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[Y2Kev]

I don't think xv's music is that well implemented in the game. Like there's that super early section when you sneak by that big ass bird and it starts playing then boss music and then stops like three seconds later.

Shimomura is great but the non her stuff is awful. All that gas station roody poo guitar and twanging crap is bizarre and bad.

I give it to XIII. There's not really a bad track on the OST. Except maybe the shuck and jive for Sazh. That was weird.

 

[PrismStar]

Haven't played XV yet, for the rest my ranking is like this : XIV ARR > XIII>>>>>>>>>>XII.
I've completed XII two times yet I am struggled to remember anything from the soundtrack It's my least favorite FF OST too

 

[Ishida]

Shimomura is great but the non her stuff is awful.

I disagree. Wasn't "Hellfire" composed by Yoshitaka Suzuki? Because that's one of the best music tracks to ever grace Final Fantasy in general.

 

[GwyndolinCinder]

XV has great tracks, but they are not implemented well, like you meet some basic hunt and all of sudden it starts blasting away.
13 has an amazing ost, and i cant actually remember any of 12's
But XIV definitely wins anyway, tracks for exploring/dungeons/battle etc, all are killer.

 

[Geg]

I haven't played XIV so of the other three I'd say XV. XII's wasn't memorable at all, and XIII had some good tracks but XV beats it handily.

 

[DiipuSurotu]

Fuck... Uematsu did music for FFXIV? I had no idea, I thought he bowed out from SE games back when X came out. Now I have to listen to all their songs.

He simply went freelance. Which means he can continue working for SE, and in addition to that he can work for other companies too. He did the full soundtrack to FFXIV 1.0 at the request of Hiromichi Tanaka, Sakaguchi's old buddy. The teams for XIV 2.0 and XV didn't request Uematsu, however.

 

[Lumpy Onion]

XV's "Ravus Aeterna" and "Hellfire" are two of the greatest songs in the entire series. So damn good and full of intensity. Also liked a couple other dark menacing songs from chapter 13 and the variations of song that plays when you fight magitek troopers. Some of the "town" music was bland though.

XIII is one of the most cohesive though. It's two sequels had good music but were kinda hodgepodge of styles. XII fit it's world but I've never been a big Sakimoto fan. XIV is nice at times and with Heavensward Soken really stepped up his game.

 

[Strakt]

xv's ost is the best ive ever heard in a video game

 

[Akainu]

XIV's sheer variety just can't be beat.

edit: Thunder Rolls - Ramuh

 

[Alex]

Before Meteor (best!) and Heavensward are both much better soundtracks than Realm Reborn, for my tastes. ARR was still quite good but it had growing pains. That said any XIV OST is better than XIII or XV's.

XV is very good, not wonderful but no heavy complaints, issue is to me that there feels like a lot of filler among the great songs. The main beats are there though and when they are they capture the sound of Final Fantasy fairly well.

XIII is not really to my tastes, it lacked any sound signature for Final Fantasy IMO. it's well made but it's just not the kind of sound I like for Final Fantasy, too floral, more suited for SaGa. Also, while I like it, the battle theme takes eons to get going and never seems to fit the tempo Fun, melodic tunes like March of the Dreadnoughts are too few and far between for an FF game.

He simply went freelance. Which means he can continue working for SE, and in addition to that he can work for other companies too. He did the full soundtrack to FFXIV 1.0 at the request of Hiromichi Tanaka, Sakaguchi's old buddy. The teams for XIV 2.0 and XV didn't request Uematsu, however.

You need an always on-hands composer for an MMO, and Uematsu always seems busy, I don't think he's cut out for the job nowadays. I'd be happy if he just kept contributing the themework like Chains of Promathia and Heavensward.

 

[edgefusion]

You can easily tell who hasn't played XIV in this thread. It's XIV hands down.

 

[Prince of Space]

Well if anything, this thread certainly proves the music of FF never skipped a beat.

 

[Devilgunman]

FFXIV is the first game that makes me buy its ost. Just amazing, especially "Thunder Rolls".

 

[Synless]

The answer is FFXIV.

FFXV has some amazing pieces but overall it isn't as good. FFXIII is 2nd place.

 

[DiipuSurotu]

As expected XII isn't getting many votes. It doesn't surprise me that people are calling it "forgettable" -- true or not, it's a style that's pretty different than the usual bombastic JRPG soundtracks.

 

[hosannainexcelsis]

He simply went freelance. Which means he can continue working for SE, and in addition to that he can work for other companies too. He did the full soundtrack to FFXIV 1.0 at the request of Hiromichi Tanaka, Sakaguchi's old buddy. The teams for XIV 2.0 and XV didn't request Uematsu, however.

Uematsu still composes theme songs for XIV, such as Dragonsong for Heavensward.

 

[The Last One]

Hellfire from FF XV is like one of the best songs I ever heard in a game:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wniOUlRwaMM

 

[rhandino]

As expected XII isn't getting many votes. It doesn't surprise me that people are calling it "forgettable" -- true or not, it's a style that's pretty different than the usual bombastic JRPG soundtracks.

It is very "ambient" and excellent while playing the game but not bombastic enough for many people to really remember long term (There are some really BIG songs in there tho, like Theme of the Empire and Battle for Freedom)

I expect similar criticism for the Zelda: BoTW soundtrack when people start comparing it to the ones in previous games.

XIII is one of the most cohesive though. It's two sequels had good music but were kinda hodgepodge of styles.

I think it kind of makes sense since XIII-2 makes you time traveling to very different time periods and the abrupt changes in tones set the mood and Lightning Returns is a fragmented post-apocalyptic world.

Fuck, now I need to go back and listen to the Yusnaan Theme T_T

 

[Lumpy Onion]

As expected XII isn't getting many votes. It doesn't surprise me that people are calling it "forgettable" -- true or not, it's a style that's pretty different than the usual bombastic JRPG soundtracks.

Actually the bombastic boss music is one of the things that turn me off of the ost. The dreamy traveling music is quite nice.

 

[UtterlyPerplexed]

You practically have a guaranteed consistent quality with FFXIV's soundtrack, coupled with plentiful variety. Even the previously rejected Nidhogg boss theme being resurrected from the cutting room floor and used as a dungeon boss theme beginning with the last patch is damn good.

I haven't touched FFXII in years so I can't fairly judge its soundtrack at the moment. But so far I've: FFXIV (as a whole and not just ARR) > FFXV > FFXIII

 

[raven777]

Hellfire from FF XV is like one of the best songs I ever heard in a game:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wniOUlRwaMM

It's funny that with this track and Stand your ground, I don't like the first half of the music but I really like the second half..

 

[Rainy]

I don't think xv's music is that well implemented in the game. Like there's that super early section when you sneak by that big ass bird and it starts playing then boss music and then stops like three seconds later.

Shimomura is great but the non her stuff is awful. All that gas station roody poo guitar and twanging crap is bizarre and bad.

I give it to XIII. There's not really a bad track on the OST. Except maybe the shuck and jive for Sazh. That was weird.

My thoughts exactly. XIII for me.

 

[silva1991]

FFXV followed by XII.

Didn't like XIII OSTs and I don't play MMOs

 

[EVA UNIT 01]

Playing my first MMO FFXIV and the OST is something special man.

 

[reson8or]

XII>XIV>XIII>XV

That said they are all required listening for FF fans.

 

[butman]

XV. Best game and OST after IX.

 

[Hero_of_the_Day]

Haven't played Twelve. Out of the rest I'd say Fourteen wins easily for me. Has great, mood setting tunes. Lots of memorable, simple melodies. Thirteen had a few memorable ones. There was fucking nothing memorable in Fifteen except for Florence and the Machine.

 

[Hidden One]

FF14

 

[Xion_Stellar]

That's too easy OP! FFXIV easily beats all of them.

 

[Mashing]

Love the battle themes in XV. I especially the love the battle theme that plays when you engage in a tough battle.

 

[Roaringburn]

FF15 has the stronger composition by a hair, but its implementation can be a bit repetitive (i.e. waking up after making camp).

I do think FF13 has some of the best music in the series though. FF15 is more "classic" FF with focus on orchestra, whereas I feel FF13 did a great job of mixing modern elements in there and experimenting with the soundtrack.

 

[jb1234]

FFXIII is one of the most consistent of all FF soundtracks (along with VI). Piece after piece is beautifully written and interesting. But I'm biased as Hamauzu is one of my favorite composers.

After that comes FFXII, which I feel gets a bad rap, likely due to its poor sound quality in the game. I'm hoping that the remaster changes a lot of people's minds. It's Sakimoto's best soundtrack, very detailed, very thematic (despite people claiming it's unmemorable), with the composer developing his many themes in very clever ways.

XV's music is very disjointed, especially in-game. There's a great deal of music written for it but only a small chunk actually makes an impression. The town/outpost themes in particular needed a few more passes because they get quickly irritating. Some of the battle themes are series best. Basically, XIII and XII are career best scores for their composers but I don't believe XV is for Shimomura, mostly because there's too many cooks involved and also because I don't believe epic orchestral is really her best work.

I haven't played enough FFXIV to properly judge it but what I've heard has been very good (both from 1.0 and 2.0 onwards).

 

[mrlion]

XIV hands down.

XV has cool tracks but XIV has a ton more memorable ones. I didn't like XII's music...and XIII I liked only one track..

 

[Captcha]

13's is amazing. I pretty much leave Blinded by Light (best battle theme in the series. Praise the Goddess) on repeat while I'm running around fetching mushrooms or w/e they fuck they have Noctis doing in 15.

Then 14>15>12, in my opinion.

 

[Blobbers]

This thread reminded me of something that's probably 95% off-topic but the Uematsu video message at the Uncovered event always nagged at me because he says something like "I couldn't compose for FF XV and I am regretful" and then doesn't even mention let alone praise the actual composer. At least do something to re-assure us like "but the current composer will surely do a great job".
maybe it's a japanese culture thing

 

[Makoto Yuki]

FFXV

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=54DGq51cEVQ

The best battle theme from any JRPG in recent memory.

 

[Freeman76]

XIII wins for me

 

[Raven117]

Final Fantasy XIV has some of my favourite Final Fantasy music ever.

This by a mile. It's a truly excellent soundtrack

 

[PshycoNinja]

I don't think xv's music is that well implemented in the game. Like there's that super early section when you sneak by that big ass bird and it starts playing then boss music and then stops like three seconds later.

Shimomura is great but the non her stuff is awful. All that gas station roody poo guitar and twanging crap is bizarre and bad.

I give it to XIII. There's not really a bad track on the OST. Except maybe the shuck and jive for Sazh. That was weird.

XV has great tracks, but they are not implemented well, like you meet some basic hunt and all of sudden it starts blasting away.
13 has an amazing ost, and i cant actually remember any of 12's
But XIV definitely wins anyway, tracks for exploring/dungeons/battle etc, all are killer.

I think they are strictly talking about the music itself and not the implementation of it in game. (though I agree it could've been implemented better)

Purely from an OST perspective, for me, its XV > XIII > XIV > XII

 

[Famassu]

I don't understand people saying they don't remember FFXII's OST. It's absolutely magnificent filled with incredible tracks. It's easily in the top 5 of FF OSTs and my personal favorite Sakimoto OST.

FFXV's OST as it is used in the game is a disappointment apart from battle music and exploration music. I can't really say anything final about its OST until I've gotten my Limited Edition copy of the OST and listened to it thoroughly because I feel like there must be a lot of music I didn't hear (fully)...

 

[Demoskinos]

I like all the music in Final Fantasy games but real talk FFXIV is just the best Final Fantasy in every aspect IMO including music.

 

[KingdomHeartsFan]

I haven't played FF14 but otherwise I like FFXV.

 

[AwShucks]

Why are you including XIV but not XI?

Because XI has some fantastic music. I won't remember much of XV but it had a few decent ones. And I love some XIV tracks but I'm going with XI.

 

[dickroach]

never played XIV. the other three are not good, but XIII is the best out of them.

edit: agree to that^
never played XI, but I downloaded the soundtrack when it came out and it's fantastic.

 

[Aerobatics]

Heavensward music is god tier.

 

[Dangansona]

XIII by far. Somnus will be remembered, but Blinded By Light is iconic. I fully expect peoples' dislike of FFXIII as a game to hinder them from realizing that the soundtrack is untouchable. It's perfect.

Right as always. You can even see some of that on the first page. My next favorite would be XIV, then XV.

 

[Mailbox]

Despite also being fully orcastrated there is little to no range in intensity in the music in 12. It's a really flat ost and for the most part is used in a way that any decent songs get annoying. It lacks a lot of what made older tracks memorable. It might be good to some, but it's flat and samey as fuck. It shouldn't even be in the list of contenders.

13 has a surprisingly good ost that brought back what made the older ost's great. Dynamics and range are on point.

Ditto for 14

15's ost is quite great, if slightly underutilized

 

[Famassu]

Despite also being fully orcastrated there is little to no range in intensity in the music in 12. It's a really flat ost and for the most part is used in a way that any decent songs get annoying. It lacks a lot of what made older tracks memorable. It might be good to some, but it's flat and samey as fuck. It shouldn't even be in the list of contenders.

This is just wrong. Objectively wrong.

 

[Tiops]

XIV is better than most of Uematsu's work.

Still have to listen to everything from XV, but I'm loving it so far.

XIII is great too, and Blinded By Light is in my top 3 Battle themes in the series.

I really like XII's OST too, but it's too different from the others. It has less memorable tracks to me due to it's style, but as a whole it's amazing.

I'd rank them FFXIV > FFXIII > FFXII for now.

 

[Asd202]

I don't think xv's music is that well implemented in the game. Like there's that super early section when you sneak by that big ass bird and it starts playing then boss music and then stops like three seconds later.

Shimomura is great but the non her stuff is awful. All that gas station roody poo guitar and twanging crap is bizarre and bad.

I'm sharing your sentiment. Though XV has probably one of the best slew of battle themes in any JRPG ever.

BTW when is FFXV ost releasing?