What Makes Final Fantasy Music So Fantastic?

You walk into an alley that leads out into a playground. Being away from the city and  looking above, you notice the stars shine brighter than they ever have before. You sit on top of the slide that you once did as a kid, reminiscing about where your life went and why you joined Shinra as a soldier. The memories of who you hung out with on that playground and the promises you made to her come flooding back to you. All of a sudden, the friend you made those promises to shows up with a smile, wondering why the eyes that were once bright blue turned so cold? All of these emotions and feelings are encapsulated in the soundtrack of Final Fantasy, describing a little moment between Aerith & Cloud in Final Fantasy 7. It isn’t the talking that hits the hardest, or the childhood stories of what went wrong. Although both of these play a factor, the music creates a heart-striking strum and tune to the adventures of every character that has stepped foot in a Final Fantasy universe. The story packs an emotional gut punch but the music taps into the memory of the gamers who picked up the controller in the first place. It teleports you to a world that is a fantasy, but a fantasy that we control for the time being.

Aerith speaks to Cloud on her time at the playground with Zack.

The above photo showcases the scene, but what you can’t hear from it is the music. Every soundtrack created in the series comes with special scenes and heartbreaking moments to accompany them. From early Final Fantasy titles to later ones, all apply.

To me, the most definitive and hypnotic OST from the series is from Final Fantasy 8, Final Fantasy 8, Final Fantasy 9, and Final Fantasy 15. While each title has their beautiful moments and lovely harps, these four stuck with me for the longest, and I will tell you why. Let’s move on to Final Fantasy 8, as I have described some of the beauty involved with Final Fantasy 7’s theme. Final Fantasy 8 is an iteration that is beloved or hated for its magic system, but in my opinion rises to the top of them all for its godly music. Upon starting the game, players will remember that the opening cutscene before the title menu contains a choir song that revs up those looking to play. Squall and Seifer battle it out with their gunblades, as the music is pressed up against the animations playing in the video, with the finale of the choir’s final note showing Squall going in for a killing blow against Seifer. The music builds so much tension even before the game starts, showing the beauty and anger in the cinematic. Then the players are hit with the title screen to start their journey. Players who have taken this journey before will undoubtedly remember the synth of the soundtrack during fights, as Zell goes wild with punches in an attempt to fell beasts. Not to mention the bliss of Balamb Garden upon the beginning, where walking around a school becomes something you want to do! The soundtracks for these games are timeless.

Final Fantasy 9 creates the feel of renaissance and innovation, starting off with bandits trying to kidnap a princess. The loneliness of each character who doubts themself in the game is reflected upon the guitars and low god-like roars behind them. The entire game revolves around Zidane not being believed to be genuine by Steiner, who protects the kidnapped princess. A song by the name of, “You’re Not Alone”, pairs the moment of Steiner finally trusting in Zidane as a comrade. The subtlety of the sound initiates the thought of Steiner shaking Zidane’s hand and considering friendship an option after all they went through. Music like this makes having a team feel like that, where each character is looking out for each other, rooting for their success and sacrifice to not be in vain. The OST challenges us for giving up in a fight that we can’t win, only to be saved by friends who we thought wouldn’t step in, but do. Bravery and power comes through the music, allowing us to live this world through the game with the friends and family we made along the way. While Final Fantasy 15 may get a lot of hate for its initial release, I personally loved it upon arrival. Never have I played a game with such profound emotional effect that wasn’t expected as it happened here. The journey back to Insomnia was one that I didn’t expect to love as much, but I did through the music and the moments it made with characters. Two moments stand out to me above all in this game. The first being the boss fight towards the end of the game against an unstoppable Ifrit. Ifrit appears from flame, sitting on his throne as ungodly and dark music starts playing. Noctis and his friends are forced to take cover while on fire from the pure power of this force in front of them. The music makes you feel hopeless in a battle this large, being dominated by the demon himself. However the immovable force of the music slowly turns hopeful as Noctis and his friends use their powers to stop him in his tracks. The second moment being the ending of the game, which I still won’t say in case anyone wants to go back and play. The ballroom dance music with a slight fairytale ending vibe creates a sense of a journey ending with lovely piano music overtaking our screen. Not to mention songs like “Valse Di Fantastica” playing as gamers explore the open plains.

The music of Altissia creates fond memories of youth and exploration.

I feel I should also mention the music of Final Fantasy 14 before wrapping things up, as this is a game that has survived as a long-time MMO. The boss battle music in this game is remembered for its upbeat techno-style songs, creating unity in battle with others who decided to fight the good fight. The ever-expanding songs differentiate in each biome and area that you visit, giving the opportunity to listen with pleasure and excitement. In case you are in need of gil to spend on music and good fortune, consider buying gil for Final Fantasy XIV.

            Final Fantasy is a collection of spin-offs and rich mainline titles that showcase the beauty of sound and fantasy. Both are worlds that are infinitely mixed together with mainstream media, from Harry Potter to Lord of the Rings. We hope to continue to hear the majestic sounds of creators like Masayoshi Soken in Final Fantasy 16 along with the legendary composers of its past. The rich sound design and otherworldly vibes are what keep many fans coming back to experience their favorite stories in worlds that can’t be replicated.

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