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Sylva Memoria's itch.io pageResults
| Criteria | Rank | Score* | Raw Score |
| Creativity | #30 | 4.000 | 4.000 |
| Quality | #41 | 3.955 | 3.955 |
| Storytelling | #46 | 3.727 | 3.727 |
| Overall | #49 | 3.814 | 3.814 |
| Impression | #58 | 3.727 | 3.727 |
| Composition | #65 | 3.659 | 3.659 |
Ranked from 44 ratings. Score is adjusted from raw score by the median number of ratings per game in the jam.
Description
PS2, Synth, Botanica
The Biologist lives in a sad world : in 2500, the cities grew so large that no forest nor countryside remains. Nature survive as it can, like in this big abandonned power plant where moss and mushrooms made there home.
When he goes to study some weird flower, The Biologist is far to imagine that the most important journey of his life is beginning : for the Trees here are alive and ancient, survivors of what was once Sylva, the realm of thoses with roots.
Sylva Memoria (Memory of the Forest ~) is a PS2 game, that I imagine a little clanky and bugged, but with a lot of heart. A sort of ecologic tale for 2000 childrens, like Capitain planet, a little naive, but leaving sweet memories. My idea was that the "Songs of a forgotten World" where both the chant coming from the living plants of Sylva and a metaphor for childhood memories.
Music-wise, I tried to evoke an ancient world, aliens and prestigious, with some elements of botanica (the music style ofc) while using only synths and effects that existed in the 2000.
Forest Cantical - Opening Theme, The Biologist discover the Power Plant covered in greenery. He hears a sort of "chant" in the air but doesn't understand it yet.
The Three Sages - He encounters the guardians of this place, three giant trees (An Oak, a Spruce and a Willow), they teach him their langage. He learns about a fourth sage, who's now crazy and bloodthirsty.
Bacchus the Augur - Boss Theme, the final encounter with Bacchus, a big Ivy using his vines to control the technology in the Power Plant. For this fight, he got his "hands" on a giant combat exoskeleton...
Theme
How does it fit the theme?
I tried to evoke an ancient world, aliens and prestigious, with some elements of botanica (the music style ofc) while using only synths and effects that existed in the 2000.
Link(s) of the submission on streaming services
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGYmYbhNs9Co
Number of tracks1
Genre
Soundtrack use permission
For game jams only
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Comments
The third track is 🔥.
Great atmosphere in this one, I think it'd fit nicely in a PS2 game! Good job!
Three Sages - Very mysterious intro… Love the synths at 0:22 as well as the bell-like sounds at 0:55. At 2:25, hell yeah. The long ambient intro going right into this synthwave groove is such a charming choice. I love the patience in the storytelling.
Forest Cantical - Cool textures here. Nice pitch choices and subdued energy with the drums. I’m imagining how this would sound if it were even bigger, maybe if there was a boss later on in the game that could take this theme.
Bacchus the Augur - Amazing work on this track all around. There is so much character in the drum writing, the melodic portions, sound selection, and moments throughout the form that let the music breathe. A proper soundtrack piece, one of my favorites I’ve heard.
I really love this soundtrack which has a “slow burn” feeling to it. We are given ambient moments of reflection and intense moments of action. It is incredibly cohesive, well written, and well produced. If there was room for one more track, I’m curious what other harmonies or textures could fit in this world. Nice job getting the video done in time as well. Excellent work on this soundtrack!
Forest Cantical: I think it is spectacular how you conveyed nature through synths alone. This does an amazing job of musically supporting your story themes. I really love the reverb that you use and the slight detuning that seems to represent a little decay. Very nice opening theme!
The Three Sages: Your use of big bass pedal tone supports the story-telling aspect of meeting large trees living within an organically mechanical world. This theme is contemplative and pairs so nicely with the cutscene you created. Very pensive and beautiful. The emotional shift and energy charge is well-timed and so reminiscent of the era of music you are emulating.
Bacchus The Augur: Those big braams are an excellent way to start this track. The clarinet sound was a little unexpected, but I think paired with the big drums and low braams does a nice job showcasing the organic + mechanical power of this boss. It feels natural and plant-like. I think for a final boss fight, I wonder if more rhythmic high register elements could have been added later in the track to add a sense of high energy danger, or if that would even work based on your idea.
I like this collection of tracks and your dark game idea a lot! It certainly conveys the theme of an old forgotten world and makes the story interesting and intriguing. The animations you made also added to the overall experience in a very immersive way. Great work and thank you for sharing your music!
Hello fellow electronic person in arms! I had a lot of fun listening to your submissions. Your style is my jam for sure so I will being praising your music if you don't mind. I really like how you wrote and mixed your percussion. The drums elevated your tracks in everything they did, not an easy task I think. Thanks for creating and submitting!
Very solid submission. I liked Bacchus the most. The percussion on that track was done very well, from panning to the overall dynamics.
Really great job! I am a big fan of the percussion in Bacchus The Augur. The mix sounds great too overall. Great job!
When the Sylva Memoria comes with visuals !
Of the submissions I've listened to, this certainly stands out as one of the more unique OSTs. I love it: the music, the effects, the genre, the story concept, and the visuals you included. Super cool all around. Great job!
Super cool story idea, the setting reminds me of the flourishing ecosystem in Chernobyl. What an evocative atmosphere in the opening track, you nailed the PS2 aesthetic. The synths sound a little a janky but they are brimming with character. The cinematic cutscene of the trees slowly teaching you how to talk was nice touch, when accompanied by the music it transports me straight back in to the early 2000's. Loved the synth howl in Bacchus the Augur, retro and satisfying, it's a great base for the boss fight. Very nice submission to this jam, I didn't think that the aesthetic of the games in the 2000's was that appealing for a long time, but I think I am starting to see the charm the more people play tribute to that era..
Not too familiar w/ PS2 soundfonts here, but I have to say I love the ambiance it sets! I really enjoyed Bacchus the Augur so so so much. It got my attention immediately and I appreciated that it felt like it wasn't in a big rush, but still felt just as, or if not, even more intimidating.
I like how immersive you've made this soundtrack. Formidable commitment to that PS2-era sound and I especially liked that drop in the second track. I think you made great choices with the lead and the percussion there. Also appreciate the shrimp rap reference.
I let the track play before even reading, and the first thing that went in my mind when "Forest Cantical" began was "Oh my, well, you got my attention, I wasn't expecting it. I hope it's gonna be some drum 'n bass" lol
Love the portamento in the pad and the background details playing! The main theme is so easy to grasp. Really liked it.
"The Three Sages". What can I say. You instantly managed to set the mood for it all. It begins as creepy but ends up being reassuring and becoming kind of familiar. You should really try adding a 6 before the 5 note (starting from the root) at1:37! Please tell me what you think! The set of instruments chosen was just spot on, but I'd say it sounds more of a later moment in our gaming history than PS2. It kind of made me think of Transistor and Celeste, but can't really tell you why. Maybe the sounds, maybe the chord progressions, maybe the general atmosphere. Probably more on the Celeste side lol
And here he is, Bacchus, mentioned in the previous track. THAT PERCUSSION LOOP SOUNDS LIT! And the scale used is so fitting. I need you to teach me how to get that effect with percussions! Love what happens halfway, at 1:27. I get DKC vibes here hahaha Love the effects you used and that faint, final chord before the percussions solo. And the way the theme is there alone at 2:20, it was such a drop! It feels more like a dialogue with the boss rather than the fight. I can imagine the same theme played uptempo and with an epic orchestration!
The mixing sounds so good and professional, it was so easy to listen to.
Thank you for this journey!
P.S.: Kudos for the visuals!
I really loved your submission. The textures/sound designs are sick and create a very cool ambience. The drums in the 2nd part of The Three Sages are so cool, the groove is really amazing. My only concern would be that maybe "Bacchus the Augur" lacked something to make it a real boss fight music. It kinda felt like before you meet a boss, rather than the boss music itself. Maybe the main theme phrase was a bit too long ? So it lacked some feel of urgency. Moreover, I'd have used a screech to add some high frequencies that would insist on the feeling of danger. It sounded a bit too ambient and restrained.
Either way, amazing job. I really enjoyed your soundtrack and the world you created.
Forest Cantical: Cool little fx here. Love how that pan flute is processed.
The Three Sages: I really love this creepy melody and chord choice. Perfect amount of reverb on everything too. Great instrumentation. And then the synthwave feel further in! Good stuff.
Bacchus the Augur: starts off with a "warning" style feel. Instrumentation really sells the plant feel (both power plant and ivy plant LOL)
Great work. Very immersive!
Amazing soundtrack, I appreciate how you made the music so atmospheric, while leaving headspace for players to be able to enjoy the game, just like a real video game soundtrack. The tracks also had a lot of interesting variety in sound while remaining very cohesive. Great job, and thanks for sharing!
The amount of love and effort that must go into giving a entry visuals, lore, 3D elements, and cover art—it’s incredible; a truly wonderful job on your part.
I love that use of natural and wooden percussion; it really stands out against the synthetic sounds and works beautifully to represent the Sylvians.
//The shrimp with lacrimosa, yeah, mood.
I liked the last two tracks the most (and the shrimp(shrimp rap reference, huh???)). I really enjoy the part where the synthwave kicks in.
pretty cool short visuals you have for the three sages!! especially really dig the percussion work in bacchus the augur combined w/ the synths, i thought that was pretty unique to listen to considering the difference in textures!
Very nice soundtrack, very much liked the vibe it was going for !
I can see it easily coming from an early PS2 game where devs weren't exactly sure if they wanted to use costly CD-like music and higher quality samples played and arranged by the console, so they settled for a mixture a both (along with the skybox in your nicely made video that has some visible artifacts for the looping, not sure if this one is intentional though but it has its charm).
Concerning the tracks themselves they were very well arranged and had some nice variety, I very much enjoyed the calming vibe and progression of The Three Sages, and Bacchus The Augur had a great energy with the percussions, nails the intense vibe pretty well.
Overall great soundtrack I enjoyed my time with it, great job !