Styled as a 2D RPG adventure, Rakuen follows the emotional journey of an unnamed Boy and his mother. Hospitalised by a difficult illness, the boy finds solace in stories of a magical land.



As the narrative unfolds, music becomes integral to the experience. Melodies tie directly into plot threads, and help drive gameplay in some inventive ways. You’d expect nothing less from Laura Shigihara, who joins me for her third Sound Test appearance.



Throughout this podcast, we’ll explore some of Rakuen’s key themes, and what inspired them. There are also a few details about story beats, including the ending, so be warned of spoilers!



Lee Tyrrell on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/GreenT128



Laura Shigihara on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/supershigi



Extra credits:



Visualisations by the incredible Laundry_Hamper!



Instrumental version of "Jump" by goodpea2:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvFsitAqRzM



Instrumental version of "Build a Little World with Me" by AndrewFMs:

https://youtu.be/E2z1glM4aE8



Also available through:



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and many more...



Early access, unedited interviews, LIVE shows and more:

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