by Marc Jones, Alienware Brand Manager, Dell Technologies ANZ

When you first think of what makes a game awesome, it’s easy to jump to the theatrics, the design, art style or storyline. On reflection, it’s also the soundtrack that plays a huge part in not only making a game enjoyable and setting it apart as truly iconic – it can also drive that sense of an adrenaline rush making you feel like a boss while you play (hello, DOOM!).

Conversely, a terrible soundtrack can ruin a good game. There’s a reason a game filled with fire and war would likely be set to some badass metal, rather than the sound of windchimes.

From 8-bit retro tracks, big band tunes, to all-powerful orchestral symphonies, gaming soundtracks have the power to transport you to a game’s world or help you embody a certain character. In fact, a definitively awesome soundtrack has you humming even after the game is switched off, carefully ushering you back to reality, while tethering you to your favourite fantasy world.

From playing on the most awesome gaming PCs, to putting headphones and being fully immersed in a game and its soundtrack, we at Alienware are passionate about what enhances the gaming experience.

To celebrate music’s role in memorable gameplay and the best music that games have to offer, we’ve compiled a list of our top 10 most EPIC gaming soundtracks of all time. Listen up, these are all doozies!

Portal (2007): When you first think of Portal, you may think about the game’s unique portal physics but, for us, it’s hard to separate the gameplay from Kelly Bailey and Mike Morasky’s mysterious score. Every pulsating synth chord and rumbling bass note enhances the game’s ominous tone, making you feel as though you’re roaming through the mind of the sinister supercomputer.

Of course, we can’t talk about Portal’s soundtrack without mentioning the outrageously tongue-in-cheek closing track, Still Alive. A closing credits song has never exuded such humour while being so unsettling at the same time.

Half-Life 2 (2004): Half-Life 2 separates itself from its predecessor in many ways – the graphics are a huge step up from the 1998 original, the physics-based puzzles are more complex, and the Gravity Gun reshapes how you interact with the world.

The soundtrack for the 2004 sequel is also a massive improvement from the original. Kelly Bailey’s eerie synth-driven score is jam-packed with swirling strings, pounding drums and industrial noises that put you right in the shoes of Gordon Freeman. Never has taking on extra-dimensional alien forces been so menacing yet entrancing.

Destiny 2 (2017): A winner of best score/music at The Game Awards 2017, Destiny 2 offers a huge score that is full of melancholy. With the song Journey being a good example, Destiny 2 delivers a plethora of songs that are empowering and epic, all while being sombre and emotive – something composers Michael Salvatori, Skye Lewin, C. Paul Johnson, Rotem Moav and Peter Schlosser stated was their goal.

A bit Lord of the Rings-y in nature, Destiny 2’s orchestral soundtrack captures the game’s visuals so well, helping you immerse yourself in the solemn spirit of a civilisation facing tragedy and, at the same time, pushes you forward by encouraging feelings of heroism.

Cuphead (2017): There’s attention to detail and then there’s absolute commitment to genre. Cuphead is one of those rare gems that has truly emulated a time-period in all respects, through its visuals, production methods – even to its accompanying soundtrack. The game transports you back to the golden age of early animation with its high tempo big brass, jazz, and ragtime numbers. The difficult boss fights are made more fun by these fast-paced numbers, challenging you with notoriously intense gameplay.

The slower numbers also work a treat in the lull time between fights, providing sonic delight as you gear up for the next one. Overall, Cuphead is one of those enthralling games that will have you tapping your toes in time to the rhythm, all while you run and gun.

DOOM (2016): Created by Aussie legend Mick Gordon, the DOOM (2016) soundtrack brings rearranged tracks from the OG game, along with fresh additions, all of which culminate in an epically badass, 128 minutes of heavy metal glory. DOOM proves the power of a soundtrack: it harnesses the emotion felt when you battle demonic forces, working to enhance the immersive game-play with tracks that align with the story’s four chapters – Dogma, Demigod, Dakhma and Doom.

The result is an electrifying 31 tracks of energy that perfectly matches what you imagine to be playing on loudspeaker in the depths of hell, in the best possible way.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011): Unique in its approach and worthy of a place in the gaming soundtrack hall of fame, Skyrim takes a 30-man choir, an original dragon language and a truly mesmerising orchestra, creating one of the most immersive and powerful gaming soundtracks in living memory. Jeremy Soule was the mastermind behind the soundtrack – a fair description – with his ability to harmonise the beating of drums and the ominous sound of ghostly choruses.

This harmony forms a 3.5 hour-long soundtrack that is still as glorious today as it was a decade ago. From Dragonborn to Skyrim Atmospheres at the close, the entire soundtrack is perfect if you’re ever in the mood to pretend you’re in Middle Earth, Westeros, or inevitably, Skyrim’s continent – Tamriel.

Risk of Rain 2 (2020): Has the first song from any soundtrack ever made you go “Oooooohhhh yeah!”? The Risk of Rain 2 soundtrack is so damn infectious, instantly connecting with you from second one. It is the soundtrack that makes your heart rate go nuts, much like the game itself; every boss round is akin to a metal x dubstep concert.

Cataclysmically symphonic and ethereal, progressing through this last-man-standing shoot-out is an achievement in exhilarating gameplay, matched with an equally epic soundtrack. Be sure to check this one out.

Halo (2001): Halo is a rite-of-passage soundtrack; by that, we mean most gamers have played this game and heard its soundtrack at some point. Rightly so. It’s not only a great sci-fi franchise; it also features an iconic soundtrack that has stood the test of time – well, two decades. Composed by Martin O’Donnell and Michael Salvatori, the game fuses a range of musical styles, from string orchestras to Gregorian chanting and percussive beats, to take you on an immersive trip into the 26th Century, as the iconic super-soldier, Master Chief.

O’Donnell is said to have sat with the level designers during production, which ultimately leads to a game where the soundtrack perfectly follows every battle against extra-terrestrials, never feeling static or out-of-place.

Subnautica (2014): Immerse yourself in the depths of this survivalist action-adventure with a soundtrack that is equally thrilling as it is chilling. Composed by Simon Chylinski, the soundtrack sees you navigate through intense survival-horror scenarios and through the wonders of discovering the true origins of the planet you crash-land on.

The eerie, chorally infused techno beats heighten the game’s creepy atmosphere and amps up the underlying fear you experience during gameplay. Inter-planetary deep-sea exploration has never been quite so nerve-racking – in a good way.

Minecraft (2011): It would be a crime not to include the best-selling video game of all time in this list. Eerily soft and haunting, there is something so indescribably special about this soundtrack.

There is an idyllic innocence to the music that somehow pairs beautifully with mining and building – who knew? What this creates is intensely relaxing, yet rewarding, gameplay that can be enjoyed by people of all ages.