Inside the Rescore: Horizon Forbidden West - Minidoc

I chose Horizon Forbidden West for this rescore because its environments already do so much narrative work on their own.

In this mini-doc, I break down how the music follows that arc:

starting with quiet, almost childlike introspection on the shore,

shifting into subtle unease among abandoned ruins,

and finally opening up into the emotional solitude of flight over a world that was once ruined — and is now re-flourishing.

This wasn’t about action scoring.

No speed, no danger, no adrenaline cues.

It was about perspective.

Letting the music breathe with the environment.

Knowing when to support the scene — and when to stay out of the way.

Treating exploration as reflection rather than spectacle.

If you’re into game scoring, environmental storytelling, or just enjoy dissecting why certain musical choices work (or don’t), I hope you enjoy the breakdown.

Would love to hear your thoughts — and I’m curious:

what game or moment would you like to see explored like this next?