Even though we haven’t been able to celebrate world music day this year thanks to the pandemic, there’s no need for a festival to appreciate music - we can do it from the confines of our homes! From blood pumping metal, to chill ambient tunes and catchy pop tunes, music is often the most overlooked aspect of a video game (unless it is music-focused). Since there are so many different games out there and not enough time to listen to all of them, we decided to round up some of our favourite video game soundtracks for you to check out and hopefully enjoy!
Lifeformed - Cider Time, 9-Bit Expedition
Fun fact - I fell in love with the game before I played it for the first time thanks to its soundtrack. When I discovered the soundtrack, I had not been exposed to similar music before and it opened my ears to a whole new world of chill, electronic music. In turn, it led me down the path of enjoying indie games. If it wasn’t for the Dustforce OST, I wouldn’t be this deep into the hobby.
M|O|O|N - Hydrogen, Magic Sword - The Way Home, Vestron Vulture - New Wave Hookers, Mitch Murder - Hollywood Heights
It’s hard to pick a favourite track from here (they are all so good), but Hotline Miami is how I got into synthwave and the outrun genre. Young me would have not been able to appreciate such synth-heavy music, but because it perfectly complemented the fast and frantic gameplay of Hotline Miami (you die and repeat the same stages, over and over again), they were burnt into my head and I felt myself playing according to the rhythm of the songs.
Toby Fox - Once Upon a Time, MEGALOVIA
My jaw dropped when I learnt that this game was almost completely made by one person (Toby Fox) and all the music was composed by him. Probably one of the most-loved indie games of all time, Undertale’s soundtrack is simply amazing. From the harmonious overture (Once Upon a Time) to the adrenaline-inducing Sans fight music (MEGALOVIA) - Undertale’s soundtrack is perfect for the kind of game it is. Seeing how the game’s music has been used, remixed and covered by the countless number of people till today is a testament to its brilliance. In fact, some of you might have even heard its music before without knowing the game!
Christopher Tin featuring Ron Ragin and Stanford Talisman - Baba Yetu
I enjoy this because the composition is beautiful, "epic" in an uplifting manner. Combined with the choir in Swahili, the song evokes a sense that the world is larger, more mysterious and more beautiful than it seems. (Fun fact: "Baba Yetu", was the first piece of video game music to win a Grammy Award.)
2WEI and Edda Hayes - Warriors
I like how 2WEI slowed down the tempo compared to Imagine Dragon's original, giving it a contemplative and sombre feel without losing it's bite and fight. Edda Hayes' ethereal-like voice gives the song a slightly eerie and otherworldly vibe. The music video is also well animated!
Shoji Meguro, Rike Schmalz and Lyn Inaizumi - Beneath The Mask
This is the coolest, most relaxing song I've ever heard in a video game - it's the perfect song to listen to while drinking hot tea, sitting next to the window as rain pours on a cold night. I never realised how suave video games could be until Persona 5, and their acid jazz soundtrack fully encapsulates the tone of P5.
Nobuo Uematsu - Liberi Fatali
This was the first video game song I heard when I first played the original PlayStation, and what a fantastic introduction it was! The eerie choir opening, followed by sweeping orchestral sounds that jumped between intense and wondrous emotions are truly breathtaking. The overall FF8 soundtrack is just sublime - Nobuo Uematsu (regular Final Fantasy composer) rarely disappoints.
I’ll Keep Coming - Low Roar
One of the weirdest songs used in video game trailers, which makes it perfect for the then-mysterious Death Stranding. The opening may not be everyone’s cup of tea (it can be a bit unnerving), but it’s impossible not to nod (tongue twister) your head to the music when it builds up to its crescendo. Special mentions to Easy Way Out and Silent Poets’ Asylums For The Feeling (also Death Stranding songs) as my favourites too.
Mick Gordon - Rip & Tear
I don’t have any specific favourites for Doom (2016), but oh my, does its heavy metal soundtrack really get me in the mood to bash many demons’ heads. Only a few would be able to enjoy it just by listening to the soundtrack, but once you start playing Doom, you’ll welcome the crazy violence in your ears whilst engaging in gory carnage, thanks to Mick Gordon (Doom composer).
Saki, Riona, Kiryu - Like A Butterfly
Yakuza is one of the few games that makes me wanna listen to the soundtrack. I must say, I absolutely adore it. I'm in love with that kind of hard-rock-metal-electro music, so this track is one of my favourite songs that get me going when it comes to fighting bad guys and breaking items in the Yakuza games.
m.o.v.e - Rage your dream
Initial D's OST does its job well, but it heightens the experience in a much deeper way. It transports the viewer back to an era that no longer exists. The import tuner craze, street racing, JDM; this era of the 90's really isn't around anymore.
These are just some of the video game songs that we enjoy listening to - let us know if you enjoyed our recommendations and if there are any other soundtracks to check out. Stay tuned to eGG Network for more gaming content!
Who knew video games could serve as vessels for life teachings? I mean, I personally did, but I'm sure many would be surprised by the depth that some games possess. And just like our own fathers, some life lessons can be taught by various paternal figures in video games too. After all, they've lived through some pretty fantastical struggles, so I'm pretty sure they have their fair share of wisdom to impart.
Here are some of the wisest video game Dad life lessons that we think could inspire you:
Who could forget this line that so clearly illustrates the hardened Greek god Daddy? Kratos' tough love towards his only son Atreus may be intimidating at times, but it's hard to refute his lesson: there's no point wallowing in guilt when you've made a mistake. You can't change the past, but what you have control over, is learning from your wrongdoings to "be better".
The former cowboy outlaw is the imperfect father and husband - he initially escaped his responsibilities, afraid to repent for his errors, and had no clue how to connect with his son. Despite John's mistakes, his wife Abigail gave him a chance to prove himself, and he turned everything around to earn her forgiveness. In the end, he became an exemplary family man that did everything he could to keep his family safe
You don't need to live in a post-apocalyptic world like Joel to know that it's not enough just making sure we stay alive; we should take full advantage of the life we've been given and live it to the fullest. It doesn't necessarily have to be as deep as "finding our purpose in life" (which can be tough), it can be as simple as taking part in activities that fulfil our soul, or even contributing to mankind in our own small ways. Whatever we do, just know that life is more than what we're taught.
The aforementioned famous explorer is none other than Lara's missing father, Richard Croft. Though he was largely absent from her life, his words set a precedent for Lara to live up to. From surviving horrendous injuries and fending for herself on the deserted island, Lara's efforts to persevere transformed the timid, unsure woman into the confident tomb raider we all know and admire. To cite another quote from Batman Begins, "It's not who you are underneath, but what you do that defines you."
It's easy to forget what we're working towards when we're so invested in fixing everything that's happening in the moment. We've always been taught to either work for the future or live in the present, but like everything else, there needs to be a balance. It's essential for us to focus in the current time so that we don't miss out on life, but it's also important to think ahead, be prepared for what's coming, and do what we can to ensure our future is bright.
Online gaming has become one of the world’s most favourite pastimes. While it’s been popular for years, the recent global lockdowns meant that more people than ever have had no choice but to stay at home and find a way to entertain themselves. From Call of Duty, to Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Dota 2, League Of Legends, and so much more, online gamers are truly spoiled for choice in an otherwise difficult time.
Despite all the incredible games available, not everything always goes as planned. We’re talking about those days where it all goes wrong—where you’re ready to spend a few hours upping your rank, but you keep encountering that annoying kid, or the lag spikes are simply out of control.
Know what we’re talking about?
Check out the biggest annoyances online gamers face, and be glad that you don’t go through it alone!
It’s great that kids enjoy video games. It gives them an entertaining way to spend their time, it allows them to socialize, and it can even help them develop and build important life skills.
But not all kids—especially if they’re young—can fully process what it means to lose a match, or die a few times in a row. It can be frustrating for them, and the only way they know how to vent their emotions is by getting angry at everyone around them. There are few things quite as jarring as having a 9-year-old yell expletives at you just because you got a really good headshot.
Camping has long been a part of the online experience—those players who like to find a secret spot and gank everyone who comes close. It’s truly beyond annoying, doubly so when everyone else is constantly on the move. Even worse is getting down to the last person on the other team, and you and your teammates spend hours trying to hunt them down just to put an end to the match.
We understand that games are laborious works of art. They require thousands of hours of coding, and it’s expected that a few glitches are just part of the experience. But game-breaking bugs have that name for a reason. Nothing can put a stop to your good time like suddenly dropping through the floor, or not being able to get that kill in against the person you’ve been after for ten solid minutes.
Cheating is never acceptable in any video game, whether or not it’s online. Everyone is there to have a good time, and cheaters detract from that, often to the point where it becomes stressful. They come in all shapes and sizes, using loopholes, scripts, and exploits to shift the game in their favor—almost always at the expense of everyone else’s fun.
While it’s great that more people around the world are enjoying video games, it’s also meant a tremendous increase in the amount of time spent waiting in lobbies. Whether it’s for the next round in CS:GO or an instance in Guild Wars 2, it’s always dreadfully boring to sit and wait your turn.
Trash talk has long been something of a given when it comes to the online world. Players like to talk trash to each other, but it’s usually out of a place of mutual respect and poking fun at your friends. There are those players, however, who tend to take things too far—cursing, swearing, and bringing a level of discomfort to the experience that no one really asked for.
Paywalls are something of a more recent invention. Developers will intentionally cut out parts of the game, forcing players to spend money if they want access to specific content. It’s a practice that’s criticized by millions, but it’s still common enough that it can seriously detract from the experience. It also means that those players who happen to have more spending money than others can start the game with an advantage over those who have to play from the bottom and earn their rewards.
Video games aren’t really true games unless there’s some kind of state of failure inherent in the gameplay. So, it’s expected that no matter what you’re playing, you’re not always going to win. For most people, this isn’t much of a problem; there are days when you and your team just can’t always win against your competitors. For a few select others, though, it’s preferable to cut and run before admitting defeat.
It’s a real kick in the teeth to have finally beaten an opposing player or team, only to have them suddenly disconnect and prematurely end the match before you get your rewards.
Griefers are there to do one thing and one thing only—to make everyone else have a bad time. These are the players who go out of their way to kill the noobs, hunt down the amateurs, and cause chaos wherever they tread. There’s no rhyme or reason behind the things they do. They’re usually bored with the game and are looking to get a rise out of the people they’re annoying. While they’re present in most desktop computer and console games, it’s the MMORPGs where they’re most common, forever on the hunt for the unassuming.
While lag isn’t quite as common as it once was—most gamers today have access to high-speed broadband and powerful machines—it’s still enough of an annoyance to make your blood boil. Lag can change the nature of a game in a heartbeat, taking it from a fast-paced shooter to a slow and broken mess that leaves you angry and frustrated. If there’s one thing that all gamers around the world can unite over, it’s a universal hate for lag.
For 95% of the time, gaming online is a never-ending source of constant fun. It’s safe to say that while we all get annoyed every now and again, nothing will stop us from playing.
This article was a guest post by Robin Underwood, a freelance editor at multiple online outlets where she delights her audience with fresh ink angles on topics like E-learning, IT and gaming.
This article is part of a weekly blog series by our eGG-steemed writers, to share our progress playing your favourite games not only for fun, but also to level up our mastery and understand your love for the game.
Yes, I did say I was going to hang my Mini 14 in my last blog to instead cover Free Fire. But, I was truly in awe watching the majestic Titans - or kaiju, as I prefer calling them - in cinema (thankfully before MCO 3.0 happened), so I just had to try out PUBG Mobile's latest collaboration event with Godzilla vs. Kong, featuring the titular monsters themselves.
However, does the current special Titan Strikes mode live up to its awesome kaijus? Let's find out in Blog Entry #6:
To be honest, the PUBG Mobile Titans Strike mode doesn't add much variety to its gameplay like its previous Hundred Rhythms mode, though it's better than just lazily rehashing the same formula. Aside from a new type of utilities (Titan Crystals) and Apex camps that house decent enough loot, there's not much to shout about in terms of amping up the gameplay, which isn't necessarily a bad thing for PUBG Mobile purists.
After many hours of playing, I finally managed to try out Godzilla's Titan Crystals in Erangel, which are pretty much sci-fi frag grenades so they're equally devastating. I managed to instantly knock out (or kill, since it was solo mode) an enemy with a single Crystal, which was my proudest moment yet; apart from the cool blue explosion, there isn't anything else to it.
I didn't get the chance to obtain Kong's Crystals in Sanhok, but my friends did tell me it was pretty fun using them, because they could run much faster and leap at great heights - it was chaotic fun battling other players when everyone is roided out.
On the other hand, I hate the small monsters settlements. The crabs are bullet sponges that are excruciatingly difficult to kill off, even in easy monster settlements and they prove to be a huge hindrance when they crash the party (a.k.a. an ensuing gunfight between you and human opponents).
Granted that shotguns would be more effective against them, but let's be honest, how often do we carry a shotgun sans early game? Then again, that's the point of it? Even if you do defeat them they don't carry anything noteworthy and you end up wasting too much ammo. So, it's probably best to just avoid them altogether and loot the old-fashioned way.
Hearing how fun Kong's Titan Crystals are, I'm eager to try them out eventually, as long as I don't die before that. And with the arrival of Mechagodzilla in Livik on Thursday (20 May), his(?) Titan Crystals sound similar to the Hundred Rhythms' Recon Armband, so I'm looking forward to that too.
Follow eGG Network on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to see how my PUBG Mobile adventure will unfold. Or you can check out my friend's blog series on Wild Rift, in which he recently reached Bronze tier!
It's been a tough time for everyone in the past year or so, though things are finally looking up with vaccines rolling in to vanquish the disease. We have much to be thankful for, especially our mothers for holding the fort and keeping the family together. So, it’s high time we celebrate how awesome they are by remembering all the great video game Moms that inspired us.
Even one of the most powerful sorceresses in The Witcher universe would have her own limits, including - in this context - being unable to conceive, like any other sorceress and Witcher. It's unfortunate that Yennefer of Vengerberg also had a desire to bear a child, but fate brought her and Ciri together through their destiny with Geralt of Rivia. Though the pair got off to a rocky start, they quickly developed a mother-daughter relationship as Yennefer trained Ciri in the ways of magic, even helping the Lion Cub of Cintra deal with her trauma.
In between cryogenic sleep, Nora witnessed the murder of her husband and the kidnapping of her infant son Shaun at the hands of mercenaries. Despite being an attorney during the pre-War era, she ventured out into the harsh world of post-apocalyptic Boston to rescue her son, battling mutants, bandits, hostile Synth and the like to achieve her maternal goal. And maybe help a few settlements along the way, build a Power Armor, hoard loot, grow her base - you know the drill.
It's easy to overlook fan favourite Chloe Price's shortcomings when you're in Max's shoes. Which is why her mother, Joyce Price, is the MVP for taking the brunt of her anger and sadness. After experiencing the loss of their husband/father, Joyce stayed strong and emotionally supported her daughter the best she could, while working as an incredible waitress at the Two Whales Diner. Though she found new love in Blackwell's security guard David Madsen, Joyce has to be the one to balance the antagonistic relationship between Chloe and her new husband. We salute you, Joyce!
The creator of Little Sisters had a change of heart when she discovered that despite being mentally conditioned, her creations remain young girls at heart. Filled with guilt, Dr. Brigid Tenenbaum became driven to save the Little Sisters she created so that they can live the lives they deserve. Even though she left Rapture by the end of BioShock, after presumably rescuing all of the girls, she still returned to the doomed underwater city when she found out there were more left behind.
This motherly loving creature took in Ori without question when she found the guardian spirit lost in the forest, raising them as if they were her own child. When their home started decaying and no food could be gathered, Naru gave the last of her fruit to Ori so that they would survive, while she herself died of starvation. Right in the feels. (dabs tissue onto watering eyes)
The Caretaker of the Ruins takes good care of not only Undertale’s child protagonist, but also every human who has fallen into the Underground. She gives them cell phones so she can check in on them frequently, loves bad jokes and puns, and enjoys cooking and baking - butterscotch-cinnamon pie and snail pie are her favourites. When the main character finally leaves Ruins, she even gives them a parting hug, as long as they play nice in-game.
Mom knows how much her son (your character) is addicted to his Nintendo DS, which is why she came up with complex methods to restrain him from gaming too much, such as keeping it in an alligator's mouth, on top of a giraffe, inside a watermelon, just to name a few. No matter how many times her son bested her plans, she tirelessly thinks of new over-the-top ways to help with her son's addiction. In the end, he finally learns his limits and returns to his family, waiting for him with open arms. Great job, Mom! Albeit a little dangerous, no?
At the age of 11 (Season 2), Clementine adopts infant Alvin Jr. (AJ) after his mother Rebecca and foster father Kenny are killed. Since then, they’ve lived with interchanging groups of survivors, overcame impossible odds, and through it all, they constantly saved each other when no one else would. Clementine taught him every lesson she learned from her last guardian Lee Everett (Season 1) so that he could fend for himself. Their deep bond is even more prevalent when the five-year-old says "I love you, Clem”, and how scared Clementine was when she lost him.
This article is part of a weekly blog series by our eGG-steemed writers, to share our progress playing your favourite games not only for fun, but also to level up our mastery and understand your love for the game.
Dear Internet,
It's been two weeks since my last entry playing PUBG Mobile, and I'm elated to announce that ... I finally got my first legit kill. (virtually, of course) That's how bad I usually am at PUBG Mobile, and it may seem like a small feat, but it's a pretty big deal for me personally - I'll get to this later on.
Nevertheless, I think I'm slowly getting into the beat of the game; yes, that's a wholly intentional pun, in conjunction with PUBG Mobile's music-focused 3rd Anniversary update. Like any other season, PUBG Mobile Season 18 (patch 1.3) is jam-packed with new content, but there's one particular new mode that helped elevate my experience with the mobile battle royale.
Here we go with Blog Entry #2:
My prayers for wanting to play in Erangel more was answered, with all of my past games taking place in el classico. I guess Tencent wanted us to try out the latest limited-time game mode they've inserted into the map: the Hundred Rhythms mode. Most importantly, the skill-based gameplay reminded me heavily of Apex Legends, a game I sunk over 200 hours into last year, so it is a great addition for me.
Aside from concert stages spawning randomly (which are almost always hot spots), the new skills in Hundred Rhythms - reminiscent to Runic Power mode - felt more tactical to me. I enjoyed using the Recon Armband, which lets you scan for enemies with a throwable device and help my more capable friends to seek out enemies.
I felt Recon is a bit OP, because enemies stay marked for as long as 30 seconds (give or take), so you can heal up first and still find time to hunt them down or know how far they are and revive your downed friend(s). But, I'm not complaining - if I can't help my friends eliminate enemies, I can at least help to scout for them. Plus, my proficiency in using skills help a lot in improving my contribution to the team, especially when Apex Legends' Bloodhound (a recon Legend) is one of my mains.
Now I pray that my improvement is not due to Hundred Rhythms' skills. Speaking of improvement ...
I intended to follow up on more Mini 14 x Micro Uzi usage, after praising it profusely in my last update. Alas, I now know that Mini 14s are pretty hard to find, leading to me not being able to experiment more with the combo. By the time I found one, I already had a decked out gun that uses 7.62mm ammo - mainly the superbly common AKM - and another non-5.56mm gun so it would be a waste to swap out.
However, the one match that I managed to bag a Mini 14, was the same match that I scored my first kill. With 25 left breathing in the game, I took the initiative to drive my teammates for the first time too, in a UAZ.
My buddies praised me for my cautious driving - not before I almost drove us off a cliff, phew - before one shouted, "Got car, got car!" I rammed into the gas pedal (figuratively) and chased after them with my friends' guns blazing, eventually crashing the party of a post-battle area, with a few still alive and a couple of smokes.
It felt like Mad Max: Fury Road, with everyone shouting orders and gunning everyone. Once we downed the other squads, we exited the vehicle to finish off the last one amidst the smoke. The moment I got down, I noticed one was leaving the cover of smoke and quickly hip-fired with my Mini 14, knocking him down in one/two shots (my teammates probably damaged him prior).
Despite us dying in the end after another squad third-partied us, I'm still pretty proud of that small moment. Throughout my two-weeks playtime, I managed to get two kills in total.
Also, car battles are pretty awesome when you have the chance. You get to move around fast, and you can focus on your shooting without worrying about movement. Then again, if you happen to be on the receiving end, then the entire squad dying in the car explosion probably isn't that fun.
In case you guys didn't know, I wrote some pretty useful guides for grenades (if I do say so). And one match, in particular, came a golden moment to experiment with one of my frag grenade tips: Get a headstart. "It’s tempting to rush an enemy when you know they’re in that building, but hold up, why not use your frag grenades to give yourself a few advantages?" I wrote.
Prior to that moment, a few enemies were in a room in the upper level of a building. My attacking friend was knocked down, and my other teammate and I rushed up to assist. Right when I saw them trapped in a small room, the idea came to me - to flush them out with a frag grenade. While he was spraying at them to keep them at bay, I tossed a nade inside and went to revive my downed friend quickly.
That was my mistake, because the nade bounced off a wall and landed near my teammate. Once the fuse was up, every single one of us was blown up sky-high.
We burst into fits of laughter as I apologised profusely. "It's okay, man. That was super funny!" one of them breathed in between snickers. Important tip: Always play with friends that enjoy the game the same way as you do.
My step forward may be minuscule, but baby steps count too. As a three-finger player, it's definitely easier for me to aim and shoot at the same time, though I'm still lacking in my quick scope and peeking. Guess I'll have to look up some tutorials on how to do both efficiently because it would be a big help.
Follow eGG Network on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to keep abreast of my PUBG Mobile journey. Or if you're into Wild Rift, my friend George also wrote about his adventure with the League of Legends mobile title.
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