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ZaziGuado 11/14/19 10:37:16 PM #1: |
If pressed, I normally say FFX is my favorite game. About 10 years ago I ranked the Final Fantasy X OST. Ever since the HD Remaster came out with almost all the tracks rearranged, I've always wanted to do the ranking again with the HD Remaster OST. A few months ago, my wife played FFX for the first time via the HD Remaster, and that sparked my desire to do something involving FFX again (other previous projects included a tournament to determine the best blitzball player (I don't remember who won, but Argai was "our guy" and the star of the show) as well as Save My FFX Moment which I remember fondly because many fine folks helped me keep it running).
Fast forward to three nights ago and I decided to just dive in and do it. I've made a list while listening to the HD Remaster via a playlist on Youtube (thanks genodennis!), checked it twice (kinda), and am ready to shoot some writeups from the hip. A note: these writeups will be rather informal and ignorant of the instrumentation involved in the songs because my knowledge of musical composition is minimal and I also don't want this project to loom over me for too long. I'm a lot busier than I was 10 years ago. Basically what I'm saying is there's a chance I ramble during these writeups and might be wrong about how the music is made and I'm going to apologize now. Don't expect masterful prose because I'm doing this to prove to myself that I can still start a project like this and complete it. Luckily the purge rate is not what it once was and I can not get discouraged by potential purging of the topic. So yeah. I'm going to try and pump out a writeup or three tonight before going out of town for the weekend. Hopefully when I get back people will have tagged. I'd love to see predictions for the top 10. I'll list the songs I'm ranking in the next post. There will be 77 songs ranked. I've sorted them into 7 Tiers (this is subject to change as I write and spend more time listening to the songs, especially near the top). Here is how many songs are in each tier: (from least favorite to most favorite) Tier Seven - 8 songs Tier Six - 18 songs Tier Five - 19 songs Tier Four - 6 songs Tier Three - 9 songs Tier Two - 12 songs Tier One - 5 songs Lastly, there will be unmarked spoilers in this topic. If you have not played FFX and wish to not know events that occur during the game, please tread carefully or not at all. --- snowpork Zazi is OP. ... Copied to Clipboard!
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ZaziGuado 11/14/19 10:38:16 PM #2: |
The Final Fantasy X HD Remaster OST
To Zanarkand Prelude Tiduss Theme Otherworld Run!! This Is Your Story Creep Battle Theme Game Over Out of the Frying Pan Leap in the Dark Underwater Ruins Oui Are Al Bhed Enemy Attack The Blitzers Besaid Spira Unplugged Hymn of the Fayth Phantoms The Trials The Summoning Braskas Daughter Yunas Theme Movement in Green The Sending Calm Before the Storm Luca Grand Maester Mika Decision on the Dock The Splendid Performance Face-Off Blitz Off Aurons Theme Miihen Highroad Chocobo Jam The Travel Agency They May Pass Seymours Theme Twilight Djose Temple Ridess the Shoopuf? Rikkus Theme Guadosalam Thunder Plains Jechts Theme Macalania Woods The Void The Temple Band Seymours Ambition Pursuit The Burning Sands Peril The Truth Revealed Launch The Wedding Assault Tragedy Believe Via Purifico Moment of Truth Patricide Suteki Da Ne Yunas Decision Lulus Theme Bravely Forward Servants of the Mountain Wandering Someday This Dream Will End Challenge Beyond the Darkness Gloom The Unsent Laugh Fight With Seymour A Contest of Aeons Final Battle Ending Theme --- snowpork Zazi is OP. ... Copied to Clipboard!
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ZaziGuado 11/14/19 11:13:17 PM #3: |
Tier 7 -- The Background Noise Tier
I feel the same about most of these songs. They mostly provide ambiance during a scene and mostly go unnoticed by me. 77. Twilight https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pY7T_1n8RKU&list=PLldNgdLVBzhJWkMcKMwFFLr3wt81f_o4I&index=44 Somethings gotta finish at the bottom, and it may as well be Twilight. This may have finished last in the first ranking I did as well. It was that, or another song that finds itself in this tier. The context for this song is mainly the flashback's that Tidus has, especially early on in the game. It doesn't do much in the way of melody. The most notable thing is a bell that chimes in the distance from time to time. I can't say I hate it. I can't say that about any song on the FFX OST. What I can say is that it's the easiest to ignore. That's mainly why it is last on the list. 76. The Void https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roiKotjSXmA&list=PLldNgdLVBzhJWkMcKMwFFLr3wt81f_o4I&index=53 The FFX Wiki that I'm using to remember what the context for each song is tells me this plays when Rikku reveals to Wakka that she is Al Bhed. I...do not remember that being the case. I remember this playing when the gang falls below ice under Macalania Temple. To be fair, the could be when Rikku does reveal this fact to Wakka (I honestly don't remember the exact time she does this), but it's odd to use that as the description and not just the location. Anyways, ambiance. Honestly, this track is probably more interesting than a couple of the ones above it, but in the bottom tier I'm not going to bother trying to create an exact order. It's got an industrial sound and the metallic clanging in the background is interesting enough. The misty exhales also give it that icy feel so I'd say it's good for what I perceive the context to be. Again, I don't hate any song on this soundtrack. A lot of them are just stay in the background for me until I'm forced to try and conjure up words about them. 75. The Temple Players https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRfeWRV7unA&list=PLldNgdLVBzhJWkMcKMwFFLr3wt81f_o4I&index=54 Context here is Macalania Temple. The track is named after the three instrument wielding humanoids who are playing off to the side a bit. I like them. I enjoy the visual I get of the drum belly player while listening to this track. He's the real star of this show. I like to thing he has cymbals too. It'd be neat if every instrument used in the track was represented on the three musicians. One of the players has a harp and I don't hear a harp in this track at all. Anyways, it has a bit of a regal important sound, but also sounds foreboding which is good for this point in the game. --- snowpork Zazi is OP. ... Copied to Clipboard!
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MZero11 11/14/19 11:25:18 PM #4: |
Tag so hard
--- MZero, to the extreme Listen to Advokaiser's bracket, this may be our last chance ... Copied to Clipboard!
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ZaziGuado 11/14/19 11:46:25 PM #5: |
74. Creep
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsDIgJZxKvc&list=PLldNgdLVBzhJWkMcKMwFFLr3wt81f_o4I&index=8 Context: Baaj Temple More of that misty humming here coupled with more clanging in the background. This track also throws in a bit of bubbling. Honestly, I think all the ambiance songs were done a great service by the rearrangements for the HD Remaster. I dont remember hearing each detail so clearly before. As I get further into this list, I plan on taking more time to weigh the difference between the original and HD Remaster versions of tracks, but I just wanted to take a moment here to acknowledge the overall good job the HD Remaster does. This track is good for a desolate and mysterious place like Baaj Temple. 73. Underwater Ruins https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09zgMBrZQE4&list=PLldNgdLVBzhJWkMcKMwFFLr3wt81f_o4I&index=15&t=0s This plays during the excavation of the underwater ruins by Tidus and Rikku. Its okay. If I were being more nitpicky, Id probably drop this a couple of spots. Im having trouble mustering anything more to say about it. Its a theme for underwater ruins named underwater ruins and when I hear it I think of underwater ruins. That means its doing its job and I respect that. 72. The Wedding https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XaJ1qogDsg&list=PLldNgdLVBzhJWkMcKMwFFLr3wt81f_o4I&index=63&t=0s Context: During the ceremony of the doomed-from-the-start wedding of Yuna and Seymour This track doesnt sound happy or joyous at all. Its also very short and should be lower on this list, but the Tier 7 caveat continues to apply. Its a melancholy tune which does a good job of telling us how nobody truly in the know wants this to be happening. 71. They May Pass https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_UhwPnpcto&list=PLldNgdLVBzhJWkMcKMwFFLr3wt81f_o4I&index=43&t=0s Context: Seymour is telling the guards at the end of the Miihen Highroad to let Yuna and Co. through the gate towards the super important operation. My favorite part about this is when Seymour tells the Wakka to pretend he isnt doing what he is doing which is the first outward hey this Maester Seymour is really not a very trustworthy fellow. If Twilight wasnt the lowest song from the ten years prior ranking, it was They May Pass. I think the little jingle at the end of this is what pushed it this high in the tier for me this time. Im not sure if that part was in the original OST arrangement. Couldve been. Either way, this is the first hint we get of Seymours theme with its shrill strings that make us all kinds of uncomfortable. A good foreshadowing piece. 70. Tragedy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfpkhwUJtyw&list=PLldNgdLVBzhJWkMcKMwFFLr3wt81f_o4I&index=64 Apparently this track plays when Seymour kisses Yuna at the wedding, in which case its an aptly named track am I right? I also assume its playing throughout the scene leading up to that moment. Its a solemn wedding theme filled with hopelessness as our heroes are forced to watch the conclusion of Yuna and Seymours wedding. Like all the tracks below it as we finish up this necessary first tier, it does its job well and Im happy it exists. --- snowpork Zazi is OP. ... Copied to Clipboard!
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ZaziGuado 11/14/19 11:48:11 PM #6: |
With the first tier out of the way, I'll start plugging away at the next tier on either Sunday or Monday. Thank you for your patronage.
--- snowpork Zazi is OP. ... Copied to Clipboard!
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KingButz 11/15/19 8:25:11 AM #7: |
Tag
--- rip imgcake ... Copied to Clipboard!
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guffguy89 11/15/19 9:01:34 AM #8: |
I just wasted a half hour last night listening to different versions of the hymn of the fayth after seeing the first post of this topic. Thanks alot!
--- Don't mind me. I'm just here for the contest. ... Copied to Clipboard!
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ZaziGuado 11/18/19 6:29:14 PM #9: |
Tier 6 -- The Mostly Melancholy or Panicky Tier
A lot of these tracks offer themes of unease. Not all of them, but most of them. 69. Peril https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H93A879EJlA&list=PLldNgdLVBzhJWkMcKMwFFLr3wt81f_o4I&index=60&t=0s Peril is most notably played during the Guado attack on the Al Bhed Home. The reason its most notable there is because theres a guy screaming over the loudspeaker what sounds like Im annoying, huh!? over and over and over and over. Ill be honest, as much Stockholm Syndrome enjoyment I get out of that, I docked the track points for it. It also plays during the Sinspawn Gui battle and other parts. This track actually wasnt rearranged for the HD Remaster, which is a pity. I think there was some potential here, especially during the slower buildup parts. As is, its just a barrage of percussion and horns. It should be commended for its panicky feel, but I dont find it more interesting than anything above it. 68. Gloom https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-3HVXUT9xQ&list=PLldNgdLVBzhJWkMcKMwFFLr3wt81f_o4I&index=82 Context: Omega Ruins most notably. The new arrangement doesnt do really anything interesting as compared to the original. Considering Gloom was almost assuredly low on the original OST list, its only natural it would find itself low again. The Remaster arrangement is definitely less abrasive and more polished than the original, so thats a positive. This track is also an interesting take on the theme of darkness, offering a more bumping (in the night) theme that I can appreciate. 67. Believe https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FPwlKfPyDk&list=PLldNgdLVBzhJWkMcKMwFFLr3wt81f_o4I&index=65 Context: Yuna is jumping off a building in Bevelle A shorty but a fairly goody, though I always found the scene a bit goofy. Its not like summoning Valefor was a huge surprise. Its a flying Aeon that Yunas had from the very beginning and if she didnt summon Valefor well then maybe Id have to question her abilities as a summoner. I could be missing a larger point to it all, like its a sign of the amount of trust she has in the power of the Aeons. The buildup is fine, but the star here is the triumphant horns at the climax of the song. On that end, the new arrangement has better horns. They do more to separate from the background and stand out. Theres also a slight hint of a song higher on this list that is much appreciated. --- snowpork Zazi is OP. ... Copied to Clipboard!
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Anagram 11/18/19 6:29:51 PM #10: |
Tag
--- Not changing this sig until I decide to change this sig. Started: July 6, 2005 ... Copied to Clipboard!
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ZaziGuado 11/21/19 10:05:15 PM #11: |
It's been a busy week, but here's a quick write up to keep up even the tiniest bit of momentum.
66. Djose Temple https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UrbUpnQBik&list=PLldNgdLVBzhJWkMcKMwFFLr3wt81f_o4I&index=45 Context: Djose Temple This track starts off very uninspiring, but once it starts playing Bop-It and the melody kicks in, its more memorable. The Djose Temple theme gives me strong FFIX vibes, and I wouldnt bat an eye if I was told this was a track cut from the FFIX OST. The pulsating melody is interesting enough, but it cuts in and out between that and the opening too often and feels a little disjointed. This track wasnt rearranged from the original OST, and thats a bummer because like Peril Id love to have seen what could have been done to elevate it and make it more interesting. As it stands, I dont hate it but its pretty unremarkable in my mind. --- snowpork Zazi is OP. ... Copied to Clipboard!
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Lockes Ragnarok 11/22/19 8:53:32 AM #12: |
This brings me back. Tag
--- DpOblivion won the guru contest ... Copied to Clipboard!
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ZaziGuado 11/27/19 8:56:46 PM #13: |
I'm going to bump this just to remind myself to get back at it over the weekend.
--- snowpork Zazi is OP. ... Copied to Clipboard!
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ZaziGuado 12/01/19 3:03:36 PM #14: |
More bad writeups, ho!
66. Decision on the Dock https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=584XzVXQmJE&list=PLldNgdLVBzhJWkMcKMwFFLr3wt81f_o4I&index=35&t=0s Context: Blitzball menu and other points during the game Decision on the Dock is basically a drumline, which isnt a bad thing. There arent many differences between the new arrangement and the old one aside from a tiny bit of polish. This track is more of a framing piece than anything that gets much attentive listening. I enjoy it for what it is, which is a good thing considering its one of the most heard tracks in the game if you are a lover of blitzball such as myself. 65. Macalania Woods https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaGn3dxy_uo&list=PLldNgdLVBzhJWkMcKMwFFLr3wt81f_o4I&index=52 Context: The song that plays while you are roaming Macalania Woods This is a track I wish I liked more, because themes meant to convey a forest always seem to work for me. However, this one doesnt do it for me. I think its the pulsing instrumentation that sets the pace of the song. Rather than provide a soft tone, it discomforts me slightly. Perhaps thats intentional. I will say it does capture the mysticism of Macalania Woods, though.This is another track that was left as is for the Remaster, so theres nothing else there for me to latch onto other than what Ive already heard many times before. 64.Reception fo Grand Maester Mikat https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKkl9XxUCyc&list=PLldNgdLVBzhJWkMcKMwFFLr3wt81f_o4I&index=33 Context: Grand Maester Mika arriving at Luca Docks for the start of the Blitzball season This track provides an entrance fit for a Grand Maester with drums and horns and that pomp and circumstance giving it a parade-like feel at times. This rearrangement of the track does a good job of making the instruments more cohesive unlike the original where they seemed to be competing for the listeners attention. The layering of the horns and strings and other bits and bobbles jumping in and out is well done and makes for an interesting piece when you stop to examine it, albeit unmemorable when compared to the rest of the OST. --- snowpork Zazi is OP. ... Copied to Clipboard!
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Maniac64 12/01/19 5:34:16 PM #15: |
I'd put the blitzball menu higher just for the fact that I sont get tired of it given how much I hear it
--- "Hope is allowed to be stupid, unwise, and naive." ~Sir Chris ... Copied to Clipboard!
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ZaziGuado 12/01/19 5:41:22 PM #16: |
I can agree with that frame of mind. I think since I was taking an initially more active approach to listening to these songs, it was easy for Decision on the Dock to slide down the list since it's very one note.
--- snowpork Zazi is OP. ... Copied to Clipboard!
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Maniac64 12/01/19 7:44:35 PM #17: |
Yeah that's true.
--- "Hope is allowed to be stupid, unwise, and naive." ~Sir Chris ... Copied to Clipboard!
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ZaziGuado 12/11/19 8:38:22 AM #18: |
Bump to be safe
--- snowpork Zazi is OP. ... Copied to Clipboard!
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BlackDra90n 12/11/19 9:14:16 AM #19: |
... Copied to Clipboard!
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