Written by Kevin Sung

It's a very sad fact indeed that Final Fantasy fans often bash the music of the so-called system pioneers. Final Fantasy VII's music was deemed by many as "horrendous" because of a few instrumentation problems. In other words, there was need for much fine tuning (assorted jinks and problems were eventually worked out in the titles that succeeded each respective title). In that same manner, Final Fantasy IV's soundtrack is also heavily criticized. Many denounce the album's "muffled sounds" and overuse and emphasis on bass. Of course, if the tunes are catchy or able to trigger our emotions, one can overlook the quality of the tracks. Besides, the game was an early SNES title. How can one expect it to sound like something from the Playstation era?

The funny thing about that rhetorical question is the irony. Final Fantasy IV's music, along with V and VI, do, in fact, stand up to their PSX offspring. As dated as the music sounds, Final Fantasy VI's tunes are original and, for lack of better words, charming. In fact, if the album was compared to another OST, such as Final Fantasy IX's, without taking into account the multiple CDs, one would find it very hard to put one album's greatness over the other.

1 - The Prelude: 8.0/10
This is the song that is played as the game loads up and in the crystal rooms. As a result, it is often referred to as the Crystal Theme. It's appeared in every Final Fantasy in one place or another and is soothing… but there are better tracks.

2 - The Red Wings: 9.8
What can I say, this is a great song. It reminded me of the songs that bands play at football games to get the fans all charged up. That is exactly what it did to me; it charged me up. This song is heard in the intro sequence and I must admit, fits perfectly with the loyal, but ultimately misguided mission of the Red Wings in the game.

3 - Kingdom Baron: 6.0
Er… this song can get annoying… but that's just my opinion. Especially after hearing the previous track, I was expecting something a little faster paced. Instead, it's a moody piece that starts like some sort of marching band. It's not a bad track; it's just not the kind of song that really pulls you in if you're not visually stimulated as well.

4 - Theme of Love: 8.8
Rosa's theme is light and delicate, like her character. You can almost feel the love.

5 - The Prologue: 8.5
I believe that FFIV is the game that used this song the most. It's used in the intro, the ending, and even during part of the final battle. This is the theme song of the Final Fantasy series, and here it is in its purest and least altered form. I actually prefer this version over the later incarnations. It sounds like a horde of trumpets sending heroes off to a great adventure.

6 - Welcome to Our Town!: 8.6
This is what you hear in most, if not all, of the towns in the game. It's a sweet little song and it's catchy too!

7 - Main Theme: 9.1
Out of all the songs in the game, this is probably the one heard the most, and it's probably a good thing too. This is the world map theme, and among the best in the series. I would really like to hear an orchestrated version of this.

8 - Fight: 8.8
You may hate the random encounters, but at least the music isn't half bad. But compared to some of the later battle songs, it's not that great either. Sure, it's doesn't give you the desire to really bash the monsters good, but the good news is it gets the job done. The trumpet is the highlight of the track. In fact, it's probably the only thing you hear. 

9 - Fanfare: 7.7
Wow! It's the victory music.

10 - Hello! Big Chocobo!: 7.0
The tuba and drums make this a pretty unique track. I think it's meant to convey the overall bulkiness and largeness of the Fat Chocobo found in the forests. The song gets its message across fairly well, but that doesn't mean it's good. Besides, it repeats itself too many times.

11 - Chocobo-Chocobo: 7.9
The xylophone and some sort of brass instrument dominate this track. It is the song that is heard when riding the chocobos. It's pretty much unchanged from previous versions of the song so it's not exactly unique. Can you say recycled?

12 - Into the Darkness: 9.4
Ah! Finally! This has to be one of my most adored dungeon themes. Why do they call it dungeon music anyway? Mostly heard while the party explores caves and old water tunnels, this song has a very mysterious air to it. It's also quite dark and foreboding. It is very hard to describe.

13 - Fight 2: 9.7
Boss battles are always the highlights of Final Fantasy soundtracks and Final Fantasy IV is no exception. It starts with the traditional battle opening and marches on into a fast paced frenzy. I mean frenzy in a good way because this is indeed a rush! I just love how the song kind of winds itself up and then winds itself back down halfway. It's just a really well done track. Bravo, Uematsu!

14 - Ring of Bomb: 8.0
Played when bad things happen, such as the burning of a certain town (spoiler free?) or explosions and enemy attacks, this track gives the feeling of helplessness. It's true too! When bad things happen, the heroes are usually helpless and can do nothing more than fight.

15 - Rydia: 8.9
I gave this track a .1 score over Rosa's theme simply because I liked it better. I mean, it's basically the same style of song but while "Theme of Love" was all about frailty and dependence, "Rydia" was more on the side of sweetness and gentleness. It made me want to cry.

16 - Castle Damcyan: 8.2
Depression… Loneliness… Uselessness… these are words that describe the mood of this song. After "Rydia," I was hoping for some fun tunes. Instead, I get this sad piece. It's actually even more depressing in the game because a lot of people die needlessly. This song is usually played in places that have been razed and plundered as a result of war. Grr…

17 - Cry in Sorrow: 8.5
Things go even more downhill. This is the sadness theme of Final Fantasy IV. There's always an overly sad song in every Final Fantasy game that's played after ultra-depressing events like the destruction of a world or the untimely, irreversible death of a party member. In FFV, it was "The Day Will Come" and in FFVI, it was "Forever Rachel." Here, it's "Cry in Sorrow."

18 - Melody of Lute: 7.9
I guess this can be considered Prince Edward's theme. It's a very nice, if not a bit simple, tune that captures his love for the little insignificant things in life. Edward is a great character who experiences tragedy and learns to move on with his life. Maybe that's why this song is so calming.

19 - Mount Ordeals: 8.8
My initial reaction was along the lines of "what the… heck… is this?" Luckily for us, the track is much more than the initial banjo notes (Is that a banjo or a guitar?). Thank goodness the ruckus is over! I believe this track is only heard in Mt. Hobbes and Mt. Ordeals in the game.

20 - Fabul: 8.8
Ha! This is a very wild song! The beginning sounds like something from a really badly translated kung fu movie. It gets better but I must admit that it really fits into the storyline. You see, Fabul is a kingdom of fighting monks. I'm not kidding. As cheesy as this song sounds coming through the speakers of a stereo, it's really appropriate in the game. Trust me!

21 - Run!!!: 8.6
Final Fantasy games have escape/hurry up themes in every game. This song did make me want to hurry up, but most of the time, it was just an omen that a boss battle was approaching. It could have been better, and it could have certainly been longer without all that repetition. Oh well…

22 - Suspicion: 9.0
Is this Kain's theme? It's played whenever a character defects to the other side, or in other words, betrays the party. Luckily, that doesn't happen too much in the game, or does it? Anyway, it's a rather dark theme, bringing out the inner conflicts of the dragoon as well as his personal feud with Cecil over rank and love interest.

23 - Golbeza, Clad in the Dark: 9.3
Just like in the traditional melodrama, whenever the villain appears (from the right stage) there is sinister music. Along with maniacal laughter and the urge to reveal the plot to the protagonist, this is a given. This track is as sinister as it gets. I mean, you know that whenever you hear organ music, you're in deep trouble. This song makes the evil forces in the game seem more powerful than they already are… dehumanizing them and demonizing their appearance. You just know you're in the presence of evil whenever this song plays.

24 - Hey, Cid!: 8.5
It's funny when Cid waves at you. This song is pretty funny too. It's certainly refreshing to hear a light-hearted track after all that evil in the previous tracks. Obviously, this is Cid's theme and it is played when his loyal engineers outfit your airship. Good for them!

25 - Mystic Mysidia: 9.7
People have pointed out similarities between this track and the "Black Mage Village" from Final Fantasy IX. I can tell why. I have mixed feeling about it though. It's actually kind of ironic. On one hand, this is a pretty goofy track that seems to scream: Carnival! On the other hand, there are underlying tones that seem to suggest that something else is going on; resentment due to imprisonment at the hands of Baron, perhaps? It's still a very well crafted song, and I find myself whistling it from time to time.

26 - Long Way to Go: 6.4
I don't like this song. It's slow and gets nowhere.

27 - Parom & Polom: 7.9
POW! These kids sure like to fight. Anyway, this is a goofy track, as it's meant to be. Do you like mischief? Good, you'll like this song.

28 - The Dreadful Fight: 9.8
This song is dreadful indeed; dreadfully excellent, that is! Gamers and VGM listeners get the privilege of hearing this track whenever the fiends decide to show their ugly faces to the heroes. Also known as the second boss theme, it's different from "Battle 2" in that it's much slower and much more ominous. The more I listen to this, the more I like it. 

29 - The Airship: 9.6
Airship themes are always light and fresh. The tune is simple and upbeat. That's good enough for me!

30 - Troian Beauty: 9.7
These songs start to get better and better. "Troian Beauty" is a great example of a song that has a nice melody and sticks with it. The track starts with a soothing rhythm that gradually works its way into a clarinet piece. Even the location in the game is beautiful, but not as much so as the song.

31 - Samba de Chocobo: 6.2
Whistles and cowbells can get annoying. This is basically a remix of the chocobo theme. Some people like it, but I prefer the other one better. Too bad, black chocobo, you're not loved!

32 - Tower of Bab-il: 9.1
Another dungeon theme! This one is heard in none other than Bab-il Tower! How do I describe this track? It is majestic, but it also conveys a sense of urgency. The trumpet fits well, as do the drums. Overall, a great song!

33 - Somewhere in the World: 6.0
Great… another overly moody and dark song… It reminded me of that betrayal theme again. As if "Suspicion" wasn't enough, here comes another song to remind us of the evil in the hearts of men. Well, it's still not as evil as "Golbeza, Clad in the Dark," even if it is a remix.

34 - Land of Dwarves: 8.6
This is the music that plays in the underworld map. It's a remix of the "Main Theme." It sounds great, but in all honesty, it could have been better. Don't get me wrong; it's quite enjoyable.

35 - Giott, the Great King: 8.2
Giott is a great king, but his music is not that great. Like "Hello! Big Chocobo" this song seems to remind us of the overall clumsiness of some of the characters. The cymbals were a nice touch though!

36 - Dancing Calcobrena: 8.9
My brother absolutely loathes this song. In fact, he screams whenever I play this track. That is due to very bad experiences fighting the Calcobrina in the dwarves' castle. I didn't think it was that bad. In fact, I thought this was totally sinister and really creepy. I could see the demonic dolls come alive and do their little twirls and spins. On a side note, this track reminded me of that old multimedia game "The 7th Guest" in which the player was a visitor of an old abandoned doll maker's mansion. Hmm…

37 - Tower of Zot: 7.2
Another remix of the antagonist's theme song; I liked this much more than "Somewhere in the World." The instruments are different and as a result, it doesn't come across as evil as "Golbeza, Clad in the Dark." The again, it's a dungeon music, not a character theme.

38 - Illusionary World: 9.0
A mysterious dungeon track, indeed! Heard in the Sylvian Cave, Bahamut's Cave, and the passage to the Land of Mist Monsters, repetition, in this case, is a good thing. There are similarities between this song and the Final Fantasy IX track "Bran Bal - Soulless Village" in that the overall tune sounds alike. It's just a very likable song because it's different than other tracks on the CD.

39 - The Big Whale: 9.5
This is the second airship theme and you can really hear the magnificent nature of the craft. Too bad you get the Big Whale so late in the game. 

40 - Another Moon: 5.0
Ahhh! Skip this track. The tuba sounds horrible and it takes a long time for the music to really pick up. Even when it does pick up, it's not that great. Frankly, it just sounds like something really bad is coming. It's more like a Resident Evil track than an RPG track. Then again, who am I to complain?

41 - The Lunarians: 9.4
Whereas the previous track took a long time to pick up the pace and amounted to nothing, this track does not disappoint. There is much mystery in the single notes that play for the first few seconds. Swiftly, it transforms into a very spooky music box piece. It's really beautiful.

42 - Within the Giant: 9.9
This is without a doubt, my absolute favorite track in the entire OST. Played when the heroes infiltrate the Giant of Bab-il and when they reach the core of the moon, "Within the Giant" has it all. There's the pacing, which is so well done that it could have been used as a battle theme and would still be as amazing. Then, there's the instrumentation, which words cannot describe. I just love it.

43 - The Final Battle: 9.6
Final Battles are always good because Uematsu always makes it a point to put a really appropriate and catchy song in. This is no exception! The Final Battle is rough! It is loud! It is fast! It is frantic! It is excellent! I felt that it really helped capture the madness of the final villain and his (its) devastating attacks. Like the "Main Theme" this is another track that I would not mind finding an orchestrated version of. Way to go, SquareSoft!

44 - Epilogue: 9.0
Just the standard ending themes… There are three parts. The first is a slow and quiet overture that could be used to put people to sleep. The second is a remix of character themes and the "Prologue." The third part is the credits and the star field. It's a very nicely done remix of "The Red Wings." It's always nice to end on a high note. Hooray! 

I do recommend this album. It's a great thing to pop into the CD player when the need for a nostalgic trip is needed. One can relive the days of Final Fantasy when the hero embodied valor, damsels were in distress, villains appeared from out of nowhere, and plotlines were purely fantasy romps. This album's mood is neither dark, nor is any particular theme emphasized. It's fairly mixed. There are playful tracks such as, tracks that call for tears such as, fast paced tracks to get the heart pounding, and even tracks that cause the listener to stop and sigh, "This truly is an epic game."

Favorite Tracks: "The Red Wings," "Mystic Mysidia," "Troian Beauty," and "Within the Giant."
Final Average: 8.466

Music collectors know that there are two versions of the soundtrack exist. Granted, the track list is exactly the same, but the older one is harder to find. This so-called "older" soundtrack was released late in 1994. The other one is more recent and can still be found in normal game stores in the North American region beside the Final Fantasy Chronicles collection. It's just useless information, really.