Posted 2015-12-02, evaluated by djpretzel

Well THAT didn't take long!!

Undertale has been taking Steam by storm and winning over hearts & minds, and (much like Cave Story) is largely the work of one individual, Toby Fox. It's on my must-play list based primarily on strong recommendations (okay, raves) from people I trust, and folks seem to love not only the game & its message, but also the music. Case in point: OA is clearly passionate about this game & its soundtrack, and for OverClocked University's upcoming album, Spring Break, he put together our FIRST EVAR ReMix, a refreshing, substantive-yet-brisk rock/pop tribute; individual credits as follows:

OA (Andrew Luers): arrangement, drums, synths, guitars

Level 99 (Stevo Bortz): guitars, synths

Mr. Luers writes:

"I think Undertale is one of the most impressive games to me not for how the game operates - though there are a lot of really well-executed mechanical ideas - but for how it affects you outside of the game. It's the kind of game I'd want to create in a dream scenario, where you get rewarded for being a considerate human being, but in a way that is both interesting and not superficial. The music itself is really well-written as standalone music, but when it has the emotional connection that you yourself build with the themes, it is even more powerful. Even though the game is just a few months old, a lot of the songs have an emotional and even nostalgic quality that I would compare to Final Fantasy or Chrono themes. They evoke the feelings of happiness, regret, and, yeah, even determination. I've spent a lot of time trying to capture the emotions of playing through the game in this mix. It is higher energy, but a lot of choices were made specifically to bring the emotional impact to life in a way that fits the game. This was a joy to work on."

For what it's worth, I could definitely tell how stoked OA was about this game & this mix while he was working on it, and I think that comes through in the arrangement's effervescent positivism & energy. He's not alone either - I've got a strong feeling we'll be seeing more mixes of this OST in the months to come. "His Theme" is a simple, delicate melody that builds from a lullabye into more of an anthem, staying chipper the whole time. Andrew & Stevo have upped the energy & momentum but remained true to the wide-eyed wonder, with shimmering guitars, soaring synths, and a driving beat. When that synth lead jumps an octave, that's my favorite bit - invigorating stuff! Toby Fox has clearly tapped a nerve in the gaming world and made something that inspires people, and it's great to see that inspiration find a home on OCR - props to him, props to OA, Stevo, & OverClocked University, and be on the lookout for the full Spring Break album!