It has been more than a decade since Final Fantasy XIV was released in August 2013. This classic MMORPG game is still very popular after all these years.
There may be many reasons for this, including the wonderful plot, huge maps, diverse professions, high degree of freedom and just the right music. These excellent musics was contributed by Nobuo Uematsu, Masayoshi Soken and Naoshi Mizuta, including several other composers.
Emotional Enhancement
In FFXIV, the music sets off the plot to the extreme, when the player plays Warrior of Light and enters Shadowbringers to complete the task.
Seeing the tragic scene of Tesleen Stoneplowe turning into a sin eater to protect the child, accompanied by the melody of To Fire and Sword further enhances the player’s emotional experience.
There are many other behaviors in the game that use music to further enhance the atmosphere at the climax, which fully mobilizes the emotions of the players and makes them feel excited when experiencing the plot.
And this is the core role of FF14 music in the game: using notes as the soul of the narrative master.
Scene Connection
There are maps of different styles in Final Fantasy14, and each map has a different soundtrack to fit the theme of the map.
In Dohn Mheg, the settlement of Pixies, a place full of fairy tale elements, you will hear Fiction, which is mainly composed of woodwind and string music.
When you arrive at The Tempest, you will hear a depressing melody: Mortal Instants, which conveys a sense of despair of the demise of civilization.
When the player arrives at Ultima Thule, Echoes in the Distance sounds, and the music expresses the protagonist’s blurred consciousness and the feeling of falling into nothingness.
This kind of music that is highly compatible with the scene is everywhere in the game, and FFXIV has also pioneered the dynamic narrative of MMO environmental music through the integration of carefully crafted music and scenes.
Excellent music adds to the players’ immersive feeling and makes the players’ gaming experience better.
Music Production
Masayoshi Soken, one of the music producers of Final Fantasy XIV, shared the process of making music in some interviews.
He said that when making music, he would not regard music as a separate part, but as an important part of the game, and create music that is more in line with the scene and emotions by experiencing the emotions expressed by each character in the actual performance.
It is such a rigorous attitude that can create such a charming work. FFXIV has excellent music, which is an indispensable reason for the success of this game.
Common Bond
FF14 made the music in the game into an album for sale. From the music of the album, it seems that the classic plot in the game can be seen again.
When time passes and memories are blurred, music seems to become a bond that makes players think about the happy times in the game.
White Stone Black was played at FINAL FANTASY XIV Fan Festival 2024 held at Tokyo Dome. Players in the audience raised their light sticks, as if bringing Pandaemonium to reality.
Now when you log in to FF14 again, you can feel that this is not just a game, but also a memory built with music. New melodies will also be played, and players will embark on the next adventure together.