Including a licensed soundtrack in a video game is not as straightforward as it may appear, but it can certainly be worth the cost if it helps deliver impact. This can be dramatic or nostalgic in tone, or it could be a bop that gets us excited for the next phase of the story. Here are five times licensed music was used perfectly in a video game.
“Simple & Clean” (Kingdom Hearts)
The Planitb Remix of “Simple & Clean” that plays during the CG intro of Kingdom Hearts hits you with early 2000’s nostalgia as soon as you start the game. It’s an energetic piece that complements the wild island-themed visuals on screen. It starts slowly as Sora dives into the water, and then pumps up as we see more of the world come to light.
The lyrics make little sense to the actual game’s context (we still have no idea who Sora’s father is), but it’s upbeat and themed in a romantic way that it somehow does tie into the crazy Disney and Square Enix crossover. This song is then reimplemented into a wonderful orchestral dramatic piece at the end of the game, marking a wonderful callback to Sora’s start of the journey. The “Hold Me” section of the song also reminds me of the many times Sora and his love Kairi have hugged to show their emotions.
Check out the worlds we want to see in Kingdom Hearts 4, too, while you’re here.
The entire Life is Strange soundtrack
There is no specific licensed song in the Life is Strange soundtrack that stands above the rest because they all perfectly compliment the storytelling and atmosphere of the world.
Through Max Caufield’s taste in indie rock, we get a glimpse of her teenage world, her school, and the kind of music she and her best friend Chloe enjoys. She just puts on her headphones and just takes the world in, like the player. It’s a sheer delight to listen to tracks like “Santa Monica Dream” by Angus and Julia Stone or “To All of You” by Syd Matters. The chill music also fits the Pacific Northwest environment and small town vibes.
“Take on Me” (The Last of Us Part 2)
Sometimes music can be a great way to bring humanity into a fraught world, and The Last of Us Part 2’s use of “Take on Me” by A-Ha is evidence of that. Ellie finds a guitar left in an abandoned record shop, and she begins to play the instrument in front of her girlfriend Dina. It’s an emotional, beautiful moment as Ellie shows that she still has an emotional depth under all that rage.
I remember crying while watching this scene for the first time. After all the pain and misery Ellie has suffered through, she still plays and sings the cheerful song from decades past. It’s also a memory of her father figure, Joel, who sadly passed away shortly before. She is “slowly learning that it’s okay” for at least that very moment between her and a loved one.
“Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked” (Borderlands)
“Money don’t grow on trees,” and because of that, “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked” is a perfect introductory song to the world of Pandora in Borderlands. It helps tell the narrative that this environment is filled with desperate vault hunters, creatures, and bandits that are out to kill you.
There ain’t no rest for those who are searching for the vault as the skrag is overrun by the thunderingly fast van that our characters are riding. As the blood is spattered onto the studio’s name in the credits, and the song features an unhinged country melody, it’s the perfect tone setter for the start of your and your friends’ adventure into this unsavoury sci-fi world.
BioShock Infinite stealing songs from the future
One of the most memorable scenes in a video game for me is when the barbershop quartet appears in BioShock Infinite. It helps add so much context to the surreal utopian world that 2K and Irrational Games built as the quarter floats towards an audience and sings the song before flying away.
The quartet sings a version of the Beach Boys’ “God Only Knows” that is stunning to listen to. It also has a creepy undertone to it as the four of them sing about love that “you never need to doubt.” If you know what happens to Elizabeth and Booker, there’s a lot of foreshadowing here.
As you dive further into the game, you’ll realize that this utopia of Columbia looked to the future and ripped off songs from that time, effectively erasing them, which is pretty damn evil if you ask me. It’s a cool bit of lore.
Are there any other songs that stand out to you? One in Death Stranding may ring a bell or perhaps a track from another narrative game like Mixtape?
