There was once a time when video games were synonymous with shrill, simple, hopelessly computerized music that was almost impossible to take seriously. As hardware improved and development budgets ballooned, music became an essential part of the gameplay experience. No longer are games plagued with irritating MIDI sounds (unless it's an ironic throwback) and now the songs accompanying us on our electronic adventures are worth listening to on their own.

Wipeout XL

Perhaps the greatest racing game on the original Sony Playstation, Wipeout XL (the American version of Wipeout 2097) is an excellent time capsule of mid-to-late 1990's art and music. Its soundtrack is fueled by some of the most notable artists in electronic music, including The Future Sound of London, Fluke, Underworld and The Chemical Brothers. Combined with sleek (for their time) graphics and a futuristic aesthetic, this soundtrack made Wipeout XL the quintessential raver's video game.

Final Fantasy VII

Squaresoft's first 32-bit role playing game brought its famous Final Fantasy series to the Playstation in 1997, complete with an iconic score by famed composer Nobuo Uematsu. A traditionalist in more than one sense, Uematsu decided to stick with the MIDI format for the game's soaring, symphonic soundtrack, but many of the most recognizable tracks got full orchestra updates in subsequent albums as well as a popular piano arrangement record in 2003. Uematsu's music for Final Fantasy VII are some of his most memorable and beloved compositions and perhaps the first contributions to video game music that are considered high art.

Aquaria

In the second half of the last decade, independent video games have really come into their own. Bit Blot, a minuscule developer composed of just two people, released their labor of love Aquaria in 2007 to roundly positive reviews. The underwater-themed mix of exploration, puzzles and side-scrolling shooting is famous for its lush graphics, melancholy story and perhaps most of all for its stunning soundtrack. Composed by half of Bit Blot, Alec Holowka, Aquaria's music combines meticulous keyboard work with angelic vocals to make a serene, New Age inspired soundscape for one of the most beautiful games ever created.

Braid

Jonathan Blow's award-winning puzzle platformer Braid is famous for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is its weird but elegant soundtrack. Composed of music by Jami Sieber, Shira Kammen and Cheryl Ann Fulton, Braid's music progresses much like the game itself. It begins with deceptive simplicity and gentleness, then gradually evolves into a much stranger, more foreboding mix of chamber-inspired experiments. By Braid's disturbing conclusion, the soundtrack is intense, dark and unsettling.