Soundtrack Review I - FF T4HoL

Title: Final Fantasy Gaiden
International Title: Final Fantasy: 4 Heroes of Light
Artist: Naoshi Mizuta

Let's just start this off by saying that this has to be one of the oddest OST's I've ever reviewed. I have not yet heard a full hybrid OST for a game, and this was a first. I am pleased at how it all sounds. (Please note that this will be my shortest review to date, as the tracks are meant to be short.)

Formatting: Digital Orchestra/8-bit Instruments

Combining the best of both modern and retro gaming is very difficult to do, but Naoshi Mizuta seems to have taken a page from Nobuo Uematsu's book on "How to Score a Final Fantasy" and made it work. There are obvious points where the instruments are straight from the old Famicom/NES days, and they are intermixed successfully with the more modern instrument samples to make a truly beautiful sound for the game's (somewhat limited) setting.

Number of Tracks: 41
Number of Discs: 1

Right from the get go, the game's score takes you back to the times when score was limited by the intruments that you had. There aren't any overly specialized choirs. No full orchestra. In fact, the score is most reminiscent of the first 3 Final Fantasy Titles (And I mean in the original Japanese continuity, not the International). This is especially evident on Track 9 "Cave of Wraiths", which bears more than just a passing resemblance to Final Fantasy III's "Cave".

However, it is nice to find a reference to another genre of games in the music all together. Track 30 "Cursed Town" sounds like a primitive version of the intro of "Theme of Laura" from the Silent Hill series. (Which was a nice touch in my honest opinion).

However, it is slightly disappointing that the iconic "Prelude" is nowhere to be heard on the soundtrack. I'm not sure if the composer was told that this was intended as a reboot, but the absence of the piece is highly evident (and saddening).

On to the soundfont.

The soundfont seems like the older Yamaha synthesizers were used for this (You know, the ones that they did away with after Final Fantasy VIII was released?). So the soundtrack is more like an older Final Fantasy in the sound department.

Many of the tracks even make use of the older NES/Famicom sounds as major instruments. This combination puts the soundtrack closer (however) to the SNES/Super Famicom titles than anything else. Overall, a good listen, especially if you have played/are playing the game.

Scores:
Originality: 10/10
The score is completely original, deviating from anything heard in prior Final Fantasy titles to the point that minor similarities seem to have been put in to remind the fanbase of the series' roots.

Sound: 8/10
The return of the 8-bit instruments is nice, but there could have been more music that featured them to the fullest.

Overall Score: 9/10
This has to be the best FF soundtrack that I've heard in a while. I'm looking forward to where the series goes in the future.