Endless Dungeon launches on Xbox and PC subsequent week, the long-awaited successor to 2014’s Dungeon of the Endless. This tactical, squad-based roguelike takes you on a journey by way of an deserted house station, the place your group is tasked with defending a Crystal_bot and escorting it to The Core.
This is not any simple process; even probably the most potent groups require a spot to recharge and respec. Enter The Saloon, the hub the place you’ll be able to take a well-earned breather, change up your loadout, or take pleasure in a skill-enhancing drink on the bar. This space is drenched in futuristic western vibes, full with its personal reside band serving because the soundtrack to your respite.
The music that you simply’ll hear at The Saloon consists and carried out in-game by Lera Lynn, a Nashville-based singer-songwriter, whose work chances are you’ll acknowledge from HBO’s True Detective. Lynn has written music for movie and TV, however that is her first foray into online game music. We have been fortunate sufficient to take a seat down with Lynn to be taught extra about her expertise moving into video games, and why her explicit mix of Americana lends itself completely to Endless Dungeon’s intergalactic watering gap.
Lynn tells us initially that she loves a problem, and composing for a online game seemed like a very enjoyable, if not prolonged one. She shares that her work with Endless Dungeon is 5 years within the making, and the turnaround is far slower in comparison with her expertise with movie and TV. While that is Lynn’s very first expertise with online game composition, she describes the partnership with developer Amplitude as “probably the most natural collaboration I can think about.”
“The studio reached about to me as a result of they appreciated my music,” Lynn explains. “They requested if I’d be all for writing some songs for the sport, and we went from there.”
Lynn has composed music that was featured in season two of HBO present True Detective, and she or he additionally starred within the present as a recurring reside performer in a bar. There are some parallels between this and her position as a cartoon saloon singer in Endless Dungeon, and we have been curious concerning the variations.
“The music performs a distinct position within the recreation than it does in movie and TV, for instance,” Lynn tells us. “I really feel like in these, the music is supposed to make a scene extra emotionally compelling. I feel in [Endless Dungeon] it’s extra enjoyable, and it’s extra interactive, and that’s all new and really completely different to me.”
Lynn was additionally given some course with what the songs ought to invoke. This ranged from upbeat tracks signifying a call-to-action, and a sentimental ballad about lacking house.
“When I’m writing for myself, I might write about 1,000,000 issues,” she provides. “Having that course truly makes it simpler.”
Lynn doesn’t simply present the music for the Endless Dungeon saloon – the avatar that sings the tracks is modelled after her actual face. The character went by way of just a few interactions, together with an ethereal floating octopus with out a mouth – although Lynn felt that singing is likely to be fairly problematic with that idea. In the top, it felt proper to have the character appear to be Lynn with a spacey outfit twist, however not with out her signature on-stage beret.
“I requested initially whether or not I ought to be writing from my perspective, or I ought to placed on a distinct character, they usually needed me to do my factor,” she says. “With that, I used to be capable of carry plenty of myself to the sport. We’ve created an attention-grabbing juxtaposition with my fashion mixed with the sounds from the sport, which is actually attention-grabbing.”
However, you gained’t see Lynn’s character immediately. The reside band will seem extra prominently as you progress by way of Endless Dungeon.
“When you initially get to the saloon, there’s simply the guitar participant taking part in the guitar elements of a track,” she explains. “And as you attain larger ranges, you’ll be able to unlock different musicians which can be taking part in the songs. Once you’ve made it to a better stage then I’ll seem, and also you’ll hear the singing. Hopefully, that’s a payoff for the participant.”
Lynn doesn’t contemplate herself to be a gamer simply but, however she’s on her approach, and hopes that her work with Amplitude will function a gateway into what she describes as a “entire new universe.” She’s additionally extremely thrilled so as to add a online game undertaking to her portfolio, and hopes that it could possibly function inspiration to these eager to become involved within the house.
“It’s nice to be enlisted as a feminine producer and composer in video video games,” she says. “I feel that’s a superb factor for the world. There’s additionally no restrict to the creativity right here, there’s no restrict to what folks can think about after which make, and I simply wish to be concerned with extra of it.”
Endless Dungeon launches October 19, and is on the market to buy on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One.
ENDLESS™ Dungeon
Amplitude STUDIOS
ENDLESS™ Dungeon is a singular mix of roguelite, tactical motion, and tower protection set within the award-winning ENDLESS™ Universe. Plunge into an deserted house station alone or with pals in co-op, recruit a group of shipwrecked heroes, and defend your crystal towards endless waves of monsters… or die attempting, get reloaded, and take a look at once more.
WE GOT TURRETS AND WE GOT GUNS
You’re stranded on an deserted house station chock-full of monsters and mysteries. To get out you may have to achieve The Core, however you’ll be able to’t try this with out your crystal bot. That scuttling critter is your key to surviving the procedurally generated rooms of this house damage. Sadly, it is also a fragile soul, and each monster within the place needs a chunk of it. You’re going to should suppose fast, plan nicely, place your turrets, after which… fireworks! Bugs, bots and blobs will cease at nothing to show you and that crystal into mud and particles. With a wide selection of weapons and turrets, the appropriate gear would be the distinction between life and demise.
RIDE SOLO OR GIDDY UP WITH FRIENDS
You can face the horrors of the Station driving solo, or squad up and run the gauntlet in 3 participant co-op. Once you’ve got obtained your posse, plan your strikes. Pick their weapons from a large alternative starting from flamethrowers to poison snipers. When you are set, enter the Station to tackle a personality’s quest, take a stab at escaping, or simply go loco on the locals. You’ll doubtless die attempting, however hey, that is the way in which it goes on this house dungeon!
ASSEMBLE YOUR RECKLESS SQUAD
Prepare to satisfy a solid of colourful heroes all gunning for a similar purpose: to get the hell out! Each brings their very own playing cards to the desk. There’s tanky Bunker who’ll absorb harm, fiery Blaze who likes to blow stuff up, or perhaps Shroom who’ll heal her squadmates together with her “uncommon” incense. Select your heroes to construct the group that works for you. As you get to know them, you may be taught that all of them have their very own explicit motivations and secrets and techniques…
MONSTERS, DANGERS, SECRETS AND TREASURES, OH MY!
Escaping means overcoming all the hazards of the Station. Yup, all of them. Deadly robots, cruel monsters, loot, and big beasts await you at each nook. The deeper you delve into this scrap heap, the extra you may uncover its tragic historical past. Why does the Station reel in any ship that flies too shut? Why do you come again each time you kick the bucket? No matter how acquainted you might be with the ENDLESS™ Universe, the Station has extra tales to inform.
THE MORE DYIN’, THE MORE GROWIN’
Hate to interrupt it to you, this may not be simple and also you may die… loads. But that is okay, as a result of each time you do, you get reloaded again into the Saloon. Think of it as your middle of operations (and drinks), the place you’ll be able to improve your heroes and weapons, unlock new paths to The Core, chat with the locals, take heed to tunes, and drink boosting (and scrumptious) libations. Then, leap again into the Station and attempt to get out — once more.
