Streets of Rage 3 Composer returns for Oh Deer! on Vita

A little history is required here before we get to the actual musical news. Back in 2011 Sony announced PlayStation Mobile, a development platform built on Android that would let games run across supported smartphones and PlayStation Vita. Long story short, it didn’t go well and in July Sony is officially shutting down PlayStation Mobile. Amidst this turmoil is Necrosoft Games’ Oh Deer! Alpha, a game that will only be available to purchase for four weeks before the marketplace is retired.

It’s a gorgeous homage to classic arcade racers like Sega’s OutRun with repeating 2D sprites whizzing by in an attempt to look 3D. You also hit (or avoid) a near constant stream of deer that stand helpless on the roadway. Accompanying the madness is a soundtrack that immediately reminded me of another Sega classic, Streets of Rage 3. It turns out there’s a good reason for that. Motohiro Kawashima was lead composer behind much of that game’s soundtrack (alongside renowned composer Yuzo Koshiro) and Oh Deer! marks the first time he’s been in charge of composition since. It sounds perfect alongside the trippy, fast moving visuals but it’s a little sad that each tune only lasts about a minute.

It’s clear that Necrosoft didn’t just nab Kawashima by chance as the game’s minimal sound effects let the music take center stage. The songs even change as you run down (or avoid) more deer. The dark and grungy electronic melodies — that conjure up Streets of Rage 3 — give way to softer, lighter pieces that would fit perfectly among Lumines’ heavenly soundtrack. It really is worth fifty cents to experience but if you don’t own a Vita Kawashima performed some of the music at a live indie games showcase after the 2013 Tokyo Game Show. You can watch his performance here or hold on for an expanded version of Oh Deer! which Necrosoft hopes to bring to more platforms after they find an interested publisher.

—

OSV Would like to formally welcome our new contributor, Shawn! Say hi!