Calm music tracks from retro PC games recommendations?

[C-Puff]

I tend to go to sleep listening to really long music playlists on youtube. More for when I wake up in the middle of the night than actually helping me go to sleep. I found a great playlist that only uses music from old 90s PC games. However the playlist is rather short, and a small handful of tracks on it are not entirely "sleep friendly".

So I decided to just put together my own list, but I figured I could ask here for some recommendations on what I could add to it. Or even just watch calming tracks from PC games you guys really like. I'm saying PC specifically because if you look up "calm video game music" on youtube it's like 90% Nintendo music. Which is fine, but Nintendo didn't and still doesn't have much of a presence in my country so it's not something I connect with. However PS1 and early PS2 is fine too.

So far on the playlist I have;

The Sims 1 - Building mode 1
Der Industrie Gigant - track 03
YU-NO PC 98 - Touch
Motion Gravure Series Megumi - BGM 14
Grandia -the Sandy beach of Gumbo

Any recommendations?

 

[Azura]

Undertale - Deathbyglamour and Megalovania

 

[Waffles's iconWaffles]

The entire RAMA soundtrack.

 

[NeonWastelander]

UNATCO HQ - Deus Ex

 

[SaveSeraph]

not retro, but Book Betrayal from Lunacid's OST is such a banger

 

[miguk]

So, if you don't mind the subject matter (religious song plus subtle foreshadowing for the true nature of Indol), "Our Eternal Land" from Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is very calming:

There's also a nighttime version of the song:

In fact, there are plenty of night songs from the Xenoblade series that might be what you are looking for.

Edit: I didn't see the "PC games" part. Still good choices anyways.

 

[PaleFolklore]

 

[King Koopa's iconKing Koopa]

 

[Clippy]

 

[Evaccaneer Doom]

I tend to go to sleep listening to really long music playlists on youtube. More for when I wake up in the middle of the night than actually helping me go to sleep. I found a great playlist that only uses music from old 90s PC games. However the playlist is rather short, and a small handful of tracks on it are not entirely "sleep friendly".

So I decided to just put together my own list, but I figured I could ask here for some recommendations on what I could add to it. Or even just watch calming tracks from PC games you guys really like. I'm saying PC specifically because if you look up "calm video game music" on youtube it's like 90% Nintendo music. Which is fine, but Nintendo didn't and still doesn't have much of a presence in my country so it's not something I connect with. However PS1 and early PS2 is fine too.

So far on the playlist I have;

The Sims 1 - Building mode 1
Der Industrie Gigant - track 03
YU-NO PC 98 - Touch
Motion Gravure Series Megumi - BGM 14
Grandia -the Sandy beach of Gumbo

Any recommendations?

I got the perfect soundtrack for you actually. Go look up a game named Irisu Syndrome and listen to the entire soundtrack

Post automatically merged: Mar 4, 2025

As for individual tracks:

-Tokyo (Shin Megami Tensei IV)
-A Nightmare Broken (Pokemon Insurgence)
-Natural Aquarium (Rabi Ribi)
-Armored Green (Ketsui)
-Seasonal Beauties (Muramasa: The Demon Blade)
-Battle Port Noir (Stella Glow)
-Woodland of Frozen Flowers/Frozen Grounds (Etrian Odyssey 2: Heroes of Lagaard)
-Cashmere Cannonball (No More Heroes)
-Subversive Awareness (Battle Garegga)
-Sunfire Forest (Spark the Electric Jester)
-Forbidden Forest/Forbidden Wood (Etrian Odyssey 2: Heroes of Lagaard)
-Deja Vu (Majin Tensei 2/Shin Megami Tensei if)
-Dungeon Police Station (Revelations: Persona)
-Rainbow Druse/Lucent Hollows (Etrian Odyssey 5: Beyond The Myth)
-1000 Clouds (Karous)
-Sweet Blue Flag (KIller7)
-Woodland Ruins/Ancient Forest (Etrian Odyssey 2: Heroes of Laagard)
-City of Radiant Ruin/Forgotten Capital (Etrian Odyssey 4: Legends of the Titan)
-Jungle Navigation (7th Dragon DS & 2020)
-Pretty Pretty Abilities (Kingdom Hearts: ReCoded)
-1st and 2nd Floor (The Dark Spire)
-3D Center (SMT if PSX)
-Cherry Tree Bridge/Petal Bridge (Etrian Odyssey 2: Heroes of Laagard)
-Schumacher Fly (Dynamite Headdy)
-Fortune Night 1 and 2 (Freedom Planet)
-Hallucination (Megami Tensei 2)
-Aqua Tunnel 1 (Freedom Planet)
-World 4: Bottom of the Sea/Seabed (Rhyme Star)
-Kerana Forest (Spark the Electric Jester)
-Twinkle Snow Map (Sonic Advance 3)
-AD 1995 Story (Majin Tensei 2: Spiral Nemesis)
-On the Path of Frosty Roadblocks (Kirby's Return to Dreamland DX)
-Under The Ocean (Super Monkey Ball 2)
-Fancy Some Candy & Puzzle Panic (Elebits)
-Me and My Little War & Me, Elebits, and Fate (Elebits)
-Tidal Tempest Present JP (Sonic CD)
-Tengu Man Stage PSX (Mega Man 8)
-Aqua Man Stage both PSX and Saturn (Mega Man 8)
-Blossom Haze for Press Garden Act 2 (Sonic Mania)
-Red Barrage Area for Hot Shelter (Sonic Adventure)
-Splash Down & Break Silence (Ristar)
-Iraiza (Baroque)
-Sands of Time (Pokemon Insurgence)
-The Sinking Old Sanctuary (Castlevania Bloodlines)
-Crystal Teardrops (Castlevania: Symphony of the Night)
-Thrashard in the Cave Arrange (Castlevania Chronicles)
-Slash Beast (Mega Man X4)
-Runaway to the Skies (Gunvolt Chronicles: Luminous Avenger iX)
-Lava Falls for Redhot Ride Act 2 (Sonic: After the Sequel)
-Mantra for Foliage Furnace Act 3 (Sonic After the Sequel)
-Freefall for Technology Tree Act 3 (Sonic After the Sequel)
-Sculptures for Frigid Fortress Past (Sonic Time Twisted)
-Crystal Cavern (Sonic Time Attacked)
-Relic Maze 1 (Freedom Planet)
-Shibuya Survivor (Neo TWEWY)
-Shooting Star (Mega Man Star Force)
-Network is Spreading (Mega Man Battle Network 3)
-Northern Desert (Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Explorers)
-Metro Madness Act 2 (Sonic Before the Sequel)

Post automatically merged: Mar 4, 2025

sorry I had to merge it because together, the message couldn't be processed
any song with slashes means it has two commonly used names or there's multiple remixes in other games

 

[BinaryMessiah]

Ar Tonelico II: Melody of Metafalica. The entire OST is amazing especially the operas.
Silent Hill 2 - The entire OST is haunting and beautiful
Journey - It's pretty much retro at this point. Austin Wintory is a fantastic musician
Life is Strange - Jonathan Morali's pieces. Max & Cloe, Blackwell Academy, and Golden Hour. I listen to these tracks weekly.
Black Mesa - The OST for Black Mesa is a remix of Half-Life 1's OST. Haunting and beautiful
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Jeremy Soule is one of the best video game musicians of our time. The entire soundtrack has so much soul and atmosphere. Very much makes you feel like you're walking through a sunny medieval meadow type of feel.
Medal of Honor: European Assault - Dogs of War: Main Title. A fantastic orchestral piece. The best MOH theme ever made.
Mirror's Edge - Introduction by Solar Fields and the main title song Still Alive by Lisa Miskovsky

 

[Evaccaneer Doom]

I got the perfect soundtrack for you actually. Go look up a game named Irisu Syndrome and listen to the entire soundtrack

View attachment 36662

Post automatically merged: Mar 4, 2025

As for individual tracks:


-A Nightmare Broken (Pokemon Insurgence)
-Natural Aquarium (Rabi Ribi)
-Woodland of Frozen Flowers/Frozen Grounds (Etrian Odyssey 2: Heroes of Lagaard)
-Cashmere Cannonball (No More Heroes)
-Sunfire Forest (Spark the Electric Jester)
-Forbidden Forest/Forbidden Wood (Etrian Odyssey 2: Heroes of Lagaard)
-Sweet Blue Flag (KIller7)
-Woodland Ruins/Ancient Forest (Etrian Odyssey 2: Heroes of Laagard)
-Cherry Tree Bridge/Petal Bridge (Etrian Odyssey 2: Heroes of Laagard)
-Fortune Night 1 and 2 (Freedom Planet)
-Aqua Tunnel 1 (Freedom Planet)
-World 4: Bottom of the Sea/Seabed (Rhyme Star)
-Kerana Forest (Spark the Electric Jester)
-Under The Ocean (Super Monkey Ball 2)
-Tidal Tempest Present JP (Sonic CD)
-Tengu Man Stage PSX (Mega Man 8)
-Aqua Man Stage both PSX and Saturn (Mega Man 8)
-Blossom Haze for Press Garden Act 2 (Sonic Mania)
-Sands of Time (Pokemon Insurgence)
-Slash Beast (Mega Man X4)
-Runaway to the Skies (Gunvolt Chronicles: Luminous Avenger iX)
-Lava Falls for Redhot Ride Act 2 (Sonic: After the Sequel)
-Mantra for Foliage Furnace Act 3 (Sonic After the Sequel)
-Freefall for Technology Tree Act 3 (Sonic After the Sequel)
-Sculptures for Frigid Fortress Past (Sonic Time Twisted)
-Crystal Cavern (Sonic Time Attacked)
-Relic Maze 1 (Freedom Planet)
-Shibuya Survivor (Neo TWEWY)
-Network is Spreading (Mega Man Battle Network 3)
-Metro Madness Act 2 (Sonic Before the Sequel)

any song with slashes means it has two commonly used names or there's multiple remixes in other games

I am just now realising this is just PC games lmao.
Well if you want PC specifically just grab these songs as they are all games on PC (naturally excludes Nintendo as they don't put their games on PC.)
I'll also add in a few extras not in the original list:

-Stellar Light (Eschatos)
-Violent Moon (Illumination Laser)
-Dive Deeper Still (Graze Counter GM)
-Aerolith Aurorablast (Blue Revolver)
-Exit 133 - Hagane Remix (Blue Revolver: Double Action)
-Cascadian Cannabis Conundrum - Exemia Remix (Blue Revolver: Double Action)
-2008 AD, Tokyo (Dodonpachi Resurrection)
-Explorers (Black Bird)
-Akira (Grounseed)
-Dual Moon (Metal Black)
-Illusory Science (Seihou Shuusou Gyoku)
-Shop Demo (Grounseed)
-Smog Sewers (Spark the Electric Jester)
-Lunar Bass (Spark the Electric Jester)
-Frozen Capital of Eternity (Touhou LOLK)
-Ivory Towers (Iconoclasts)
-Scattered and Lost (Celeste)
-Brain/Search I (Desire)
-Reflector (Desire)
-End of Daylight (Touhou SoEW)
-Step U/B (Uwabami Breakers)
-Doll Maker of Bucuresti (Touhou PCB)
-Moon Fight (Castlevania X68000)
-Flower of Japan (Seihou Kioh Gyoku)
-A Phantom's Boisterous Dance (Touhou SoEW)
-Ballad of the Burning Squirrel (Super Meat Boy)
-Rocket Rider (Super Meat Boy)
-Main Theme (Xenon)
-The Witches Ball (Seihou Shuusou Gyoku)
-Strongest Foe (Ys 3 X68000)
-Dark Road~Road of the Apotropaic God (Touhou MoF)
-It Ends With a Whimper (Super Meat Boy)
-Dream Land (Touhou LLS)
-Higher the Air (Mega Man X7)
-Desire Drive (Touhou TD)
-Meadow's Edge 1-3 (Apidya)
-The Pond 1-3 (Apidya)
-Sewer Blast 1-3 (Apidya)
-Ice Brain (Mega Man Zero 2)
-Lunate Elf (Touhou EoSD)
-Menu (Disposable Hero)
-Shut it Up! (Aquales)
-Reborn Mechanics (Mega Man Zero 3)
-Deep Blue (Mega Man Zero 4)
-The Fire is Gone (Ultrakill)
-Requiem (Ultrakill)
-Ruins (Undertale)

That includes Irisu Syndrome as that is a PC only freeware game currently on the archive

 

[koenigmj94]

I'm honestly surprised this hasn't been mentioned yet, but Stickerbush Symphony from the DKC games

 

[Clippy]

I'm honestly surprised this hasn't been mentioned yet, but Stickerbush Symphony from the DKC games

This could be because DKC is not a PC series and OP specifically mentioned that they don't want music for N-word consoles.

 

[DPRWesley]

 

[Dyne]

3 hours of chill SNES music for you

 

[VampireLord1024VampireLord1024's icon]

The Animal Crossing soundtrack.

 

[NotReallyHereEither]

Riven - The Sequel to Myst. One of my all-time faves. Not just for games, but for ambient music, in general.

Enjoy!!

 

[goregoregoregoregoregore]

Classic RGT. Most people in the thread didn't read the title and just posted all the relaxing tracks they could find instead lol.
But you can't go wrong with water levels

Also, i think the Ecco The Dolphin ost might have spawned a whole genre of relaxing music(i just now realized this game was first released on megadrive, i played this game on pc all my childhood lol)

 

[RageBurner]

I'm not sure if this would qualify to your criteria, but River City Ransom Underground generally has pretty pleasant chiptune tracks (it's also my favorite RCR game, River City Girls 1 and 2 come a close second).

River City Ransom: Underground OST

River City Ransom: Underground Full Soundtrack List (Extracted from the Soundtrack DLC)

www.youtube.com

 

[Evaccaneer Doom]

I am just now realising this is just PC games lmao.
Well if you want PC specifically just grab these songs as they are all games on PC (naturally excludes Nintendo as they don't put their games on PC.)
I'll also add in a few extras not in the original list:

-Stellar Light (Eschatos)
-Violent Moon (Illumination Laser)
-Dive Deeper Still (Graze Counter GM)
-Aerolith Aurorablast (Blue Revolver)
-Exit 133 - Hagane Remix (Blue Revolver: Double Action)
-Cascadian Cannabis Conundrum - Exemia Remix (Blue Revolver: Double Action)
-2008 AD, Tokyo (Dodonpachi Resurrection)
-Explorers (Black Bird)
-Akira (Grounseed)
-Dual Moon (Metal Black)
-Illusory Science (Seihou Shuusou Gyoku)
-Shop Demo (Grounseed)
-Smog Sewers (Spark the Electric Jester)
-Lunar Bass (Spark the Electric Jester)
-Frozen Capital of Eternity (Touhou LOLK)
-Ivory Towers (Iconoclasts)
-Scattered and Lost (Celeste)
-Brain/Search I (Desire)
-Reflector (Desire)
-End of Daylight (Touhou SoEW)
-Step U/B (Uwabami Breakers)
-Doll Maker of Bucuresti (Touhou PCB)
-Moon Fight (Castlevania X68000)
-Flower of Japan (Seihou Kioh Gyoku)
-A Phantom's Boisterous Dance (Touhou SoEW)
-Ballad of the Burning Squirrel (Super Meat Boy)
-Rocket Rider (Super Meat Boy)
-Main Theme (Xenon)
-The Witches Ball (Seihou Shuusou Gyoku)
-Strongest Foe (Ys 3 X68000)
-Dark Road~Road of the Apotropaic God (Touhou MoF)
-It Ends With a Whimper (Super Meat Boy)
-Dream Land (Touhou LLS)
-Higher the Air (Mega Man X7)
-Desire Drive (Touhou TD)
-Meadow's Edge 1-3 (Apidya)
-The Pond 1-3 (Apidya)
-Sewer Blast 1-3 (Apidya)
-Ice Brain (Mega Man Zero 2)
-Lunate Elf (Touhou EoSD)
-Menu (Disposable Hero)
-Shut it Up! (Aquales)
-Reborn Mechanics (Mega Man Zero 3)
-Deep Blue (Mega Man Zero 4)
-The Fire is Gone (Ultrakill)
-Requiem (Ultrakill)
-Ruins (Undertale)

That includes Irisu Syndrome as that is a PC only freeware game currently on the archive

Adding even more:

-Network Space (Mega Man Battle Network 5)
-Doubt (Metal Black)
-Vertigo (Dodonpachi Resurrection)
-Infinity (Cho Ren Sha)
-Orange Type L (Illumination Laser)
-Rabi Rabi Beach (Rabi Ribi)
-Sunset Heights (Spark the Electric Jester)
-No Remorse (Rabi Ribi)
-Carnival Night Act 2 (Sonic 3 Prototype/Origins)
-Stardust Speedway Present US (Sonic CD)
-Special Stage JP (Sonic CD)
-Special Stage US (Sonic CD)
-Sabu's Mansion/Fancy Fight (River City Zero & Girls respectively)
-Wonder Panorama (Mega Man ZX)
-Wire Sponge (Mega Man X2)
-Welcome to Valhalla Remix (eXceed 2nd Vampire Rex)
-Beyond the Deep Blue Sea (Final Fantasy V)
-Wish (Mime)
-Vs Caviar (Metal and Lace 2)
-Different World I (YU-NO)
-Tracer (Briganty)
-Enigma of Aqua (Mega Man Unlimited)
-Plague Man (Mega Man Rock Force)
-Charade Man - 2014 (Mega Man Rock Force)
-Helium Havoc (Noitu Love)
-The Frozen Swords Dance Madly in the Snow (Azure Striker Gunvolt 2)
-Frozen Sword and Madly Blooming Snow (Azure Striker Gunvolt 2)
-Envious Necromancer (Azure Striker Gunvolt)
-The Bewitching City (Azure Striker Gunvolt)
-Waste Days (Metal Black)
-Visionnerz (Darius Gaiden)
-As The Earth Fades Away (Azure Striker Gunvolt)
-Outlaw's Lullaby/Lullaby of Outlaws (Yakuza 2, Yakuza Kiwami 2, Yakuza Like a Dragon)
-Deep in Space (Mega Man 10)
-Speed Star (Yakuza 4)
-Aqua Lake Zone (Sonic 2 Game Gear)
-Sunset Park Zone Act 1 (Sonic Triple Trouble)
-Sunset Park Act 2 (Sonic Triple Trouble 16 Bit)
-Tidal Plant Zone Act 1 (Sonic Triple Trouble 16 Bit)
-Tidal Plant Zone Act 2 (Sonic Triple Trouble 16 Bit)
-Aqua Planet Zone both GG and SMS (Sonic Chaos)
-Gigapolis Zone (Sonic Chaos Game Gear)
-Level Editor C (Mega Man Maker)
-Out in the Cold (Mega Man Revolution)
-Trash Man Stage (Mega Man Super Fighting Robot)
-Cirno Stage (MegaMari)
-Dollhouse (Koumajou Densetsu: Scarlet Symphony)
-Grave Cave (Koumajou Densetsu II: Stranger's Requiem)
-Opening Stage (Mega Man 8)
-Stage Select (Mega Man 8)
-US Opening/Metal Heroes (Mega Man 8)
-US Ending (Mega Man 8)
-Man on a Mission (Mega Man Arena)
-Jet Man (Rokko Chan)
-Port Man Stage (Mega Man Rock Force)
-Tide Man (Mega Man Rock & Roll)
-Cyclical Rampage (Mega Man Unlimited)
-Chilly Wolf (Mega Man X: Innocent Impulse)
-Magus Night (Touhou HM)
-Love Colored Magic (Touhou Hisoutensoku)
-Moon, Piano and Veritable Pandemonium (Koumajou Densetsu: Scarlet Symphony)
-Glacial Galaxy Zone (Sonic Axiom)
-Calcified Cavern (Sonic Axiom Beta)
-Machine Mayhem Zone (Sonic Axiom)
-Serious Influence for Redhot Ride Act 1 (Sonic After the Sequel)
-Tea With Ellie, Flight Thrills, and Espresso with Bayonetta for Cyan City (Sonic After The Sequel)
-Combat Night for Parhelion Peak Act 1 (Sonic After the Sequel)
-Neon Paradise for Parhelion Peak Act 2 (Sonic After the Sequel)
-Radiance for Foliage Furnace Boss (Sonic After the Sequel)
-Evening Dreamscape pt 1 and 2 for Sunset Star Act 1 and 3 (Sonic Before the Sequel)
-Stellar Lights for Technology Tree Act 2 (Sonic After the Sequel)
-Wolf Rayet for Technology Tree Boss (Sonic After the Sequel)
-Ghosts with Guitars for Moon Mansion Act 2 (Sonic After the Sequel)
-Red Moon for Storm Station Act 3 (Sonic After the Sequel)
-Stratospheric Synergy for Arcane Altitude Act 1 (Sonic Before the Sequel)
-Aquarium Park Act 2 (Sonic Colors Ultimate)
-Tuxedo Knight (Gundemonium Recollection)
-Oriental Flower (Blazblue Calamity Trigger)
-Catus Carnival (Blazblue Calamity Trigger)
-Science Fiction (Blazblue Continuum Shift)
-Queen of Rose (Blazblue Calamity Trigger)
-Relentless Force (Bullet Soul)
-Night Walker (Under Night in Birth)
-Green Earth (Neptunia MK 2)

 

[john2000]

 

[_oBSOLEte_]

RIP Stéphane Picq.

 

[Leon]

Bit of a cheat with this one, as it was on the 360, but retro enough for me.

 

[Graves Ruinwalker]

As for calm music from Retro-console games :

Alien Trilogy ( Ps1 )
( Most of the songs are soothing and calm . Almost Therpeutic . )

Silent Hill Origins ( PSP/Ps2 )
( Best Theme-song in a Silent hill game imo and extremly underrated )

Shadowrun ( Snes )
( Maybe not exactly calm but "Morgue" has that chill and atmosspheric tune that comes to me as calming my senses after a hard day at work . )

Ridge Racer Type 4 ( Ps1 )
( Great and soothing songs thanks to its Acid Jazz genre with some really cool Bangers inbetween )

Demons Crest ( Snes )
( Very gothic in its soundtrack but it has some really great calm tunes )

As for Retro PC-games soundtracks :

Revenant (PC)
( The Soundtrack is Phenomenal in its more calm and atmosspheric tunes and should`nt be slept on . The game is cool too .)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKNJg6AkCnY

Unreal ( Amiga )
( That Song is just atmsospheric and very chill )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NagmtM1epU

Unreal Tournament ( PC )
( The Soundtrack can be Zen-mode calming at times and is to this day LEGENDARY !!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEcPakW42JU