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Balance is Restored scored the most overwhelming victory in round one, completely shutting out FF4's The Big Whale. I think that might be a little unfair to the giant space whale, but, it's not like I didn't vote against it myself. Phantom Forest didn't win in quite such a blatant fashion, but it did also beat the FF4 Prologue pretty handily.

I don't think I'd ever heard the ending theme to Final Fantasy VI called by the name "Balance is Restored" until setting up this competition, but it makes total sense. This track is kind of a cheater's favorite, I think, since it mashes up so many wonderful themes into an overture. But, that doesn't take away from just how good it is, a song that is very much greater than the sum of its parts and composed perfectly to address the visuals it accompanies.

Anyone want to venture a guess as to when Phantom Forest plays in Final Fantasy VI? Yep, then. It's a mysterious, echoey theme with a high-pitched melody to set the mood of what is clearly a haunted place to be. This track had a decent run in 2010, winning a few rounds until clashing with The Decisive Battle, also from FF6.

Visit here to view this matchup on the Regalia website or listen to these tracks.

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Phantom Forest shows up in that cave between Figaro Castle and Figaro Town and a few places else too, no? It's just got the right atmosphere for wherever it appears. It's simple, but effective and tugs at the mysterious just right.

Is "Balanced Is Restored" better? Yes, but it's not playing fair, as you noted. Possibly my favorite piece of the song, Shadow's Theme, is more emotional than any other musical moment in the game. That said, I just can't pick it because it is 14+ songs in one.

Still not much of a fan of the Phantom Forest theme. It's nice but doesn't have much of a sense of direction other than vague comfort.

My vote goes to Balance Is Restored.

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current games (2024-02-19):
Fairy Fencer F ADF
Pokémon Perfect Crystal

finished so far this year:
Gato Roboto
drowning, drowning
New Super Mario Bros.
TMNT 3: Radical Rescue

tabled: Lost Ruins

Quote (Glenn Magus Harvey @ 17th November 2017 16:09)

Still not much of a fan of the Phantom Forest theme. It's nice but doesn't have much of a sense of direction other than vague comfort.

Out of egocentric curiosity, did you read my write-up for it in the last round?

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I fear my heart and fear my soul
Life goes on, it surely will,
Without me and I wonder:
Will I ever see light again?

Life goes on...

Quote (Sherick @ 19th November 2017 15:21)

Quote (Glenn Magus Harvey @ 17th November 2017 16:09)

Still not much of a fan of the Phantom Forest theme.  It's nice but doesn't have much of a sense of direction other than vague comfort.

Out of egocentric curiosity, did you read my write-up for it in the last round?

I did, and I appreciated reading it. Thanks for sharing that idea -- it's interesting. While it didn't make me a huge fan of the track (sorry!), I do see where you're coming from with it -- a more poetic meaning from the perspective of not the player-characters but the setting itself. In my opinion I don't think the track conveys idea very effectively -- I would have used some different harmonic colors and probably more dissonance in general, in order to make it sound more melancholy -- but that's still an interesting interpretation.

This post has been edited by Glenn Magus Harvey on 20th November 2017 02:10

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current games (2024-02-19):
Fairy Fencer F ADF
Pokémon Perfect Crystal

finished so far this year:
Gato Roboto
drowning, drowning
New Super Mario Bros.
TMNT 3: Radical Rescue

tabled: Lost Ruins

Ultimately, I appreciate Phantom Forest more for being its own song, and one that I enjoy, rather than being the mish-mash of other tracks that Balance is Restored is. I don't even like some of those other tracks all that much : / .

This post has been edited by Galsic on 19th November 2017 23:18

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