Video game soundtracks for when lo-fi gets boring

Every student is familiar with the midterm season cycle: Find a spot at Leavey Library, open your laptop, shuffle your favorite lo-fi playlist, grind and repeat the next day. 

But what happens when you finally burn out on chill lo-fi beats? Well, I have the perfect recommendations for you! From one nerd to another — let me help you maximize your study session with these quintessential video game soundtracks.

“Celeste”

“Celeste” is not a game for the weak, challenging the player with unforgiving difficulty. With its high demand for precision to succeed, “Celeste” is certainly no joke — and neither is its soundtrack.

Originally released in 2018, Celeste is a 2-D side-scrolling game that tells the tale of Madeline and her expedition to scale Celeste Mountain. Throughout the game, she learns to overcome debilitating through her determination to reach the summit. The music of “Celeste” ties straight into both Madeline’s internal and external journeys, resulting in a pulsating, electronic tracklist.

Lena Raine, the soundtrack’s creator, hypnotizes the player through the use of Native Instruments’ Massive synth. Each song’s smooth ambiance washes over the listener, moving forward in perpetual motion, almost as if Raine breathed a heartbeat into the synths. “Resurrections” mesmerizes with its chromatic scales, while “Quiet and Falling” and “Exhale” take a step back, unifying piano and strings with the initial electronic sound. Furthermore, “Checking In” resembles a lo-fi track thanks to its oscillating synth and chill bassline. Though not every song on the “Celeste” tracklist is fit for studying (i.e. “Anxiety”), many of the songs will leave you relaxed and primed to churn out an impressive paper.

“Genshin Impact”

Whatever your opinion on “Genshin Impact” may be, one thing is undeniable: the beauty of its music. 

“Genshin Impact” is an open-world gacha role-playing game launched by the Chinese company Hoyoverse in September 2020, and follows the journey of a traveler in search of his lost sister. Along the way, the Traveler explores numerous unfamiliar lands based on real-world locations such as Germany, China, Japan and the Middle East, with each area exponentially growing in both complexity and difficulty.

As you traverse the game’s meticulously designed open world of Teyvat, there is almost always a lovely orchestral melody serenading you in your endeavors. From region to region, the tunes differ, fitting the vibe of each area. For example, Inazuma, the area inspired by Japan, is paired with gorgeous, traditional music utilizing instruments such as the shamisen, shakuhachi and taiko to capture a folk-inspired sound. Songs like “Streets of Elegance” and “Flickering Sakura” are both regionally fitting as well as excellent study songs thanks to their calming vibes. “A New Day with Hope” and “Pure Sky” employ a piano and full-string orchestra to bring the listener a sense of serenity, also making them a fitting addition to your study playlist.  

“OneShot”

Certainly one of the more obscure titles on this list, “OneShot” is a 2-D indie adventure game that follows the story of a young cat-child called Niko who is tasked with reilluminating a world plunged into darkness by delivering the sun, an Edison bulb, to its rightful position. The game has stellar art, incredible world design, thought-provoking writing and, of course, breathtaking music.

Casey Gu, more commonly known as Nightmargin, composed the atmospheric score of “OneShot,” which boasts just over 80,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. Employing the use of FL Studio, a digital audio workstation, Nightmargin favored electronic-based sounds to encapsulate feelings of melancholy and distance. Tracks like “My Burden Is Light” and “Children of the Ruins” exude a mysterious yet comforting vibe, while “On Little Cat Feet” flaunts a groove that’s sure to get your head bopping. The soundtrack of “OneShot” is definitely a hidden gem that I promise you’ll enjoy while completing your research papers and 200 page readings.

“Stardew Valley”

Everyone’s favorite farming simulator! If you’ve played the game, you may be surprised to see “Stardew Valley” on this list. Something about the sharp, western twang of the banjo that supports many of the games’ tracks doesn’t exactly scream “chill study sesh.” However, if you think that’s all the game’s music has to offer, you would be sorely mistaken.

In addition to developing the game almost entirely independently, Eric Barone also took it upon himself to compose the game’s music. Though its music is known for its country and western inspiration, there are also numerous tracks in the game that provide a gentle melody for studying. The game’s winter tracks such as “Winter (Nocturne of Ice),” “Winter (The Wind Can Be Still)” and “Winter (Ancient)” are characterized by lazy synths, while “Fall (Raven’s Descent)” and “Fall (The Smell of Mushroom)” utilize the sound of woodwinds to capture the laid-back aura of autumn, making each song an ideal alternative to lo-fi.

“Minecraft”

I know you were waiting for this one. What game music article would this be without including the nostalgic behemoth that is the “Minecraft” soundtrack? I personally remember laying on the floor of my living room at age eight, PlayStation controller in hand, binging “Minecraft” for hours on end as its ambient music echoed through my home. Almost everyone that grew up playing games in the 2000s has played “Minecraft,” truly making its melodies the soundtrack of our childhoods — heck, even my mom still listens to “Minecraft” music!

Composed by Daniel Rosenfeld, mononymously known as C418, the original music of “Minecraft” was released in the albums “Minecraft – Volume Alpha” and “Minecraft – Volume Beta,” which contain some of the most recognizable game tracks ever. “Sweden,” a melancholy tune composed of a piano and full-string orchestra, strikes a bittersweet sense into the heart of every listener. In contrast, “Haggstrom” is an enchanting, playful melody thanks to its unique instrumentation. No matter which “Minecraft” song you’re listening to, the soothing nature of the soundtrack’s composition makes it the perfect background noise for a productive study period (or a cathartic cry sesh).