Are There Even Stars?

As an entry for the OST Composing Jam #5, this soundtrack is for an imaginary game.

Genre

A platformer/metroidvania where you start underground and make your way towards the sky. There are no screens left and right, and no going back - only upwards and onwards!

Music tracks

Stage 1: Escape From Underground 逃離地下城

https://soundcloud.com/yxiang/stage-1-escape-from?in=yxiang/sets/are-there-even-...

Stage 2: Ruined Downtown 永眠的都市

https://soundcloud.com/yxiang/stage-2-ruined-downtown?in=yxiang/sets/are-there-e...

Stage 3: Scaling Skyscrapers 勇闖摩天大樓

https://soundcloud.com/yxiang/stage-3-scaling-skyscrapers?in=yxiang/sets/are-the...

Wishing Star Theme 許願之星

https://soundcloud.com/yxiang/wishing-star-theme?in=yxiang/sets/are-there-even-s...

Story premise

Fen has been forced to work in the mines by the overlords who control everything in her underground city. But there are whispers about a world of clean air and sunlight. Fen thought this was just a fantasy, especially the part about the stars – no way there’s a river of glittering lights up there, where you can just look upon it and make a wish that comes true.

Until she found a ladder to the surface.

Above ground, there’s open space and light indeed. But also the ruins of a city, with buildings so tall you can’t see where they end. If this ever was a beautiful place, it’s been ravaged.

But what if it can be restored?

Could the wishing-upon-a-star thing be true? The sky is so thick with smog, she still doesn’t know if stars even exist, much less if they can really heal the world. But she’s willing to risk the climb up there to find out.

(I would like to thank Retepunk for the story premise and the cover graphics!)

阿芬在主宰著一切的獨裁者統治之下，被迫在礦場中做苦工。礦工們私下傳言，曾經有一個空氣清晰、陽光普照的世界。然而，這個故事對阿芬來說，只是一個幻想罷了，尤其是那些星星。那座閃亮晶晶、讓人們可以許願的銀河，根本不可能存在。

直到有一天，她發現有一座梯子，可以讓她爬出地面。

地面上的世界確實跟故事講的一樣，廣闊無比、光芒四射，但是面對阿芬的，是一座四處佈滿高到天涯的大樓，但已徹底殘破的都市。也許這地方曾經是一個美好的世界，但它經過戰亂與環境污染的摧殘，已面目全非。

儘管如此，或許可以讓它恢復以往的生生不息吧？

許願之星是不是真的存在？面對陰霾籠罩的天空，她沒有答案，也不知道它們能不能讓這個已經死亡的世界復活。但為了找到答案，她願意冒著生命危險，爬上天際。