20.) Penumbra: Overture - "In Darkness Dwells..."
View this video on YouTube
Penumbra was a series published by Frictional Games. You may know them as the group that wrought Amnesia: The Dark Descent upon this world. Much in the same vein as that game (which we'll explore later on), you're on a terrifyingly lonely mission to uncover the truth as to what happened to your long-since-lost father, who disappeared on a trip to a mysterious mineshaft in a remote part of northern Greenland. Upon arriving in the first part of the series, Overture, your first step into the abandoned mineshaft is greeted with this eerie and unsettling tune. It's the kind of song that really nails the whole, "You really shouldn't have come here and you have no idea what you've gotten yourself into, do you?" idea. Creepy and dark, this is one of my favorite examples of setting the atmosphere of what's to come in the best way possible.
19.) Diablo 1 - Catacombs
View this video on YouTube
The first Diablo had a profound impact on me as a young kid back in the mid-90's. It was the first game to really scare the shit out of me as much as it had me hooked. I was lost in the world of Tristram and its (literally) hellish underworld, and much of that I owe to composer Matt Uleman's atmospheric and almost industrial compositions. With the entire soundtrack befitting of the "qualifications" of this list, it was hard to choose one that best represented the game as a whole. Of course many will disagree (and with good reason!), but I believe this particular theme to fit the narrative best. Why? Just listen to this beast! The feeling of desolation is palpable. The percussion brings to mind an occult-like fervor; reveling in the evil and darkness of the descent into Hell, itself. The sinister, modulated laughter rejoices in the doom that is sure to come your way. And the distant, infant cries of fear and pain truly bring the creepiness factor up to a standard not since matched by Blizzard's forays in the series.
18.) Quake - Parallel Worlds
View this video on YouTube
Quake is another game whose soundtrack is very difficult to cull one prime example from. Composed by Trent Reznor, the game's soundtrack arguably helped create the unsettling atmosphere and spooky vibe that the gameplay and (lack of) story couldn't quite do on its own. Still, it had me entranced as a young lad, and I still enjoy a quick run to this day. Of all the songs on the soundtrack, this one truly puts me in another world. I can't help but imagine myself lost in an ancient, derelict spaceship, searching for the key to the mysteries it has presented me. And with only one source of light, I can't possibly be in a good place. Fucking love this shit.
17.) Dead Space - Entering Zero-G
View this video on YouTube
Dead Space is a modern classic in the sci-fi horror-survival genre, and its soundtrack is no exception. Its tone and use of strings really brings to mind films like Alien and... well, okay, maybe just Alien. But still! Of all the songs, though, this short number really sets the mood of entering a zero-gravity environment with no sense of what to expect. The vastness of space, the daunting tasks at hand, the fear of the unknown: it's all represented here; wrapped-up in a neat, little package. Really, I mean that. Sorry if it sounded sarcastic.
16.) Alan Wake - The Beaten Side Of Town
View this video on YouTube
A slight disclaimer: I didn't completely enjoy playing Alan Wake. Actually, a clarification: I didn't enjoy playing as Alan Wake. That guy is a total douche. A sexist and a jerk. Maybe that's the point, maybe I'm supposed to dislike him, but it just left me feeling shitty. Granted, the gameplay and atmosphere of the game is pretty swell. One thing I truly liked was the presentation of the game as a TV serial, and this particular song helps that motif. It's got that twisted, David Lynchian, Twin Peaks-esque vibe to it, with just a hint of drunken, carny perversion done best by artists like Tom Waits. Though not technically a video game sound in the traditional sense (like background music), I can't help but love this song and feel the seething underbelly it's encouraging us to explore.
15.) Terranigma - Mysterious Pit
View this video on YouTube
The name should say it all (and how!). Terranigma is one of those rare games that has a lasting and emotional impact on anybody who is lucky enough to have experienced it in full. A part of the loose Enix trilogy called "The Soul Blazer Trilogy," it paints the picture of a boy whose secluded, idyllic and warm life in an underworld dimension is shattered by the unenviable task of reviving a dead world, eventually culminating in a confrontation with the god of darkness, itself, Dark Gaia. This particular theme really helps one envision the wasteland, and desolation of an uninhabitable and hostile world; one lost to sand and dirt. A sadness underpins it all, but its stark nature isn't one of pure hopelessness. Rather, it beckons you to find a solution, and to help regrow that which was thought lost to time.
All the games in the trilogy explore the idea of Gaia, re-birth and other similar themes, and are definitely worth checking out. But only Terranigma really elicited a powerful, emotional response in me that still has me thinking back to it, to this day.
14.) Diablo 2 - Arcane Sanctuary
View this video on YouTube
Yes, it's Diablo, again! This time, we visit the Arcane Sanctuary! A dimensional void where one crazed sorcerer spent his time luring demons from Hell to attempt to domesticate them to do his bidding; an effort guaranteed to bring happiness and fulfillment! All right, this game and its soundtrack was not as dark or brooding as the first one in the series, but it is DAMN GOOD. And though there are many great tracks ("Rogue Sanctuary," "Tombs," and "Durance of Hate" are prime choices), I feel like "Arcane Sanctuary" really sets the tone of its accompanying level perfectly. An Escher-like dimension; vast and beautiful as it is dark and twisted. The light, xylophone notes, accented by sparse piano stabs really resonates with the environment and are a nice touch, indeed!
13.) Super Mario Bros. 3 - Airship
View this video on YouTube
Okay, maybe not representative of the theme of this list in the most perfect sense, per se, but come on! The oppressive tone, the beating drums: it's celebratory of this conquering evil that only honors the Demon King, himself! If that isn't haunting and unsettling, then okay whatever.
12.) Metroid Fusion - Sector 5 (ARC)
View this video on YouTube
Though Metroid Fusion didn't quite have the sense of isolation and wonder that Super Metroid did (another classic we'll soon check out), the game truly worked on its own. Soundtrack-wise, it's one of the best in the series, and although the underwater "Sector 4 (AQA)" rivals it, the unnerving playfulness and icy mood of Sector 5's music is just too perfect. There's this inquisitive, playful nature coinciding with its creepiness that it's a must-listen for any fan. So much has gone wrong on this ship, and this song really fits that to a tee.
11.) Castlevania III - Nightmare
View this video on YouTube
An early example of a non-linear game (of course, not as early as Metroid), Castlevania III was a truly inspired effort of the platforming genre, and it's soundtrack is as awesome as any other. And "Nightmare" says it all. I mean, really. What else can you imagine this song accompanying? A visit to the dentist? Wait...
It's a nice, creepy tune that helped us understand what sort of evil we were getting into while traversing Dracula's unholy land. But seriously though, I really wanted to put "Demon Seed" up because that song is just too good.
10.) Amnesia: The Dark Descent - Cistern
View this video on YouTube
Okay, okay. Every goddamn song is creepy and haunting and unnerving and blah blah blah. Yes; to choose one out of them all is like pulling out one wisdom tooth and considering the job done. They all need to be accounted for! But I truly think the songs of the calm, "safe" rooms to be the creepiest of the game. Sure, the music during those tense moments where anything bad can happen (and it will, believe me) are creepy and pants-shitting...ing. True. But there's something unsettlingly deceiving in the seemingly-calm reprieve of the areas where you think you have time to breathe and relax. I guess it's the acceptance that you must continue; you must move on. And honestly, wouldn't you want to escape this mansion of horrors? Or would you rather hang out in one particular room for the rest of your life because you want to be a prisoner to the evil Alexander Von Brennenburg?
Beautiful and alluring, The Cistern may be the respite you're looking for, but that sort of thing is only temporary, and the idea alone is nerve-wracking as all hell.
9.) Super Metroid - Lower Brinstar
View this video on YouTube
Man oh man. Talk about a truly great fucking game. Super Metroid was one of the first games that took me on a journey of isolation and introspection like no other before it. The dark caverns within the seemingly dead planet Zebes, ready to unleash its terrifying secrets to you while you make your way to the ancient and warped Mother Brain is a classic adventure. This track stands out because it encapsulates what this list is all about: a haunting, reverberating world that is as beautiful as it is sinister. And not like Beelzebub sinister, but in the sense that you truly are alone, and the only thing keeping you sane is the sound of your own breath.*
Really, the only way to play this game is in the dark and with headphones, and with songs like "Lower Brinstar," you won't regret it.
*Speaking of sounds of your own breath: the title theme is another haunting song. So great, it justifies a film version of the events of Samus' life (similarities to Alien be damned!).
8.) State of Decay - After Dark
View this video on YouTube
Before you freak out: no! I don't think this song is better and creepier than every other song on this list! If you had bothered to read the little blurb at the top, you'd realize that, although numbered, this list really is IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER. We cool, bro? Cool.
State of Decay, though a very recent game, really impressed the hell out of me. Existing in a broken world after the zombie apocalypse, the soundtrack and gameplay both brilliantly depict a hopeless era in our zombie future. Sure, you can scavenge and help others and form groups, and that's all well and good! But ultimately, one must face the reality that this zed problem is everywhere, and only death can be the true winner. Venturing out at night to scavenge and complete missions, this song helps set the mood that anything can go wrong at any time and it's totally okay to stop for a second, cry and feel sorry for yourself. However, though your life may over, that doesn't mean you can't enjoy smashing a few zombie skulls along the way. Just don't get caught in-between two hordes (or a fucking juggernaut).
7.) Mirror's Edge - Heat
View this video on YouTube
I know, this game isn't a survival game, nor is it traditionally creepy (beyond the creepy nature of the conspiracy to implicate and frame your sister for a crime at the behest of Big Brother), but it is a game that keeps you on your toes and reminds you that it really is just you against the world. With this track, you can feel the haunting tension breathing down your neck, as beads of sweat begin to pour out every pore of your body. And once the beat hits; holy hell. It's on. Yeah, you're confident and a parkour master, but that doesn't mean you aren't human. Shit can get tense fast and, with that idea in mind, this particular track really hits home.
6.) Penumbra: Black Plague - Danger Is Near
View this video on YouTube
And is it ever! The second installment of the Penumbra series, Black Plague takes off where (SPOILER) Overture left off: you being kidnapped and placed in an abandoned facility where mutated humanoids will totally murder you at first sight. And although you had the limited use of a "weapon" in Overture, this one introduces the "you're totally unable to protect yourself" concept that would see more infamy in Amnesia. Honestly, I think this game is as scary as Amnesia, and deserves a bigger fan-base, and with tracks like this, it's not hard to see why.
5.) Super Mario 64 - Big Boo's Haunt
View this video on YouTube
In the words of Jumpin' Jeff Farmer, "Yep!" While the rest of the game was classically upbeat and all sorts of wonderful in a way only a Mario game can be, this one was truly a stand-out in its creepy, atmospheric nature. When I first played this game, this took me aback and actually made me feel uncomfortable. Granted, I was, like, 11 or whatever, but one can't help but be intrigued by the stark contrast this song has with the rest of the soundtrack.
4.) Super Castlevania 4 - The Waterfall
View this video on YouTube
Another classic. Super Castlevania 4 is a game that one must play in their life, and listening to the soundtrack is a joy, in of itself. This track is serene and calm, but it also belies the hopelessness and brooding sadness that only a world threatened by the evil powers of Dracula can elicit. Go. Go play it now.
3.) Super Castlevania 4 - Cellar
View this video on YouTube
Back-to-back awesomeness. This one is not only unsettling, in an occult-like, tribalistic fashion, but its urgency beckons the player to take the issues at hand seriously. It's creepy, unsettling, sinister; all that good stuff.
By the way, If you're miffed that I put two Super Castlevania 4 songs together this high on the list, then I gotta say that I just don't get you, man. I just don't.
2.) Halo 2 - Ancient Machine
View this video on YouTube
Halo 2 is a bit unheralded in its ability to creep a person out. And when it's appreciated, I think it's more revered for its heroic battle against the twisted Covenant and the vile Flood, but the latter is the reason for songs like this. The title is great; you really feel like you're in an ancient, Forerunner environment, battling the menacing evils that only the terrifying nature of deep space can provide. And just an aside, I don't think this is the worst Halo of them all. I really loved Halo 2 and still do, to this day.
1.) Zelda: Ocarina Of Time - Forest Temple
View this video on YouTube
Dude, this song. It's repetitive and sparse, but I think this is one of those songs that really sends chills up your spine when you first played it back in the '90s. Specific much? Sure. But it really is a creepy tune! It's got that wondrous, magical, mysterious nature that is a staple in Zelda games, but it also highlights just how strange and otherworldly the land of Hyrule is. And how cursed by powers beyond your perception it can get. I think all of these songs on this list are equally great in their haunting nature, and they all have a lasting effect, but Zelda: Ocarina Of Time really sent me for a spin back in the day, and this song had me lost in the imaginative and sometimes unsettling world Link had to survive. And though I never played Majora's Mask (I know; invalidated. Gotcha), I can only imagine how much crazier it gets.
Oh, fuck it! Here's Castlevania 3: Demon Seed. Enjoy!
View this video on YouTube
Yeeeaaaah son.
Share This Article
