Video games may be a visual medium, but without any audio they’d just be a collection of good-looking shells that were hollow inside. Music creates an atmosphere, it tells a story and pushes players in the right direction when a game needs to pick up the pace. They’re the subliminal prods that keep the momentum going, but there are times when a game’s soundtrack can stay with you long after the end credits have rolled. Here’s a look, at the video game soundtracks that defined 2018.

Fast forward a few decades, and Spyro is back and look better than ever. That, and it’s also capable of tickling your auditory canals thanks to the massive advancements made in audio technology since the humble days of the ol’ CD-ROM technology that woke your ears up with the sound of cascading wind chimes. For the development of the Spyro: Reignited Trilogy, Toys for Bob had to essentially reconstruct the music from scratch.

Audio cues that drive a project forward, and Cyberpunk 2077 won’t be any different. Cyberpunk 2077 is obviously leaning towards a more techno beat for its musical backdrop, but it’s not solely reliant on just the sound of synthesisers and assorted beeps to tell its not so subtle story.

Bioware has officially confirmed that Sarah Schachner has joined the team as the composer for Anthem. Schachner is no stranger to video game soundtracks, having an impressive number of soundtracks on her belt already, with a significant chunk of her work being found in the Assassin’s Creed universe across games such as Black Flag, Unity and Origins.

One of Far Cry 5’s greatest strengths? Not just its visuals and keen storytelling that has one hell of a great ending, but also its soundtrack.

Cuphead's sense of style doesn't end with its visuals, and its soundtrack is being appraoched with the same level of detail to root you in its 1930's cartoon aesthetic.

Here’s the full soundtrack list forWipEout Omega Collection (And some samples!), which includes some names that I recognise and a LOT that I don’t because the crushing reality of my true age has begun to set in for me.

After hearing the first track from Michael Giacchino’s Doctor Strange score, I've got even higher hopes for the upcoming Marvel movie.