Devlog #8: Songs for the End of the World

Hi everyone, Scott here!

Before I got into games, my first career was as a composer and musical director. So when I started Hilltop Studios, I knew music wouldn't just accompany our games, it would help define them.

One of the happiest surprises from Lil' Guardsman was discovering just how many players cited its musical theatre sequence as their favourite moment. That reinforced something I'd suspected all along: there was value in bringing my previous career into game development, not just by writing a soundtrack, but by thinking about music as a storytelling tool.

One of the central locations in Curse of Resthaven is the Black Pony Tavern (named after the Toronto coffee shop near my house, where our remote team has held countless meetings). From the beginning, I knew a world inspired by the 18th century, filtered through a gothic fantasy lens, deserved a bard. But I didn't want the usual looping tavern ambience. I wanted songs that belonged to the world, songs that reflect the culture of the island, foreshadow events, reinforce themes, and evolve alongside the story.

Steam post image The real Black Pony in Toronto

I kept coming back to the bard songs in Skyrim, the tavern music in The Witcher, and even "Toss A Coin to Your Witcher" from the show. Those moments do more than create atmosphere; they make the world feel inhabited. I wanted Resthaven to have songs players would actually remember after they put the game down.

So I ended up writing an EP's worth of music for our bard with my friend and collaborator Michael Cox.

The tavern is also one of the few places in Resthaven where players can catch their breath. Outside, the island is unraveling. Inside, for a few precious moments, you can simply sit, listen, and exist in the world. As a composer, that contrast was incredibly satisfying to write. Much of the score explores darker, classically inspired horror textures, while the bard's music leans into melody, storytelling, and folk traditions. Writing diegetic music (music that the characters themselves are actually hearing) became a wonderfully different creative challenge, and some of those musical ideas even found their way back into the more ‘horror’ instrumental score.

Steam post image The Black Pony Tavern, Resthaven

The upcoming demo covers two in-game days of the time loop (the full game spans six), so you'll hear two of the bard's songs. The first,"Beacon,"plays on the opening day. It's an optimistic anthem celebrating Resthaven's promise and the Empire's grand ambitions for its newest colony. Like so much in the game, though, first impressions can be deceiving. As the loop progresses, the same song returns in a much darker form, transformed by everything the player has learned.

We also wanted the bard to matter beyond just creating atmosphere. As you spend time in the tavern, you'll eventually recruit him as an expedition companion. His unique Sing skill can solve a surprising number of expeditions, turning what begins as world-building into a genuine gameplay system. I think that’s become another Hilltop Studios hallmark: narrative flavour quietly becoming mechanical depth.

As I said, I've been lucky enough to co-write these songs with Michael Cox, who also happens to be the visual inspiration for the bard's sprite. We can't wait to release the full Black Pony EP alongside the game's soundtrack. And because these songs were written to be sung, we're also planning to release sheet music at launch for any musicians, aspiring tavern bards, who want to bring them to life themselves.

Can’t wait for you to spend time listening in the tavern when the demo drops soon!

Cheers, -Scott