Risk of Rain 2 - Composer Interview

After more than a year in early access, Risk of Rain 2 has finally hit full release with the launch of its 1.0 version. This roguelike is quite atmospheric, putting players in different sci-fi settings as they take on challenging enemies. To commemorate the release, we sat down with Chris Christodolou, the composer behind Risk of Rain 2 to learn about his processes and inspirations when working on the game.

In the video below, our Video Editor Greg Burke chats with Christodolou about his experience composing music for video games. Christodolou is actually quite familiar with developer Hopoo Games, as he worked with them on both Deadbolt and the first Risk of Rain before taking on the sequel.

Risk of Rain 2 is a direct sequel to the 2016 platforming roguelike. Since Christodolou had already done work on the original he had a good sense of where he wanted to take the sequel, but was also aware he needed to change things up. “One thing that I really wanted to do is, I wanted it to feel like it’s a continuation, but not a repetition.” Several themes from the first Risk of Rain can be heard in the new game.

As with many creators, Christodolou has inspirations from his early life that influenced the work he does today. When asked about games he played during his childhood, Christodolou shared that he loved adventure games, citing Lucasarts as a key inspiration behind his work as a composer.

If you enjoyed the interview, subscribe to Shacknews and GamerHubTV on YouTube for more exclusive videos and developer interviews. For more on Risk of Rain 2, check out our review, which praised the new roguelike.