Video Games Live Volume 1 Review - Page 3 of 4

Video Games Live Volume 1 Review

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Advent Rising Suite

Bone chilling sorrow begins the Advent Rising Suite, and is a constant tone throughout the piece. It outlines all the music that follows. The sole female voice opens to a robust account of jovial bliss, which is expressed in the game as mankind’s extension to space, their marvel at their achievements. It is the best of humanity. It is the worst of humanity.

An interlude breaks into the second act, which expresses an almost arrogant tone, followed by devious, heinous movement. The deep all-male choir moves against the rest of the music, weakening over time as the deep drums and trumpets overpower them. It shows a battle, where no side truly wins.

The third act expresses exploration, using soft tones and single piano notes and a simple violin tune and light choir. At this point, players are shown briefly that they are the last of humanity, that their race has powers beyond belief. Then that knowledge strikes instantly, with a mournful, heavy tone. Leaving behind that which is destroyed, in search of what can be created.

Tron Montage

The Tron Montage is at best annoying. Drastic melody and note changes make it sound like a poorly made 60’s cartoon, and in fact the music is very cartoony. The music has little to no substance on its own, and feels incomplete from start to finish.

The second act does better, ridding of much of the immediate change in place of more generic tones. Hi-tech sounding music plays at certain points, not helping or hindering the music. The piece itself has many mischievous sections, but feels more childish and game-like (oddly enough).

Contrasting sounds are attempted, but they do not fit. It ends much like it started, with many sharp notes that do not resonate with each other.

Halo Suite

Opening with the now-famous chorus of Halo’s introduction, it is changed slightly, and for the worst, with the addition of an electric guitar. The original melody was excellent, but the guitar adds a frustrating layer of sound that is unnecessary, taking away from every other instrument and voice. The ear is immediately distracted by the sound of the guitar, and it takes away from the “Halo” experience wholeheartedly.

Even the chanting Halo has become famous for has been tainted by it. Only the section in the first act that was made for electric guitar sounds correct, but even then it isn’t done as it was intended, and feels makeshift and poorly designed. Additional noises, like banging metal, also breaks up the sound deeply, and it is annoying, to say the least.

The third act, representing the third game, lacks taste completely, using Cortana’s voice stating Halo’s marketing ploy. It uses her voice on two accounts, taking any listener out of the moment and utterly ruining the entire track.

Castlevania Rock (Live)

As the only song not actually classical in some sense, Castlevania Rock features guitarists playing the original tune, with the orchestra as its backup, a rock bassist and drummer. It isn’t very strong of a piece, but expresses the music exactly as it was intended. That said, the guitarists do a wonderful job of giving life to the song, and the fans cheering along is a nice touch.

The second act of the song is fairly lacking, a simple tune that was used during most gameplay for several of the Castlevania titles.

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