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Game Review: Final Fantasy Origins (PSX)

 

05-08-16 12:10 PM
janus is Offline
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUAsbFYnFIo (FF 1)

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC7AA45CD70F7CB7B (FF 2)

Note: both were included in the same album when the game was released

Back in 2003, Square Enix released their two grand classics: Final Fantasy and Final Fantasy II. That latter one was most welcomed since it had never been released in North America. The story line and gameplay are exactly the same – dumb fairy tale for FF 1 and self-mutilation for FF 2 – but had been greatly improved with better graphics, new add-ons and better music.

“Better” is clearly an understatement for Final Fantasy 1. From bleeps and boops it went to the best 16-bit style soundtrack even composed, even beating Final Fantasy VII in quality. All track (even the menu screen) have been “orchestrated” while style retaining the original composition.

The Prelude, for example, still has a “quieter” feel like the original but it now sounds more like a harp. The Town Theme is as relaxing, but the guitar and flute add such a welcoming feeling that usually characterizes such themes. The various dungeon themes have also been wonderfully remastered. They all lost their annoying 8-bit track that was destroying the ear. Finally the battle theme is much more fluid and upbeat, almost at par with Final Fantasy VI – it retained the original beat, so the “trumpets” don’t sound as good.

Another wonderful feat for FF1 O is the prolonging of the loops. For the opening theme (the Final Fantasy Theme), the new version sounds absolutely epic, using a much slower tempo but using modern technology to signify the start of a grand quest (that lasts 10 hours at most). Cornelia’s Castle uses cellos and harpsichord to make a nice, slow regal theme. The loop is prolonged with a little drum, since most castles have military purposes. But the absolute best track is the Overworld Theme. While its remix might sound distant from its original form it’s for the best; this is the absolute best, most epic overworld theme ever composed.

Finally, following what other FF have done, they even added a few tracks. The hotel theme is a variation of the shop theme with a few added effects that are proper for sleeping. Abandoned Castle is another new track, with an excellent echoing piano that adds good mystery to these ruins. There is even a church theme, and interestingly enough the composers made it sound like 8-bit. Fortunately the organ is not 8-bit and still sounds like an organ – unlike, say, Dragon Warrior IV. Finally there are three more battle themes, one for each confrontations with the fiends and one for the final boss. That latter one starts with an interesting organ intro and finishes with a more dramatic and epic version of the battle theme.

In comparison, and especially after playing the original game, Final Fantasy II Origins music was not done as well. For the most part it was overdone. The Prelude, for example, has the harp with too much echo; it sounded better on the NES. The regular battle theme intro is much too loud and upbeat and even sounds different from the original; however the second part (where the original had nearly a second of silence) was nicely recuperated. And the victory fanfare sounds like it was played with muted instruments, decreasing the epicness Uematsu was able to create with the original. But the worst “overdoneness” was with Magician Tower (the tower of Mysidia). The tempo is much too quick, losing all the mystery from the original track, the harpsichord makes the track sound like it is in a haunted manor and the “organ” in the background just doesn’t recreate the original track, one of the best dungeon themes ever composed.

Other themes, while they started out nicely, have prolonged loops that spoil it. The Rebel Army theme, for example, started out nicely with epic string arrangements that show the courage of these people. Unfortunately the extension has guitar arrangements that just feels out of place. Ancient Castle has the same problem. It starts out quietly like the original, becoming more epic in the second part… but then spoiling it all with drums in the last part.

Furthermore (personal preference here) some arrangements just sounded better on the NES. The dungeon theme, for example, has an “Arabic” feel to it that modern strings just can’t recreate. The overworld theme, while the clarinet sounds beautiful and more mysterious than the original, has a prolonged loop that uses guitar that seems to take away some of the mystery.

Fortunately, there are some excellent tracks. The Imperial Theme, from the core of the loop to its prolongation, took full advantage of its modernization. It now sounds even more dramatic and militaristic with its drums. The Chocobo Theme, while as short as the original, sounds jollier and also more upbeat with the addition of guitar in the background. The town theme sounds even more relaxing and welcoming with the guitar. But the absolute best track is Battle Scene A, a remix of the (unfortunately) unreleased track from the NES version. It sounds absolutely amazing for a “major boss battle theme” – against the legendary monsters of Pandemonium. It is very upbeat and epic, showing you the brute strength of these monsters.

Other memorable tracks include Castle Pandemonium, which finally sounds epic and dramatic as a final dungeon should, and the final boss battle, an even more dramatic version of Battle Scene A.

In short, unless you are an “originalist” I warmly recommend you buy the Final Fantasy Origin soundtrack. Despite a few misses on the Final Fantasy II side, the new arrangements are worth your while. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUAsbFYnFIo (FF 1)

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC7AA45CD70F7CB7B (FF 2)

Note: both were included in the same album when the game was released

Back in 2003, Square Enix released their two grand classics: Final Fantasy and Final Fantasy II. That latter one was most welcomed since it had never been released in North America. The story line and gameplay are exactly the same – dumb fairy tale for FF 1 and self-mutilation for FF 2 – but had been greatly improved with better graphics, new add-ons and better music.

“Better” is clearly an understatement for Final Fantasy 1. From bleeps and boops it went to the best 16-bit style soundtrack even composed, even beating Final Fantasy VII in quality. All track (even the menu screen) have been “orchestrated” while style retaining the original composition.

The Prelude, for example, still has a “quieter” feel like the original but it now sounds more like a harp. The Town Theme is as relaxing, but the guitar and flute add such a welcoming feeling that usually characterizes such themes. The various dungeon themes have also been wonderfully remastered. They all lost their annoying 8-bit track that was destroying the ear. Finally the battle theme is much more fluid and upbeat, almost at par with Final Fantasy VI – it retained the original beat, so the “trumpets” don’t sound as good.

Another wonderful feat for FF1 O is the prolonging of the loops. For the opening theme (the Final Fantasy Theme), the new version sounds absolutely epic, using a much slower tempo but using modern technology to signify the start of a grand quest (that lasts 10 hours at most). Cornelia’s Castle uses cellos and harpsichord to make a nice, slow regal theme. The loop is prolonged with a little drum, since most castles have military purposes. But the absolute best track is the Overworld Theme. While its remix might sound distant from its original form it’s for the best; this is the absolute best, most epic overworld theme ever composed.

Finally, following what other FF have done, they even added a few tracks. The hotel theme is a variation of the shop theme with a few added effects that are proper for sleeping. Abandoned Castle is another new track, with an excellent echoing piano that adds good mystery to these ruins. There is even a church theme, and interestingly enough the composers made it sound like 8-bit. Fortunately the organ is not 8-bit and still sounds like an organ – unlike, say, Dragon Warrior IV. Finally there are three more battle themes, one for each confrontations with the fiends and one for the final boss. That latter one starts with an interesting organ intro and finishes with a more dramatic and epic version of the battle theme.

In comparison, and especially after playing the original game, Final Fantasy II Origins music was not done as well. For the most part it was overdone. The Prelude, for example, has the harp with too much echo; it sounded better on the NES. The regular battle theme intro is much too loud and upbeat and even sounds different from the original; however the second part (where the original had nearly a second of silence) was nicely recuperated. And the victory fanfare sounds like it was played with muted instruments, decreasing the epicness Uematsu was able to create with the original. But the worst “overdoneness” was with Magician Tower (the tower of Mysidia). The tempo is much too quick, losing all the mystery from the original track, the harpsichord makes the track sound like it is in a haunted manor and the “organ” in the background just doesn’t recreate the original track, one of the best dungeon themes ever composed.

Other themes, while they started out nicely, have prolonged loops that spoil it. The Rebel Army theme, for example, started out nicely with epic string arrangements that show the courage of these people. Unfortunately the extension has guitar arrangements that just feels out of place. Ancient Castle has the same problem. It starts out quietly like the original, becoming more epic in the second part… but then spoiling it all with drums in the last part.

Furthermore (personal preference here) some arrangements just sounded better on the NES. The dungeon theme, for example, has an “Arabic” feel to it that modern strings just can’t recreate. The overworld theme, while the clarinet sounds beautiful and more mysterious than the original, has a prolonged loop that uses guitar that seems to take away some of the mystery.

Fortunately, there are some excellent tracks. The Imperial Theme, from the core of the loop to its prolongation, took full advantage of its modernization. It now sounds even more dramatic and militaristic with its drums. The Chocobo Theme, while as short as the original, sounds jollier and also more upbeat with the addition of guitar in the background. The town theme sounds even more relaxing and welcoming with the guitar. But the absolute best track is Battle Scene A, a remix of the (unfortunately) unreleased track from the NES version. It sounds absolutely amazing for a “major boss battle theme” – against the legendary monsters of Pandemonium. It is very upbeat and epic, showing you the brute strength of these monsters.

Other memorable tracks include Castle Pandemonium, which finally sounds epic and dramatic as a final dungeon should, and the final boss battle, an even more dramatic version of Battle Scene A.

In short, unless you are an “originalist” I warmly recommend you buy the Final Fantasy Origin soundtrack. Despite a few misses on the Final Fantasy II side, the new arrangements are worth your while. 

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