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Merry Christmas, everyone! This is my gift to you.

When we did the Regalia Playlist Championship, I had yet to play FFXIV or FFXV. I thought it wasn't fair to leave them out of my nominations though, so I dutifully listened to the OST of FFXV. I found it competent but not many songs made me sit up and take notice, though that is likely because I hadn't played the game and thus was missing the emotional connection to the music…

Well, I also tried giving the music of FFXIV a chance, but I quickly gave up. At the time, Rangers51 had linked to a YouTube playlist of music from the game. The problem was that the playlist was basically people playing the battles/dungeons, so each song went on long. I just didn't have the *time* to listen to it all before nominations were due.

Well, I have since played FFXIV for several years now, and I'm here to tell you its music is FANTASTIC and Soken-san is an adorable genius (more on the adorableness later). Really, I could recommend listening to each OST in its entirety, but given that they run 4-6.5 hours long each, you probably don't have time for all that. So instead I've made Spotify playlists with my favorites from each part of the game. I hope you enjoy them!

Note: I am not a music critic but I've attempted to explain why I've chosen each song. Don't know how well I've succeeded.

A Realm Reborn (the base game)

Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4lNjKie80...ource=copy-link

(I'm working off a Fire tablet and it doesn't appear to have the embed code, so you get a link to the playlist instead. Sorry I couldn't embed it!)

1. Torn from the Heavens - An epic song that plays often, especially in scenes from the last few dungeons of the base game. If I had to pick one song that was quintessentially FFXIV, it'd be this song.

2. To the Sun - The Thanalan region theme. Soothing and good to farm to, which is great because I paid for my house mostly from farming crafting materials in this region. This is one of the songs on my Orchestrion playlist.

3. Hard to Miss - the Boss FATE theme. Love the urgency in this song, really gets the blood pumping.

4. Sultana Dreaming - Ul'dah's night theme. I find its day theme to be a bit brash, though I've gotten used to it since one off my characters makes her home in Ul'dah. This much slower and more melodic version is more pleasing to my ear.

5. Bliss - Plays during comical cutscenes, and is quite fitting to the mood.

6. Tenacity - the levequest battle theme. Leves are time sensitive, and the driving music helps keep me moving forward while doing them.

7. I Am the Sea - the theme of Limsa Lominsa. Limsa is a pirate town which they take a lot of pride in, and this song embodies that.

8. Currents - plaintive and emotional. It's been a while since I last played ARR so I've forgotten what kind of scenes this plays in, but the song caught my ear while going through the playlist so I'm including it.

9. Brothers in Arms - the theme that plays during the role training quests. A very suitable battle theme.

10. A Victory Fanfare - heh, it wouldn't be Final Fantasy without this theme.

11. One Blood - "danger" theme that plays during scenes before and with the primals. It does really have that sense of dread and danger.

12. Primal Judgment - written by Uematsu-san, may be from version 1.x. It's now played during the Ifrit battle. A very fitting boss fight song.

13. Conundrum - played during the Hildebrand side quests, when the inspector is trying to crack a case.

14. Agent of Inquiry - Hildebrand's theme song. As over the top as the man himself.

15. From Fear to Fortitude - plays during action scenes in the Hildebrand side quests.

16. Ruby Sunrise - the Costa de Sol theme. Fitting music for what's supposed to be a paradise. It sounds like vacation!

17. Lipflaps on Longstops - from the Brayflox's Longstop dungeon, featuring goblins. Goblins have a distinctive, funny way of talking, and this song is just as distinctive.

18. Weight of a Whisper
19. Weight of His Will
20. Weight of the World
21. Heartless
22. Under the Weight
These five songs are all from the Titan primal fight. Heavy metal music fits this colossal primal, and the different themes go well with each stage of the fight.

23. Fealty - plays in the Coerthas area, the region of Ishgard. Ishgard is proud in their faith and ruled by an archbishop. The organs in this song are thus a fitting feel for this cold, snowy, unwelcoming region.

24. Fallen Angel - NOW FALL! Garuda's theme, and an absolute favorite of mine. A totally slamming song for an epic fight.

25. Through the Gloom - Photos Sirius theme. It's a shame no one does this dungeon because the theme calls to me as much as the Siren who resides at the dungeon's top floor.

26. Skullduggery - plays when things don't go your way. Again, has a slight feeling of danger to it.

27. Breaking Boundaries - another song that caught my ear while going through the playlist. I want to say this plays during a solo duty, but I'm unsure. Song urges you forward which would make sense for a solo duty song.

28. Defender of the Realm - plays during scenes in which the Warrior of Light and the Second come together with a grand plan to save Eorzea. A very fitting song for the cut scenes it plays in. Brave and bold.

29. Penitus - why am I including a song I've heard a bazillion times and am getting tired of? Because in spite of my boredom, it's still a great song and the boredom is the fault of playing the dungeon umpteen times, and not the fault of its music. Plays at the start of the Praetorium, the final dungeon/story sequence of A Realm Reborn is base game.

30. The Maker's Ruin - plays during one of the boss fights in Prae. Suitably epic.

31. Ultima - plays during the pinnacle of Prae, before and during the hardest fight (which these days is still very easy).

That's it for A Realm Reborn! More coming later. If you give it a listen I'd love to hear your thoughts!


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Watch me play games on Twitch!
Schedule:
Mondays & Thursdays: Final Fantasy VII -Rebirth-
Saturdays: Final Fantasy XIV Side Quests (or maybe more Rebirth, we'll see!)
7:30pm - 10:30pm Central or thereabouts

Heavensward!!!

The first expansion of the game, Heavensward won awards. Me? I liked it quite a bit but feel it's the weakest of the expansions so far. That said, it's still a huge improvement over A Realm Reborn which can be tedious with what seems to be pointless fetch quests. Heavensward is packed with lore, and the music ups the game as much as the story does.

Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4YtOqvy7u...ource=copy-link

1. Heavensward - sets up the feels of the expansion. First the sad lament of the opera singer, then the driving mood of the second phase, ultimately ending in victory. A good synopsis.

2. Solid - the song of Ishgard, one of the city-states. Proud and imposing, just like its people. The organ music suggests religion, and indeed the Ishgardians are strong in their faith.

3. Against the Wind - the music of the first outside zone to explore. It perfectly c fits the feel of where you are right now in the story - broken, lost, trying to pull back together everything you knew. The song is melancholic and I really felt that at this point in the game.

4. Melt - the over world bsttle/FATE music for the expansion. Again, organs in the background hint at the religious feel, and the chaotic piano suggests complexity.

5. Lost in the Clouds - the song for the second zone. Much lighter - you've learned by now that you still have people you can turn to, which is a relief reflected by the song. Also, the NPCs you deal with in this zone can be humorous with their penchant for getting into trouble - something that everyone is aware of and exasperated by.

6. Painted Foothills - I LOVE THIS SONG. It plays in the Dravanian Forelands, home to dragons. It's been a while since I played Heavensward so I don't remember how much you've learned of the Dragonsong War at this point, but:

Possible spoilers: highlight to view

the dragons were betrayed by men, and I feel this song captures their cries

. It's a moving song that brings me to tears.

7. The Hand That Gives the Rose - totally different, makes me want to dance. You might find this odd, but it's a boss fight theme. Soken-san does love his unusual themes for bosses. Another one of my top faves.

8. Contention - A slower version of Dragonsong, the theme for this expansion, composed by Uematsu-san. It plays during many cut scenes as you learn the truth of the long war between dragons and men. I chose not to include Dragonsong itself; although I love the lyrics, Susan Callaway is just competent at singing it.

9. Paradise Found - the fatty theme of Idyllshire. Idyllshire used to be the Sharlayan outpost until it was abandoned. It's now been overtaken by goblins and adventurers. The song is whimsical, which is a good fit for the goblins' personalities.

10. Ink Long Dry - one of the dungeon themes. Mysterious and chaotic at first, it morphs into a snippet of "Heroes" which we'll hear later.

11. Upon the Rocks - another version of the Pharos Sirius theme, probably from the Hard version of the dungeon. I still love this song, so it gets listed again!

12. Aetherpause - A song from the Void Ark, Heavensward's 24-person raid. Bold and driving. Another favorite of mine.

13. Imagination - A faster, more urgent version of Heavensward that plays in one of the final dungeons, IIRC.

14. Heroes - the song played in the expansion's final trial. There's an excellent piano cover of this on "A New World II" but the in-game version is just as good. Again, some organ in the background to tie in the religious feel, but mostly the song is…. Strong. Just like the Warrior of Light.

15. Locus - and now for something completely different! A song from the Alexander 8-person raid sequence. I always imagine the twins dancing to this with the /cheerjump emote, then head-banging, ponytails flying. I often listen to this song first when I sit down to work on my crafts, because its energy excites me.

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Watch me play games on Twitch!
Schedule:
Mondays & Thursdays: Final Fantasy VII -Rebirth-
Saturdays: Final Fantasy XIV Side Quests (or maybe more Rebirth, we'll see!)
7:30pm - 10:30pm Central or thereabouts

Stormblood !!!

A lot of players think the Stormblood expansion is just okay, but I actually liked it better than Heavensward! I feel its story is meatier, and I loved visiting such different locales which is reflected in its music. Some of the story takes place in the Far East, and the music definitely has an Eastern feel to it.

Spotify playlist link: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/42Ywh2bge...ource=copy-link

1. Impact - what I consider the main theme of Stormblood, this plays mostly in Gyr Abania regions. There's just the slightest hint of a military feel, which makes sense because this expansion is mostly about freedom fighters trying to win their homelands back from the Empire.

2. Their Deadly Mission - starts off with a feeling of dread, morphing into a sense of danger.

3. Procedamus in Pace - totally sad. Plays after the freedom fighters have suffered a crushing defeat. It always amazes me how the same motif can evoke different feelings depending on how it's played - this song has strains of the main theme but unlike the bustle of "Impact", this is moving and melancholy.

4. Triumph - Notice a theme? Yes, it's basically " Impact" again, combined with "Stormblood". This plays during some lesser boss fights and is a fitting theme for them.

5. Crimson Sunrise - now we're starting to get a hint of the Eastern feel, though it will become stronger later. A melodic version of " Stormblood ", this is also one of the main themes of the expansion.

6. Cradle - And here we are in the far East. This is the song that plays in towns in Othard and the Steppe.

7. The Open Box - the Shisui of the Violet Tides theme, A dungeon with an extensive side story that is required to obtain an aether current (which unlocks flying in the zone). The dungeon is VERY deep in the ocean, and this song does have an otherworldly feel to it.

8. A Father's Pride - another totally Eastern theme which plays in the Yanxia region. It's a pretty simple theme, just like the people we meet in the region - mostly farmers and small townsfolk.

9. Drowning in the Horizon - the theme of the Azim Steppe, where numerous nomadic tribes live. This song makes me this of So it's World Showcase at Walt Disney World. The song definitely has a worldly feel.

10. Cyan's Theme - yes, this is an arrangement of the song from FFVI. FFXIV borrowed the nation of Doma from FFVI, and thus also borrowed this theme. It plays when you are dealing with Doma and her allies.

11. Beauty is Wicked Wiles - plays during a boss fight against the primal Lakshmi, who's known for her captivating beauty. The song is just as captivating.

12. Songs of Salt and Suffering - plays in the Lochs, the last zone of Stormblood. The Lochs are hone to Ala Mhigo, A city-state that's been taken over by the Empire. The song has a seriousness to it which is fitting for a city that's been through so much.

13. The Measure of His Reach - Ala Mhigo's national anthem as sung by the freedom fighters and their allies once they succeed in winning back their homeland. The song has such pride in it.

14. Birds of Prey - the PVP theme! It totally makes me headbang, haha. PVP is pretty goal/action-oriented, and the driving music helps there.

15. Beyond Redemption - A more terror-filled version of motifs from "Answers".

16. Nightbloom - the Castrum Fluminis stage 1theme. For story reasons I won't explicitly say what happens there, other than it's the end of a rather tragic story line and this song really captures that.

17. Wayward Daughter - the second stage Castrum Fluminis theme, very apt for a boss fight.

--------------------

Watch me play games on Twitch!
Schedule:
Mondays & Thursdays: Final Fantasy VII -Rebirth-
Saturdays: Final Fantasy XIV Side Quests (or maybe more Rebirth, we'll see!)
7:30pm - 10:30pm Central or thereabouts

Shadowbringers

Quote

Can't believe Soken's new album came with a game.

--Vieux Meme, somewhere on the Internet

The person who wrote that was talking about Endwalker, but to me it fits Shadowbringers--an amazing expansion which upped the intensity of the story thus far while having top-notch music that's so good I bought the OST before I finished playing. It's tempting to say "Just listen to it all!" But this is supposed to be a top faves list, so I will do the hard work of whittling it down.

Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6QEBxODhG...ource=copy-link

1. Bedlam's Brink - plays during scenes with a certain Ascian. The Ascians are ever about their schemes and plans, and this song does sound like an evil mastermind plotting.

2. A Pall Most Murderous - plays during one of the dungeons (or was it a solo duty? I forget) that takes place between Stormblood and Shadowbringers. This has at least three different motifs if n it but they all work well together. When I listen to the OST I often start with this song.

3. Shadowbringers - absolutely brilliant. You'll notice a hint of "Eternal Wind" from FFIII in there; that's because Shadowbringers leans heavily on the Crystal Tower raid sequence, which was a love letter to that game.

4. Unmatching Pieces - you know that point in Chrono Trigger when you're in the future and you step into the machine that restores your HP/MP, but when you step out of it, the dialogue box says, "But you're still hungry"? THAT'S THE EXACT FEELING I GET FROM THIS SONG.

5. Rencounter - the overworld/FATE battle music for the expansion. Love this, it's so different from other fight music.

6. Pain in Pleasure - still hungry. This is Eulmore's theme, A city where all live in comfort… or do they?

7. Paradisaical Predicaments - plays during scenes in which something awful happens, or in which we learn a terrifying truth. Has a feeling of dread to it.

8. To Fire and Sword - first dungeon theme. Listening to this evokes images from the dungeon, which has a theme of being too slow to save others.

9. Insatiable - dungeon boss theme song, A remix of " Shadowbringers ".

10. High Treason - plays when allies come together to make grand plans to save the realm. The energy of this song fits the mood of people willing to fight for what they believe in.

11. A Reason to Live - ….why does this song make me think of a bakery in Epcot's France? Haha. The playfulness of this song is great because it perfectly fits the pixies, who are quite mischievous.

12. Figments - the Dohn Mheg dungeon tgeme. Hone to the Fuath, known to be tricksters. The setting is out of a fairytale and this song feels like it.

13. What Angel Wakes Me - the song from the first trial. Another " gets stuck in your head" boss theme. This is not an easy fighr, so it's good the song is catchy as you'll be listening to it for a while before you get your clear.

14. Civilizations - the Rak'tika Greatwood theme. Also known as "La Hee" for obvious reasons. The Greatwood is home to the Viis (think Viera) who guard the ancient ruins, and this song does more have a mystical feel to it.

15. Dangerous Words - A high action song that plays in cut scenes where plans are put into action.

16. Neath Dark Waters - iconic. Pay attention to this theme; you'll hear it again.

17. Tomorrow and Tomorrow - as I usually say when this song plays, "I'm not crying, YOU'RE crying." The lyrics are both sad and hopeful, which seems a contradiction but it works. Again, "Eternal Wind" makes an appearance.

18. A Long Fall - I'm actually not sure when this plays in game; it's possible I haven't done that content. The song is so slamming though I felt I had to include it.

-------

In my first post, I called Soken-san "adorable". I can now explain why. At this year's digital Fan Fest, he performed " La Hee". Here's the video:

https://youtu.be/aBt4zT_PBmw

Yes, it's kind of cringe worthy because he's a poor singer, but the fans all loved it anyway. I firmly believe it's because he sings with such joy and passion that you can't help but smile.

At the end of Fan Fest, we learned Soken-san had cancer, but is now in remission, and I honestly feel that some of the joy with which he Santos was joy de vive.

Soken-san has proved his adorableness on other occasions - on Twitter, he posted a picture of the giant marketing truck for Endwalker, with him riding next to it on a child's toy truck, haha.

I need to include one more song, and that's "To the Edge", played during a trial that falls between Shadowbringers and Endwalker. You'll recognize it as a lyrical version of '" Neath Dark Waters[/b]. Not only is it a masterpiece of a song, but its lyrics hit me right in the feels, especially once we found out Soken-san wrote it while alone in the hospital for his cancer. It's not on the Shadowbringers OST but here's a YouTube video of it:

https://youtu.be/BFGw1RI0Kts


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Watch me play games on Twitch!
Schedule:
Mondays & Thursdays: Final Fantasy VII -Rebirth-
Saturdays: Final Fantasy XIV Side Quests (or maybe more Rebirth, we'll see!)
7:30pm - 10:30pm Central or thereabouts

Endwalker!!!

But wait, there's more!

As an expansion, Endwalker is high on the feels, which is only fitting because it is the culmination of the story arc that started way back in 1.0. This culmination is perfectly reflected in "Footfalls", the song from the trailer. Watch it here:

https://youtu.be/zTTtd6bnhFs

If you've listened to the other playlists, you'll recognize the main themes from each expansion. Soken-san wove them into this song brilliantly, but also introduced some of the motifs we would hear in Endwalker. Plus the song is a banger, which instantly became a fan favorite.

You may be wondering how I can talk about Endwalker music already; the expansion is not even a month old yet, and its soundtrack has yet to be released. Enter Chewie Melodies, a fan and pianist who quickly made fan arrangements of some of the themes from Endwalker (seriously, I'm impressed that not only did they finish the expansion in a mere weekend, but they also found time to arrange and record their versions.)

Find Chewie's work here:
* YouTube - https://youtu.be/wRmXuN53ggw
* Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/album/5MaJsNqnqZla...ource=copy-link

Here's my comments on each song:

1. A Scion's Journey - one of the first themes we hear. It's a bit melancholic, reflecting all the struggle and loss the Scions have seen up till now.

2. "The Light's Burden", Old Sharlayan Theme - The song does feel burdened at first, but leads into a more hopeful feeling.

3. Baldesion Annex - the Students of Baldesion are seekers of knowledge - they look into all the team's mysteries, and I feel this song reflects that. Someone in the comments said there's a hint of the FFV theme in the song; I didn't catch that myself (shame on me, with how many times I've played FFV) but it makes sense that it would have this hint, since the Students were founded by Krile's grandfather, Galuf.

4. Radz-at-Han - ponderous and heavy. The city-state is facing a lot of strife right now, and the music is subdued like its citizens.

5. Labyrinthos Night Theme - when you first enter this zone you look around in wonder, and this song has a similar feeling.

6. Heartbloom - A fitting title. Plays during emotional, moving cutscenes. Poignant and pretty.

7. Garlemald Anthem - the piano version doesn't get quite the same sense of bleakness that the in-game version has, but is still a fine rendition.

8. Garlemald Night Theme - Broken and nearly bereft of hope, a cry for the land that once was.

9. Mare Lamentorum - Not sure how to describe this one, other than it harkens back to the Ancients' home.

10. Loporrits Bestways Burrow - you'll recognize your his one! A faithful reproduction of a song from FFIV. It's fitting because I believe this is the town theme from FFIV, and the Burrow is supposed to be a new home.

11. Elpis Day Theme - Elpis is a land of creation, and this song does sound like creation a bit.

12. Elpis Night Theme - Slowly pondering, A fitting theme for night.

13. Hopeful Dynamis - MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE! Makes me cry at the sheer beauty of it. It's indeed a hopeful, emotional song.

14. Song of Oblivion - I'm at a loss to describe this one. The title makes it sound like it should be full of terror, but it's not! Perhaps it reflects the expansion theme of hope living on?

15. Ultima Thule - Close in the Distance - Absolutely perfect for the setting. This piano version is melancholic just as it should be, then morphs into something with hope but still sadness.

Soken-san knocked it out of the park with this one. It's the theme of the final zone, and when we first arrive in the zone you can't see much or progress very far, and likewise the music only plays a few strains. As you make your way through the zone, more and more is revealed - in the music, the story, and visuals, until finally you get the full song with lyrics.

I really wanted to share the full in-game version with you, but Square Enix has been filing copyright claims on all the videos that have made their way to YouTube. Which is their right of course, and I don't even think it was a bad move due to potential spoiler reasons. All I can say is that the full version of the song combined with what was happening in game quite broke me; I was sobbing as I slowly walked forward.

17. At World's End - from its title, you'd think it would be a dark and hopeless song, but it's not. Same emotions as much of this expansion - sadness but also hope.

18. Coming Home - heartwarming with a feeling of friendship. Friendship is very big in this game, so… yeah, quite fitting.

----

And that brings me to the end of the game so far! I hope you enjoyed these playlists. I had fun working on them the past two days; it was a welcome distraction from some frustrations in my life.

--------------------

Watch me play games on Twitch!
Schedule:
Mondays & Thursdays: Final Fantasy VII -Rebirth-
Saturdays: Final Fantasy XIV Side Quests (or maybe more Rebirth, we'll see!)
7:30pm - 10:30pm Central or thereabouts