As crazy as 2020 has been (and it has been wild in more ways than I care to remember), one thing that has been pretty awesome is all the great soundtracks I’ve gotten to listen to. This year I’ve gotten to check out more video game soundtracks than ever before, and this is something I hope to continue into 2021 and beyond. To my delight, with the year winding down I was given the opportunity to check out the Soundtrack for PS5 launch title Godfall, with the music composed by Ben MacDougall.

Ben MacDougall is a prolific composer for film, TV and video games, who most recently wrote the original fantasy score for Sony PlayStation 5 launch title, Godfall. His rich and diverse portfolio enjoys airtime on prime-time networks and has been featured on high-profile global TV events such as the Olympics and Academy Awards as well as countless franchises, campaigns and AAA studio projects.

MacDougall’s score for Godfall is described as follows:

Ben MacDougall’s modern fantasy score for GODFALL blends orchestra, synths processed with organic sound sources, and featured soloists, as well his own string instrument which produces a unique pulsing sound thread throughout the score. The soundtrack comprises of sweeping cinematic moments, heart-pounding combat sequences and world-exploring ambient music to accompany and immerse players in the luminous, mysterious world of Aperion.

Now I’ve gotten to listen to some absolutely gorgeous soundtracks this year (Ghost of Tsushima and The Wolf of Snow Hollow come to mind), and the music for Godfall is right up there with the best of them. Ben MacDougall really has gone all out here, and does everything that I love in a video game soundtrack. For one, from beginning to end, the music feels epic and cinematic in scope (enforcing my growing belief that the line separating video games from cinema is slowly but surely fading away).

Another element I really like in the music for Godfall is how MacDougall varies up the music between the different areas of Aperion (the game world). “Land of the Valorians” is different from “Alluvial Plains”, which in turn is different from “Waters of Aperion.” But what really makes it brilliant is that, while each region is differentiated by its own sound, you can tell that they’re all still connected by an overarching theme that places them all in the same “world” together. That is not easy to do without being obvious about it, and it’s lovely to hear how the music slowly shifts as a new area of the world is being explored.

It’s also really fun to look at the track list (the very LENGTHY track list) and try to work out the plot of the game. As with many film score track lists, I suspect there are some minor spoilers to be found if you think about some of these track titles. Also, the length of the track list has to be a sign of how long this game is (which makes sense since this doesn’t strike me as a quick game to get through). And one last positive to mention: the music is indeed beautiful, but it’s not too over the top, meaning it won’t (or at least it shouldn’t) distract you from the gameplay.

Track List

1. Aperion’s Champion 1:51
2. The Fall 2:49
3. Land of the Valorians 1:51
4. Temple of the Ancients 2:04
5. The Warden 2:05
6. Guardian 2:08
7. Sanctuary 2:24
8. A New World 2:45
9. Crimson Glades 2:26
10. The Vargul Tribes 1:34
11. Prismatic Falls 1:35
12. Alluvial Plains 1:51
13. Bygone Ruins 1:31
14. Ravenous Hunter 1:38
15. Quiescent Dreams 2:28
16. Sorcerer’s End 2:27
17. Ascending the Tower 1:45
18. Master of the Tower 1:44
19. Waters of Aperion 2:32
20. Cobalt Caldera 3:07
21. Call to Action 2:00
22. Leviathan’s Rest 2:25
23. Abyssian Gaze 1:51
24. Wisdom of the Deep Ones 2:01
25. Warriors of Darkness 2:05
26. The Ancient Depths 1:18
27. The Silver Moon 2:32
28. Song of Aperion 2:27
29. Realm of the Nyak 2:00
30. King of the Hunt 1:38
31. Song of the Kindred 3:40
32. The Storm 1:45
33. The High Places 1:39
34. Lords of Dawn and Dusk 1:40
35. Aetheric Hymn 2:21
36. Sunsteel 3:26
37. Triumph of Air 1:37
38. The False Archon 2:14
39. Apotheosis 1:26
40. Change

While it will (unfortunately) be a long, LONG time before I get my hands on a PS5 (or a copy of Godfall), listening to this gorgeous soundtrack has me convinced that the game is worth trying out. Yet again I’ve found another contender for Best Video Game Soundtrack of 2020.

Let me know what you think of Godfall (and its soundtrack) in the comments below and have a great day!

See also:

Video Game Soundtracks

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