This is the best video game music of 2025, as chosen by the composers behind it
50 game composers, including Masayoshi Soken, Lena Raine, and Austin Wintory, share their video game music highlights of the year
2025 has been another stacked year for video game releases and arguably one of the strongest for game soundtracks in a long time.
But with just a small handful of video games dominating most of the discourse in 2025, there are sure to be plenty of amazing soundtracks that have flown under your radar.
To make sure you haven’t missed anything special then, VGC again reached out to a small army of video game composers and asked them to choose their favourite game soundtracks from the year.
Where possible, we’ve provided links to a variety of music streaming services so you can support these composers on your platform of choice. As a reminder, Bandcamp waives its revenue share on the first Friday of every month for Bandcamp Friday, with the first Bandcamp Friday of 2026 taking place on February 6th.
Thank you to all of the composers who took time out of their busy schedules to provide thoughtful recommendations and big up their peers in what’s been an incredible year for video game music.
Darren Korb
(Bastion, Transistor, Pyre, Hades, Hades 2)
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: Sword of the Sea by Austin Wintory
“My pal Austin Wintory made yet another gorgeous soundtrack with Sword of the Sea! Any time Austin evokes Björk for me is some of my favourite Austin music. The beautiful, ethereal boys choir work here is awesome, and the synth textures, woodwinds, and everything else are giving me serious Björk vibes in the best way. My favourite track is ‘From a Drop, a Flame.’”
Listen to the soundtrack on Bandcamp | Spotify | YouTube
Dale North
(Wizard of Legend, Dreamscaper, Wargroove 2)
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: Earthion by Yuzo Koshiro
“I’m a sucker for FM synthesis, shmups, and of course, Yuzo Koshiro has always been a musical hero to me. But even if you remove all of that, this soundtrack has incredible writing and vibes. More than anything, what really gets me about it is it has that rare power to totally transport you — you can get absolutely lost in this soundtrack even outside of playing the game. Nostalgia and being an authentic 1990s soundtrack alone make it worthy of note, but the Earthion soundtrack is good enough to vie for the crown of best Megadrive shooter soundtrack ever!”
Listen to the soundtrack on Bandcamp | Spotify | YouTube
Joel Corelitz
(Eastward, Halo Infinite, Gorogoa, Death Stranding)
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: Demonschool by Kurt Feldman
“I’m a huge fan of Kurt Feldman’s various musical projects—The Depreciation Guild, Ice Choir, and The Pains of Being Pure at Heart—so his game soundtracks are a must-listen for me. He has an incredible knack for blending impeccable production, innovative chord progressions, and a powerful emotional urgency into something that feels both nostalgic and modern. His latest effort, the soundtrack for Demonschool, continues that track record—it’s truly unique and special. It’s tough to pick a favourite, but I think mine would be ‘Wednesday Battle (Action).’”
Listen to the soundtrack on Bandcamp
Wilbert Roget, II
(Helldivers 2, Pacific Rim, Star Wars: Outlaws, Mortal Kombat 11)
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: Death Stranding 2 by Ludvig Forssell and Woodkid
“For my personal tastes, I’d definitely pick Death Stranding 2. Ludvig Forssell once again created a unique vibe throughout the score with acoustic instrumentation and vocals used in tandem with nuanced synth textures, creative microtuning and sonic manipulation, but this time with even more detail in the dynamic music interactivity, and several collaborations with Woodkid as well as several other artists worldwide.
“Ironically, the theme of this sequel seems to be ‘new life’ rather than death like the first game, and so there’s a hint of positivity in the score as well – even in sorrowful character themes like ‘Neil Vana’ the dramatic track ‘Over The Dunes’, or the loadout theme ‘Terminals’. Other faves include the impressive ending battle sequence ‘One Last Fight’, the Ghost Mech interactive suite, and Woodkid’s ‘Tmrrw’ theme.”
Listen to the soundtrack on Spotify | YouTube
Clement Panchout
(Murder House, CloverPit, The Séance of Blake Manor)
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: Little Nightmares III by Hugo Long, Tobias Lilja, Alistair Kerley, Frankie Harper, and Aidan Fitchett
“What I love about this soundtrack is the way it plays with textures and its overall organic feel. It creaks, it rumbles, it feels alive. I also like the emotional depth that generally characterises the soundtracks in this series, there’s always a touch of melancholy living beneath the horror.”
Listen to the soundtrack on Spotify | Apple Music
Lena Raine
(Beastieball, Celeste, Minecraft, of the Devil Episode 2)
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: Angeline Era by Melos Han-Tani
“Angeline Era’s soundtrack fits perfectly into its pseudo-PS1 visual, design and sound aesthetics, capturing an era of game music that really let a composer explore. The world map background track titled A Sudajii’s Shade, Noon Sky Drifting By is a gorgeous progressive 6 minute track designed to reflect the adventurous feel of searching for secrets in plain sight.
“I also love Another Summer On My Own, drawing out those big dreamy feelings of longing. When big, expensive sounds are the most prevalent things to impress, it’s the weird smaller-scale productions where I find the greatest amount of joy.”
Listen to the soundtrack on Bandcamp | Spotify
Alex Moukala
(Rift of the Necrodancer, Contra: Operation Galuga)
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 by Lorien Testard
“My favorite soundtrack of the year is definitely Clair Obscur: Expedition 33! To me, a great game soundtrack is one that perfectly outlines the story and characters of the game, one that features a vast amount of music that speaks to people even outside of the game, and one that introduces players to genres and styles of music they may not have heard as often before in games they like. Expedition 33 achieved full marks in all of those things. On top of that, Lorien and Guillaume are such creative gems and such a great example of what a Music Composer <-> Game Director relationship should look like.
“So, as a game composer, I love to see projects like Expedition 33 thrive. You can tell the people who worked on that game truly celebrated each other’s creative visions while creating the game! I’d also like to give an honorable mention to Hades II and Sword of the Sea’s soundtracks, which I think are phenomenal as well.”
Listen to the soundtrack on Bandcamp | YouTube | Spotify
Jim Fowler
(Cabernet, Blood & Truth, LittleBigPlanet)
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: Hollow Knight: Silksong by Christopher Larkin
“I loved the riffy, aggressively frenetic strings and the smaller ensembles mean you can really hear the bow contacting the strings. That gives the sound a grittier edge and connects the it to the person creating it. For me that always adds an extra emotional depth. I also thought it was great to hear solo lines rising out of the busier, aggressive tracks, not just in the gentler cues; an individual voice in amongst the action.”
Listen to the soundtrack on Bandcamp | YouTube | Spotify
Richard Jacques
(Marvel’s Guardians Of The Galaxy, James Bond: 007 Blood Stone, Overwatch 2)
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: Mario Kart: World by Maasa Miyoshi, Takuhiro Honda, Yutaro Takakuwa and Atsuko Asahi
“2025 gave us some very memorable video game soundtracks, from Ghost of Yotei to Death Stranding 2: On The Beach, and Hollow Knight: Silksong to Hades II. All very noteworthy soundtracks which I enjoyed very much. However, I must single out a soundtrack that I thought was hands down the most fun.
“And that is the soundtrack to Mario Kart World. Nintendo’s music team, led by Atsuko Asahi, along with contributions from Maasa Miyoshi, Takuhiro Honda and Yutaro Takakuwa, really delivered the fun factor in spades, something that we can often forget in world of dark storylines, evil characters and chilling atmospheres (which aren’t that much different from the real world at the moment).
“It was therefore a pleasure to hear their work on Mario Kart World, which features a dynamic soundtrack covering a plethora of styles, with some killer melodies, beautiful arrangements and top-notch production.
“It’s fair to say that both gamers and composers alike may dismiss this kind of soundtrack for not being an orchestral score from a AAA game, yet it’s easy to forget that this kind of music is not easy to create to this incredibly high degree, something which Asahi, Miyoshi, Honda and Takakuwa achieve with ease. They really have put the fun back into video game music and it’s for this reason that this is my pick of 2025.”
Ashton Mills
(RuneScape Dragonwilds, RuneScape, Old School RuneScape)
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: Spirit of the North 2 by Pav Gekko
“Beautiful melodic writing meets spellbinding orchestration that perfectly encapsulates the essence of winter. I don’t know if it’s intentional, but to me, it echoes the Björk album, Vespertine (my all-time favourite album). I love the main theme, where shimmering pads and crystalline pointillism set the scene for the evocative and expressive cello that serves as the ‘leit-timbre’ for the vulpine hero. The soundtrack breathes so much life into the game world, but also stands proudly on its own. “
Listen to the soundtrack on YouTube | Direct
Jesse Zuretti
(2XKO)
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: The Outer Worlds 2 by Oleksa Lozowchuk, Juliette Jones, Antonio Gradanti, Jim Bonney, Mason Lieberman
“The Outer Worlds 2 soundtrack and sound design goes feral in the best ways. The synths roar underneath early mid-century fanfare energy, giving it the vibe of someone Frankenstein-ing vintage space-age optimism with modern cinematic muscle, and it just moves.
“Every cue feels like it’s flexing, every sound effect lands with intention, and the whole thing ramps into this breathtaking, planet-shaking payoff that reminds me how powerful great music and sound design can be when they’re locked in perfect orbit. Oleksa and the Interleave team absolutely crushed this soundtrack, and the game was truly a joy I’d been anticipating for many years now.”
Listen to the soundtrack on Spotify | Apple Music
Borislav Slavov
(Baldur’s Gate III, Divinity Original Sin, Crysis 3)
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: Sword of the Sea by Austin Wintory
“2025 was an incredible year for video game music! It’s hard to describe the excitement that I felt while playing so many amazing games, all packed with quality and well-produced music. The one that resonated the most with me was Sword of the Sea by Austin Wintory. Austin used such a beautiful and varied sound palette to create emotional compositions that fully resonate with the flow of this amazing game. Incredibly well adapted for the interactive experience, as well as strongly sitting in my music player as a standalone music album. An excellent achievement!”
Listen to the soundtrack on Bandcamp | Spotify | YouTube
Joshua Taipale
(Double Dragon Reload, Date Everything, Omega Strikers)
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: Pokémon Legends Z-A by Minako Adachi, Hiromitsu Maeba, Carlos Eiene, Shinji Hosoe, Ayako Saso, Takahiro Eguchi, Hitomi Sato, Shota Kageyama
“Pokémon Legends Z-A was a special release for me, with my first Pokémon game being X/Y. It saw not only the return of my favourite Pokémon composer Shota Kageyama but a huge surprise in my old friend and collaborator Carlos Eiene’s involvement. It’s clear to me that Game Freak has been allotted a much larger music budget this time around, with the production value stepping up significantly since their last titles. The plaza themes in particular infused life into the city and it was wonderful hearing KISEKI once again after all these years.”
J.D. Spears
(League of Legends, Teamfight Tactics, Chivalry 2)
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: Destiny 2: The Edge of Fate by Brendon Williams, Rotem Moav, Josh Mosser, Pieter Schlosser, Michael Salvatori, Skye Lewin, Nolan Markey, Laryssa Okada
“Of course, I have to mention Expedition 33. However, I’m sure much will be said about that on this list. So, The Edge of Fate was one of my favourite soundtracks of the year as it felt like a high point in an already storied franchise when it comes to music. I loved hearing my former colleague Brendon Williams return to the franchise in a big way, and I just think the composers all did a really nice job communicating the scale of the expansion whilst maintaining the beauty of the world.”
Listen to the soundtrack on the Bungie Store, YouTube and Spotify
Eddie Marianukroh
(Chained Echoes, Chained Echoes: Ashes of Elrant, Under the Island)
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: Quartet by Tyler Mire
“The Quartet (Official Soundtrack) by Tyler Mire is not only a work of brilliance, but also a labour of love and dedication to the craft. Seven years of writing this incredible soundtrack that encompasses so much of the spirit of the classics that we hold so dear, I can’t help but be in awe by just how well Tyler accomplished this.
“The music is further elevated by the incredible performances of the musicians hired for this soundtrack. Some tracks that I found myself stopping the game and listening to were ‘Quartet Main Theme,’ ‘Alexandra’s Shop,’ ‘Apokatastasis,’ ‘Missing Her,’ ‘A Safe Refuge,’ and ‘Beneath the Earth.’ Though I list out these particular tracks, I implore you to give the entire soundtrack a listen, as I think every song is absolutely fantastic.
“This soundtrack truly deserves recognition for being a wonderful contribution to video game music. I very much respect Tyler’s skills as a composer and will always look forward to the music he writes. I do hope you give both the game and soundtrack your time, as it is very well worth it.”
Listen to the soundtrack on Bandcamp,
Austin Wintory
(Sword of the Sea, Journey, Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, Stray Gods)
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 by Lorien Testard
“My favourite score is without a doubt Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 by Lorien Testard; I could go on and on, and I suspect others will do too. So for that reason, I’ll say the score that surprised me most was Yasuhiro Nakashima’s music for the game and Roger. I was so deeply moved by the game and the score is central to why; it’s alternatively delicate and boldly aggressive and fits the game and message like a glove. An absolute gem to not overlook!”
Listen to the soundtrack on Bandcamp | YouTube | Spotify
Mason Lieberman
(Overwatch 2, PUBG Mobile, Apex Legends Mobile, The Outer Worlds 2)
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: Ninja Gaiden 4 by Masahiro Miyauchi, Takumi Higuchi, Takashi Nakabeppu, Hong Jin, Rina Yugi, Seiji Hotta
“Am I the only one who has been absolutely jamming out to the Ninja Gaiden 4 soundtrack? Led by Masahiro Miyauchi and featuring legendary metal and rock musicians like Masahiro Aoki and Victor Borba (amongst many other great contributors), it has really hit the spot for me in my ongoing craving for more metalcore / djent influence in the gaming space. Tons of other amazing scores deserve love, too; way too many to name. E33, Sword of the Sea, Hades II, Mario Kart World, Kirby Air Riders, and a zillion others all come to mind. This has been an outlandishly good year for game music!”
Listen to the soundtrack on YouTube
James Landino
(Omega Strikers, No Straight Roads, Fortnite Rocket Racing, Cytus II)
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: Deltarune Chapters 3+4 by Toby Fox
“The music in Deltarune is so good that some people are more excited for the soundtrack in a future chapter than the actual game release (but the game is great too!). Deltarune Chapters 3+4 in particular once again showcase Toby Fox’s ability to craft a diverse variety of strong music and moods that you won’t find easily elsewhere in one experience. You have to wonder if at this point Toby just wants to write a soundtrack that happens to come with a game release on the side.”
Listen to the soundtrack on Bandcamp | YouTube | Spotify
John Robert Matz
(Tchia, For The King 1 & 2, Ambition: A Minuet in Power, Mythgard)
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 by Lorien Testard
“Two scores dominated my musical gaming landscape this year, one I expected, and one came out of nowhere (for me) and caught me entirely off guard. First, one that many of my esteemed colleagues will undoubtedly gush over as much as I will: Lorien Testard and Alice Duport-Percier’s Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
“I was excited about the game months before it launched, but had no expectations whatsoever for the score, which juxtaposes intimate, chamber ensemble writing (string quartet, guitar, voices), with more sweeping, almost throwback (in the video game score space, at least) hybrid and orchestral elements. Also, the vocals are gorgeous.
“I am an absolute mark for good songs in video games, and these are some of the best ones I’ve heard in recent years, with beautiful, emotional melodic motifs that crop up again in new contexts elsewhere, the score evolving along with the progress of the titular Expedition up until – well, I won’t spoil anything. A true unexpected delight, and the tag-team work from Testard and Duport-Percier makes it something I’ll come back to time and time again, long after postgame content is all wrapped up.
“My second score, as I mentioned before, is a bit out of left field – a dark horse candidate, you might say. The absurdly-conceived sports management game, Umamusume: Pretty Derby launched internationally in 2025, and, good lord, I did not expect to be floored by the score in a strange little mobile game about training horse girls to run fast. Everything about the game is, on the surface, simple, but the overall polish, intelligent scoping, and creative touches elevate the entire presentation.”
Listen to the soundtrack on Bandcamp | YouTube | Spotify
Cody Matthew Johnson
Star Wars Outlaws, Trek to Yomi, Devil May Cry 5, Bayonetta 3
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: Doom: The Dark Ages by Finishing Move (Brian Lee White, Brian Trifon, Alex Klingle, Jay Wiltzen)
“In such a stacked year of incredible game soundtracks, one stands out to me above the rest: a crossover between one of my favourite game franchises and some of my favourite composers — DOOM: The Dark Ages by Brian Lee White, Brian Trifon, Alex Klingle, and Jay Wiltzen (p/k/a Finishing Move, Inc.). Their fusion of industrial, metal, and period-music elements is effortless. The score is a thrill as a standalone listen and an irreverent, propulsive force in-game, driving every moment of ripping and tearing.”
Listen to the soundtrack on YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music
Jason Graves
(Still Wakes The Deep, Dead Space, Directive 8020)
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: Deltarune Chapters 3+4 by Toby Fox
“Toby Fox is such an extreme talent. His music is a wonderfully entertaining combination of retro/chiptune synths and bitrate-crushed drums. I especially enjoy the odd metered, super-hooky boss music. And the nonconformist use of music genres makes me feel like I’m channel-surfing, in the best way possible! ‘It’s TV Time!’ and ‘Black Knife’ are two excellent examples of the rollercoaster of musical styles, themes, and emotions, all rooted in the genius and incredible lack of breadth in each chapter of Deltarune.”
Listen to the soundtrack on Bandcamp | YouTube | Spotify
Fingerspit (Paula Ruiz)
(The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood, The Red Strings Club, Gods Will Be Watching)
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: The Rise of the Golden Idol: Golden Idol Investigations DLC by Paul Alexander and Kyle Misko
“I don’t understand what sets Golden Idol apart for me, but I always thought it was because of that weird, eerie paranormal vibe in which it relies so strongly. And something I always found myself thinking and talking about while playing every single case was the music.
“It’s always so genuinely interesting how it tries to set the mood, to find that perfect balance between having enough character but not distract the player, to be able to shine but know when to hide, to set enough tension and make you feel uneasy with what’s happening, but also give you space and encourage you to think outside the box. And with a sound design so brilliant that fits the visuals, narrative, and lore of the game so damn well.”
Listen to the soundtrack on Bandcamp
Amos Roddy
(Citizen Sleeper, Kingdom, In Other Waters, The Wild at Heart, Cloud Gardens.)
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: Many Nights a Whisper by Fingerspit
“In a year filled with 100+ minute soundtrack epics, Fingerspit’s subtle and introspective score to Many Nights a Whisper invokes an intimate spaciousness I’ve found myself returning to ever since I finished the game. Fingerspit’s lovely use of ambient textures and repetitious piano arrangements is as compelling as always, and the recurring though evolving motifs tie the game’s narrative together beautifully.
“Sometimes understated scores can be just as effective as soaring, emotionally direct ones. Whereas a hard-hitting soundtrack might lead an audience forward, a more restrained score can often open a path and invite, though not demand, that we proceed. Fingerspit presents us with this option and by giving us the opportunity to engage by our own choice, makes the experience of Many Nights a Whisper all the more personal.”
Listen to the soundtrack on Bandcamp | Spotify
Phill Boucher
(Fortnite, Civilization VI, Marvel’s Midnight Suns, Orcs Must Die! 3)
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: Death Stranding 2: On the Beach by Ludvig Forrsell and Woodkid
“2025 was another strong year for game scores, but Death Stranding 2: On the Beach stood out for me. Part ambient sound bath, part modern intensity, and always retaining an organic quality, the immersive soundscapes from Ludvig and Woodkid are endlessly compelling. Tracks like ‘A Heartfelt Apology’ show just how much soul you can cram into a piece of music.”
Listen to the soundtrack on Spotify | YouTube
Jukio
(Minit, Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout, Dave the Diver, Nuclear Throne)
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: Caves of Qud by Craig Hamilton
“While technically released at the end of 2024 (and I’ve followed the development of it for years) Caves of Qud music has been in my ears constantly throughout 2025. It fits perfectly with its sometimes ominous, all-the-time beautiful, innovative soundscapes for the game’s vast post-human chrome jungles.
“Not only that, I’ve been listening to it while working on non-music work all the time. One of those soundtracks that really elevates the game (and my life!) to new heights. A bonus honorable mention to Dreams of Another soundtrack, for its beautifully melancholic textures and vibes. The artist Baiyon not only composed the music but also DIRECTED the game. Amazing!”
Listen to the soundtrack on itch.io
Belinda Coomes
(Malys, Ring Of Pain, As We Descend, Winnie’s Hole)
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: Frostpunk 2 by Piotr Musiał
“I’m such a fan of Piort’s music. I absolutely loved the music to Frostpunk 1 so I was anticipating the sequel. There’s something I really admire about Piort’s ability to create beautiful, memorable themes that can start with a hauntingly wispy soundscape that then grow into large powerful arrangements. In Frostpunk 2, Piort expands on the musical language of the first game.
“The gameplay in Frostpunk 2 is bigger in terms of management style and scope so the music reflects this by the arrangements being grander but still with Frostpunk’s musical identity. Looking forward to whatever Piort does next!”
Listen to the soundtrack on Spotify | YouTube |
James Elsey
Beyond Hanwell, Evil Dead The Game, Beatstar/Chrome Valley Customs
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: Tempest Rising by Michael Markie, Cory Richards, Sigurd Jøhnk-Jensen, Frank Klepacki, Adam Skorupa, Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz, and Michał Cielecki
“Heavy music fans have been spoilt for choice this year in Games, but my favourite OST goes to Tempest Rising. To accompany the game’s three playable Factions, there’s a huge depth of musical styles made possible by the unique contributions and characteristics of each composer.
“From the tight, low tuned guitar chugs on ‘Death Squad’, to the anthemic choral chants on ‘By Our Blood’, the music delivers a massively satisfying blend of metal, industrial, EDM and orchestral arrangements that gets the blood pumping through the intense RTS action gameplay.”
Listen to the soundtrack on YouTube | Spotify |
Fat Bard (Patrick Crecelius and Zach Fendelman)
(Smite, Die in the Dungeon, Jet Lancer, Demon Turf)
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: Peak by Erik Skog
“Our favourite soundtrack of 2025 would have to be Peak, which might sound surprising considering how much of the game is spent without music of any kind. One thing that Peak’s soundtrack does very well is highlight the key moments of gameplay. As a new day approaches, you begin your ascent up an absolutely massive mountain.
“The lack of music overall during gameplay makes these moments that much more impactful. The soundtrack does a great job of knowing when to give room to sound design and 3D voice chat. It knows what the game is about and what its own role is, which is sometimes a rare thing. Just because you CAN have music doesn’t always mean you should, eh? The absence can be just as powerful.”
Listen to the soundtrack on YouTube
Tomas Palazzi
(Bread & Fred, Outpath, Tsuki Adventure 2)
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: Ender Magnolia by Milli
“There’s something special when an artist go out of its usual work space to do something different, Mili is one of my favorite Japanese bands and their singles are amazing, but they also did one of my favorite soundtracks ever for Ender Lilies, amazing game and amazing music, and now on this spiritual sequel they deliver even more, incredible piano writing and unique percussion/sound design, plus the lovely voice of the band singer, is just unique and special!”
Listen to the full soundtrack on YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music
Masayoshi Soken
(Final Fantasy XIV, Final Fantasy XVI)
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: Ghost of Yōtei by Toma Otowa, Clare Uchima, Justin Johnson
“Since I am Japanese, it’s only natural that I would expect to be assaulted with a whole load of icy, minor-key Japanese-style music, mixing the essence of Japan and snow in the case of a story that is set around Mount Yōtei in Hokkaido. However, for some unknown reason, this game has a mysterious mode called Watanabe Mode. So, there I am thinking there’ll be another version of the song, when, to my surprise, I’m greeted by a sudden lo-fi sound!
“I was astounded to find the fusion of the lo-fi sound, with its origins outside of Japan – and the familiar Japanese scenery I can all too easily call to mind created a kind of comforting chemical reaction. I spend my days in pursuit of a singular question: just how well does this music match the game experience? And so, this bold experiment, setting different styles against each other like a Mixed Martial Arts fight, very much aroused my interest.”
Listen to the soundtrack on Spotify | (Watanabe Mode) | Apple Music | (Watanabe Mode)
Chloe Kwok
Favourite game soundtrack of 2025: Date Everything by Garrett Williamson, Adam Barrett Berry, Ray Chase, Max Mittelman, J. Michael Tatum, Stephen Hemstritch-Johnston, Chipper Hammond, Joshua Taipale.
“Date Everything is just the soundtrack of my life at the moment…not that I’m “dating everything” in reality, but the music has been finding itself on my repeat playlists, bringing a chill and cosy vibe. It’s just perfect for moments where you fancy something that doesn’t take itself too seriously and puts a slight skip in your step. I find myself just joyfully swaying when driving to this soundtrack, calming any moments of road rage!”
Listen to the soundtrack on Bandcamp | YouTube | Spotify
Marcus Hedges
(Age of Ashes, Ary and the Secret of Seasons, Override 2: Super Mech League)
Favourite game soundtrack of 2025: Elden Ring: Nightreign by Shoi Miyazawa, Soma Tanizaki, Tai Tomisawa and Yuka Kitamura
“I sank some considerable hours into this game with friends and I constantly found myself thinking, man, this music is really elevating my experience. The score moves so nicely between more haunting, intimate, magical textures to gigantic boss battles where choirs are shouting, the orchestra is stabbing, the drums are smashing and you really feel like it’s all on the line. What’s more, in a game where re-playability is at its core, the music always felt fresh and engaging and had me eager to hear it again.”
Listen to the soundtrack on YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music
Nicklas Hjertberg (Two Feathers)
(Metal Hellsinger, Vampire: The Masquerade Justice, Aragami)
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 by Lorien Testard
“This soundtrack is hitting all the right notes for me. I love the musical storytelling, the vocals, the memorable melodies, and all the unique instrumental elements included in so many ways. Jumping between tracks like ‘Gustave’, ‘Spring Meadows – Nightfall’, and ‘Gestral Market’ made the musical journey always feel fresh and exciting when playing through the game. An absolute 10/10 soundtrack that I keep coming back to!”
Listen to the soundtrack on Bandcamp | YouTube | Spotify
José Ramón “Bibiki” García
(Arco, Alex Kidd In Miracle World DX, UnderDungeon)
Favourite game soundtrack of 2025: Look Outside by Eric Shumaker and Francis Coulombe
“Look Outside is a retro-looking cosmic horror game with a classic turn-based RPG system that brings really creepy, anxious and mysterious situations to the player. While playing the game, I was asking myself how I’d do music for this kind of game myself, since the game is so weird and unique. The composers did an incredible job with this soundtrack, easily sending a constant uneasy and nostalgic vibes from the moment you get yourself into the game.”
Listen to the soundtrack on YouTube
Mark Choi
(Empire of the Ants, Breezy Bay, Path of Kami)
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 by Jan Valta and Adam Sporka
“As a massive RPG lover, I’m going to avoid my immediate personal choice – as it’s already been sweeping awards left right and centre and rightly being recognised for its excellence. Instead, I’m going for another epic RPG with a beautiful and varied score: Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 (Jan Valta and Adam Sporka). I love how it leans heavily into its medieval roots and replicates the feel of the era through choice of instrumentation and orchestration.
“Call me a sucker for tradition, but there is something undeniably powerful about a classical ensemble at full tilt, or human voices performing liturgical choral music (replete with suspended 4ths or open 5ths). That said, it is unafraid to branch out harmonically into much more contemporary territory, which infuses the score with originality and keeps it fresh. Honourable mentions to The Alters (Piotr Musiał) and Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector (Amos Roddy) for so brilliantly creating the perfect soundscapes for their respective games!”
Listen to the soundtrack on YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music
Yuko Komiyama
(Monster Hunter series / Mega Man X7 / Contra: Operational Galuga)
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: Persona 5 MEGAMIX SOUNDTRACK by Atlus Sound Team (Shoji Meguro, Toshiki Konishi, Kenichi Tsuchiya, and Atsushi Kitajoh)
“The music in the Persona series features a variety of instruments like jazz, pop, and R&B, making it an album that’s enjoyable just to listen to. Personally, I absolutely love the series’ matte drums, stylish electric piano, and electric guitar.”
Listen to the soundtrack on YouTube | Spotify
Richard Wilkinson
(Doctor Who VR, Peaky Blinders VR)
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: Mario Kart: World by Maasa Miyoshi, Takuhiro Honda, Yutaro Takakuwa and Atsuko Asahi
“Any discussion of 2025’s game music will end up (rightly) orbiting the gravity of Clair Obscur’s phenomenal soundtrack. So leaving the obvious aside, I could have gone with any of about a dozen scores for my favourite – South of Midnight‘s beautifully handled American South-influenced score from Olivier Deriviere, Dispatch‘s artfully woven thematic, smaller-scale sound, or the hypnotic chilled-out mystery of Blue Prince’s music.
“Maybe that’s because I spent so long playing the bloody thing it’s imprinted on my psyche. But the winner for me is (unusually) not one with meticulously crafted dynamic music, pitch-perfect transitions and a maddeningly complex reactive music system – it’s the ‘turn everything up to 11’ – musicianship, taste, energy, fun, production’ soundtrack from Mario Kart World.
“It’s the kind of game where you *could* have music that’s absolutely fine, and competent, and chugs away happily in the background without trying to compete with the madcap energy and hyper-vivid imagery. But does Mario Kart ever do that? Of course not. It’s absolutely furiously joyous music, and it’s such a perfect match for the game. A celebration of music and musicians being bold and melodic and *fun*. Not many other games can get away with this much harmonica, and it’s all the better for it.”
Andrew Prahlow
(Outer Wilds, Legend of Korra)
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: Dreams of Another by Baiyon
“Coming out of the shadows after many years of creating a new interactive piece based on music, sound, and visual art, the composer and game director, Baiyon, released a beautiful game called Dreams of Another. This visual audioscape combines surrealism and existentialism with poetry. An unexpected atmosphere touches on decades of gaming, leaving you feeling like a modern character thrown into in a late 90s 3rd person shooter slowly heading into the beyond, in a way that David Lynch would be proud of.”
Listen to the soundtrack on YouTube | Apple Music
Barry Topping
(Paradise Killer, Thatcher’s Techbase, Birdcage)
“A couple of days after finishing Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, I was in big Tesco listening to “Visages – Aria pour un Masque de Colère” and for a second, I could genuinely feel what Alicia feels for Verso. Throughout the game, the music is telling you its own story, parallel to the one the characters are experiencing. ‘Déchire la Toile’ is another piece that practically begs you to stop and listen to what it has to say. Hmmmmmmm, pretty good! Some months later (unrelated), I also experienced a powerful emotional reaction to ‘It’s TV Time!’ from DELTARUNE Chapter 3.”
Listen to the soundtrack on Bandcamp | YouTube | Spotify
Finishing Move
(DOOM: The Dark Ages, Borderlands 4, Microsoft Flight Simulator)
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle by Gordy Haab
“Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has to be top of our list for so many reasons. The nostalgia factor is just pure joy, and the music hits every core memory you’d ever want it to and then some. Second, so many of our close friends and collaborators worked on that score, composer Gordy Haab of course, but also Marco Valerio Antonini, ET Chen, and our favorite score mixer Steve Kaplan. Add in the LSO and you’ve got a true dream team of talent.”
Listen to the soundtrack on Spotify | YouTube | Apple Music
Tee Lopes
(Streets of Rage 4, Shinobi: Art of Vengeance, Berserk Boy)
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita’s Rewind by Sean Bialo
“As someone who grew up in the ’90s, this soundtrack landed in a very specific way for me. Sean Bialo clearly understands the tone and pacing that a Power Rangers beat ’em up needs, pulling from arcade brawler energy without overplaying nostalgia. The music stays focused on momentum and feel, supporting the action on screen. It mixes rock and synth elements in a straightforward, functional way that feels appropriate to both the IP and the genre. It’s doing its job well, which is exactly what this kind of game needs.”
Listen to the soundtrack on Spotify | YouTube
Petri Alanko
(Alan Wake, Alan Wake 2, Control)
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: Ghost of Yotei by Toma Otowa, Clare Uchima, Justin Johnson
“I have to say Ghost Of Yotei takes my heart every time: sublime, stylish, minimalistic, yet definitely lifts the story each time the music appears. There’s fragility and beauty oozing from every note. Toma Otowa feels like someone with whom I’d like to have a beer with. Or a cup of tea, doesn’t matter. Just lovely. It was my unexpected warm surprise of 2025.”
Listen to the soundtrack on Spotify | Apple Music
Andrew Arcadi
(Dispatch, Telltale’s The Walking Dead, Stranger Things)
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: Herdling by Joel Scotch
“Joel Schoch’s Herdling score is a warm and subtly expansive experience. Never short on melody and texture, it is so evocative of the journey and experience of the world. It plays deeply into my love for warm, dark, woodwinds while incorporating an incredible mix of interesting stringed and percussion instruments. Simply said, if said in a way that only makes sense to me, the music is perfectly colored to the world in which it is based and the journey on which it takes the listener.”
Listen to the soundtrack on Bandcamp | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music
Alpha Chrome Yayo
(Promise Mascot Agency)
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: Iwakura Aria by Takeshi Abo
“2025 has been an incredible year for games, and for game music. From the twisting taishōgoto tendrils of Silent Hill f’s Shōwa-era scorcher, to the comforting hellscape of recently released indie banger, Demonschool. As such, it’s ineffably difficult to choose a favourite.
“But one has been deeply lodged in my brain (and my stereo) since its release back in August – Iwakura Aria. Mages’ swirling tale of unlikely romance, class disparity and forbidden cult activity is cloaked in a luxurious score by longtime collaborator, Takeshi Abo. It’s opulent yet tender, saturated in lust but with a bubbling sense of unease. It’s passionate, strange and completely beautiful. Perfection.
Sean Bialo
(Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita’s Rewind, Penny’s Big Breakaway, Double Dragon Gaiden)
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: The Royal Writ by Narek Papoyan
“This soundtrack hasn’t yet gotten the amount of attention it deserves, so I’m thrilled to have an opportunity to spotlight it! While this soundtrack definitely hits the notes you’d expect from a medieval-themed deckbuilder, it goes so many places beyond that, but without veering so far that it loses cohesion. Every track has a ridiculous level of complexity, but it’s done so tastefully that it’s still really accessible to anyone!
“The overall soundscape is also incredible, with various SFX and animal noises sprinkled throughout, along with absolutely stellar violin performances from the composer himself, it all feels so natural and full of life! I recommend this soundtrack to everyone, and I also recommend Narek Papoyan’s other work, he’s going to be one of the all-time greats!”
Listen to the soundtrack on Bandcamp | YouTube
Eli Rainsberry
(A Monster’s Expedition, Flock, Wilmot Works It Out, Wilmot’s Warehouse)
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: Many Nights a Whisper by Fingerspit
“Fingerspit is behind a few of my favourite soundtracks from over the last few years (including the Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood OST), and Many Nights A Whisper is no exception to that. I love how the pianos, guitars and synths are layered over the course of listening, it feels like those textures are just the right ones needed to support the minimalist, meditative pace of the game.”
Listen to the soundtrack on Bandcamp | Spotify
Pav Gekko
(Spirit of the North 2, Smalland: Survive the Wilds, Doodle Jump 2)
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle by Gordy Haab
“My favourite game soundtrack of the year is Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. It is a masterclass in neo-romantic writing, and Gordy is exceptional in this idiom. If you are a fan of the symphonic Hollywood blockbuster tradition of the 1980s and you are waiting for the next music from John Williams, which does not arrive often, this score should be next on your playlist. Its rich harmonies and intricate orchestration revive a largely lost art, replacing today’s simpler sound design-driven trends with true symphonic storytelling. Thanks to Gordy’s mastery and this unique IP, we can experience that iconic sound once more in its best form.”
Listen to the soundtrack on Spotify | YouTube | Apple Music
Gareth Coker
Absolum, Ark, Ori and the Blind Forest, Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 by Jan Valta and Adam Sparka
“It’s a joy to see a soundtrack lean hard into the medieval aesthetic through not just its writing but also its production quality. I think KCD2 will be one of the most overlooked scores of the decade, partially due to the incredibly strong year it’s been released in. It is fabulously consistent from start to finish and has a very clear identity throughout.
“The compositions themselves are quite advanced from a technical standpoint, and the recording quality is in the upper tier of the vast majority of soundtracks released in recent years. The score takes me into the game and does not release me from it until I press ‘quit’, I much prefer this to an approach where the game sometimes becomes the vehicle for the music (even great music), yet has little to no relationship to the setting – a personal taste choice I will admit.
“I find lack of consistency in sonics and composition immersion-breaking (others don’t, and that’s fine!), and this game is the opposite of that in the best way. I think more and more people will come back to this game as it has a Skyrim-esque quality about it in having the ‘je ne sais quoi’ that keeps you drawn in. The music is a huge part of that because it is unique, well-composed, perfectly immersive and consistent.”
Listen to the soundtrack on YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music
Ludvig Forssell
(Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, Death Stranding, Death Stranding 2)
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 by Lorien Testard
“In a AAA-gaming world that has more and more delved into the depths of what is technically possible in terms of interactivity and layering etc. I feel like we might have lost some of what makes video game music stand out from Hollywood film composition; rather than making bangers to listen to, focus has been more and more on “not being fatiguing”.
“Lorien’s score for E33 is not only a breath of fresh air with its wide variety of genres and sometimes out-of-left-field choices in approach, but also shows that just making music that slaps can still weave a strong through line with meaningful themes that tie a sprawling story together.”
Listen to the soundtrack on Bandcamp | YouTube | Spotify
Oscar Rydelius (Ratvader)
(Wunderling DX, Ultros, The Gunk)
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: The Midnight Walk by Joel Bille & Bortre Rymden
“Joel Bille and Bortre Rymden have created something genuinely soul-touching, all for the hand-built, scanned-clay world of The Midnight Walk. With a texture of sound and melodies underrepresented in our video game world, Joel, with friends (Agnes Högberg – violin; Adrian Åsling Sellius – clarinet, alto saxophone, flute; Viktor Turegård – tuba, double bass), brings out something truly unique and heart-warming within me. Like always with his soundtracks, the music goes way out and beyond what the game world is, and that’s always a testament to something lovable and lasting for me.”
Listen to the soundtrack on Bandcamp | Spotify |
Joel Bille
(Fe, Ghost Giant, Wavetale, The Midnight Walk)
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: Herding, by Joel Schoch
“What I love about Joel Schoch’s soundtrack for Herdling is that it is an ambitious piece of hand crafted music, composed, performed and produced by human hand. The result is a collection of tangible, acoustic tracks imbued with both the composer’s and performers’ engaged presence. Covering a wide range of atmospheres and paces, it keeps a clear, consistent and personal voice throughout that is easily recognized from Joel’s earlier work with the Far: Lone Sails games. The music evokes a vivid sense of beauty, of thriving in the great outdoors, and at the same time carrying a bittersweet melancholic tone.”
Listen to the soundtrack on Bandcamp | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music
Casey Edwards
(Devil May Cry 5, Exoprimal)
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: Hades 2 by Darren Korb
“In true game dev fashion, once again, I’ve been so busy with life, writing music, and working on games that I’ve barely had a chance to enjoy them. That said, I’ve been putting some hours into HADES 2 over the last few weeks and have been immensely enjoying Darren’s return to this world.
“It has expanded uniquely in its own way to suit this new journey we’re on while simultaneously drawing from the previous work without feeling repetitive or redundant. This is a delicate balance to strike for continuing IPs and I think Darren and his collaborators have all knocked this one out of the park! Now, it’s time for me to go properly finish off Chronos and Typhon… SO MOTE IT BE!”
Listen to the soundtrack on Bandcamp | Spotify
Tom Salta
(Deathloop, The Outlast Trials)
Favourite video game soundtrack of 2025: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 by Lorien Testard
“My pick this year is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. What stood out to me wasn’t just the beauty of the music, but the sheer ambition behind it. It’s rare to see a new IP swing this big—melding French flair, JRPG influences, and a vocal-driven score into something with a real point of view. The soundtrack became a cultural moment, resonating far beyond the game itself. I always appreciate when a team refuses to play it safe, and this one absolutely earns that spotlight.”
