Now that 2024 is quickly coming to an end, that means this year's Game Awards ceremony is nearly here, and it's primed to be an exciting time given the year in gaming it has been. Of course, the Game of the Year award is the top prize to be earned at 2024's Game Awards, but that shouldn't subtract from the value of other awards, including the award for Best Score and Music.
There are five nominees up for Best Score and Music at the 2024 Game Awards, each of which are more than worthy of their nomination. Ultimately, the decision will come down to the ability of a score to not only capture the heart of the game it serves but also to deliver something unique and memorable that effortlessly rings in the ears of players even when the game isn't running.
2024 Best Score and Music Nominees
- Astro Bot
- Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
- Metaphor: ReFantazio
- Silent Hill 2
- Stellar Blade
The Game Awards 2024: Predicting the Best Fighting Game Winner
The Game Awards is approaching fast, and despite fighting games experiencing a renaissance in recent years, only one can become the champion in 2024.
Astro Bot
Astro Bot's score is almost essential to the list of nominees for Best Score and Music in 2024, as it is as fun as Astro Bot's gameplay and as cute as Astro Bot himself. For the most part, Astro Bot's score is electronic, upbeat, and happy, effectively matching the tone of the game. Some of the tracks are even humorous to listen to, like the track on Astro Bot's God of War level where Kratos can be heard saying "boy" during a break at one point in the song. Like Metaphor: ReFantazio, which is also up for Best Score and Music, Astro Bot is a Game of the Year nominee. However, that doesn't necessarily guarantee it Best Score and Music, especially considering how repetitive Astro Bot's music can be, to the point that the music blends in with the game a bit too much at times.
Astro Bot
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 95 /100 Critics Rec: 99%
- Released
- September 6, 2024
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Crude Humor, Fantasy Violence
- Developer(s)
- Team Asobi
- Publisher(s)
- Sony Interactive Entertainment
- Engine
- Proprietary Engine
- Franchise
- Astro Bot
WHERE TO PLAY
JOIN ASTRO IN A BRAND-NEW, SUPERSIZED SPACE ADVENTURE
The PS5® mothership has been wrecked, leaving ASTRO and the bot crew scattered all over the galaxies. Time to ride your trusty Dual Speeder across more than 50 planets full of fun, danger and surprises. On your journey, make the most of ASTRO’s new powers and reunite with many iconic heroes from the PlayStation universe!
Blast off on a supersized adventure
From sandy beaches to lush jungles and piping-hot volcanoes, explore a myriad of memorable planets in search of Astro’s lost crew!
Power up your platforming
With your new powers, battle out a whole new roster of quirky baddies and huge bosses. Feel every hop, punch and crack through your DualSense wireless controller.
Join the PlayStation celebration
Reunite with over 150 iconic PlayStation heroes and celebrate 30 years of PlayStation history!
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5
- Genre(s)
- Platformer
- PS Plus Availability
- N/A
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is the second game in the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy and is an improvement upon its predecessor in numerous ways, including its soundtrack. Arguably, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's soundtrack is one of gaming's best in recent memory, thanks to its variety and unwillingness to stick to a specific motif. Whether players are traipsing around the Gold Saucer or out exploring the wilderness of Junon, the score that plays during these moments is excellent, making Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth a strong and worthy contender for Best Score and Music in 2024's Game Awards.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 92 /100 Critics Rec: 97%
- Released
- February 29, 2024
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Blood, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Publisher(s)
- Square Enix
WHERE TO PLAY
Discover a vibrant and vast world in this standalone entry in the Final Fantasy VII remake project. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is the second entry in the Final Fantasy VII remake project, which retells the story of the genre-redefining RPG across three distinct games. Iconic heroes Cloud, Barret, Tifa, Aerith and Red XIII have escaped from the dystopian city Midgar and are now in pursuit of Sephiroth, the vengeful swordsman from Cloud’s past who was thought to be dead. This new adventure can be enjoyed by all players, even those who have yet to play Final Fantasy VII Remake or the PlayStation original. Expect a new standard of cinematic storytelling, fast-paced combat and rich exploration across a vast world.
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 4
- Franchise
- Final Fantasy
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PC
- Genre(s)
- RPG
- How Long To Beat
- 40 Hours
- PS Plus Availability
- N/A
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Metaphor: ReFantazio
Metaphor: ReFantazio may not be on Persona's level when it comes to music, but it certainly has some memorable tracks. One track, in particular, is Metaphor: ReFantazio's battle theme song, which is as epic as it is frantic. Apart from that, Metaphor: ReFantazio effectively realizes its fantasy world in its arrangement of music that sounds like a blend of Final Fantasy and Fire Emblem, with that signature Atlus flair on it. Metaphor: ReFantazio is up for Game of the Year in 2024, but that may not necessarily help it win Best Score and Music. However, it could certainly put up a fight, given its originality and the fact that it's coming from a brand-new IP.
Metaphor: ReFantazio
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 93 /100 Critics Rec: 98%
- Released
- October 11, 2024
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Blood, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Studio Zero
- Publisher(s)
- Atlus
- Engine
- GFD
- Number of Players
- 1
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Playable
WHERE TO PLAY
From the creative minds behind Persona 3, 4, and 5 comes Metaphor: ReFantazio, a unique fantasy world, where your protagonist will journey alongside his fairy companion, Gallica, to lift the curse from the kingdom’s lost prince.
Control your destiny, face your fears, and awaken magical Archetype powers that lie dormant in your heart. By awakening to an Archetype, you will unlock the power to channel and combine the abilities of unique job classes. Strengthen your bonds and build your party to take down powerful foes and discover the kingdom’s true nature.
- PC Release Date
- October 11, 2024
- Xbox Series X|S Release Date
- October 11, 2024
- PS5 Release Date
- October 11, 2024
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- How Long To Beat
- 65 Hours
- How Long To Beat (Completionist Runs)
- 104 hours
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
- File Size Xbox Series
- 81.15 GB
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Silent Hill 2
The Silent Hill 2 remake is on the list of nominees for Best Score and Music for a reason, as it manages to capture the essence of the original game's score and produces something for modern audiences to remember long after they've completed the game and moved on. Silent Hill 2's score breathes new life into the original soundtrack while simultaneously managing to maintain its bone-chilling abilities. The score may be considered more mellow and mysterious than anything else, but that doesn't stop it from giving off some of the most haunting vibes ever present in a horror game's soundtrack. In short, Silent Hill 2 is more than deserving of a nomination for Best Score and Music in 2024.
Silent Hill 2
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 87 /100 Critics Rec: 94%
- Released
- October 8, 2024
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Language, Sexual Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Bloober Team
- Publisher(s)
- Konami
WHERE TO PLAY
Investigating a letter from his late wife, James returns to where they made so many memories - Silent Hill. What he finds is a ghost town, prowled by disturbing monsters and cloaked in deep fog. Confront the monsters, solve puzzles, and search for traces of your wife in this remake of SILENT HILL 2.
High-end Graphics and Sound
With ray tracing and other cutting-edge technical enhancements, the world of SILENT HILL and its unsettling ambiance is even realer than before.And with the inclusion of new, immersive soundscapes, you'll feel like you're standing in the thick of it.
Larger Environments
Explore locations and buildings that were once inaccessible, or are newly added in the remake. Enjoy the same acclaimed story, even while you experience the town of Silent Hill with fresh eyes across an expanded map.
Over-the-shoulder Camera
The remake moves from the original's fixed-camera viewpoints to an over-the-shoulder perspective, putting you closer to what James sees, for a more thrilling, more immersive experience as you explore the town and come face-to-face with monsters.
Evolved Combat Gameplay
Familiar weapons like the steel pipe and handgun make their return, but now with an updated combat system. Avoid attacks with carefully timed dodges, aim down sights, and more, making monster encounters more engaging and nerve-wracking than ever.
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 5
- Prequel(s)
- Silent Hill
- Franchise
- Silent Hill
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Unsupported
- PC Release Date
- October 8, 2024
- PS5 Release Date
- October 8, 2024
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PC
- How Long To Beat
- 15 Hours
- How Long To Beat (Completionist Runs)
- 26.5 hours
- PS Plus Availability
- Extra & Premium
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Stellar Blade
Shift Up's Stellar Blade is more than deserving of a nomination for 2024's Best Score and Music award, and has been deemed by many to be one of the better gaming soundtracks of the year. Its music is very much akin to the music of Square Enix's NieR: Automata, which makes sense considering Stellar Blade's game director has immense respect for NieR: Automata's — so much so, that Stellar Blade recently released DLC in collaboration with NieR: Automata. The game's mix of electronic, pop, and sometimes what could be comparable to soothing elevator music, makes for an upbeat yet smooth ride through Stellar Blade's post-apocalyptic world.
Where Stellar Blade's soundtrack may ultimately fall short in its race to win the Best Score and Music award for 2024 is in its repetitiveness. When Stellar Blade's demo was released before its official launch, the music sounded like it would have some decent variety as the game progressed. However, it turned out that almost every track beyond the music in the demo sounded similar.
Stellar Blade
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 81 /100 Critics Rec: 81%
- Released
- April 26, 2024
- ESRB
- M for Mature
- Developer(s)
- Shift Up
- Publisher(s)
- Sony Interactive Entertainment
WHERE TO PLAY
RECLAIM EARTH FOR HUMANKIND The future of humanity hangs in the balance in Stellar Blade, an all-new story-driven action adventure. Ravaged by strange, powerful creatures, Earth has been abandoned, and what is left of the decimated human race has fled to a Colony in outer space. After travelling from the Colony, 7th Airborne Squad member EVE arrives on the desolate remains of our planet with a clear-cut mission: to save humankind by reclaiming Earth from the Naytiba – the malevolent force that has devastated it. But as EVE tackles the Naytiba one-by-one, piecing together the mysteries of the past in the ruins of human civilization, she realizes that her mission is far from straightforward. In fact, almost nothing is as it seems…
Final Prediction
When it comes to the Best Score and Music award for 2024, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth may have the other nominees beaten already. For one thing, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's soundtrack specializes in diversity, unlike some of the other nominees for Best Score and Music, like Astro Bot and Stellar Blade. Despite being a remake and reprising all the original Final Fantasy 7's music as well, there is a range here that the other nominees just can't quite reach in their selection. This is not even accounting for the nostalgia that the soundtrack inevitably brings longtime fans either, which can be enough to sway any jury.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake also won Best Score and Music in 2020, thereby reinforcing the case for Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth to win in 2024 — and it could even be argued that Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's soundtrack is a significant improvement over its predecessor's. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth even has a special track for a side quest involving an adorable dog that is extremely catchy. All in all, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth looks primed to take home the award for Best Score and Music this year, with its biggest competitor arguably being Metaphor: ReFantazio.