Designed by audio company Sweet Justice, the attention to detail is admirable. The sound design in Cuphead has also gone above and beyond to ensure it encapsulates the feel of this era. It’s one of the most engaging soundtracks I have listened to in a long time, and stands as strongly on its own as it does in-game. The music truly brought the game to life and pulled me in to this glorious world, and without it Cuphead would be an entirely different experience. Overall, playing this game created one of those special moments I encounter where I really feel a deep appreciation for the power of game audio.
#Cuphead soundtrack full#
Each track has enough dynamic and variety to be engaging yet not irritating when on repeat, and it was nice to appreciate the full progression of each track from start to finish. Credit really must be given to Kristofer for this incredible feat in what I believe is his debut video game soundtrack.Īlthough a lot of modern game soundtracks revolve around interactive music, Kristofer went for the traditional song structure of a start, middle and end to each track rather than segmented loop points. Some of my favourite tracks include Inkwell Isle One, Carnival Kerfuffle, Threatenin’ Zeppelin and the Victory Tune, but there is something to be admired in every track. Even with the complex nature of the composition, the tracks are memorable and I can vividly recall the section of the game attributed to each piece – although admittedly this is probably because they’re burned in to my soul after dying so many times. My utmost respect goes out to everyone involved in the soundtrack’s creation, and particularly the musicians involved because the chemistry in every single performance is boundless.ĭespite the gargantuan number of tracks, every piece has such a fierce character. As well as releasing the soundtrack on disc, StudioMDHR have gone a step further and released a shining 4-disc vinyl box set. The music was recorded at the Canterbury Music Company in Toronto, Canada and a full credit list for the soundtrack’s production can be found here. Kristofer has crafted catchy yet chaotic melodies and perfectly accompanied moments of tension, moments of frantic button mashing and moments where you sigh in relief as you finally defeat a level after the 15 th try. This soundtrack is undoubtedly one of the best soundtracks I have ever listened to, both inside and outside of the gaming industry. Naturally the game’s aesthetic calls for a certain style of music, and composer Kristofer Maddigan has excelled from every angle.
The soundtrack for Cuphead comes in at a whopping 56 tracks, totalling almost 3 hours in duration. But, gameplay aside, let’s take a look at the audio. The only discussion seems to be based on its challenging gameplay, but for me it’s refreshing, and has given my brother and I many laughs, cries of frustration and punches in to the sofa as we get so close to that final end point only to be thrown right back to the beginning by a foolish misstep. The game has been incredibly well received across the board, and has reviewed exceptionally well. It’s been a while since I’ve played a game that offers a genuine challenge and requires an accurate combination of tactics, logic, and sheer determination whilst still being such great fun. Right off the bat, something that I love about this game is that it’s hard. For its eye-catching hand-drawn beauty, testing gameplay and innovative content, Cuphead went platinum in a matter of weeks, selling over a million copies, and it is incredibly well deserved. Cuphead is in fact the debut release of StudioMDHR (short for Studio Moldenhaeur), founded and run by two brothers Chad and Jared Moldenhauer, and what a way to announce your presence to the industry. If you keep tabs on the latest games industry news, you have probably played or at least heard of Cuphead a 1930’s inspired cartoon run and gun game that you can either play local co-op or go it alone. Music by: Kristofer Maddigan Introduction