Nominees: Bioshock Infinite, Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon, Grand Theft Auto, Hotline Miami, Ni No Kuni
I get uncomfortable when a game like GTA V gets nominated for Best Soundtrack in a game. It’s not because I find the content in the game controversial or sometimes objectionable. It’s because Grand Theft Auto V uses several different radio stations to deliver music that the gamer can change based on his or hers preference. It feels a bit too easy, but I have to hand it to the folks at Rockstar, because each station really captures the mood of Los Santos. The game’s score also adds to the ambience pulling together jazz fusion, hip hop, rap and dance elements which provides and urgency to the heist missions and just the right mood when things go horribly wrong and out of control.
But those radio stations….they are stacked with great songs to keep the gamer immersed in the world of Los Santos. The music makes your ride personal and I have been threatened with video game violence when I change the radio station in a friends’ ride when I’m on shotgun.
The problem with nominating such a worthy game like Grant Theft Auto V in the Best Soundtrack category is that there’s just so much to like that it feels like Rockstar is cheating…and just like a heist, they make a getaway with The Married Gamers 2013 award for Best Soundtrack in a Game.