This piece is for those who, just like me, spend a lot of time trying to google “video games with orchestral music.” Original scores, to be exact. And what do we get instead? Stuff that totally doesn’t fit the bill. It’s time to change that.
Important note: this piece features YouTube videos with music clips from various games. Some have been uploaded by the rights owners, others by fans of these games. No copyright infringement intended, they’re for educational purposes only.
Some videos might disappear over time, but we’ll try to keep the links updated.
If you, like me, want to find rousing orchestral video game scores which sound as if they were composed by the likes of John Williams and other modern maestros, but don’t really know where to look, this should totally help.
- What do you mean by traditional orchestral music, especially in the context of video games? What kinds of soundtracks don’t belong in this category?
- Which game was the first one to feature live orchestral music?
- What about other earliest fully orchestral scores played by live orchestras?
- Where should I look for orchestral video game scores? Any tips?
- Can you give me a list of classical orchestral video game soundtracks that you recommend?
- Are there any games that surprised you with an orchestral soundtrack?
- About those synthesized orchestral scores – are there any good examples? Can these actually work?
- Are there any upcoming games which might feature orchestral music?
- What makes orchestral soundtracks so great?
- One more thing: is there actually a genre called video game music?
Who knows, maybe you’ll find more symphonic gems that I’ve yet to come across?
This piece isn’t going to be a thorough and comprehensive list of games with traditional orchestral scores in the old school-ish Hollywood tradition (which is what they’re trying to emulate for the most part, anyway). Still, you’ll get plenty of examples and ideas where to look for more.
I believe a question & answer form (sort of like a FAQ) will work best here, so let’s start with the first, probably the most obvious – and most important – question.
What do you mean by traditional orchestral music, especially in the context of video games? What kinds of soundtracks don’t belong in this category?
I’m no musical expert – just someone who loves to listen to some orchestral music – but I know an orchestral soundtrack when I hear one.
And by orchestral I mean a score recorded by a live orchestra, a traditional ensemble comprising string instrument, woodwind, brass, and percussion sections. This, for the most part, excludes synthesized orchestral scores (i.e. traditional performances, but using synthesizers, samples, and digital instruments), but there are some decent examples of these as well, which I’ll discuss later on.
What I’m looking for are pure orchestral performances in the vein of Western classical tradition, informed by romanticism for the most part, inheriting these traits from Hollywood composers such as John Williams, Elmer Bernstein, Jerry Goldsmith, Bruce Broughton, and more, but also – first and foremost – from the biggest names of the 19th and early 20th century: Holst, Debussy, Wagner, Tchaikovsky, etc.
The works I’m after are especially those with grandiose, complex orchestration.
This means no:
- blends of electronic music with quasi-orchestral beats,
- rock music mixed with orchestral music,
- and no “epic orchestral” or hybrid stuff, which is for the most part a jarring wall of sound and a far cry from actual orchestral music.
Symphonic music mixed with guitar riffs? Yuck.
However, there will be examples of traditional orchestral scores, but with some ethnic flavoring, for example, or unusual instrumentation/sound design mixed with, well, traditional stuff.
Still, such elements are used far more sparingly in these scores and add to the orchestra rather than serving as a centerpiece of such compositions.
So, if you don’t see your favorite game or franchise mentioned here, it’s usually due to the following:
- Its soundtracks aren’t what can be called classical orchestral music.
- Even if it features some music that fits this description, most of it doesn’t.
- While it’s designed to be rather comprehensive and inclusive, my list of orchestral video game soundtracks cannot cover everything.
Keep in mind that the fact I didn’t mention this or that game or franchise doesn’t mean I think this score is bad. It just doesn’t fit the bill. Or I haven’t gotten around to listening to it yet.
Other exclusions:
- Single instrument performances (e.g., solo piano or violin).
- Games which feature music taken from pre-existing works, such as movies. For example, there’s a whole bunch of Star Wars games which feature music 100% taken from the films. We’re looking for original compositions here.
- The same applies to games using pre-existing classical music pieces (e.g., Untitled Goose Game, which features clips of Debussy’s Préludes, curated by composer Dan Golding).
So, to sum up, here’s are some examples of what we’re looking for:
And some examples of what we’re NOT looking for:
Notice the difference?
Also, orchestral music in video games typically has two moods:
and
Which game was the first one to feature live orchestral music?
The answer is simple: no, it wasn’t Heart of Darkness.
HoD was supposed to be the first game with an actual orchestral score, composed by none other than Bruce Broughton, an established Hollywood composer. After all, HoD is a full-fledged cinematic platformer!
Unfortunately, extended development and numerous delays caused the game to miss the mark.
So, people often say that The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997) by Michael Giacchino is the first orchestral video game score. However, this seems not to be the case.
I.Q.: Intelligent Qube was released on January 31, 1997 in Japan, a couple of months before TLW: JP, making it one of the earliest examples of a live orchestral score in a video game setting.
And what a score it is! Composed by Takayuki Hattori, it sounds almost out of place in the context of the game. After all, I.Q.’s just a puzzle game. But what we hear in it is a rousing orchestral masterpiece, something that sounds more like a Godzilla movie (after all, Hattori composed for a couple of Godzilla films).
But it still isn’t the first one to feature orchestral music. So, what are even earlier examples? 1995’s Arc the Lad, for example. Most of the music in the game is pretty much rock, but there are several pieces played by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (roughly 20 minutes according to one Redditor).
Then, there’s Dark Wizard from 1993, which also features live orchestral tracks, though it seems it’s only a handful of tracks are in such vein, others synthesized and not exactly what we’re looking for.
If we dig deeper, Guiness’ Book of World Records states that Chris Stone’s Dragon’s Lair from 1983 is supposed to be the actual first orchestral video game score. I’m not sure if this is a good answer, though.
First off, the game’s pretty much an interactive movie, a QTE fest that doesn’t really seem like an actual game, more like an animated film needing some input from the player.
Second, we’re looking for live orchestral music and this one sounds synthesized. And it’s mostly bits and pieces of that, jingles and stingers more than anything else.
So, for the purposes of this article, if we base our answer on these criteria:
- the soundtrack is to be completely orchestral from start to finish;
- and it needs to be recorded by a live orchestra,
then this means that we have to go with the 1997 games, I.Q. probably being the first one to fit the bill.
What about other earliest fully orchestral scores played by live orchestras?
Well, there’s been a few and they’re nothing short of legendary and iconic.
Jeremy Soule’s Total Annihilation, performed by the Northwest Sinfonia, is the composer’s first magnum opus which cemented his position as one of the greatest video game composers of all time.
In the game you have two sets of tracks: excellent battle themes and ambient music used in rare moments of peace. The former are excellently orchestrated pieces – extremely hummable, too – while the latter are bleak, sometimes dissonant, and feature some excellent choral work.
The final track, “Blood of the Machines,” is very reminiscent of the intro to Jurassic Park, just minus the shakuhachi. The similarities are too blatant to be unnoticed. But it’s not a bad thing, mind you!
Coming back to Heart of Darkness, it’s a fantastic score to a fantastic cinematic platformer, but there’s a couple of caveats here.
First off, the liner notes in the original release of the soundtrack apparently stated that it’s been recorded back in 1990. This is odd, as the development began in 1992. Could’ve been a typo.
Second, actual gameplay sections feature no music except for some stingers here and there. Mr. Broughton composed for the in-game cinematics, so it’s basically a yet another movie/TV score of his rather than an actual video game soundtrack, but still.
Third, the game’s got nothing to do with either Joseph Conrad’s novella or Apocalypse Now.
With that in mind, it’s still one of the greatest orchestral video game scores and a real pleasure to listen to. Here you have three central themes: the menacing main theme, the playful Amigos theme featuring marimba and tuba shenanigans, as well as a theme written for the main character, Andy, which is delightfully adventurous.
And the intro to the score? Instant goosebumps.
Speaking of goosebumps, it’s hard not to have them while listening to the soundtrack of Outcast (1999) by Lennie Moore. His work is groundbreaking and not without a reason.
After all, here we have a collaborative effort between an American composer (aided by his colleague, William Stromberg, also an accomplished composer) and the Moscow Symphony Orchestra.
The final result is an incredible sonic soundscape with a classical heart. Excellent choral work, some ethnic flavoring in tracks like “Talanzaar” and “Okaar,” and incredible orchestration make this one a real treat for all classical music lovers.
There’s this central Arma leitmotif that underlies pretty much every track in the game. Coupled with a hexatonic (six-note scale) and polychords, Mr. Moore accomplished harmonic continuity across the entire soundtrack. Truly one of the greatest scores ever made.
Other important scores from the late 90s and early 2000s? You might want to take a look at these:
Azurik: Rise of Perathia (2001) by the Jeremy and Julian Soule duo – an excellent score for a pretty obscure 2001 action-adventure game. Even if the game is probably meh by today’s standards, the music is something else. Excellent orchestration, for sure. Some of the tracks sound synthetic, but the score in general is played by the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. Be sure to check it out. Jeremy Soule’s known for his work on The Elder Scrolls (Skyrim, Oblivion) and Guild Wars, but scores like Azurik are the real testaments to his talent.
Star Trek: Klingon Academy by Inon Zur (2000) – one of the most underrated space sims of all time. Unfortunately it vanished into obscurity, but the fact remains that this is probably the best work of Mr. Zur, or at least one of his greatest scores. If you loved Basil Poledouris’ Conan the Barbarian or John Williams’ “Duel of the Fates,” you’re going to love this one as well. It’s heavily choral and while it sounds different from most of the scores mentioned here, I feel that not listing it would be a glaring omission.
Medal of Honor (1999) by Michael Giacchino– in general Mr. Giacchino aped John Williams early into his career, with Medal of Honor sounding like a riff on Indiana Jones, but with an added dash of Saving Private Ryan and – surprisingly – Jurassic Park. His style changed as his career progressed – many people say it’s been for the worse – which had an impact on his post-2002 Medal of Honor scores, so the early MoH games are considered one of his finest works.
If you want more ideas, read on as I’ll give more examples along the way.
Where should I look for orchestral video game scores? Any tips?
The simplest way to do it is to look for movie-related franchises with established classical orchestral music traditions. The best examples here are Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones, and Harry Potter (interestingly enough, all composed by John Williams, with some exceptions in the JP and HP camp).
The games usually follow suit, though they often re-use music from the movies.
Star Wars
This is pretty much your best bet when it comes to original orchestral music, especially from 2004 onwards.
The franchise started moving on from simply borrowing John Williams’ compositions from the movies back in the 2000s*, though early works by Jeremy Soule were synthesized scores, which unfortunately shows (more on that later).
So, Mark Griskey employed a real orchestra for Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II (2004). Later on, he composed music for The Force Unleashed (2008) and its 2010 sequel, as well as Star Wars: The Old Republic (2011), which was a collaborative effort including the likes of Gordy Haab, Lennie Moore, and more.
Speaking of Mr. Haab, he’s now regarded as the world’s best expert on John Williams’ music, capable of intricately replicating Maestro Williams’ style while adding his own touches. Both Star Wars: Battlefront reboot games (2015 and 2017, respectively) and especially Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (2019) are a real testament to that. The latter in particular is an amazing Star Wars symphony Gordy Haab composed together with Stephen Barton of Apex Legends and Titanfall fame.
The final outcome is a true aural feast. If you loved John Williams’ work on Star Wars, you’re going to love this one.
The sequel, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor (2023), also rocks in the music department. However, it’s a bit different from the previous installment.
The mighty Haab & Barton duo chose to sort of go their own way, but still keep things old school Star Wars. There are more modern scoring influences, with some tracks sounding as if they were made for StarCraft II instead, and the action sequences feel a bit less intricate than previously.
But when this score hits, it hits hard.
Unfortunately for the franchise, it all went downhill in the music department sometime after the Disney acquisition.
OK, movies retained the trademark orchestral scores, but for some reason new Star Wars TV shows totally dropped that in favor of modern electronic soundscapes, which totally sounds out of place. After all, music is a crucial part of the Star Wars universe and it is often said that John Williams’ timeless music is a major part of SW’s success.
And Star Wars isn’t sci-fi, it’s space fantasy.
Either way, this noticeable lack of proper symphonic music really detracts from the new shows. But I digress.
* This isn’t exactly precise, as older games feature music that is either original or at least an adaptation that builds upon John Williams’ material, but this is typical MIDI music, so these don’t really count in this particular context.
Jurassic Park/World
One of the greatest franchises of all time, owing its success to the iconic music by John Williams, among other things.
Here, unfortunately, I have to say that most JP/JW games’ soundtracks aren’t really on par with the movies. The best one is probably Jurassic Park: Trespasser (1998) by Bill Brown, which cleverly sticks to the original style, but avoids using any original themes, making it sound fresh. Shakuhachi and choral parts are particularly great, though there’s one caveat: it’s a sampled orchestra.
Many Jurassic Park fans will also be quick to praise Jurassic Park: Operation Genesis, a fun park building sim from 2003, as a soundtrack which effectively captures the awe and wonder that comes with dinosaurs, something that Jurassic World: Evolution scores failed to do (according to many reviewers).
There’s also the aforementioned The Lost World: Jurassic Park by Michael Giacchino, who also scored Chaos Island (1997) and Warpath: Jurassic Park (1999), and later on got the Jurassic World movie trilogy gig.
Indiana Jones
Another iconic set of scores by John Williams and another excellent franchise to check out if you want some great symphonic scores.
The latest in the series, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle (2024), is probably the most comprehensive of them all music-wise, considering the fact that except for a couple of JW’s themes it’s entirely original and is very likely most extensive.
Gordy Haab did good here: the OST feels Indiana Jones, feels John Williams, and feels majestic and grandiose. Fans have been digging up unreleased tracks not featured in the official soundtrack, which is a bummer, really, given the fact that they’re often better than what has been officially issued. Exploration suites are moody and fun in particular.
The Order of Giants DLC, released in 2025, also brought new music with it.
Other good options in the franchise are Indiana Jones and the Emperor’s Tomb (2003) by Clint Bajakian and Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings (2009) by Gordy Haab & co.
Harry Potter
I’m not a fan of this franchise and I don’t know much about it, but this is a yet another fine addition to John Williams’ legendary scores collection.
The games followed suit, of course, and you have a whole slew of titles released in the 2000s, many featuring music by Jeremy Soule himself, with James Hannigan taking over the franchise later on. However, the former’s scores are probably synthesized. I have to admit here that I’m not familiar with these soundtracks, so don’t take my word for it.
Still, Hogwarts Legacy (2023) has excellent pieces by J Scott Rakozy. These are what I would recommend here for fans of lovely, nostalgia-tinged orchestral music.
Franchises aside, it’s good to check out the names of composers who write orchestral music for video games. Go to Wikipedia, their IMDB page, etc. and look for the stuff they worked on and then check it out on YouTube, Soundcloud, Bandcamp, you name it.
Granted, not everything they write is going to be orchestral. Some composers do branch out and write jazz or rock-themed scores, maybe some electronica or hybrid scores as well, so keep that in mind.
Here’s a couple names to get you started:
- Lennie Moore
- Jeremy Soule
- Gordy Haab
- Garry Schyman
- Wataru Hokoyama
Can you give me a list of classical orchestral video game soundtracks that you recommend?
Sure thing! Here’s the list that I compiled, with many of the games featuring on it being my favorites music-wise:
- Afrika – Wataru Hokoyama
- Azurik: Rise of Perathia – Jeremy & Julian Soule
- Black – Chris Tilton & Michael Giacchino
- Call of Duty – Michael Giacchino
- Consortium – Jeremy Soule (re-uses music from a cancelled game titled Amen: The Awakening, also by Mr. Soule)
- Diablo II: Lord of Destruction – Matt Uelmen
- Dreamfall: The Longest Journey – Leon Willett (the best example of a synthesized orchestral score, probably)
- Hogwarts Legacy – J Scott Rakozy’s music
- Heart of Darkness – Bruce Broughton
- I.Q.: Intelligent Qube – Takayuki Hattori
- Indiana Jones and the Great Circle – Gordy Haab
- Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Order of Giants DLC – Gordy Haab
- Jurassic Park: Operation Genesis – Stephan Schütze
- Jurassic Park: Trespasser – Bill Brown (synthesized score)
- Little Orpheus – Jim Fowler & Jessica Curry
- Kinect Star Wars – Gordy Haab & Kyle Newmaster
- Medal of Honor – Michael Giacchino
- Medal of Honor: Allied Assault – Michael Giacchino
- Medal of Honor: Frontlines – Michael Giacchino
- Medal of Honor: Underground – Michael Giacchino
- Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction – Chris Tilton & Michael Giacchino
- Mercenaries 2: World in Flames – Chris Tilton
- Nobody Wants to Die – Mikolai Stroinski
- Outcast – Lennie Moore
- Outcast: A New Beginning – Lennie Moore
- Planet of Lana – Takeshi Furukawa
- Sky: Children of the Light – Vincent Diamante
- Star Wars Battlefront (2015) – Gordy Haab
- Star Wars Battlefront II (2017) – Gordy Haab
- Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order – Gordy Haab & Stephen Barton
- Star Wars Jedi: Survivor – Gordy Haab & Stephen Barton
- Star Wars Squadrons – Gordy Haab
- Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II – The Sith Lords – Mark Griskey
- Star Wars: The Force Unleashed – Mark Griskey
- Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II – Mark Griskey
- Star Wars: The Old Republic – various composers (Gordy Haab, Mark Griskey, Lennie Moore, etc.)
- Torn – Garry Schyman
- Total Annihilation – Jeremy Soule
- Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series – Wilbert Roget, II & Cris Velasco
If you want something darker, more avant-garde in a way, try Dead Space (2008), Gears of War (2006), and Bioshock 1 & 2 (2007 and 2010, respectively).
There are more soundtracks out there, of course, these are just for starters, but enough to give you all sorts of flavors of classical orchestral music in video games.
Are there any games that surprised you with an orchestral soundtrack?
Yes, there’s been a couple of surprises, many of them listed above.
First, I was surprised to find indie games with lovely orchestral music. Planet of Lana (2023), Little Orpheus (2020), Sky: Children of the Light (2019) – even if they sound more sparse than a typical huge orchestra, they’re gorgeous scores that you shouldn’t sleep on.
Second, there’s this 4X strategy called Distant Worlds (2010). While its soundtrack is mostly space electronica and the like, it has two great orchestral pieces which are a treat to listen to.
Third, Diablo II: Lord of Destruction (2001). One Redditor suggested this one, saying it’s an actual symphonic score and that the game really benefited from it.
And they were totally right on the money with this one. This is Matt Uelmen’s first actual orchestral score and it’s great. It even features sequences heavily modeled after classical compositions, including a quote from Holst and passages inspired by Debussy, Hermann, and Wagner.
I also liked Nobody Wants to Die (2024). It’s a cyberpunk detective story, but the music is not a riff on Blade Runner, but an actual orchestral score infused with that jazzy noir atmosphere.
Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris (2014) also features some fantastic orchestral interludes, though its score is overall a blend of ethnic music and orchestral beats, which means it generally doesn’t fit the bill.
This track in particular is all goosebumps and sense of wonder:
Also, I absolutely adore the menu music Stephen Barton and the gang (Gordy Haab, Kevin Notar, and more) composed for MultiVersus (2024). I expected zany, cartoony music, but what we got instead is this super nostalgic orchestral music with powerful 80s Spielberg & John Williams vibes.
This one’s an absolute classic (BTW don’t you feel like it actually quotes the Cal Kestis theme from Jedi: Fallen Order around the 1:52 mark?):
About those synthesized orchestral scores – are there any good examples? Can these actually work?
Here’s the thing: synthesized scores are more financially viable than hiring an orchestra for obvious reasons, because it’s way cheaper and easier logistics-wise. However, the ultimate product is definitely subpar compared to a live recording by an actual ensemble of people.
Even if the sound fonts and virtual instruments are getting better and better, sounding virtually indistinguishable from the real thing in many cases, such scores usually lack the energy a live performance has. And, unfortunately for such scores, most of them sound artificial.
I mentioned Jeremy Soule as the biggest culprit here and yeah, his score for the first Knights of the Old Republic, nostalgia and all other things considered, is really subpar and fake sounding. Compare that with the sequel by Mark Griskey and you’ll notice the difference. It’s very weird that they didn’t go with an orchestra. Oh well.
However, there are at least two soundtracks which use synth orchestration, but they sound very close to the real thing.
The first one is Dreamfall: The Longest Journey (2006) by Leon Willett. It’s synthesized, but you have to listen closely to hear the “fakeness” in it. There’s a strong Star Wars and John Williams influence in the orchestrations, too, resulting in something that’s a blast to listen to.
Still, it would’ve been much better if it was performed by a real orchestra, though I understand this was probably due to budget constraints. And from what I remember, it’s one of Mr. Willett’s biggest regrets.
And then there’s Jurassic Park: Trespasser by Bill Brown. Completely synthetic, but it sounds good and is considered one of the most iconic video game scores of all time, not just in the Jurassic Park realm.
Spielberg himself called Brown a “young John Williams” when he heard the music for Trespasser. Definitely sounds like a JP score, which is even more impressive given the fact that the composer didn’t use any existing themes.
Still, it would’ve been much better if it was performed by a real orchestra.
There’s also Jurassic World Evolution (2018). It’s also synthetic, but it’s hard to tell at first.
Unfortunately, aside from the fact that such soundtracks usually sound fake, this also makes them sound dated after some time. And the thing about classical orchestral music is that it sounds timeless and universal. More on that topic later.
Are there any upcoming games which might feature orchestral music?
Yes. I’ve noted down a couple of ideas.
Generally, upcoming Star Wars games, particularly those scored by Gordy Haab, can be expected to feature traditional orchestral scores.
There’s Star Wars Jedi 3, there’s Zero Company – though for some reason I’m worried that Mr. Haab might choose to go electronic for some reason here, but I hope I’m wrong!
And then there’s Star Wars Eclipse and the Knights of the Old Republic remake. These games unfortunately linger in development hell, but who knows, maybe we’ll live to see their release?
There’s also Jurassic Park: Survival, which might feature an original orchestral score. Gordy Haab would be a perfect pick for this game, given the fact that his work on Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order often is evocative of this franchise.
The Indiana Jones and the Great Circle DLC, The Order of Giants, might feature more original compositions. And then there’s Planet of Lana 2. As you can see, there’s plenty of stuff to look forward to and who knows what will get announced along the way?
What makes orchestral soundtracks so great?
Orchestral music possesses a timeless, universal quality. Even when you listen to pieces from centuries ago, like those from the 19th century, they still feel incredibly vibrant and moving. This enduring freshness is what gives orchestral music its universal appeal; it never seems to lose its charm. An orchestral score can seamlessly complement almost any game, adding depth and grandeur regardless of the setting.
In contrast, genres like rock or electronica are often defined by the technology and trends of their time. While there are certainly albums that hold up as classics, many records from these genres tend to sound dated after just a few years. Orchestral music, on the other hand, remains inherently ageless, continuing to captivate and resonate with audiences, no matter the era.
And there’s the matter of rock, electronica and that kind of stuff being pretty much pop and serving a different purpose. Granted, you can find electronic or rock compositions that surprise with their complexity and so on, but they’re generally rooted in counterculture, standing in stark opposition to the classical tradition.
Having said that, there are certain scores I wouldn’t necessarily replace with orchestral music. In some contexts other genres, such as dark ambient, tribal or industrial probably work better.
But I do believe that in many cases a symphonic score would sound very original and fresh, especially if the composer steered clear of certain tropes, such as “Hey, a jungle level? Here’s a bunch of tribal beats” or “A desert level? Got you fam, here’s a piece infused with middle eastern instrumentation.”
And once again, it’s not my statement on the quality of video game scores in general.
I love different genres. It’s just I feel that classical orchestral music possesses this timeless quality, transcending centuries, even, and is capable of evoking emotions on a level unattainable for more pop-oriented genres.
One more thing: is there actually a genre called video game music?
No, just like film scores aren’t a genre. These two are just umbrella terms that don’t make any sense if you look at them more closely. I don’t get it why sites like Rateyourmusic still use these as genre descriptors.
See, every example of a film/video game score falls into a separate genre category. You can have a rock soundtrack, an orchestral soundtrack, an electronic soundtrack, etc. – you get the idea.
The only thing that connects them is perhaps the underlying compositional philosophy behind these. Just like movie scores are to complement and add to the on-screen action, video game composers need to take into the account the context of the level, you know, its feel, whether the player is just exploring or engaging in combat, and the general repetitive, but also improvisational nature of gameplay in general.
This list will most likely be updated with new games and/or definitions as time goes on. We’ll probably get a dozen – maybe even dozens of – new titles with orchestral music in the next few years. Stay tuned!
Video games with classical orchestral music on G2A.COM
Game | Release | Genre | Developer | Video | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Call Of Duty Modern Warfare II | 2022-10-28 | Shooter | Infinity Ward | |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 | 2024-10-25 | Shooter | Treyarch | |
| CONSORTIUM | 2014-01-08 | Role-playing (RPG) & Adventure | Interdimensional Games Inc | |
| Diablo II Lord Of Destruction | 2001-06-27 | Role-playing (RPG) & Hack and slash/Beat 'em up | Blizzard North | |
| Dreamfall The Longest Journey | 2006-04-17 | Puzzle & Role-playing (RPG) | Funcom | |
| Hogwarts Legacy | 2023-02-10 | Adventure & Role-playing (RPG) | Avalanche Studios | |
| The Heart Of Darkness | 2022-04-16 | Indie & Adventure | BigWednesday | |
| Indiana Jones And The Great Circle | 2024-12-09 | Puzzle & Adventure | MachineGames | |
| Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Order of Giants | 2025-09-04 | Puzzle & Adventure | MachineGames | |
| Little Orpheus | 2022-09-13 | Platform & Puzzle | The Chinese Room | |
| Medal Of Honor | 2010-10-13 | Shooter | Electronic Arts | |
| Medal of Honor: Allied Assault | Shooter | EA | ||
| Mercenaries Playground Of Destruction | 2018-04-23 | Shooter | Pandemic Studios | |
| Nobody Wants To Die | 2024-07-17 | Simulator & Adventure | Critical Hit Games | |
| Outcast 11 | 2014-12-18 | Role-playing (RPG) & Adventure | Fresh3D | |
| Outcast A New Beginning | 2024-03-15 | Adventure & Shooter | Appeal Studios | |
| Planet Of Lana | 2023-05-23 | Platform & Puzzle | Wishfully | |
| Star Wars Battlefront | 2015-11-17 | Shooter | EA DICE | |
| Star Wars Battlefront 2 | 2017-10-17 | Adventure & Shooter | EA DICE | |
| Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order | 2019-11-15 | Adventure | Respawn Entertainment | |
| STAR WARS Jedi: Survivor | 2023-04-28 | Action RPG | Respawn Entertainment | |
| STAR WARS Knights Of The Old Republic II | 2005-02-08 | RPG | Obsidian Entertainment | |
| Star Wars The Force Unleashed | Adventure & Hack and slash/Beat 'em up | LucasArts | ||
| Star Wars The Force Unleashed II | 2010-10-26 | Adventure & Role-playing (RPG) | Aspyr Studios | |
| Star Wars the Old Republic | ||||
| Torn | 2018-08-28 | Adventure & Puzzle | Aspyr Media | |
| Total Annihilation | 1997-09-30 | Real Time Strategy (RTS) & Strategy | Cavedog Entertainment | |
| Dead Space Remake | 2023-01-27 | Role-playing (RPG) & Shooter | Motive Studios | |
| Gears Of War | Shooter | Epic Games | ||
| BioShock Remastered | 2016-09-15 | Adventure & Role-playing (RPG) | 2K Australia |