https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HN8Mp9NxUkY&list=PLD94442A2E3005FC6

Unbeknownst to many gamers, “Final Fantasy” received its name for a reason. At the time of its release, Squaresoft was nearly broke from previous unsuccessful games and the producers thought this was their “final” chance to make a hit, based on a newly-developed video game concept called role-playing game (RPG) for which Enix had a good success with Dragon Warrior in 1986. We all know the rest…

Many say that the success was greatly due to the composer, Nobuo Uematsu. True, the soundtrack – despite severe limitations from the early NES games – sounded much better and elaborate (longer loops) and diversified (more dungeon themes) than games like Dragon Warrior and Zelda. Here is my review of the Final Fantasy I soundtrack.

1-      Prelude

The classical introduction to a Final Fantasy game. Even with the limitations of the time we can still feel the mystery and magic of the game we are about to play. It goes up and down the “harp”, slowly becoming louder. But it does sound like Uematsu had the hiccup when he composed it. Listen closely to the theme; it sounds like the “harp” is repeating itself.

2-      Opening Theme

This is THE Final Fantasy theme, taken again and again is subsequent games. It was done better than the Prelude, sounding very epic for the time. However, it did not age well; it sounds like the music is all stuck together without any sense of melody. There is an annoying “8-bit” sound that seems to characterize games from the time that spoils it all.

3-      Cornelia Castle

The royalty in the tune is captured better than in Dragon Warrior – the castle music was merely a louder version of the Tantagel village theme. But like the Opening Theme it did not age well; the background beat gets on your nerves quickly.

4-      Main Theme

For once, the background beat does NOT get on your nerve. The arrangements are far more complex than the high-pitch Alefgard theme in Dragon Warrior. Also, it does have a little epicness to it, for as far as it was possible for the time.

5-      Chaos Temple

The first dungeon. It sounds rather joyful for a dungeon music, but it reflects that the dungeon (and its boss) is rather easy. It kind of sounds like the Cornelia theme, and better so. Its background beat was better incorporated, adding to the “joyful” tone of the track.

6-      Matoya’s Cave

Played in the place named above and a few other places, this track is excellent. Since Matoya is, at first, looking for her eye, it explains why the theme sounds a little goofy. Its sound is also one of the most realistic of such early games – as if you could hear real instruments like guitar.

7-      City Theme

Not the most elaborate one, but it has a nice, soothing beat to it. Once again, the background theme spoils the core of the track, but at least the 8-bit track makes us forget about it. The finale (before it loops back) has a nice crescendo.

8-      Shop Theme

Avoid this one! Waltz were just not made for such primitive sound chips. It is highly annoying and I skip it all the time.

9-      Sailing Ship

On the other hand, this one was done much better. It does not have the epicness usually associated with water traveling, but its beat is good and elaborate – more than even Dragon Warrior II and III, which were developed after this game. The joyful beat is also a match for the quick rhythm with which the ship sails.

10-   Underwater Palace

You can hear that theme, yes, when fighting the Kraken but also inside the final dungeon, for which this theme is more appropriate. Indeed, it sounds like a more “serious” version of Chaos Temple, which would be logical since the final dungeon is set inside the temple 2000 years into the past. Once again it is superior to Dragon Warrior, whose dungeon music simply gets a lower and creepier tone as you go deeper into the ground. The notes also sound better detached unlike the Final Fantasy Theme. Even the background beat adds to the track.

11-   Dungeon

This is the most common dungeon theme you will hear. Like too many themes it did not age well. Although it sounds creepy enough for a dungeon theme – and both the background theme and the 8-bit beat are incorporated well – it still sounds annoying

12-   Menu Screen

My first experience with Final Fantasy I was with the Origins version for PSX. So when I actually played the NES version, that music surprised me a little. It really only sounds like a filler and I simply skip it. Why put music on the menu music?

13-   Airship

That track was done well. It has the kind of beat you expect from an airship – with some epicness and feeling like you are floating through the air. I prefer that theme to any of the two Dragon Warrior flying themes (III and IV) that were either very high-pitch or just too long with a loop so long that it sounds like a filler.

14-   Gurgu Volcano

Yet another reason to like Uematsu. He gave this different kind of place a different theme. It sounds strangely joyful for a volcano but I still like it. The intro to the loop could even make you whistle it!

15-   The Floating Castle

I believe you hear this one when you visit Bahamut to get promoted to the next level. This theme is the one that was arranged the best: the notes are detached well (instead of crammed together as with the FF theme) and the background theme adds to the mystery of the core (it even changes through the track).

16-   Battle scene

The battle theme you hear for every single fight. Even the bosses. While the theme became THE Final Fantasy battle theme (with modifications, of course), Uematsu could have at least found a different theme for the final boss as was done in Dragon Warrior I. Nevertheless, the theme is more elaborate than even the Dragon Warrior II battle theme… but it did not age well. The arrangements are a little simplistic compared to other themes.

17-   Victory Fanfare

Yet another Final Fantasy classic. The intro sounds very triumphant, and the rest sounds like you are bragging about your victory on the enemy. However it does suffer from early 8-bit limitations, with the notes all stuck together. However the background beat is not so annoying.

18-   Ending Theme

It sounds epic as it should. While the notes are still stuck together, they still sound very well and triumphant. It is an epic version of the village theme, really. However, the theme does not sound very elaborate; the loop seems to repeat the same couple of notes over and over again.

19-   Dead Music

I literally never died in this game (even on the NES; I use save states to avoid the humiliation) so I never heard that theme before listening to the soundtrack proper. I personally preferred the death themes from the Dragon Warriors, even I. They sounded much sadder and / or dramatic; they were also used when drama happened in the game, which does not happen per say in Final Fantasy.

20-   Save music

Yes, there is even a track for when you go to sleep and save your game. It is therefore very short, but it is something Dragon Warrior did not think of. And since the track gets slower and slower, it reflects the sleeping of the warriors.

Final diagnosis: unless you played that game as a child or simply love early 8-bit music, I would not recommend this soundtrack. You should instead look towards the PSX version, Final Fantasy Origins, which made MUCH better arrangements.