There’s been a lot of praise thrown around about 2017 in gaming (more on that later). But more than the games themselves, I think this has been an amazing year for video game music. Just wall-to-wall fantastic stuff throughout the entire year. I’m a big fan of video game music, and often feel the need to talk about how it's an important aspect to this awesome medium. This year though, I feel like I could just say “Dude, listen to this shit!” and it speaks for itself. But allow me to speak for it a little anyway.

This is, as per personal tradition, a collection of my 10 favorite video game soundtracks among games I played from 2017. I picked a representative song from each game, and they are ordered by original US release date, not by preference. I really like making this list every year, as I get to dig through and highlight lots of great music (shout out to Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, which barely missed the cut). I hope you enjoy listening as much as I do, and please share your personal favorites too!

Night in the Woods

Featured Track: Possum Springs (by Alex Holowka)

I think this score sets the game’s tone better than any other part of the game. Without it I might not be so invested in the lazy town of Possum Springs, but this puts me right into that place every time. Not to mention it punctuates the game’s climactic moments too well.

Hollow Knight

Featured Track: Dirtmouth (by Christopher Larkin)

Ranging from adventurous to somber to bombastic, this soundtrack does such a great job at defining each of the game’s many varied areas, as well as punctuating its more dramatic moments. It’s often just goddamn beautiful too.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Featured Track: Main Theme (by Manaka Kataoka)

I strongly believe that the minimalist approach to this score was the right choice, and paid off incredibly well; there's a power in silence. I was able to just be in this melancholy version of Hyrule, with the sound of nature perfectly punctuated by a couple well-timed piano riffs. That also made the times where it got more bombastic stand out even more.

NieR: Automata

Featured Track: Amusement Park (by Keigo Hoashi)

I… just, wow. I wish my existential journey sounded like this. It’s hard to even describe, but this soundtrack somehow manages to make me feel what the game wants me to feel every step of the way. It’s also bold and daring in some super weird ways that work unbelievably well. Like, having robots chanting “This cannot continue” transition into a song that’s legit good? Come on!

Persona 5

Featured Track: Life Will Change (by Shoji Meguro)

Persona soundtracks have always been amazing, but I think this is the first time they’ve put together so many lyrical songs in English that are this good. I had a different one stuck in my head each week while I was playing this game, and the lyrics and tone are so perfect for the game’s style, and very powerful for its narrative.

Pyre

Featured Track: In the Flame (by Darren Korb)

Supergiant Games has yet to put out a bad soundtrack, and Pyre is easily their biggest and most ambitious one yet. I love how all of the game’s characters have their own theme that plays when they appear on screen. And given the sheer number of characters in this game, that’s a lot of varied, fantastic songs. Some of the lyrical songs hit me pretty hard too.

Nidhogg II

Featured Track: Tiptoes (by Daedelus)

This soundtrack is funky in all the right ways. It makes me bob my head with glee throughout every wacky match I play, and matches the bizarre art style to a tee. I listened to it more than one reasonably should outside of the game too. It’s just fun.

Cuphead

Featured Track: Introduction (by Kristofer Maddigan)

Everyone likes to point out Cuphead’s art (rightfully so), but I think its music is almost as good at selling its aesthetic. It sounds exactly like you’d expect cartoons from that era to sound, and has a super fun jazzy and/or “big band” flavor that I really, really enjoy. I like that each boss has their own theme, that’s a great touch.

Super Mario Odyssey

Featured Track: Jump Up, Super Star! (by Naoto Kubo)

Mario Odyssey’s poster song is pretty freaking incredible, and there’s a lot of variety in the regular level music too. It may not be all that drastically different from the Mario music of recent years, but it's very good nonetheless.

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus

Featured Track: Uberviolence (by Mick Gordon)

I love the characters and tone of Wolfenstein II, and said tone is all over the place. And yet, its score somehow keeps up with it. Surprisingly contemplative moments can turn into insanely gritty ones on a dime, and this score goes all those same places without missing a beat.