Max Payne 3
At this point, each game the Rockstar releases sports an impressive musical arrangement to boot. Actually, strike that, ever since GTA Vice City each Rockstar game had great music, be it licensed tracks – Vice City one of the very few 80s compilations to include both Queen and Michael Jackson – or original music.
The 2012 Rockstar release of Max Payne 3 was the latter, and another case where special attention was paid to the game’s music. Los Angeles based noise rock band Health was hired to compose and perform the music for the game, and oh boy did they deliver. Max Payne 3’s music is a perfect companion to the game’s visuals and overall aesthetics and themes, perfectly underscoring the broken lead character and the gruelling violence surrounding him, making it a standout piece in video game music this year.