Nice thread.
A lot of times threads like this tend to lean heavily toward Final Fantasy and nostalgic tunes from past eras. I've been gaming for more years than a lot of people here have been alive, so I know how great a lot of that music was and how powerful the nostalgic strings can be when hearing them again.
But, I honestly feel that there are some really powerful work that is being done now that has elevated gaming music to the same level as everything else out there (with the exception of popular music, but could be debated). So much so that, unless someone told you, you probably wouldn't know it was from a game. Here are some select pieces from several games this and last gen that elevated the games they belong to above and beyond. Note: some of these are not the best representations of the tracks. Youtube has never been known for its sound quality. So just keep in mind that these tracks actually sound even BETTER than this.
Simply some of the best grand scale action music ever recorded for a game:
A hauntingly beautiful piece that punctuates a tragic sacrifice:
I never played the game, but music like this almost makes me want to:
How emotionally uplifting is this piece?
Excellent use of a chorus to add a sense of epic scope and urgency to the action:
Beautiful, inspirational . . . gives me chills every time:
I could go on and on just with THESE games, but the current and non-FF gaming music is still very powerful, resonant and memorable. Hope you enjoy.
