[Album] FINAL FANTASY XII Original Soundtrack (SVWC-7351~54)

The thing with Sakimoto is that all his works usually shine really well upon closer inspection. It's really easy to find them unmemorable at first, because they're not exactly melodically pronounced, but familiarity can be really revealing. I remember listening to FFTA, Soukyugurentai, and Sword Maniac at first, often regarded as his worst soundtrack releases, and not being impressed, yet then one day, for each and every one of them, it clicked; I fell in love with them and decided to review them all in some detail. Given these were his least remarkable works, imagine what digesting the giants -- BoFV, VS, FFT, and Legaia Duel Saga -- did for me. His work is very hard to digest in large amounts, but the intricacy in all his individual compositions is unparalleled and his phrasing is simply delicious.

I haven't dared to listen to FFXII all the way through in one sitting yet, simply because I know that I won't take it all in and won't appreciate it initially. Yet, I'm digesting it, part-by-part, having now completed numerous listens of the first disc, and am slowly falling in love with the score. I can't exactly say that this slow but steady approach will work for everyone, but Sakimoto's music is remarkable and great, just not immediately appreciable.

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Originally Posted by Kaleb.G

I just wanted to point out that the full version of Symphonic Poem "Hope" actually plays during the ending credits for the game (just watched my friend beat the game earlier today). The 4th movement is hard to mistake, so I know it's not just the PV ver. Would it have killed the OST producers to use 4 more minutes (of which was in fact available) to fit the entire thing on? I know this is likely because of the single, but it seems stupid to have a 4-disc OST and not include one of the game's hi-light songs.

I basically agree with you, though I guess those that bought Symphonic Poem "Hope" would have been mighty peeved if the full thing turned up on the FFXII OST after all. Partly commercialism, but also probably intended to avoid provoking a backlash of some kind.

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I agree with you. Usually I appreciate certain soundtrack after listening them twice (DoC, Unlimited Saga). I guess you couldn't treat Sakimoto's work as melodious as Uematsu. I'm sure I will appreciate this soundtrack later as the time being, after listening for two or three times.

It takes me a lot longer than two listens to really begin to appreciate a Sakimoto soundtrack, but I'm glad you basically agree. I hope you warm to it.

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Apparently, most of the technical work on the soundtrack was done at Hitoshi Sakimoto's home, not a recording studio. He apologises because of the additional noises (not too evident, IMO) in the liner notes.

Overall, I thought Keiji Kawamori did a good job with the synth and definitely seems to have a great future ahead of him (as bassist, arranger, and composer too). Excluding Dirge of Cerberus, I'd say the synth is the best of any Final Fantasy score, though I agree the string samples are a little weak.

The in-game synth is a regression relative to the score, which is remastered. Because Hitoshi Sakimoto's work is so complex, it was impossible to implement it in its finest form in a PlayStation 2 score. Though some will disagree with me, I'd simply love to hear a pre-recorded full-orchestral Sakimoto soundtrack one day.

Still digesting the soundtrack... It's definitely been 'yummy' so far.

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