Game of the year: Top 10 PS5, PS4 soundtracks of 2022

The end of the year is always a bright spot when it comes to writing. List articles can be an absolute blast to both write and read. Sure, you’ll probably see a thousand of them during the final month of 2022, so what’s one more, right? This list is here to talk about the best PlayStation music heard in 2022. While it’s not possible to touch on every soundtrack worth mentioning, we’ve compiled what we think are the best from an already brilliant bunch. With a variety of sounds and creative sounds to explore, let’s list.

The relaxing nature of this wonderful game just wouldn’t be the same without the delightful soundtrack courtesy of Jeff Van Dyk. An interesting mix of acoustic elements and chiptunes, the music is the perfect accompaniment to the joyous experience of unboxing all sorts of items and placing them in your new digital home.

Norco is an exceptionally well-written game, and that’s a feature that goes beyond the writing. The soundtrack, from a joint effort by Tu and Gevgavli I, offers a surprisingly well-tuned synth-heavy, ambient score that’s able to match the game’s impressive range in tone.

The first Plague Tale was featured on our soundtrack list in 2019, so it’s perhaps no surprise that its sequel is on the list for 2022. Composer Olivier Deriviere returns to the series once again, with another stunning soundtrack bursting with powerful moments punctuated by driving. and roaring choral melodies. Of particular note is the mastery with which tension is conveyed through the music – especially the string section.

Shadowworks’ gorgeous cel-shaded exploration title finally found its way to PlayStation a few weeks ago, but it wasn’t a moment too soon. We need to mention the amazing work of Japanese Breakfast when it comes to creating the soundtrack. The score offers a strange cross-section, with a heavy emphasis on piano ambient beauty; It’s like the traditional sound of Japanese breakfast with a splash of joe hisaishi.

Bear McCreary brings a remarkable Nordic slant to the beloved music of the God of War series back in 2018, and he picks up where he left off with Ragnarok. Calling on some familiar tunes from the previous title — and the series in general — while introducing new themes and an abundance of standout moments, God of War really continues to excel on all levels of video game brilliance. .

Given the grim nature of the walled city you find yourself confined to, it might be expected that Stray’s soundtrack would take on some sort of industrial lilt, perhaps influenced by the likes of Trent Reznor. Which is why it’s both welcome and surprising that Yann Van Der Crussyen’s OST instead delivers a score filled with beautiful atmosphere. Instead of wandering into the dark, dirty corners of the world, the soundtrack chooses to shine a bright light on beauty and happiness. A bold, and brilliant decision in the long run.

While it may be light on gameplay, Artful Escape is full of great music. Cleverly navigating between retro, folk music in the sonic palette of face-melting, guitar-shedding metal, Beethoven and dinosaur platformers is completely seamless. Add to those sounds a traditional game score — from Johnny Galvatron and Josh Abrahams — comprised of almost countless styles and influences, and the amount of great music on offer is eye-watering.

Like some of the other titles on this list, Moss: Precursor to Book II has previously appeared on one of these lists. Jason Graves’ work on the first Moss was an incredible, poignant fantasy score. It was the perfect accompaniment to the delightful adventure that Quill Mouse found himself on. This remains very much the case with the sequel, as Graves uses the opportunity to return to this sandbox by expanding the repertoire of voices. Although the soundtrack remains a largely fantasy affair, the score isn’t afraid to look inward, offering plenty of poignant, emotionally profound moments.

Of course, it had to be here. Even if the Soulsborne formula isn’t your idea of ​​a good time, it’s hard to argue that FromSoftware’s titles don’t have great soundtracks. To no one’s surprise, this remains the case for the studio’s entry into the open world. While offering a lot of amazing ambient music that gives Peak Elder Scrolls a run for its money, Alden Ring also continues the trend of providing excellent boss music. While boss music in general is loud, epic, and in-your-face, Alden Ring mixes boss music with understated moments, sometimes downright beautiful. An unexpected, but most welcome addition.

Music and the important role it can play in providing a divine gaming experience is familiar territory for the game company. Each of its three previous titles — Flow, Flower, and Journey — represent some of the best that game music has to offer. So much so that, a few years ago, we even called Journey the best game soundtrack of the decade. Sky Flower sees the return of composer Vincent Diamante, and with it comes a massive, multi-voiced soundtrack packed to the brim with touching music. While the DNA of what made the Flower soundtrack so great is visible, Skye is an evolution of what came before it, offering a wider variety of sounds and styles, ultimately delivering one of the best game soundtracks of the year. .

No list is complete without a section for honorable mentions. There isn’t enough space to mention ten just about every soundtrack, so we’d like to direct that extra bit of attention in the direction of a handful of other games that came very close to making the full list:

Metal: Helsinger, Disney Dreamlight Valley, Curse for Golf, A Musical Story, Neon White, VR OFK, Callisto Protocol

What do you think of the list? What people are missing that you think we should have included? Sound off in the comments section below.