While Kendrick Lamar may have swept the Grammys with his mega-hit ‘Not Like Us’, a game that was originally released in 1981 took home the most shocking prize of them all. Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord received a full remake in 2024, 43 years after its original release. Alongside a graphical overhaul, it seemingly received some of the best in-game music, if iitsGrammy score proves anything.
From It’s Inception, ‘Wizardry’ Has Always Been Leading the Pack, and It’s Grammy Win Proves That Fact
While newer players may not be as familiar with the Wizardry franchise as they should be, it’s one of the most influential series to ever exist. It was the driving force for how turn-based RPG games play to this day. From its Grammy win, it must have also been the baseline for why JRPG and RPG games always have absolutely phenomenal soundtracks. Just think; we likely wouldn’t have Final Fantasy if it wasn’t for Wizardry.
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While the idea of a 43-year-old game getting a Grammy nod may be strange enough, I do feel like we need to discuss its competition. So many great games come out every year, with some of the best soundtracks in any form of media. Why are some of these nominations roughly 3 years old at this point? Beyond that, here’s what Wizardry was put up against:
- Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora (2023) by Pinar Toprak
- God of War Ragnarök: Valhalla (2022) by Bear McCreary
- Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (2023) by John Paesano
- Star Wars Outlaws (2024) by Wilbert Roget II
- Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord by Winifred Philips
The wildest part to me is that Wizardry beat out some, admittedly, stiff competition. God of War games have always been known for their incredible soundtracks, and Bear McCreary has been in charge of some of the biggest franchises on the planet. To watch a game like Wizardry take home the top prize is astonishing, and shows how these old games still have life in them. Sure, its new coat of paint helps bring more attention to it. But I’m glad to see that the classics are getting their due.
