Hundreds of fans gathered in Proscenium Theater, Makati, on the weekend of October 17 to celebrate the music and the 10th anniversary of the award-winning indie video game UNDERTALE.
UNDERTALE: The Determination Symphony is the beloved role-playing game’s first-ever world concert tour. It was brought to the Philippines by Film Concerts PH, in partnership with SOHO Live. It is headlined by the 25-piece Filharmonika Orchestra, led by Maestro Thanapol Setabrahmana, and features Adam Hoskins’ orchestral arrangements for the original score composed by game creator Toby Fox.
Fans arrived dressed as their favorite characters, ranging from the charming skeleton brothers Sans and Papyrus to the malevolent antagonists of the underground world Flowey and Chara. There were winding lines toward the merch booth and photo walls, and excitement in Proscenium was palpable from the lobby to the theater seats.
With no prior introductions, the Filharmonika Orchestra took the stage and started the show with “Once Upon a Time.” Audiences gasped and tittered as the opening songs filled the theater. An accompanying gameplay introduced the world of the Underground, the playable protagonist Frisk, the embittered Flowey, and the motherly Toriel.
Following this prologue, Maestro Thanapol Setabrahmana welcomed the audience with an equal level of enthusiasm. “Before we continue on, there is one special person who, although far away, deserves our cheers and applause – Mr. Toby Fox!” he noted. Met with excited hollers from the crowd, the conductor cheekily added, “Great energy. Great determination.”
Setabrahmana set the tone for the next two hours. He encouraged everyone to cheer for their favorites, even joking that it can be like a popularity contest. This was not a space to simply watch the orchestra and listen to music. Audience participation and loud reactions became the norm throughout the show. Introductions of each notable character, including the head of the royal guard Undyne, the royal scientist Alphys, the king Asgore, and the fallen prince Asriel, were all met with thunderous applause. Everyone was also encouraged to sing along to “Oh! One True Love,” the mock opera scene with the robot television host Mettaton. The enthusiasm never wavered.
In terms of structure, people might be curious which version of the game the concert presented and how it can have two acts. After all, an UNDERTALE story wildly varies from player to player. It is possible for one person to never encounter characters, scenes, and music that another player might have experienced, depending on the in-game decisions they make. Luckily, the concert was less concerned about presenting the story of UNDERTALE in a linear fashion and more focused on highlighting the full tracks of the score. The gameplay onscreen is not one continuous playthrough; it fades to black or cuts to different parts of the game as one track ends and another begins. This nonlinear approach is a great move because it allowed the concert to not be beholden to one storyline. The show was able to end, not with the chronological final tracks on the album, but on a high note with the Asriel Dreemur boss fight sequence that opens with “Hopes and Dreams.” And after which, Setabrahmana quipped, “The show refused to die,” and the concert closed out with the iconic fan-favorite “MEGALOVANIA” as its encore, to rapturous applause.
Hearing Fox’s score reinterpreted with orchestral arrangements was amazing. The original score is characterized by 8-bit sounds and electronic music, and Hoskin’s orchestral elements made the game feel bigger. The fights were more dramatic and the emotions became more intense. The arrangement was also strategic in choosing which electronic elements to keep as part of the show. For example, there would be instances where a recording of an electric guitar track from the original score will play on speakers and it will be accompanied by the live drums and horn section onstage. This creative choice kept the heart of Fox’s score alive, as orchestral elements served to highlight core motifs in UNDERTALE’s music.
All in all, the concert was a celebration of craft and community. As an indie video game, UNDERTALE has always had a close relationship with fans. It was crowdfunded in 2013 and released in 2015. Both the game and its score, respectively, received wide critical acclaim. People gravitated towards the themes, battle systems, characters, and the music. For a small game, UNDERTALE’s great impact was likely due to the clear passion Fox brought to the project despite his then-limited experience in game development. Fans, in turn, have been inspired to bring their own creativity into the world by creating costumes, sharing game experiences, and doing music covers.
The Determination Symphony clearly respected the original material and understood how much the audience cared about the game. Experiencing the music in a shared space with fellow fans was nostalgic and energizing. And that energizing feeling is important, because UNDERTALE is pinned on the conviction that being a kind person, not resulting to violence, and doing good work does matter; and there couldn’t be a more timely message for the world we live in now than enthusiastically caring about human-made art and your community.
Written by Mira Reyes
Photos by Mira Reyes
UNDERTALE: The Determination Symphony is presented by Film Concerts PH.
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