Maybe you’ve just finished off that brand new album and you’re looking for something else to occupy you. The country genre is so diverse that it lends itself to all kinds of entertainment, but video games seem to particularly like it. If you enjoy playing a video game now and again then you’ll love these titles. Each of them takes the country theme and really runs with it, whether that’s through the graphics, the storyline, or indeed the music. So, if you’ve got half an hour to spare and want to fill it with all of the goodness of country, try one of these options.
Borderlands
First released in 2009 by Gearbox Software and 2K Games, Borderlands was an instant hit. Now the franchise has 3 different installments of the game but each of them takes place in their unique Wild West/Deep Space world. The two may seem like a slightly incongruous match, but the result in terms of the soundtrack is out of this world (in a super Western way). The soundtrack to the original game entitled Fortune Hunters is one of the most brilliant mixtures of Western meets hi-tech. There’s a strong undercurrent of very traditional country music, plenty of open-fifth chords, and even the occasional mandolin, but along with it there’s some pretty otherworldly throat singing as well as a synth. It’s so perfectly orchestrated to match the characters and the storyline of the game. Although the weapons and world are futuristic, the characters are as grounded as the cowboys of yesteryear. These space cowboys will delight anyone with a passion for western music.
Music Country
Sometimes you want a game that’s quick to pick up and play and they don’t come much quicker than Music Country. This video slot from iSoftBet will take you deep into the Wild West, the Wild West of old that is, certainly not the space-age version that you’ve just encountered in Borderlands. For those who are new to slot games, it’s great that this is one of the slots you can play for free. That means that you can practice online without the need to download and you don’t have to spend any money to decide whether you enjoy the gameplay or not. Vegas Slots Online have compiled a whole list of free slots no download that you can enjoy, so if you find that slots are a genre that you enjoy you’ll be spoilt for choice. With a theme as brilliantly country as this slot though, it’s unlikely you’ll want to play anything else. Music Country is set around the time of the invention of the gramophone and the imagery is of the dusty desert. Whilst the reels are made up of lots of iconic cowboy imagery, the soundtrack is the best feature. A whole band including a guitar, banjo, piano and even a harmonica feature in the music, guaranteeing you a toe-tapping time.
Let’s Sing Country
If you’ve caught yourself singing along whilst you were playing the last two games, then this one is going to be right up your street. SingStar was a sensation when it was released all of those years ago and Let’s Sing Country basically follows in its hugely successful footsteps, with one major difference, all of the songs are from the country and western genre. It’s available for Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 and you’ll need either USB microphones or compatible smartphones to play it. As for the tracklisting, there are no less than 30 different tracks to sing your heart out to, with the option to purchase an additional 30 if you want to extend your playing time even more. Expect classics from artists such as the brilliant John Pardi, Kenny Rogers, and Dylan Scott.
Red Dead Redemption
Finally, it wouldn’t be a collection of country music games without featuring possibly the most popular cowboy game of all time, Red Dead Redemption. This game allows you to literally exist in the body of a cowboy and get up to all of the things that you could possibly imagine a cowboy might do. Not only this, but the soundtrack is just beautiful. The haunting music of Born Unto Trouble is simply breathtaking. A simple whistle sets the melody for the tune, with the occasional replies from a fiddle. It’s achingly beautiful, enough to be released in its own right.
