Though I haven’t played Final Fantasy XIV myself, its art direction is really something special, and its boss designs are really impressive visually, mechanically, and not least musically. For those without the time to sink into a MMO, it’s absolutely still a title worth admiring in my opinion.
‘Equilibrium’ It’s a somber orchestral-electronic song which drips with darker allusions about the boss in question. I really like how this track in particular ties its theme and lyrics together. In the ‘call-and-response’ part of the first verse, the fourth line not only interrupts the third bar of the music, but also recontextualizes the first three lines before it. The orchestral chants and timbre only builds after this point, where the remainder of the lyrics have no qualms hiding the askew nature of the ‘god of balance’ it speaks about. It’s a small touch, but as with many things, the full song comes together as something much greater than the sum of its parts. I’d like to discover more styles of songs which weigh their lyrics against the melodies in such a way.
Everything about the boss fight’s presentation is also just stunning to watch. I can’t help but feel like I’m missing out. Someday I’ll take the plunge on that never-ending free trial – only once I’m sure I’ll be able to surface again.
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