Favorite Final Fantasy Music - FFXI: Seekers of Adoulin
Here it is… the final expansion! Not the end of the story mind you, there’s still a little left; but this is the last big new zone/features addition and stuff. It’s odd, something about it feels very different from the rest of the game, especially in soundtrack. It’s still FFXI, but I feel like the classic XI sound is changed in a way. I blame the electric guitar. I think I attribute that to the gap of time between this and the last expansion. The story itself takes place in a completely different continent, like ToAH, but this one involves a sort of conflict between nature and civilization, where the city of Adoulin is colonizing the land. Throw in a little political drama where the people are like “colonization yeahhhhh” and “colonization noooo” and the princess is all like “guys please” and seven REAL BIG MONSTERS and it’s a good time.
Also, just like the last expansion: the soundtrack’s weird. It’s split up into two. Why would they do that? Makes my specific job harder for no reason. List time!
5. Breaking Ground
I think this song is a good example of how the soundtrack feels different. One: electric guitar. Two: slap bass. XI doesn’t have guitars! But it does! And it feels different and cool. Although the piano still ties it back, reminding you what game you’re ultimately playing. Very upbeat, very odd compared to the rest of the game, but still ultimately a very cool song and great for little outdoor missions.
4. The Pioneers
Funny little pirate song :) This is the music that plays in the western part of the main city, and the part you’re most likely gonna be in. I think it’s a fun song, and very strange as well, like why is this bouncy little jig playing in my growing metropolis? I was caught off guard by it, but in a good way. I love the little ocarina playing and the main melody.
3. Monstrosity
This song feels like if you took XI, but threw some XIII into it. Again, it’s the guitars, it doesn’t feel right, but also I’m not complaining about it? The synth that pops in is really reminiscent of Eastward Bound from Aht Urhgan which I love, and then eventually the song blows into this whole fuckin anime feeling magical girl fight which is absolutely outstanding. This is the perfect song to run around as a Mandragora to (I love Mandragoras).
2. Steel Sings, Blades Dance
This is the main battle theme of this expansion. The strange part is: it’s the only one. Well, I guess not only battle theme, but like, there’s no second theme if you’re in a party unlike the rest of the game. Just adds to the soundtrack’s strangeness. I love the buildup to this song, giving a lot of the power to the horns and xylophone (with some awesome tambourine) unlike the usual snare powerhouse (which is still there and still killing it as it does). This is absolutely an Adoulin song that sounds more like classic XI, and it makes me happy.
1. Keepers of the Wild
This is almost like, the main boss theme of the expansion. This plays when you’re fighting the Naakuals, aka the REAL BIG MONSTERS I was talking about earlier. I love the opening to this song, giving you a really menacing violin, but with that grand horn and trumpet signifying how much of a natural menace this creature you’re facing off against is. A lot of the classic FFXI instruments are used in this song, but in a way that feels a lot more modern than the rest of the game, befitting the rest of Adoulin’s soundtrack. I love the little hopeful part with the bells right before the song loops.
