2. Freedom Fighters Jesper Kyd
September 2003 was the month that everybodys brains fell out and all the game shops sprouted legs and ran into the sea. At least, thats the only possible explanation for why Freedom Fighters sold less than three-hundred thousand copies. Simple squad mechanics, complex level design, the perfect union of narrative and gameplay - its a masterpiece, right? So if you havent got it (statistically speaking thats all of you) get on eBay now and order a copy. Done? Ok, well continue. Jesper Kyd, the Danish music-man behind Assassins Creed, Hitman and Borderlands wrote the Freedom Fighters score whilst living in a post-9/11New York City; rousing Russian choirs and baritone army chants back the jaunty, boot-march rhythm of Kyds instrumentals, perfectly encapsulating the cold oppression of the Soviet occupation, and the determined spirit of the underdog rebellion. Heres one great track of many. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3t-o2KmwcE Freedom Fighters doesnt mix tracks as fluidly as Splinter Cell, but Kyds compositions are still context sensitive: creep up to an enemy weapons cache and plant a C4. Wait for the detonation, and bask in the shuddering crescendo of Soviet orchestra. Kyds eighteen track score makes the creeping bits creepier, the action beats heartier and the eventual payoffs beautifully satisfying.