Composer Hitoshi Sakimoto - Main Hayato Matsuo Masaharu Iwata Nobuo Uematsu Tarô Hakase Yuji Toriyama Arranger Hitoshi Sakimoto - Main Hayato Matsuo Kenichiro Fukui Yuji Toriyama Robin Smith Publisher Square Enix

   With the Final Fantasy XII OST, the musical reigns of Square Enix's flagship series have been handed over from Nobuo Uematsu to Hitoshi Sakimoto. For some, this change is a welcome one, for others a disappointment. While Sakimoto takes the lead on this work, he is joined by Hayato Matsuo, Masaharu Iwata, and to a lesser extent Nobuo Uematsu, Tarô Hakase, and Yuji Toriyama. Uematsu is not completely out of the picture as he composed the main vocal theme of Final Fantasy XII, "Kiss Me Good-Bye."

   Final Fantasy XII's 100 track offering is one of the grandest of the series. Many of the tracks sound as if they have come straight out of a movie score, not a video game soundtrack. Sakimoto's style is larger than life throughout most of the soundtrack, and it comes together quite well. One minor problem seems to be with the lack of many standout tracks. While most all of the pieces are pleasant, few seem to reach out and grab the listener. Also the fact that there is no recurring theme to tie things together is a minor downfall. Every piece stands on its own, and while this is not completely a bad thing, the soundtrack does lack a cohesive structure.

   Though this soundtrack is mainly Sakimoto's work, he does give quite a few nods to Uematsu and his earlier Final Fantasy pieces. Sakimoto has composed his own variation of the main theme titled "Final Fantasy." This piece is grand and flowing, especially compared to the original style of the piece. Other newly composed tracks are "Chocobo" and "Clash of the Big Bridge." While "Chocobo" is decent and well paced, it is "Clash on the Big Bridge" that truly stands out. This piece was originally an impressive track on the Final Fantasy V soundtrack; on this soundtrack it shines as well, being one of the most memorable.

   The quality of the soundtrack is not limited to just new compositions of Uematsu's music. Sakimoto has created quite a few unique pieces of his own. "Clash of Swords" is impressive. It's a very moving, intense piece with an original feel. Some other decent tracks are the mysterious "The Sandsea" and the fast-paced "The Phon Coast." While these tracks are good musically, they are easily forgettable, especially outside of the game. The soundtrack is a bit short on slower tracks, with the song "Kiss Me Good-Bye" standing out as one of the only emotional tracks. Hayato Matsuo, Masaharu Iwata, Tarô Hakase, and Yuji Toriyama all add a little something to the soundtrack, but the only track of note is "Symphonic Poem 'Hope'." This was featured in both the Japanese and North American game trailer and is quite enjoyable.

   Final Fantasy XII's soundtrack is quite good, but is better when listened to within the context of the game or as a whole, since so few tracks shine above the rest. Overall, Sakimoto's first attempt at composing and arranging a main series Final Fantasy soundtrack has been a success. It may not be the most memorable work out there, but it comes together as a solid soundtrack. It is one that is worthy of the Final Fantasy name.

Musicianship Sound Quality Production Value OVERALL 4.0/5