It may not be something you expected to see but the year 2023 witnessed an extraordinary meeting of minds between video games and musical theatre.
Cyberpunk 2077, Stray Gods, and the year’s most popular game Baldur’s Gate 3 are just some of the games that have embraced the theatrical world and have come up with musical pieces within their gameplay, but what has caused this phenomenon? And what else might we see in 2024?
Let’s dive in.
A parallel of two worlds
When you think of what video games and theatre have in common, you may struggle to bring many examples to mind. In fact, there are many more differences. You might play on a video game in store before purchasing it or play a slots demo before paying for a casino game, but you’d have to go to the theatre to find out the exact details of the play you’re watching. You also can’t physically influence the outcome of a play like you can a video game.
Yet, there are several ways in which the two worlds overlap. The first thing to note is the improvement in the best soundtracks in video games. Baldur’s Gate 3, for example, has a big orchestral score that goes well with its fantasy tale theme. This lends itself well to the theater, which is all about captivating the audience with choreographed musical pieces. In the final scene of the game, you come up against devilish figure Raphael, whose theatrical nature is perfect for the stage.
Second, the emotional impact of big video game scenes has a similar effect on audiences as the climax of a play. A do-or-die clash in Stray Gods, for example, feels very much like a monumental fight scene that you might find in many old-school plays.
The parallels were not lost on Borislav Slavov, the Baldur Gate’s musical director. He’s a West End theater lover and is one of the driving forces of the fusion with video games that’s getting many people in both industries talking.
“Raphael’s Final Act” is the result of Slavov’s efforts. This is a two-minute piece that sums up the character’s power, using great orchestral symphonies and grandiose lyrics to add to the sense of drama.
After 150 hours of play, it’s certainly a fitting way to end the game and might end up being too much for some players caught up in the moment!
Theatrical video game examples
Baldur’s Gate isn’t the only game to have incorporated theatrical scores, which is impressive because it’s one of the most difficult narrative modes to carry out.
In Cyberpunk 2077, for example, a high-brow party on skyscraper roof terrace boasts a staged performance from the game’s pop star Lizzy Wizzy (voiced by real-life musician Grimes). In Alan Wake 2, a Finnish band composes songs as the fictional rock band Old Gods of Asgard and performs them in-game. This includes a nine-minute monster track called Herald of Darkness which adds to the icy atmosphere of the survival horror game.
In both cases, the creation of a “live” musical act within a video game was a huge challenge, something that required a team effort among a wide range of design disciplines. But the professionals behind the musical pieces all felt it was necessary to convey the atmosphere of the game.
A taste of the future
So, could this be a glimpse of what we can expect from video games of the future? A more interactive experience where game characters jump out of the screen as all-singing, all-dancing performers?
Many people seem to think so. Video games are likely to become much more immersive than their predecessors, and bringing a soundtrack to life in a theatrical way helps make the player more of an active participant. Integrating songs in story-driven games can help the narrative have a bigger impact than standard flat musical scores.
The joining of theater and computer games may also mark the beginning for further art form fusions, including movies and video games. Games like Grand Theft Auto already give players the sense of being in a film, with intricate missions, multi-layered storylines, and complex characters.
As video game creators find ever-more immersive ways to make you part of the action, don’t be surprised to see yourself taking center-stage very soon.