Few things frustrate me more than seeing a marquee video game composer attached to an intriguing project, only to realize I can't properly dig into the score with my headphones on and my feet up. While most games now launch day-and-date with their soundtracks on streaming platforms, occasionally you still have to play the waiting game. And boy, did I wait for this one. Released in early 2025, Cataclismo is an innovative brick-based tower defense title from the makers of Moonlighter, featuring an ominous, unsettling score by the one and only Jim Guthrie. As the headline suggests, it has finally landed on streaming services. Prefer to support the artist directly? You can also pick it up on Bandcamp.
Guthrie is a man of few words—and of a few projects. The composer first made waves during the early-2010s indie boom, notably with his unforgettable work on Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP and the landmark documentary Indie Game: The Movie. In the years since, he has lent his talents to projects like Below, Planet Coaster, and 2022's Nobody Saves the World.
Cataclismo is far from Guthrie's breeziest work. Across 20 tracks, it weaves a brooding sonic landscape of bleak acoustic guitars, eerie synth pads, and detuned strings that sound like an ominous warning: you are in hostile territory, danger lurks in the shadows, and you'd better be ready.
While Cataclismo might not crack my daily VGM playlist, I will never turn down a new Jim Guthrie record to sink my teeth into. If you fell in love with his sunnier side on Planet Coaster, consider checking out the newly released Planet Zoo 2, featuring an upbeat, vibrant score by Guthrie's longtime collaborator, J.J. Ipsen.
Find all listening links for Cataclismo (Original Video Game Soundtrack) by Jim Guthrie on its dedicated page:
→ https://nwpl.ing/cataclismo
