Final Fantasy IV’s OST brings together the game’s 44 tracks across almost an hour of music. This is my first time hearing the soundtrack in full outside of playing the game, and I’ve found it a great listen both from a purely musical perspective and from its ability to trigger reminiscences of my time with the game. This is also my first time ever hearing the original versions of these pieces, having only heard the Pixel Remaster arrangements before.
Jumping from the very basic, but still very enjoyable, chiptune sounds from All Sounds of Final Fantasy I & II to Final Fantasy IV Original Sound Version, the advancement in video game music is instantly apparent. The tracks here make more use of layering, contain a wider range of sounds, and feature greater complexity in their arrangements.
It goes without saying that we kick off with the traditional “Prelude,” as nostalgic and dreamy as ever and here debuting the iconic melody over the harp, before getting into Final Fantasy IV’s meatier tracks. “Red Wings” (which sounds very similar to a particular FFVII track) and “Kingdom Baron” give off a heavy, militaristic feel, helping set the scene for the game’s story and world.
Many of the pieces here actually echo that dreamy quality I found in “Prelude.” In fact, I’d go as far as to say that this OST is one of the more serene, mysterious, and dream-like of all the Final Fantasy original soundtracks I’ve heard. Yes, there are still heavier, darker tracks, but the overall feel of this one is quite the opposite.
Tracks like the simple-but-beautiful “Rydia,” the wistful “Long Way to Go,” and eerie “Dancing Calcobrena” all show different sides to this calmer quality. “Another Moon” is also a highlight, showing a more experimental side than I’d expect from an OST of this age, proving that Final Fantasy has never been afraid to try new things with its music, even in its earlier years.
There are also some wonderfully rousing pieces here, too. “Mt. Ordeals” and “Hey, Cid!” bring some levity and sound like classic, light-hearted adventuring themes. “Golbez, Clad in the Dark” is dramatic and tense, and “Mystic Mysidia” has an almost industrial quality with its off-kilter rhythm. I was also pleased to see that Final Fantasy IV is in keeping with the tradition of fun, rather wacky, chocobo theme tracks.
Final Fantasy IV Original Sound Version is a great Final Fantasy OST. Whilst it doesn’t do anything particularly surprising, by modern standards at least (which in itself is not surprising considering its age!), it does sound quintessentially FF. Some of the tracks remind me of music from other entry’s soundtracks that I’m more familiar with, mainly VI and VII, and I enjoyed hearing how similar motifs link music together across different games. If you’re looking for a classic FF soundtrack, but perhaps don’t want to go fully back to the first game’s simple chiptune OST, Final Fantasy IV should strike that sweet balance between retro nostalgia and enough complexity to keep it engaging.
