“What would Uematsu create?”: Closing Story 14 composer Masayoshi Soken on following series memoir

Final Fantasy 14 producer and director Naoki Yoshida is the main and beloved representative for the MMORPG, yet there are numerous other developers involved in the game cherished by its community. One of these is composer Masayoshi Soken.

While Nobuo Uematsu created the iconic scores for the earlier installments of the series, Soken has embraced the role of composer for Final Fantasy 14 as well as Final Fantasy 16.

His musical style is an intriguing blend of genres, encompassing beautiful piano and vocal compositions to heavy metal rock tracks. This has resulted in not only the unique piano concerts at the Fan Fest events but also the development team’s in-house rock band The Primals (named after the game’s summonable monsters), featuring Soken on electric guitar alongside localization director Michael-Christopher Koji Fox taking the lead on vocals.

Indeed, these performances were standouts at the Fan Fest events I attended in 2023. A significant portion of that was due to Soken himself: following particularly heartfelt performances by pianist Keiko and vocalist Amanda Achen, Soken took to the stage with his Otamatone instrument to humorously undermine his own compositions, eliciting plenty of laughter. In person, he is also a modest and lighthearted interviewee.

Notably, Soken was secretly battling cancer during the development of the Shadowbringers expansion. He revealed this at the digital Fan Fest in 2021—witnessing his joy on stage ever since has only endeared him further to the community.

Before a live performance this weekend celebrating the music from Final Fantasy 14 and 16, I had the opportunity to converse with the composer.

You began your career doing a lot of sound design work. How do you believe that influenced your approach to composition?

I think that background is distinctly reflected in everything I create. When it comes to sound design, if you’re prioritizing the game experience from the start, then as a fundamental concept, you need to consider that before composition. I believe it’s extremely important. One thing I wouldn’t want is for people to view game composers merely as artists [instead of developers]. The reason is that in creating music for games, I want to view it as just one part of the entire game experience. If we consider sound, you have sound effects, then you’ve got the voice lines, as well as the ambient sounds, and only then do you have the music. So all of these elements must come together seamlessly, intertwined, and that forms the sound of the game. If I hadn’t experienced sound design beforehand, I might not have developed such a comprehensive understanding of this. In the realm of game composers, I guess that title is somewhat glamorous, so people might see it as something akin to being an artist. However, I believe anyone aspiring to enter game composition should consider starting with sound design first.

You previously also collaborated on the Mario Hoops 3-on-3 project with [Mario and Zelda composer] Koji Kondo. What was that experience like?

Utilizing the capabilities of the Nintendo DS was incredibly complex due to its limitations. For instance, on the game’s menu screen for Hoops, there is a piece that plays, however back then we lacked the specs or the means in terms of storage or memory for that. While some might have thought, ‘it’s not feasible on the DS,’ I believe it was a significant learning experience for me that taught me to create the improbable. Back then, there were many constraints regarding hardware compared to modern technology, so that experience of having limited tools to create anything, and figuring out how to navigate through that process has equipped me with the skills required to ideate a multitude of concepts today.

Since composing the soundtracks for Final Fantasy 14 and 16, how does it feel to be the composer for two mainline Final Fantasy games and to be following in Nobuo Uematsu’s footsteps? Do you feel a lot of pressure to live up to his legacy?

For me, I believe that the music of Final Fantasy is Uematsu-san’s music. Sometimes, when I find myself stuck on what piece I should compose next and need some inspiration, I catch myself thinking ‘what would Uematsu do?’ It feels more like I am simply continuing the journey set forth by Uematsu-san and blending that journey with the current iterations of the games. I find it difficult to articulate, but that’s how I perceive it.

Uematsu-san has discussed in interviews the time commitment required for composing a full score, and that’s something he has struggled with. What does that commitment look like for you? Do you think game soundtracks are more complex now than they were in the past?

I completely agree. That said, I’m constantly trying to think of ways to manage that. At the core of my thoughts, I actually have this idea that instead of focusing solely on how to create exceptional music, I am thinking more about how to create a remarkable game. And if I approach it from that perspective, I’m able to find balance.

For example, from a musical viewpoint, if I were to use the violin, I would prefer to have it recorded live. That’s a consideration you would have when prioritizing.

song. However, if I were to move forward with this violin recording, we could effectively be booking the violinist, arranging the procurement, securing the studio, and organizing everything. All these elements would not necessarily be required for a sport song.

If we are considering the gaming experience, it might be more beneficial regarding the timing, along with all the additional costs, if we [also] incorporated [that violin] into a different track that was again aligned with the gaming experience. Should you happen to be an exceptional musician, you would naturally opt for the live violin, but since we are contemplating creating a game and the player’s experience as well, they would likely prefer another track that could surpass the enhanced violin sound. I am consistently thinking about what is necessary to provide a richer gaming experience.

Your musical preferences range from classical to jazz to rock to pop. How would you define your personal musical style?

Soken style! [laughs] When I contemplate the idea of whether this track is impressive or not, I consistently rely on my emotions, asking myself ‘does this track feel right for this gaming experience?’ I believe the fundamental aspect is Soken style.

One of the aspects I appreciate about your music is the fusion of classical elements and heavy rock, particularly for action sequences and boss battles. Why do you tend to draw inspiration from rock music in particular?

To put it simply, battle-themed scenarios really complement rock music. Musically, rock is something that’s easy to get energized to, and it’s also easy to enjoy, even though rock isn’t the only genre that can trigger excitement. I just think, as a genre, it’s very engaging to lose yourself in.

Who are your most intriguing rock influences?

Rage Against The Machine!

One of my favorite pieces of yours is “Shut Within the Distance,” which, as you know, is a fantastic rock ballad.