Top 10 Indie scores

I'll start my list with one of the few games that I've already written a review about: Bastion. The score of Bastion is symptomatic for the factors I mentioned at the beginning: creativity, risk, quality. Country guitar sounds and campfire songs paired with bass and electric guitars? Sounds like a daring mixture that can work. And it does so over long stretches, although the balancing act between relaxation and headbanging is not always entirely harmonious. Nevertheless, this niche score lands at number 10 on my list. And considering how many indie games there are out there, that's still a good spot.

There's not much that mus be said about Valiant Hearts . Even if my brother would say otherwise, it tells a very beautiful story about friendship, loss and hope in the turmoil of the First World War. And the soundtrack is just as moving, skillfully alternating between tragedy and dance, suffering and love, or struggle and hope. The piano pieces in particular (Little Trinketry, Broken Wing and Nurture) are real must-listens. But feel free to read my review about Valiant Hearts, I go a little deeper in my analysis. So much praise only for the 9th place in this list? What other highlights are there?

People who have never heared of Valley : No worries. I didn't know the game either until I saw a review video of it on YouTube. The gameplay seemed underwhelming, so did the graphics and overall it looked more like a physics demo from the 2010s. But during this test video, I heard the sentence that led me astray as often as it led me to treasure: "The game has a great soundtrack." How could I resist? And since Valley now finds itself on this list, it was well worth a listen. The score does not impress with its complexity or variety. Like in Furi , the action tracks are particularly convincing here, creating a pleasantly driving atmosphere similar to the score for the sci-fi series Battlestar Galactica .

The name Dead Cells always rings true in my head, because it was the game that we used to present alongside SpellForce: The Order of Dawn in the first episode of our 'WohnGameinschaft'-series. And I still remember exactly what tester Noel's verdict was: "Crap game that's not as much fun as Dark Souls." Admittedly, it was the Early Access version, but for me it was burned. It turned out to be a pretty good game after the official release, but my opinion was set.

Since bad game doesn't necessarily mean bad soundtrack, as you can see from the Assassin’s Creed–series, I listened to the score and was surprised. I liked the mixture of driving percussion and oriental string plucking, which creates a pleasant flow and brings back memories of running passages from the early Prince of Persia-games.

The soundtrack of World of Goo was one of the first indie scores that landed in my home collection at the beginning of my 'career' - and what a record it is. It's so simple, so cuddly, so happy. And then again depressing and wistful in some places, without becoming ponderous. It's like a good rom-com where you've laughed a lot and don't really want to cry, but then somehow a cascade of emotion starts to flow. To quote myself at this point: "Kyle Gabler shows an imaginable but unexpected compositional sensitivity that impresses and moves me." You can find more of these lofty words in my review of World of Goo as well as the soundtrack which can be downloaded on Gabler's homepage for free.

This game is insane. Not in the sense of insanely good, but insanely crazy. The story is simple: four knights work together to free a princess. But anyone expecting stories of brave warriors and noble battles will be disappointed by the comedic fireworks. In Castle Crashers fights with giant cats and deer with diarrhea are among the normal things. Entertaining brawling fun, accompanied by an even more entertaining soundtrack.

This was contributed by the community of the website Newgrounds , which was involved in the development of the side-scroll hack-and-slash. That's why there isn't just one composer, but 20 with different styles and genres. A wild mixture of mixed quality, but perfectly suited to this crazy couch co-op. A few of the tracks are available on Newground homepage. So if you want to have a listen, you are welcome to do so.

It was clear that he had to appear here. However, I was surprised to see soundtrack of Plants vs. Zombies so high up. But then again, I wasn't. After all, almost all the background songs for the different map types are great, the variations are entertaining and the credit song is a real catchy tune. And I haven't even listened to the score of Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare yet, which will certainly include a few nice tracks - I'll write it down in my to-dos. But that won't affect this list any more ... I digress. 4th place: Plants vs. Zombies. Deserved, even without the nostalgia!

Thus we enter the home stretch, where we will find 2 indie game series and a first place, which has made it to the top of the Top 10 Indie Scores as a single game.

I just recently played the successor Ori and the Will of the Wisps of the great Ori and the Blind Forest and was pleased to discover that improvements have been made in all areas: The skill system is more fun, the world is varied as usual and the graphics are as pretty as ever. At the same time, the soundtrack is once again at a high level. Orchestral, touching and bombastic. A fable about a forest spirit who has to compete with greater powers, which is appropriately captured and reinforced by the music. When we face an almost overpowering enemy, we feel tiny and powerless. But when we gain the upper hand in battle, the soundtrack sounds grandiose, the orchestra monumental and the triumph is all the sweeter. A worthy third place for the two Ori-series and a definite endorsement from me.

I had just written that World of Goo was one of my first scores, while it was this indie gem that really got my collecting craze going. I loved the soundtrack to the first Trine so so much! You can imagine my devastation when I asked my piano teacher to play it with me in class and he refused, saying it sounded too much like 'Mickey Mouse music' for him. I was hurt and sad. Why should the magical sounds of this piece be worth less than Brahms or Debussy?

I eventually learned that not everyone shared my taste in music and unfortunately it wasn't until much later that I realized that wasn't a bad thing. And that I didn't have to be ashamed of my passion. That's why I think it's all the nicer that such a personal milestone has made it to number 2. Not for sentimental reasons, but because I think this fairytale music is simply beautiful. No matter whether Trine or his successor, Trine 2, the light-footedness of the score is a balm in the sometimes so bitterly serious soundtrack business. Although this applies more to the big studios, to the AAA productions, and not to the little gems that can shine without ten floodlights.

If we stick with this metaphor, there is one gem that, in my opinion, outshines all other indie scores and even puts entire series in the shade. But which indie game, which indie soundtrack could it be?

There could really only be one winner, because the Child of Light-score is pure sugar. So sweet that it makes you happy. So beautiful that it's addictive. And so intense that it erodes your teeth and leaves you crying and drooling. It is classical music and drama, like a silent opera whose voice is the orchestra. Grandiose, uplifting, devastating.

While the actual game isn't particularly challenging and its beautiful art style can't make up for the limited content, the experience is worth it for the score alone. A bull's eye that puts the fable in 'fabulous' and masterfully balances on the fine line between cheesy and artistic. You don't necessarily have to be a gamer to enjoy this acoustic masterpiece by Cœur de Pirate. But the visual input combined with the lovely story about a young princess trying to save her kingdom makes for a wonderful experience that is etched in my memory. It's simply epic, simply beautiful and a well-deserved #1 on my list of best indie scores as of August 2021!