The Ashes saga continues with Hard Reset, and the soundtrack is leaner, meaner, and more confident than Dead Man Walking. Thirteen tracks for a 2024 standalone expansion that knows exactly what it wants to be. The GZDoom-powered retro shooter scene keeps delivering, and this OST is no exception.
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"If You Can Dodge a Pipebomb, You Can Dodge a Ball" is an all-timer track title, and the music backs it up with frantic energy perfect for the chaos of an old-school FPS firefight. "Night School" has this prowling, sinister groove that makes exploration feel tense.
"Romero Waiting for the Train" is a knowing nod to the genre's roots, while "Edge of Insanity" pushes into more unhinged territory with relentless intensity. The final stretch gets surprisingly thoughtful. "Sojourn" pulls back from the violence for a breather, and "Ballad of Walker" closes things out with genuine weight, a send-off that earns its title.
Even in a game about shooting things in irradiated hellscapes, there's room for a quiet moment. Shorter and tighter than its predecessor, and better for it.