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  Thursday, November 15th, 2007 10:47 pm GMT +5.5
Top 10 9 Thursday: Best Original Game Songs
By Aiman Anwar
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Best Original Game Songs

This week on Top 10 9 Thursday, we will look at the best original songs ever heard in a game. But obviously, we couldn’t add the gazillions and one songs present in the sports and racing titles in the market (since most of them weren’t specifically made with the game in mind). The songs present here enhance the experience of the game they’re featured in, by either fleshing out the plot better and in some situations, add a certain flair to the game that just makes it so much better. Many great games are played and forgotten, but when we hear these numbers, all the amazing moments that we experienced flood our brains like crazed Halo fans on launch day, as we fondly recall all those sleepless nights spent playing the game. Three minute nostalgia shots, that’s what we like to call these little ditties.

Zone of the Enders 2

10. Zone of the Enders The 2nd Runner: “Beyond the Bounds” – Kimura Maki

The first time I popped in the disc into the PS2, this was something I certainly did not expect. Crazy Japanese angels wailing at the top of their lungs with a fast paced techno-ish track playing in the background, accompanied by the most divine violin pieces ever – all this when you are destroying a gazillion on-screen enemies that explode in a flurry of smoke and flame. A hair raising experience that truly affects how you play the game, this song makes sure that you don’t forget your ass-kicking Orbital Frame Jehuty in a hurry. All you PS3 owners, you can wait for your MGS4 and Uncharted, but Jehuty will be coming back and that’s what I’m waiting for with baited breath!

Everything or Nothing

9. Everything or Nothing: “Everything or Nothing” – Mya

Everything or Nothing was, quite frankly, the best Bond game ever. Yes, there was the amazing GoldenEye for the N64 that revolutionized console FPSes. And NightFire wasn’t too shabby either! But this was the experience we wanted out of a Bond game, and EA finally got it right. A star-studded cast, an out-of-the-world plot, great graphics, intense action that the Bond movies were known for having, loads of chicks… what more could we ask for?

One thing that still strongly exists in our memory, is the opening track for “Everything or Nothing” sung by Mya, who also happened to make an in-game cameo as an NSA agent. The song just oozes of style and high production values, accompanied by a very hummable tune and Mya’s seductive voice totally setting the mood, as you watch half-naked chicks posing with guns (with a Soviet flag in the backdrop… huh?). One can’t help but hear the song repeatedly, as you step into the shoes of Agent 007 and do what he does best: blow up stuff, kill many henchmen, hump every foolish female that lies between you and… well, them. And basically, save the goddamn world – in style. Everything or Nothing comes in at #9.

Metal Gear Solid 3

8. Metal Gear Solid 3: “Snake Eater” – Cynthia Harrell

Let’s get the bad things out of the way first. We suggest you don’t recommend this song to any non-gamer. While the music is great, the lyrics are just plain ludicrous. Many a time, even ardent gamers like us, have often cringed at “someday you feed on a tree frog” or even Cynthia Harrell’s mesmerizing voice wailing “Snake Eater” along with the chorus. Next time, Kojima Studios – please, work on the lyrics. Seriously, with all the fanfare and grandiose music playing in the background, “SNAAAKE EATER” does feel out of place. This is one of the reasons the song doesn’t make it any higher in the list.

Coming to the good part, Harry Gregson Williams truly understands the MGS universe and has provided an astounding soundtrack that truly gives the game personality. Also, Hollywood veteran Kyle Cooper’s involvement adds that touch of polish, with Cynthia Harrell’s mix of soothing calms and wailing highs going a long way to compliment the ample use of trumpets and 60’s style synthesized effects. The song would have felt empty without the strings and horns in action. But it all comes together when the song starts up one last time as you fight your mentor-turned-rogue, the Boss. As the final credits roll, it’s then that you realize that the song is being sung by the Boss in her last moments. “I give my life, not for honour… but for you”; the Boss was labeled a traitor and she remained loyal to her cause until the very end. She could have killed Snake, but she let him go every single time. The Boss knew she had to die in order complete her mission and she chose to die at Snake’s hand, her pupil, her comrade – as she would leave the world and still be alive within Snake. Still doesn’t explain the tree frog bit, though! Snake Eater stands tall at #8.

Devil May Cry 3

7. Devil May Cry 3: Devils Never Cry – David Baker, Shawn McPherson

Blast off! Dante and Vergil, the sons of the legendary Sparda, are by far two of the most bad-ass characters ever to grace videogames. Tons of attitude, nasty quips, funky hairdos, an amazing sense of style, those killer swords – the works. What truly helped pull everything off, was the great song that played throughout the game, “Devils Never Cry”. A mix of gothic rock and angelic chants, while the presence of an organ reminds you that this is a battle between good and evil, makes this track a perfect match for DMC3’s theme. The frenetic, hard-rock parts faintly begin as Dante encounters the various demons, and then the music builds up to a magnificent crescendo as you consistently pull out SSS combos. Its hard to even wonder what the game would have been without this song. Of course, the song does shift gears drastically from rock to a slow melodious chant. These parts usually pop up during the several face-offs between Dante and Vergil. There is a strange unexplainable feeling we experience every single time, as we watch Dante and Vergil fight as if they were sworn enemies and a faint voice in the background sings “We are falling, the light is calling, tears inside me, calm me down.” The ending of the game is once again memorable, as their brotherly relationship shines through, with Vergil sacrificing himself to save Dante and the tears – suppressed inside, flow unchecked. Devils Never Cry heads into #7. Jackpot!

Indigo

6. Indigo Prophecy: “Santa Monica” – Theory of a Deadman

Indigo Prophecy (IP) completely changed our perception of games and took the term “interactive movie” to new heights. What starts off as a common murder mystery then twists and turns into an amazing tale about secret factions vying for supreme control. Lucas Kane, the protagonist, is your guy-next-door who just broke up with his girlfriend and is going through a rough time when his life suddenly changes as he murders an old man without realizing it, and is hunted down by the law. We would love to go on about the sensual bathing scene or the let’s-make-love-in-a-broken-train, but we’ll save that for another day. The game ended on a good note, with Lucas safe and happy, but as the credits rolled, this wonderful song from Theory of a Deadman rose to the occasion. You can’t help but feel sad, especially with lines like: “I remember the time when you left for Santa Monica and I remember the day you told me its over ” or “It hurts to breathe, every time that you’re not next to me.” Or maybe it’s just the feeling that something so amazing has come to an end. Indescribable it may seem, listening to “Santa Monica” as the credits roll has been one of the strongest gaming moments I’ve ever experienced. Hence, it sits firmly at #6.

Portable Ops

5. Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops: “Calling to the Night” – Natasha Farrow

Metal Gear fans may cry foul that Portable Ops (PortOps) has found a higher spot over Snake Eater. Well, keep crying, because I’ll openly testify that PortOps has probably the best script eve in a Metal Gear game. And Natasha Farrow’s “Calling to the Night”, does justice to that wonderful script with a great song that just elevates the complete experience into the sublime. The lyrics, vocals, the tune and most importantly – the music – lend personality to the tragedy of the hard-as-nails, heroic Naked Snake that we saw in Snake Eater – transforming into a dreaded villain, Big Boss. Few games blur the line between right and wrong, and PortOps shows that someone who comes across as evil, may be a good person in his own way. A person’s character may change as you change your perspective. “Calling to the Night” gives out a deep, strong meaning that is not only interweaved with the plot of the game, but also is generally debatable. This lands it at the #5 spot.

Portal

4. Portal: Still Alive – Ellen McLain

The game, the story, the song can all can be explained by the very first line of this song – “This was a triumph! I’m making a note here. HUGE success!” While every other game on the market has been focusing on eye-popping graphics, emergent gameplay, booming sound productions, and the other hoopla – Portal focuses on the overall experience. You start off as a test subject put through 19 mind bending tests by a mysterious A.I. entity. As you go about using the Portal gun in ways deemed unimaginable, the A.I. keeps you interested with her sadistic, satiric humor. On completing the final test, when you realize the cake was a lie, you suddenly find the greatest gift you could possible have – freedom! On escaping, a strong surge of power swept through us – the power of choice and freedom, what could possible be better than that? The game then shifts into top gear and stays that way till the dramatic end that we simply refuse to spoil for you. The credits song, penned by Jonathan Coulton (We salute you, sir!), serves to amplify the mind blowing experience that you experienced during the game. Not much can be said about the song; it’s mostly commentary about everything you just played. Portal cements its place in our hearts and on the #4 position on the list.

Warrior Within

3. Prince of Persia Warrior Within: “I Stand Alone” – Godsmack

Many gamers were put off by Warrior Within (WW). That’s understandable, since the game suffered from ceaseless backtracking, frustration, confusion and the curse of being the second game in a trilogy. Sad, considering Warrior Within came into its own as it neared the grand finale. The Dahaka chase sequences were very enjoyable, which is where Godsmack’s “I Stand Alone” kicked in, motivating you to run for your life; reminding you that even though there are scores of dangers lying ahead (forget the equally horrifying danger behind you), you are completely alone. Many argue will Sands of Time and Two Thrones are far superior games and have much better music when compared to WW, but let’s broaden our minds a bit. While Sands had the Prince fighting alongside Farah and Thrones had her in addition to our favourite, the Dark Prince – who kept us interested with his dark humor and sarcastic one-liners – WW made the Prince a one-man army. The odds were stacked high against the poor guy, faced with something more urgent – a beastly incarnation of Time that would go to any lengths to ensure his death. The hard rock orientation (instead of Arabesque-style music) made perfect sense when we consider that the Prince is older, tortured, and in a much darker place than before. Take a bow, Ubisoft – “I Stand Alone” wall-runs its way to #3.

(Editor’s Note: As the time of posting, the contributor was not aware that this song was in fact a single featured in an album by Godsmack and was misinformed. The contributor acknowledges the mistake and apologizes for any confusion. Until then, pretend this is a Top 9 list!)

Final Fantasy X

2. Final Fantasy X: Suteki Da Ne – Ritsuki Nakano

Nobuo Uematsu had made a name for himself by composing for almost all of the Final Fantasy games. Though the Final Fantasy-X music wasn’t considered his best, the soothing “Suteki Da Ne” sung by popular Japanese folk singer Ritsuki ‘Rikki’ Nakano, defined ‘ethereal’ for us. While we don’t really need to talk about the great music and vocals (you can check that out for yourself), what we can say is that this song is the reason many gamers played through Final Fantasy-X. It really expresses the relationship between Tidus and the lovely Yuna as both fight against fate to avoid separation and try to succeed. At least at first. But soon Tidus realizes that he is nothing but a dream and will dissipate once their mission (the usual, ‘kill bad guy, do this and that to restore peace to the world’) is complete. The scene where Yuna runs to hold Tidus one last time, but falls right through him pulled quiet a few heart strings. True, it’s a sad ending but one that will remain in our memories for a long, long time. “Suteki Da Ne” floats onto #2. Arm yourself with tissues before watching the video.

Max Payne 2

1. Max Payne 2 The Fall of Max Payne: “Late Goodbye” – Poets of the Fall

Ever since we first saw Mona Sax after whacking that crazy bastard, Jack Lupino, we knew that she was an interesting addition to the growing list of unforgettable characters in Max Payne. Payne was a man with nothing to lose. His wife and child were brutally murdered and he was in for the classiest, bloodiest payback, until he met Mona. So it did hurt when Payne watched helplessly as she got shot in the head right in front of him. Fans couldn’t any happier when the elevator doors opened to reveal a breathtakingly beautiful Mona return with a bang in the sequel. All throughout the game your top priority was keeping Mona safe because after all the pain dear ole’ Max had been through, he had finally found solace in Mona. And just when you thought the day was won and an illegitimate smile spread across your lips, lady luck turned out to be a hooker and you were fresh out of cash. Bang! The woman you loved fell in front of you… all those attempts to protect her, to keer her safe… all in vain – you had won the war, but had lost everything else. And the worst part, you couldnt imagine that this was actually happening to you . You weren’t just any other guy who happenned to play a game, you were Max Payne, the New York cop with the biggest body count! “Late Goobye” rightfully claims its postion as the best song on this list. A tribute to the woman all of us fell in love with…and lost.

Naturally, many of you won’t agree with these choices. We appreciate your opinion, and encourage you to comment on what you feel should’ve made it to the list!


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This entry was posted on Thursday, November 15th, 2007 10:47 pm GMT +5.5 at 10:47 pm and is filed under Features, Music. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
 

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