August 25 was a night to remember for video game fans as the Manila Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of maestro Marlon Chen, took the Ayala Museum audience on a melodic journey that was the Video Games Symphonic 2022.

Performing their own renditions of timeless video game tracks from titles such as “Proof of a Hero” from Monster Hunter and a nostalgic medley from Super Mario Bros., the Manila Symphony Orchestra offered music to a sold-out crowd, with even the standing area being filled to the brim with video game enthusiasts.

The set list included tracks from various games and genres, most of which were well known and appreciated by the crowd. In particular, their rendition of “To Zanarkand” was hauntingly beautiful, taking the source material and adding an orchestral flair a la Distant Worlds.

Megalovania, a highly requested track, also surprised attendees of the Video Games Symphonic 2022. One of the most iconic tracks from Undertale, the track was challenging due to its complexity and pace, but the Manila Symphony Orchestra performed it perfectly to the crowd’s delight.

The Video Games Symphonic 2022 was not only limited to video games, as the orchestra showed off their mastery by performing anime-related hits from Kiki’s Delivery Service, My Neighbor Totoro, and Diomedes Jr. Saraza’s nostalgic and soulful violin solo of “Never Meant to Belong” from the popular anime Bleach.

The MSO closed out the night with “Under the Black Flag” from Assassin’s Creed along with a surprising encore performance of the Mobile Legends Theme.

MSO Executive Director and Associate Conductor Jeffrey Solares shared that the MSO fell in love with the genre and discovered a new repertoire to explore; Hence, revamping this theme as the second installment of the Rush Hour Concert series this season.

Due to its success, we won’t be surprised if more shows follow the lead of Video Games Symphonic 2022, and we would surely love a full-length performance with more tracks and video game goodness the next time around. We definitely want to hear more RPG tracks from the likes of Chrono Trigger, Secret of Mana, Xenogears, and much more!

What tracks would you like to hear from the Manila Symphony Orchestra for their next show?