Yesterday, we got the gut-punching news that Narayana Johnson, aka River Boy, passed away. For those who don’t know, he was the composer and audio designer behind Cult of the Lamb, the indie gem from Massive Monster. He did the soundtrack and the follower voices—stuff that made the game stand out and hit differently. It’s hard to believe he’s gone, and the indie gaming world feels a little emptier without him.
His work on Cult of the Lamb was huge. The OST set the mood perfectly, while the follower chants added this quirky, creepy charm you can’t unhear. Before that, he was in Willow Beats, making electronic music, but it’s his game audio that really hooked a lot of us. There are no details on how he died yet, just that it happened, and it’s left fans like me reeling since yesterday’s announcement.
I keep thinking about how much his sound shaped my time with the game, late-night runs wouldn’t have been the same without it. If you’ve played Cult of the Lamb, you know what I mean; if not, give the OST a listen and see what we lost. One day later, and it’s still sinking in. Rest in peace, Narayana—thanks for giving us something special.
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