Well, it’s that time of the year again! Time to celebrate the best of RPG and adventure game music throughout all of… what do you mean it’s September 2025 now? What do you mean that we got most of this written at the beginning of the year but it took until now for the last pieces to come together and finally allow us to publish our Music of the Year for 2024? Ah, such is the nature of a volunteer site sometimes. In any case, this feature is drastically overdue but has never been forgotten! We love music too much around here, and I am personally too stubborn to have a gap in our coverage, so while this may be an extreme case of “better late than never,” it is better to have this published and I am proud of what the team put together.
For 2024, we changed up our format to better showcase the variety of RPG music out there. Instead of a single list of our favorites, voted upon by the whole staff, we have three central lists: Top Original Soundtracks (below), Top 5 Arrange/Remix Albums, and Top 5 Vinyl Releases. All of this, in addition to our Music of the Year episodes of Rhythm Encounter (that were published on time!), and eight team members’ lists of their favorite RPG music from 2024.
Like 2024 before it, 2025 has been packed with incredible music. And we will be celebrating that around January, but until then, let us not forget the musical treasures we got to experience in 2024. We hope this reminds you of some of last year’s favorites, and perhaps introduces you to some you may have missed! Thank you for your patience on this feature, and please enjoy RPGFan’s Music of the Year 2024!
Intro by Mike Salbato
Overall Best Music of 2024
Podcast
Editors’ Favorites
Arco OST
by Hilary Andreff
Arco was one of the meaningful gaming experiences of 2024, and sadly, a lot of us missed out on it due to the sheer volume of releases, new news, and the ever-present backlog. Do not make that same mistake with the soundtrack! It’s powerful in a way that’s rare to see, and the lush combination of guitar and voice eloquently conveys the moods of the story. It does not pull punches, either. Fitting for a game that wrestles with the aftermath of colonization and themes of revenge. Hearing the different elements in the soundtrack makes me even more eager to play more and see how the music relates to the game’s three interweaving stories. Arco‘s world is continuing to inspire composer José Ramón “Bibiki” García, as he just released a new single inspired by the soundtrack, called “Errante.” Listen for any length of time, and I’m confident you’ll get swept up.
Nadie los podrá salvar, indeed. No one is safe from this music. It’s so good!
Highlighted Track: “Nadie Los Podrá Salvar“
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth OST
by Audra Bowling
Final Fantasy fans have several expectations and excellent music is certainly a series’ pillar, with Final Fantasy VII Rebirth being no exception. The original FFVII has a memorable and amazing soundtrack, so I honestly wasn’t sure how the second part of the remake trilogy would build upon it. But it manages to do just that! Over the course of the OST, you’ll hear nostalgic tunes and melodies interspersed with new variations and pieces, creating an eclectic and versatile mix of differing musical genres and instruments. I found myself humming or bopping my head along with the music whenever I played the game, while other tracks simply leave me in awe either due to their sheer emotional scope or verdant intensity. FFVII Rebirth’s soundtrack manages to make what was an already phenomenal base into something even more potent and memorable, and that is worthy of applause.
Highlighted Track: “No Promises to Keep Loveless Ver“
Granblue Fantasy: Relink OST
by Rob White
Granblue Fantasy: Relink is a game that balances a love for tradition, both in terms of RPGs and the fantasy genre, with forward thinking, contemporary sensibilities and gameplay. Its OST very much strikes that same balance—fusing classic-sounding fantasy RPG song structures and motifs with full orchestration and the complexity of current game music. Perhaps the fact that Nobuo Uematsu and Tsutomu Narita are the two composers behind this soundtrack is why it harkens back to such a quintessential Final Fantasy sound on occasion—having both worked extensively composing and arranging music from the series. For a game and soundtrack that masterfully combines the familiar and the nostalgic with the modern, and turns it into some beautifully memorable tracks, you can’t go wrong with Granblue Fantasy: Relink.
Highlighted Track: “Managarmr, Sequestration Primal Part 1“
Hades II OST
by Patrick Gann
Though Hades II is technically in early access status, Supergiant Games dropped a solid, three hour soundtrack in May 2024. Supergiant composer Darren Korb capitalized on the success of the first Hades by writing music that maintains enough similarities with the original to suggest continuity, without being stuck to all the same melodic motifs or instrumentation. One thing that definitely does carry forward, thankfully, are the incredible vocal tracks. “Coral Crown,” the rock-infused vocal track used during the Sirens boss fight in Oceanus, quickly became a fan favorite. I myself am also partial to the full orchestral pieces recorded at Abbey Road and co-composed by Austin Wintory.
Given there are presently 40 tracks available on this soundtrack, and it is likely to grow before a full retail/console release, we still have plenty to look forward to!
Highlighted Track: “Coral Crown“
The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak OST
By Audra Bowling
The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak OST is yet another impressive soundtrack in a long line of impressive Falcom soundtracks. I could honestly pick an OST track at random and the odds would be high that I’d probably chosen a nice song to listen to. From pleasant and atmospheric background songs that help set the stage of the various areas of the Republic of Calvard that you traverse with Van and company, to moving and frenetic battle and dungeon themes meant to get the blood pumping, The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak soundtrack definitely delivers where it counts. Not only could I listen to its songs again and again, but I actually have on several occasions!
Highlighted Track: “Tharbad Night“
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth OST
by Gio Castillo
The Like a Dragon series has its highs and lows, but I maintain that its music has been its most consistent bright spot. This is to be expected considering, you know, SEGA, but Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s sound team stands out with how it reliably churns out masterpieces.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth continues this trend with some of 2024’s strongest battle themes. I’d be hard-pressed to find a boss fight that goes as hard as “Twin Machetes”, let alone a normal battle track as layered as “Knavish”. Of course Chihiro Aoki, the team’s ace, nails the apotheosis of the entire series up to this point with “The End of Denial”, an epic final boss track that convincingly sells the emotional stakes despite the narrative (arguably) not quite delivering on the same level. Even the one-off tracks like “Cut Scene:See You on Saturday!” are impeccable, while new classics like “Honolulu City Lights” bolster the series’ famous karaoke lineup.
Highlighted Track: “The End of Denial“
Metaphor: ReFantazio OST
by Patrick Gann
Composer Shoji Meguro is back, and he is defying expectations in Metaphor: ReFantazio. Forget about the slick jazz, rock and hip-hop of the Persona series! Here, Meguro goes heavy with intense orchestra, choir, and … Buddhist chanting? Keisuke Honryo, chief priest of Myojoji Temple, became an unlikely star in VGM thanks to his iconic chants utilized many times across this five-hour OST.
The Metaphor: ReFantazio OST was our runner-up for the Music category for our 2024 Games of the Year feature. Thus, it should come as no surprise that we include this fantastic score on our Music of the Year list!
Highlighted Track: “Warriors in Arms“
Persona 3 Reload OST
by Matt Wardell
With his original soundtrack to 2006’s Persona 3 on the PS2 (and later on the PSP with P3 Portable), composer Shoji Meguro sonically distanced the Persona brand from its parent series, Shin Megami Tensei, reestablishing the former with a more hip, youthful, and vibrant sound. Persona 3 Reload’s soundtrack, now headed by fellow Atlus veteran Atsushi Kitajoh, is a very faithful take on the funk, hip hop, and rock vibe of the original, maintaining its distinct infusion of J-Pop and rap vocals. All tracks’ mixes were updated for higher fidelity and better balancing of elements, while Kitajoh has rearranged tracks labeled “-Reload-” with a fuller, fresher instrumentation, as is the case with the classic battle theme “Mass Destruction” below. On top of refreshing fan favourites, four brand new vocal tracks composed by Kitajoh and featuring original P3 rapper Lotus Juice have been added, flowing seamlessly into Meguro’s all-time classic score.
Highlighted Track: “Mass Destruction -Reload-“
Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance OST
by Gio Castillo
If you want to know what progressive video game music sounds like, the Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance soundtrack is it. Ryota Kozuka, an Atlus staple with credits on pretty much everything SMT and Persona these days, alchemizes post-punk, metal, jazz, electronica, and more in such fun and inventive ways here. It’s rare that I’ve been as enraptured listening to VGM as I have with Vengeance, and to this day I’m still discovering new tracks that give me thrills, chills, and often both! It’s not an immediately gratifying kind of album, but one that rewards repeated, deliberate listening.
This is also the soundtrack that fully sold me on Kozuka. It’s his work that elevated the last few SMT OSTs to all-timer status in my book, and post-Vengeance I’m certain he’s my favorite composer active today. Whatever he does next, I’m there.
Highlighted Track: “Battle -Konohana Sakuya-“
Unicorn Overlord OST
by Audra Bowling
As a SRPG fan, Unicorn Overlord was an altogether pleasant surprise, with its atmospheric soundscape being just one facet I greatly enjoyed. The instrumentation throughout the Unicorn Overlord soundtrack’s various pieces is phenomenal, and the battle tracks helped prolonged fights maintain their momentum and overall intensity. I enjoyed both exploring every corner of Unicorn Overlord’s map as well as fighting every battle I could, and hearing the OST was a compelling enough reason to do so. The powerfully emotive songs throughout helped capture not only the epic scale of the game’s grand battles, but also managed to artfully convey a thoughtfully compelling fantasy tale. From a sound stance, Unicorn Overlord is in a lordly class all its own!
Highlighted Track: “Battlefield ‘Imminent’“
Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord OST
by Patrick Gann
Remaking a 40 year old game is challenging enough. When said game had no soundtrack of its own, how do you craft something that honors the classic for what it is, honors the series’ classical music tradition under Kentaro Haneda, and brings new life to the series?
I don’t know exactly how to do that, but I do know that composer Winifred Phillips absolutely nailed it. Her score for Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord utilizes instrumentation and musicality consistent with late medieval and renaissance music, but always with a modern touch and excellent production. We’re not the only ones who think highly of this OST, either, given Phillips won a Grammy award with this soundtrack!
Highlighted Track: “Gilgamesh’s Tavern“
Ys X: Nordics OST
by Patrick Gann
Released in January 2024, the Ys X: Nordics OST was an early contender for this year’s MotY. Adol’s latest foray comes with some classic synth-rock tunes from Falcom’s Sound Team jdk. Though there is plenty of musical diversity across the three hour soundtrack, some of the best tracks are the ones that maintain the same musical traditions we’ve been hearing from Falcom since Ys I & II. In the past year, I think I’ve come to appreciate the field music “Burn with You” as a pinnacle Falcom piece, perfect for Ys X’s setting.
Highlighted Track: “Burn with You (Field Theme 3)“
