Whether you want lush orchestral tracks of murderous dance-floor jams, it has been a heck of a couple of weeks for video game music.
Several games that I've been checking out recently have sounded so, so good. I thought I'd take a second to highlight some of the best stuff.
Ori and the Blind Forest
This game sure is pretty, eh? Gorgeous to look at and just as gorgeous to listen to, thanks to some lovely music by Gareth Coker.
The compositions themselves don't break much new ground; I know where each piece is "going" from the outset. But it all just sounds so good, and some of the most dramatic pieces are set apart by beautiful work from vocalist Aeralie Brighton and flutist Rachel Mellis.
OlliOlli2
OlliOlli2 is a strong expansion on the original game, and it expands on that game's great soundtrack, as well. Evan's played more than I have, and he suggests this Ital Tek track, "Shinra," as a standout:
Hotline Miami 2
Like the first game, Hotline Miami 2's soundtrack was created by a variety of different musicians. Also like the first game, it's extremely good shit. My favorite so far is "Divide" by Magna:
If I'm gonna kill a whole bunch of dudes in a video game, I think I'd generally like to do it while music that good is playing.
Three games, three killer soundtracks. Good job so far, March!