Brave Snow

x SEAN BEaSON x KABOOM STUDIO ORCEHSTRA

An anthropomorphic rabbit character with long ears and a scarf, sitting on the ground surrounded by plants, looks up at a large, green, moth-like creature with a speech bubble showing a musical note. The background includes stylized clouds and abstract shapes, with a banner that says "DRAGONSONG."

What Does a Video Game Sound Like?

In partnership with composer Sean Beason and indie game studio Digital Owl, Kaboom set out to answer that question by developing an orchestrated soundtrack for a game still in progress. The goal was to demonstrate how music enhances narrative, character identity, and the overall player experience.

Kaboom musicians recorded a theme for Brave Snow, a story-rich indie game built in Unreal Engine. The piece was written for a central character who helps guide players through the game and supports accessibility throughout the experience.

MORE THAN A SOUNDTRACK

This project was about demonstrating the power of music in early-stage game development. The recording session served as a proof of concept: a way to show investors, publishers, and creative partners how fully integrated sound could elevate the experience of Brave Snow.

At the same time, it became a training ground for emerging musicians.

The recording was part of a broader seven-week educational initiative, where a select group of young composers and performers studied the intersection of game design and scoring.

Participants:

Explored how character and story influence musical themes
Learned how to write and perform music for game environments
Worked directly with developers, orchestrators, and sound engineers
Gained professional credits and portfolio-ready work

The recording session gave them a glimpse of the real creative pipeline, from sketch to scene to final audio.

LESSONS LEARNED

Animated blue rabbit-like character with tall ears, wearing an orange shirt and brown pants, standing on a flat surface with a blurred background.

Headphones on

Brave Snow is still in development, but its sound is already taking shape. This project proves that music doesn’t need to wait until the end of production. It can lead the way — informing character design, gameplay tone, and emotional depth from the start.

For Kaboom, it’s a model of what happens when education and production meet. For the musicians involved, it’s more than an exercise. It’s real work, with real impact.

Score playback

Watch and listen as the Kaboom Studio Orchestra performs Yuki’s Theme, the companion character’s music from Brave Snow. This video features a scrolling view of the full orchestral score synced to the final recording.

Yuki’s Theme
Composed by Sean Beason and the Kaboom Composer Team
Arranged for orchestra by Sean Beason
Performed by the Kaboom Studio Orchestra
Conducted by Liza Grossman

Yuki’s Theme was composed as the musical identity for a central companion character in Brave Snow, an original indie video game in development by Digital Owl using Unreal Engine. The piece is designed to reflect Yuki’s emotional role in the game as a steady guide and trusted ally, helping players navigate the narrative and immersive world of Brave Snow.

The composition began with a collaboration between professional composer Sean Beason and the Kaboom Composer Team. Over several months, the team studied game music structure, character-driven themes, and storytelling through sound. Drawing inspiration from the game’s artwork and narrative arc, the composers created melodies that express warmth, strength, and curiosity — all qualities embodied by Yuki.

Once the theme was written, it was orchestrated and recorded by the Kaboom Studio Orchestra remotely, in their own home studios. The recording served as a creative milestone for the game’s development and provided a meaningful professional experience for all involved. Participants worked in a real-world production setting, preparing their work for live performance and learning how music connects directly to gameplay and character development.

Yuki’s Theme represents the early sound of a game still taking shape and is one of the first building blocks in defining the world of Brave Snow through music.