ReMix:Final Fantasy XI Online "A Decent Challenge" 3:18

By Tweex

Arranging the music of one song...

"Battle Theme"

Primary Game: Final Fantasy XI Online (Sony , 2002, WIN), music by Kumi Tanioka, Naoshi Mizuta, Nobuo Uematsu

Posted 2013-06-18, evaluated by the judges panel


Been awhile since we had an FF11 mix OR a Tweex mix, and now we get both! Primarily orchestral but rocking some guitars & drums to heighten the drama, this arrangement uses its 3'17" effectively, with the exception of a fadeout ending. Brian writes:

"This is one of the songs from the "Land of Vana'diel" project I recently released. This particular remix comes from the Battle Theme in Final Fantasy XI. The idea was to turn the song into an orchestral/rock track that packed a much bigger punch than the source did."

It should go without saying that you need to check out the rest of the (FREE!) album for more in the same vein, as this is the tip of an epic iceberg of orchestral arrangements that's WELL worth your time. OA had a lot to say:

"DAT DRAMA. I love how the track slow burns, and keeps inching the tension up, bit by bit, and then eases back in the midpoint, keeping it really moody. This sound is pretty much exactly what I think a 'classic final fantasy' sound is. I am a little surprised that Uematsu didn't compose this track, but Mizuta does a very convincing impression.

I really like the careful attention to detail in the auxiliary percussion rhythms that help drive the track, I think the dynamics are very effectively used, and I just about flipped the table when I heard that weaksauce fade out. Duuude :(

Arrangement-wise this is definitely more of an expansion rather than a complete re-imagining, as it stays very similar in regards to overall structure, but with all the additions and the excellent feel added, it sounds a lot more dramatic and heroic than the original. The second half is excellent, and the pacing overall is great."

Judges were all similarly positive, but all cited the fadeout as a bit of a letdown, and I'll concur; to be blunt, it's not groovy... probably makes more sense in the overall context/flow of the album, but sometimes for standalone versions of arrangements, altering things from the album cut (especially intros/outros) is called for; this was one of those times. That's it on the downsides, though, as there's PLENTY to love, from the pacing & development to the mixed percussion (dig those anvils) to the rich blend of brass and strings with varied articulations & dynamics, this is a fun and cinematic ride. DarkeSword adds:

"This is doin' it for me. Love all the pizzicato strings everywhere. Blend of orch and rock really works. Like other joojes have said, I love how you're building tension throughout the piece."

Well said; great to see another submission from Brian, great that it's more FF11, you owe it to yourself to explore The Land of Vana'diel, and hopefully this taste is more than enough to persuade you!

djpretzel

Discussion

Latest 6 comments/reviews; view the complete thread or post your own.
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TillyFun
on 2013-07-07 15:03:59

Bad ass orchestral and uplifting. ^_^ A slower pace than many FF fight tracks, yet carried with great power. Very appropriate. :) You can tell a real struggle is going on.

If you like this, definitely check out his album! The Journey Begins and All Hail the Victorious are my favourites, whimsical and proud. :D He's made some of the absolute best FF town music too. I'm really digging his style ^__^

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Crulex
on 2013-06-20 10:36:09

The combination of rock and orchestra in this ReMix makes me grin. There is an amazing feeling of power and grandeur that you can get from this, fitting for a battle theme. Awesome.

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metaphist
on 2013-06-19 10:12:25

Whole album is great, guys, give it all a listen!

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Melbu Frahma
on 2013-06-18 21:02:11

Absolutely adored this (and Harvest of Rock and Stone) when the album came out. I've actually set my music player to repeat on just this song while at work and gone to town on a pile of paperwork for an hour or two, and it made it go by so fast. Top notch track.

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SoundHyp
on 2013-06-18 18:21:51

Don't really ever post. Had to though for this mix. This is an AMAZING song. One of my favorites from the game itself (Big FFXI fan) and this remix does it justice and then some. Downloading the whole album to listen to the rest. Might just have to replace the in-game music with this.

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djpretzel
on 2013-06-18 13:51:18

What did you think? Post your opinion of this ReMix.

Sources Arranged (1 Song)


Primary Game:
( , , )
Music by
Songs:
Additional Game:
Final Fantasy XI Online (Sony , 2002, PS2)
Music by Kumi Tanioka,Naoshi Mizuta,Nobuo Uematsu
Songs:
"Battle Theme"

Tags (7)


Genre:
Cinematic,Rock
Mood:
Epic
Instrumentation:
Brass,Electric Guitar,Orchestral,Strings
Additional:

File Information


Name:
Final_Fantasy_11_Online_A_Decent_Challenge_OC_ReMix.mp3
Size:
5,774,333 bytes
MD5:
5ae73aef42b710afc6aceed8d24dee7c
Bitrate:
230Kbps
Duration:
3:18

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