Final Fantasy XI OST: Special Features

Final Fantasy soundtracks have a legacy of greatness, and FFXI continues this tradition just as we all hoped it would. It was released in two versions: normal (SSCX-10067) and Limited Edition (SSCX-10069). All the FF soundtracks since number VII have been released like this, but FFXI's Limited Edition was released in even more limited quantities than the previous ones. It comes in a fold-out book covered in beautiful Yoshitaka Amano artwork -- in case you didn't know, Amano has been the head artist for a great many of the Final Fantasy installments. Inside the book are the two discs of the soundtrack plus the liner notes, as well as a special DVD that comes only with the Limited Edition. This DVD contains 5 movies (of which, 3 are essentially the same). More information can be found further down the page.

We all know you can't wait to see screenshots from the DVD movies, but why not whet your appetite with some other interesting goodies relating to the FFXI OST?

• Pictures of the regular version of the soundtrack (coming soon)
• Pictures of the Limted Edition version (coming soon)
• Lyrics to "Memoro de la S^tono"

Now on to the DVD. This disc is Region 2, meaning that it can only be played if you have a player specifically made for Region 2 (note that American DVD players are all made for Region 1). However, if you have a DVD-ROM drive on your computer, you may be able to change the region of the drive, allowing you to play this DVD. Be warned that most drives will only allow you to change the region a limited number of times.

When you play the DVD, you get a selection screen that looks like the image below.

Click for a larger version

The first three choices in the above menu play the opening movie, presumably the same (or at least similar) as the introduction to the actual game. The only difference between the three is the sound used. The first is just standard stereo, the second is surround sound, and the third cuts out all of the voices and sound effects, leaving only the music (essentially, track 1 of soundtrack disc 1). The movie is a treat to see, and because all the voices and narration are in English (the subtitles are Japanese), you can actually understand it too. The fourth movie has footage from recording sessions at the studio where "Memoro de la S^tono" was recorded, as well as some comments from chief composer Nobuo Uematsu. It's all in Japanese, with no subtitles, and as of yet we do not have a translation of the speech. The fifth movie is entirely music, which shows video clips of Uematsu at "work" in his office (in other words, just messing around. ^_^) The clips are shown together with concept sketches from the game, while a remix of "Memoro de la S^tono" plays in the background. A very nice finishing touch, if you ask me.

In the first section, you will find a transcription of the story told in the movie track, as well as some thumbnails that lead to larger screenshots from the movie. You will also find thumbnails and larger screenshots in the other two sections. These screenshots were the result of a great deal of work on my (Kero Hazel's) part, but we are providing them to you, the soundtrack enthusiasts, since this DVD is hard to get a hold of. We ask that website owners PLEASE not link to them -- if you like these pretty pictures, download them yourself and put them on your own server. And if you do decide to use them on your website, please let your readers know where you got them from. And say it with a smile. Something like, "I got these screenshots from those wonderful people at RPGClassics, so give them a hug today!" :)

• Opening movie
• Recording footage of "Memoro de la S^tono"
• Uematsu clips and concept art

Seen everything? Be sure to read the review!