Music is adored throughout the world and lends itself to an array of different entertainment options, be it film and television, but also video game soundtracks.
A variety of creations are remembered purely for the soundtrack or some of the music featured throughout a show or a television series. The same applies to video games, with numerous iconic soundtracks recorded over the years.
Video game music can play its part in the success or failure of a video game. Back in the day, computer games had limited audio ability, with most games offering the odd strange noise or weird beeping sound.
Now, whether you’re playing the Nintendo Switch or visiting the home of the best casino games in the UK – slotsheaven.com, games are filled with an array of sound effects and theme music which helps elevate the all-round gaming experience dramatically. Soundtracks for games have certainly evolved over the last few decades. Some video game soundtracks are memorable, while others aren’t.
With several iconic video game soundtracks over the years, here’s a look back at some of the most memorable tracks.
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Streets Of Rage 2
The Streets of Rage games are truly iconic in their own right, but so too is the soundtrack behind the games. Available on the Sega Genesis, the soundtrack for Streets Of Rage 2 features techno and breakbeat-influenced compositions from Yuzo Koshiro, which truly serves as the perfect accompaniment to what is a classic game. When people think of Streets of Rage 2, the soundtrack certainly springs to mind also.
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Doom
Another classic game with a dedicated and loyal community of followers, the music in Doom isn’t bad either, although we aren’t sure if it would make this 75-year-old DJ’s playlist. Robert Prince’s soundtrack for Doom is said to have shaped video game soundtracks of the future. The heavy metal and punk styled track went beautifully well with the chaos of Doom and helped give the game the additional aggression and rage that was needed. Without the soundtrack, Doom wouldn’t be the same.
The Last Of Us
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Released in 2013 on the PS3, The Last Of Us was a post-apocalyptic zombie classic, featuring a soundtrack that took to it to an even higher level. Thanks to composer Gustavo Santaolalla, the game’s mood and emotional developments go perfectly with the subtle yet highly effective musical subtlety in this truly memorable game.
Silent Hill
You can tell composer Akira Yamaoka was clearly a huge fan of British electro-pop and German industrial music if you’ve ever played Silent Hill. The survival horror was a truly epic game to play at the time of its release in 1999, with the music being a key cog in the game’s horrifying and spooky wheel. It’s a brilliant game with a stunning soundtrack.
Final Fantasy VI
The Final Fantasy franchise has a dedicated and loyal following after registering tremendous success since its inception. The music on the games has been well received too, with the soundtrack for Final Fantasy VI regarded as being one of the best. The music throughout is fantastic in truth, with opera classics and dramatic beats as you fight bosses, all contributing towards what is a memorable game.
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Journey
Journey is the first-ever video game to have its soundtrack nominated for a Grammy Award so that we couldn’t leave it out really, could we? Composed by Austin Wintory, the music in Journey perfectly matches the game as players immerse themselves in a truly unique gaming experience. The music actually took three years to be made too, which sums up just how much importance was placed on it.
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Drinks prices revealed as Manchester Airport’s first-ever Wetherspoons pub opens inside T2
Emily Sergeant
It’s official… Manchester Airport’s first-ever JD Wetherspoon pub has officially opened its doors inside Terminal 2.
The 300-seater pub – which welcomed its first customers earlier this week – is named The Belle Vue after Manchester’s historic showground.
Throughout the pub, you’ll spot design features that nod to the city’s sporting heritage – including vintage event posters and memorabilia, a ‘locker wall’ hosting trophies and other sporting exhibits, and a cricket-themed design in the carpets and bar panels.
Creating around 150 jobs in the process, The Belle Vue is the final planned new eatery to open in the airport’s redeveloped Terminal 2, marking one of the final steps in the super-terminal’s decade-long, £1.5bn transformation.
Manchester Airport’s first-ever Wetherspoons pub has opened inside Terminal 2 / Credit: Supplied
According to the MEN, pints are priced from £6.20 for Carling and Coors lager, £6.45 for Budweiser, £6.60 for Guinness, and £6.70 for Poretti and 1664 Biere.
Prosecco is £9.20 for 175ml glass and £37.10 for the full bottle, while spirts and mixers are £6.80 for singles and £10.20 for doubles.
There’s also the classic Wetherspoons tea and coffee machines, where you can refill as many times as you like for just £3.60.
“It’s a proud moment to see the final new retail unit opening in our new-look Terminal 2,” commented Richard Jackson, who is the Retail Director at Manchester Airport.
“To be rounding off this 10-year programme by adding such an iconic name as Wetherspoon to the terminal is particularly special and we know that it will prove extremely popular with passengers. We think they’ll love the nods to Manchester’s heritage in the décor and design – and of course the name.”
The Belle Vue will be open from the first flight to the final flight each day, and food will be served from opening until 10pm.
Featured Image – Supplied
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Iconic Manc movie 24 Hour Party People is set to return to cinemas for its anniversary
Emily Sergeant
One of Manchester’s most iconic movies is set to return to the big screen next month.
Remastered in 4K and returning to UK cinemas to mark 24 years since its original release, Michael Winterbottom’s 2002 biographical comedy drama film, 24 Hour Party People, tells the story of Manchester‘s popular music community from 1976 to 1992 – specifically about Factory Records‘ founder Tony Wilson.
The film begins with the punk rock era of the late 1970s, before moving through the 1980s into the rave and DJ culture, and of course, the ‘Madchester‘ scene of the late 1980s and early 1990s.
The narrative largely follows the career of Tony Wilson, played by Middleton-born actor Steve Coogan, while also covering the careers of the major Factory Records artists – especially Joy Division and New Order, as well as A Certain Ratio, The Durutti Column, and Happy Mondays.
If you haven’t seen 24 Hour Party People before, it’s a dramatisation based on a combination of real events, rumours, and urban legends, as the film is sure to make clear.
Coogan is joined by a cast by a mixture of big names and, at the time, rising stars like Paddy Considine, Shirley Henderson, Lennie James, John Simm, Ralf Little, Andy Serkis, Sean Harris, John Thomson, and even Peter Kay, alongside cameos from other figures connected to the Manchester music scene.
Before it returns to cinemas, the film will first open music and media festival/conference, Beyond The Music, at MediaCity in Salford on 6 October.
The screening at the festival will also be followed by a Q&A with Coogan, Winterbottom, and producer Andrew Eaton.
24 Hour Party People will then be re-released in UK cinemas from 9 October, and you can check your local cinema for screening times and book tickets online now.