Sing-a-Tune of Slugfests

Very similar to one other of WayForward’s high franchises, Shantae, River Metropolis Ladies understands that the important thing to connecting with an viewers is to imbue your characters and worlds with life, character, and charisma. This may be achieved by means of storytelling, script, visuals, and, after all, music. For Kyoko, Misako, their allies, and their enemies, music performs an important half in setting the scene, with pulse-pounding beats, retro-electro, and dramatic vocals scoring the duo’s quick ‘n’ livid city tear-up.

River Metropolis Ladies’ distinct sound was meticulously composed by Washington-based musician Megan McDuffee. McDuffee’s work brings life and dynamism to RCG, affording its 2D visuals fullness of character, springing the sport’s heroes, villains, and locales to life. Now making ready to return for the upcoming River Metropolis Ladies 2, we spoke with the award-winning composer about their sound, their influences, and their ideas on River Metropolis’s most harmful rockstar, NOIZE.

Destructoid: Hello Megan, and thanks for sitting down with us! I suppose it’d be finest to start out originally, which I’ve heard is an excellent place to start out. How did you get began in music? And, for these but to listen to your music, how would you personally outline your distinctive, eclectic sound?

Megan: There was by no means a time after I was not in music — it’s been a part of my life since day one. I all the time knew I’d have a musically targeted profession. I’m an amalgamation of all of the issues I listened to each rising up and as a younger grownup. Rock, jazz, classical, pop, and digital had been on common rotation in my assortment. And whereas my sound varies between tasks, the underlying thread is my digital manufacturing and extremely melodic sensibility. I’d say for my very own private artist releases, my model is finest described as darkish electropop with triphop influences.

Destructoid: I really like the darkness in your music, melodically, lyrically, and aesthetically. Now, River Metropolis Ladies was not your first enterprise into “music for media”, as your work has been beforehand featured in quite a lot of movies and TV collection. How did you get into composing music for the display screen, and the way would you say the method differs from recording, say, an album? Are you on the behest of a variety of requests, or are you continue to in a position to preserve inventive freedom?

Megan: I had a little bit of an epiphany throughout my undergraduate research whereas taking a movie music course; I wasn’t completely glad with my vocal main, so I switched to Movie Scoring. I all the time liked movie soundtracks, and the lightbulb went off in my head to pursue that path. The method is fairly completely different between the 2 within the position that music performs. When scoring to image, it’s most frequently about supporting the emotional threads of the movie, and enhancing what’s on display screen.

When composing an album, there’s much more inventive freedom in what you need your “message” to be. Movie music performs a supporting position, whereas an album is the story. My private inventive leeway varies drastically from venture to venture — some administrators/builders have a well-fleshed-out imaginative and prescient of their wants, and a few need me to simply go nuts!

Destructoid: How had been you approached by WayForward to compose the soundtrack for the primary River Metropolis Ladies launch? What do you assume it’s about your earlier work that the group thought can be a comfortable match for Kunio-kun — a Japanese online game collection about rebellious schoolyard scrappers?

Megan: I name this my “networking miracle”. A fellow member of the Materia Collective (a gaggle of online game music arrangers, singers, producers, composers, lovers, and so forth.) was buddies with one of many administrators at WayForward, and really useful me when he heard they had been doubtlessly on the lookout for a composer with a “synthpop” vibe. WayForward reached out to me after listening to a few of my different work and the remainder is historical past. I feel they had been enchanted by my ’80s-yet-modern model, and had been undoubtedly hooked after they discovered I used to be additionally a vocalist.

Destructoid: River Metropolis Ladies differs from many video games in that a lot of the soundtrack incorporates totally lyricised songs with an everyday track construction. That is one space through which the RCG soundtrack differs from the standard musical composition of most video games. Was the selection to characteristic vocalized music made by your self or the event group?

Megan: The thought to have just a few fully-vocal synthpop songs was pitched by the sport’s director; he actually preferred my voice, and thought it is perhaps a cool concept to include some vocals. I feel it was an amazing selection. The truth that it ties into rockstar baddie NOIZE is such a enjoyable little element that I haven’t actually seen in different video games earlier than!

Destructoid: How far alongside within the sport’s growth do you start your songwriting course of? Do you have got a variety of recon supplies to work with, or do you basically have the unenviable activity of writing your soundtrack primarily based purely on some fundamental narrative concepts, character artwork, and little or no else?

Megan: For the primary RCG, I used to be introduced into the event course of fairly early, from what I can inform. I used to be given art work of a number of the characters, a common description of every space, and a few musical model/style references. I didn’t see any gameplay till the sport was principally completed. One latest venture I labored with was the exact opposite, the place I offered the ultimate touches and was in a position to work with totally rendered gameplay. It is dependent upon the venture, actually.

Destructoid: How happy are you personally with the completed rating of RCG? What feelings had been invoked in you if you first noticed the completed sport, along with your music punctuating its charming however hard-hitting and chaotic motion?

Megan: It was a dream come true to have completed such an infinite soundtrack, and one I used to be tremendous enthusiastic about. I’m extraordinarily happy with the ultimate consequence! Listening again now I hear a bunch of manufacturing points I’d do in a different way, however all in all, I’m nonetheless stoked with it. Oh man, seeing it in motion for the primary time was completely surreal! It was throughout a go to to the WayForward workplace, the place I obtained to play a little bit of the sport on the sofa with the dev group… What a visit.

Destructoid: So, come launch day, River Metropolis Ladies acquired a lot crucial and fan acclaim, with many reviewers and gamers citing your music as one of many key components in regard to delivering character, charisma, and magnificence to Kyoko and Misako’s journey. Whilst you’re already a profitable recording artist already, did you discover that RCG launched a plethora of recent followers to your different work?

Megan: 100 and twelve %. On the time, RCG was the most important venture I had labored on when it comes to scope and visibility, in order that introduced lots of people my means. I’d say three-quarters of people that observe me have discovered me by means of that soundtrack. I’m infinitely grateful for the continued publicity. I do know no doubt my first main artist launch (“Internal Demons“) wouldn’t have discovered the success it had with out having labored on RCG.

Destructoid: I’m very comfortable to have discovered your work by means of the persevering with RCG saga. Has your expertise with the primary sport helped with the design means of the sequel? Is RCG 2 a “troublesome second album”, or has your earlier work with the franchise helped you immensely with the compositional course of?

Megan: Thanks! I’m extraordinarily excited as effectively. Regarding the means of writing the brand new rating, I’ve basically simply continued the place the primary sport left off. I had some barely completely different references to work with, in addition to some “genre-blending” challenges this time round. However this has saved issues evolving and saved me out of a composition rut.

Destructoid: I consider that your private work on the sequel has now wrapped, sure? Now that RCG 2 is within the books, what future tasks do you have got lined up?

Megan: Sure, I just lately wrapped all of the RCG 2 soundtrack manufacturing, and I’ve no scarcity of different tasks within the works. I’m persevering with to work alongside Atari for his or her “Recharged” collection. I’m crafting gnarly horror-cyberpunk tunes for the indie sport Evolutis. I carry out spooky narration for the CreepyPod podcast. I’m recording vocals for different producers, together with a co-production with ALEX and an thrilling collab with RichaadEB. I’m producing a bunch of music for a vastly in style MMO (that I can’t expose but)… I’m starting manufacturing on one other vocal artist launch…

Destructoid: Yikes! That’s a hefty inbox, however I’m glad to see that you simply’re staying in demand! This additionally brings about an fascinating query: If you happen to may select to attain an entry in any online game franchise, which might you select?

Megan: It is a powerful one! I’ve so many favorites. I’d love to attain one thing that would use an epic rating with an electro edge… like Mass Impact… or BioShock.

And, since I really like horror, possibly Lifeless House or DOOM!

Destructoid: Thanks lots for taking the time to talk with me in the present day, Megan. It’s been superior studying a bit about your historical past and the method through which you create these charismatic and resonant soundtracks. It might be outrageous for us to conclude this interview with out referencing River Metropolis Ladies’ very personal electro diva: NOIZE.

You personally painting this, considerably misunderstood, River Metropolis Celebrity, who takes on Kyoko and Misako throughout a very inventive boss battle. How does it really feel to see your music actually personified as a personality?

Megan: Once more, it’s completely surreal. I consider it as my “Jack Skellington” profession second, the place I produced the soundtrack and likewise personified a memorable character! So insanely cool!

Destructoid: She’s definitely a fiery musician! Is that the one means that you simply and NOIZE are alike in character, or are you two very completely different? It feels as if she has a deeper story to inform, and followers would like to see her once more. So… will she return to the stage within the persevering with saga of River Metropolis?

Megan: I may not be as bitter as NOIZE, however I undoubtedly have her vitality! In actual life, I in all probability would have hugged Kyoko, as an alternative of combating her. Maybe at some point I’ll have my very own crazed followers rocking out at sold-out reveals, haha! Additionally, though I’ve coloured my hair virtually each shade of the rainbow, I’ve by no means had totally purple locks. I ought to in all probability strive that someday! As for NOIZE’s return, I’ll err on the facet of warning and say chances are you’ll, or might not, be seeing her once more…

Megan McDuffee’s latest single “Villain” is on the market to buy now on Bandcamp, alongside the album “Internal Demons“, cyberpunkish EP “Barely Lined“, and different works. For all information and updates on upcoming tasks, observe Megan over on Twitter, Instagram, and her official web site.

River Metropolis Ladies 2 is at the moment in growth for PlayStation, PC, Xbox, and Nintendo Swap.