There are a lot of aspects that go into making an amazing video game. Normally the main areas people look at are gameplay, graphics, and story. But one area that is often overlooked, but that we feel is just as important, is the soundtrack. The music of a game is vital for building immersion and for creating a believable world.

Gaming soundtracks often go unrecognized for the works of art they are. So we have decided to pick out the best gaming OSTs we loved this year.

Disco Elysium

Disco Elysium has been heralded as one of the best games of our generation. It took the RPG format and did something bold and new with it. The game is a cerebral look into the inner workings of what it means to be human. It puts you in the shoes of a man who had nothing to lose. So he lost everything. You become a truly blank slate as you step into the shoes of an amnesiac cop.

And the game is only made more compelling due to the amazing soundtrack. Disco Elysium excels in creating a gloomy, depressing world. But one with a glimmer of hope within it. And the music helps in this. Each area of the map has its own signature background music. And each track sets the mood perfectly.

The game also features a good blending of musical genres. There is an amazing section in a church where you and some ravers dance the night away to Andonic trance music. Then, stepping outside the church, you are treated to the sounds of the coast backed by harrowing communist-era trumpets.

Minecraft

Time and time again I am always drawn back to Minecraft. It just has so much to offer. The endless freedom of creative and survival mode. The active modding community is still pumping out huge numbers of mods every year. And as you can see by this list of smp minecraft servers on servers-minecraft.net, the multiplayer community is still thriving.

But the one thing that always makes me feel nostalgic is the music of Minecraft. It has one of the most beautiful and atmospheric OST’s I have ever heard. The tracks are atmospheric and soothing. They instill in you a sense of peace and tranquility that no other game seems to match. The game is still updating its soundtrack to this very day. With each new update the game adds news tracks to be discovered on your crafting journey.

Bauldur’s Gate 3

There is a reason everyone is in love with this game. Bauldur’s Gate 3 took the world by storm this year and, at the recent gaming awards, scooped up an amazing number of awards. Beating out huge blockbuster titles like Spiderman 2 and Armored Core.

And one of the most compelling aspects of Bauldur’s gate 3 is the soundtrack. Right from the moment you launch up the game you are met with the hauntingly beautiful backing music. And, during the character creator, we get to enjoy the amazing song ‘Down By The River.’

Being a game based around Dungeons And Dragons, players can meet various Bards through the game. And this means, inevitably, amazing music to go with it. Early in the game players can help a bard finish her masterpiece and are then treated to a stunning performance of said song. And, if playing as a bard, players can perform different tracks with their chosen instruments. Allowing you to take some musical downtime during your epic adventure.

Each section of the sprawling world is oozing with amazing atmospheric music that perfectly fits the tone and theme of the biome. And the combat music is thrilling, without being too in your face. Which, given the combat music in most action games, is a rare thing indeed.

Death Stranding

No game has quite managed to live up to the amazing soundtrack example set by Death Stranding. The game was quite controversial upon its release. It took a whole new approach to gaming, essentially creating a new genre of games based on the Death Stranding model. Much like how Demon Souls and Dark Souls launched what we now know as the Souls genre.

And the soundtrack of Death Stranding is as much a part of this change as any other. The game features a number of amazing tracks by various artists. Chief amongst them is Low Roar, the band that inspired Kojima to make the game in the first place.

But the interesting thing about the game is that, during most of the gameplay segments, there is no music at all. The effect this creates is a real sense of importance of tranquility when the music does finally start. The action music is more intense, since it suddenly pulls you into the action from a place of peace. And the relaxing music breaks as you come upon a beautiful vista makes you slow down and appreciate the beautiful world the game has created.