Music from video game 'Final Fantasy' takes centre stage
Kevin Kwong
be as well known as those from Walt Disney or Hayao Miyazaki animations, but for serious gamers, especially of the role-playing game (RPG) genre, music from Final Fantasy is something they grew up with.
Created in 1987 by game developer Square Enix in Japan, the franchise is now in its 15th instalment and has mustered a fan base worldwide for its richly detailed graphics and the compelling storylines that underscore the game's missions.
The music is spectacular on its own, but ... with film, lighting, solo voices and choir is going to be quite an event
Music from the franchise has been performed in live concerts across Japan since 2002. By 2007, these compositions, many penned by Nobuo Uematsu, were reaching a global audience through the "Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy" tour.
Uematsu says the production revises and expands its playlist every year to keep the tour fresh. "I'd love to do a three-day concert in which all the themes of the video games series are performed."
The 54-year-old says video game soundtracks help add depth to the gaming experience, and he tries to portray the different characters through his compositions. "For instance, I wrote the themes in many different styles for 10 to 12 roles in Final Fantasy VI in order to highlight their personalities." The characters in that game range from a general, a womanising king and a ninja assassin to a noble treasure hunter and a half-human girl who doesn't know love. All the time, I did my best to compose a beautiful melodic piece for the main character of each series," says Uematsu.
Writing music for electronic games can be challenging and was especially so in the early days. The memory of game cartridges was very small in the 1980s and he could only write a few notes, says Uematsu.