Sublustrum stands somehow by itself in the Russian game OST industry. It’s a rather rare thing that 3 persons (when strongly needed up to 8 workers) plus only one year of game development ends in a high-quality material. The secret to success lies in the interesting idea and awesome material delivery. An old-videotape effect, colour-transmission knobs staged to the limits and dearly loved by many design with elements of retro-futurism and steam-punk. All this already gives good food for the thought. But, fortunately, action is combined with a clear story line touching different psychological and secret mind corners while narrating.

The most interesting fact is that music was the initial component according to which the game was being designed. Famous Wall Disney is worth mentioning here because his idea was to create cartoons that were music first and images later. Although he thought that “Music should augment the story, not take over” either. Let’s go to Sublustrum. This game does really pay special attention to the sound. However we aren’t going to expatiate about different music twisters cause it has already been chewed over many times before us. So the music itself will be the subject-matter of our review.

A project entitled Anthesteria was working on sound design through the game development. So as for you not to being afraid of such a strange name (oh yeah, Sublustrum creators like them very much), I can only say that George Beloglazov, the main ideologist and the founder of Anthesteria, is one of the major game devs. And the group was formed just because of the need for throwing out emotions. Generally it’s uncommon for a script-writer and a game designer to compose music for one and the same project. But it’s fabulously by all means. Rare we have an opportunity to see the author’s viewpoint on the music but here it presents.

The neoclassic part of the OST. which occupies the considerable part of the disk, produces mixed feelings. For one thing it’s melancholic and depressed, for another – dynamic and “homish”. This very part associates with the game mostly. It’s hard to describe the soundtrack, but it’s the ideal background for dusty and abandoned flat with the installed Time Capsule or a sort of sketch of a living Shimmering World. A remarkable emotional atmosphere reminds of Akira Yamaoka’s projects – throw away the music and the game will fail. One could think it to be an ordinary panoramic quest game but in this case he or she would mistake. Despite some above-said melancholic themes the OST still contains some very beautiful ones, e.g. The Journal. All in all the whole first part corresponds with the main idea of the OST, which outsteps the leitmotif. Everything is completely solid and that is why the main theme can be felt.

Opening with a gloomy and sometimes frightful A Dog in the Boiler the soundtrack changes a lot. You must admit that didgeridoo and guttural singing differ from neoclassical pieces a lot. Starting from this moment the narration loses its harmony and the game looks very much alike a selection of puzzles –esque «Myst». No kidding but it influences on the game for good. The second part of the OST is much more fun to listen. Here comes the rhythm and synths. Among the eastern melodies, viz, The Dolmen, The Temple and A Tramtrip the last-mentioned is worth mentioning especially. The tram taking off is one of the few cut scenes and it’s perfectly directed. This moment could have been spoiled by inappropriate music score, but the way the saz (a form of lute) is used here deserves the highest praise. It recalls somehow for an ancient oil tanker on its way to the Enclave’s offshore oil rig from Fallout 2, if you know what I mean.

The very soft and easy Steamflower is one of the gems of the soundtrack. The pumping synths on the back of the live percussion, the ud (or oud which is one of the most important stringed instruments in Arabic and Islamic musical communities) sounding completely like Pink Floyd together with the guitar – all this proves that Anthesteria should write music for games more often. The closing track named The Lake is trying to reconcile elements of classical music with ethnic ambient and it’s quite a worthy ending of the OST. So to sum it up this album is undoubtedly one of the most significant russian game soundtracks released this year. Despite some melancholics it’s a high quality music with some very unusual (and live!) instruments.




OST Collector