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Thank you so much! Warms my heart to hear~

To nudge you gently in the direction of things to emulate: look at the themes that play in the day and the night in Erythia Sea / Cadensia Region in Xenoblade Chronicles 3. This is what I mean by dynamism and swelling. The things that are communicated there convey wonder, vastness, and calm; either which way, it ebbs and flows, just like the tides. What I'm saying is, you got it in you to convey that kind of unspoken narration. 🙌🏽

Something like that; there's also the timing, instrumentation, and tonality that reminded me of it in parts. Fr fr i would love a Cranberries-esque OST so long as what's inside the game fits 🙌🏽

Deeply appreciate the thought you put into this one, thank you so much <3

Truthfully I feel like there could be space for both with that sound because summer and the passing of the seasons is an ephemeral thing, but also it's the thought of "finding the possibly long-term / eternal in things that are necessarily ephemeral;" summer ain't gonna last forever basically. I can't speak to what the Frutiger-core sound is meant to represent (that, I would leave to @snugglybunne and those who have done music like this to speak to) -- all I know is that there is a strong amount of nostalgia and social reimagining associated with the bringing back of old aesthetics in digifu circles. Basically to say that the 2000s had their own kind of optimism and beauty and brightness and hope, but they were also proper toxic -- and it's worth we revisit and reimagine those years, and especially through the aesthetics used by that period.

The Ocean Kept Our Secrets conveys night-time with the instrumentation, and takes me back fondly to a lot of the doujin stuff my friends and I have done. Violin came in rather subito; might wanna volume automate that a bit I think. The only connection between the ocean and the music here, is the text, I feel: I feel that the ocean-ness of it all could be communicated more in the instrumentation, e.g. through harp shimmers. The best narrative device is show, don't tell.

What the Night Carried Away already conveys the idea of reminiscing on the past, from the get-go, with the laid-back drums, slow strolling pace, and delayed guitars. That palm muted one feels so good, and I think is what makes this track, keeping up the rhythm of conversation when it (theoretically) happens.

The Weight of Small Things... that opening synth already gives Zelda, entering a dungeon, discovering a treasure chest, but it also brings to mind a musical box, the kind of thing we're inculturated to associate with childhood memories. All in all a very, very fitting track for the discovery of the memory box.

What She Left Behind... it feels heavy. The dissonance not long after the beginning kinda suggests it's a memory that the protag would rather not hold on (which I believe is not the intention here). Is that memory fond? Is the memory something worth holding on to? Is it a hard one? Is it a beautiful summer and the memory is tinged with grief? These are questions for which the instrumentation and compositional choices can provide direct answers.

A Piece of Summer, again beautiful palm muting here. This one conveys what you've written on the text well: a stargazing piece, a nice closing track that leaves some things unresolved (something you communicate well with your chord usage). A track that, with the violins, the mysterious chords (Gm > Abmaj7 > Fmin9 > Abmaj9 > Gm7 etc), conveys the vastness of the sky, and the idea that our protag's friend may be gazing from above. When it gets softer it feels hopeful. I know that wherever you are, you're watching, and I'm not alone, kind of deal.

Overall, this is good soundtrack writing. Well done, and all the best this jam!

I want to preface this review with the following observation: I love my sci-fi, but this has a very tenuous connection to the idea of a summer night at best, since in the plot you've shared in the submission page, these are conditions that would happen on this planet at pretty much any time of the year, just following the tides (if the tides followed seasons, that much wasn't made clear).

With that out of the way, let's begin.

First Waves. The track is actually quite lush and suggesting a forest or sea -- sounds of birds, water, leaves, lots of nice spicc strings, glittering high piano. Piano could use more dynamics, strings could use more volume automation, but that's not to say there isn't already. The writing here is really, really nice. It also conveys the idea that this is a habitable zone (which 300 Kelvin is, like 26 point something Celsius). The spiccato suggests that things are bursting with life. It could use a much louder section before toning back down, and looping again (like would happen with certain exploration themes in the likes of Ni no Kuni, for example).

Night Belt. The piano already suggests that it's calmer, less active, giving the impression of night-time. Any dynamics here are subtle. It could use more, to be honest -- not too much -- strings can swell, piccolos can trill in certain more exhilarating sections, all while the piano keeps that nice movement all the way throughout. How vast is this belt? Or, how wonderful? Are there island formations, beautiful stars to look at, creatures flying overhead? These are things that can, and should be communicated in your theme. It's calm and beautiful, but I also want my night-times on this theoretical ship to be filled with wonder as I'm out there under (presumably) a starry sky for however many hours, with the flames of the sun bearing down on one edge of the sky.

Some food for thought, I guess.

Otherwise, you've shown good writing and it was a pleasant listen. Well done, and all the best this jam!

I want to preface this with the following observation: 1) the overarching premise, what little has been given to us in the submission page, is compelling, even though we haven't got any plot details. I unfortunately need to leave a lot of my thoughts on the tracks to speculation as to what they can be. And 2) The artwork that has been provided here is super vibey and reminds me of certain types of doujin games; as someone who occasionally navigates the doujin music scene, this hits home.

With that out of the way, let's begin.

Sheru, which I am presuming is a menu theme or an opening cutscene theme. The crashing waves and other FX are deeply evocative and set the scene of me being on a childhood island. The guitar melody is something I would sing; I am not about to forget it anytime soon.

A day in town, the title feels fairly self-explanatory as an overworld theme, and has the kind of groove and pocket to suggest that. I hear the opening leitmotif coming in more background, but that's fine. It's nice that it hits me in the background, but it also has the capacity to hit me hard with that coming in. I love your playing and chords here too.

Ikari's Fishing Contest. Notwithstanding the FX, the theme conveys a good bit of hubbub and concentration, as would be expected from fishing; if the FX were absent it would suggest something more suburban.

Mana's Thoughts. It starts off slow and contemplative. Again, lovely chords and nice improvised feel. The plot details not being there can only leave it up to speculation for me, but given that the premise is about a terminally ill protag, and this is about her collecting her thoughts, it does convey a good bit of gravitas while also giving a laid-back feel, almost as if to say, I want to make memories.

Nao, kid love. I'm not exactly sure what story beat or moment in the theoretical game this is meant to accompany, it sounds either romantic or intimate, but nonetheless deeply emotional, as though navigating a tough situation.

Mana's Farewell. This one did coax out some tears. Judging by the title of this song, this plays when she inevitably passes. This also seems to double as a credits theme. I am a HUGE fan of classic rock, having done a fair bit of it myself, and when the guitars / bass / drums kick in, it brings in a kind of melancholy and emotion that I find is woefully missing in today's game soundtracks. This specific section has won this track a spot in one of my favourite tracks in this jam BY FAR. I only wish it resolved, rather than cut off where it did.

This is, in my estimation, one of the stronger entries in this jam by far (I'm aware I haven't rated very much). I rarely gush about tracks or OSTs or anything creative for that matter; if and when I do, I am pointing to something that I wish was done in more games and game soundtracks altogether, and you have done exactly that. Well done, and all the very best in this jam.

Thank you so much! I not only composed that one summer night, I am also the vocalist~

Last Seen  sounds like an ambient track to be lost to, and doesn't really set the tone of what you've described in the text: a central musical theme for a game with a heavy tone like trying to track down a killer. The track feels considerably more lighthearted -- still serious, but not on the side of I am trying to find justice for something very wrong and horrible that happened to us.

Looking Into It is very contemplative, and sets a good tone for any investigative work. It may express frustration at not getting closer (the guitar is really good at communicating that), but it can also communicate the gravity of a given situation. There is no room for error and this case is getting cold if we don't do a thing about it, or maybe it is already cold and we're fighting against all hope. Even when the synths and drums kick in, it does convey that desperate fight -- desperate isn't the right word. It's more, hope against all hope. When your C#minor -> F#minor bridge comes in, I still find it a touch too lighthearted for the subject matter. When it tones back down the gravitas is back.

Then THAT Means... I sense some very strong Ace Attorney influence. The bass and opening synth do give that sense of concentration and urgency in solving logic puzzles. The key shifts are sublime here, and they do convey the idea of cracking one's head to solve things, an air of mystery. This is your strongest track.

Kelsey. Now this is also an excellent cue to describe a massive plot twist where she is unearthed as the killer. It's slow, it's measured, it's methodical, the detune adds a level of chaos and confusion and extreme emotions associated with this scene.

Unhide got my chest pounding hard. It is a wonderfully tense, your life depends on this escape sequence with a very singable and memorable melody. I do put it up there in this OST, a very close second to Then THAT Means... . The jazz tonality works really well here and also throws me right back to noir films and thrillers where this music is front and centre. (Probably the thing that would seal the deal would be subtler, greater with finesse, but equally urgent, jazz drums.)

I have no complaints with the mixing.

This is an OST that does take a while to come into its own, but oh when it does, it really, TRULY does. There's a lot you've done in here that is simply delightful, and as such you should be proud. All the best in this jam!

Thank you kindly, the detailed review is very very appreciated! I'll leave it to @snugglybunne to explain about the bass writing as much of the more detailed instrumental arrangement is hers.

For my part, I can respond re: piano since I played that stuff live: I find the insertion of chord extensions as being incidental to whatever the basic chord is, so I don't think twice about it until someone points it out. I'll be sure to give yours a good listen on my return home, especially from a pianist's lens.

Main Menu feels proper funky, and has this nice Crash Bandicoot vibe. Melody can be simplified a bit more -- I kinda feel like, in the second half, it's talking over everything else and not giving the rest of the instrumentation space to breathe.

Lousy Ol' Town, now the slow pace of it really sets the mood, a not-so-lively town. It's moody, and the melody is singable. The piano melody being in the lower register is not as overpowering, but it can be after a while. Use your rests more!

Onward has some funky time signature use which I quite like. Melody is also singable in parts. It feels like it's lacking the gravitas of LET'S GET UP AND GOOOOOOOO -- the bass feels nice and you've got the melody, but everything else behind it feels quite static and could use some movement. Listen to a Crash Bandicoot stage theme, from 4 onwards,  and notice the stuff going on in the background. Not all of it is legato. It's detached in parts, very staccato, and that conveys excitement, movement. That's what we're missing here, I think.

The losing theme was, as you said, a much darker shift in tone.

Your strongest suit here is your drums and bass. I feel like you know how to make the foundations of a very good pocket -- arguably, the first step in this equation, you've nailed really well. All that remains is to build on top of it. Pocket is what gets us moving, after all -- and an adventure game where we need to be absolutely schmoovin' certainly needs it.

All the best this jam!

Let's talk musically first.

I'm not hearing many dynamics, peaks and valleys, highs and lows -- and those are needed to be able to convey something to the listener. These are the things that show us, not tell us, about what emotional frequency the characters are going through. This sets the tone for the rest of my review.

Amaya's Overlook. The writing of this piece does bring to mind enka songs. Those can be quite emotional when we hear those highs and lows in the dynamics. Especially towards the end there are moments where the piano is intended to feel quite glittery and wondrous. The lack of dynamics hampers this, unfortunately. The feelings you are describing in the text, of wonder and adventure before embarking, are not coming across to me due to the flatness of it all.

Whiskers Before The Storm has some interesting synth choices that do convey that we're entering a perilous area. Those synths, presumably because they're out of the box like that, do have some soft-loud to them. Some of them actually do give shivers down the spine (in this case, a VERY good thing). The rest of your instrumentation, unfortunately, doesn't, again because of the flatness of the dynamics.

I feel like you've written something that has so much potential to truly tug at the heartstrings, if they are given their proper place in the mix of instruments, if they occupy a certain dynamic range. Play with them note velocities more. If your instruments don't allow you to do that, consider volume automation graphs. Consider, on top of that, things like EQ and reverb on your more basic instruments -- they do currently sound quite MIDI-ish, and do need that polish to shine. If that doesn't work, maybe some free VSTs might work? (BBC Symphony Orchestra Discover and Berlin Free Orchestra, as well as the default piano sound on Soundpaint, are all going for free and all hold up quality wise, but you'd also still need to know your EQ / volume graphs / etc to get them to talk to each other.)

First Night of Summer is beautifully tender. The instrumentation, dynamics, mixing, are all simply breathtaking. I've not rated very many thus far, but this has been my favourite track of the entire jam BY FAR.

Gone, Searching, Reunited is deeply melancholic to begin with. I can imagine the string section (when the lovers reunite) coming at us towards the end of the game, but that one feels like it's missing a little something -- a hint of a higher octave for a more climactic finish, I think.

Now, with regards to whether this classes as a game OST. I strongly think it does, if not straight up cutscene material. It is only a minor nitpick for me to say "consider some loop points in the things you write" because looping game audio tracks that convey a lot emotionally, give us lots of highs and lows, are quite rare, and I want that cemented in people's minds that this can indeed happen. Right now the division between "film score" and "game audio" is kinda there in listeners' minds and to many, this screams "film score." Looping the audio after taking us on an absolute emotional rollercoaster like you have done would be the icing on the cake, if I'm being honest.

Well done, and all the best this jam!

Hi! Video game composer/ session musician here, with a few shipped titles to my name. It's entirely possible for cues like this to be used for video games, especially if we're writing for cutscenes or timed events. Personally, given how incredibly breathtaking Track 1 is, I feel it sets a bar for game audio that very few dare to go.

Summer's Last Night has a really evocative intro; I love the fuzz / dist you've applied to those guitars and just how lush those chords are there. The chord progression here reminds me of The Cranberries' Dreams, which was the theme song of the show Derry Girls. I think something more could be done mixing wise / dynamics wise to really convey the magic of meeting a friend, sharing your hopes and dreams with them on that one magical summer night. Because right now, as it stands, it roughly stays at the same loudness before it cuts off for the reasons you described in the text.

Same Place, Years Later has me looking down into the waters around the pier in the intro; it has that kind of wet feel. This one is a lot more dynamic and expressive than the previous track, for the simple reason that a buildup has happened before the drums kicked in. It just stays where it does, though, without either growing louder or suddenly getting softer (to communicate something more intimate). Cues like these could actually communicate different things to us. What's happening in the reminiscing scene? I'm pretty sure that it's not just a static feeling of memories. Emotions wash over us, they come and go, and music can reflect that really well depending on the tropes we use to communicate that with others.

Good OST -- think upon more dynamics use and how that can communicate different things to the listener at different points of your songs.

Well done, and all the best this jam!

Let's talk musically first.

Seaside Overture works well as a tutorial track and does set the mood well.

Heart of the Mountain Town has a really heartwarming start and already, the melody leitmotif is down pat, a continuation of the last track's. As an exploration theme, this sets the tone quite well.

Lumina does convey the theme of yearning; the parts that really stand out to me are the glock and string writing here. For a moment when the luminous soul reaches out to our protag I'd have appreciated something that tugged at the heartstrings a bit more? I think ^_^; Parts of it felt triumphal, dare I say triumphal too early.

Atlantis being the theme for the bottom of the sea, this conveys quite a bit of majesty but not in the way that the bottom of the sea does, at least to many of us. ^_^; This actually gives Age of Empires, it's got that kind of instrumentation and mixing, with added mallets. The emotion I hoped to feel upon discovery of these many soul creatures was one of wonderment, awe, and a tinge of horror, like "...wh... who indeed are you?" It wasn't what the track gave me. Wetter instrumentation for sure, but also I think it has space to communicate cues more.

Empress of the Sea...... now this is imposing from the get-go, it sets the impression early and it sets the impression WELL. I feel like the Empress is staring me down, before the important conversation happens. I can visualise that when the harp kicks in, there is hesitation on the protag's part to ask about the missing child, but they ask anyway.

Onward feels as magical as the text describes. Can I just say that you've got faultless string writing? This one is an absolute joy.

Lunar Eclipse already communicates "battle theme" from the get go. It has some of the instrumentation of Onward, the entire melody is singable and memorable, and Phase 2 does mark a slight shift in tone from Phase 1. Phase 2, I kinda feel could use more high-low differential (what I mean is, you've got those growling basses to communicate the viciousness of this phase... put in those higher strings in parts. We listeners appreciate crash bang wallop, the sense that is given to us from high and low hitting us at once. It's the same kind of satisfaction we get when a bass drum and cymbal sound at the same time. Phase 2, for climax purposes, could certainly use more of that).

Love You, Farewell is a beautifully emotional sendoff track. I did sense a tear or two. The improvised feel of it just brings it all home.

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Outside of what I've mentioned with the tracks, I do echo some of the others' concerns that the mixing is quite thin for what this is. It needs depth, it needs warmth, it needs electricity with the moving of the air, and I'm not getting enough of those.

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Soundtrack is well written, nicely themed, conveys nearly everything you describe very well. Well done, and all the best for this jam!

Today Is Not A Good Day, melodically speaking, reminds me of old-school Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles games (fondly, btw; it really really takes me back ^_^). Something more funk drums wise might have suited this in the vein of Long Train Running, which this otherwise feels like -- to let the feeling of annoyance and frustration really hit hard, and hit home. Admittedly right now the EDM drums are making me already feel less annoyed, so... yeah, communication of feelings somewhere, something something.

Waxing Fun, Waxing Sun does make for a good transitional track and actually feels like Megalovania in parts (a very VERY good thing! Genuinely not sure if you were gunning for that). The modulation you use later on is a very nice touch.

Only thing I'd recommend is, use your dynamics. Play with them note velocities a bit more. Keep your instrumentation sparse to piano and lead for example when you're trying to depict your protag going No I don't want to! with their arms folded -- that's the image that came to my head -- but let the drums and bass kick in a bit more for when the mood lifts, and then let it kick in fully when the mood lifts even further. You do communicate the intent here, but there's more that can be done to communicate the feelings of "things passing from this is a REALLY bad day to actually, this feels kinda nice."

The Best Last Day also feels very old-school TMNT in parts. I do love the whimsy in here, the odd sound effects, and the fact that you do indeed emphasise the main melody with an octave up. This is your strongest track, at least I think so; judging from the comments a bunch of other people think so too. Dynamics use would certainly make this one stellar, turning down the drums in parts to raise anticipation and then fulfilling said anticipation for example. There are tropes we can use even to convey things like "wait am I gonna get the top prize here? .... (long pause) ... heck yeah!", or other such moments. It's these subtleties to look forward to.

Outside of what I've already said about the tracks, this is well written -- very fun, very whimsical, certainly gives the image of a funfair and things going down in it. It was an enjoyable listen, and you should be proud. All the best for this jam!

Thank you so much 🙏🏽 It's my own voice!

I'm truly in awe of SnugglyBun's arrangement; she really nailed that Frutiger-core feel we were going for.

Thank you so much! 🙌🏽

I think you and I share a favourite track in this OST, which is super cool.

With regards to the final track, I did try a drier mix for something else that used just piano and voice but it didn't have the impact desired, which led me to go with what I did both there and here. However! If I were to modify something, I still feel it's too mid heavy and piercing in parts, so I imagine I'd have to tame those.

Thank you so much! 🥹🙏🏽

Thank you kindly! 💜

Piano and vocals are some of the easiest things for me to improvise, and given that I was under a time constraint, piano and voice only seemed to make the most sense somehow. I think 

La Ciudad de los Reyes sounds exactly as regal and as distinguished as your text setting makes it; it really sets the picture in my head. A very elegant, distinguished pavane through the streets with pageantry and regalia, but also with an undercurrent of seediness and darkness. It conveys far more in one sitting than the text can; good work! (For context, my background is also Catholic, albeit not with the same strange balance of restraint and ostentatiousness, but I do recognise the cultural connection immediately.)

Un paso, musically speaking, is a deeply passionate composition. I'm hearing it the violin line, the back and forth between your instruments coming in and out. There is a really good pocket, especially when the bass comes in.

Only real critique I have is: play around with them note velocities a lot more. This kind of good composition deserves expression and dynamics; it deserves to breathe. It's not just the music that wants to set me on fire, it is the production also; right now the production is yearning to set me alight and it's not quite there yet -- but in time, it will be!

Good work, you should be proud. All the best in this jam!

The night theme is beautiful and evocative. The guitar work there is a joy to listen to. It is the stronger of the two tracks by far.

The dawn theme, I'm not feeling as much, but at the same time it does give me a sense that there's more activity going on.

For an OST, what kind of purpose it serves is very open ended because well, there've been no story details except for that one twilight photo of traffic on the submission page. If I were to consider just that photo alone, both themes do fit that setting. Just that I'm not quite sure that's your intent, because nothing else was mentioned. (Assuming that is your intention, that it's all set in the backdrop of this city picture, it works.)

All the very best in the jam!

The main menu theme is giving Outer Wilds and Final Fantasy XV all rolled into one (I say this very fondly). It is breathtakingly beautiful, lush sounding.

The stroll theme sounds nice, fittingly background.

Uh Oh is a danger cue, a foresty danger cue. That's what it conveys to my mind.

The run theme  does have the motifs of the Uh Oh theme, but to my mind, not the urgency, at least not until the end with those growly basses. For the rest of the song it does give a cyberpunk run theme, which can convey all sorts of emotions, but especially, neutral.

Clearing is a beautiful cue, not just musically, but from a narrative standpoint. If this were set on loop, it very effectively conveys that I, the player, am getting a moment's peace, where the dangerous wide outside world doesn't matter at least for these few moments. The reverb being more boxed in also conveys that quite effectively.

Northern Lights... It feels triumphal, but I'm not sure it's giving Northern Lights when I'm listening to it, I'll be honest. To me it gives back not-great memories of faux-patriotic songs from more despotic regimes (personal experience, apologies!). I think it's the relative thinness of the mix compared to what came before, which felt lusher, that's also giving this to me. When people have described the Northern Lights to me they've described not just a dance of colour, but also a feeling of smallness when looking at something as vast-reaching as the Northern Lights. I want to feel wonder and awe. I'm not getting it here.

Memories, now that's a very nice bookend to the soundtrack. It has the same feel of lushness of the main menu theme, but very clearly has the song of the stroll theme. That hits me really really hard. 

Comments on the tracks aside, this is quality -- very well produced, and very well put together for two days. It is a submission to be proud of. Well done, and all the best in this jam!

Overwhelmingly this is the kind of soundtrack that doesn't necessarily tie itself to the concept of a summer night; the connection to the theme is through the text you tell in the story (I don't sense it in the music).

First Encounter is a really cinematic track and breathtakingly beautiful. The impact that I'm getting from it, though, when it starts, is not "the world is fractured," but "look at the vast expanse that we're flying away from as we're soaring into space" -- a beautiful feeling, to be sure, because those strings and ambiences certainly convey that feeling really well. It feels too... cohesive to be fractured if you get my drift? 

Garden conveys that feeling of fracture very well. From the very intro it hits hard, and hits home, what the situation is. It feels like a place of refuge, and also a place of sorrow all at once. It has a very Shadow Hearts feel -- I say this with very fond memories of playing Shadow Hearts back in the day.

Race Against Time has some beautiful spicc strings and percussion that give it an otherworldly, Alice in Wonderland type of feel to begin with, before it gets heavier on the bass, and more legato, and the gravity of the situation really sets in. This, and Garden, are your stronger tracks IMO.

Piece by Piece is a funny one. What I mean by that is, you say it no longer is violent, but rather bright and beautiful, but it still undergoes some distortion and you do convey that through the bass. The bass still has a violence of its own that I'm not sure conveys the feeling of "look how wonderful it is that things are being put together" -- I get that in glimpses, rather than an overarching picture that just floods my mind.

It's otherwise very cohesive instrumentally, very well produced, and a good storytelling attempt. Well done, and all the best for this jam!

Opening track, Awakening, set the mood really well, not only for a literal awakening, but also awakening to the gravity of a given situation, which you communicated very well here. I do love how dreamy it gets towards the end.

Countercurrent is an evocative ambience. The intro just sets the stage for what you're doing here. The guitar slides are nice.

Spiral Descent starts off more generic to me than what you've conveyed in the text, the image of a rotating tunnel where night meets day. When the synths build up more, it feels more like what you've written, but it does take some time to grow into that image for me.

Convergence, ah, I am hearing melodic fragments from previous tracks and they tie together very nicely here. The rhythmic synth with which you begin this track sets the mood pretty well, this is a make-or-break event. I would have appreciated more of a climax given that this is a final battle track; this feels a touch calm for the gravity of the situation.

Overall a cohesive soundtrack, an enjoyable listen, and without the context of game OST or scene writing, it is the kind of sound that I could get lost in for hours. Well done, and all the best!

Thank you so much! I mentioned this to Kev but this almost drew the tears out of me, that last one

This has good pocket, both themes do. The daytime theme is positively chaotic. The lack of quantising has certainly contributed to that kind of feel. Kudos for recording live.

The soundtrack feels nondescript to the point that I can imagine this in multiple scenarios, which can be a good thing or a bad thing depending on who you ask. For me, I guess some direction as to what kind of actual visual pictures you had in your mind when coming up with these could have been helpful, because otherwise they'd feel kinda generic (which I'm sure is not your intention). Like, for example, you mentioned the daytime theme is for a boss... what kind of boss? What does the music tell us about their personality, the kind of fight it is, etc.? I am getting "it's chaotic," which could be one thing communicated, but yeah, video game OST is all about unspoken narrative.

All the best~

Sungiven City has the nostalgic feel of old console games that take place by beaches (old-school fighting games like Mighty Final Fight, as well as old-school Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles come to mind). I have very fond memories of those games, so it did bring back some good feelings.

Baile en la Playa has some really nice pocket, it feels enjoyable. I would only be able to sing back parts of it, but that's okay.

Sunstolen Espionage sings to my jazz training a good bit. It could use a bit more finesse (more dynamics; the drums certainly do have it but I wanna feel more of those highs and lows).

Whimsical Ferrous Bloom has not only the leitmotif down pat, but there's parts of it that feel very markedly like Undertale. Of the ones here, not only is this the most singable, but I feel this is your strongest track; you convey very well what you're gunning for here.

Well done, and all the best in this jam!

I want to preface this review with this: you made wonderful progress despite being burnt out. It's no small feat outputting all of this; well done.

Open Sky was wondrous and a perfect stargazing track.

Shooting Stars felt like a night-time platformer, it seemed to have more action than I'd have imagined for a puzzle game.

The Cycle Repeats, I'm aware it's the puzzle completion track, but this feels more like the puzzle main theme to me. This is the kind of track that I could find myself getting lost in, when trying to solve a puzzle. Relaxing, dreamy, letting me take all the time in the world.

Summer Stargazing is a banger of a credits theme; you managed to basically cram in a vaporwave hit. This feels like a standalone hit.

All in all, this soundtrack felt dreamy and full of awe, with your instrument choices especially. Were they cohesive for a puzzle? I suppose it depends on the kind of puzzle being made, how much action is put into it, how relaxing or not it is. It was, however, an enjoyable listen. All the very best!

Thank you so much! <3 Vocal version admittedly almost brought the tears of my eyes when I wrote it, aaaaa

Darkness, which led directly to Captain Xavier's theme, was quite well done and reminded me fondly of old point-and-click games e.g. Simon the Sorcerer.

Xavier's Extravaganza has a very slapstick-y, but also mysterious feel to it and I love how well-established the melody is from the previous theme. IMO, of the ones you've put up here, I believe this one has the most narrative potential and it also had the most ability to keep my ears pricked open, my eyes attentive to the scene... it's as if it's been telling me, "shhhh. You're gonna love this."

The Sherman Café sings to my background and training the most. I am, among many other things, a jazz drummer, so you can kinda see why. There is a LOT of feel in those. Sax is blaring quite loudly without making my hair stand on end but I'm aware that VSTs make this aspect harder to achieve ;_; All in all a very feelsy track, though, if not a deviation from what came before stylistically.

Red and Black is the most out-there out of all of them, not just in feel, but also in storytelling because it leaves it quite open-ended. It does feel urgent, but I also feel like I'm missing the "FIVE MINUTES REMAINING" Super Metroid kind of urgency of running like my life depends on it.

And that's the lot. All the very best in the jam! ^_^

Bliss Theme is catchy and does remind me of some nice summer pop numbers.

Anxiety Theme's tonality does convey the anxiety well, and those spicc strings are the star of the show. Initially I wasn't quite sure the guitar got my hair standing on end. The strings and piano certainly do it for me though -- a tension in the air, a tension I can almost grasp.

The ending theme does sound like you're looking back fondly on something.

All in all, a pleasant listen, and you should be proud. Well done!

Thank you so much! I think you may have gotten the titles mixed up though, I don't think we have a track title called Shadow Dance skljdlksj ^_^'

Listened intently

A desolate feeling soundtrack with quite a lot of potential. I headbanged a bit to Lord of Ice 🤘🏽

Had a good listen. I enjoy your tonality, the general whimsy of the sounds. Not sure I'd have made the connection standalone (I listened on Bandcamp) but reading the text did help to put it in context 

All the best! 🙏🏽

Thank you so much! 🙏🏽 Music was Josh and myself, it's heartening to hear!

I actually played this for the dev, and demonstrated that they were broken for me — at one point, even when gripping a coloured hold, it caused my player character to slide horizontally, out of reach of any of the holds that I had to Reset Timer. So yeah, unfortunately, this has been confirmed, but there's no easy fix.

Pros and cons noted. With regards to the cons, however, the way I'm seeing it, is that you want the antithesis of someone who's getting better at their craft (where it's supposed to be easier with time). I understand that you want more challenge across the levels, and that's the angle where you're coming from — I'm struggling to make it make sense.

Coming from someone whose spouse is a model rocketry nerd, that wouldn't make physics sense though...? Like, the plastic bottle ones are typically the hardest to control, and more purpose built ones have better features that allow better thrust and lift. 

And... on a related note, we all know what happened IRL to some instances of that final craft we put in (not spoiling). Imagine if that were insanely difficult to control — I think it would be in bad taste, wouldn't you?

I loved the interpretation of this theme, "built to scale." It does bring to mind Tony Roberts, who recently won a gold in climbing without ever expecting to win. The music is quite tranquil, and fitting with the rain you've got going here.

The controls are broken, unfortunately. I've tried reaching and grabbing and twisting to position myself, and at no point is my player character actually holding on to the rock, not even past 0.0m.