BIOGRAPHY
Karmaflow: The Rock Opera Videogame is the world’s first rock opera videogame. In Karmaflow, the game’s story is presented entirely in the form of a rock opera, sung by some of the world’s most talented rock voices.
What began as a graduation assignment in September 2013, has become an ambitious, full-fledged and multidisciplinary cross-o...ver combining both gaming and theater. Karmaflow: The Rock Opera Videogame is the world’s first rock opera videogame. Karmaflow is a unique spin on the traditional gaming experience. In Karmaflow, the game’s story is presented entirely in the form of a rock opera, sung by some of the world’s most talented rock voices.
Karmaflow: The Rock Opera Videogame will be a puzzle platformer featuring music performed by various musicians. Simone Simons (Epica), Dani Filth (Cradle of Filth), Marc Hudson (Dragonforce), Tony Kakko (Sonata Artica) and Alissa White-Gluz (Arch Enemy) all have lent their vocal talents to Karmaflow, along with the Metropole Orkest (the world’s biggest – Grammy-award winning – professional pop and jazz orchestra) working on the game’s score.
The aesthetic of Karmaflow is inspired by games such as the Zelda-series, Journey and the darker tone of Darksiders. The first world starts out rather dark and mysterious, while the third world has got plenty of crimson and its character design is directly influenced by the culture and legends of the Tibetan people. The sung narrative itself will have real depth and cover fascinating themes such as balance and contradictions.
You take on the role of the Karmakeeper, the protector of the Karma, the life giving force in the worlds. You will travel between various realms, solving the conflicts of the Guardians. Who originally were burdened with the task of maintaining the flow of Karma in the worlds and maintaining the balance in the multi-verse. You will encounter these Guardians (voiced by the previously named rock artists) and learn about their side of each conflict.
Through puzzling and platforming you have to bring the long lost Karmaflow back into these worlds, to drive out the unbalanced Karma that led to the destruction of the guardian spirits of these universes. Because it's the Karmakeeper’s job to hear out both sides, you decide who you want to support and thus determine the fate of that world. The way players resolve the conflict on a world influences the overarching story and the game's conclusion at the same time.
Karmaflow sets itself out from other contemporary titles in multiple ways, with the game’s massive emphasis on music being the most obvious. While other video games may treat sound and music design as a nice additional feature, in Karmaflow, music is everything to the game’s experience. The persistent rock opera singing guides the players on an epic journey that changes depending on their choices, which in turn affects the tone of the music heard.
Basecamp Games will release its first title "Karmaflow: The Rock Opera Videogame" on PC and MAC on january 16, 2015.
So, what does this have to do with theater? For epic promotion of the videogame release, Karmaflow in Concert will tour through clubs around Europe from October 2014.
The release party of the videogame brought as a full blown orchestral rock opera with rock band and several cast members on stage, on Sunday 18 and Monday 19 January 2015. These concerts will also be interactive through an app on the audience’s smart device.
Began development: 2013
Release in: January 2015
Product: Karmaflow: The Rock Opera Videogame (World's first)
Detail: Third Person Puzzle/Platform Adventure Game for PC & MAC
Karmaflow: The Original Soundtrack
Released April 29, 2015
Karmaflow: The Original Soundtrack is a downloadable version of Karmaflow - The Original Soundtrack Album. It's a collection of the best music from Karmaflow: The Rock Opera Videogame. It contains 12 tracks of symphonic rock and metal, featuring international artists:
Alissa White-Gluz (Arch Enemy)
Marc Hudson (Dragonforce)
Simone Simons (Epica)
Dani Filth (Cradle of Filth)
Tony Kakko (Sonata Arctica)
and many more.
Cast (in order of appearance):
- Charlotte Wessels as The Narrator
- Alissa White-Gluz as The Muse/The Banshee
- Marc Hudson as The Conductor
- Mark Jansen as The Guide
- Lindsay Schoolcraft as The Shaman
- Mariangela Demurtas as The Bird Goddess
- Tony Kakko as The Sun Brother
- Elise Ryd as The Moon Sister
- Henning Basse as The Hero
- Daniël de Jongh as The Heart
- Simone Simons as The Destroyer
- Dani Filth as The Creator
- Lisette van den Berg as The Data Chamber
Recording Facilities:
- MCO, Hilversum (NL)
- Alissa White-Gluz recorded at The Rock Station, Reuver (NL)
- Simone Simons recorded at Sandlance Recording Facilities, Rijen (NL) with Joost van den Broek
- Dani Filth recorded at Springvale Studios, Ipswich (UK) by Mark Harwood
Orchestra:
Metropole Orkest
Conducted by Jan Stulen & Jules Buckley
Recorded at MCO, Hilversum (NL)
Orchestral Production Leader:
Than van Nispen tot Pannerden
Engineers Metropole Orkest @ MCO, Hilversum:
Paul Pouwer, Dirk Overeem
Cover-art:
Jelle Steenhuisen
Booklet art:
Jelle Steenhuisen, Maaike Ross & Sarah Sneeboer
Photography:
Jeroen Aarts -
jeroenaartsphoto.com Add. photographs:
Jeremy Schaffer, Tim Tronckoe, Margot Roijackers, Steffi Arndt
Costumes and band outfits:
Ingeborg Steenhorst & Esmee Huijsken - IStyleStars
Karmaflow logo and Karmakeeper design:
Jordi Lancel
Produced by:
Ivo van Dijk with Marieke Koedijk & Folkert van Blom
Mixing, Recording Engineers & Editing:
Marieke Koedijk & Folkert van Blom
Additional mixing:
Joost van den Broek at Sandlane Recording Facilities
Mastering:
Ivo Severijns
Accompanied by the Grammy-award winning Metropole Orkest.
