FF song bracket: Round 1, Group 13

[Flintlock]

Pick your four favourite songs from the selection above!

If you can't decide on just four, you can vote for as many as you want, but only in one poll of the 20 in the first round. The full list of upcoming polls can be found here - this spreadsheet has also been updated with game and voter stats based on the results of closed polls, so check it out!

You can listen to the songs in the playlist below.

This poll will be open for three days, and at least four songs will qualify for the next round.

Alternative names for these songs include:

Mt. Gulg - "Mt. Gurgu"
Spreading Grand Wings - "The Dragon Spreads its Wings"
Battle to the Death - "The Fierce Battle"

Note: I've included the Final Fantasy VII version of Prelude in this poll, but since it has appeared in almost every game in the series, you can base your vote on whichever version you like best.

For more information on this event, visit the discussion thread.

Spoiler: Newer versions of NES songs

 

[Jason Tandro]

Again I'm forced to vote against a song that I think I nominated in Sunset Path. While I love it, I love these other ones more.

Mt Gulg - Okay giving it to FF1 here because this track was amazing, adventurous and upbeat, and led to the FF9 version which I love. Points to the old-school.

Forever Rachel - This is one of the saddest songs in any Final Fantasy ever and its hard to listen to and remain stoic especially if you know the story behind it.

Lunatic Pandora- I can't do this one justice, I'd just be babbling (what else is new, I know). Basically it's an insanely cool dungeon theme with a nice sci-fi feel to it. There really hasn't been another dungeon theme with this kind of sound to it.

A Fleeting Dream - I feel like in the list of Top 5 songs from Final Fantasy X this would definitely hold the #3 spot (beaten out by To Zanarkand and Hymn of the Fayth). It's just a beautiful piece blending the main themes of Suteki Da Ne as well as a few other motifs of the game into one amazing track that defines the end of Yuna's journey. Everything culminates to this piece.

 

[Lex]

I did vote for Mt. Gulg because I think it's great, but I feel like it's because I like IX's version so maybe I shouldn't have XD.

I voted for Prelude and felt like I was cheating, because the prelude is the prelude and it appears so often in the series. However, I do like VII's version the best, though technically VII's version is just an update of V's version (which I also love).

Lunatic Pandora, because it's quirky as fuck and I know how unpopular it is

Finally, macalania woods. Technically my heart wanted "A Fleeting Dream" but Macalania Woods is a favourite of mine and I can't help but feel people will categorise these polls in their heads the same way I am - I only wanted to vote for one song from X in this poll and I knew "Woods" would have less than A Fleeting Dream, so that's why my vote went there.

Also Flint Kuja's theme isn't where it's supposed to be in the order of the playlist/poll, but I suppose order doesn't matter all that much.

 

[Flare]

Lunatic pandora - because this song is pretty unique and interesting. Definitely gives that sci-fi vibe like Jason said, and I love that. It's both weird and slightly creepy.

Kuja's Theme (Millennium Version) - Because damn it I love Kuja's theme and that background is awesome.

A Fleeting Dream - Can I just vote for most of X's soundtrack please I've always loved this song from X; brings me back to that moment in the game as you travel through Zanarkand.

Sunset Path - I wanted to vote for Macalania Woods but after hearing this one I was super torn. Ended up going with this lovely tune to try and branch out my choices a bit more and not pick so many X songs. And well, I really love this tune a lot, it's very calming and peaceful, yet it feels like a song I could travel to. Fills me with a sort of longing for a beautiful place and a wondrous adventure.... it's sort of hard to describe.

 

[Ghost X]

Spreading Grand Wings (Final Fantasy V)
Battle to the Death (Final Fantasy VI)
Prelude (Final Fantasy VII)
Lunatic Pandora (Final Fantasy VIII)

I like how Kuja's theme references Slumber of Ancient Earth, as with other songs in later games referencing motifs from older games. I dislike how FFX's music makes continual references to itself though .

 

[ForceStealer]

Aw man, I'm the only vote for Slumber of Ancient Earth? That might be my favorite non-final dungeon theme in the series It perfectly captures the feeling of exploring a dungeon, I think.

Kuja's Theme

Fleeting Dream is a beautiful track.

Apoplexy from Tactics is great fun. Sometimes I think it's a little too high energy and too short for some of the lengthier random battles, but it's a good song nonetheless.

 

[Jason Tandro]

I like how Kuja's theme references Slumber of Ancient Earth, as with other songs in later games referencing motifs from older games. I dislike how FFX's music makes continual references to itself though .

You magnificent fellow I've been pulling my hair out about
Kuja's theme for literally days now trying to figure out the motif it was recalling because I knew I'd heard it somewhere.

Thank you!

 

[AvecAloes]

I was the only one who voted for Pursuit? What the hell is wrong with you people.

 

[Flintlock]

The poll will close in a little over 24 hours.

My top pick is Omen. Everyone loves Terra's Theme, right? Well, the second half of Omen basically is Terra's Theme, but the first half is perhaps even more full of awesome, from those opening organ notes, to the harp melody with those captivating changes in tempo, to the foreboding chimes of what sounds like an enormous bell.

My other votes are for Mount Gulg, Battle to the Death and Sunset Path.

Honourable mentions to Spreading Grand Wings, Forever Rachel, Prelude and Macalania Woods. I thought I'd end up voting for Kuja's Theme in this round but I'm starting to doubt how much I like this particular version.

 

[Monterosa]

Omen I remember hearing this for the first time and not believing my ears. This, the opening song for a Final Fantasy game? The opening organ melody is terrifying and it doesn't exactly cheer up from there. I'd say that goes to show what a bold move in the series (and in RPGs in general) FFVI was. Apart from that, this is actually a brilliant track.

Prologue (FFVII) It's very seldom that nostalgia is an important factor when choosing which songs deserve my vote the most, but hearing Prelude took me way way back to my childhood, all the way to my grandma's old house in Finland where Flint and I couldn't get past the first screen because we didn't know that Circle could be the main button on the PSX controller.

Someday The Dream Will End This is shiver-inducing head-shaking eyes-closed gorgeous. The 'Suteki da ne' motif radiates with hope and determination.

Macalania Woods The soundscape here is simple and therein lies its enchanting aura. I am drenched in a daze of dreams.



Honourable mentions

Mt Gulg So uplifting. This piece is high-spirited and a joy to listen to. Could've made my top four in a weaker group.

Forever Rachel I don't find the Rachel scene as heartrending as many others, most of all because I'm not really invested in the character of Rachel, but the song that accompanies those scenes is unquestionably moving. One listen is enough to know this song was undoubtedly written for a tragedy.

Lunatic Pandora One of so many excellent songs that plays as the story of FFVIII nears its climax. Melodically this song is weird, not even all that pleasant, but it's a great composition and I find myself often returning to it.

Pursuit This might sound funny given the dark atmosphere of the song, but it's so refreshing to hear this. Junya Nakano excels when composing music to create a specific mood. Unfortunately there are too many other good songs in this group for me to comfortably put it in my top four.

Sunset Path Midnight Eternal, The Wildlands, now this. Naoshi Mizuta has got to be my favourite 'new' composer. This is effortlessly beautiful. I can imagine what a pleasure it would be to play a video game and hear this music accompany your journey. I guess the reason this doesn't fall into my top four is that, while the arrangement is undoubtedly supreme, the melody doesn't grab me as much as some other songs here.


Dishonourable mention

I'm sorry to say it but I do not like this version of Kuja's Theme at all. The piano is overwhelmed by the relentlessly repeating percussion, and it's altogether too fast. I actually had to skip it. :/

 

[Kuroto]

Really interesting group but unfortunately I don't have time to write everything I might want to say at the moment about the songs that I choose.

Mount Gulgu - I can't help it the sound is so nostalgic. The song is good too, though I prefer the old version to the new one.

Macalania Woods - It's simple and pretty. Fits well with the forest.

Pursuit - This piece has such a sinister feeling and it fits well in the game. It has this anxious feeling about it, but even though at times it seems something is happening nothing happens and you're just left waiting for that time. Really great song for the game.

Sunset Path - This piece was my favourite in this group. It is so breathtakingly beautiful piece. It has the perfect instruments and such a soft tune. The melody is melancholic and so beautiful. 10 out of 10.

Had to use some tactics for this group. My honorable mentions go to A Fleeting Dream and Prelude. The only reasons I didn't vote for either of them is because they're going through already and taking them out made it so much easier to narrow down the songs I wanted to vote for.

 

[Flintlock]

This poll is now closed. The songs which have definitely made it into the top 100 are:

Prelude
A Fleeting Dream

This group has finished in an unusual situation, with four songs tied for third place. Rather than let them all qualify automatically, I'll let them compete with the other runners-up on vote counts. I'm quite sure they'll all get through anyway with 8 votes - 7 has been the projected cut-off point for almost the entire duration of this event. They are:

Mount Gulg
Battle to the Death
Omen
Kuja's Theme (Millennium Version)

Thanks for voting!