Disturbing Video Game Music 219: Top Floor - Sweet Home
18Sweet Home is an innovative game on the NES published by Capcom based off of the acclaimed Japanese horror movie of the same name, it was one of the big inspirations for the first Resident Evil game and is arguably one of the fathers of the survival-horror genre.
The game stars a film crew made up of five people who have gone to the abandoned mansion of a long departed artist, however when they go in they quickly realize the mansion is haunted by the angry ghost of the artist's wife and that many other poltergeists and undead now infest the mansion. The crew must fight off monsters, solve puzzles, and investigate the mansion to figure out what tragic events took place and exorcise the restless spirit behind everything. Though a horror game by nature, the game is also an RPG. Each of the five characters have stats and their abilities both in and out of combat, like director Kazuo who as a physically fit grown man is the resident tank and can set things and monsters alike on fire with his lighter and Akiko the gentle nurse who is the weakest character in combat but is the only character who can heal HP and restore bad effects which is especially vital given the game works under permadeath.
The game's horror has aged very well, even if some of the monsters would today fall under the "spooky scary skeletons" variety of monster. The music is also well done, the Top Floor in particular carrying some droning and ominous music that puts you on edge. Perhaps as some foreshadowing as some particularly big events take place on the Top Floor.