Music in video games serves to heighten the player's engagement and enjoyment by creating an immersive atmosphere, amplifying emotional responses, and setting the tone for the gameplay.

Music in video games can manipulate the player's emotions through various techniques, such as building tension through fast-paced melodies, triggering nostalgia through familiar tunes, or aligning with the emotional journey of the protagonist.

Interactive music refers to music that responds to the player's input or the game's current situation, changing its tempo, melody, or instrumentation to reflect the player's actions or the game's progression.

Music in video games can play a vital role in storytelling by establishing the game's atmosphere, emphasizing important narrative moments, and conveying the emotional states and motivations of the characters.

While leitmotifs, synchronized music, and sound effects can enhance immersion, using music that clashes with the game's setting can be jarring and disruptive to the player's experience.

A video game score refers to the collection of original music composed specifically for a video game, encompassing all the musical elements that contribute to the game's audio experience.

Music in video games can impact the player's perception of difficulty by either amplifying the sense of challenge through intense and fast-paced melodies or by providing a calming and enjoyable atmosphere that reduces stress.

Action-adventure games often incorporate music with high energy and rapid tempos to match the fast-paced and thrilling gameplay, enhancing the player's sense of excitement and engagement.

Music in video games can enhance the player's sense of accomplishment by playing uplifting melodies during victories, signaling the completion of objectives, and building anticipation and excitement leading up to significant achievements.

Crossfading is a technique used in video game music to smoothly transition between different musical sections or themes by gradually fading out one piece while fading in the next, creating a seamless and immersive audio experience.

Music in video games can shape the player's perception of the game's environment by creating a sense of scale and openness, setting the mood and atmosphere of different locations, and providing auditory cues that guide the player through the game world.

While pre-recorded samples, original compositions, and licensed music are commonly used in video game music, the use of artificial intelligence to generate music is still a relatively new and experimental approach.

Music in video games can enhance replay value by creating a memorable and enjoyable audio experience, encouraging players to explore different areas and discover new music, and evoking feelings of nostalgia and familiarity upon revisiting the game.

While music in cutscenes typically enhances the emotional impact and provides context, its primary purpose is not to distract the player from the visual elements.

Music in video games can contribute to immersion by creating a cohesive and believable game world, enhancing the player's emotional connection to the game, and providing auditory feedback and cues about the game's mechanics.