Oh, hey, it’s December again. Which means it’s time for one of my favorite annual traditions, where I look back at my favorite video game music of the year. And regardless of everything else 2020 threw at us, allow me to make a bold claim: there was a lot of great video game music in 2020. Not just high quality, enjoyable music, but also music spanning all sorts of styles, genres, and game types. That diversity is one of my favorite things about video game music, and while I limit my list to 10(ish) soundtracks, it’s worth noting there are well more than 10 noteworthy soundtracks every year, 2020 included. The medium continues to be strong, and our games are all the better for it.

The usual disclaimers: I only considered soundtracks from games I actually played, I picked a single representative song from each soundtrack to feature (where possible), and these games are ordered by their original US release date; not by preference. Thanks for reading and listening, and please share your own favorites!

Ori and the Will of the Wisps

Featured Track: Escaping a Foul Presence (by Gareth Coker)

The first Ori had a wonderful, emotional, sweeping orchestral score, and the sequel’s is every bit as good. It runs the gamut of emotions too, as it can be adventurous, playful, somber, or even downright terrifying as the situation demands. Ori and the Will of the Wisps is a great playing game that’s also an artistically resonant one, and its soundtrack is critical to its appeal.

Doom Eternal

Featured Track: The Only Thing They Fear Is You (by Mick Gordon)

I’m tempted to say “Doom Eternal is another Doom soundtrack by Mick Gordon” and leave it at that, but that’s probably too flippant. Yes, this is another Doom soundtrack by Mick Gordon, but it’s worth stressing how totally rad that is. He has once again captured the heavy metal, demonic fury of Doom with a new face-melting score, and it remains one of the many delights of playing a Doom game. Put another way, I don’t take my Doom soundtracks by Mick Gordon for granted.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Featured Track: 5am (by Kazumi Totaka)

Animal Crossing’s quirk where each hour of the day has its own dedicated song is both one of its frustrations and one of its charms. On the one hand, it means I never get to hear certain songs -- such as the excellent one I’m showcasing here -- because the hours I play games don’t vary that much. On the other hand, it does mean that I’ve come to identify the hours I do play with their respective songs, and those songs manage to capture the vibe of those hours surprisingly well. It’s a tangible, playful, and endearing way to make music a more prominent part of the game experience, and it’s also just good, catchy music.

Final Fantasy VII Remake

Featured Track: Main Theme (by Nobuo Uematsu, Masashi Hamauzu and Mitsuto Suzuki)

(Side note: It’s hard to find music from this game on YouTube; it seems Square-Enix is aggressive about taking it down. I did what I could.)

There are many reasons why Final Fantasy VII Remake’s soundtrack is as downright incredible as it is. First, the sound quality, instrumentation, and arrangements are just fantastic. Second, its “adaptive soundtrack” does a magnificent job at shifting between the many variations of each theme to fit the situation; it’s such a smart way to handle music in an interactive medium. Third, Remake draws from some of the most iconic and beloved music in video game history, and effortlessly leverages their nostalgic appeal while also rearranging them into something new and modern. That’s a tough balancing act for any remake, but Final Fantasy VII’s absolutely nails it.

Streets of Rage 4

Featured Track: Rising Up (by Olivier Deriviere)

Despite having a Sega Genesis in the house in the 90s, I was never that much of a “Sega kid.” I didn’t even hear about, much less play, a Streets or Rage game until decades later, but once I did I immediately recognized their soundtracks as legitimately rad. So if a new Streets of Rage game needed to get one thing right in 2020, it was the music. And thankfully, from my vantage point, it did. It’s just fun music from start to finish.

Lithium City

Featured Track: All I could find was the entire soundtrack (by John Camara)

Lithium City’s soundtrack is one that’s just fun to jam to, and it also contains more variety than it initially appears. While a lot of it is (very good) techno-murder beats, my most memorable music moments in Lithium City came from unique set pieces, where the music changed tone to acknowledge the larger setting and happenings. It takes good music, and leverages it in simple but effective ways to better the game itself.

Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon 2

Featured Track: Chains of Fire (by Ippo Yamada)

I’m not sure I like Curse of the Moon 2’s soundtrack as much as its predecessor, but even if it doesn’t reach that incredibly high bar, this sequel’s soundtrack is another awesome one that captures the spirit of the NES Castlevania games through and through. It’s a rockin’ score that’s fun to jam to, and wonderfully suits That Man, Zangetsu, and his companions as they venture forth on their demon-slaying quest.

Spiritfarer

Featured Track: Main Theme (by Max LL)

Spiritfarer’s best moments are the emotional sendoffs you periodically give your animal companions, and those moments wouldn’t hit nearly as hard if the music accompanying them wasn’t as touching as it is. Spiritfarer’s soundtrack can be as playful or as caring as the situation demands, and I’m not sure the game would have worked that well without it.

Paradise Killer

Featured Track: Paradise (Stay Forever) (by Barry Topping)

With character names like “Doctor Doom Jazz” and “Lady Love Dies,” and a striking art style to match, it’s pretty clear up front that Paradise Killer has its own unique vibe. And that’s as apparent as anywhere in its soundtrack: this thing is a friggin’ groove. Its funky mix of jazzy vaporware tunes set the perfect backdrop for wacky and the surreal setting of Paradise Island, and had me nodding my head to the beat the entire way through. I love when a soundtrack so expertly enhances a game’s vibe, and that’s exactly what this one does so well. It also, as the kids say, slaps.

Hades

Featured Track: In the Blood (by Darren Korb and Ashley Barrett)

Look, I don’t think I have to convince anyone that Darren Korb, Ashley Barrett, and the folks at Supergiant Games can make a great video game soundtrack. And with Hades hitting version 1.0 this year, it adds more new music that meets their incredibly high standards once again. I especially like how they incorporate many of their lyrical songs into the game itself, represented and sung by in-game characters who are in fact musicians. It’s one of the countless endearing details that make Supergiant’s games so good, and of course, it wouldn’t work if the quality wasn’t there. But it absolutely is for these songs, which are all absolute bangers.

Bonus: Sayonara Wild Hearts

Featured Track: Begin Again (by Daniel Olsen and Jonathan Eng)

I didn’t get around to playing 2019’s Sayonara Wild Hearts until 2020, so it missed my music list last year. But to everyone who said this game’s soundtrack is incredible: you were right. I couldn’t stop listening to it all year, and even if it’s a year late, allow me to give it its due now. Just killer music from top to bottom, and with the music all but being the game itself, Sayonara Wild Hearts is a wonderful new take on what a music video game can be.