10 Breathtaking Video Game Soundtracks You Need To Hear

The first video game soundtrack to be nominated for a Grammy, Austin Wintory's score for Journey is a landmark in video game music that further cementing the case for video games as art.

Taking inspiration from Joseph Campbell's monomyth (aka The Hero's Journey), Journey sees players as nameless, robed figures journeying through the desert to reach the summit of a distant mountain where they can be aided by other players on their way.

With no dialogue or explicit plot to drive players forward, Wintory's score did most of the emotional heavy lifting. From the haunting cello (performed by the sensational Tina Guo) and bass flute melodies that form the opening track 'Nascence' to the high-flying climax of 'Apotheosis', every second of this award-winning soundtrack made for a genuinely moving gaming experience.

Reportedly composing the game's main theme after his initial meeting with game director and Thatgamecompany co-founder Jenova Chen before he even reached his car, Wintory has went on record talking about how his own journey in creating this soundtrack - especially when it came to composing 'Apotheosis' - has helped shape him as a person and artist.

All you have to do is close your eyes and let Journey's soundtrack carry you away.