[News] FINAL FANTASY XIII Composers Announced (Hamauzu / Shimomura)

FF13
Director: Motomu Toriyama
Character designer: Tetsuya Nomura
Art director: Isamu Kamikokuryo
Main programmer: Kazumi Kobayashi
Movie director: Eiji Fujii
Main theme: Nobuo Uematsu, SMILE PLEASE Co., LTD.
Composer: Masashi Hamauzu
Producer: Yoshinori Kitase

FFヴェルサス(Versus) 13
Director & Character designer: Tetsuya Nomura
Movie director: Takeshi Nozue
Composer: Yoko Shimomura
Producer: Shinji Hashimoto

I'm excited because with future-themed games, hopefully I'll hear more electronica from both of them.

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Shimomura ??... Oh yeah I heard it was the same team that did KH2, so her presence is not a real surprise.

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Thanks for this, Kaleb.

A little more information if anyone needs it, merely to clarify that these are two separate games that form a three-piece compilation:

Quote:

Big news today. Final Fantasy XIII was officially unveiled at Square Enix's pre-E3 news conference. The game, set to be more futuristic than all predecessors and intended for the PlayStation 3 console, will be directed by Final Fantasy X's Motomu Toriyama and feature character design from Tetsuya Nomura once again. It has been revealed that Masashi Hamauzu, the highly respected Square Enix composer who recently scored Dirge of Cerberus Final Fantasy VII, is producing the score. Nobuo Uematsu will be composing the main theme, like he did for the upcoming Final Fantasy XII Original Soundtrack. Hamauzu, who also produced several popular themes on the Final Fantasy X Original Soundtrack and worked on UNLIMITED: SaGa, is a diverse composer that has won critical acclaim, though it has yet to be seen whether the masses will consider him a worthy successor to Nobuo Uematsu.

However, that is not all. Two spinoffs for Final Fantasy XIII have been announced. One, Final Fantasy Agito XIII, is a mobile game that accompanies the main story of Final Fantasy XIII. The other, Final Fantasy Versus XIII, is an action-packed PlayStation 3 game. It will, rather surprisingly, be scored by Yoko Shimomura, the composer who has won popular praise for her work on the Kingdom Hearts series, Parasite Eve, and Legend of Mana. Together, the three titles are set to form the Fabula Nova Crystallis: Final Fantasy XIII, aka The New Tale Of The Crystal: Final Fantasy XIII, compilation.

This is, quite simply, excellent news. I'm curious to Yoko Shimomura's works, but CANNOT WAIT for Hamauzu's.

How ya doing, buddy?

Hmm, action-packed Shimomura...Here's hoping to see her in her kickass-Legend of Mana form again.

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This is good to hear. I've always been curious about what those two could create together.

I was speaking idiomatically.

(Technically, they won't be collaborating. They are working on two separate yet related projects.)

A little clip of the music, by the way:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxOJ3UL2peA

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

While I'm still hoping for a FF6 styled new gen FF with Amano designs, sci-fi themed FFs with Hamauzu and Shimomura as composers most likely means we'll get to hear more electronica from them. Which is terrific since I do like their eletronic works very much. More notably, I don't remember Shimomura doing a full-fledged eletronic soundtrack since Parasite Eve so this will be highly anticipated. And as with Goldfish, I think we might get to hear more rock from her. I am crossing my fingers that Hamauzu won't be too cinematic with the score. FF7: DoC was a bit too much for me. Another gripe: where's Nakano?!?!?

I was really hoping Amano would be doing character designs this time around. Guess he's either doing background or monster designs. Or *gasp* the title logo. I'm a bit curious about the spin-off thingy. The collection of FF7 must have been extremely well recieved, with fans clamouring for more. Wonder who will will be composing for the FF13 mobile game, if there's any new material.

Can't quite form concrete opinions about the music from the clip Mr. Maul posted. A bit muffled but it sounds alright in any case. Quite likely a Hamauzu piece or arrangement. And the clip's female character looks a bit too much like a cross between FF7's male lead and FF12's female lead. A bit disappointing. Also have this feeling the FF13 action spin-off will have lots and lots of Devil May Cry/Viewtiful Joe styled jumping...

FELIPE NO

I guess Sakimoto's XII music wasn't a big hit with the powers that be, eh?

I really wish that Uematsu would come back and do a whole FF. Squeenix should be able to offer him enough cash money to make it happen. At least they're sticking with relatively big names, rather than more obscure people.

Shimomura has my blessing, since she;s easily one of my favorite composers and I've enjoyed virtually all of her material. On the basis of the disappointing Dirge of Cerberus, though, I can't say I'm very enthusiastic about Hamauzu. Then again, I was never a huge fan of his pre-Dirge, but that meandering and themeless void doesn;t instill me with confidence.

Call me old-fashioned, but a Final Fantasy score needs to be big and bold, with coloful themes and sweeping orcestrations. Uematsu had the sound down to a science, but none of Hamauzu's work has convinced me that he is even capable of something like that.

Then again, I would have doubted Shimomura before she coughed up "Lengen of Mana" and "Kingdom Hearts." So who knows? It could turn out all right. But if I switch on my PS3 and hear droning industrial sound design or seven hours of piano solos, I won't be surprised.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Hamauzu is capable of being sweeping and daring, but it's just not his style. He is more interested in experimentation with harmony, melody, variations, etc. A lot of his work is very subtle, but he can be bombastic -- some pieces from Umlimited SaGa, for example. But his work on FFX and SaGa Frontier II is his own style, which is what I hope he sticks to.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

this is great news I'm a huge fan of both these composers but whats up with nakano I would have loved to see another collaboration with hamauzu

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Shimomura? Interesting pick...she's mainly done lighter stuff, she can be very evocative, but always very light.
Hamauzu? WOOHOO!!! I hope he sticks to his more colorful style. Still this is exciting, if not surprising news. Sakimoto...lol...

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The song they played in the FFXIII trailer was really good at the Sony conference. Sounds as high quality as his Unlimited SaGa works.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by DarknessTear

The song they played in the FFXIII trailer was really good at the Sony conference. Sounds as high quality as his Unlimited SaGa works.

Huzzah! Unlimited SaGa has quickly become one of my favorite OSTs.

I was speaking idiomatically.

And if it's anything like Unlimited Saga, I will be very, very disappointed. While I'm not a big fan of Sakimoto either, he at least always delivered good work when it came to Final Fantasy projects.
Hamauzu already had chance to proof himself with Dirge of Cerberus, and while this might have convinced Square Enix managment, it didn't convince me.

Yoko Shimomura on the other side, is good news. She's the only composer I see capable of not only replacing Uematsu but also his style.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Will the Junya Nakano be the sub composer?I don't think that Hamauzu will make the whole stuff.That's intesting It is still FFX music stuff,but this time Hamauzu is the leader composer not Uematsu

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by Teioh

Yoko Shimomura on the other side, is good news. She's the only composer I see capable of not only replacing Uematsu but also his style.

Shimomura only has one style. Xylophones and violins. Of course, I'm not saying she isn't awesome.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

If it turns out anything like Unlimited Saga, I will be elated. I love the Unlimited Saga soundtrack, it is one of my favorites.

Violins in videogames... Mmm.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by PiccoloNamek

If it turns out anything like Unlimited Saga, I will be elated. I love the Unlimited Saga soundtrack, it is one of my favorites.

Violins in videogames... Mmm.

http://www.gametrailers.com/download...20&type=wmv&f=

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by Teioh

And if it's anything like Unlimited Saga, I will be very, very disappointed...Hamauzu already had chance to proof himself with Dirge of Cerberus, and while this might have convinced Square Enix managment, it didn't convince me.

My thoughts exactly.

Unlimited SaGa had some great moments (the last battle), but its sound is simply not right for Final Fantasy, and neither is the other sort of aural experimentation evident in DoC.

Final Fantasy is like James Bond--there are certain traditions that should be adhered to. Innovation is possible, but go too far, and trouble ensues.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

One could say that such an attitude could stifle innovation and encourage stagnation.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by orion_mk3

My thoughts exactly.

Unlimited SaGa had some great moments (the last battle), but its sound is simply not right for Final Fantasy, and neither is the other sort of aural experimentation evident in DoC.

Final Fantasy is like James Bond--there are certain traditions that should be adhered to. Innovation is possible, but go too far, and trouble ensues.

I was referring to the sound quality. Don't take me so fucking literally, geez. It sounds a bit like Dirge which I DON'T really like, but I still have hopes for this one.

I was speaking idiomatically.

I'm expecting Hamauzu's style to be like FFX, which would be perfect.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

I don't think his work will be anything like Final Fantasy X. His outstanding works for me were things like Sight of Spira, Besaid Island and People of the North Pole, nothing scify. Of course I can't conclude anything from the theme of the game being somewhat modern. Even in FF VII or FFVIII, which were quite futuristic as well, there were a lot of locations that called for appropriate imaginative music.

Regarding Shimomura, I just find most of her works to be somewhat momentary. Very compelling while onstage, but virtually no "aftertrilling". That's why I'd rather listen to her works as a coherent album to catch some musical impressions while doing something else.

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by orion_mk3

I guess Sakimoto's XII music wasn't a big hit with the powers that be, eh?

They probably pick from their stable of composers based on the nature of the game. Sakimoto does the medieval stuff well.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

If Hamauzu does work like FFX, I will have nothing to complain about. I'm looking forward to hearing their work.

Jam it back in, in the dark.