These are songs that exist outside of that one cinematic moment, songs just as at home on the radio as they are on the silver screen. With films, though you have instantly evocative original scores in the likes of Jurassic Park or Star Wars, you also think of (Don’t You) Forget About Me, Eye of the Tiger, Lose Yourself, and I Will Always Love You. When you think of iconic video game songs, you think of Persona 5’s Last Surprise, the melodic beeps of Pokemon Blue, or some soft, sad piano track as the screen fades to grey. Video games have always secretly wanted to be films, but the use of soundtracks is one of the biggest differences between the two mediums. It’s the best video game soundtrack since Saints Row The Third, not just because it has excellent tunes, but because it knows exactly how to use them. The need for streamer mode these days means using licensed music is even harder, but while video games shy away from a proper soundtrack in favour of original scores, Guardians of the Galaxy comes out swinging. While games are getting ever more impressive scores, they still haven’t quite mastered the art of a soundtrack.
