2. Unforgotten - Halo 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=wulYtR_2M4A Speaking of being emotionally invested in the music of video games, I would like to tell a brief story that I remember during my childhood while playing Halo 2. Back in 2004 when I first played Halo 2, I had no idea at the time how much I would eventually grow into it. It took several months to come to terms with exactly what it was about and what its overall purpose was, and after completing both Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 2, I wanted more. I wanted way more. I became forever indebted to the Halo series in early 2005 and went out to buy both the Halo: Combat Evolved soundtrack and first volume of Halo 2's soundtrack. And I fell in love even more. I simply couldn't get enough of Halo. When Vol. 2 of the soundtrack came out in 2006, I automatically went out and bought it. Then those feelings inside me started pouring out after I listened to a particular track. I remember crying after listening to a few times because of how subtle and emotionally captivating it was, causing a major tearjerker to come forth. It was then that I realized that this certain Halo track opened my eyes to the true beauty of Halo: it wasn't about the guns, vehicles, graphics, or awesome moments. Deep down, it was all about story and character. The runner-up on the 25 countdown list, "Unforgotten", is the track that revealed this truth to me over 8 years ago. That's its greatest strength is unveiling the hidden truth about Halo, that it has and will always be about the story of how humanity overcomes itself, its enemies, and the how they ultimately come together to stand up and make a move. "Unforgotten" even explains the relationship between Master Chief and Cortana, and even the plight of the Arbiter as he searches for his own truth. To do all this, "Unforgotten" uses very symphonic melodies with the violin then brings in its trump card, the piano. It's the piano that is the preeminent device of success in getting the truth across. In my eyes, any musical track that relies on the powerful magic of the piano can clamp on to the heart like a vice and made you shed tears, begging you to stop. Martin O'Donnell and Michael Salvatori added a fine mixture of piano into the Halo series, and each and every time they kick in you know something is about to get heavy and serious. "Unforgotten" stands the test of time as the theme to the entire Halo series. Despite every element of the game being described in the suites and in individual tracks, it's in "Unforgotten" that sums it all up down to a T. During times of war and conflict, when one side is hilariously outmatched and outgunned, there seems to be no hope. The enemies have them against the wall, rifles raised to make that desperate final stand, with no hope of ever surviving. But, somewhere in those enemy lines, there is a small point of weakness that could allow the outmatched to make a move that could spare them more time, even enough to fight another day. It may take several lives to get to that goal, but that's the cost of war in the end. In times of war and conflict, there must be a cost of life, and sacrifices must be made for the greater good. When things seems hopeless, there is always that one person who risks everything to save everyone, allowing them the afforded time to make an escape and plan their next move. This repeats until ultimately there is only one victor. And win or lose, the outmatched will go in swinging.
This is what "Unforgotten" represents. The drive to move on even when the future doesn't look so certain or promising. You go in deep, knowing there is that possibility you won't make it back, but your life won't go in vain when there are many others willing to fight for the same thing you believed in. The story of the Master Chief being this brave, lucky soldier of war shows the player how dire and hopeless the situations he gets in are. But in the end, he stands as a beacon of hope for everyone else to catch up and fight alongside with. It's all about the Chief and humanity making a stand that they know they could lose at any moment, but will fight until the end no matter what. Their hope and lives will forever be unforgotten.