However, Uematsu wasn’t destined to stay on FFXIV forever. This isn’t a knock in any way against ARR, it’s just a testimony to how Uematsu’s music glued the first dozen entries of the Final Fantasy franchise together and gave them cohesion. Going back and listening through the 1.0 tracks, I can attest that they have that classic Final Fantasy sound even more than is present in A Realm Reborn.
And indeed, among some circles there was more excitement over Uematsu’s involvement over FFXIV 1.0 than enthusiasm for the game itself. Uematsu’s Final Fantasy XI soundtrack is remembered fondly by many players of that earlier MMORPG, and thus it seemed quite fitting that the man would return to give Final Fantasy XIV that same seal of quality. Uematsu’s work on the Final Fantasy franchise stretched all the way back to the 1987 original, and for many fans, it was unthinkable to have a Final Fantasy title without his score driving the audio. Its soundtrack… disappeared.Īrguably, the best feature of FFXIV 1.0 was its soundtrack, which was created by acclaimed series composer Nobuo Uematsu. Yet during this rebirth something vital was lost. Play Final Fantasy XIV This was a better idea, and so it launched to great acclaim with history holding it up as one of the great comeback stories of the MMO genre.