We’re formally seven months into 2026. First of all, what the hell? I do not learn about you, however it appears like this 12 months has completely whizzed by regardless of… not an entire lot occurring. Apart from, y’know, an insane variety of layoffs and the business slowly crumbling whereas an enormous GTA 6-shaped asteroid slowly approaches.
Critical Hit
Welcome to Critical Hit, the place I (or another person on the PC Gamer group) rejoice and lament all issues videogame music, audio design, and the methods our favorite video games make our ears tingle.
But within the mess and chaos, we have nonetheless been blessed with some fairly good videogames this 12 months, in addition to killer soundtracks to go alongside them. I’ll admit I’ve not fairly been on high of my 2026 gaming this 12 months—I’m nicely and really again in my Final Fantasy 14 brainrot period, and have additionally found Project Zomboid 13 years too late. So we’re on slightly retro vibe proper now.
That doesn’t suggest I have never had time to play any new releases, although. Or that I’ve not been listening to their music even after I have not fairly gotten round to really enjoying the rattling factor but. While there’s nonetheless one other 5 months of potential videogame bangers forward of us, I wished to have a look and see which tracks actually grabbed my consideration up to now within the large 2026.
If you’ve got obtained some 2026 favourites of your individual, I’d love to listen to which soundtracks or particular videogame tunes have been in your radar this 12 months. Be positive to drop a remark and let me know!
Arcade – Screamer
Milestone’s newest racer is positively dripping in vibes. It’s sporting a slick anime aesthetic with a colourful cast of characters, and the game’s music compliments the whole thing perfectly. It’s this wonderful mix of rock and electronic, but my favourite track of the bunch has to be the one that plays when you select the Arcade mode.
It’s this wonderful dynamic piece that layers the hype as you progress through each menu, an EDM explosion that gives me huge 2000s anime/rhythm game vibes. A proper bop.
Eatin’ Rats – Mewgenics
I’m but to play Mewgenics (I do know!) however I’m obsessed with its soundtrack. It’s so delightfully foolish, however Eatin’ Rats needs to be considered one of my absolute favourites with lyrics like “Tasty legs and crispy thighs / On my mind! / I’m so hungry now I’m gonna /Chase ‘em, grab ‘em, fry ‘em!” It’s like a feline Guys and Dolls, and I can nearly image a gang of cats slinking their approach down an alley, clicking their fingers in unison. Y’know, if that they had fingers.
Lone Wolf – Crimson Desert
I’ve beforehand lamented that Crimson Desert’s soundtrack is slightly boring, and I stand by that. But I do have a little bit of a comfortable spot for Lone Wolf, the music that performs as you are loading into the world of Pywel. It’s comfortable however with an underlayer of moodiness to it, and I’m a complete sucker for a delicate choir second like this one.
Club Arch DJ set – 007 First Light
Another sport I’m but to play, however as quickly as I heard Chase & Status had a digital DJ set inside Club Arch—which a younger Bond visits in the course of the sport’s second chapter—I needed to go and provides it a pay attention. And as somebody who had an enormous Chase & Status part as a young person, it is the epitome of dirty Britishness that I simply love. The type of factor I completely would have gotten right down to after one too many £1 vodka cokes at college.
Blood Moon – Life is Strange Reunion
Life is Strange Reunion blends the curated licensed music the collection has grow to be so well-known for with a handful of authentic items, and Blood Moon is my favorite of the bunch. Super moody indie that has its ominous instrumental reduce by means of with artist Elora’s gorgeously haunting vocals. It’s one thing I might half anticipate to listen to in a Twilight film (and as a 30-year-old lady, I imply that with full endearment).
It’s, after all, full with lyrics which are extremely becoming of Max and Chloe’s journey. A beautiful music all spherical.
Inner Child – Paralives
Andrei Castañon had to know what he was doing when calling this monitor Inner Child. It’s a part of the soundtrack for all times sim Paralives and good grief, it offers me the largest Sims 2 vibes possible. It opens up with a brilliant twangy melody that jogs my memory a lot of my favorite EA life sim, with a delicate-yet-whimsical melody layered excessive.
It takes plenty of talent to evoke such robust emotions of one other sport with out cribbing from it too closely, so I’ve to commend Castañon for giving me an actual Ratatouille critic second the second I heard this monitor.
In Death We’ve Just Begun – Marathon
Poppy is considered one of my all-time favorite artists, so think about my delight to listen to her voice within the music that options in Marathon’s opening cinematic. She’s at all times had this splendidly ethereal tone which actually shines alongside Son Lux’s melancholic composition.
I’ve additionally grow to be so accustomed to listening to Poppy belting out heavier, rawer vocals that it is a nice shock to listen to her again to the softer tones of her earlier work. It’s a kind of tracks I at all times pop on throughout a quiet night when I’m searching for a moodier environment.
Cryogenic – In Falsus
Okay, technically a demo. But rhythm sport In Falsus is (unsurprisingly) already crammed with bangers, regardless of solely having a tidy six tracks to play proper now. It’s a mix of pre-existing songs and originals, the latter of which incorporates Cryogenic by considered one of my favorite composers, Camellia.
It’s a implausible monitor with comfortable, dreamy vocals punctuated with a poppy digital beat. Hell, it is so good that it is already made (or making) its approach into 4 different rhythm video games—developer Lowiro’s different music sport Arcaea together with CHUNITHM, maimai, and ONGEKI. Those are the large leagues, child.
Under the Lights – People of Note
I’m nonetheless criminally early into People of Note, however its soundtrack is my greatest motivator to really get this factor performed earlier than 2026 is out. Under the Lights was one of many first tracks revealed for the sport and it is a banger. I’m a sucker for a musical second, and this music may be very stereotypically film musical however, like, in a good approach. Incredibly stoked to really expertise the remainder of this pretty little soundtrack.