So far we’ve had the old school (Tetris), the beloved Mario Franchise, and some of the greatest RPG’s ever created, the Elder Scrolls’: Morrowind and Skyrim, make our list, and now it’s time for number two in our countdown of the top five video game soundtracks of all time.
2) Halo: Combat Evolved
In many ways Halo: Combat Evolved revolutionized gaming. First and foremost, a strong argument can be made that without Halo, the Xbox simply doesn’t achieve nearly the same level of success, which could have changed the entire course of gaming history. Remember, the original Xbox was Microsoft’s first foray into console gaming, and ultimately Halo made the Xbox very desirable, paving the way for the Xbox 360 and Xbox One. It can also be said that without the Halo Franchise, Xbox live wouldn’t be as successful, or what it is, today (flaws and all), because without Halo’s successful multiplayer and subsequently Halo 2’s very successful multiplayer, the demand for a way to connect to other gamers just wouldn’t be there. Pretty heady stuff… This isn’t to say that the Halo franchise is untouchable or undeserving of criticism. For all of it’s success, the argument can be made that the franchise, along with many others, has been milked to death and the games just aren’t as good as they used to be.
Now it may seem as though the above mentioned is needless exposition, but I assure you, it’s crucial to understanding why Halo comes in at number two in our countdown. A game simply doesn’t become as successful as Halo does without being the total package, and you can’t be the total package if you don’t have great music. That’s where Marty O’Donnell comes in. He delivers a breath-taking array of dramatic tone-stetting pieces, tailored masterfully to suit each level, sucking us into the dark mysteries of Halo. Let’s face it, while the graphics were great for its time, it’s not as though they were hyper-realistic, nor were any back then really. Therefore, it meant that we as gamers had to fill in the blanks a bit more, use our imaginations. A really great soundtrack helps fill in those blanks and makes the story more compelling. It also makes the story seem more organic, especially when graphics alone cannot do the job. That’s what makes Halo’s soundtrack so good. It does all these things and more.
Throughout the years the Halo franchise has had some seriously good music. From the original, Gregorian chant style intro, to various rock adaptations, we’ve enjoyed it all, but sometimes you gotta go with the original, and that’s why Halo: Combat Evolved comes in at number two on our countdown.
Up next is the last installment in our countdown, number one. Until then, enjoy the original soundtrack from Halo: Combat Evolved!