A strange(?) request.

Before you ask, this is NOT a download request. Just sayin’

I have a simple rule I set for myself when it comes to listening to video game music: I have to play the game first. If I listen to the music beforehand, the game won’t have the same emotional impact than it would have normally. This happened to me when I played Xenogears, because I heard the credits theme on Youtube prior to ever starting the game, and I felt like the ending was somehow… cheapened? At least a little.

Anyway, the kind of music I tend to gravitate towards are vocal-heavy, classical or folk-inspired music, but I can experiment. The piano is my favorite instrument. I also like really long songs, but chances are there aren’t very many long VGM’s (and by long, I mean 15+ minutes- extended songs don’t count lol).
My favorite soundtracks so far are Nier, Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon, Xenosaga, Xenogears, Xenoblade Chronicles, but my library of VGM is pretty limited right now because I’m still playing catch-up when it comes to games (have been for the past 3 years T_T).

Basically, what I want to know is what good games with good soundtracks do any of you recommend playing? Or, if a game sucks, and I should skip straight to the good soundtrack it has, you can suggest that too.

Other games with good soundtracks I’ve played: Arc Rise Fantasia, Elder Scrolls III-V, Final Fantasy X and XII, Folklore, The Last Story, Metroid Prime 1-3, NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams, Okami, Pandora’s Tower, Shadow of the Colossus, Soul Calibur II-V, Valkyrie Profile 2, most Zelda games (haven’t played the DS ones)

Okay. Vocal-heavy, classical and/or folk-inspired music from good games. This list could get out of hand very quickly. I’ll just try to get you started.

It seems like you’re into Mitsuda. Here are some games not on your list you should play:

Chrono Trigger
Chrono Cross
Soma Bringer

Also, given the characteristics you’re looking for, I think the Suikoden series would be right up your alley. Particularly…

Suikoden
Suikoden II
Suikoden III
Suikoden V

There are also a couple classics that come to mind…

Vagrant Story
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Super Mario Galaxy
Super Mario Galaxy 2
Diablo series
Also, the Final Fantasy series, which it seems like you’ve only begun. FF9 sounds like it would be your favorite, but you should also at least play FF6 and FF7.

One of the best folk-inspired video game soundtracks that’s not from a good game is the soundtrack to 2003’s The Hobbit.

For more recommendations, I’d encourage you to check out the VGM Recommendations (Thread 69378) megathread if you haven’t already. It contains links to other many other lists with similar themes.