Legend of Mana Review
The music of Final Fantasy is considered not only the benchmark of gaming
music but also the father of it. Few people have actually experienced the
early music of the series, and many can't remember a time before the Final
Fantasy VI OST. It is interesting to go back to where it all began. Back to
the birthplace of many of the most recognizable tunes in gaming history.
Due to the hardware at the time, Nobuo Uematsu didn't have a whole lot to
work with. Even though this game was supposed to be the swan call of a
small, little known company called Square, Uematsu produced the first part
of what would become a legacy. The sound may have been forgettable, but the
songs deffinately weren't. When Final Fantasy was re- released last year,
the music has been enhanced as well as the look. While the songs are
structuraly the same for the most part, Tsuyoshi Sekito added small things
to each song that they were sorely missing. The biggest thing he added was
an actaul drum beat that the old Nintendo software couldn't generate to
well. This is most evident in Matoya's Cave (FFI) and some of the more
orchestral pieces from Final Fantasy II. The ability to add more depth and
sound to each song made a couple of mediochre pieces into something
beautiful. Chaos' Temple (FFI), Ruined Castle (FFI), Ancient Castle (FFII),
and Underwater Temple (FFI) have undergone great tansformations.
As is common in Final Fantasy soundtracks, and soundtracks in general, there
are several themes that can be picked out in seperate songs. One is the
Final Fantasy Main Theme. Most people consider what is actually the Crystal
Theme to be the main Final Fantasy theme, but the Main Theme is actually a
nice yet little known composition. This soundtrack also contains the roots
of the Battle Theme, and the infamous Victory Fanfare. The originals
contained here are still some of the best versions of each, especially the
victory fanfare.
The Final Fantasy II porition of Origins shares some common songs from the
Final Fantasy I portion. The Victory theme is virtually identical minus the
lack of percussion and a somewhat deeper tone. The enhanced sound has
produced some beautiful pieces, as it did in Final Fantasy I. The Final
Fantasy II Main Theme is good, if a little repetitive. The fanfare of the
Rebel Army, Ancient Castle, and Castle Pandemonium stick out from the rest.
The problem they suffer is common to most early soundtracks. The songs
aren't very long, so they repeat two or three times. This is most annoying
in the Chocobo theme. It only contains the main line that we are all used
to, but nothing else. Most of the soundtrack is unique, but there is
something strange about Temptation of the Princess as the line it contains
is very similair to a popular old ballet. It is good, just not very
original. Overall, the Final Fantasy II side of the Origins collection is
slightly weaker than the Final Fantasy I side but still contains some decent
pieces.
Final Fantasy music became part of something that saved a company from
destruction and turned it into a industry giant. The music set the stage for
the dozen soundtracks and countless remixes that followed. Tsuyoshi Sekito
did an excellent job staying true to the original soundtrack with his work
for Origins, yet still adding enough to make it unique in itsself.
Overall Score: 7
Best Piece: Main Theme (FFI)
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