Stunning visuals do much to sell a video game’s overall story and atmosphere. And video games have long evolved from their pixelated beginnings to embrace photorealistic graphics. But as instrumental as visuals may be to elevate a game’s experience, sound design is an equally important half of the equation.
As we explored on Game Wisdom, sound effects and background music are powerful vessels to set the tone of a game, add emotional weight to its story, and ultimately push immersion to the next level. So, which games weave an unforgettable musical tapestry? Let’s check a few titles that stand out in the soundtrack department.
Sid Meier’s Civilization VI
Each game in Sid Meier’s Civilization series has you play as the leader of a real-world nation or tribe and strive to push your people to the top of the civilization tree. In the latest installation in the franchise, you may either gain a scientific edge over your competitors, become a cultural powerhouse, defeat all rivalling nations on the battlefield, convert them to your religion, or strike a diplomatic victory.
And the game’s soundtrack complements your progression through the ages flawlessly. While in Civilization I, one theme played in the background from the Prehistoric era to modern times in slightly monotonous fashion, music evolves as centuries pass in later instalments. Different variations of each ambient theme showcase the growth of each civilisation, going from single-instrument melodies to modern compositions by the time you reach the Atomic Era.
In Civilization VI, most musical pieces have a historical flair to them. The Greek theme draws inspiration from the world’s oldest surviving musical composition, the Seikilos epitaph. Similarly, the Maori and Canadian themes stem from folk songs.
Frostpunk
Praised by as many outlets as The Guardian and IGN, Frostpunk is a survival city-builder. This strategy game puts you at the helm of the last city on Earth in a frozen world. You need to organise your community’s working routine, build infrastructure, and provide your citizens with crucial resources, with heating being of the essence not to freeze to death – or have rebels threaten your authority.
Managing your society comes with a string of ethical dilemmas, as life-and-death predicaments will have you think twice about implementing child labour or cracking down on protestors ruthlessly. Alongside its gorgeous steampunk aesthetics, Frostpunk utilises clever sound effects to set up the tension as temperatures keep dropping to new lows.
With exclusive music comes an increasingly sharper atmosphere. Sound effects also play psychological tricks on the player. For instance, an ominous cracking and rumbling sound pops up whenever you pass critical laws for the fate of your colony, conveying the weight of these harsh – and often morally bleak – decisions.
Hades
For many hardcore gamers, Hades is close to perfection gameplay-wise. This rogue-lite action RPG follows a prince trying to escape the Greek Underworld to reunite with his mother, Persephone. And music plays a central role in Zagreus’ journey across Hades’ realm.
The composer Darren Korb picked Greek instruments like the bouzouki and ancient Ottoman instruments like the bağlama to create a Greek-sounding score, only with a modern spin. Mixing traditional sounds with guitar riffs and pulse-pounding synth leads to an exhilarating combination fit for Zagreus’ adrenaline-pumping quest to escape his father’s hellish world. While instrumental tracks continuously escalate as you move through the Underworld’s distinct regions, the music playing for the final boss fight against none other than Hades perfectly encapsulates the game’s entire story.
And despite being notoriously difficult to beat, this hack-and-slash galore is hailed as one of the best games in recent memory. Arguably, Hades also rekindled the interest in ancient Greece in gaming. Even the iGaming industry took notice. On platforms like Vegasslotsonline UK, players can find mythology-infused pokies like Zeus vs Hades, Athena’s Glory, or Book of Poseidon. Better still, thousands of free machine slots are accessible with just a click. Classic slots explore a wide range of themes, while video and 3D games cater to players with a knack for innovative options. And gamers can travel to Hades’ Inferno on the go with mobile-friendly slots and casino games.
Some video games boast soundtracks so memorable that gamers press repeat play long after they’ve completed the main story. We could have mentioned many more titles with an impactful score like Outer Wilds, Undertale, or virtually any instalment in the Final Fantasy franchise. Long story short, music lovers have countless game soundtracks to explore to enhance their playlists.
