BAFTA winners reveal their favourite gaming soundtracks

Each year, the jury at BAFTA Games gather to decide which score will take home the prestigious Music award at their annual ceremony. It’s a tough gig – just take a look at this year’s stacked Music category, in which phenomenal soundtracks from Alan Wake 2, Assassin’s Creed Mirage, Baldur’s Gate 3, The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor have all been nominated.

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We won’t find out which soundtrack has won until April 11, but while we wait, we asked past Music and Audio Achievement BAFTA winners about their all-time favourite gaming scores from over the years.

Jessica Curry (BAFTA Music, Everybody’s Gone To The Rapture) – SPECTRA, by Chipzel

“Chipzel, aka Niamh Houston, is an amazing composer. Everything she does is just so cool! She’s a chiptune artist who uses GameBoys to create her energetic, hopeful, extraordinary sound. As an OG raver her music also takes me back to my misspent youth and I’m just in awe of her ability to create banger after banger.”

“People may be surprised that I like her tunes as her music is literally the polar opposite of what I create, but it just makes me so happy when I listen to her stuff and I would love to be able to write music like she does. I love all of her albums but the one I listen to most often is ‘Spectra’ – you simply can’t fail to dance around to it – [but] ‘Forged In Stars’ is my favourite. Go forth and rave!

Kristopher Maddigan (Best Music, Cuphead) – Final Fantasy 7, by Nobuo Uematsu

“Nearly 27 years after I first experienced it, Nobuo Uematsu’s music for Final Fantasy 7 still holds a special place in my heart. What struck me most then as it still does now is how cohesive the entire work is, with its many themes and leitmotifs tying everything together into an overarching narrative, something that directly inspired my approach to Cuphead – The Delicious Last Course.”

“With ‘Opening – Bombing Mission’ setting the scene and instantly pulling the player into the game’s world, the purposefully retro sound palate of Final Fantasy 7 is also worthy of note. Instead of utilizing the still quite new cd format to go towards a more ‘realistic’ orchestral sound, Uematsu chose a much more ‘midi’ sounding approach instead, which for me personally is what gives the game a lot of its charm. Of course, the music itself is impeccably written, with each piece fitting perfectly with the respective scene.”

“Any soundtrack with ‘One Winged Angel’ would be an instant classic, but the fact that that is only one of dozens of stand out pieces shows what a monumental achievement this work is. This is a game and OST that has not only inspired countless numbers since 1997, but will continue to do so for a long time to come.”

John Paesano (Best Music, Spider-Man: Miles Morales) – L.A. Noire by Andrew and Simon Hale

“The first time I heard the music of L.A. Noire, I was immediately hooked as I’m a huge fan of [influential film composer] Bernard Herrmann. Andrew and Simon Hale did a great job capturing the deep, moody vibe that Herrmann so eloquently mastered, and wrapped it up in a jazz-infused package that is pure 1940’s Los Angeles. Every dark alley and smoky room nails the noir style as effectively as any of the best films of the genre.”

“The score is so much more than background music, mixing suspense, melancholy, and those rare moments of triumph perfectly. You can tell that the score for L.A. Noire was carefully crafted to feel familiar, yet fresh and captivating. The music elevates the experience, making each clue uncovered and every case closed feel more personal. It’s a great game to begin with, but it’s the score that keeps drawing me to keep replaying it years later.”

Lyndon Holland (Best Music, Virginia) – Final Fantasy 8 by Nobuo Uematsu

“Final Fantasy 8 was my introduction to the series, way back when it was released in 1999. I was about 11 or 12 at the time, busy learning guitar and dreaming of becoming a rock star, but after Final Fantasy 8, I knew I wanted to be a composer. The melancholic melodies of that score must have left a lasting impression on me, as I still find myself still regularly listening to Nobuo Uematsu’s music to this day, though now often in new forms – from lavishly large, orchestral arrangements found on the ‘Distant Worlds’ albums, to intimate solo instrumental renditions, I never seem to tire of these tunes.”

“After first playing Final Fantasy 8, I began my composer journey, writing my own MIDI music for hobbyist video games on internet forums. Twenty-five years later, I’m still more or less doing the same thing.

David Garcia (BAFTA for Audio Achievement, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice) – Journey by Austin Wintory

“For me, [Journey‘s score] represented a change both as a player and a composer in what it means to write and enjoy music in video games. I think it’s a soundtrack that made our medium evolve. Musically, it’s such a beautiful journey through so many emotions, all threaded through the sound of the cello. And so well implemented to the game that creates that sense of discovery, a hidden narrative told in such a beautiful way.”

Tune in to the 20th BAFTA Games Awards on Thursday (April 11) by visiting BAFTA’s official YouTube channel.