There is a fine line between being outwardly ‘’scary’’ and being ‘’creepy’’. Whilst the former throws you into a state of explicit panic, the latter is more about inducing subtle feelings of unease. Granted it’s a slim distinction, but one that needs to be emphasized when it comes to curating this list of creepy video-game scores.
Because make no mistake, the tracks we’ll be looking at here aren’t going to feature any shrieking violins, thunderous brass sections or heavy-handed attempts to startle. Rather, they’ll resort to insidious tactics to put you ever-so-slightly on edge. We’re not going to be featuring any of the usual suspects either, so don’t expect to see the likes of Silent Hill or Resident Evil cropping up. Instead, let’s take this opportunity to celebrate some proper deep cuts!
Bloodborne: Soothing Hymn
This Lovecraftian yarn has one of the most dramatic scores in all of gaming. Which is hardly surprising, given that the project was a mammoth undertaking in its own right: taking 28 months to record; enlisting the talents of 6 separate composers, and containing over 2 hours of material. With numbers like those, it’s inevitable that the end result would be a bombastic affair.
However, there are some quieter moments sprinkled throughout to alleviate the intensity. Instances where the music settles down and lets you drink in the rich atmosphere of Yarnham. Take ‘’Soothing Hymn’’ for example, the unsettling choral piece that underpins your journey through the Upper Cathedral Ward.
Not as comforting as its name might suggest, this piece makes minimal use of eerie strings and blood-curdling vocals in order to get under the player’s skin. ‘Minimal’ is the operative word by the way, as the track has a very sparse texture and doesn’t have much in the way of progression or escalation. Nor does it need to, because with just a few simple ingredients ‘’soothing hymn’’ is able to make a lasting impression.
Outlast 2: ‘’Let’s Step Back into Class, please’’
When it came to scoring Outlast 2, returning composer – Samuel Laflamme – was conscious that he needed to do something a little different from his score for the first game. After all, the game marked a bold departure from its predecessor, with a noticeable shift towards heady psychological themes. So it only made sense for the music to follow suit.
To come up with a fresh sound, Laflamme made the ballsy decision to eschew his trusty orchestra, in favor of a more rustic palate. This self-imposed restriction forced him to think outside the box, a move that certainly paid off, with the trippy score absolutely nailing Outlast 2’s nightmarish tone.
Nowhere is this better demonstrated than in the hair-raising ‘’Let’s step back into class, please’’. Blending erratic strings – reminiscent of The Shining – low-frequency drones, an unearthly synth line, and other enigmatic noises, it’s every bit as disorienting as the game itself. The best part is undoubtedly Jessica’s haunting motif, which is a really disquieting piece of ambiance, one that uses modular filtering to great effect.
Cuphead: The Mausoleum
The ragtime music of Cuphead is every bit as detailed and astutely-observed as the visuals. A truly authentic throwback to the days of 1930s animation (and one of gaming’s most eminently listenable soundtracks to boot), it’s littered with catchy, upbeat tunes. Even better, each level here has its own aural identity, from the Disneyland stylings of the overworld, right through to the Latino-inspired Floral Fury.
But for spookier fare, we can turn to the delightful ‘’Mausoleum’’, which accompanies the game’s spectral encounters. Channeling ghostly vibes in a way that’s entirely innocent, this playful track is so endearingly old-school (what with its buoyant organ solos and cheesy Theremin sections) that it’s impossible not to raise a smile. It might be a tad hackneyed, but that just makes it all the more charming, evoking memories of lame ghost train rides, innocuous Halloween specials and those dumb CDs you buy to scare trick ‘r treaters. In other words, it had a pseudo-creepy quality that’s totally adorable.
Dark Souls III: Dancer of the Boreal Valley
In bastard-hard games, there’s always a danger that replaying sections over and over again will eventually grow stale. Should this happen, then one of the first things that players will lose patience with is the music, as they’ll get sick-to-death of all the repetition. For instance, I’ll be the first to admit that certain parts of Super Meat Boy drove me to the very edge of insanity and that was largely because of the looping soundtrack. In fact, if I hear so much as a single note from that score, it’ll probably conjure up Vietnam-style flashbacks for me.
With that said, I had a lot of trouble getting past the Dancer of the Boreal Valley in Dark Souls III. Locked in a seemingly endless duel with the boss, it’s fair to say that I got somewhat frustrated (as evidenced by the fist-shaped dent in my wall). It would, therefore, stand to reason that, after being subjected to it ad nauseam like this, I’d start to resent her theme music as well.
On the contrary though, I have nothing but affection for this freaky track, which stands out for its slower tempo and ethereal mood. Flawlessly capturing the Dancer’s grace and elegance, the piece admittedly works better in the context of the game, where it synchronizes with her irregular moveset. By doing this, it almost ends up informing the gameplay, helping you to get into the rhythm of the fight. Which is a novel idea and of the main reasons I love it so much.
Of course, there’s also the fact that the choir just sends shivers down my spine.
Albino Lullaby: Cacophony
Touted as an emerging dark horse back in 2015, Albino Lullaby (or Alice’s Lullaby, depending on what it’s actually called nowadays) never quite got the attention it deserved. Mixing psychedelic visuals, macabre British humor, funhouse environments, and creatures that resemble demonic reskins of Worms, it’s utterly unlike anything else out there.
The same goes for its avant-garde music – composed by Ryan Patrick Buckley – which has a Pink Floyd vibe and boasts lengthy, distorted guitar riffs alongside experimental jazz sections. It’s not conventionally creepy, but then again, nothing about this overlooked oddity is. To get a good feel for the prog-rock influences, have a listen to the appropriately named ‘’Cacophony’. Surreal and unfamiliar, it’s the perfect embodiment of this peculiar gem.
The Witcher 3: Ladies of the Woods
When pinpointing the sound for their open-world epic, The Witcher 3, CD Projekt Red knew they had to pay homage to the source material’s Slavic roots. To do this, they put their faith in Polish composer Marcin Przybyłowicz, who ensured that his score was steeped in a rich European heritage. Utilizing obscure instruments like the hurdy gurdy and the kemenche, the album has an offbeat flavor that feels wholly distinct from its fantasy peers, with not a whiff of Game of Thrones or Lord of the Rings to be detected.
For the most part, the unique sound is used to reflect the scope and majesty of Geralt’s adventure. But every-now-and-then the story calls for something with a darker edge, which brings us to ‘’Ladies of the Woods’’. Referring to the Crones of Crookback Bog, this sinister composition ensures that the evil hags loom large over the first act of the game, even when they’re not physically present.
Starting off quite straightforward, more elements are gradually piled on top of the track, until it graduates from portentous background music to full-blown nightmare fuel. With a propulsive drumbeat and out-of-tune violin scratches, you get the sense that everything is descending into madness, a feeling that culminates with the introduction of a meaning chant. It’s like nothing you’d hear in any another RPG, which is what makes it so damn frightening.
Deadly Premonition: Life is Beautiful
A bone-chilling piece from this masterpiece of horror, because what’s scarier than a fucking kazoo!