The Power of Video Game Music: A Deep-Dive Interview With a Superfan

An interview with an avid video game score listener

Why this Interviewee?

This expert is someone I am friends with, he did not want to share any social media or links to anything other than his gamertag- typical- which is @StepBro. I chose to interview him because he is not only an avid video game player, played over 200 games and ranked globally on Halo and Mass Effect leaderboards, but because according to his Spotify yearly recap, he listens to video game soundtracks exclusively. His lived experience with video game soundtracks is genuine and passion-driven.

This passion and extensive knowledge about video game scores made him a perfect interviewee to understand the fascination behind these scores. He isn't a composer or industry professional, but represents another meaningful type of expert. This expert is one who is dedicated, emotionally invested, and a highly observant player who understands game music because it has shaped the way he experiences digital worlds.

His insights offered exactly what I hoped for, an honest and thoughtful exploration of why video game soundtracks can resonate so strongly with listeners.

Interview

Q: So to start, what are your favourite video game soundtracks?

A: “Halo for sure. Then I would say…Skyrim and The Witcher.

They’re so atmospheric. They use live orchestra, big cinematic arrangements, and they set the ambience and tone for the whole world. It feels like the music becomes another character beside you, someone following you on your quest.

All of these soundtracks feel familiar but foreign at the same time- kinda like comforting, but still mysterious. And they hold so much emotion because of how they connect to the world (of the video game). It feels like a string that ties everything together, everything makes more sense.”

Q: What do video game soundtracks give you emotionally or mentally that other genres don’t?

A: “They feel more immersive. The first time I heard that music was during a playthrough, so I’m emotionally tied to the memory. Video game soundtracks feel like a time machine to me. It takes me back to the first time I heard it and the things I was seeing.

The music feels like an experience to me. I listened to that music while trying to get through something in the game, so it carries more meaning.”

Q: Do you listen to soundtracks outside of gameplay?

A: “Yeah, all the time. But only when the track is memorable and I want to hear it again.”

Q: What makes you want to hear a track again?

A “When it has an atmospheric tone… nothing overwhelming or overstimulating. No lyrics, usually. Just a few focal instruments and choir sounds that carry emotion.

It leaves space for you to breathe. It’s airy and creative and I guess, lets your mind wander instead of drowning you in big sounds.”

Q: Is there a specific soundtrack moment that hit you the hardest? Like a boss fight, a menu screen, or just a quiet town theme?

A: “This is an easy one. Menu screens usually set the tone for the game and what experience I’ll be getting. You always remember a game’s menu screen sound. Oh! and also specific areas in open-world games. There are areas where the music only plays in one spot. This is super cool because you start to associate the song with that area, that well designed thought out area of the world. That definitely sticks with me.”

Q: Are you drawn to certain musical styles in games?

A: “For sure. I love orchestral, ambient, and synthwave.

Q: Why those?

A: “The orchestra feels big. It feels like you’re part of something huge, like there are a hundred instruments carrying you.” You feel empowered throughout the game.

Ambient music uses the least but expresses the most.

Synthwave is also amazing because it sounds super retro to me. Do you know the game Arc Raiders? They use synthwave and it feels nostalgic and iconic. I think that score might win awards because it’s so cool.”

Q: In your opinion, what soundtrack had the biggest cultural impact on gaming communities?

A: “Halo. Definitely.

Halo came out in the early 2000s- instantly iconic. Even the menu music with the choir. The whole game used orchestra, and every area had its own theme. That with the videogame lore, and it just raised the bar for what game music should be.

It mixes so many styles: rock, electric guitar but it all still flows perfectly.”

Q: If you were introducing someone to game music for the first time, which three tracks would you pick?

A: 1. Opening Suite from Halo: it’s iconic and historic.”

2. Secunda’ from Skyrim: very atmospheric and whimsical. It captures that majestic world, especially at night in the game when the aurora borealis is out.

3. ‘Uncharted World’ from Mass Effect: synthy, futuristic. It only plays when you’re exploring space in your ship, so it feels like discovery.

They’re also all great background sounds for when you're doing anything creative.

Q: Last question, any advice for people for people who don’t know too much about video game music?

A: “Hmm play video games. But seriously play and understand how the music ties everything in, how it tells a story. If you don’t want to play, read about the lore behind it, make the videogame music you’re listening to have meaning. Music is better with meaning.

If you already play video games, start paying attention to the music. The soundtrack might be the reason you love the game without even realizing it. And once you notice it, you’ll learn real quick to appreciate it.”

Transcript generated by OtterAI

Analysis of Their Insights

What stood out most in this interview is how the expert didn't focus too much on the technical traits of video game scores, but the emotional architecture of it.

He mentioned the variety of genres that exist in video game scores and although they all vary, they create a sort of connectivity between the player, the game, the story, and the characters. For him, it wasn’t exactly about the liveliness of the music or how he loved the beats but rather the atmosphere it built for him. When he talks about music that “leaves room for thinking” it really painted a picture of what purpose the score had. The score drove a story, it encouraged imagination and immersiveness. Videogame music seemed to be much more interpretive than The Beatles or Kanye West. Just like how you controlled the narrative in a video game, you controlled the narrative of the music that followed you through game play, it leaves room for thinking, imagination, and creativity.

Music is world building. It shaped the pace, tone, exploration, and emotional connection to a digital space. Mass effect shaped its world through providing a mysterious and synth sound for space exploration. Videogame scores impact the gaming community and gamers through the emotional impact they leave.

As he said, the score feels like an experience, one you can relive over and over again just through the music that guided you through it- and I think this is extremely powerful.