25. Lost Odyssey – Nobuo Uematsu’s pedigree should speak for itself, but Lost Odyssey’s soundtrack is simply beautiful. Every song in the game oozes that classic Final Fantasy feel that Uematsu is known for, from the Western tones of “Neverending Journey” to the pipe organ and choral vocals that make up the final boss theme, “Howl of the Departed.” Uematsu has moved on from Final Fantasy, but his musical talent is still alive and well. (Senior Editor Jason Fanelli)
24. Civilization IV – When a game’s title screen song wins a Grammy, you know it deserves a place among this listing. “Baba Yetu” was a masterpiece that set an amazing tone for the fourth installment of the classic turn-based strategy series. The rest of the soundtrack takes a minimalist approach, which is superbly fitting for a game where careful thinking and a clear head is key. Despite its subtlety and simplicity, this soundtrack still penetrates one’s mind just enough to sink in and hook the player, perfectly capturing the various emotional and characteristic changes a society goes through as it evolves. (Senior Editor Mike Murphy)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktcnFUQuGPk
23. The Gunstringer – Mock spaghetti westerns don’t come any cheekier or well-executed than The Gunstringer, and the game’s soundscape bears a healthy portion of that responsibility. Teetering on the edge of farce, rock, twang, comedy, and flamenco, this eclectic mix of shootin’ songs deserves a six-gun salute. Dagnabbit. (Managing Editor Dan Crabtree)
22. Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune – The scale of a game is hard to convey simply through music. Like a John Williams score, the music of Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune blends rich horns and hearty drums with the emotional highs of strings. The music breathes, like a flute’s sudden, uneasy slice, pacing the game’s adventurous nature. (Associate Editor Greg Galiffa)
21. World of Goo – Here’s a video game soundtrack absolutely teeming with personality. It’s hard to describe, but the music imprinted a permanent smile on my face while playing the game. It also showcases an incredible amount of versatile musicality outside the constraints of the video game medium; I can imagine plenty of gamers listening to the soundtrack on their computers and iPods. (Associate Editor Anthony Labella)
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