The gothic aesthetic is so satisfying! I appreciated the variety of creative environments and ghosts. And having such an easy lighting control option. The violin sounded pretty good in my opinion! I'm curious if it's a VST instrument and if so which one? Thanks for sharing the music on YouTube too, so we can enjoy it outside of the game.
Thanks very much! The violin is a VST instrument as I can't handle playing real stringed instruments without frets XD. It's Spitfire Solo Violin. I have the Cello as well and they are both fantastic sounding and very easy to play, switching between longs, shorts, trem and legato notes depending on how you press on the keys instead of clunky keyswitches.
Um, I'm not sure exactly what you mean. It is using the new Lumen GI, which as far as I understand is a software combination of raytraced and screenspace dynamic GI, but not using Nvidia RTX raytracing hardware so you don't require an RTX card to run it.
Oh, I loved this, the smooth gameplay was very immersive, the visuals drop dead gorgeous and I love love love the ending. Honestly, my only criticism would be that I could not spend more time in this little world that you created, I have so many questions!
This was a really beautiful game. I thought the whole concept of serenading souls to the afterlife was very unique. However, I do wish there were a story of some sort or at least a reason why you are making this last symphony. I thought the monster design were very colorful. I played the Restrung version in the video, which I think looks the best. I hope that you will expand on this game and add maybe a survival aspect or any other game mechanic to really boost the experience.
I don't have quite the elegant praise as most people in these comments do, but this game was very enchanting and intriguing. I guess I made those souls pretty mad though. Great game, 8/10.
This game is incredible. Thanks for creating it. I love these PSX style games and this one's atmosphere is absolutely amazing. I look forward to seeing whatever you make next
Very straight to the point. This is a welcome addition to the world of horror games and is a testament to how lovely and romantic gothic horror tales can be. The lighting is just right in the default game, enough for the player to see and move about while still maintaining the gloomy ambience. Nice colour scheme for the lighting too! The reward at the end of the game is also very satisfying. I found it rather inspiring.
A really interesting idea. The melody of the violin was just wonderful and the idea of using it as a kind of soul catcher was really ingenious. It's hard to do something today that hasn't been done a hundred times before. But here it succeeded. Unfortunately, I can't give it more stars because the game is simply not extensive enough and the graphics aren't exactly the best. But there is a lot of potential in the idea and you could make a wonderful game out of it. Add a few puzzles, a few render sequences and a few more eerie moments and it would be great.
I loved this game, such unique ambience! Not an overly complicated premise but wonderfully executed, the concept of a ghostly orchestra is just amazing. (Also, not sure if you composed the symphony yourself, but if so, excellent job!) I only wish it was longer!
Thanks for playing and glad you enjoyed it! I did write the music and I have a link in the description above with the full song if you are interested in listening to it. I have to keep the mechanics simple or I never finish anything XD but I do have a few ideas on how I can expand the concept and the mechanics into a fuller experience, so you may see that in the future.
This game was very different and the tension was almost always there. I'm not exactly sure what happened at the end but the overall game was interesting. I loved the environments and the different spirit characters.
This was such a unique experience! The game was phenomenal. My only complaint: Don't make the escape key just exit the game with no warning. I wanted to see if there were any settings so I tried pressing escape and I got kicked out all the way out.
Thanks for playing and glad you enjoyed it! I completely agree about the confirmation to quit, it's a bad habit of mine to skip that in jam games because it seems like it should be simple but there is actually quite a lot of work. You have to implement UI, mouse pointer control and handle pausing, which is very difficult when I have so many synced audio files playing. I'll try and make sure I include it in future projects as I understand how frustrating it is when you have to start again.
The sound design in this was absolutely beautiful and I enjoyed listening to it (especially, the part where it picked up in the church). Honestly, I can't praise the music enough! The game concept and execution was really cool as well. Such an awesome and unique experience. Game starts at (42:15).
Hey thanks for playing! Glad you appreciated the reverb change as you walk into the church, I created that effect with reverb samples I recorded in a church here in Edinburgh, such georgous accoustics!
This was such a fresh and unique game! I was enthralled the entire time and loved every minute of it! The music was wonderful, the ghost's design were great and creepy, and the setting was so fitting! Loved it all, great job!
I'm writing to congratulate you on this interesting playable experience that you have made. I'm a huge fan of games that have a unique atmosphere, especially those from the PS1 - PS2 era, and I must admit that I had not experienced such a thing in a long time. You have managed to give your project soul, something very difficult to do even for the great developers in the industry. For this reason, I would like to encourage you with the development of this project so that it becomes something bigger.
You have very good ideas and I think you would be able to do very interesting things, because your music is excellent and your artistic vision is exquisite.
Perhaps it would be a good idea to present your projects on platforms such as indiegogo or kickstarter in order to get funds to use them in your work, since today there are many people willing to pay to finance projects like Symphony of Seven Souls.
Finally, tell you that you can count on my support in your next projects and that if you need anything I would be happy to help you.
PS: Excuse my English, it is not my mother tongue.
Thank you very much! That is very kind of you to say and I'm glad you found this project so interesting. I have a few ideas about taking this concept into something bigger so you may see it in the future.
I've thought about Kickstarter before but but I would have to be far enough along with a bigger project to be confident that I could finish it. Having a day job means money is not really the issue, I've already purchased most of the hardware and tools I need, it's time that is the problem.
Anyway thank you for your support and your English is excellent! :)
Hey Katanalevy, I am not even going to try to run this game on my laptop, cuz I am sure that it wont run well - as always I have discovered this gem via ABG chanell - what I would love to know is what has inspired you to make this game. No, wait, what I would love to know is what or which place has inspired you for the game map. Game world? I dunno from which part of the world you are, but I gotta be honest that the architecture in the game reminded me oh so much of my beloved/hated Prague - plus those weather and light effects, I mean, if you have developed this yourself, then kudos to you, and hats off because the whole thing has an absolute unique atmosphere, which I have enjoyed thanks to the headphones. Have you ever played CoD 4 and other CoDs, have you realised how detailed and alive maps in that game are? That is what your game reminds me of, a living breathing experience.
Hi, thanks for stopping by and sorry the game is unlikely to run on your laptop. I live in Edinburgh, Scotland so that's why it rains all the time in the game XD, but probably quite similar in terms of gothic architecture to Prague. I've never been but I know Bloodborne's team took a lot from the city! It was also infulenced by Bram Stoker's Dracula (the 90s film), the comedy Young Frankenstein and the stories around the violinist Niccolò Paganini selling his soul to the devil.
I've not played a Call of Duty game since the first one in the early 2000s, but I think I know what you mean and that's very kind of you to say.
What an experience! Mad props to composer of this elegant piece. I found that the game just came to life around the life of the violin. Even in the downtime between finding the souls, I found myself always intrigued by the music emanating from the strings. And even though I could move without playing the violin, as a player, I found I never wanted to, which really speaks to how the music, like a thread in the hands of a skilled seamstress, knits this beautiful game together. For such a short game and basic concept (find the souls), you managed to hook me into this world with a flair that would make Edgar Allen Poe proud. I'm quite a fan of classical music, but I also thought that any gamer who might have never heard the sound of a solo violinist would be happy to experience this game. Bravo and please keep up the good work!
Thanks very much! I worked really hard on writing the music and sound design so it's great to hear that people really appreciate it! That's axcatly what I wanted - for playing the violin in the rain and with the orchestra to be kind of it's own reward and beautiful experience. I'm a terrible programmer so it's all audio, visual and atmosphere for me! Do you have any classical composers you would recommend? I've only really just started composing so it's always great to study from some awesome works.
I definitely recommend Philip Glass! He has such a wide range of emotions that he conveys masterfully through music. I'm no musician myself, but I just try to listen and appreciate what I think may be going on in the composer's head when they write a piece. As far as cinematic composers go, Dario Marianelli is a great talent (If you've never seen Pride and Prejudice, look up the piece, "A Postcard to Henry Purce.") Hope you enjoy!
Oh yeah I love Philip Glass and some of the other modern minimalist composers like Steve Reich and Arvo Part. I'll definitely check out Marianelli tho, thanks for the tip!
I just can't express how much I love this game. I've been thinking about it all day since recording. Truly beautiful music, smooth and consistent gameplay, and an incredibly interesting story. I love how the horror aspect of the game only shines through at key points in the gameplay, providing a perfect buildup to the ending. If you're considering trying this game out, stop considering and just do it! It's a hauntingly beautiful experience!
Thanks very much for playing and so glad to hear you enjoyed it! I got the idea from Young Frankenstein and if you haven't seen it then I highly recommend it. Very funny film with also a brilliant violin score. We need more games with instruments and a focus on audio!
Thank you! Unfortunately not, I have no formal training and can't write sheet very well. I score everything by ear instead. I might be able to convert the midi to sheet but I have no idea if there is a good software solution for this.
If it helps the chords in the verses are going back and forth between Cm and G. The chorus is G#, G, Fm (2 bars), G#, G, Cm (2 bars). And the lead violin plays on the C harmonic minor scale, so pretty much your standard minor scale but raise the minor 7th up to a major 7th.
Youtubers - sorry about CookingWithJack's downvotes! You are welcome to post links to your videos under any of my games as long as you link back to the game page in your description. :)
I am the reaper of youtubers, the mere mention of yout*be sets off a frenzy the likes of which will never be seen again. They are strong children, but I am beyond strength...I AM THE END, and I have come for you(tubers)...now fall.
Thanks for playing and taking the time to find the last one! Sorry I'm not quite satisfied with the method of finding them as it can take ages if you miss one, but I appreciate you sticking it out!
Yes, there is an extra flat 2D ghost that is an easter egg for those that have played one of my other games. You can't collect that one. I'm just about to upload a new version with some quality improvements, like brightness controls and the ghost ring a small bell when you are not playing violin so it's easier to find them. Should be up in the next hour or so if you don't mind waiting.
Cool, I'll try it again. I didn't want to just play the whole time either, I tried to sort of see where a spirit should probably be first, so some kind of cue will help. Also, Ihave to say I love the atmosphere the game has. Just imagining being this dark ages violinist playing some eerie composition through the streets at midnight. Now I know what I want to be when I grow up, thank you! :)
Wow this game is cool. The music especially is great. Gave me a whole new appreciation for violin. I'd appreciate anyone watching my gameplay and subscribing if you enjoy!
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The gothic aesthetic is so satisfying! I appreciated the variety of creative environments and ghosts. And having such an easy lighting control option. The violin sounded pretty good in my opinion! I'm curious if it's a VST instrument and if so which one? Thanks for sharing the music on YouTube too, so we can enjoy it outside of the game.
Thanks very much! The violin is a VST instrument as I can't handle playing real stringed instruments without frets XD. It's Spitfire Solo Violin. I have the Cello as well and they are both fantastic sounding and very easy to play, switching between longs, shorts, trem and legato notes depending on how you press on the keys instead of clunky keyswitches.
Um, I'm not sure exactly what you mean. It is using the new Lumen GI, which as far as I understand is a software combination of raytraced and screenspace dynamic GI, but not using Nvidia RTX raytracing hardware so you don't require an RTX card to run it.
Oh, I loved this, the smooth gameplay was very immersive, the visuals drop dead gorgeous and I love love love the ending. Honestly, my only criticism would be that I could not spend more time in this little world that you created, I have so many questions!
Excellent short and sweet game that really gives a unique feeling surrounding the dead with excellent music and terrific visuals!
Such a cool experience! I got a little spooked when I stopped playing my violin lol.
Hey! I did a big roundup on a bunch of games in the jam (including yours) with some thoughts on each. Figured I'd share it here for anyone interested!
This looks amazing! Any chance for a MacOS port in the future? In any case.. congratulations for being able to make this!
Thanks! Unfortunately not, I would have to buy a Mac just to be able to compile the game for Mac OS since that can't be done on a Windows machine.
I don't have quite the elegant praise as most people in these comments do, but this game was very enchanting and intriguing. I guess I made those souls pretty mad though. Great game, 8/10.
This game is incredible. Thanks for creating it. I love these PSX style games and this one's atmosphere is absolutely amazing. I look forward to seeing whatever you make next
Very straight to the point. This is a welcome addition to the world of horror games and is a testament to how lovely and romantic gothic horror tales can be. The lighting is just right in the default game, enough for the player to see and move about while still maintaining the gloomy ambience. Nice colour scheme for the lighting too! The reward at the end of the game is also very satisfying. I found it rather inspiring.
man, i thought that it was a relaxing game until the end...
A really interesting idea. The melody of the violin was just wonderful and the idea of using it as a kind of soul catcher was really ingenious. It's hard to do something today that hasn't been done a hundred times before. But here it succeeded. Unfortunately, I can't give it more stars because the game is simply not extensive enough and the graphics aren't exactly the best. But there is a lot of potential in the idea and you could make a wonderful game out of it. Add a few puzzles, a few render sequences and a few more eerie moments and it would be great.
I loved this game, such unique ambience! Not an overly complicated premise but wonderfully executed, the concept of a ghostly orchestra is just amazing. (Also, not sure if you composed the symphony yourself, but if so, excellent job!) I only wish it was longer!
Thanks for playing and glad you enjoyed it! I did write the music and I have a link in the description above with the full song if you are interested in listening to it. I have to keep the mechanics simple or I never finish anything XD but I do have a few ideas on how I can expand the concept and the mechanics into a fuller experience, so you may see that in the future.
This game was very different and the tension was almost always there. I'm not exactly sure what happened at the end but the overall game was interesting. I loved the environments and the different spirit characters.
This was such a unique experience! The game was phenomenal. My only complaint: Don't make the escape key just exit the game with no warning. I wanted to see if there were any settings so I tried pressing escape and I got kicked out all the way out.
Thanks for playing and glad you enjoyed it! I completely agree about the confirmation to quit, it's a bad habit of mine to skip that in jam games because it seems like it should be simple but there is actually quite a lot of work. You have to implement UI, mouse pointer control and handle pausing, which is very difficult when I have so many synced audio files playing. I'll try and make sure I include it in future projects as I understand how frustrating it is when you have to start again.
I didn't play the detuned edition for the video but I will definitely be playing it for myself soon! 😁
Hey thanks for playing! Glad you appreciated the reverb change as you walk into the church, I created that effect with reverb samples I recorded in a church here in Edinburgh, such georgous accoustics!
Hope you enjoy the detuned edition too. :)
This was such a fresh and unique game! I was enthralled the entire time and loved every minute of it! The music was wonderful, the ghost's design were great and creepy, and the setting was so fitting! Loved it all, great job!
Thanks for playing and glad you enjoyed it!
No problem and of course!!
We really enjoyed this game! great work!
Thanks for playing and sharing
Hello Katanalevy,
I'm writing to congratulate you on this interesting playable experience that you have made. I'm a huge fan of games that have a unique atmosphere, especially those from the PS1 - PS2 era, and I must admit that I had not experienced such a thing in a long time. You have managed to give your project soul, something very difficult to do even for the great developers in the industry. For this reason, I would like to encourage you with the development of this project so that it becomes something bigger.
You have very good ideas and I think you would be able to do very interesting things, because your music is excellent and your artistic vision is exquisite.
Perhaps it would be a good idea to present your projects on platforms such as indiegogo or kickstarter in order to get funds to use them in your work, since today there are many people willing to pay to finance projects like Symphony of Seven Souls.
Finally, tell you that you can count on my support in your next projects and that if you need anything I would be happy to help you.
PS: Excuse my English, it is not my mother tongue.
A cordial greeting.
Thank you very much! That is very kind of you to say and I'm glad you found this project so interesting. I have a few ideas about taking this concept into something bigger so you may see it in the future.
I've thought about Kickstarter before but but I would have to be far enough along with a bigger project to be confident that I could finish it. Having a day job means money is not really the issue, I've already purchased most of the hardware and tools I need, it's time that is the problem.
Anyway thank you for your support and your English is excellent! :)
Hey Katanalevy, I am not even going to try to run this game on my laptop, cuz I am sure that it wont run well - as always I have discovered this gem via ABG chanell - what I would love to know is what has inspired you to make this game.
No, wait, what I would love to know is what or which place has inspired you for the game map. Game world? I dunno from which part of the world you are, but I gotta be honest that the architecture in the game reminded me oh so much of my beloved/hated Prague - plus those weather and light effects, I mean, if you have developed this yourself, then kudos to you, and hats off because the whole thing has an absolute unique atmosphere, which I have enjoyed thanks to the headphones.
Have you ever played CoD 4 and other CoDs, have you realised how detailed and alive maps in that game are? That is what your game reminds me of, a living breathing experience.
Hi, thanks for stopping by and sorry the game is unlikely to run on your laptop. I live in Edinburgh, Scotland so that's why it rains all the time in the game XD, but probably quite similar in terms of gothic architecture to Prague. I've never been but I know Bloodborne's team took a lot from the city! It was also infulenced by Bram Stoker's Dracula (the 90s film), the comedy Young Frankenstein and the stories around the violinist Niccolò Paganini selling his soul to the devil.
I've not played a Call of Duty game since the first one in the early 2000s, but I think I know what you mean and that's very kind of you to say.
Thanks very much! I worked really hard on writing the music and sound design so it's great to hear that people really appreciate it! That's axcatly what I wanted - for playing the violin in the rain and with the orchestra to be kind of it's own reward and beautiful experience. I'm a terrible programmer so it's all audio, visual and atmosphere for me! Do you have any classical composers you would recommend? I've only really just started composing so it's always great to study from some awesome works.
https://open.spotify.com/track/11KMQy878e4KUhb83110fa?si=270351f69cf24041 listen to this.... it's my favourite classical piece and it's from my favourite film. Great game by the way!!
Absolutely wonderful movie and score, thanks for reminding me about this one!
I definitely recommend Philip Glass! He has such a wide range of emotions that he conveys masterfully through music. I'm no musician myself, but I just try to listen and appreciate what I think may be going on in the composer's head when they write a piece. As far as cinematic composers go, Dario Marianelli is a great talent (If you've never seen Pride and Prejudice, look up the piece, "A Postcard to Henry Purce.") Hope you enjoy!
Oh yeah I love Philip Glass and some of the other modern minimalist composers like Steve Reich and Arvo Part. I'll definitely check out Marianelli tho, thanks for the tip!
Hauntingly Beautiful, Lovely Experience
This was so beautiful, I truly loved it
I just can't express how much I love this game. I've been thinking about it all day since recording. Truly beautiful music, smooth and consistent gameplay, and an incredibly interesting story. I love how the horror aspect of the game only shines through at key points in the gameplay, providing a perfect buildup to the ending. If you're considering trying this game out, stop considering and just do it! It's a hauntingly beautiful experience!
i legit loved it, the music was amazing.
Thanks very much for playing and so glad to hear you enjoyed it! I got the idea from Young Frankenstein and if you haven't seen it then I highly recommend it. Very funny film with also a brilliant violin score. We need more games with instruments and a focus on audio!
wow!!! is there sheet music or something similar for this music? im learning violin and would love to play this
Thank you! Unfortunately not, I have no formal training and can't write sheet very well. I score everything by ear instead. I might be able to convert the midi to sheet but I have no idea if there is a good software solution for this.
If it helps the chords in the verses are going back and forth between Cm and G. The chorus is G#, G, Fm (2 bars), G#, G, Cm (2 bars). And the lead violin plays on the C harmonic minor scale, so pretty much your standard minor scale but raise the minor 7th up to a major 7th.
Came here looking for the theme song, I just love it so much, thanks for makin this game! Really pretty aesthetics and the music's just *chef's kiss*
Youtubers - sorry about CookingWithJack's downvotes! You are welcome to post links to your videos under any of my games as long as you link back to the game page in your description. :)
great game! keep it up!
I am the reaper of youtubers, the mere mention of yout*be sets off a frenzy the likes of which will never be seen again. They are strong children, but I am beyond strength...I AM THE END, and I have come for you(tubers)...now fall.
Not quite sure what you deal is, but Youtubers are welcome on my game pages and a gatekeeping, self-righteous edgelord attitude like yours is not.
What has YouTube done to you? WHO HURT YOU?!
Hiii, I've made a video about the game and wanted to share some feedback about it, hopefully it is useful to you ^^
-The idea/concept of the game is really amazing and original.-The gameplay mechanic the game is based on is really original and well implemented with the level design and it's development throught the gameplay.
-Visually the game looks really nice and totally fits in every way the theme of the game.
Hopefully this is useful to you :D, also if you could subscribe that would help me a lot :)
Regards
What an amazing concept and game! The music of the violin was hauntingly beautiful! Would love to see more!
Very cool game, got a bit lost there on the last guy.
Thanks for playing and taking the time to find the last one! Sorry I'm not quite satisfied with the method of finding them as it can take ages if you miss one, but I appreciate you sticking it out!
I'm having trouble finding the last one, is there an *extra* one you can't collect? She seems hidden, so I'm not sure if I got some bug or not.
Trying to avoid spoilers, so i don't want to just watch another's video. :)
Yes, there is an extra flat 2D ghost that is an easter egg for those that have played one of my other games. You can't collect that one. I'm just about to upload a new version with some quality improvements, like brightness controls and the ghost ring a small bell when you are not playing violin so it's easier to find them. Should be up in the next hour or so if you don't mind waiting.
Cool, I'll try it again. I didn't want to just play the whole time either, I tried to sort of see where a spirit should probably be first, so some kind of cue will help. Also, Ihave to say I love the atmosphere the game has. Just imagining being this dark ages violinist playing some eerie composition through the streets at midnight. Now I know what I want to be when I grow up, thank you! :)
What an incredible unique game! I loved the atmosphere and the music, made it super relaxing until the end lol great work!
Thanks for playing and sharing! I love how the violin is so versitile it can go from soft, sweet melodies to the atonal noises of nightmares!
Wow this game is cool. The music especially is great. Gave me a whole new appreciation for violin. I'd appreciate anyone watching my gameplay and subscribing if you enjoy!