Final Fantasy XV: Original Soundtrack

Final Fantasy XV: Original Soundtrack
FINAL FANTASY XV オリジナル・サウンドトラック (FINAL FANTASY XV Orijinaru Saundotorakku?)
Catalog #	SQEX-10566~9 (CD), SQEX-20027~9 (Limited Edition Blu-ray), SQEX-20030 (Blu-ray)
Composers	Yoko Shimomura, Shota Nakama, Tetsuya Shibata, Yoshino Aoki, Yoshitaka Suzuki
Arrangers	Yoko Shimomura, John Graham, Kaoru Wada, Mitsuhiro Ohta, Naoki Masumoto, Nicolas Alvarez, Sachiko Miyano, Shota Nakama, Tetsuya Shibata, Yoshino Aoki, Yoshitaka Suzuki
Publisher	Square Enix Music
CD Info	4 CD - 96 Tracks
Release date	December 21st, 2016

Final Fantasy XV: Original Soundtrack is the complete soundtrack of Final Fantasy XV.

Development

Final Fantasy XV: Original Soundtrack is mainly composed by Yoko Shimomura, who is known for her involvement with the Kingdom Hearts series. Shimomura was responsible for at least 80% of the soundtrack; the rest of the pieces are variations of her compositions that were handled by other people. Yoshitaka Suzuki worked as composer/arranger, and Shota Nakama worked as composer/arranger/orchestrator. Shota runs a group called Video Game Orchestra (VGO) that does rock symphonic concerts and operates in the recording industry. VGO was contracted to work for Final Fantasy XV, and Shota conducted all recording sessions and contracted the orchestras and the choirs. Every line ensemble was through VGO, and Shota's team mixed it as well. This is the first time a Final Fantasy game uses a North American orchestra. Suzuki worked on the game for one year, on and off, and did have a crunch time. In total, he did around twenty-five pieces. At the same time, he was also composing for the movie, Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV. Nakama started working on the game in 2014, and worked on the trailers.

Some themes featured on Final Fantasy XV: Original Soundtrack aim to encompass "friendship" and "filial bonds." Shimomura tried many different methods, discussed with directors to share the world view, looked at images for inspiration, and read and took in the story to be inspired.

The way Suzuki composed for the game was to get many gameplay videos. He imported them to his software, and then composed to the video as if he was in the game as a player. The sadness for the compositions thus came intuitively. Visually, he realized what was happening in the game, seeing it from two different points of view—composer and player—and tried to incorporate whatever emotion he was experiencing into it. Suzuki has cited his experience with composing for the Metal Gear series as an advantage when he composed music for the base infiltration scenes in Final Fantasy XV. Final Fantasy has such a long legacy, and the composers valued its spirit, and thus would throw in the "Prelude" (such as in "Hellfire"), and put in little fragments of the previous melodies and motifs.

Yoko Shimomura was working on Final Fantasy XV: Original Soundtrack even when Final Fantasy XV was still known as Final Fantasy Versus XIII. Since the game was not originally part of the main Final Fantasy series, Shimomura felt she did not need to worry about following in other Final Fantasy composers' footsteps. By the time Final Fantasy XV was announced, Shimomura had already developed a clear concept of how she could continue on her initial path. The rebranding of Final Fantasy Versus XIII necessitated new music.

Sho Iwamoto, audio programmer at Square Enix, talked at Game Developers' Conference 2017 how music is incorporated into Final Fantasy XV. He designed and implemented an interactive music system, as there was a worry making the music interactive would distort the music or not make it memorable. According to Iwamoto, Final Fantasy music is known for being epic, memorable, to have a strong melody line, and to be one of the selling points of the series. The aim was to have seamless transitions while not losing "epicness". The goal was not to avoid repeating the same music, but to enhance the player's emotional experience by playing applicable music that would suit the situation.

For example, when riding a chocobo, the music picks up pace when the bird trots. The music also changes when the chance to summon appears and when the player summons, and during set piece boss battles, to reflect what is happening, such as the music fading into a dramatic finish just as the boss dies. In outposts like Hammerhead and at Galdin Quay, the background music seamlessly changes when the player steps into the restaurant. The transition time for the chocobo music is set longer so that the music would not change every time the player must slow down to avoid a tree or to turn.

Track list

1. "Somnus (Instrumental Version)" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Yoko Shimomura and Kaoru Wada

   Plays on the title screen prior to completing the story.

2. "Departure" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura and Yoshitaka Suzuki, Arranger: Yoko Shimomura, Yoshitaka Suzuki and John Graham

   Plays when the group leaves Insomnia.

3. "Broken Down" - Composer and Arranger: Tetsuya Shibata

   Plays when the group's car breaks down after they leave Insomnia.

4. "Hammerhead" (ハンマーヘッド, Hanmāheddo?) - Composer and Arranger: Tetsuya Shibata

   The eponymous theme of Hammerhead.

5. "Wanderlust" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura and Yoshitaka Suzuki, Arranger: Yoshitaka Suzuki

   Plays when exploring the world.

6. "Encroaching Fear" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Yoko Shimomura and Shota Nakama

   Plays when the player is about to engage in battle and during fishing when fish are close to the bait.

7. "Stand Your Ground" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Yoshitaka Suzuki

   Plays in battles against standard enemies in the Leide region.

8. "Relax and Reflect" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Mitsuhiro Ohta

   Plays when the party sets up camp or rests at an inn.

9. "Day's End Fanfare" - Composer: Nobuo Uematsu, Arranger: Yoko Shimomura and Shota Nakama

   Plays at the level up screen when the party rests at camp or an inn.

10. "Horizon" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Yoko Shimomura and Shota Nakama

    Plays after camping.

11. "Safe Haven" (安息の地, Ansoku no Chi?) - Composer and Arranger: Tetsuya Shibata

    Plays at camps.

12. "Lurking Danger" - Composer and Arranger: Yoko Shimomura

    Plays at areas where daemons spawn.

13. "Hunt or Be Hunted" - Composer and Arranger: Yoshitaka Suzuki

    Plays in most mobhunt battles.

14. "CINDY" (CIDNEY, CIDNEY?) - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Naoki Masumoto

    The character theme for Cindy Aurum.

15. "Urban Chrome" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Yoko Shimomura and Shota Nakama

    Plays during customization of the Regalia at Hammerhead.

16. "A Quick Pit Stop" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Mitsuhiro Ohta

    Plays at most outposts.

17. "Love Lost" (行方知れぬ想い, Yukue Shirenu Omoi?) - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Yoko Shimomura and Shota Nakama

    Plays at Noctis' first flashback and when Noctis sees Umbra at Cape Caem.

18. "Galdin Quay" (ガーディナ, Gādina?) - Composer and Arranger: Tetsuya Shibata

    The eponymous theme of Galdin Quay.

19. "ARDYN" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura and Yoshitaka Suzuki, Arranger: Yoshitaka Suzuki

    The first character theme for Ardyn Izunia, which plays during Chapters 1 to 7.

20. "The Aggressors" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Yoko Shimomura and Shota Nakama

    Plays when the party goes to Insomnia after learning that it has fallen.

21. "NOX AETERNA" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Yoko Shimomura and Shota Nakama

    Plays when the party learns of the fall of Insomnia.

22. "The Hunters" - Composer and Arranger: Tetsuya Shibata

    Plays at the Prairie Outpost and Meldacio Hunter HQ.

23. "What Lies Within" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Yoko Shimomura and Shota Nakama

    Plays in Keycatrich Trench, Steyliff Grove, Crestholm Channels, Balouve Mines, Costlemark Tower, and a section of Pitioss Ruins.

24. "Daemons" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Yoko Shimomura and Shota Nakama

    Plays in battles against daemons.

25. "Bros on the Road" - Composer and Arranger: Shota Nakama

    Plays during tours.

26. "Fantastica!" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Yoko Shimomura and Shota Nakama

    Plays when the party leaves the Norduscaen Blockade after defeating Loqi Tummelt in his MA-X Cuirass.

27. "The Niflheim Empire" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Yoko Shimomura and Shota Nakama

    The theme of the Niflheim Empire.

28. "Veiled in Black" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Yoko Shimomura and Shota Nakama

    Plays in battles against imperial enemies.

29. "Valse di Fantastica" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Yoko Shimomura and Shota Nakama

    Plays when riding in the car after beating Loqi Tummelt, when Iris rides with the group to Cape Caem, and when the party first arrives at Altissia.

30. "Crystalline Chill" - Composer: Nobuo Uematsu and Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Yoko Shimomura and Shota Nakama

    The menu theme.

31. "What a Hoot" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Mitsuhiro Ohta

    Plays when the party speaks to Sania Yeagre and Navyth Arlund.

32. "Blues de Chocobo" (ブルース de チョコボ, Burūsu de Chokobo?) - Composer: Nobuo Uematsu, Arranger: Mitsuhiro Ohta

    The theme of Wiz Chocobo Post.

33. "Reel Rumble" - Composer: Yoshino Aoki, Arranger: Tetsuya Shibata

    Plays during fishing when the player has to reel in a catch. Second half only plays when the line has less than half durability.

34. "The Fight Is On!" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Yoko Shimomura and Shota Nakama

    Plays in battles against standard enemies in the Duscae region.

35. "Lestallum" (レスタルム, Resutarumu?) - Composer and Arranger: Tetsuya Shibata

    The eponymous theme for Lestallum.

36. "Welcome to the Leville" - Composer and Arranger: Tetsuya Shibata

    Plays at the Leville Hotel in Lestallum.

37. "Unsettling Aura" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Yoko Shimomura and Shota Nakama

    Plays at Greyshire Glacial Grotto, Disc of Cauthess, Fociaugh Hollow, Fodina Caestino, Daurell Caverns, Rock of Ravatogh, Malmalam Thicket, Myrlwood, and a section of Pitioss Ruins.

38. "Don't Panic!" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Yoko Shimomura and Shota Nakama

    Plays when Noctis falls off a cliff due to a quake caused by Titan.

39. "APOCALYPSIS NOCTIS" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Yoko Shimomura and Sachiko Miyano

    Plays in the battle against Titan.

40. "Cosmogony" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Yoko Shimomura and Shota Nakama

    The character theme for Gentiana.

41. "Melancholia" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Yoko Shimomura and Shota Nakama

    Plays when Iris tells the party that Jared was killed.

42. "A Premonition" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Yoko Shimomura and Shota Nakama

    Plays when the player has the opportunity to summon.

43. "NOX DIVINA" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Yoko Shimomura and Kaoru Wada

    Plays when an Astral is summoned in battle.

44. "Labyrinthine" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Yoko Shimomura and Shota Nakama

    Plays when the party speaks to Ezma Auburnbrie.

45. "Flying R" - Composer: Yoshino Aoki, Arranger: Tetsuya Shibata

    The theme of the Regalia Type-F.

46. "Imperial Infiltration" - Composer and Arranger: Yoko Shimomura

    Plays when the party infiltrates Fort Vaullerey.

47. "Veiled in Black (Arrangement)" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Yoshitaka Suzuki

    Plays in battles set in Niflheim territory.

48. "Invidia" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Yoko Shimomura and Shota Nakama

    Plays in the boss battles against Loqi Tummelt and Aranea Highwind.

49. "Sorrow Without Solace" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Yoko Shimomura and Shota Nakama

    Plays during sad scenes.

50. "Sunset Waltz" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Yoshitaka Suzuki

    Plays while running around in the field.

51. "Disquiet" - Composer: Nobuo Uematsu and Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Yoko Shimomura and Shota Nakama

    Plays in Noctis's nightmare, a section of Zegnautus Keep and Pitioss Ruins, and the beginning of Chapter 13 Verse 2.

52. "OMNIS LACRIMA" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Kaoru Wada and Shota Nakama

    Plays in most optional boss battles against bigger, stronger monsters.

53. "Rodeo de Chocobo" (ロデオ de チョコボ, Rodeo de Chokobo?) - Composer: Nobuo Uematsu, Arranger: Mitsuhiro Ohta

    The theme when riding chocobos.

54. "Listen Up" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Yoko Shimomura and Shota Nakama

    Plays when the party speaks to Vyv Dorden and Dino Ghiranze.

55. "Creeping Shadows" - Composer and Arranger: Yoko Shimomura

    Plays when exploring the world at nighttime.

56. "Impending Peril" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Yoko Shimomura and Shota Nakama

    Plays when Noctis is clearing out the Lestallum power plant from daemons and when Noctis negotiates with Camelia Claustra at Altissia.

57. "Up for the Challenge" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Yoko Shimomura and Shota Nakama

    Plays in battles against standard enemies in the Cleigne region.

58. "Cape Caem" (カエム, Kaemu?) - Composer and Arranger: Tetsuya Shibata

    The eponymous theme of Cape Caem.

59. "Cape Caem - Our New Home" (カエム ～隠れ家～, Kaemu ~Kakurega~?) - Composer and Arranger: Tetsuya Shibata

    Plays at the house in Cape Caem.

60. "Cape Caem - Hidden Harbor" (カエム ～港～, Kaemu ~Minato~?) - Composer and Arranger: Tetsuya Shibata

    Plays at the underground harbor in Cape Caem.

61. "Bros on the Road II" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Mitsuhiro Ohta

    Plays during the scene at a motel rooftop with Prompto and Noctis.

62. "NOCTIS" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Yoko Shimomura and Shota Nakama

    The character theme of Noctis Lucis Caelum. Plays at the title screen after completing the story.

63. "Over the Waves" - Composer and Arranger: Yoshino Aoki

    Plays during the boat trip from Cape Caem to Altissia.

64. "Altissia" (オルティシエ ～港～, Orutishie ~Minato~?, lit. Altissia ~Harbor~) - Composer and Arranger: Yoshino Aoki

    The eponymous theme of Altissia.

65. "Altissia - Gondola Ride" (オルティシエ ～ゴンドラ～, Orutishie ~Gondora~?) - Composer and Arranger: Yoshino Aoki

    Plays during gondola rides in Altissia.

66. "Welcome to the Royal Suite" - Composer and Arranger: Yoshino Aoki

    Plays at the Leville Hotel in Altissia and at Maagho.

67. "Starlit Waltz" (綺羅星円舞曲, Kiraboshi Enbukyoku?) - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Yoko Shimomura and Shota Nakama

    Plays at Totomostro.

68. "Prayer de LUNA" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Yoshitaka Suzuki and Shota Nakama

    Plays during Luna's speech.

69. "No Time Left" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Yoko Shimomura and Nicolas Alvarez

    Plays when the party is ambushed by monsters inside the train at Gralea.

70. "Song of the Stars" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Yoko Shimomura and John Graham

    Plays in Episode Ignis when Pryna gives Ignis a future vision of Noctis sacrificing himself. An acapella version plays when Luna is summoning Leviathan, and an instrumental version plays when Titan arrives to subdue Leviathan.

71. "The Hydraean's Wrath" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura and Yoshitaka Suzuki, Arranger: Yoshitaka Suzuki

    Plays in the first half of the battle against Leviathan.

72. "ARDYN II" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Yoko Shimomura and Shota Nakama

    The second character theme of Ardyn Izunia, which plays in Chapter 10 onwards, including his appearances in Episode Prompto and Episode Ignis.

73. "LUNA" Composer and Arranger: Yoko Shimomura

    The character theme of Lunafreya Nox Fleuret.

74. "APOCALYPSIS AQUARIUS" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Sachiko Miyano and Shota Nakama

    Plays in the second half of the battle against Leviathan.

75. "Broken Bonds" - Composer and Arranger: Tetsuya Shibata

    Plays at the train to Tenebrae.

76. "Dining Car" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Tetsuya Shibata

    Plays at the Cartanica Diner.

77. "Cartanica" (カルタナティカ, Karutanatika?) - Composer and Arranger: Tetsuya Shibata

    The eponymous theme of Cartanica.

78. "Relax and Reflect - Pensive" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Tetsuya Shibata

    A slower arrangement of "Relax and Reflect" that plays when the party sets up camp or rests from Chapter 10 onwards.

79. "Careening Into Danger" - Composer and Arranger: Yoko Shimomura

    Plays in the tutorial battle when starting a new game.

80. "Tenebrae" (テネブラエ, Teneburae?) - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Yoshino Aoki

    The eponymous theme of Tenebrae.

81. "Horrors of the Night" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Nicolas Alvarez

    Plays in boss battles involving daemons.

82. "End of the Road" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Yoko Shimomura and Shota Nakama

    The Game Over theme.

83. "An Empire in Ruins" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Yoko Shimomura and Shota Nakama

    Plays at the exterior of Zegnautus Keep.

84. "RAVUS AETERNA" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Yoshitaka Suzuki

    Plays in the battle against Ravus.

85. "In the Light of the Crystal" - Composer: Nobuo Uematsu and Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Yoko Shimomura and Shota Nakama

    Plays in vicinity of the Crystal in Zegnautus Keep.

86. "A World Unwaking" - Composer and Arranger: Yoshino Aoki

    Plays at the World of Ruin.

87. "Neverending Nightmare" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Yoshitaka Suzuki

    Plays while Noctis fights daemons on the train on his way to Tenebrae, and when fighting daemons in Chapter 12 before the Deathclaw boss battle.

88. "Homecoming" - Composer and Arranger: Tetsuya Shibata

    Plays when Noctis meets the teenage Talcott Hester driving his truck.

89. "Hammerhead - The Last Bastion" (ハンマーヘッド　～The Last Bastion～, Hanmāheddo ~The Last Bastion~?) - Composer and Arranger: Tetsuya Shibata

    Plays Hammerhead in Chapter 14.

90. "Somnus" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Yoko Shimomura and Kaoru Wada

    The field theme for Insomnia.

91. "Hellfire" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura and Yoshitaka Suzuki, Arranger: Yoshitaka Suzuki

    Plays in the battle against Ifrit.

92. "Magna Insomnia" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Yoko Shimomura and Shota Nakama

    Plays in the final boss battle.

93. "Dawn" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: John Graham

    Plays when Noctis sacrifices himself.

94. "Somnus Ultima" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura

    Plays when Noctis fulfills his role as the True King.

95. "Dewdrops at Dawn" - Composer: Yoko Shimomura, Arranger: Yoko Shimomura and Shota Nakama

    Plays when the long night ends and the sun rises.

96. "Main Theme from FINAL FANTASY" - Composer: Nobuo Uematsu, Arranger: Yoko Shimomura and Shota Nakama

    Plays during the post credits ending cinematic.

Limited editions

Final Fantasy XV: Original Soundtrack.

Final Fantasy XV: Original Soundtrack was released on December 21, 2016. The basic soundtrack, composed by Yoko Shimomura, is available on CD for ¥3,800 (approximately $36.00) and features 80 pieces that span four discs. For ¥5,000 ($47.00), the soundtrack can be purchased on Blu-ray and includes music, movie data, and active internet support.

See also

• Songs from Final Fantasy XV
• Final Fantasy XV Live at Abbey Road Studios
• Piano Collections: Final Fantasy XV
• Final Fantasy XV Original Soundtrack Volume 2

External links

• Official Japanese Site
• Official English Site
• VGMdb - Final Fantasy XV Original Soundtrack (CD)
• VGMdb - Final Fantasy XV Original Soundtrack (Limited Edition)
• VGMdb - Final Fantasy XV Original Soundtrack (Blu-ray)