|
|
Final Fantasy VI Original Sound Version :: Review by Chris
OverviewThe Final Fantasy VI Original Sound Version is undoubtedly one of the greatest game soundtracks ever created and the nearest one can get to musical perfection in the Final Fantasy series. At its time, it was simply unbeatable by other Square game music and remains many people's all-time favourite even now. Although later Final Fantasy series soundtracks may have higher peaks of musical genius, this soundtrack remains consistently excellent throughout, a feature not associated with most later ones; indeed, there are hardly any bad themes and a whole abundance of outstanding ones. This soundtrack is essentially the reason why the music of the Final Fantasy series is reputable for its music and has a multitude of fans. Certainly, it really revolutionised Square game music by transforming simple 16-bit melodies into something that can be considered true music. The Final Fantasy IV and Final Fantasy V soundtracks before it began to make such moves but it was only in the completion of this soundtrack that this revolution was to be complete. It is the musical genius that is Nobuo Uematsu that deserves the real credit and acknowledgement for this spectacular masterwork. It is largely as a result of this work that he is now worshipped with a cult-like status by a mass of dedicated fans including myself. Uematsu was able to stretch the limitations the 16-bit sound quality to seemingly boundless limits. His ability to create three CDs packed full of memorable and catchy themes is even more creditable and so is his ability to develop themes to their fullest potential without losing the listener's interest. Contrary to popular belief, it isn't just his melodies that he is so popular for, but his radical experimentation too. It is these unique abilities, which cannot be fully matched by any other game composer, that makes him deserved of being described as anything other than a genius and why he is so widely known today. BodyIt would be fitting to begin the core of this review by stating just how fantastic the "Opening Theme" is. Though the imposing organ solo used to introduce this theme is enjoyable, the transition to the unforgettable main theme, "Tina," is even better. "Tina," heard otherwise as Final Fantasy VI's world map theme, is an effective representation of what this soundtrack is about: memorability, musicality, creativity, and simplicity. All Uematsu uses is the simple combination of wistful flute melodies against repeated bass chords; while seemingly hackneyed and typical, it is Uematsu's refinement of the music that makes the theme so pure, enchanting, and memorable. His primary arrangement of the theme, "Awakening," emphasises this even further with the use of slow strings. These are perfect for capturing the reflective and thoughtful nature of this theme. One of the main attractions of this soundtrack are the unbeatable character themes and their arrangements. Together, these add an extraordinary amount of colour and life to the soundtrack. They are simply unbeatable in quality, with the character themes from later Final Fantasy soundtracks being completely overshadowed by them. "Setzer" and "Locke," though similar, are both incredible adventure themes that blossom due to their optimistic and uplifting melodies protruding. Their respective arrangements, "Epitaph" and "Forever Rachel," are even more sensational, undergoing a transformation from being happy-go-lucky melodies to becoming sombre and melancholic to reflect the sadness over each character's long lost loves. Another sad one is "Gau," an enchanting 'cello theme with quite a distinct tear jerking nature. It superbly reflects the inner sensitivity of the wild and brash Gau and is heartrending in every scene it is played in. The castle/character themes, "Cyan" and "Edgar and Sabin," are highly representative also, with their grand and majestic outer sections contrasting with the deeper inner sections of the theme, which reflect each of the three character's desperation and loss. The arrangement of "Edgar and Sabin" in "Coin Song" reflects this further with its slow tempo and light instrumental contrasts adding a lot of sensitivity and fragility to the theme, making it ideal for reflective scenes. Also featured are "Shadow" (a beautiful lone-ranger's theme featuring some gorgeous whistle use that helps to establish Shadow's hidden depth), "Celes" (a lovely female character theme that features an unforgettable melody, later heard in operatic form), "Relm" (another very captivating female character theme that depicts dreaminess due to the striking instrumental contrasts used), and the themes "Strago," "Umaro" and "Gogo" (much more zany and quirky themes enriched with character and memorability). Marvellous, simply marvellous! The villain themes are just as unforgettable as the main character themes, though a little inconsistent. The popular and controversial favourite "Kefka" is by far the best. Here, Uematsu creates a theme that sounds hellishly evil by creating a misleading carnival atmosphere. Though deceptively cute on the outside, it is spine chillingly evil underneath. Sadly, "The Empire Gestahl" doesn't imitate such success; its slow tempo and often monophonic texture are too lacklustre to create much appeal. Nonetheless, its arrangement "Troops March On" is much better, being strong, dark, and militaristic, and featuring one of the most memorable melodies in the game. It's amazing what a stark contrast it makes with the other march in the game, this being the rebel's theme "Returners" heard a few tracks before, which features some Neo-Classical influences that are simply adorable. The battle themes are quite a mixed bag for Final Fantasy VI. The main "Battle Theme" has been laden with criticism by many other reviewers, but is much better than most normal battle themes the series has seen, despite losing its touch after a while. "The Decisive Battle" is much better, with its memorable melodies and exhilarating rhythms creating a huge amount of tension throughout the theme. Unfortunately, "The Unforgiven" is a theme that is far too heavy, oppressive, and frenzied to enjoy, though it suits its purpose well. "Save Them" is a little better for the purpose of a danger track, remaining exciting, enjoyable, and musically intriguing throughout. It also subtly integrates the "Tina" theme. It is hardly as bodacious as "The Fierce Battle," however, which is a strong favourite that features some experimentation with dissonance organ melodies. Its addictive and engrossing, yet strange and hard on one's ears. As well as character and battle themes this soundtrack has its fair share of quirky, jazzy themes that really demonstrate Uematsu's versatility as a composer. We get a touch of percussive minimalism with "??," a track that is just as strange as its name, though it works better in the game than on a stand-alone basis. We get to see a parody of Johnny B. Goode with the aptly named "Johnny C. Bad". Though all the features used in this jazz theme are clichéd, this was its purpose and it remains very good easy listening nonetheless. Also featured on the album is some shuffle with "Slam Shuffle," which works perfectly for the eerie yet light-hearted town of Zozo. If one doesb't like minimalism, jazz, or shuffle, then there is also ragtime to fall back on with "Spinach Rag." Again, this is as corny as they come, but is always good for a light-hearted listening. "Devil's Lab" is another such classic that deserves to be enjoyed. Its heavy beat and addictively catchy melodies make it a consistent pleasure to listen to. Probably the crowning achievement of the soundtrack is the extremely famous opera sequence. The "Overture" theme is a strong opening from its dramatic introduction all the way to its mysterious end. "Aria Di Mezzo Carattere," the gushing vocal arrangement of "Celes' Theme" is even better, and though many criticise it for its 16-bit synth vocals, this seems rather unfair, considering that technology didn't allow for any more at that day. It's actually amazing how Uematsu has managed to stretch the limited resources he had available for this theme here, and though the synth vocals aren't necessarily pleasant, the inner beauty of this theme is easily appreciable. "The Wedding Waltz" is often overlooked thanks to the marvel that precedes it, but it is still highly creditable. It transforms well from its opening as a light Neo-Classical waltz into an action-packed track that is ideal for leading into the next track, the fast-paced and timpani-mad "Grand Finale?" theme. This is an ideal battle theme to finish and is a perfect end to this perfect sequence! The town themes are decent even if they add nothing much beyond Final Fantasy IV's "Welcome to our Town." "Kids Run Through the City Corner" is the main town theme for the game, and though nothing special, is still very popular considering its mellow melodies and calming atmosphere manages to create the perfect setting to show peace and prosperity before darkness overwhelms. This darkness first comes with "Under Martial Law," an excellent and subtle manifestation of "The Empire Gestahl" theme that is too often overlooked as being dull. "The Day After" is even darker, representing the world having been changed forever, standing out for well-crafted melodies and strong instrumentation. "Colliery Narshe" is annoyingly repetitive, but is cleverly crafted since it is based solely upon diminished chords. As well as town themes, Uematsu has created a multitude of setting themes to create a background for several other places. When one is up in the mountains, "Mount Kolts" provides all the excitement needed, while "Another World of Beasts" creates all the ambience and mystery required when one is deep in the game's caves. Some other good themes are "The Mystic Forest," a theme built upon a series of mystical chromatic motifs, and its counterpart "Mystery Train," which is chillingly spooky and utilises train sound effects, which always brings back fond memories on the train with Cyan and Sabin. Talking of Cyan and Sabin, who could forget their encounter with Gau on the Veldt within the game? "Wild West" was perfect here and keeps one entertained with its catchy, upbeat melodies that considerable reduced the tedium endured by hunting for rages in the game. As Cyan's, Sabin's and Gau's journey proceeds further within the game, one will come across "The Snake Path," a track featuring some excellent string ostinato use in order to create the movement and boundlessness needed for the game. Several old favourites from previous Final Fantasy games return here, too. As ever, the trademark "Prelude" theme has returned in one of its most attractive forms yet, while the classic "Victory Fanfare" returns as well, remaining as satisfying as ever. The Chocobo theme is also featured in "Techno de Chocobo"; needless to say, Uematsu has experimented with some techno-based sound here, and though it doesn't rival the work of true techno artists, its an inspired addition that makes the theme just as catchy as usual. Above all, the most enjoyable return that of "Cripper Tripper Fritter" from the Final Fantasy V Original Sound Version, which is arranged as the character theme "Mog." It has become funkier than ever and continues to be filled with lively character and life. Who doesn't like this theme? Darker tracks emerge as the game reaches its dramatic climax. The underrated "Metamorphosis" is a strangely compelling track full of energy and tension. It is certainly a million times better than most of Uematsu's hurry themes. Catastrophe" is also very climatic and successfully integrates the organ melody heard back in the "Opening Theme" to represent the fact that a turning point in the game has been reached. "New Continent" is a very experimental track with lots of interesting synth sound effects being used. It is experimental themes like this one that demonstrate Uematsu's innovation. "Dark World" replaces "Tina" as the world map theme, but fails to rich its predecessor's success, though the astounding airship melody "Searching for Friends" that eventually replaces "Dark World" it is much better. After the controversial track "Fanatics" appears on the soundtrack, the compelling "Last Dungeon" theme is featured. It is filled with darkness and a sense of impending destiny, being a massive step up from the track that precedes it. There are also some much less noteworthy tracks; the mysterious "Magic House" doesn't leave a huge impression while "Rest in Peace" is a typical game over theme: short, sweet, and nothing more! Aside from the breathtaking opera sequence, it is the last two themes of the soundtrack that are its best! Uematsu's "Dancing Mad" is an absolutely awesome final boss theme, being both enormous in length and wonderful musically. The first three tiers are full of tension and excitement while the final showdown theme is truly climatic with its striking melodies and sense of hope and sadness. The overall Gothic organ mastery is the key feature of this theme and it is clearly Uematsu is skilled in the art of writing for the organ. "Ending Theme" is even more gargantual and is actually Uematsu's longest ever theme, amounting to 21 minutes 35 seconds in length. The first eleven minutes are overwhelming arrangements of every single one of the character themes. Each arrangement is highly appropriate, featuring profound musical touches; however, they all progress into one another perfectly and are centred around a single original motif, which provides stylistic consistency. The second half of this track is dominated by an incredible, grandiose arrangement of "Setzer's Theme" that far surpasses the original with its bombastic tones and high-spirited liveliness. The revival of the famous "Final Fantasy" theme as the credits roll is very welcome and the theme is topped off once more by the soundtrack's spectacular coda! SummarySo there it is: the Final Fantasy VI Original Sound Version, possibly the greatest videogame soundtrack of all time. Original, groundbreaking, and unforgettable, what more could one ask for? Uematsu's single-handed effort is truly remarkable and this album really is a true magnum opus that cannot be missed even by those unfamiliar with Final Fantasy VI. Rest assured that by buying the soundtrack, it'll give countless hours of wonderful listening and it'll be a treasure to one's music collection. Percentage Overall Score: 98% |
|||||||||||||||
 |
