A little while ago, I stumbled across a site called Game Music Bundle. I became instantly interested since I like games and game music even more. The bundle itself included the soundtrack to not only the amazing schmup, Jamestown, but a whole array of wonderful indie games. It was even better because the consumer was allowed to name their price. The higher your price, the more you got. I was able to get the resurrected first bundle as well as the second for a very affordable price. After a session of listening to a few OSTs, it made me curious to see if some of the other games were just as fantastic as Jamestown. Out of the many that were there, I tried out To The Moon.
I have been in love with the game and its soundtrack ever since.
The track that made me try this game is actually from the Indie Mashup EP: Sharing is Caring which was included with the amount I paid. Francisco Cerda, the composer for Jamestown, made a cover titled Everything's (Still) Alright. The original song is from the To The Moon OST and is titled Everything's Alright.
Francisco Cerda - Everything's (Still) Alright
Now, from what I've listened to, I think the only real difference between the original and the cover is that Cerda inserts a cascading backdrop of strings to assist the piano notes and beautiful voice of Laura Shigihara. It's technically a slight difference, but when listening to the original, it punctuates the mood of the song even more. Violins and violas are one thing, but when the cello or bass reverberates, it hits a very deep, emotional place that echoes throughout your being. The higher octave strings and piano create a great balance between the low bows of the cello/bass and the feathering vocals. If you're going from the ground up, think of it as the grass and earth, the clouds, the sky, and finally the moon.
When I first listened to the song, I didn't understand the meaning behind the lyrics and couldn't find an attachment to it aside from it being a wonderful piece (I like it when classical instruments are included). After reading the description, I decided I'd play To The Moon to find out why the song was made the way it was.
It was a little over halfway through the game and I started crying from then on all the way until the end. Even after I finished the game, I laid in my bed and began to think with my mp3 player on. I had the OST on repeat and I was curled in a fetal position, sniveling and bawling the whole time. Not exaggerating. While typing this up, it's hard enough to not think about the game and shed tears while listening to the music (Note: Yes, I'm an emotional person so this may not happen to you).
The game itself is more of an interactive story and is rather short (it took me less than five hours in one sitting to finish), but it has been one of the best stories I've had the chance to encounter in this form in a long time. You become attached to each character for different reasons. The tone of the story is reflected in the music as well, harmonizing with each other perfectly. All the applause and praise goes to Kan R. Gao and all the people who helped him to bring this story and its music into existence. I implore you all to take some time out of your day and try this gem. Don't forget to prepare tissues, just in case.
For more info about the game and others mentioned in this post, follow the links below. Support the creators!
To The Moon and other games by Kan R. Gao
To The Moon OST (bandcamp)
Laura Shigihara's Blog
Francisco Cerda on last.fm
-wtJ
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