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Your selection of the very best video game music of September 2023
Does it ever stop? I mean, yeah, I love video games and all but come on. After an insanely packed August, back to school was busy as hell. And life carries on as well, with me going back to work if you can believe it. So, tell me: do you have any tips to manage to play all those games and still be a good looking, clean and respectable person during the day?
I have been taking English classes for a month now, and my teacher asked me to write something. Just like that, without looking any translation up on the Internet first like I always do because Iâm very insecure about my abilities. So here I am, writing nonsense just to do my homework. Hope youâre glad to be a part of it though. Say hi everyone!
I hope you spent an awesome summer and that you didnât suffer too much from the heat wherever you live. Because yeah, hereâs another roadblock. How am I supposed to want to turn on my computer, which is basically an oven, and play games in a room thatâs already burning up? Just give me winter already. Plus Iâll feel less embarrassed ordering cinnamon spice lattĂ©s at my favorite coffee shop.
Anyway, I have news. Big news! Did I tell you that the amazing Fingerspit, the composer for The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood will be my guest for the next B-Sides?
I'm so excited to release the interview. Paula's given me so many details about her workflow and influences. You wonât want to miss this one! As such, Iâm offering you a limited discount on the yearly subscription to the B-Sides!
The best soundtracks of September 2023
Hereâs a little medley to give you the gist —ïž
Starfield - Inon Zur
Starfield, developed in the US by Bethesda Games Studios
As much as I love Skyrim and hold dear the countless hours I spent (installing and setting up mods) playing it, Starfield convinced me of two things. Three, actually. First: Starfield isnât for me. Second: the latest Bethesda game got me worried about The Elder Scrolls VI. Finally, it made it clear that I will probably never enjoy playing Skyrim like I did back in the day.
I only have five hours of playtime on Starfield but everything gives me the impression that Bethesda turned on a blind eye and dismissed over 10 years of open world RPG revolutions. Iâll get over it ; space has never been my thing anyway.
Musically, on the other hand, now weâre talking. Inon Zur (Fallout 3, Syberia, Dragon Age) outdid himself and delivers a score that evokes adventure and space exploration more than any other part of the game. Obviously very rich, the almost 80-tracks album doesnât get away with some unevenness and occasional redundancy. Nonetheless, itâs a great album to feel high⊠and to hope that Bethesda will do better next time.
Listen to the entire soundtrack on the platform of your choice.
Chants of Sennaar - Thomas Brunet
PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch
Chants of Sennaar, developed in France by Rundisc
I guess we could say Chants of Sennaar caught us all by surprise. Well, not quite, since its demo did a really good job at convincing puzzle game fans that it deserved their attention.
In my case, I knew I was missing out when I saw several big shot journalists I follow tweeting away that it was a serious GOTY contender. And now that Iâve completed the game, I must say theyâre not overselling it.
Heavily inspired by the Tower of Babel myth, Chants of Sennaar is an amazingly clever puzzle game about languages, learning, and,bottom line: humankind.
Thomas Brunet did a terrific job with the score. He got the opportunity to record with real instruments in studio to give birth to a soundtrack that reminds me a lot of Austin Wintoryâs Journey. But, you know what? Iâll let Thomas tell you more about all that next month. Thatâs right, heâll be my guest in Octoberâs B-Sides!
Listen to the entire soundtrack on Bandcamp.
Resident Evil 4 Remake - Kota Suzuki, Nozomi Ohmoto, Shusaku Uchiyama, Misao Senbongi, Craig McConnell
PC, PlayStation, Xbox
Resident Evil 4 Remake, developed in Japan by Capcom
I have fond memories of the first time I played Resident Evil 4 on my Gamecube. I was a child, and I guess I really shouldnât have been playing this genre-defining horror game that young. But I turned out okay, didnât I?
Resident Evil 4 turned out pretty well itself. Capcom released a proper remake of their game just a few months ago and, honestly, I had the greatest time playing it again. I donât recall much of the original soundtrack from the 2005 version of RE4, but I do remember that the remakeâs music ignited my enthusiasm on several occasions.
Since the release schedule of Capcom doesnât make any sense, the company put the OST online a few days ago. The perfect occasion to go back and fully appreciate the hard work put in by Capcomâs sound team to do their legendary game justice. Err, I think I want to start it back up again now.
Listen to the entire soundtrack on the platform of your choice.
En garde! - Jean-Claude Charlier
PC
En Garde!, developed in France by Fireplace Games
What originally started as a student project turned out to be a visually stunning and really pleasant swashbuckling action-game. In En Garde!, your swordplay is as important as your ability to use the environment to your advantage. For example, by throwing shit at your opponents. Or even throw them out the arenas actually!
The newcomer-founded studio hired skilled sound designer and motion pictures soundtrack composer Jean-Claude Charlier to set the mood of their game. Even though it was actually his first video game soundtrack, the Montpellier native managed to channel everything that comes to mind when one thinks of swashbuckling. Which means bombastic winds, vigorous classic guitars, and, of course, castanets.
Listen to the entire soundtrack on the platform of your choice.
Agatha Christieâs Murder on the Orient Express - Abigoba
(coming next month) PC, PlayStation, Xbox
Agatha Christieâs Murder on the Orient Express, developed in France by Microids
Iâm sure Agatha Christie would have had a thing or two to tell us about legacy. But I wonât lie: I would probably never have taken a look at Microids' next game if it werenât for the band the studio chose to compose the original soundtrack.
Not that Iâm a fan, but Abigoba is a name that rings a bell. Turns out it's a pretty well-established jazz band here in France. The thing is they never participated in the making of a game, and jazz isnât exactly the first thing that comes to mind when Iâm thinking of the Orient Express.
Anyway, the sextet did a terrific job on the score, with tracks ranging from proper jazz tunes to ambient and ominous soundscapes that set the mood for investigating murder. I think I mentioned it in a previous issue, but Microid is publishing the soundtrack on vinyl too!
Oh, and on another note: CĂ©dric Peyravernay, the French artist who spoiled us with his memorable character designs in Dishonored and Dishonored 2, operates as the artistic director on the game. Even more intriguing, isnât it?
Listen to the entire soundtrack on the platform of your choice.
AAaaAh! - Paul Coret
PC
AAaaAh, developed in France by Theo Maulon, Pierre Marcos, Thomas Boulanger, Paul Coret, Bastien Cravi, Adnan Esber
Iâm not sure Iâve ever heard any zouk music in a video game before, and Iâm really glad former ENJMIN student Paul Coret corrected that.
I donât have a lot to say about AAaaAh, apart from the fact that its name goes against all the SEO best practices. But Iâm not sure it was ever the point to make a hit. The game is actually a student project made over the course of 15 weeks. Itâs available for free here in case you want to try it. It looks like a silly platforming game reminiscent of equally silly platforming game Heave Oh.
But, yeah. Zouk! Man itâs just that kind of music that makes you want to move every muscle in your body and puts a smile on your face in an instant. I really hope Paulâs career is booming and so he can offer us more of that in the future.
Listen to the entire soundtrack on the platform of your choice.
Prison City - Matt Creamer
PC, Switch
Prison City, developed somewhere by Programancer
Iâm neither a big chiptune fan nor a nostalgic. However, Iâm easily captivated by melodies. And itâs safe to say that Prison City knows its way around these.
Itâs that Programancer and Retroware (which will be releasing Toxic Crusader soon) partnered up with a big shot on the subject. Specialized in 16-bit music, dirty albeit incredibly tuneful, Matthew Creamer signs an album as explosive as a Mentos in a bottle of Coke.
I really didnât expect to like the sound of this Alberta native this much, but I must confess my head didnât stop bobbing as I listened through the album.
Listen to the entire soundtrack on the platform of your choice.
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty - P.T Adamczyk
PC, PlayStation, Xbox
Cyberpunk 2077, developed in Poland by CD Projekt RED
You heard the news, didnât you? Cyberpunk 2077 just got better! Well good for it. I must confess: despite having a blast while playing through its prologue in 2020, I never found the strength to finish the game; overwhelmed with its systems once the worlds opened up for exploration. Might give this 2.0 version a try though. Seems like a lot of fun!
Anyway, I was particularly eager to listen to whatâs P.T Adamczyk had been cooking up for what is nothing less than a relaunch. Well, Cyberpunk 2077âs music was one of the few things that worked flawlessly. You know the saying: if it ainât broke, donât fix it.
Adamczyk took the saying at its word, for Phantom Libertyâs score is perfecly in line with the original game. More of the same then, and Iâm down for it.
By the way, I highly encourage you to tune in to the two additional albums that came out with the release of the DLC : 89.7 Growl FM and 107.5 Darkstar Radio, featuring tracks from none other than Idriss Elba (who stars in the new storyline) and pop artist Haru Nemuri. Some bands such as Spirit Machines even took this as an opportunity to release a full EP to celebrate the release of Phantom Liberty. Go give them a listen.
Listen to the entire soundtrack on the platform of your choice.
C-Smash VRS - Ken Ishii, Danalogue, Salami Rose Joe Louis, UNKLE
PSVR2
C-Smash VRS, developed in the UK by Wolf & Wood
I miss my rave party days. Believe it or not, college Pierre was always down to hit the dancefloor and even pound on the speakers to the beat of a dirty bass. Iâm over it now. My eyes are sore by 10 PM and my back hurts in the morning. You know how it is, Iâm sure you feel older than you are too.
Anyway, I was quite surprised it took so long for Wolf & Wood to properly promote the soundtrack of their VR game. I mean come on! Youâve got Ken effing Ishii here. Japanese techno legend Ken Ishii!
As always, it pays to be patient. Lost in Cult and Black Screen Records put together a great little show to promote a 5-tracks EP which is really just an appetizer for a full-on album that will be coming out later this year. The sort of appetizer that makes you even more hungry though, especially thanks to this remix of Ishiiâs track by none other than UK electro legend UNKLE. Weâre a lucky bunch.
Listen to the entire soundtrack on the platform of your choice.
El Paso, Elsewhere - rj lake
PC, PlayStation, Xbox
El Paso, Elsewhere, developed in the USA by Strange Scaffold
Max Payne may be dead as an IP, his legacy lives on. Well, not as much as I had hoped, to be honest. But one thing is for sure: I havenât seen El Paso, Elsewhere coming. At. All.
Latest game to emerge from the fascinating Xalavier Nelson Jrâs stables (Space Warlord Organ Trading Simulator, An Airport for Aliens currently run by Dogs), this homage to the neo-noir games of the PS2 era upends everything in its path. I havenât played it yet, but it has definitely secured a comfy spot on my list.
Attributed to Chicago native rj lake, El Paso, Elsewhere soundtrack overflows with creativity. Consisting on a 71-track score mixing ambient with heavy industrial undertones, itâs followed by a companion album comprising of 11 tracks of⊠rap.
I saved a lot of tracks from this musical journey. However, nothing hit as hard as the very last tune of it all, I Want Wealth, which assassinated me with its melancolic piano sample. Oh, and did I tell you that Nelson Jr did all the vocals? As I said, fascinating.
Listen to the entire soundtrack on Bandcamp : part 1, part 2.
Support my work by subscribing to NOWPLAYING and discover even more video game music! In the paid version:
An interview with a VGM composer
Get additionnal recommendations
Access a big-ass playlist compiling all the video game music I listened during the month
Vinyl news roundup
Iâve had a hard time keeping up with records announcements and releases this month but thank God Blip Blop exists. So here we go with the most interesting news on the matter.
I cannot stress enough how good Chants of Sennaar is. But did I tell you Thomas Brunetâs music will be released on vinyl? Because it is! For $30/âŹ30/ÂŁ25, this gorgeous single LP will be yours to keep you warm this winter.
I must say I havenât seen this one coming. Once again, Remedy has teamed up with the Finnish rock band Poets of the Fall for their upcoming game, Alan Wake 2. The band will reprise their in-game personas as the Old Gods of Asgard to delight us with new tracks. All the more reasons to treat yourself to this fantastic record from Backstage Rock Shop, which will be releasing a proper greatest hits album (coming December 8th for âŹ41,99). What an incredible piece of merchandise.
Iam8bit gave space to a gorgeous indie game with the physical release of TOEM, a nice looking black and white game about photography. Its soundtrack by Jamal Green and Launchable Socks will be available on a 2LP record in Q1 2024. Preorder now at the official website or via Black Screen Records if you live in Europe ($43/âŹ44).
Very busy, iam8bit will also be putting out the Bomb Rush Cyberfunk vinyl. 3LP of J-funk, heavily inspired by Jet Set Radioâs unforgettable soundtracks. Who could resist? Well, those who donât have 60 bucks to spend on a rounded piece of plastic, I guess. Also available via Black Screen Records (âŹ69) and via Just For Games (âŹ89,99).
Speaking of Black Screen Records and indie games, the German based label just released The Fall of Porcupine (âŹ29 or âŹ35 with a signed copy and an enamel pin). You can also grab that C-Smash VRS 7â vinyl I told you about above while youâre at it (âŹ14).
Next up is a big one. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (also known as Final Fantasy VII Remake Part 2) just had its release date announced (mark your calendars for February 29, 2024). Therefore, Square Enix has already opened preorders not only for the game but also for a selection of tracks from the upcoming soundtrack. Iâm really not a fan of picture discs, but if you are, head over to CD Japan or just head to Square Enixâs regional stores (~$45).
Lena Raine just canât let Celeste go and we will not complain. Americain label Ship To Shore is now taking preorders for Celeste Classic 2, a vinyl featuring tracks from the Pico-8 version of the award-winning indie game released in 2016. BSR will be distributing the record in Europe later this year ($14 / âŹ14).
Limited Run keeps on announcing vinyls for old Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles games. This month, the highlight goes to the 1990 Game Boy game Fall Of The Foot Clan. Be quick: the preorders will close on October 15.
While Limited Run focuses on the past, French label Kid Katana goes with the flow and once again partners with composer Tee Lopes to put his music for TMNT: Shredderâs Revenge DLC on vinyl. The release is scheduled late November, grab your copy for âŹ25.
However, the most significant surprise from the young label comes with the announcement of the upcoming release of the soundtrack for Under The Waves (which I mentioned last month). Kid Katana will be the very first label on the video game music market to utilize Biovinyl: a process developed by the German company Optimal Media. This innovative process replaces all the plastic of the discs with recycled cooking oil and industrial gases. A sustainable approach that aligns with the gameâs underwater theme. The release is scheduled for November 30th (âŹ35).
Heading to the UK now. Laced, which is definitely very aggressive this year with its releases, just announced two new additions to their catalogue: Hitman: Codename 47 and Hitman 2: Silent Assassin. You will be able to listen to some of the best known tracks from composer Jesper Kyd next February (ÂŁ36 each). Also available at Black Screenâs for âŹ52 each.
I didnât enjoy Kingdom Eightiesâ music as much as the previous games from Fury Studio. Even if Andreas Hald did a good job conveying the 80âs, Stranger Things-ish vibe of the game, filling Amos Roddy's shoes is quite a challenge. Anyway, you can now preorder the vinyl for âŹ42 via At The Movies Shop.
On the other hand, what I do enjoy is CoLD SToRAGEâs music for the wipEout game series. It just so happens that Lapsus Records is actually releasing a 3LP comprising the full score of the classic 1995 racing game and 8 new remixes. Preorder now on Bandcamp for âŹ39 (black) or âŹ45 (silver) and wait until November 17th to add this treasure to your collection.
Alright, listen up: for the very first time, Genshin Impactâs score will be released on vinyl. Well, at least a teeny tiny part of it. The Stellar Moments: Shimmering Spotlight will be a single LP consisting of some tracks from the eponymous album. Ordering it is a bit tricky, though, as youâll need either a Chinese address or a proxy service to secure your preorder. But Iâm sure we have some hardcore fans among us, right? The release is schedule in early November 2023 (~$53).
In other news, Canadian label Very Ok Vinyl is pulling off a proper Steins;Gate release. You must secure your order by October 20 to get your copy next March. Itâs also available via Materia Store ($49) and Black Screen Records (âŹ49).