Looking back at the music in our MMOs
The one thing many lasting MMOs have in common is their amazing soundtracks, so we're giving a thumbs up to some of the best game composers around
Aion
Perhaps twenty years in the future, all we'll remember about Aion is how soul-crushing it was to fail your first Hot Heart of Magic but, for now, game mechanics aside, Aion still has a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack. While it's true that the soundtrack of Aion was also hyped pre-launch, we dare you to listen to tracks like "The Still Sad World," or "The Song of Moonlight," and not appreciate the music of this game.
In reality, it's difficult to separate the game from the music, as many gamers will have gotten "used" to the in-game tracks, but if you really stop to listen to Aion's diverse soundtrack, you can easily see the amount of effort the team put into its creation. Aion is a game that defines part of itself through its music, and we only hope that years from now we still remember its soundtrack.
Final Fantasy XI
Final Fantasy XI's soundtrack is quite interesting, as legendary Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu only created the first batch of songs for FFXI, and other composers picked it up thereafter. Either way, the composers for Final Fantasy XI have truly made some incredibly memorable music - it's not surprising to hear of fans who haven't played the game for years, suddenly wishing to re-subscribe when they hear that familiar Jeuno tune, or aching to visit Zi'tah one more time just to appreciate that beautiful music (and farm more tree cuttings!).
Of course, even though Nobuo Uematsu did not compose the entire FFXI soundtrack, you can trust him to have created one of the most noteworthy tracks of the bunch. Just hearing that classic Ronfaure Theme Song is enough to remember the countless hours spent whacking rabbits and happily leveling multiple new jobs to level 10. In reality, Nobuo Uematsu's music would be so influential in the gaming world that the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra's "Distant Worlds" concert features only Nobuo Uematsu songs that he's composed for various Final Fantasy games. Of particular note, Final Fantasy XI's theme song, "Memoro de la Stono," is often considered one of Uematsu's most epic creations.
All in all, these are not the only MMORPGs that have featured some amazing in-game music - we have simply highlighted some of the games that are very well known for their notable tunes.
If you have some MMO songs from your own memories that just seem to tug on your heartstrings, leave a comment and let us know! Your suggestions may very well lead a fellow reader to find his or her new favorite musical soundtrack!