Thomas Was Alone- Video Game Vinyl Soundtrack Review

Black Screen Records and composer David Housden have teamed up to release the original soundtrack to Mike Bithell’s meditative indie darling game Thomas Was Alone on 180g vinyl.

For those not in the know, Thomas Was Alone is a minimalist 2D platformer about friendship, teamwork and sacrifice. In the game you take control of Thomas, who is initially alone, but along the way you meet and control many other characters all who have special individual powers and differing personalities. Over the course of the game you guide your group of quadrilaterals through a series of obstacles, using their different skills together to get to the end of each environment. So far, so video game 101. However what elevates this game to multi-award winning heights is the stunning soundtrack which accompanies the beautifully wistful yet soulful narration read by comedian Danny Wallace. The story that's told is more complex than many AAA games I have played and the music accompanying it adds to this drama; I have cared more for these quadrilaterals than many other protagonists in other games, heck I even bought the 'action figures' when they were released a few years ago. Yup I bought a collection of 3D quadrilaterals because this game and its music connected with me on some profound level.

The soundtrack features minimalist pianos and ambiences fused with lush strings and ethereal synths. Although this album only has 13 tracks, which feature a lot of repeating motifs, the consistency and effective re-use of simple chord progressions and melodic phrases make each track seem different but complementary to what has gone before. As a whole the soundtrack feels like a tapestry, each track is part of a bigger whole with familiar themes and motifs.

My favourite track off the album is 'A Time For Change,' a powerful emotive track that is triumphant yet tinged with sadness. It is played at a key point in the game and so carries with it a lot of weight and power. I listen to this album daily, which at the point of writing is over 5 years old.

Sometimes in your life you find that you connect with something, it could be a book, a film or a track or album. It gets under your skin and becomes something more than the sum of its parts and I think this game and especially the soundtrack is that something for me. It's not something I can explain but this album and the majesty of some of the tracks gets me every time I listen to it.

I loved the game so much that I even made it part of my websites wallpaper.

The vinyl is a stunning release and I am extremely pleased with it. This album is a must have for any fans of shoegazing etherealness.

Top Chiptune Soundtracks You Don't Know

Soundtracks nowadays are similar in style and vein to movie scores, full of cinematic scope and bombast, which is great as it leads to fantastic scores like the ones for Journey, Thomas Was Alone or DMC. However there was a simpler time where space was limited and the sound files had to be compressed and optimised to fit on a cartridge with 8 or 16 megs. This economy of scale led to thoughtful and creative masterpieces that are still iconic even today.

Now we could rattle off the famous game soundtracks that usually fit into many of the 'greatest Megadrive / SNES / NES soundtrack compilations' which you can find on YouTube but I want to choose a few pieces that time has forgotten. This is away from the usual Castlevania, Sonic, Megaman and Mario soundtrack scores as everyone knows them and loves them. I'm talking about the rarely heard soundtracks of yore. Here are a few of my favourites, maybe you could tell me yours!

This music plays during the Underwater levels from the Disney game World Of Illusion. It also plays during Mickey's Coral Reef section.

Music from R-Type 1987 by Irem- this level could be described as looking like the contents of a stomach, possibly after eating genetically modified food.

Thunder Force 3 - Stage 5: Ellis. This music was so upbeat and rocking that I loved leaving it to last!

Video Game Soundtrack Desert Island Discs

Desert Island Discs is a British Institution. The format is simple: a guest is invited by the host to choose the eight records they would take with them to a desert island. Since it was created in 1942 the show has had hundreds of guests including such illustrious people such as Tom Hanks, Lily Allan and Bill Gates.

However rather than just doing a list of 8 songs I thought I'd do the 8 video game soundtracks I'd take on the desert island with me instead. Many gaming music composers were anonymous and they didn't realise until recently that their music had a profound effect on millions of people across the world. For many of us it was the soundtrack of our childhoods. These are tracks that have scored my life.

Shadow of the Colossus - By Kou Otani - 01 Prologue.

This is one of the greatest soundtracks of the Playstation 2 era. The soundtrack is orchestrated wonderfully and works well to create some very emotional sounding pieces of music that echo the lead character's determination to save his loved one, as well as the loneliness of his quest and the land that it's set in.

This track is used right at the beginning of the game and introduces the protagonist through an epic cut-scene which sets the mood wonderfully.

The Legend of Zelda: Windwaker - Koji Kondo et al - Dragon Roost Island

I love the Zelda score and all the games have an amazing soundtrack but this track is just wonderful. It has a light breezy mariachi band feel which is punctuated with staccato castanets under the floaty panpipes. Whenever I listen to this track it reminds me of my time sailing around the world.

Beyond Good and Evil - Christophe Heral - Redemption

BGE is an underappreciated gem that didn't get the recognition I feel that it truly deserved. As well as having a wonderful female character and brilliant gameplay the soundtrack was astonishing. There are moments of real beauty contained and it was hard to choose but this track near the end of the game perfectly captures the essence of the game.

Thunder Force III - Toshiharu Yamanishi - Ellis: Take a Chance

Thunder Force III is one the the best shmups ever and has very fitting upbeat music. Each stage and boss has a unique sound set specifically for it. While the usual mechanical sound of the Sega audio chips is present, it's not very distracting since the game is meant to be futuristic. Ellis is the ice world and the track for this level is pretty awesome. Whenever I hear the music it has me hyped!

Thomas Was Alone - David Housden - A Time For Change

Sometimes a game comes along and surprises you. It may be for any number of reasons but for me Thomas Was Alone is the game that most surprised me. It made me feel things... for a bunch of quadrilaterals. Yup, a bunch of squares and rectangles had me feeling things, emotional things. The game is a simple puzzler but the witty heartfelt writing and majestic score raised the stakes on the emotion front higher. This track is wonderful and I still listen to it most days, especially when I'm in one of my soul-searching moods.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze - David Wise et al. - Seashore War

The Donkey Kong soundtracks are all amazing, especially when the great David Wise composed them. Out of all the great soundtracks that stick with me the most recent game, Tropical Freeze has the track that still send shivers down my spine. Seashore War is majestic and sweeps along beuatifully. The track appears near the end of the game. After a long, tough battle to get close to the finishing post this track seems like a balm giving you hope and motivating you to beat the game. A true gem that I listen to daily whilst marking my pupils' work.

Journey - Austin Wintory - Nascence

There are few games that you know you will remember for the rest of your life. For me Journey is one of those games. It is a short experience but within that limited time you questions the meaning of life, universe, everything. The game is gloriously scored by Austin Wintory and his wonderful orchestration touches the heart. A profound yet beautiful score which will stick with me forever.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 - Michael Jackson (?), Brad Buxer, Cirocco Jones - Marble Gardens Act 2

This is a bit of a weird one I know but I love it. The original 4 Sonic games had some amazing soundtracks but this one stuck with me for some reason. I just loved Sonic 3 and even though Marble Gardens is not a good level by any means the soundtrack was amazing and even now I still hum the tracks occasionally.

So these are my 8 video game Desert Island Discs. I'm sure a lot of you are thinking 'what the heck, you missed blah blah blah' but this isn't an official top 8, just my personal favourites. So what are your favourite tracks and why? I'd like to know and if doing 8 is too much just give me your one favourite in the comments below.

Those Little Moments in Games

Many games nowadays are about spectacle, those amazingly honed set pieces that wouldn't look out of place in a Hollywood production. But what about those quiet more contemplative moments in games, moments that stay with you long after the end credits roll? Well I'm sure we all have them but these are some of my favourites in no particular order. If you can think of some more let me know. Oh and BTW Spoilers alert!

Red Dead Redemption- John Marston entering Mexico to that Jose Gonzales track. When I played the game the sun was slowly setting in the horizon and I had my horse at a gentle gallop to take in the beautiful scenery.

 

Superbrothers Swords and Sworcery- This game has many moments like sitting at the Moon Grotto or going to the Concert in the Woods but for me the ending as you float down the stream dead sticks out. Perhaps it would have been insincere to have the Sythian survive her wofeul erand.

 

Fallout 3- This is one of the most breathtaking moment I have ever experienced in a game. You open the vault door and with the sun blinding you, your eyes adjust to the light. Then you look out and you see the Washington Monument with huge chunks missing and the Capitol Building with part of the dome caved in- you realise just how fragile the world really is...


Assassins Creed 2- It's a-me Mario! Nuff said.

 

Ico- In a game about friendship and love the moment that most sticks with me is sitting down with Yorda. A moment of respite and peace in a hostile world.

 

Bioshock Infinite- This game upped the ante from the original Bioshock. The opening when you ascend into the sky and enter Columbia will stick with me for a long time. The scene with the candles and baptism is really spellbinding.


Journey- This game is full of moments but the ending where you die, just before reaching the mountains zenith is heartbreaking. However the journey is not over, you come back and travel the world as a spirit- this game is transcendant!

 

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons- This game is beautiful to look at, rather like those strange Eastern Block country animations and Jim Henson's The Storyteller style art prevalent in the late 70's and early 80's in particular. The ending is a real heartwrencher, I completed this game with my cousin and we both sat there in shock and full of despair. Get the tissues ready!

 

Final Fantasy 6- The opera scene where Celes poses as the Opera singer Maria and turns in a legendary performance. At the time this blew my mind!

 

Links Awakening- The Windfish waking up is a masterpiece on the Gameboy. This is one of my favourite Zelda moments of all time!

 

Monument Valley- In Monument Valley you'll guide Ida, the silent princess, through many levels that are filled with optical illusions, mysterious Crow people and more. You are all alone in this hostile world until you befriend a totem, then he dies.... slowly... in front of your eyes. Gaaaah the feels, the feels!

 

Proteus- This whole game is beautiful and full of wonderful imagery but I particularly remember the sunsets. Magical. In the video it starts at 12 minutes)


Okami- This is one of the most beautiful and underappreciated games of all time. The art style is unique and will never age but the thing that sticks with me is the marraige of the visuals to the sound, especially when the world is in bloom.

 

Thomas Was Alone- This game has some wonderful dialogue but Level 7.9 has some of the most honest writing in gaming; "James still felt weird, but he realised that everyone else was too. They were a crew of weirdos." It's difficult to convey the humanity of this game, especially because everyone in it is a quadrilateral, but trust me, it will get to you and make you think about friendships,  relationships and your past and formative years. It's that good!


Deadly Premonition- Out of all the games this was the one that will stick with me forever due to the pure weirdness and brutality of the deaths. For those who don't know a homicidal maniac known as the 'Raincoat Killer' is murdering people ritualistically. there are many horrible deaths but this one of Becky Ames is tempered with moments of beauty as she becomes a Goddess. A twisted masterpiece that needs to be played, especially for those who are fans of Twin Peaks and David Lynch.

So these are the moments of gaming that will stick with me, not all are wonderfully cheerful but they do have a beauty to them that I like. So are there parts of a game that will stay with you?

Gaming vs Life

Something crystalized for me the other day whilst reading an online game review ... I'm getting old. Now this isn't a piece about gaming no longer being for me or my interest waning, in fact the opposite is true. There are more games of interest to me than ever before, even with the Summer 2014 gaming drought. The simple fact is that I don't have the time I used to have to enjoy my hobby. As a teacher I work from 6am to 6:30pm, often preparing work for the next day. After that I spend time catching up with my wife and as she's an early bird I often have an hour or two before bedtime. It's a case of splitting time between reading books and comics, working on this website or consuming media such as films or documentaries. We are living in a golden age of television, podcasts, comics and animation, splitting my time between all of these is difficult.

In the last year I've blazed through and completed Deadly Premonition, Tomb Raider, Devil May Cry, Dishonoured, Thomas Was Alone, Bioshock Infinite, Monument Valley, Gone Home, Broken Sword 5, Red Dead Redemption and Child of Light. I've played but as yet have a few games I'm still working through and it may sound strange but I have had some sleepless nights fretting that I wouldn't work through my gaming pile of shame, games that define a generation and are must plays. First world problems for sure!


I've been working through and been successful but now with impending fatherhood 3 months or so away it may be that generation is the point where I become less plugged in to gaming. I'll still play games of course but I may have to become very selective about the titles I choose. Most games are now 30 plus hours and getting bigger and longer, I would love to work through No Mans Sky but with the scope and scale I'm not sure I'll have the time to enjoy all that it has to offer. I feel I may have to play the games which are more contained and episodic, as in the hour I may get free during weekdays the feeling of progress will feel much greater than if I were to play a MMORPG or a long game. Well, time will tell!