The spy-thriller, Spyder, from studio Sumo Digital, is an homage to a classic genre that had its golden age in the 1960s. The Apple Arcade game features an adorable mechanical spider, Agent 8, created like one of James Bond's gadgets, that players control during missions that are increasingly dangerous.
Composer Winifred Phillips created the perfect '60s and early '70s inspired soundtrack, featuring elements of jazz, orchestral, and even early synth rock sounds. She says doing the research by reviewing classic spy and adventure films and TV shows helped her keep the score pitch-perfect.
Winifred says the first music she wrote for Spyder was the trailer soundtrack, which encapsulates lots of aspects of the game: suspense, heroics, and Agent 8's confident swagger.
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Winifred's insightful articles about writing game soundtracks appear regularly on Gamasutra, and her sessions at the annual Game Developers Conference are among the most well-attended. She was planning to present a session this year at the (now postponed) GDC about the importance of a great theme to give a game its unique musical signature, and then how you can use the theme in many different ways. Her score for Spyder is a perfect example of how she's able to create the perfect theme, and use it througout the game in some imaginative variations. She says a soundtrack release for Spyder is being developed as well.
Episode tracklist
All tracks composed by Winfred Phillips, produced by Winnie Waldron
Spyder: Sky High Spy; Spyder Main Theme; Bugged Out; Radio Classic; War Room; Intel Board; Space Invaded; Off the Rails
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Thanks to Dick Roberts for production assistance
