Which of these 7 Final Fantasy XII songs is best?

[Dragonsoul]

I beat Final Fantasy XII last November and thought the music was great! I got the soundtrack in the mail this week and was playing it on my computer. It sounds much much better on my computer than my old tv! Also I am feeling very nostalgic for the game right now. While playing Final Fantasy XII I loved the music but I love it even more now!! I decided to list my favorite tracks. I started by listing the great songs, then narrowing down each list until I got to the last list, which was ordered.

Here is the first list of top songs, which are the great ones...
01-01 Loop Demo
01-02 Final Fantasy ~FFXII Version~
01-03 Opening Movie(Theme of Final Fantasy XII)
01-05 Boss Battle
01-07 Secret Practice
01-09 The Royal City of Rabanastre - City Ward Upper Stratum
01-13 The Dalmasca Estersand
01-14 Level Up!
01-19 Rabanastre Downtown
01-22 The Dalmasca Westersand
01-23 Clan Headquarters
01-25 Giza Plains
01-27 The Garamsythe Waterway
01-30 Nalbina Fortress Town Ward
02-02 Clash of Swords
02-03 Victory Fanfare ~FFXII Version~
02-08 Nalbina Fortress Underground Prison
02-11 Theme of the Empire
02-13 The Barheim Passage
02-17 The Skycity of Bhujerba
02-18 Secret of Nethicite
03-01 The Sandsea
03-02 Esper Battle
03-04 Seeking Power
03-05 Desperate Fight
03-06 Jahara, Land of the Garif
03-07 Ozmone Plain
03-09 Eruyt Village
03-11 Chocobo ~FFXII Version~
03-13 Clash on the Big Bridge ~FFXII Version~
03-14 Abandoning Power
03-15 The Stilshrine of Miriam
03-16 Time For A Rest
03-17 White Room
03-18 The Salikawood
03-19 The Phon Coast
03-21 The Sochen Cave Palace
03-22 A Moment's Rest
03-23 Near The Water
03-24 The Mosphoran Highwaste
04-01 The Cerobi Steppe
04-03 The Port of Balfonheim
04-05 The Zertinan Caverns
04-06 A Land of Memories
04-07 The Forgotten Capital
04-08 The Feywood
04-09 Ashe's Theme
04-10 Giruvegan's Mystery
04-11 To The Place of the Gods
04-12 The Beginning of the End
04-16 The Battle For Freedom
04-18 Ending Movie
04-20 Symphonic Poem "Hope" ~Final Fantasy XII PV Ver.~
04-21 Theme of Final Fantasy XII(Presentation Version)

---
Now here are the best songs from the previous list, and these ones are really great ones...
01-01 Loop Demo
01-02 Final Fantasy ~FFXII Version~
01-13 The Dalmasca Estersand
01-25 Giza Plains
02-02 Clash of Swords
02-03 Victory Fanfare ~FFXII Version~
02-11 Theme of the Empire
02-17 The Skycity of Bhujerba
02-18 Secret of Nethicite
03-05 Desperate Fight
03-07 Ozmone Plain
03-09 Eruyt Village
03-11 Chocobo ~FFXII Version~
03-13 Clash on the Big Bridge ~FFXII Version~
03-14 Abandoning Power
03-16 Time For A Rest
03-19 The Phon Coast
03-22 A Moment's Rest
03-24 The Mosphoran Highwaste
04-08 The Feywood
04-11 To The Place of the Gods
04-12 The Beginning of the End
04-16 The Battle For Freedom
04-20 Symphonic Poem "Hope" ~Final Fantasy XII PV Ver.~

---
Now here are the songs that were the best ones from the previous list. These are the really ultimate ones of the entire soundtrack, and this list I ended putting in order of my preferences!! ...
1. 01-01 Loop Demo
2. 01-02 Final Fantasy ~FFXII Version~
3. 03-19 The Phon Coast
4. 04-16 The Battle For Freedom
5. 03-22 A Moment's Rest
6. 03-16 Time For A Rest
7. 03-09 Eruyt Village
*When I listed Loop Demo in the last list, I'm thinking only of the first half of the song, which has "The Prelude" playing. The second half of the song is great but by itself wouldn't make the final list, but the first half would and ended up beating all songs! By the way my favorite video game music song is Nobuo Uematsu - The Prelude(Final Fantasy VI Version).

I'm noticing that those songs mainly fall into two categories. One category is the dreamy peaceful type of song with Flutes and Harps playing(Loop Demo[The Prelude part], A Moment's Rest, Time For A Rest, and Eruyt Village). The other category is the big time battle music type of song(The Phon Coast, The Battle For Freedom). I'm a fan of big time battle music like that, which is why I love the Final Fantasy Tactics soundtrack. Also, I love the song Final Fantasy ~FFXII Version~ but it doesn't fit into either one of those two categories.

What do you think of that list? Feel free to post your own ordered list! So, what is your favorite Final Fantasy XII song from the ones I listed?

[Roogle]

I tend to favor battle themes over other types of music. Phon Coast and Battle for Freedom are the only tracks out of the listed options that I can remember enjoying...

I think that I will listen to these songs later on today and give you my feedback at that time. I know that Phon Coast was featured heavily in the demo for Final Fantasy XII to increase hype for the game, so I think that the music choice may have had something to do with that, too.

[Vivisteiner]

Mmmm, I love 'To the Place of the Gods'.

*Hums tune*


Symphonic Poem "Hope" is absolutely stunning as well, although Sakaguchi didnt compose it. Same with Clash on the big bridge. I also also like Theme of the Empire, Ozmone Plains and Phon Coast. I cant remember most of the ones in that poll.

[Flying Mullet]

I honestly wasn't that impressed by the music in FFXII. It was good and enjoyable to listen to while I was playing but I never found myself humming any in my head after playing. It just wasn't that memorable for me.

[Dragonsoul]

I tend to favor battle themes over other types of music. Phon Coast and Battle for Freedom are the only tracks out of the listed options that I can remember enjoying...

I think that I will listen to these songs later on today and give you my feedback at that time. I know that Phon Coast was featured heavily in the demo for Final Fantasy XII to increase hype for the game, so I think that the music choice may have had something to do with that, too.

Nice!! 8-) I remember it from the Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings trailer! I've given 6 games 10/10 scores and two games 9.5/10 scores(FF IV and FF XII: RW), there are many rpg's I've given 9/10 scores to, Final Fantasy XII is one of them. I wish that the story(7/10) and characters(8/10) were a little bit better, then the game could have been ranked higher. For FF XII: RW, with some small improvements in the controls and the battle system, the game could be ranked 10/10. Final Fantasy IV is great also, I haven't played it for years but I'll be playing the DS version when it comes out.

[Sergeant Hartman]

Yeah nothing really stood out for me in 12 so I can't remember any of the music. Maybe I need to play it again, but not for a while.

[Gogo]

It's hard to pick! They're all very pretty!

[Avarice-ness]

Yeah nothing really stood out for me in 12 so I can't remember any of the music. Maybe I need to play it again, but not for a while.

xD Agree'd. To me, it was just like music in any MMORPG that I've played. Something to set the scene at the most, but nothing impacting, epic, or memorable.

[Heath]

Of the ones in the poll, I really liked Final Fantasy ~FFXII Version~. Really impressed me and made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up the first time I heard it.

However, I think the poll misses out some absolute gems. The Cerobi Steppe, Sochen Cave Palace, Salkiawood, Seeking Power, The Forgotten Capital, The Stillshrine of Miriam and Ozmone Plains are definitely amongst my favourites. And I could easily name another ten that I also love. FFXII's music doesn't get the credit it deserves; much like the game itself.

[Roogle]

Nice!! 8-) I remember it from the Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings trailer! I've given 6 games 10/10 scores and two games 9.5/10 scores(FF IV and FF XII: RW), there are many rpg's I've given 9/10 scores to, Final Fantasy XII is one of them. I wish that the story(7/10) and characters(8/10) were a little bit better, then the game could have been ranked higher. For FF XII: RW, with some small improvements in the controls and the battle system, the game could be ranked 10/10. Final Fantasy IV is great also, I haven't played it for years but I'll be playing the DS version when it comes out.

I have a question for you. I have not played Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings yet. Does it recycle songs from the original game, remix songs from the original game, or feature an all-new soundtrack as in Final Fantasy X-2?

[Nifleheim7]

I have to say that i generally really liked Sakimoto's soundtrack.I think the themes that suffer the most are the ones that he tries to make them sound like John Williams themes.But that may have been the producers decision.The themes that match his own style (which also remind me a lot of his work on BoF) are truly musical diamonds.
The only piece i didn't like at all was "Kiss me Goodbye" which i consider one of the weakest FF songs.

My favourite themes are:
(with * are the ones that i think are truly exceptional)

01-1
01-3
01-9
01-10*
01-11*
01-19*
02-7
02-14
02-17
03-2
03-3*
03-4
03-8*
03-9
03-17*
03-20*(one of the most epic music themes i have ever heard)
03-22
03-23*
04-2
04-18
04-21

@Roogle-i haven't beaten Revenant Wings but up to the point i played all the themes are FFXII reproductions (although they chose the best ones).

[Dragonsoul]

Nice!! 8-) I remember it from the Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings trailer! I've given 6 games 10/10 scores and two games 9.5/10 scores(FF IV and FF XII: RW), there are many rpg's I've given 9/10 scores to, Final Fantasy XII is one of them. I wish that the story(7/10) and characters(8/10) were a little bit better, then the game could have been ranked higher. For FF XII: RW, with some small improvements in the controls and the battle system, the game could be ranked 10/10. Final Fantasy IV is great also, I haven't played it for years but I'll be playing the DS version when it comes out.

I have a question for you. I have not played Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings yet. Does it recycle songs from the original game, remix songs from the original game, or feature an all-new soundtrack as in Final Fantasy X-2?

FF XII: RW took some songs from FF XII and readjusted them so they would play on the Nintendo DS. They are not remixed in a way that sounds real different, it's just that since the DS isn't as powerful as the PS 2, the sound team has to readjust the songs so they can play on the DS and still sound great. There are very few new songs, I think 5 or less, or maybe they aren't new I just didn't remember them being on FF XII.

It was pretty interesting to see which songs from FF XII were chosen to be used for ultimate sections of the game...

Opening Intro(before title screen): Final Fantasy ~FFXII Version~
Title Screen: The Prelude(this is the first half of "Loop Demo" from FF XII soundrack)
Load Screen: Time For A Rest
Opening Intro(after the title screen): The Phon Coast
Ring of Pacts: Eruyt Village
Lemures World Map: The Cerobi Steppe at first, later they change it another song which I think is a new great song!
Ivalice World Map: Theme of the Empire
Lesrekta World Map: I can't remember right now and I can't access that place to check right now
Eternity's March World Map: Abandoning Power
Menu Music: The Mosphoran Highwaste
Setup Screen Before Battles: This song I think is new, it's the second song that plays for the Lemures World Map
Airship Bridge: This might be a new song! I can't find it on the FF XII soundtrack!
Airship Sky Saloon: The Dalmasca Estersand
Intro before Final Battle: The Battle For Freedom
Final Battle Part 1: The Battle For Freedom
Final Battle Part 2: This song I think is new, it's the second song that plays for the Lemures World Map
Ending: Various songs, I can't list them now since I'd have to beat the game again and check for them

Most of the songs are from FF XII, and they are adjusted so that the DS can play them, which means some instruments are left out. The songs are not "remixed" they are just adjusted so the DS can play them, which means it doesn't contain everything the original FF XII version of the song has. As for the two songs I listed that I think are new, I wonder if they will be released somehow? Anyways, if somebody has a DS rom of FF XII: RW they can probably rip the songs as mp3's.

What is your thought?

The game was great! I suggest everybody play it if you like any rpg whatsoever. I'm still in shock over this game! I like it more than FF XII(9/10, which I liked more than Eternal Sonata[9/10]), and gave FF XII: RW a 9.5/10. But I finished recently FF Tactics for PSP and gave that 10/10. I'm not in shock though because I beat the game 10 years ago and I read the game script in 2006. FF Tactics I prefer over FF XII: RW a little bit but FF XII: RW is a fresh ultimate experience for me.

By the way, Alundra 1 is on track to get 9/10, it's great also!

[Roogle]

So, there are only about two songs that are completely independent from Final Fantasy XII? That sounds like a missed opportunity. I think that they should have spent a little bit more time on the music.

[Dragonsoul]

So, there are only about two songs that are completely independent from Final Fantasy XII?

Oh that's not what I meant. I was listing most of the important songs/locations for the game and showing what song they used. Of those ones I see only two new songs. There should be a few other new songs in other places, but probably 3 or less.

So FF XII: RW has probably 5 or less new songs. I like that they used the FF XII songs, but I wonder how I'd like it if they used only new songs, or if they used a bit more new songs.

I gave the FF XII soundtrack a 9/10. I give the FF XII: RW soundtrack a 9.5/10 because it has a higher percentage of great songs, since for FF XII: RW they chose the best songs to appear on the game.

Earlier I gave the soundtrack a 10/10 but it should really be a 9.5. I gave the game a 9/10 for Polish but it should be 9.5/10 I think. The only flaw in "Polish" was that you have to sell materials and/or buy them one at a time!

I want these new songs to be released somewhere! They should put out a piano collections and an orchestrated album for FF XII/FF XII: RW!