If you hadn’t noticed already, I’m a fan of video games. I know it’s hard to believe, but it’s true. I’m also a fan of music, but really, who isn’t? Except maybe deaf people, but it’s not that they aren’t fans, rather they’re not able to fully enjoy the occasional trips down the Highway to Hell or the Stairway to Heaven. But I digress, so let us gravitate more closely to the real reason you’re reading this article. It’s because you respect my opinion, isn’t it? You just need to know what I consider to be the ten best survival horror soundtracks, because your day just wouldn’t be complete without this little gem of knowledge.
Well, dear reader, let me reward your patience, your immeasurable tolerance for bad grammar, and your willingness to ignore my plethora of flat jokes with what I consider to be the best music the horror genre has to offer.
10. Clock Tower 3 (Playstation 2)
Let me throw out a little disclaimer before I start with my praise of Clock Tower 3. In no way do I consider this game to be good; it was repetitive, bizarre, the story was on par with the most recent Alone in the Dark, and the boss fights are easily some of the most frustrating I’ve ever had to endure. Even the music wasn’t great, hence it’s spot on the list, but the mournful piano music that plays while you explore the game’s environments is actually quite eerie. Unfortunately, the beautiful music is replaced by something akin to what a broken synthesizer might sound like as soon as a boss comes near, but that just makes me want to return to those quiet, melancholic keys even more.
9. Alone in the Dark (Xbox 360, Playstation 3, Playstation 2, PC, Wii)
I’m still a little stunned I decided to include Alone in the Dark in a top ten list of… well, anything really, other than a list of worst games of 2008. Dreadful combat, convoluted story, and Devil Trees aside, the developers did manage to get something right in this game, and that something would be the game’s music. The haunting chorus of voices you hear throughout the game is the female choir called The Mystery of Bulgarian Voices, and their voices help immensely in setting the game’s atmosphere. We can thank Olivier Deriviere (who also composed the music for the Obscure series) for gifting us with this amazing score. If Atari decides to bestow a sequel upon us, though this game did poorly so it’s not looking good for the series, I hope Olivier lends his talents to the game again.
8. Fatal Frame (series)(Playstation 2, Xbox, Wii)
In my opinion Crimson Butterfly is easily the finest installment in the Fatal Frame series, but after hearing some of Mask of the Lunar Eclipse’s (FF4) soundtrack I may have a new top choice for best music in the series. The reason behind this is Masafumi Takada scored Fatal Frame IV, and the game is much stronger because of his work. Takada created the tunes for under appreciated hits No More Heroes and Killer 7, both of which had excellent music. The sound design in this series has always been very laid back, always keeping out of the way until the player least expects it. It transitions effortlessly between foreboding ambiance and in your face surprises, which is why the music is so strong. I’ll admit at first I was a little worried he was scoring Lunar Eclipse as his work is usually very frantic and fast paced, but this is certainly some of his best work yet.
7. Rule of Rose (Playstation 2)
While I never ended up finishing Rule of Rose, I actually have a very good reason for failing to complete it. My PS2 exploded. There’s no need to skim over that last sentence again, you read that correctly, my PlayStation 2 exploded. Not because of some hardware defect, but because my friends decided it would be good fun to test firecrackers out on the device. Heads up to anyone looking to use your gaming console to test explosives with: they don’t fare well. What they didn’t realize was that there was still a game in the disc drive, and that game was Rule of Rose. See? Isn’t that a good enough reason to not finish a game? The musical score of this game was composed by Yutaka Minobe (Skies of Arcadia, Panzer Dragoon Orta) and it consists of only electronic instruments. The Hiroshi Muryama Trio created most of the music using string instruments and according to the developers the reason behind this was to bring a human element to the game’s atmosphere. Well, it worked.
6. Condemned (series) (Xbox 360, PC)
I love Condemned. In fact, I adore it so deeply that I’m even willing to overlook the peculiar twist in Bloodshot’s story, no matter how outlandish it became. This is a series that doesn’t necessarily rely on background music or barely hidden ambiance to create an interesting atmosphere. Instead, it has some of the best sound design I’ve had the pleasure to hear in a game. The voice work, howls of your maddened enemies, and cries of explosive filled babies all work together to form one of the best aurally designed games I’ve played. Now all it needs is a catchy theme song and a ten-disc Ultra-Limited Collector’s Edition soundtrack and everyone else will realize how awesome the game really is.
5. Dead Space (PC, Playstation 3, Xbox 360)
Ah, yes. Dead Space. If Condemned has great sound design, than this game has near-perfect sound design. One of the game’s strongest features was it’s visceral sounds that helped make the scares more terrifying and the strategic dismemberment more satisfying. Mutant alien creatures have been done, and space ships have been done almost excessively, but somehow composer Jason Graves managed to make something that sounds entirely different from the myriad of games with similar locations. Everything from the satisfying crunch of blood and bone beneath a well placed stomp to the calming sound of your rig filling with new health are memorable and definitely helped make Dead Space the hit the genre needed.
4. Resident Evil (series) (Multiple Systems)
Capcom’s premier survival horror franchise is the most popular for a handful of reasons: it’s always fun, continuously innovative, and with each new installment manages to set the bar higher for future horror titles. Say what you will of Resident Evil 5, and trust me, I could write a thesis about what they did wrong with that game, it is still an amazing game. Great visuals and gameplay aren’t the only good things about this series, as the music is also one of Resident Evil’s strongest assets. When zombies still infested the first four games the music was suspenseful and ominous, but when Resident Evil 4 arrived to evolve the franchise the music changed along with it. Composers Shusaku Uchiyama and Misao Senbongi, who also worked on previous Resident Evil games as well as Devil May Cry, transformed the music into something better resembling the new gameplay. The once gentle atmosphere was replaced by more noticeable music that climaxed at the Island, the game’s final act. Should Capcom decide to return to a more horror-based world with the sixth installment, I sincerely hope they bring the score back to its former glory.
3. Left 4 Dead (PC, Xbox 360)
Left 4 Dead’s music deserves attention not only because it’s unique but because the music has been seamlessly integrated into the actual gameplay. It gives you hints as to what’s about to happen: when the instruments crescendo you know a horde of Infected are on their way to curb stomp the hell out of you. But when it’s quiet it means you have a quick reprieve from the constant waves of enemies, though you’ll still need to listen out for the telltale sounds like the Boomer’s burps and the Smoker’s coughs. The most prominent music only shows up when you least want it to, I like to call it the Tank’s theme song. Because when you hear it you know your mind instantly switches gears, and music has to be pretty powerful to have that kind of effect on players. Because Left 4 Dead 2 takes place in the south the music has changed quite a bit, though only for the better.
2. BioShock (PC, Playstation 3, Xbox 360)
As amazing as BioShock is, it’s the game’s music that really sets the tone of the game. The haunting music is haunting, at times heart breaking, and never gets in the way. Instead it sits in the background, making sure you never really feel safe. Even scrolling across the buttons on the main menu is like stroking the keys of an old piano. The developers wove the score into the overall experience flawlessly, and it worked better than almost any other game I’ve played. If it weren’t for the consistently amazing scores in the next franchise, this easily would’ve taken number one.
1. Silent Hill (series) (Multiple Systems)
Any game soundtrack connoisseur probably saw this coming. The Silent Hill series has had its ups and downs, recently more downs than ups actually, but the one thing that has always been great is the games’ music. The original introduced us to Akira Yamaoka’s one of a kind post-industrial masterwork that has become a trademark of the series. Even when the quality of the games began to degrade the atmospheric scores were always exceptional. The music starts off innocently enough with unfamiliar sounds and warped piano that can be heard as you traverse the fog-covered world of Silent Hill. Then as the world transitions into the Otherworld the music follows suit by transforming into something dark and twisted. It even gets louder so you have to strain your ears to make sure nothing is creeping up behind you. The Silent Hill series has one of the best designed soundtracks I’ve ever had the pleasure to hear and has actually kept me playing games like Homecoming and Origins just to see what Yamaoka does next.
I agree with all of them. I heart Silent Hill and Fatal Frame. The part in Silent HIll 2 when you're walking down the hallway of the apartments and that music is playing with the occasional Pyramid Head scrape as if he's following you? Holy crap, I couldn't take it lol.
I also agree, my moment in Silent Hill 2 is when you're in the prison, and you hear a creature you never end up seeing constantly grunting in the background, I played this game with the lights off and surround sound, I have'nt experienced tension and fear in a video game like that before or since.
I'll happily be the third to give my love to the Silent Hill placement on the list. I always preorder these games so that I can get the soundtracks. If they don't come with one, I order it. Overseas, if necessary. Akira Yamaoka is, without a doubt, a true master of making music and sound a real, and often visceral, entity.
omg, the 1st fatal frame scared the shit out of me, i rented it randomly years ago cause tought the case was cool and yeah, i played it for a few mins and i was like "im done" haha im such a pussy when it comes to horror games, i cant play them, only horror game ive ever been able to play and beat is left 4 dead, anythin else, forget it im done haha
Agreed with most FF and SH deffo but I woulda put DEAD FUCKIN SPACE!!! higher, twinkle twinkle is freaky enough and thats just the opening, I got the CD with the lmt ed. and had it on my iPod, scared the f**k outa me :P
I think I would have the Resident Evil series in number 2's spot. I have several of the soundtracks on CD and they are FANTASTIC! The first game would not have been nearly as creepy without the mansion's themes. I do agree with Silent Hill though...the main theme of that game is so iconic they even had it in the movie!
left for dead is way too high and dead space is too low beside that pretty damm good list i say move RE up one and dead space one and put l4d in 5th perfect list
I own a good many of the Silent Hill soundtracks and I love them. Mr. Yamaoka should consider scoring motion pictures. He is the Ryuichi Sakamoto of his generation. Very good composer.
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