10 Underappreciated Soundtracks That Defined Your Favourite Video Games

9. Silent Hill 2 - Akira Yamaoka

Silent Hill 2 is understandably an atmospheric game, a survival horror designed around claustrophobic environments, strange visuals which complement the equally disturbing characters and scenarios, and an ambiguous sense of reality. As such, the soundtrack – composed by the renowned, Akira Yamaoka – was in a position to really make or break the experience.

Thankfully, it achieved the former, wonderfully realising the universe, and maintaining an ominous, impending sense of unnerving uncertainty throughout. It’s completely unpredictable, merging numerous, seemingly non-musical noises in order to create something which sounds utterly spontaneous with a mind of its own. At times, the soundtrack even sounds naturally occurring, as though it’s hardly been composed whatsoever: Pyramid Head’s theme for instance involves a commotion of clashes and scrapes layered over an orchestral backing, making the song sound almost diegetic in nature, as well as completely terrifying.

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Formerly an assistant editor, Richard's interests include detective fiction and Japanese horror movies.