In my free time, I play quite a lot of video games, and though it was originally released nearly a decade ago, I’ve recently finished my first playthrough of “Dark Souls 3.” The game design and experience were great, but by far my favorite aspect of the game was the soundtrack, which I’ve found myself returning to on Spotify over and over. Despite being made for the game, they hold up very well on their own. So, here’s my take on the “Dark Souls 3 (Original Game Soundtrack)” album, released by Motoi Sakuraba.

“Firelink Shrine,” the atmospheric track that plays within the central hub of the game, is both sorrowful and peaceful. It evokes a sense of loneliness, but also safety, and I think it is well suited to the atmosphere of the game. However, it doesn’t quite match the level of the theme that plays in Firelink during “Dark Souls 1,” or the one in Majula from “Dark Souls 2,” in my opinion.

Each of the remaining tracks, apart from a few used for various cutscenes, pairs with a specific boss battle in the game. The “Abyss Watchers” track is probably my favorite of these. It begins with a few chimes of a bell, creating a sense of both sorrow and foreboding. The pairing of the strings and vocals throughout the track are hauntingly beautiful. The track fades into silence at the end, cementing it as a song of solitude and emotion.

I also really enjoy “Aldrich, Devourer of Gods.” The main melody is equally haunting, and follows the same chord progression as “Dark Sun Gwyndolin” from the “Dark Souls 1” soundtrack. However, unlike Gwyndolin’s theme, there is a great intensity and the tension caused by the backing orchestra is incredible.

Though the horns behind “Aldrich, Devourer of the Gods” are powerful, “Dragonslayer Armour” has to be my favorite in terms of intensity. I sometimes listen to this track to help me wake up in the morning, since it’s both beautifully composed and provides an empowering feeling that fantasy soundtracks often do. Though the battle during which this plays can sometimes be too short to enjoy the track as it plays in-world, I absolutely love listening to it. The returning string melody just scratches an itch in my brain in the best way possible.

But, I would have to consider my favorite track on the album to be the game’s main theme, “DARK SOULS III.” While playing, I would frequently sit on the main menu screen, letting the track play out fully before entering the game. It’s just as intense and tonally interesting as the rest of the album, but the violin melody really does it for me. It’s empowering and expressive, and the singular instrument standing out from the rest of the orchestra suits the game so perfectly.

I’m generally a fan of instrumental music, but the “Dark Souls 3” soundtrack is definitely one of my favorites. Several songs have been on my playlists for a few months now, and I highly encourage you to give them a listen if you also enjoy grand orchestral compositions on occasion whether you’ve played the game or not.