The advancements in technology over the last 3 decades have allowed developers to achieve things that could only be dreamed of when the Final Fantasy franchise first debuted back in 1987. With each new generation of consoles, the series has climbed to new heights. Gone are the days when party members were unrecognizable pixels on the screen, as are the random battles that stalked gamers throughout Gaia for so many years. Few franchises can compare when it comes to the sheer brilliance of these games.
One area where the series has always excelled however is its music. Led by the remarkable Nobuo Uematsu, Final Fantasy is responsible for some of the most iconic tracks in gaming. As the years have past, more talented composers have come on board and the series has continued to delight gamers with its wide range of wonderful compositions. Together these tracks combine to create some of the best video game soundtracks of all time.
10 Final Fantasy XV
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 sublime Apocalypsis 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 game’s largely lackluster plot. The emotionally-charged Somnus and the fantastically frantic Invidia also stand out in this regard.
9 Final Fantasy XI
The soundtrack for Final Fantasy XI doesn’t get as much love as it deserves. This is likely the result of how expansive Final Fantasy XI is as a game and how few people played it compared to other mainline 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 Worlds is one of the series’ better vocal tracks while The Sanctuary of Zi’Tah is one of its most enchanting. The pick of the bunch however has to be Selbina. The Celtic inspired track is as uplifting as it is catchy and serves as a refreshing change from the abundance of fantasy-themed pieces found throughout the game.
8 Final Fantasy XIII
To many, listening to Final 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. After Final 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 like Archylte Steppe and Dust to Dust help it to maintain a measured feeling that encourages players to relax into their seats and enjoy the experience rather than sit on edge.
7 Final Fantasy I
To say that Final Fantasy I‘s soundtrack was limited by the hardware of the NES would be a bit of an understatement. Despite these limitations, the game is responsible for some of the series’ most iconic tracks. Prelude and Victory Fanfare both made their first appearances in Final Fantasy I and went on to become staples of the series that appear in almost every entry.
Although neither of the versions found on the Final Fantasy I soundtrack can be considered the definite versions, they’re technically responsible for all of the iterations that followed and thus are hugely important to the series. Battle Scene is also 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.
6 Final Fantasy IV
The Theme of Love perfectly captures the depth of Rosa and and Cecil’s relationship. Although it might not be too popular in the West, it’s one of the series’ most loved tracks in Japan. At one point, it was even included in the 6th grade music curriculum at schools across the country. It’s also one of the most covered Final Fantasy tracks in history with countless versions uploaded to sites like YouTube.
Although not quite as memorable, Mt. Ordeals, Battle with the Four Fiends, and Troian Beauty are all equally well-composed and align perfectly with the scenes in which they’re used. The game’s Overworld theme also deserves a mention, not only for its quality, but because of the obvious inspiration that it provided for future tracks in the series (especially some of those found in Final Fantasy VI).
5 Final Fantasy IX
The melodic beats of Crossing Those Hills make 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 depth in which listeners can easily lose themselves. It really is a masterpiece of a track and is without doubt the standout piece on Final Fantasy IX‘s soundtrack.
Other tracks like Melodies of Life and Feel my Blade help to strengthen some of the game’s key events while the brilliant Passing Sorrow and You’re Not Alone provide the emotional accompaniment needed to really add weight to some of the game’s many heartfelt moments.
4 Final Fantasy VI
Despite having to contend with the technical limitations of the SNES, 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 Theme is arguably the pick of the bunch, but they’re all great in their own way.
Other tracks like Phantom Forest and Esper World are great scene-setters while the 17 minute epic Dancing Mad is one of the few tracks in the series that can come close to rivalling One-Winged Angel for the title of best final boss battle theme. It’s also a great track to wrap-up both a fantastic game and a fantastic soundtrack.
3 Final Fantasy VIII
Final Fantasy VIII is 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 Gun is one of the catchiest tracks in the series and is the perfect piece for psyching players up. Contrast this with the emotional Eyes on Me or the unsettling Fithos Lusec Wecos Vinosec and it’s a soundtrack that suits almost every occasion.
What makes this soundtrack so great is that it is a little more experimental than some of the other soundtracks that had come before it. It still feels very much like a Final Fantasy soundtrack, but it has its own unique twist. The range of tracks and the sheer volume of them makes this a soundtrack unlike any other in the series.
2 Final Fantasy VII
From the hauntingly beautiful Cry of the Planet to the bone-chilling One-Winged Angel, the soundtrack for Final Fantasy VII is packed with iconic and memorable tracks. Even some of the more innocuous tracks like Cosmo Canyon and Wall Market Theme will stick with the player long after they’ve powered the console down. In many cases, we’re talking years after.
Hearing some of those tracks reimagined for Final Fantasy VII Remake was an absolute joy. When making changes to fan favorites, there’s always a risk of overcomplicating things and messing up. Thankfully, Uematsu and Hamauzu were able to avoid this pitfall. Given that many of the game’s best tracks come in its latter stages, knowing that the best is yet to come makes the prospect of Final Fantasy VII Remake Part 2 all the more exciting.
1 Final Fantasy X
To Zanarkand. Even if this was the only track in Final Fantasy X, it would still have the best soundtrack in the series. It’s one of the most captivating pieces of music in all of gaming, let alone the franchise. When combined with other great tracks like the multi-layered Hymn of the Fayth and the stunningly beautiful Suteki da ne, it’s a score capable of evoking almost every emotion on the spectrum.
In total, the game features more than 90 tracks and while some are a little more memorable than others, each one fits the locations and key story beats that they accompany perfectly. Anybody who’s seen the Final Fantasy orchestra in concert will know that Final Fantasy X‘s tracks often feature more than those of any other game in the series – and there’s a very good reason for that. Final Fantasy X‘s soundtrack is Nobuo Uematsu at his very best.
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