Favorite Final Fantasy Piano Collection

I have basically four nominees for this: VII, VIII, X, X-2. VII was the reform, the catharsis that finally came and was less than a positive surprise, but all that I could wish from Hamaguchi. VIII is just a standard to which I compare the rest. It just flows so well and the songs work really well as piano pieces. Silence and Motion is the best pianified FF track there is. X featured the brilliant arranger pen of Hamauzu, and he gave life to the uninspired melodies Uematsu conjured for the game. X-2 was just... completely different, and good in its own way.

I have to hand it to X this time, though. The reason being: it's a good piano album. With mediocre originals Hamauzu creates something magical, which is something he was unable to perform in XIII while transmogrifying his own tracks only. It didn't feel that special anymore.

The first three are just pure crap as arrange albums, even the player manages to underachieve. Though the original music was especially top of the crop in V and VI, so therefore this message gives both roses and a lump of coal to Hamaguchi.

How ya doing, buddy?