a list of the best video game music, a list of the best synthwave games, and even a list of the best metal games, if you want something a little different.
