The advancements in technology over the past three-and-a-half decades have allowed developers to achieve things that could only be dreamed of when theFinal Fantasyfranchise first debuted way back in 1987. Withevery new home console generation, the series has climbed to new heights. Gone are the days when party members were unrecognizable pixels on the screen, as are the random encounters that stalked gamers throughout Gaia for so many years.
However, one area in whichFinal Fantasyhas always excelled is its music. Led by the remarkable Nobuo Uematsu, the franchise has been responsible for some of the most iconic tracks in gaming. As the years have gone by, more talented composers have come on board and the series has continued to delight players with its wide range of wonderful compositions. Like the games that they accompany, the bestFinal Fantasysoundtracks leave a lasting impression on players.
Final Fantasy XV’s soundtrack is the perfect accompaniment to a not-so-perfect game. It might not have too many memorable tracks, but this is largely a consequence of the game’s lack of truly memorable moments rather than a result of any flaws with the soundtrack itself. The score helps to flesh out the game’s larger-than-life world and provides additional depth to the relationships between the game’s key characters.
It would be hard to talk about this soundtrack without mentioning the sublimeApocalypsis Noctis. It’s a first-class piece that punctuates some of the game’s best battles and helps them to linger in the memory a little longer than the largely lackluster plot. The emotionally chargedSomnusand the fantastically franticInvidiaalso stand out in this regard.
The soundtrack forFinal Fantasy XIdoesn’t get as much love as it deserves. This is likely the result ofhow expansiveFinal Fantasy XIis as a gameand how few people played it compared to some of the other numbered entries in the series. While the game itself may not be for everyone, though, many series fans would do well to check out its soundtrack.
Distant Worldsis one of the series' better vocal tracks, whileThe Sanctuary of Zi’Tahis one of its most enchanting. The pick of the bunch, however, has to beSelbina. The Celtic-inspired track is as uplifting as it is catchy and serves as a refreshing change from the abundance of fantasy-themed pieces that are found throughout the game.
Much like the game itself, the scope and scale ofFinal Fantasy 14’s soundtrack has continued to grow since the game’s initial release, with each new expansion adding more and more iconic tracks. Officially, Masayoshi Soken serves as the game’s lead composer, but there’s a long list of names who deserve a share of the credit forFinal Fantasy 14’s fantastic music, including the likes of Nobuo Uematsu, Naoshi Mizuta, and Tsutomu Narita.
Given just how many incredible compositions the game now boasts, trying to pick out just a handful of them to talk about is a somewhat daunting task. However,Answersdefinitely deserves a special mention here due to how meaningful it ended up being to the narrative, while the pop-punk vibes ofOblivionhelp to show justhow variedFinal Fantasy 14’s soundtrack really is. It has a little bit of everything, with pretty much every popular genre now covered.
To many, listening toFinal Fantasy XIII’s soundtrack is a lot more enjoyable than playing the game itself. That’s not meant as a dig at the game, but more a testament to how great its soundtrack is. AfterFinal Fantasy XII’s fairly underwhelming score, Masashi Hamauzu returned to compose. It was his first time composing solo for the series, and he definitely made the most of the opportunity.
The soundtrack doesn’t have too many standout pieces, but each composition perfectly fits the scenes in which they are used. Even at the game’s most hectic moments, tracks likeArchylte SteppeandDust to Dusthelp it to maintain a measured feeling that encourages players to relax into their seats and enjoy the experience rather than perch awkwardly on the edge.
To say thatFinal Fantasy I’s soundtrack was limited by the hardware of theNESwould be a bit of an understatement. Despite these limitations, though, the game is responsible for some of the series' most iconic tracks.PreludeandVictory Fanfareboth made their first appearances inFinal Fantasy Iand went on to become staples of the series; appearing in just about every entry that followed.
Although neither of the ones found on theFinal Fantasy Isoundtrack can be considered the definite version, they’re technically responsible for all of the iterations that followed and thus are hugely important to the series. Then there’sBattle Scene, which is one of the more unique battle themes in the franchise and really helps to keep the excitement levels up in what is now an incredibly antiquated game.
Theme of Loveperfectly captures the depth of Rosa and Cecil’s relationship. Although it may not be too popular in the West, it’s one of the series' most beloved tracks in Japan. At one point, it was even included in the 6th-grade music curriculum in schools across the country. It’s also one of the most coveredFinal Fantasytracks in history, with countless versions uploaded to sites like YouTube and Niconico.
Although not quite as memorable,Mt. Ordeals,Battle with the Four Fiends, andTroian Beautyare all equally well-composed andalign perfectly with the scenes in which they’re used. The game’sOverworld Themealso deserves a mention, not only for its quality, but also for the obvious inspiration that it provided for future tracks in the series (especially some of those found inFinal Fantasy VI).
The melodic beats ofCrossing Those Hillsmake it the ultimate chillout piece. On the surface, it’s not a particularly complicated track, but buried beneath its wistful melody are some intricate accompanying parts that help to provide the kind of depth in which listeners can easily lose themselves. It really is a masterpiece of a track and is without a doubt the standout piece onFinal Fantasy IX’s soundtrack.
Other tracks likeMelodies of LifeandFeel My Bladehelp to strengthen some of the game’s key events, while the brilliantPassing SorrowandYou’re Not Aloneprovide the emotional accompaniment needed to add the necessary weight to some of the game’s many heartfelt moments. It’s an incredible soundtrack, but not quite the best that theFinal Fantasyfranchise has to offer.
Final Fantasy 16is one ofthe most divisive mainline installments in the long and varied history of the franchise, yet most series fans seem to be in agreement that it has one of the bestFinal Fantasysoundtracks to date. It’s not just players who were blown away by the OST either, with Masayoshi Soken and his team winning the 2023 Game Award for Best Score and Music for their excellent work on the title.
Soken was already popular among the fandom thanks to his time working onFinal Fantasy 14, but some of the tracks inFinal Fantasy 16are on a whole other level.The battle between Ifrit and Phoenixwouldn’t carry anywhere near as much weight were it not forAway, nor would the showdown against Bahamut have been quite as epic withoutAscension. Granted, the music doesn’t always match what’s going on on-screen, and for this, it loses a mark or two, but when it does hit, this soundtrack hits hard.
Despite having to contend with the technical limitations of theSNES,Final Fantasy VI’s soundtrack is every bit as captivating as the ones that would follow. All of the character themes are memorable and do a fantastic job of letting the player know what each party member is all about.Terra’s Themeis probably the pick of the bunch, but they’re all great in their own way.
Other tracks likePhantom ForestandEsper Worldserve as great scene-setters, while the 17-minute epicDancing Madis one of the few tracks in the series that can come close to rivaling One-Winged Angel for the title ofthe best final boss battletheme. It’s also a great track to wrap up both a fantastic game and a fantastic soundtrack.
Final Fantasy VIIIis one of the most divisive games in the franchise, but one thing that most can agree on is that it has a fantastic soundtrack.The Man with the Machine Gunis one of the catchiest tracks in the series and is the perfect piece for psyching players up. Contrast this with the emotionalEyes on Meor the unsettlingFithos Lusec Wecos Vinosec, and it’s a soundtrack with something for almost every occasion.
What makes this soundtrack so great is that it’s a bit more experimental than some of the other soundtracks that had come before it. It still feels very much like aFinal Fantasysoundtrack, but it offers its own unique twist. The range of tracks and the sheer volume of them help make this one of the bestFinal Fantasysoundtracks to date.
