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For my cash, probably the most fascinating features of a recreation’s creation is the composition and orchestration of its music. With Ultimate Fantasy, that’s doubly the case as a result of for me, and I think about for therefore many others, its soundtrack is one in every of its finest components. Be it lo-fi channels, new preparations, compilations, piano variations, or one thing else, Ultimate Fantasy music makes its manner into lots of my playlists.
That’s why I used to be so excited to talk with composer Masayoshi Soken about his rating for Ultimate Fantasy XVI. You would possibly acknowledge his identify as he’s additionally the composer of Ultimate Fantasy XIV. Nonetheless, in case you don’t, there’s an opportunity it’s a reputation you come to recollect following the discharge of FFXVI as a result of after spending greater than three hours of hands-on time with the sport in Sq. Enix’s Tokyo, Japan, workplace, I’m assured we’re about to get a banger of a rating.
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Ultimate Fantasy XVI Composer Masayoshi Soken
In speaking with Soken, I needed to talk to him about a few of the main themes and melodies of any Ultimate Fantasy recreation – issues just like the Prelude, the primary theme, the Victory Fanfare, and extra – and he had loads to say. On this four-part collection, I’ll be breaking down completely different features of the music that excite me and hopefully you too.
Be sure you try Half 1 right here first.
The Music of Ultimate Fantasy XVI Half 2 – Creating The Victory Fanfare
Very similar to the acquainted Ultimate Fantasy melody known as the Prelude (which you’ll be able to examine right here), the collection’ Victory Fanfare can also be a widely known jingle. And much like the Prelude, it shifts to match wherever it seems. Composed by famed Ultimate Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu for the unique 1987 launch of Ultimate Fantasy I, it has since appeared in practically each Ultimate Fantasy recreation. For those who don’t acknowledge its identify, there’s nonetheless a great probability you’re conversant in the melody.
Take a look at the Ultimate Fantasy Victory Fanfare beneath:
I used to be curious how Soken created a brand new Victory Fanfare for FFXVI. He’s accomplished it earlier than, and also you’ll hear it typically in FFXIV, however it resembles its traditional counterparts greater than anything – deep brass devices, some vibrant trumpets on prime, and a booming refrain laid calmly behind all of it to offer it that additional oomph of gravitas. His Victory Fanfare for FFXVI sounds aptly extra medieval and gothic. Not like FFXIV, the booming refrain does many of the melodic work with impactful percussion accenting it. It’s fairly completely different however becoming for the themes of revenge, struggle, and discovering oneself amongst all of it demonstrated within the recreation up to now.
Soken tells me that getting FFXVI’s Victory Fanfare to the place it’s at the moment comes from numerous studying via composing the music of FFXIV.
“As you recognize, I’m engaged on Ultimate Fantasy XIV as I work on Ultimate Fantasy XVI [and] have been engaged on Ultimate Fantasy XIV for a very long time,” Soken says. “And I realized so much by engaged on Ultimate Fantasy XIV and I realized numerous tips that I might do to make sure songs sound a sure manner. I form of stumbled upon that if I exploit extra male selection voices, [you get] a darker sound of the music.
“When having to create the Victory Fanfare for Ultimate Fantasy XVI, understanding that this was a darkish recreation, I instantly thought, ‘Okay, if I exploit a male choir, you’re going to get that sort of darkish, heavy sound and so I didn’t actually need to assume an excessive amount of about it as a result of it was simply one thing that got here to me from my previous expertise on Ultimate Fantasy XIV.”
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The Iron Kingdom of Valisthea
That mentioned, Soken reveals that creating the Victory Fanfare we’ll hear this June wasn’t really easy. He says his first draft was outright dangerous.
“The primary draft I made was completely horrible,” he tells me, laughing as he reminisces on it. “As a result of I needed it to be good, I feel I ended up engaged on it proper till grasp, and I feel I in all probability made about 30 completely different variations of the Fanfare.”
Proper earlier than grasp, although, which is recreation growth converse for the ultimate model of the sport that goes gold, Soken says he discovered the one which labored completely. That’s the one we’ll hear in-game this month. For those who’re a fan of Soken, you is perhaps stunned to study one thing he wrote is “completely horrible” as a result of, let’s simply name a spade a spade – his scores rule! However apparently, this course of isn’t uncommon. “It occurs so much,” he says.
One thing I discover particularly fascinating concerning the Victory Fanfare is that the refrain options lyrics, and FFXVI localization director (and one of many most important faces for the sport’s press to date) Michael-Christopher Koji Fox wrote most of them.
“I labored so much with the pinnacle of localization on 14 and now the localization director on Ultimate Fantasy XVI [Koji] – we labored collectively so much on creating numerous the tracks that I make,” Soken says. “And every time I determine to place a refrain in a track, I can at all times go to Koji and ask him to put in writing the lyrics for me. That’s what occurred on the fanfare as nicely.”
For extra concerning the recreation, head to Recreation Informer’s unique Ultimate Fantasy XVI protection hub by clicking the banner beneath.
Supply: Recreation Informer
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