The first Final Fantasy Tactics (FFT) Original Soundtrack (OST) by Hitoshi Sakimoto and Masaharu Iwata was highly praised for its exceptional composition and its ability to grasp the listener into the games setting. In the second game, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance (FFTA), Hitoshi Sakimoto takes over the reins for composing the soundtrack of the game. Surprisingly, Iwata is not involved on this soundtrack. Iwata and Sakimoto have worked together on many soundtracks, most recently, Tactics Ogre: Knight of Lodis. The great Nobou Uematsu is only involved for the main theme song of the game, which is a little disappointing for Uematsu fans.
This two-disc soundtrack has two versions (one on each):
The first disc, the Gameboy Advance version, has poor sound quality, and it should be questioned why they bothered to produce this version. It sounds very tinny and raspy. However, this version appears to have every soundtrack in the game.
The second disc, the full sound version, provides a fully orchestrated sound, bringing the bland sounds of the first disc to life. The soundtrack uses a full array of instruments to arrange a cheerful sound that contrasts FFT’s OST (which tends to be gloomy at times) but probably agrees with FFTA’s storyline and setting.
The soundtrack continues the militaristic trend that resonates so commonly in all the Tactics games (FFT, Tactics Ogre, FFTA).
If you enjoyed FFT’s OST, there is no reason why fans of that OST would not like this one. This soundtrack is beautifully composed and possesses a lighthearted sound that is unequalled in this genre.
I would enjoy doing an update to this review of the FFTA OST after I buy and beat FFTA. In my eyes, one of the reasons (as I explained before) that made the FFT OST brilliant was its ability to grasp the listener into the games setting; I feel I need to play FFTA through and write about if had the same effect on me as the FFT OST.
