Back in 2013, Abbey Games released the indie “God Game” Rues, where you take the role of giants and are tasked with creating and nurturing a baby planet. It’s a charming game with a simulation strategy element not unlike SimCity or Stardew Valley, where you have control over some elements but things that can become out of your control that you must plan for. The game’s soundtrack was composed by Dutch artist Joni van der Leeuw, who now mainly works as a producer at the Dutch games studio. Now, 5 years after the game’s launch, he’s polished up the game’s music to release as a full album.
To accompany Abbey Games’ 2013 Indie God Game hit Reus, this soundtrack captures the mood of a young, but quickly developing planet. The combination of primitive, yet modern percussion beats, hypnotizing motives and charming themes set the tone for relaxed sessions of building a world and managing it’s inhabitants.
Included in the 25 tracks is all the music you hear in-game – specially remastered for listening pleasure outside of gameplay! – plus a couple of previously unreleased bonus tracks. And now, all of it is finally available to download or for streaming.
The soundtrack features simple instrumentation with drums, string plucks and other percussion to invoke a mellow feel while you go about the game creating the landscape of your planet. Joni van der Leeuw emphasized a folk-like quality to the music of the game to help create the musical backdrop.
The soundtrack to Rues releases this Thursday, May 17th on Bandcamp and can be pre-ordered now.
