With the advent of sites like RocketHub and Kickstarter we’ve started to see more and more Indie game studios seek funding for their projects. A number of them have managed to reach their goals and even get their games onto platforms like Steam. One such studio called Geeta Games recently released their game Lilly Looking Through, a short point-and-click adventure game for PC and Mac. The game itself has a very calm and relaxed pacing similar to games like Myst, which shouldn’t be surprising since the lead game designer, Steve Hoogendyk, has previously worked on the Myst series. The game focuses on a girl named Lilly who must find and rescue her younger brother after he is kidnapped by mysterious forces. As a genre that relies on having a calm and contemplative atmosphere, it’s important to have a score that can enhance that experience. The composer asked to meet this challenge is Chris Beazer, who has done some previous work in both films and games.
Much like the game, the orchestral score is mysterious and melancholic. The first piece on the album “Allure” sets the mood perfectly for what you can expect from the game and the rest of the soundtrack. This opening piece features the celesta (the instrument with the resonant bell-like sound) and the flute, with harmonic accompaniment from the strings and choir. The celesta and choir in particular gives the game a sense of wonder and foreboding as Lilly sets off to explore new and strange places. Like most adventure games, there isn’t a whole lot of dramatic or fast paced action. As a result, the music remains calm and relaxing, providing the perfect background for players to sit back and think as they solve the game’s many puzzles. A majority of this is accomplished by focusing on instrumental solos, often a woodwind instrument or the celesta, which are harmonically supported by a handful of other instruments, often the strings and slow synth pads. (more…)
