Video Games Live – Level 2 (Shout Factory Blu-ray + DVD)
Picture:
B+/B- Sound: B/B- Extras: B Feature: B
I have
seen a number of concerts live and on home video, but not many have been as
creative and immersive as Video Games
Live: Level 2. Both the DVD and
Blu-ray releases feature a video game centered concert experience that contains
some of the best and most memorable game music of all time.
The
concert features musical excerpts from such games as:
- Mario
- Zelda
- Halo
- Warcraft
- Starcraft II
- Sonic the Hedgehog
- Guitar Hero
- Chrono Cross
- Myst
- Castlevania
- God of War
- Megaman
- Civilization IV
- Advent Rising
- Mass Effect
- Pong
- Dragon’s Lair
- Tetris
If you
are a fan of video games this is not an experience to miss. My only regret about this feature is that I
was not there live; as it had to be a site to see. The concert is not merely a stuffy orchestra,
but rather features a host of instruments and musical talents. World class composer Tommy Tallarico conducts
the orchestra and choirs, while an interactive light, video and special FX show
goes on around them.
The
concert is explosive and certainly a one of kind event.
The picture
and sound quality are not the best on this Blu-ray, with the picture (oddly)
being better than the sound. The picture
is presented in a 1.78 X 1 Widescreen that looks pretty good (as far as new
footage), being able to view every detail on the musicians and their
instruments; though the classic game footage projected throughout the concert
does not lend itself well to HD. It must
be understood, however, that 8-bit NES graphics were not meant for big screen
High Definition. The colors otherwise
are bright with good contrast and dark inky blacks. Sadly the 5.1 DTS HD Master Audio is not as
immersive as it should be for a concert presentation. The audio was crisp, clean and clear but felt
restrained as bass was limited and the soundscape was lacking. The mix is not bad by any means but as the
audience comes from the rears and the orchestra mainly comes from the front I
couldn’t help but feel the sound could have been more.
The DVD
is a clear downgrade from the Blu-ray in every way. The extras remain the same, but the 16:9
widescreen and Dolby Digital Surround just don’t cut it compared to the
Blu-ray. The image is not as clear and
the audio lacks the power that the Blu-ray had.
The
extras are impressive and insightful as they feature over 3 hours of features
and include:
- Composer, Game Designer and
Celebrity Interviews
- Behind the Scenes Making of
Video Games Live
- Never Before Released Game
Trailers
- Creator Commentary
- Tetris 25th
Anniversary Documentary
- The Making of Dragon’s Lair
- Exclusive Interview and
History with the “Father of Video Games” Ralph Baer
- A Private Party in Japan with
Some of the Greatest Game Composers of All Time!
There was
not an extra that I did not love. It not
only catered to music fans, but emphasized that this is a product for
gamers. Never did I feel the extras were
useless or slapped together; instead they showed passion for the feature
presentation. Surely some were a bit
over the top and odd, but fun nevertheless.
I would
recommend this Blu-ray to any fan of games and music. The music is excellent and manages to elicit
nostalgia in a very graceful and epic manner.
- Michael P. Dougherty II
