Most games I feature on this column have complex soundtracks with dozens of songs and hours of listening. There’s usually too much to fit into one article. In this case, however, there’s only a few songs and some related incidental music—but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth noting.
Tower of Heaven is a great example of what can be done on a small scale. Simple graphics, simple gameplay, simple soundtrack—amazing game. It’s tight and polished and a lot of fun, with no attempt to drag things out or lengthen it beyond what it was meant to be. You’re in, you’re out, and you had a great time in between.
One thing you’ll quickly noticed about the soundtrack is that all the tunes are based off the same basic theme. This doesn’t really make things boring, but manages to tie the whole game together through a range of emotions. Whether you’re getting started on your climb, pausing for a moment on one of the free, empty levels, building up for the intense later levels, or watching the tower fall, the tune comes along with you. It’s a pretty good testament to the abilities of the composer to stretch a song that far.
It is true, though, that the single theme is not really meant to be listened to for great lengths. There are so many game soundtracks I’ve downloaded to listen to at work on in the car, and I play them on repeat. I’ll listen to one song for five or ten minutes and move on to the next. Tower of Heaven is a little more difficult to listen to in that manner since, despite the range of emotion over the course of the soundtrack, it really is just a list of remixes of the same song.
If you’re interested in more from the artist, you can always check out their official website or visit their Bandcamp. Tower of Heaven is short and sweet, but the artist didn’t stop there! Whether you’re looking for more similar Game Boy or chiptune-type tracks or something else, they’ve been fairly busy in the years since the game was released. Give some of their other stuff a listen if you like what you’re hearing here!
