Hm, lets see if I can wrack my brain for any tracks that for whatever reason haven't yet been mentioned.
For as much as I feel Final Fantasy XII doesn't get its due, its soundtrack is probably the least discussed aspect of the whole game, which is criminal. I'm a sucker for a game that constantly re-iterates on its central theme, and here is no exception, various aspects of the musical piece "symphonic suite" can be heard throughout the entire game. It is a great moment when it is finally played in its entirety over the closing credits. Whilst this game felt like the black sheep of the main series, for many reasons, its grand sweeping orchestral movements was not of one them.
I know this isn't to everyone's taste, as of matter of fact I've read several reviews that have used this games soundtrack as a negative. For me personally, Madworld lived (and died) on its style, it certainly makes a great first impression, even if that early optimism unfortunately falls down under the repetitive gameplay. The soundtrack itself emphasizes the quick nature of the game, not least of all because each track itself is fairly short. It manages to straddle various genres, from rock to rap, which feeds into the unique feel and theme of a particular stage. A great riposte to those who like to characterize Japanese games as the sole domain of odd and quirky music.
Dark Souls doesn't really contain much music, which only serves to further the impact whenever it does appear. For me, the most memorable of these moments was the arrival at Gwynevere's chamber. For a game that is usually pre-occupied with its bleak and sombre setting, it is a huge comfort when you step into this area and hear the rhapsodic chorus beginning to break through the silence. This is musical dissonance at its best, playing as a bookend to what is one of the most difficult areas in the entire game.
The No More Heroes games are a weird sort, not even being consistent between each other! The first one I thought of as a an extremely self-aware and meta commentary of gaming culture in general, this was evidenced in its music which was a bizarre (but very good) pastiche of various influences, not least of all games. The original game in my opinion provided a more effective deconstruction of the role of the player, and protagonist than Bioshock (which undercut itself terribly), by effectively making your ultimate goal pointless. I say all this because the second game, although crazy plays it relatively straight in comparison, portraying itself more as a reconstruction of what it had broken down previously. As a huge fan of the first (despite its clear flaws), I found the lack of self-referential humor to be somewhat disappointing. That is until I reached the Margaret boss fight, the song itself serving as an in universe "fuck you" for once again playing hero.
As mentioned these are games which are are somewhat questionably designed, but when all the elements come together, it works wonderfully. The implementation of this particular song being so clever in that it works in multiple ways, justified within the narrative as the song the boss character sings to her victims, and also as a clear nod to the audience. Look up the lyrics if you have the time.
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