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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