Final Fantasy XI OST -Plus-
Square Enix Store
The two-disc album titled FINAL FANTASY XI Original Soundtrack -PLUS-, started shipping on November 15, 2011. The set contains previously unreleased tracks from Wings of the Goddess in addition to music from the three add-on scenarios and all three Abyssea battle area add-ons. There are even some bonus tracks included from PlayOnline.
FINAL FANTASY XI Original Soundtrack -PLUS-/ ゲーム・ミュージック
「FINAL FANTASY XI」シリーズのゲームBGMから、音楽CD化されていない、未収録楽曲を収録。ついに物語が完結を迎えた「アルタナの神兵」のクライマックスシーン、追 加シナリオ3作品、バトルエリア拡張コンテンツ「アビセアシリーズ」など数々の名曲を収録。また、”PlayOnline” (メール、チャットなどのネットワーク上でのFFXIのゲーム外でのコミュニケーション機能をサポートする、スクウェア・エニックスのネットワークサービ ス)で流れる全楽曲をボーナスディスクとして待望のCD化。
As a special bonus, the first edition of the soundtracks will include an in-game item code redeemable for a “Spinet” — a Juenoan-styled keyboard furnishing plays a song at random from a selection of 11 songs every time you enter your Mog House!
Review from Original Sound Version
Jayson Napolitano
Starting from the beginning, “Wings of Dawn” is an epic orchestral piece that makes for a great opener to the album, bringing in that classic high fantasy RPG sound that Mizuta has been largely responsible for shaping over the past ten years. But he also wants you to remember that this is Final Fantasy as wel by tackling Uematsu’s “Final Fantasy” theme, creating a fantastic arrangement (he seems to have a knack for arranging this theme, as I loved his version from Final Fantasy Legends as well).
The longest track on the album is “Abyssea – Scarlet Skies, Shadows Plains,” coming in at over eight minutes in length. It’s contemplative and foreboding, coming off as rather simple and desolate, making for a pretty different listening experience to other stuff heard in Final Fantasy XI. “Summers Lost” and “Everlasting Bonds,” on the other hand, are emotional, with the former coming as a touching electric piano and belltone duet and the latter as an electric piano and strings ballad.
There are also a lot of final battle themes on this album. “Luck of the Mog” brings in rock elements with a chugging bass line and rock percussion, but it’s the playful synth lead that makes the piece feel so moogle-appropriate, acting as the final battle theme with Riko Kupenreich in the Moogle Kupo d’Etat quest chain. “Echoes of Creation,” on the other hand, is the final battle theme from the A Crystalline Prophecy add-on and is dark and mysterious with its razor-like synth leads that lend the piece a futuristic edge along with the hard-hitting factory-like percussion
My two favorite tracks on the album are also both final battle themes. “Shinryu” accompanies the final battle from the Abyssea expansion, and as the music would suggest, this ancient wyrm can apparently kick some serious ass. The piece is slow to build and sort of meanders about, but it’s the hopeful chorus section that will draw you in not only because it’s different, but also because it’s awesome. “Goddess Divine” is the epic final battle theme for Lilith from Wings of the Goddess, proceeding along decisively with lots of string stabs and brass.
The second disc contains music from the PlayOnline service. I remember listening to these tracks and picking out my favorites for my background back in the day, but there are a lot of tracks here I don’t remember as they were added later. The “POL OPENING” and “Space” from the Final Fantasy XI anniversary album are both here along with 23 other tracks by Noriko Matsueda and three by Kumi Tanioka. The tracks are all original compositions, so those who didn’t experience them on the PlayOnline service may not have that tug of nostalgia associated with them, but they’re pretty good, covering everything from jazz to synth pop to Asian-flavored tunes and everything in between.
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