We know the soundtrack for Final Fantasy the games tend to be quite extraordinary. The themes are woven throughout and the artistry is undeniable. This is especially true when it comes to Masayoshi Soken’s work on FFXIV. But there’s an even better way to see how well-crafted such pieces are. That’s when they work both in and out of the game. In the case of Endwalker: Original Soundtrack FFXIVthat’s especially true of its music.
Throughout FFXIV Endwalker expansive, background music perfectly suited to the immediate situation. “Tower of Zot” is amazing at setting the pace and tone of the dungeon. “Echo in Distance” by Ultima Thule, “Near in Distance (Instrument)” and “Near in Distance” accumulate each other at key moments. Songs like “The Ewer Brimmeth” and “The Nautilus Knoweth” convey a sense of an island nation, as well as a nation with a scholarly history. The same goes for “Vibrant Voices” and “Perfumed Eves” by Radz-at-Han, which convey concepts of a desert oasis.
Even so, two of my favorites are the more contemporary hits “Home Beyond the Horizon,” “White Snow, Black Steel,” and “Black Steel, Cold Embers” by Garlemald. They are more contemporary themes. Each one fits the world of FFXIV and other tones and themes crafted by Souken. At the same time, they have a more melancholy feel and a more modern attribute that, for those who know the area, fits perfectly with the area. It was those tracks that first made me realize how far this latest soundtrack goes beyond the game. Maybe that’s how I feel they refer FFVI. For example, they remember “Mines of Narshe” and “Walk to Narshe” when I hear them.
But they are not the only ones. Of course, music with lyrics in FFXIV Endwalker Background music easily works outside the game. Tracks like “Endwalker – Footfalls,” “Flow Together,” “Close in the Distance,” and “eScape (Journeys)” all sound as realistic as what you might hear on the radio or when listed on a radio. services like Spotify. “Hic Svnt Leones” is suitable for the Pandæmonium raid as well as for everyday life.
But it’s also striking, when I listen to the background music myself outside of any game-related activity, how many instruments and other themes stand alone. For example, I entered BoxBoy! The Stuffed Box comes with a physical copy of three 3DS games, an amiibo, and a soundtrack with tracks from those titles. I love them. Really. But it’s very difficult to hear that music outside of the game, without context. That doesn’t happen here. How about you like the song “Happy Carrots”? It works fine outside of Smileton. Maybe the only things that might smell a little different outside of their respective regions are a few raid themes. For example, I don’t pay much attention to “Where Dæmons Abide” is when I’m not at the Pandaemonium Gate. But even then it’s still a musically enjoyable track overall.
That Endwalker: FFXIV Original Soundtrack performing well in so many situations is a testament to Soken’s talent. The music is captivating. Songs to suit every encounter, place, and situation throughout Endwalkerof the story. They link together, to make the themes within them more evocative and powerful. But what’s really special is the way they work outside of the experience. I find them just as enjoyable when reading the newspaper or as background music while playing other games in my living room as well as when I explore a place like Mare Lamentorum.
Final Fantasy XIV and it Endwalker Expansion is available for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and PC. The Endwalker: Original Soundtrack FFXIV Blu-ray be available now.
