14 Indie Video Game Soundtracks to Listen to While Studying

In honor of National Video Game Day, Will Ayers, UCF associate professor of music theory, has put together the ultimate playlist of study music from the gaming world. Ayers specializes in analyzing music in interactive media and video games, and also studies music for concerts, films and theme parks. Outside of teaching and research, Ayers is an active composer and performer of choral music.

Get your headphones ready for an expertly curated playlist that spans 14 years of video game soundtracks. To celebrate the flourishing of indie games over this period, the soundtracks come from games developed by (primarily) independent game studios.

Flower (Thatgamecompany, 2009)
Music by Vincent Diamante

To start off with something relaxing, there is nothing more calming Thatgamecompany's Flower, a dreamy tale that places the player in control of the wind as it directs flower petals to enliven other flowers in the game world, all with interactive audio that aligns with the ongoing music. Vincent Diamante's soundtrack is delicate and beautiful, and you might also check out his music for Thatgamecompany's Sky: Children of the Light. These can offer some comfort after a long day of learning.

Limbo (Playdead, 2010)
Music by Martin Stig Andersen

If you're into something a bit darker in tone, definitely listen to Martin Stig Andersen's soundtrack for Limbo, a puzzle platformer that examines choices and mishaps with a dramatic, atmospheric soundscape that can haunt and comfort in equal turn. The soundtrack for Playdead's followup game Inside, also composed by Martin Stig Andersen, has a similar vibe. Combine them to complete a full listening session for intensive work.

Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP (Capybara Games, 2011)
Music by Jim Guthrie

Here's where the real fun begins! Jim Guthrie's music for Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP offers the feel of a throwback with the production of modern synth-pop. The album's outlandish title, Sword & Sworcery LP: The Ballad of the Space Babies, automatically sets the tone for this weird and wonderful listen that demonstrates its motivational potential from front to back. Guthrie's soundtrack for the game Below offers a similar but gloomier mood for those interested.

Fez (Polytron Corporation, 2012)
Music by Disasterpeace

This soundtrack is my go-to for working, reading, studying and the like. Disasterpeace has put some excellent music out into the world, including the fantastic soundtrack for Hyper Light Drifter, but his music for Fez is a cut above. The game's development was highlighted in the documentary Indie Game: The Movie, which also detailed the success of the popular indie titles Braid and Super Meat Boy. The soundtrack for Fez urges you to keep thinking, puzzling and changing perspective, and it sits at the perfect level of intensity for a deep study session.

Antichamber (Demruth, 2013)
Music by Siddhartha Barnhoorn

Alexander Bruce's mind-bending first-person puzzle game Antichamber incorporates an abstract visual style that is subtly and expertly mimicked by Siddhartha Barnhoorn's ambient soundtrack. The game's use of multistable perception, the ability to shift between different stable interpretations of an object, promotes a unique exploration of space that is interpreted with expansive soundscapes that fluidly morph over long periods of time. Great for extended reading or thoughtful consideration.

The Banner Saga (Stoic, 2014)
Music by Austin Wintory

Epic stories in games call for expansive soundtracks that cover a breadth of experiences from touching personal moments to surprising tactic-fueled battles. If that sounds like your type of adventure, then Austin Wintory's music for The Banner Saga will be of interest. And luckily, the game has two sequels with their own expansive soundtracks. Listeners may also be interested in Wintory's notable collaborations with creative director and artist Matt Nava on the games Journey, Abzû, and The Pathless, all wonderful accompaniments for studious behavior.

Everybody's Gone to the Rapture (The Chinese Room, 2015)
Music by Jessica Curry

The game Everybody's Gone to the Rapture is an exquisite study in patience, thoughtfulness, mystery, and jubilation. Its BAFTA-Award-winning soundtrack captures that spirit with music that evokes its provincial village setting but also indulges in the enigmatic and the euphoric. Jessica Curry's soundtrack for the spiritual predecessor, Dear Esther, to Everybody's Gone to the Rapture is just as compelling while offering more traditional compositional tactics. Both are worth a listen.

Stardew Valley (ConcernedApe, 2016)
Music by Eric Barone

Indie games are generally developed by small teams. Occasionally, the number of people on a project is unbelievably small. Such is the case for Stardew Valley, which sees Eric Barone (AKA ConcernedApe) working as the sole designer and composer for the game. The soundtrack's focus on delivering calming tunes for the game's stylized farm life simulation is simultaneously quaint and astounding due to both its singular creative source and its adventurous musical scope. It is the perfect soundtrack for a day's work.

Hollow Knight (Team Cherry, 2017)
Music by Christopher Larkin

You've probably heard of Team Cherry's indie darling Hollow Knight, but if you haven't, now is the time to check out Christopher Larkin's soundtrack for this mysterious and charming game. The haunting boss music will make some listeners recall their thwarted efforts while playing the game, but new listeners may hear these ramps in intensity as opportunities to take on new challenges. Play this soundtrack when you need to shift between moody atmospheric expanses and sharply focused set pieces.

Celeste (Maddy Makes Games, 2018)
Music by Lena Raine

Lena Raine's music for Celeste is so good that it makes every time you fail worth the price of repetition. While the moving story and the challenging puzzle platforming are huge draws for the game, the engaging soundtrack definitely keeps players coming back. If you have a repetitive task to complete, this synthesized monument of indie video game music is just the right mix of complexity and tranquility. Raine's music for Chicory: A Colorful Tale is also not to be missed.

Outer Wilds (Mobius Digital, 2019)
Music by Andrew Prahlow

Outer Wilds is a game about time, exploration, and curiosity. Andrew Prahlow's soundtrack, with its casually plucked banjo and strummed guitar intermixed with atmospheric synths, supports this sense of curiosity. With its blend of folk serenity with subtle ambience, this is excellent music for starting something new and allowing the spirit of inquiry to take over.

Hades (Supergiant Games, 2020)
Music by Darren Korb

This is for those who really need to get through some hard work. Darren Korb's soundtracks for the previous entries from SupergiantGames, Bastion, Transistor, and Pyre, are all brilliantly styled for their individual settings, and his work on Hades is similarly attuned to the grandiose inspiration of Greek mythology. Using the sound of the bağlama as a starting point, Korb is able to generate a surprising metal-infused frenzy that still feels grounded in the world of the game. The underlying drive of rock rhythms should help to get you through any challenges you are encountering in a study session.

Tux and Fanny (Ghost Time Games, 2021)
Music by Albert Birney and Gabriel Koenig

Perhaps an odd inclusion on this list, but Albert Birney and Gabriel Koenig's Tux and Fanny has a well-crafted soundtrack to support its uniquely fun and somewhat absurdist gameplay. If you are looking for something that can provide intermittent interest between more thoughtful moments of studying, look no further. The miscellaneous assortment of retro vibes in Tux and Fanny has you covered.

Tunic (Isometricorp Games, 2022)
Music by Terence Lee (AKA Lifeformed) and Janice Kwan

Tunic is about as close as you can get to playing a Zelda game without actually playing one. That said, the music from Terence Lee (AKA Lifeformed) and Janice Kwan is a far cry from traditional fare in the Zelda series. The synth-heavy aesthetic offers both reverberant exploration music and occasional forward-moving moments that can inspire the best in your work. I might also suggest Terence Lee's delightful soundtrack for the game Dustforce, titled Fastfall, which takes inspiration from earlier video game music but expounds upon those ideas with refreshing results.

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