Few board games in recent years have managed to blend deep strategic play with such a profound thematic resonance as Ark Nova. On the surface, it’s a complex game of zoo-building and resource management. But spend a few turns placing enclosures, partnering with far-off institutions, and releasing animals back to the wild, and you realize: this isn’t just about points. It’s about vision.
In that spirit, we’ve taken Ark Nova beyond the table — into a conceptual audio-visual journey.
The Soundtrack: Six Movements of a Living System
Music has a way of revealing the hidden emotional currents of a game. This six-track original soundtrack, titled A Symphonic Rewilding, channels the essence of Ark Nova through modal harmonies, polyrhythms, and hybrid orchestral-electronic textures.
- Blueprint of Breath – A contemplative opening with airy synth pads, marimba, and subtle strings, echoing the intellectual calm of planning and designing ecosystems.
- Enclosure Pulse – Energetic modular synth arpeggios and syncopated rhythms that mirror the heartbeat of an expanding reserve.
- Silent Partnerships – A cinematic string quartet piece, exploring quiet diplomacy and cross-border cooperation in conservation.
- Wild Iconography – A vibrant, folk-inspired fusion celebrating the primal language of animals and cultural iconography.
- Reputation Spiral – Minimalist piano, bowed vibraphone, and ethereal textures reflecting the climb of influence and recognition.
- Final Interlace – A majestic, orchestral-electronic hybrid finale that weaves all preceding themes into one harmonious resolution.
Together, these tracks create a sonic ecosystem as intricate as the game itself — a balance of control and chaos, strategy and soul.
The Art: Designing a Living World
Each track is paired with an original concept artwork — not literal illustrations of gameplay but visual explorations of the same ideas the music evokes.
- Glass biodomes merging with untouched landscapes
- Totemic animal sculptures in quiet negotiation halls
- Mandala-like iconography woven from footprints, feathers, and scales
- A spiral staircase of knowledge, climbing toward unseen heights
- Golden-threaded landscapes where enclosures, rivers, and migrations interlace
This is Ark Nova through a design lens: a world where modern architectural precision meets wild, untamed nature.
Why This Matters
Ark Nova’s brilliance lies in its ability to make you feel the weight of conservation decisions while still delivering a rich, strategic game. This soundtrack and art project seek to expand that experience — to immerse you in the themes even when you’re away from the table.
Whether you’re a player who wants to score your next game night with thematic ambience, an art enthusiast who loves worldbuilding through visual design, or simply someone captivated by the intersection of human ingenuity and natural wonder, this project invites you to look deeper.
Listen. See. Reflect.
Ark Nova isn’t just a game. It’s a conversation about our role in the natural world. And through music and art, that conversation becomes even more alive.
What does your Ark Nova sound like?