There are many that will say what makes a great game is its gameplay, or maybe it’s more the high-end graphics. Perhaps it’s the rough and rugged main character that has something to prove. Okay, so in the end, there’s always a contention between what sets the standard, and that’s absolutely fine.

But one thing that seems to get overlooked more often than not is a game’s soundtrack. The essential body of any film, television series or game, the right music at the right time cement you in your seat and have your gripping your controller for dear life. It can uplift you after a painful loss, exalts you during a boss battle, or terrorize you when the power goes out, and you’re left with nothing but you flashlight.

Though with literally thousands of games out there, spanning 30 years of gaming, where do you find the right kinds of sounds that fit you? Not only that, the ones that you can pick up and carry with you throughout the day? A track to help you get that pesky patch of lawn, the long drive to visit that someone special, or something simple to help you meditate.

Below is a list of games that have been put together that both accentuate the games story and feel, while also give you something to bob your head to. In no way is this a complete list, and is entirely at the discretion of the writer. Advice, opinions, and arguments are requested, as this list can be changed and grow as times goes on.

• Halo: ODST – Xbox: 360
• Composer – Martin O’Donnell

While Marty O’Donnell has been the man behind all of the Halo soundtracks, this one tends to stand out to many, primarily because of how different it is in comparison. It’s great to wander around the streets of New Mombasa as the Rookie with the haunting baselines playing and full string quartet, yet take the album with you on a midnight drive or have its Chicago-infused Jazz and tribal drum staccato carry you in a rain storm… and you’ll be hooked.

• Final Fantasy VII – PlayStation
• Composer – Nobuo Uematsu
  

Still considered “the game that made nerds cry,” it’s hauntingly beautiful melodies mixed wonderfully with its pure acts of saving the ones you love and humanity. Following Cloud and crew on their adventure, you get it all: the hopes, the sorrows, the comedy, and when Sephiroph steps in, that haunting “One-Winged Angel.” Plus, once the music came out for the game, everyone to this day still will find a piano and play out a tune as soon as they are able, making it as timeless as the Mako itself.

• Red Dead Redemption – Xbox 360/PlayStation 3
• Composer – Bill Elm and woody Jackson
  

A thing about the Wild West is that no matter where you are out on the open range, all you have is yourself, your horse and gun, and the sounds of the wilderness. So it’s imperative that you have the appropriate music that not only sets the tone, but also catches the feel of a time long past. Red Dead not only does this with flying colors but also lets you feel like you’re living out a Neo-Modernist John Wayne film in the process. Take the track out on a run or a bike ride through your own urban widerness? Forget about it: you’ll think everyone is out to take your last gold piece.

• Chrono Trigger –Super Nintendo
• Composer - Yasunori Mitsuda
  

Not to make this entirely about the RPG-centric, but Chrono Trigger and the Final Fantasy series have many things in common with how they wanted to present their music in-game: it was all about emotion. Though what make Chrono Trigger stand out is the multiple renditions after. Fans of the series have created over 700 different remixes and creations from it’s original creations, plus it’s special Acid Jazz one-disc creation by Guido bring something that was completely uncommon to the era. Chrono Trigger was ahead of the curve, for more reasons than it knew.

• Half-Life/ Half-Life 2 – PC/PlayStation/PlayStation 2/ PlayStation 3
• Composer – Kelly Bailey
  

A man placed in at the wrong place and time, set in a radiation suit destined to save the world. What else could you need other than a crowbar and a high-octane rock anthem. While for the most part the music was sporadic and listless (something that Valve has had no trouble with in the upcoming Portal 2) the Half-Life series has been able to give you that extra push when you needed it, chiming in that bit of adrenaline inducing tunes when the time is right. Really, that’s all that we ever want.

• Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time – Nintendo 64
• Produced by – Pony Canyon
  

Take the obnoxious fairy out of the equation, and Ocarina of Time is still one of the most-known music titles from Nintendo. You can play almost any song from the 83-listed soundtrack, and people that have never even played before will be able to point directly to the game. It’s been orchestrated and reinvented, envisioned for Video Games Live, and still is one of the staples of the Zelda series. Plus, it helps that once you hear that title track, it doesn’t matter what adversity you face: you’re going to be able to rescue that princess.

• Any Super Mario Title – The Nintendo Franchise
• Extended Composers

Okay, this one is a little cheap, mainly because you could potentially do this with several other series, but it’s something that can be up for discussion. The Plumber has been around the block more than a few times, yet what he bumps to hasn’t changed as much as his surroundings. Oh sure Mario may get a little more plump, a little more three-dimensional, yet what defines him is a simple and uplifting melody that lets him simply do his thing. Even in titles like Super Mario Sunshine, with full orchestra, what makes Mario and the origins of the game, remain the same, and that’s what makes a good soundtrack.

This list is only beginning, I again invite you to activly comment and dispute, argue and help build this list further and make it your own. I am only the layleader for it, and I love to hear your comments and criticisms.