10. Night in the Woods
Favorite songs: Title, Die Anywhere Else, Possum Springs, Astral Alley, Rainy Day
My favorite soundtracks are generally the ones that complement the gameplay, moreso than the ones that are great to listen to on their own, but Night in the Woods' does really well in both fronts - mostly because the gameplay itself is super simple, so the songs are generally a big focal point of the experience to begin with. It's always just really relaxing to listen to these tunes, and I can't imagine myself having enjoyed the game nearly as much if not for them.

9. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Favorite songs: Nocturne in the Moonlight, Dracula's Castle, Wandering Ghosts, Crystal Teardrops, The Tragic Prince
This one's probably one of the nicer ones to listen to (detached from the game) in my list. Most of the soundtrack suits the game really well, though some songs feel kinda out of place, and of course, one song plays everywhere and becomes really annoying. But generally this soundtrack is fantastic and really helped bring Dracula's Castle to life, moreso than earlier games ever did - even if Castlevania usually has kickass music always. I still need to play the later games...

8. Hollow Knight
Favorite songs: Crossroads, Greenpath, Fungal Wastes, City of Tears, Queen's Gardens
I wanted to list another two songs up there, but I'm gonna try to avoid songs that have spoilers in their name. But yeah, Hollow Knight's soundtrack is fantastic. Moreso the kind of OST that complements the game perfectly, I don't think there's much to enjoy there if you haven't played it yet. But the audio direction in general is one of the key things that made this game so special and memorable, as it plays such a big role in establishing that heavy atmosphere the game is known for.

7. Metroid Prime
Favorite songs: Phendrana Drifts, Tallon Overworld, Crashed Ship Frigate Orpheon, Vs. Meta Ridley, Staff Roll
Metroid games are known for their heavy atmospheres too, and while the soundtracks are mostly great at emphasizing that feeling, most of them aren't too much fun to listen to. There are a couple that do try to be more catchy, but don't really fit with the series' sense of isolation. Metroid Prime is, in my opinion, the one that strikes the perfect balance - with some fantastic catchy tunes that still retain a seriousness about them, and a lot of moody atmospheric themes that make you feel completely alone.

6. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Favorite songs: Ballad of the Goddess, Fi's Theme, Faron Woods, Lanayru Desert, Staff Roll
This one's kinda funny in that, although Skyward Sword was love at first sight for me, I didn't really enjoy its soundtrack much playing the game for the first time, and only grew to really love it when replaying it later. I was used to Zelda having the catchiest music always, and although Skyward Sword's music was always quite present, none of it was too memorable for me at first. It's really grown on me over the years though, and it's easily my favorite Zelda soundtrack nowadays.

5. Pokémon X/Y
Favorite songs: Kalos Region Theme, Battle! Friend, Battle! Xerneas/Yveltal, The Pokémon League, Battle! Elite Four
Probably the most unpopular pick on this list, but I'm used to that with this game by now. I can't listen to any song from this game without feeling extremely nostalgic, but it's got nothing to do with memories of my past or something. The songs just have an inherent nostalgic quality to them, they've made me feel this way from the first time I played the game. All the battle themes are incredible. The instrumentation is, well, the only time Pokémon music has actually sounded good and not like some low-budget midis. I could go on for a long time, but yeah, you know the deal, I really love this one.

4. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
Favorite songs: Wing Ding, Amiss Abyss, Harvest Hazards, Seashore War, Staff Roll, and a lot more
This one's just absolute perfection. Over 50 amazing songs, every stage has a fantastic, iconic, unique theme to go with it, I love it all from start to finish, with the exception of the world 1 music which is "only" pretty good. This soundtrack is an absolute joy to listen to, and the game wouldn't be nearly as good if not for it. The whole soundtrack oozes greatness... the reason it's in 4th place in this list, well, the next ones are also pretty much perfect. But on another day I may have listed this one higher up.

3. Shadow of the Colossus
Favorite songs: The Opened Way, Revived Power, A Despair-Filled Farewell, Epilogue, The Sunlit Earth
This one was written by a movie composer, and it shows. There's a cinematic element to all of it, and it helps make Shadow of the Colossus the iconic experience it is. I love the melancholy/epic feeling the battle themes have (with the exception of Revived Power, which is just pure awesome adrenaline), and love how they contrast with the silence and emptiness of the game's world. A masterpiece.

2. Persona 5
Favorite songs: Wake Up (...), Life Will Change, Blooming Villain, The Days When (...), Rivers in the Desert
IT'S NOT A GAME, I'M NOT A ROBOT A.I. CHALLENGING YOUUUU yeah I've made a thread on this, let's carry on. But really, there isn't much to talk about. Persona 5's music is godlike, everyone knows that. All of the game's music is absolutely phenomenal and elevates the experience so much. I could've listed a completely different 5 songs there, and another different 5, and another different 5, and it'd still consist only of songs I absolutely love. The new Royal songs are fantastic, too. I love this game.

1. Ōkami
Favorite songs: Shinshu Field, Waka's Appearance, Giving Kushi a Ride, Wep'keer, The Sun Rises
Should come to no surprise to anyone that my favorite game also has my favorite soundtrack. I often listen to it from start to finish (not all of the 218 songs, I've made a 64-song playlist!) and love most of the music, just like the other ones up there I felt a bit limited by picking only 5 favorites. I always praise this game for how much it toys with my feelings, how much it makes me laugh, cry, and feel all pumped up from one moment to the next, and I think none of that would've happened if not for the music. Without it, I'm not sure this game would be that special for me. The soundtrack as a whole is also really iconic, with every song following that traditional Japanese style of instrumentation even if the compositions themselves often take inspiration from more modern music. The Sun Rises is possibly my favorite song in the world, so that helps too.