Video Games Live

Video Games Live. Even the name of the event sounds like you'd have a bunch of glasses-wearing geeks running around with their noses in their Nintendo DS. Trust me, that was my first impression too.

What exactly is Video Games Live (VGL)? To put it short, it's a live concert where an orchestra and a choir perform various songs from the most popular video games ever. Everything from Pong - yes, I said Pong - to Metal Gear Solid is a target for playing.

A friend of mine invited me to go to this "thing" with his brother and two other guy friends. Yes, I was the only female. In fact, on the way to VGL, I was expecting to be one of the only girls at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), where the show was being held. As I walked through the doors, however, I saw a myriad of people. Some were boys, some were girls. Some were dressed up as video game characters, and some were not. As a matter of fact, two of my other friends from school (who I met up with at the event) won the costume contest before the show. They were dressed up in giant cutouts of Pac-man and the Blue Ghost.

An hour before the actual show started, there were games set up all over the lobby. Wii consoles and Nintendo stations attracted gamers like magnets. There were classic games like Pac-man and Space Invaders, along with the more recent Guitar Hero: World Tour.

Once the show started and we were in our seats, it was obvious to me that I probably wouldn't know many of the songs. I'm not exactly an avid gamer, and so I was afraid that I'd be left hanging for most of the night. Not so. There's a giant screen mounted on stage behind the orchestra; while they're playing the song from the game, there's a "music video" of sorts with scenes from the game. It's like watching a theatrical trailer, but much, much better.

You don't have to know the songs to enjoy the show, and you certainly don't have to be a hermit and play video games for six hours every day in order to appreciate the tremendous performance of the orchestra, choir, and game maker. Just by watching the screen, you feel like you're actually hearing the soundtrack from the game, not just a live performance. I can even guarantee that at some points you'll get the chills because the music is just so haunting. But they don't just play serious, God of War type music. Super Mario Bros. and Sonic get their shot, along with Kingdom Hearts and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Every and any game is available to be played, making it easier for the audience to find at least one or two songs that they really enjoyed.

After the show was over, I walked away feeling more appreciative for video games. That's not to say that I'm going out to buy the latest X-Box or Final Fantasy game (I want BioShock instead), but I realized that there's more to games than just good graphics and lots of combo action. Music makes the game enjoyable or not; it creates an epic feeling for the player. Plus, you end up knowing a lot more about video games in general.

VGL 2008 is over for the year. The one I went to in New Jersey was the 47th and final show. But worry not, video gamers. VGL will be back next year, this time bigger, better, and more amazing than before.

Will you be ready for it?