How Video Game Music Controls Your Emotions Without You Even Realizing It
Alright, you chaotic little GEERDS, let’s talk about something that absolutely no one appreciates enough: video game music. Yeah, that thing playing in the background while you’re too busy teabagging your enemies in Halo or rage-quitting Elden Ring. Turns out, music is the sneaky little bastard pulling your emotional strings without you even realizing it. So let’s strap in and take a very serious (lol, no) look at how game soundtracks make you feel things(not the things you feel when you ogle at Tifa) you didn’t sign up for.
Catch a support chair or something, for this Reaper is going to change tones and sing you poetry.
The “Oh Shit” Factor – Horror Game Soundtracks
Ever played Silent Hill? No? Cool, let me explain: It’s a game where the town wants you dead, your radio screams static at you when something’s nearby, and the soundtrack is basically what a robot would compose if it had night terrors. Akira Yamaoka, the absolute madman behind Silent Hill’s music, said, “Screw your comfort zone, here’s some industrial noise, grinding metal, and sounds that make you question if your ears are broken.”
Silent Hill’s music isn’t just eerie—it’s designed to keep your anxiety at a permanent 11. You’re walking down a foggy street, and BOOM, you hear this low, mechanical groaning. That’s not a monster yet—but your brain thinks it is. It’s just the music gaslighting you into pissing your pants.
And don’t even get me started on Resident Evil’s save room music. You’re in a zombie-infested mansion, every hallway is a death trap, but somehow, that calming little piano piece in the save room feels like Jesus himself giving you a head…FORE-HEAD kiss before you go back outside to get absolutely fucked.
TL;DR: Horror games use music to fuck with your nerves, and you love it.
The Hype Builder – Boss Fight Themes That Make You Feel Like A God
Let’s talk about the musical equivalent of snorting pre-workout: boss battle themes. When you hear certain tracks, you instantly know shit’s about to go down.
Take Elden Ring’s boss music—it’s like an orchestra fell into a black hole and decided to have one last jam session before turning into spaghetti. It’s loud, it’s dramatic, and it makes your heartbeat sync up with some seven-foot-tall medieval warlord who’s about to yeet you into the Deeproot Depths.
Or let’s talk Doom. Oh. My. Lucifer. That soundtrack, composed by the legendary Mick Gordon, isn’t just heavy metal—it’s scientifically engineered to turn you into an unhinged murder machine. Mick used an actual chainsaw in the mix. A. Chainsaw. The moment “BFG Division” kicks in, your brain says, “We are not the same Basement-dwellers anymore. We are Doomguy now.”
TL;DR: Boss music activates your inner Guts.
The Nostalgia Gut Punch – Music That Makes You Feel Like A Kid Again
You ever hear a song and get instantly teleported back to your childhood? Yeah, welcome to nostalgia-induced emotional damage.
Pokémon? Zelda? Mario? These franchises have music that’s woven into your actual DNA at this point. You hear the Pokémon Center theme, and suddenly, it’s 2002, you’re sitting cross-legged on the floor, mashing A on your Game Boy like it owes you money.
And let’s talk Zelda’s “Song of Storms”. That tune? Straight-up witchcraft. You hear those first notes, and boom—your brain is standing in the rain in Ocarina of Time, contemplating life decisions you made at 8 years old.
Music literally triggers memories and emotions in ways that no other medium can. You don’t need words. You just need that one melody, and suddenly, you’re crying into your bag of Doritos.
TL;DR: Game music = Time travel + existential crisis.
The “Why Am I Crying?” Effect – Emotional Soundtracks That Wreck You
Alright, now let’s get real for a second. Some game music doesn’t hype you up—it straight-up fucks your soul up.
Take Final Fantasy X’s “To Zanarkand”. That opening piano? Instant waterworks. You don’t even need to know the story—your body just knows sadness is coming.
Then there’s Undertale. Oh boy. The track “His Theme” is basically a sonic gut punch. You’re already emotionally fragile from the story, and then Toby Fox hits you with those notes. You ever see a grown-ass person sobbing over a pixelated skeleton? That’s why.
And of course, the GOAT of emotional damage: The Last of Us. Gustavo Santaolalla didn’t just compose a soundtrack—he ripped out your heart and stomped on it with an acoustic guitar. Those soft, slow strums in the main theme? They tell you everything. This ain’t just a zombie game. This is trauma.
TL;DR: If a game’s music makes you cry, congratulations—you have emotions.
The Open-World Vibes – Music That Makes Exploration 1000% Better
Let’s say you’re wandering through an open world. The sky is orange, the wind is whispering through the trees, and suddenly, the soundtrack kicks in. It’s subtle, it’s atmospheric, and it makes you feel like a goddamn adventurer.
Skyrim’s “Far Horizons” is pure exploration bliss. That slow build-up? The sweeping strings? It tells you, “Hey, buddy, go climb that mountain. Go fight a dragon. Go do crimes.”
Or take Red Dead Redemption 2’s soundtrack. Every track makes you feel like a cowboy who’s seen too much. When “Unshaken” plays, you’re not just controlling Arthur Morgan—you are Arthur Morgan. That’s the power of a good soundtrack—it stops being background noise and becomes the soul of the game.
TL;DR: Open-world music makes you feel like an absolute legend.
Final Thoughts – Why You Should Actually Listen To Game Soundtracks
If you’re one of those people who plays games with the sound off, what are you doing with your life? The music is half the experience! Next time you boot up a game, actually pay attention to what’s playing in the background. Notice how it pushes your emotions around like a schoolyard bully. BECAUSE THAT’S THE INTENTION! And that’s art.
So go blast some game soundtracks today. Cry to “To Zanarkand.” Get hyped to Doom’s “Rip & Tear.” Panic to Silent Hill’s sirens. And most importantly, appreciate the musical geniuses who make your gaming moments unforgettable.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m gonna go listen to Zelda’s lullabies and contemplate my entire existence. Game on, you emotionally unstable rookies.
