I miss the original theme

[IMACIVFAN]

 

[Cyberian]

Baba Yetu is beautiful but definately NOT the original theme...

that would be this

 

[IMACIVFAN]

Amen!

 

[darko82]

Baba Yetu is beautiful but definately NOT the original theme...

that would be this

And I like this better. Updated version came with Civ 4.

 

[Olleus]

I mean it's good, but it's no Baba Yetu. I struggle to think of any other serious contenders for best video game music

 

[Siptah]

I mean it's good, but it's no Baba Yetu. I struggle to think of any other serious contenders for best video game music

and also the music of the second monkey island...
They also gave it a nice update in sound quality with the SE versions in the last years.

 

[RealHuhn]

I mean it's good, but it's no Baba Yetu. I struggle to think of any other serious contenders for best video game music

Skyrim probably.

But yes, Baba Yetu is amazing, especially that orchestra performance. I teared up instantly - in a good way

 

[RohirrimElf]

I`m loving the music for civ 6. If baba yetu is on the music list all the better.

 

[Red Menace]

Skyrim probably.

But yes, Baba Yetu is amazing, especially that orchestra performance. I teared up instantly - in a good way

I preferred Oblivion's soundtrack, especially the opening. coincidently Oblivion also had Sean Bean in it (and Patrick Stewart)
Baba Yetu is definitly one of the best songs for a video game. Bethesda never disappoints. i cant really say i have a favorite song from a video game because I like different music for different reasons.

also Age of Empires had a great theme, AoE 2 happens to be my first video game so maybe slightly biased.

 

[isau]

I mean it's good, but it's no Baba Yetu. I struggle to think of any other serious contenders for best video game music

It's definitely one of the best in its class. There are a few others I'd rank up there in terms of best soundtracks:

- Diablo 2
- Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers
- Torchlight 2 (arguable, no surprise its the same composer as Diablo 2)
- Baldur's Gate 2

 

[Mort_Q]

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZe7ShU_DryivX36jo3cH9Ov7E9bBMfs9

 

[lietkynes]

Baba Yetu is beautiful but definately NOT the original theme...

that would be this

Oh god the memories... I haven't heard this music in 20 years

 

[Abraxis]

Oblivion and Skyrim were certainly great -but pretty derivative.

Morrowind was Jeremy Soul's major breakthrough into legendary status. Even today whenever I want to get an unwanted song out of my head I just play the Morrowind theme in my mind and it takes over completely.
Even before that he was seriously carrying great games to a whole new level though. Particularily in Total Annihilation and Icewind Dale which established him as the biggest name in gaming as far as music went.
Walking into Kuldahar for the first time set the whole tone of the game so otherworldly and mystical, it hypnotised everyone right from the start and set the stage for an amazing game, and the soundtrack just never really let up from there.

Spoiler :

Total Annihilation was definitely what launched his career though. An orchestra hadn't really been used much for a gaming soundtrack prior to this, at least not that I'm aware of. And was the main reason for Total Annihilation needing two disks. The standard at the time was mostly digital music with some occasional instrumentation thrown in. Jeremy's soundtrack was all so chaotic and bombastic, it fit perfectly with all the explosions and shrapnel as one army of ~160 units crashed into another with sirens going off and the screen shacking wildly in response to the utter chaos, set to Jeremy's absolutely perfect score. There were whole articles in magazines dedicated soule-ly to praising his work in the game.

Spoiler :

By the time Morrowind was coming out, Jeremy's name being attached to the game was already enough to carry much of the hype, and the result really just cemented him as one of the best video-game composers of all time.


Kevin Manthei, composer of the soundtrack for Civilization 2 was pretty great too.

Spoiler :

He was really good at creating unique sounds to fit whatever project he was given. Some of his other works of note, being Twisted Metal black, Vampire: The Masquerade, and my personal favourite game of all time and name-sake, Shiny's Sacrifice. All great examples of his diversity (though often dark and brooding), they really enhanced the themes and atmosphere the games were going for perfectly.

and also the music of the second monkey island...
They also gave it a nice update in sound quality with the SE versions in the last years.

Peter McConnell! Brilliant work all over the place, my personal favourite definitely Grim Fandango, and Psychonauts. He hasn't gone wrong in any game really though.

 

[Silent23]

I mean it's good, but it's no Baba Yetu. I struggle to think of any other serious contenders for best video game music

and also the music of the second monkey island...
They also gave it a nice update in sound quality with the SE versions in the last years.

The Monkey Island theme is a great contender. Others...

Polyanna (Mother 1)/Home Sweet Home (EarthBound):

Spoiler :

Ducktales Moon Theme:

Spoiler :

Shadowgate Entry Theme:

Spoiler :

And to show my heart isn't planted too firmly in the 8-bit...

Spoiler :

 

[Sagax]

As much as I like Baba Yetu myself, I think it's getting overrated. Personally I can listen to the Gods and Kings theme for much longer (not to be confused with TERRA NOOOOVVAAAA)

 

[ombak]

If you think there aren't many contenders to Baba Yetu, you might not be looking hard enough. Baba Yetu was a special experience, but even as far back as 8 bit games you'll find spectacular music. Video game music is so rich today. Yes, plenty of it is derivative, but plenty of it is original and spectacular. The fact that they are almost always invariably attached to an experience means answers will vary even more than with conventional music.

I will say though that Civ is superlative when it comes to music, whether it's original themes or selections of classical and contemporary music like in Civ 4.

 

[Zaarin]

Skyrim probably.

But yes, Baba Yetu is amazing, especially that orchestra performance. I teared up instantly - in a good way

Skyrim's OST was just a rehash of Morrowind and Oblivion's soundtrack; it was pretty disappointing, like just about everything about Skyrim really.

But great video game music isn't hard to find. Journey by Austin Wintory, Brothers - A Tale of Two Sons by Gustaf Grefburg, Mass Effect 2 and Jade Empire by Jack Wall, Dear Esther and Everybody's Gone to the Rapture by Jessica Curry, Thomas Was Alone by David Housden, and The Whispered World by Finn Seliger all have beautiful and memorable soundtracks, just to name a few (and I could name a lot more). As much as I love "Baba Yetu," I'm afraid I couldn't call it the greatest piece of video game music--I'd definitely give that title to "Nerevar Rising" by Jeremy Soule.

 

[BShaftoe]

Just adding my 2c here. Yeah, "Baba Yetu" is great (not the greatest in my book, but opinions right?). Anyways, there are many other composers (far too many to list here) that have been writing quality work over the years. Just a few:

Yasunori Mitsuda (Chrono Cross): Time's Scar

Spoiler :

Stephane Picq (Lost Eden): Lost Eden Theme

Spoiler :

The Humble Brothers (Simcity 4): Terrain (it really picks up @ 2:23 but it is really worthwhile to hear the entire piece)

Spoiler :

Yoko Shimomura (Xenoblade Chronicles): Colony 9

Spoiler :

ACE+ (Xenoblade Chronicles) (for the weepy-eyed): Parting, and...

Spoiler :

Special mentions...
Austin Wintory (orchestral): Journey, Abzu, etc
Jack Wall (Exile, Mass Effect, Jade Empire, etc)
Akira Yamaoka (Silent Hill series)
Michiru Yamane (Castlevania: Symphony of the Night [simply awesome IMHO])
Nobuo Uematsu (Final Fantasy series)

In the end, it is very hard to select what is the "best" video game music out there (I don't have one personally) because different game settings call for different types of soundtracks. The breadth of games is to the extent that video game soundtracks run the gamut of musical styles. Of course, that makes it more difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff.

 

[Gambito]

I read someone mentioning Gabriel Knight?? My favorite point-and-click series ever!!!

And the music was incredible

Spoiler GK Menu :

Spoiler GK Credits :

 

[j51]

Baba Yetu is annoying. I prefer my video game music to be instrumental. Original Civ theme for the win!