Over at Gamasutra, a remembrance of game composer Ryu Umemoto by his friend Audun Sorlie. Umemoto died last year at the age of 37, much to the dismay of his many fans in Japan. He worked for Cave, known for their shoot ’em ups. 

In Japan, the name Ryu Umemoto resonates in the hearts in thousands upon thousands of fans. It’s a name recognized for changing a genre completely; it’s the name of a man with an open heart and immense care for the industry he loved so dearly, and one who gave many young artists their first break.

Listen to two of Umemoto’s pieces below.