"Shop-management" games have been quite popular lately, but some go the extra mile to attract an audience more fond of narrative adventures than repetitive tasks. Released at the end of April, inKONBINI clearly fits into this latter category.
You play as Makoto Hayakawa, a student spending her summer running the family shop in 1990s rural Japan. While keeping the store in good shape is obviously central to the gameplay, the narrative plays a major role as the protagonist's story unfolds through her interactions with customers.
Although the studio behind the project is based in Tokyo, Nagai Industry turned to a Polish music production studio. Archibald—as it's called—does a wonderful job of transporting us back three decades with an inspired J-Pop sound that greatly contributes to the game's atmosphere.
Artists such as Anri helped define that warm, summery, slightly nostalgic feeling that blends Japanese pop music with elements of American fusion and R&B. At some point, we realized that this was exactly the kind of atmosphere our project needed. It fit the game’s calm rhythm, attention to small details, and sense of everyday life perfectly.
At the same time, we weren’t trying to directly imitate that music. We were more interested in working with the “language” of the era — its harmonies, instrumentation, grooves, and production style. I think fans of the genre will notice many recognizable elements and references throughout the soundtrack, and hopefully, it will feel like a respectful homage to the artists who inspired us.
Ilya Paliakou, game's lead composer
Find all listening links for inKONBINI: One Store. Many Stories (Original Soundtrack) by Archibaldi on its dedicated page:
→ https://nwpl.ing/inkonbini
