ArchLord
Guild Wars
Guild Wars Nightfall
Oblivion
Dark Messiah

Will there be an end?  Let's hope not
And for those of you who don't play computer games (which I personally prefer over console, but it depends on what you're looking for) I STRONGLY urge you to acquire some of the above, because they are likely to be some of the best music you've heard in a LONG LONG time (assuming you enjoy instrumental music, with an epic flair)! 

If you enjoy the works of Jeremy Soule you'll love those soundtracks, especially considering the fact that he composed half of them!  One thing that I've always found weird, is that so many people on this forum seem to think that PC games have inferior soundtracks to console games, and in my opinion just the opposite is true.  I enjoy both, but I think that recent releases by arenanet (and others) blow most everything that's come out of Japan in recent years OUT OF THE WATER!  Give it a try

cheers,

-avatar!

edit: fixed typo

Soule has become quite the posterboy of American VGM, I'll admit...Whether that's good or bad is up for debate, but I can't tell one work of his apart from another (most of the time, I can't tell one TRACK of his apart from another) and I really dislike what he brings to the table overall. If it's not the same ambient theme he constantly reuses, it's big-budget Hollywood orchestra (synth) he busts out. Theme of Morrowind was decent at best, but that's about the extent of success I've had with him.

And...Sorry, I haven't seen many people come out and say PC games have inferior soundtracks to console games in...ages (at least not here) and the American vs Japan thing is beyond silly, so I don't understand what you're getting at.

Well, to each their own of course.  I personally love the Morrowind soundtrack, in fact I was annoyed that it was so short!  I've always gotten the impression from many people that PC game soundtracks are more an afterthought than anything else.  If I'm mistaken that's good, but nevertheless that's the impression I have.  And as for "American vs Japan", I really don't know where you got that from!  I'm simply stating the fact that more and more great soundtracks (great in my opinion) are coming from the US.  10 years ago it would have been hard to find a good game soundtrack   from the US, but fortunately that is no longer the case

cheers,

-avatar!

That was where...I'm not a fan of that comparison style. It makes me want to start listing the Japanese soundtracks I've heard in recent years and that normally takes awhile.

But yeah...Normally, Soule is one of the most love him/hate him composers around. Very few in-betweens.

I think the overlooking part has to do with what type of gamers you're talking about. I've always been a console gamer and I rarely follow PC franchises (and even the ones I'm interested in require too much time vs the console games I like...Simcity 4 is freaking complex! I haven't really had the time to sit down and tinker with it properly). I think most people here are primarily console gamers as well...Over at Gamingforce, there's much more discussion for PC game music (for the Song of the Week contest, a lot of it normally appears from there), as well as other forums I've visited.

It's all preference (duuh). So far most of the PC soundtracks I've heard of recent years are orchestral in nature and thus incredibly boring as stand alone material to me. I've never been a fan of orchestral (except for small ensembles occasionally) so I tend to ignore PC scores. Same reason why I in general don't care for American movie scores. I do like some stuff of Falcom and LucasArts but besides that I haven't encountered anything that inclined me to search out more. Every once in a while I find an amazing track ('Triv. village' of Diablo, 'Oriental Spirit' of Outcast, 'Floating Population' of Sim City 4) so Im sure there's is atleast some good stuff out there...just don't feel like setting up a PC music research project now.

Jeremy Soule sounds boring to me too. Hate to counter your PC music love post here with Goldfish, but that's how it is. To each his own.

Okay, one I feel need to mention: Civilization IV Official Soundtrack. Completely slipped my mind. Amazing selection of ethnic/world tunes...Cool melodies, wide variety of instruments and percussion, really great stuff all around. Even has a tune for Colonial American (I think...it sounds like Yankee Doodle sort of, before going into a trumpet section).

Also, "By the Bay" from Sim City 4...Great little chill-out tune.

I totally forgot about Civ IV, yes I think it's pretty awesome!  I think Age of Empires III is also excellent.  I hope such soundtracks (and also those that I previously mentioned) keep coming  

cheers,

-avatar!

Thinking of PC soundtracks, the most impressive to me was DOOM. Mechwarrior 2 was pretty cool. Oh, I also liked Diablo 2. And Warcraft II.

I have listened to music from Elder Scrolls IV and it didn't sound like much; my friend commented that the main theme only becomes enjoyable after enormous exposure.

I agree, it's great. It even comes with a nice bonus DVD, including the soundtrack in 5.1 (of course, I only have headphones, alas)

-Joshua

Soule is okay. I'd say his best work is probably "Prey". All of his stuff does tend to sound the same though.