Welcome to XboxEra’s second volume of “Game Soundtrack Roundup”—a feature dedicated to the release of original video game scores, new and old, and highlighting said releases for various reasons. Be it the sound of the thump, the perfect soundbox of a synth, hip-hop and rap beats, orchestral, you name it—video games have them all, a division of music in its own right that is influenced by musicians from all over the globe, with many cultures at hand and by a variety of genres.
The month of April saw the release of many games and, of course, their associated soundtracks. Some are quite notable (expeditions and SNES-remakes, y’know) and some will definitely be titles you’ve never heard of. My hope is what you see here kickstarts your interest not only in the games but their tunes which are lovingly crafted by their composers and developers alike—and hey, you just might find your next listen in one of these features. If you’d like to see a release highlighted, give us a shout!
Most artist and album information are provided by VGMDB.net, the largest, oldest, and most important video game music database. You can find Volume 1 (April 2025)’s edition right this way.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Original Soundtrack
Music by Lorien Testard, Co-composed by Alice Duport-Percier
Vocals by Victor Borba, Alice Duport-Percier, Ben Starr, Axelle Verner
Available via Bandcamp, Deezer, Apple Music, Qobuz, Spotify, Steam, YouTube Music
It would do me and composers Lorien Testard and Alice Duport-Percier a great disservice to simply label Clair Obscur’s soundtrack as “distinctly French”. The pair’s debut album features a storm of genres and instrument samples, ranging from live recordings to synthetics that capture the weird, the calm, and the pain of Expedition 33’s unravellings. The vocal tracks scream with life and speak with gravity when need be, compounding against a score that loves its bass as much as it does its cümbüş and accordian.
What a marvelous surprise, this release. If you haven’t played Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, I highly suggested you check out our review of the game thisaway.
Towerborne Original Soundtrack
Music by Austin Wintory
Orchestrated by Austin Wintory and Susie Seiter
Available on Qobuz, Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music
Composer Austin Wintory is no stranger to developer Stoic Studio’s staunch fantasy worlds, once again bringing us up to speed on a new cooperative beat ’em up title ‘Towerborne’. It’s been some time since I’ve listened to the Banner Saga’s score, but I can safely say that Wintory’s latest score brings a much-needed upbeat tempo and a delve into very familiar animated film inspirations (dare I personally say “Rosso”?) that give players a reason to keep swinging their swords.
We’ve got more to say about Towerborne, by the way—check out our review of the game here!
Katamari Damacy Rolling LIVE (Original Soundtrack -Lalamari Damacy)
Arranged by Shogo Nomura, Kanaya Oki, Sho Okada, Rihito Tsuboi, steμ, Ryo Watanabe, trine, Yuji Masubuchi, and Yoshihito Yano
Vocals by Cassie Wei, Maki Nagayama, Natsuki Ogoda, Kohei Hiromura, Masakazu Hara, asaco, PannoMimimi, Sana Natori, Kaho Kidoguchi, and Yuusama
Available on Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, LINE Music, Mora, and OTOTOY
Bandai Namco’s ‘Katamari Damacy’ series is a label of games specifically made to ship out-of-this-world funky alternative songs. The original holds a special place in my heart, and nothing has ever come quite close to the eccentric “Que Sera Sera” and nostalgia-inducing “Cherry Tree Times”, that hasn’t stopped the series from getting close to those muscles—Rolling LIVE features songs deliberately tapping into the tropes of today’s pop, hip hop, and funk with strong vocals and accompanying vocalists (Cassie Wei of Mili, Kohei Hiromura, asaco), deliberately tapping into modern sensibilities (not unlike what Hatsuboshi Gakuen leans into) that you can’t help but groove to. You can never go wrong with Katamari, its invigorating instrumentals and cheerful visuals will always get you up and out of any ol’ funk—just roll with it.
Blue Archive Original Soundtrack Vol.7 ~Harmonizing for the Hearts of Each~
Composed by KARUT, Mitsukiyo, Synthion, 7mai, EmoCosine, and Nor
Available on Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, LINE Music, Mora, and OTOTOY
MX Studios’ ‘Blue Archive’ is all about house beats, fast-paced rhythms, and lo-fi ambiance that backgrounds fan favourite scenes in this uniquely bizarre world of girls who eat bullets and take explosions to the face. Volume 7 continues game tradition and is heavily focused on taking familiar oriental tunes and speeding them up into an elegy of high-pitched techno. A hearty recommendation to the electronic dance fan.
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