American McGee’s Alice - Rouge Entertainment
Not only is this game my personal favourite of all time, but its soundtrack also holds a bleak yet special place in my heart. Perfectly matching with the aesthetics of the game. The twisted atmospheric music of Alice beautifully outlines this alternative depiction of wonderland. My favourite segment of the game being the boss fight between Alice and The Tweedle’s. The slow, circus-esque music paired with the organ pipes creates a creepy and surreal atmosphere that truly makes the boss fight even more tense.
Sonic Rush - Sega
This jungle/breakcore-inspired soundtrack from the underrated DS gem Sonic Rush provides a fresh, unconventional spin on the series’ style of music. Hideki Naganuma, the games main composer, is known for his wide use of sampling and electronic music, originating from his early DJ background. Sonic Rush’s score is a high-octane, punchy and unusual shift in soundtrack that needs to make a return, with jungle/breakcore perfectly pairing with the speed of Sonic gameplay (however wildly depending on the game).
Jet Set Radio - Smilebit
Naganuma strikes again for another flawless OST from his most well-known work Jet Set Radio, debuting on the Sega Dreamcast in the year 2000. The striking visual design not only sets this game apart, but its hip hop/funk inspired soundtrack alongside its numerous iconic samples are the first thing you think of. Jet Set Radio is inseparable from its music and musical influence, as without it, it loses its entire identity and personality. Chaining together grinds and wallrides while evading Shibuya police with ‘That’s Enough’, a funky rhythmic bop playing, is peak, enough said. This game did in fact convince my boyfriend to buy roller-skates when he was younger and the game was re-released in 2012 in hopes of living out his pirate radio, roller-skating delinquent dreams.
Undertale & Deltarune - Toby Fox
When discussing video game soundtracks, it’s impossible to not remark on Toby Fox’s quirky contributions. Arguably, Toby Fox is one of the best video game composers currently working today, creating scarily catchy and iconic soundtracks for his games Undertale and Deltarune entirely independently. ‘Death by Glamour’ is by far my personal favourite as it perfectly embodies Mettaton’s camp, glam-rock style during their fight. With 100+ songs complied into a 6+ hour game, Undertale really takes the butterscotch pie in terms of bursting with musical content.