A global panel of game music creators sat down for an interview with VGC, sharing the tracks that stood out to them in 2022. The conversation focused on the music that resonated most with players and creators alike, inviting some of the industry’s most respected voices to offer their candid picks from the year’s releases.
Australian sound designer Mick Gordon, renowned for shaping the auditory identity of Doom (2016), Doom Eternal, Prey, and Killer Instinct, selected Shadow Warrior 3 as his top soundtrack of the year. The distinctive score was crafted by Maciej Kulesza of Poland, whose work on the project earned Gordon’s praise for its bold energy and atmosphere that pushed players deeper into the action.
Composer Olivier Derivier, behind the melodic framework of Streets of Rage 4, Dying Light, A Plague Tale and Remember Me, highlighted Stray as a standout, naming Jann van der Krussen’s work on the game as his favorite 2022 soundtrack. The choice reflects a growing appreciation for how indie collaborations can blend moody ambience with accessible, character-driven themes that linger long after play ends.
Musician Casey Edwards, best known for contributions to Devil May Cry 5, identified A Plague Tale: Requiem as the best 2022 soundtrack in his view. Edwards noted how Derivier’s score for Requiem builds a nerve-racking tension that mirrors the game’s narrative arc, while still delivering memorable melodic hooks that players carry with them beyond the final cutscene.
Japanese composer Yoshimi Kudo, who contributed to the soundtrack for Elden Ring, chose Blue Archive as the 2022 winner in the music category. The selection underscores how different games can leverage atmospheric, scene-setting music to elevate world-building, even when the scale of the project diverges from grand, open-world epics to more intimate, story-focused experiences.
Shinji Hosoe, known for his prolific work on Tekken and Ridge Racer, named Midnight Fight Express as his preferred soundtrack of the year. Hosoe’s pick showcases how a high-energy, punchy score can drive brisk, kinetic gameplay and provide a sonic identity that sticks with players long after their sessions end, illustrating the variety of styles embraced in 2022’s game music landscape.
Earlier in the year, Mundfish released a new trailer for Atomic Heart featuring Alla Pugacheva’s classic song Arlekino, arranged by Mick Gordon, the Doom composer. This collaboration highlighted how iconic musical cues can be repurposed to complement trailers, adding emotional layers and a layer of familiarity for audiences while hinting at the game’s distinctive stylistic blend. The approach sparked conversations about how music licensing and reimagined classics can shape a trailer’s storytelling and mood, a topic frequently explored by sound designers in contemporary game marketing.