Composing a video game score can be a tricky thing. But sometimes, it might be easier, and better, to just get a licensed song instead. We’re going to be discussing some of the most popular licensed songs featured in video games.
By the early to mid 2000s, the video game scene began to rapidly change.
The NES generation were now adults. The PlayStation 1 generation were now teenagers. Console and PC hardware were being pushed to the limit. Players were demanding something darker, more mature. This almost rabid desire to adapt to the market has resulted in this period being referred to as “the edgy era of games.”
While Need for Speed: Most Wanted (2005) did not have the edgiest premise, the soundtrack certainly was. I mean this in the most loving way possible. The soundtrack propelled the atmosphere to a whole different level with a combination of rock, nu metal, and rap. Turns out being chased by police while Avenged Sevenfold plays in the background is a pretty good combination.
Highlights:
- Blinded in Chains – Avenged Sevenfold
- Decadence – Disturbed
- Shapeshifter – Celldweller feat. Styles of Beyond
When discussing the music of Dead Rising, it almost always revolves around the psychopath themes.
The people behind it knew the premise had a lot of opportunities for silliness. The more freedom you give the player, the more likely it is they’re going to ignore the tone. The reason why Dead Rising works is because the game embraces both the serious and the farcical. And the best example is the game’s psychopaths.
The boss themes of Dead Rising are a combination of original score and licensed music. While both types are great, it is the licensed songs that stand out the most. It gives the player a rush of adrenaline while reflecting the boss’ personalities.
Highlights:
- Slave – The Evolutionaries
- Gone Guru – Lifeseeker
- Fly Routine – Hostile Groove
Besides being synonymous with crime, satire, and style, the GTA series is also known for its amazing soundtracks.
Besides thematically appropriate original scores, each GTA game has licensed music to encapsulate the aesthetic. This is best reflected in the myriad of radio stations available to the player. You have everything from chill reggae to eurobeat. While all GTA licensed songs have been carefully picked and elevate the feel, we’ve decided to focus on Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.
Vice City is one of the most stylized GTA games; a love letter to Scarface and Miami Vice. The licensed songs are great, featuring some of the best hits of the 80s that are still popular to this day.
Highlights:
- Out of Touch – Daryl Hall & John Oates
- Billie Jean – Michael Jackson
- I Wanna Rock – Twisted Sister
Listening to Ruiner’s soundtrack, you’d think the music was made specifically for the game.
Ruiner managed to nail the cyberpunk aesthetic. You had factories the size of cities, coupled with shady downtown alleys, and office buildings reaching the skies. A color scheme that can only be described as hostile, combining shadows with blood red. Gory gunplay — a must. And between all of this was a soundtrack that fully accommodated the experience. The music would fit perfectly in your favorite cyberpunk anime like Akira or Ghost in the Shell. Synthesizers, drums, and ritualistic chanting to evoke feelings of futurism and tribalism.
The best tracks in the game are provided by Polish artist Zamilska and UK-based Sidewalks and Skeletons. Their music manages to capture the beautiful yet desolate feel of the setting. The developer also managed to get something from Susumu Hirasawa, best known for contributing pieces for the Berserk anime series.
Highlights:
- Memory – Sidewalks and Skeletons
- Ruin – Zamilska
- Island Door (Paranesian Circle) – Susumu Hirasawa
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City isn’t the only game on this list that replicates the 80s Miami feel.
The developers decided to prioritize synthwave songs in order to mimic the psychedelic feel of the gameplay. It turns out combining synthwave with ultraviolence leads to hours of fun. The majority of the music is provided by M|O|O|N and Scattle, with a few bangers by provided by synthwave wonderchild Perturbator.
Highlights:
- Crystals – M.O.O.N
- Horse Steppin’ – Sun Araw
- Daisuke – El Huervo
The Splatterhouse franchise was rebooted in 2010 with a stylistic new take.
The original Splatterhouse games were inspired by western horror movies such Poltergeist, Friday the 13th, and Nightmare on Elm Street. The reboot is the same, but also borrows inspiration from b-horror, grindhouse, and comic books. A sizable chunk of Splatterhouse’s soundtrack is rock and metal songs provided by different artists. The songs manage to compliment the brutal, grindhouse vibe of the game.
Highlights:
- Dying Breed – Five Finger Death Punch
- Walk With Me In Hell – Lamb of God
- Hollow Ground – The Haunted
Brütal Legend is one of several wonders made by Tim Schafer.
Schafer’s most well known games are based around a particular aesthetic. Grim Fandango was inspired by the Day of the Dead, Psychonauts focused on psychedelic visuals, and Brütal Legend is all about heavy metal culture. Scenes in the game look like they’ll be perfect for an album cover. Everyone dressed like they’re going to Knotfest. The main protagonist being voiced by Jack Black. A guitar that shoots lightning. And then you have the music.
Besides an original score, there are 107 licensed metal songs from indie bands to some of the most influential groups in the heavy metal scene.
Highlights:
- Tornado Of Souls – Megadeth
- Marching Off to War – Motörhead
- Painkiller – Judas Priest
Killing Floor 2 improved everything from the original. Better graphics, better gunplay, and better music.
The first Killing Floor was a total conversion mod for Unreal Tournament 2004, a short, rough, but incredibly atmospheric horror experience. The 2009 retail release was an instant hit, revolving around a group of players fending of waves and waves of mutated horrors. The soundtrack was great, a combination of industrial and atmospheric tunes.
The same philosophy is applied to the sequel. Besides an original score composed by zYnthetic, there’s a fair share of awesome metal songs. If you make the player want to throw the horns, you did something right.
Highlights:
- Death – Demon Hunter
- Murderer – Impending Doom
- Something More – Living Sacrifice
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