The Holiday season is upon us at last!

You can celebrate the season with these brand-new Holiday cards, themed on this year’s majestically musical THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE.

The cards feature many beloved characters from the FINAL FANTASY series, including Yuna, Garnet, Eiko, Noel, Snow and more!

To get the cards, click on the link beneath each image to download a high-quality version that you can print:

• Click here to download

• Click here to download

• Click here to download

• Click here to download

Happy Holidays from all of us at Square Enix!

For more FINAL FANTASY fun, be sure to follow the team on social media:

• FINAL FANTASY on Twitter
• FINAL FANTASY on Facebook
• FINAL FANTASY on Instagram
• FINAL FANTASY on YouTube

Halloween is upon us, and we’re all in to celebrate the scary season!

To mark this most frightening of festivals, we’ve put together these adorably eerie Halloween cards, inspired by THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE!

From classic FINAL FANTASY monsters to some First Class SOLDIER operatives, your friends will sure to delight in these malevolent messages. Let’s just hope they don’t embrace their inner Tonberry and hold a grudge…

To download high resolution versions of these cards, simply click the link between each image.

• Click here to download

• Click here to download

• Click here to download

• Click here to download

Enjoy the cards, and be sure to follow us on social media:

• FINAL FANTASY on Twitter
• FINAL FANTASY on Facebook
• FINAL FANTASY on Instagram
• FINAL FANTASY on YouTube

If you’ve played THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE, you don’t need us to tell you that it’s an incredible game.

Producer Ichiro Hazama and Series Director Masanobu Suzui (from developer indieszero) have created something truly special - a spectacular rhythm-action extravaganza that’s packed with music, characters and love for the FINAL FANTASY series as a whole.

You’ve seen the game that they made, but what about the games that made them? We were interested to know about the titles from Square Enix and beyond that moulded the pair into the talented creators they are today.

So, we asked them.

Hello Hazama-san and Suzui-san. First question: what was the first game you ever played?

Hazama-san (THEATRHYTHM Series Producer): Oh, come on - I’m old! That’s quite a long time. It’s hard for me to remember!

Suzui-san (THEATRHYTHM Series Director): Don’t worry, It’s hard for me too (laughs).

Hazama-san: Eh… I think it might have been Super Mario Bros.

Yeah, I think it was. I remember I was playing it at my friend’s house and his mother came up and said: “Is anyone home? Are your parents not worried?” which is essentially what adults say when they really mean “go home now.”

But it went completely over my head so I just answered with a little smile, “no, it’s fine,” and carried on playing with my friend into the night.

Suzui-san: The first game I played was a title from Taito called Chack’n Pop. I remember getting it when I was in the second year of middle school. I got the Nintendo Famicom (Nintendo Entertainment System) as a present, and this was the very first game I bought with my own money!

It was originally an arcade game, and they made a port for home consoles. I thought it looked really cute and fun. Then I actually played it and I didn’t like it (laughs).

What’s the first Square Enix game you ever played?

Okay, so I love retro games so much, it’s almost a problem! I could talk about retro games forever (laughs).

I think the one I was most excited about was Portopia Renzoku Satsujin Jiken (The Portopia Serial Murder Case) - an adventure game and (DRAGON QUEST creator) Yuji Horii’s very first game! That’s definitely the first thing I ever played from Enix.

I played plenty of Squaresoft titles too, of course. I definitely remember buying FINAL FANTASY on release day. There was also a system in Japan called the Famicom Disk System, and I was part of a club that gave you a lot of really great games from Square.

For example, there was this really awesome game called Suishō no Dragon (The Crystal Dragon). Highway Star - that was another fantastic game too. It had an amazing sort of running effect…

…ok, I could keep going but I’ve probably gone on too long - plus nobody reading this will have heard of any of these games (laughs).

Hazama-san: My first Square Enix game was SaGa 2 (tiled FINAL FANTASY LEGEND II in North America).

I was at university, and one of my senior friends recommended it to me. I actually didn’t play that many games at the time, so he lent me the Game Boy and the game. I distinctly recall thinking, “Yeah, this is a pretty great game.”

I think I played it all the way through twice before I gave it back to my friend. It’s a game where you can choose the race of your character, and the first time through I picked what I thought looked cool. That meant I ended up with a party of just four monsters!

It was fun, but I remember thinking that it was a shame I was learning about these monsters but nothing else, so I went through again to see more of the characters!

Which single game could you not live without? And before either of you try to cheat, you can’t say THEATRHYTHM!

Both: (Wail of anguish)

Hazama-san: But I do think if I had THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE, I’d be okay (laughs).

Suzui-san: I was brought up on DRAGON QUEST and FINAL FANTASY. If I didn’t have either of them, I don’t think I’d be alive. I mean the originals - the first one of each series, by the way.

Hazama-san: Ok, let me think about this properly. Hm…

At the point where I was just coming out of university and was about to go into the world of work… if I didn’t have Bust a Groove, I don’t think I’d have survived.

I mean, Suzui-san also made lots of great games back then too… but I don’t remember any of them (both laugh).

Above: FINAL FANTASY pixel remaster

If you could only listen to one Square Enix soundtrack or album ever again, what would it be?

Suzui-san: (Opens mouth…)

And you can’t say THEATRHYTHM!

Suzui-san: I was about to say THEATRHYTHM!

Hmm… just one, eh? I think the FINAL FANTASY XV soundtrack. That is just divine!

Hazama-san: Uh (deep in thought)… If you talk about individual tracks, there are loads that really hit me.

If I was forced to pick just one thing (and I apparently am), I’m going to say KINGDOM HEARTS.

What Square Enix game do you look at and think: “I wish I’d worked on that!”

Suzui-san: There’s plenty where I think, “Thank you for making that.” I wouldn’t have been able to create THEATRHYTHM if the other guys at Square Enix hadn’t made the games that feature in it.

So we’re really thankful to everyone who made everything in THEATRHYTHM.

Hazama-san: You’re not actually answering the question….

Suzui-san: Oh alright.

FINAL FANTASY III. I really love the job system in that game. That was so good, I wish I’d been able to make that! If I could remake any game, it would be FINAL FANTASY II, just because I personally don’t like the back attack system (laughs).

Above: FINAL FANTASY III Pixel Remaster

Hazama-san: Argh. I can’t think of anything!

Suzui-san: Unlike Hazama-san, I don’t technically work for Square Enix, so I’m free to say what I like! He’s nervous because he’s got to keep all the senior guys sweet (laughs).

(Looks at Hazama-san pointedly) He has to give you an answer though, even if it isn’t allowed!

Hazama-san: I remember when I was coming out of school, I really loved Bust a Groove. I also really love FINAL FANTASY music, so being able to turn that into THEATRHYTHM… I actually made the game I would most want to make!

Another one would be Astronōka. I don’t think it ever released in the West, but it was a farming simulation game, based around winning vegetable competitions. They came up with some really unique and cool ideas for it.

Suzui-san: I remember playing Bust-a-Groove together with Hazama-san while we were working together at Bandai! We used to play Itadaki Street too - now that’s a really good game!

Actually, I remember when we were working on THEATRHYTHM DRAGON QUEST, we spoke to Horii-san loads about Itadaki Street - he created that as well as DRAGON QUEST. We were making our own little board game for our title, and he gave us lots of behind the scenes info and tips! That was great!

Ok, this one should hopefully be easier to answer: what one game do you think everybody in the world should play?

Suzui-san: You think that is an easy question?!

It’s a difficult one because if I say something from Square Enix, it’ll sound like I’m just shilling for you, and if I don’t, that won’t look good either (laughs)!

Ok, I think honestly, it would be The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

Hazama-san: I would want everyone to play VAGRANT STORY.

Really, really great game.

I think the person in the whole world who enjoyed VAGRANT STORY the most…was me! I don’t think I’ve ever really spoken to anyone about games and them talk about it with as much love (laughs).

It wasn’t perfect, but the way the story unfolded and how the events and presentation showed what was going on was absolutely amazing. I was utterly captivated by that game.

I think a lot of fans would agree with you about VAGRANT STORY!

Hazama-san: I’d love to talk to these people!

Sometimes I talk to people in the company about what I love about the game and the story, and they come back with, “Really Hazama? You think that’s the best bit of the game!?” I’d love everyone to play it, so I can meet more people who agree with me (laughs)!

What’s your proudest career achievement?

Hazama-san: Ok, I’m definitely going to answer this…

Suzui-san: Can I say THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE?

Of course!

Suzui-san: I really am genuinely proud of this game!

Hazama-san: I should have said that (laughs)!

But actually, looking back, one of my proudest moments personally was working on FINAL FANTASY VII ADVENT CHILDREN.

We had to get this movie released and make it a success not just in Japan, but overseas as well. I remember sitting down with all the key people on the FINAL FANTASY VII creation team, like Director Tetsuya Nomura, Story writer Kazushige Nojima, composer Nobuo Uematsu and talking about so many different things, such as which companies to go through to get it out and stuff like that.

It was a lot of fun to work on, and it made me a lot more confident in my abilities!

Suzui-san: An early achievement for me was directing a game called Retro Game Challenge. It was based on the Japanese TV series Gamecentre CX.

It was made really quickly and on a really small budget, but it taught me that you can make a good game without spending too much money. I learned so much from it.

So when Square Enix came to me and said, “We want to make this game about FINAL FANTASY music,” I already had built the confidence to do a good job.

Hazama-san: Hold on, that makes it sound like we’re not paying you!

Suzui-san: Don’t misunderstand - they really did treat me very well (laughs)!

It’s amazing though - I’ve been working on THEATRHYTHM for 12 years now, and indieszero as a company has been going for 25. So for half of our existence, we’ve been working on THEATRHYTHM. That’s incredible - and I’m so happy to have been given the opportunity.

I think of all the FINAL FANTASY music I loved as a kid, and Hazama-san and his team gave me the opportunity to make a game about it! And when I see out there playing it, and they feel the same as me about bringing this amazing music to life… it’s just a wonderful feeling.

As you say, you two have been working together for a while now. How did you meet?

Suzui-san: Actually, the first time I saw Hazama-san, he was getting shouted at. This was at a different company to Square Enix.

The Head of Department called him over, “Oi, Hazama! Get over here now - these numbers are all wrong! Go and sort it out!”

And he said, “Yes Boss! Sorry Boss! I’ll do it again!”

That’s my first memory of Ichiro Hazama (laughs)!

Hazama-san: I think I remember that, yes. The more I pulled away, the angrier with me he got!

The thing was, I wasn’t actually wrong! It was to do with a royalties agreement, and I saw that the numbers were too high. I went to the team, they insisted it was fine, and I was the one who got shouted at when it wasn’t!

I did actually point out that I’d checked and done my due diligence, and he said, “That doesn’t make a bit of difference!” That’s what bosses are like, aren’t they (laughs)?

Suzui-san: However, when I saw him being shouted at, I thought, “I like this guy!”

That’s when we became friends and went out drinking together.

And thus a successful team was born! Many thanks to Hazama-san and Suzui-san for sharing the games that made them… them.

Their latest collaboration, THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE, is available now for PS4 and Nintendo Switch. It’s a celebratory love letter to 35 years of FINAL FANTASY and Square Enix as a whole, with more than 500 songs to play through, depending on the edition.

Three editions are available:

• Standard Edition: Available physically and digitally, this contains 385 songs from across the FINAL FANTASY series

• Digital Deluxe Edition: Contains all songs from the standard edition, plus 27 additional tracks, and Season Pass 1.

• Premium Digital Deluxe Edition: Contains all songs from the standard edition, plus 27 additional tracks, and Season Passes 1-3.

Get the game here:

• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on PS4
• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on Switch

Read more Games That Made Us features:

• The Games That Made Us: OCTOPATH TRAVELER II team
• The Games That Made Us: LIVE A LIVE team

To stay up to date with news and information about THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE, be sure to follow FINAL FANTASY on social media:

• FINAL FANTASY on Twitter
• FINAL FANTASY on Facebook
• FINAL FANTASY on Instagram
• FINAL FANTASY on YouTube

Hello, this is THEATRHYTHM series director Masanobu Suzui. I oversaw development of FINAL BAR LINE from its inception and was the main point of contact for all work involved.

• Favourite FF games: The FINAL FANTASY XIII series (for the synchronicity between the overwhelmingly stylish visuals and music)
• Favourite FF music: The Red Wings from FINAL FANTASY IV (I love the way that this powerful and majestic music tells you about the setting from the very start of the adventure)

In today’s article I would like to talk a bit about some of the cool things you can see in the opening and ending movies used in the game.

Let’s start with the opening sequence - the first ever opening movie in the THEATRHYTHM series! The core concept was “A sequence using lots of scene shifts alongside up-tempo music in the style of a music video”.

I worked together with the director, Mr. Okayasu and the assigned designer, Mr. Asai, to fit in all the little details we could. We tried to pack in all the different types of assets used in THEATRHYTHM and constructed the video so it looks different to what players see in the game itself - for example, we used close-ups of the characters and monsters. The memorable transitions between the different sections were all Mr. Asai’s idea, so watch out for those!

The most important thing that we wanted to do with this movie was to motivate players who were about to play the game. However, we also hope that this video will pique the interest of people who see it playing in shops or who randomly encounter it online and encourage them to try playing THEATRHYTHM!

Next, let’s take a look at the ending movie.

A fair while has passed since the game’s release, but people who don’t like spoilers should probably close this blog right now!

The ending movie for FINAL BAR LINE follows in the THEATRHYTHM series tradition of letting the player enjoy lots of short sketches played out by the super-deformed monsters and characters from the game.

There is quite a lot in there that you probably won’t notice on the first viewing, so I would recommend watching it over several times from the museum menu. This time round we have also added a function to turn the credits off, so you can fully enjoy the little characters crazy antics without the names getting in the way!

All the characters in the game appear at least once in the ending and most of the monsters do too, so why not see if you can find them all?

Finally, I would like to hand over to Shota Asai, the designer in charge of creating the two movies, and get him to point out some of the best bits.

Hi there, my name is Shota Asai and I was in charge of making the opening and ending movies for THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE. As well as these movies, I also worked on the background models for the FMS stages and the series quests.

• Favourite FF games: FINAL FANTASY VII and FINAL FANTASY IX (Of all the games in the series, I particularly like the settings for these two)

• Favourite FF music: “The Final Battle” from FINAL FANTASY IV (The fierce melody throughout and the progression after the key change is just so cool)

Mr. Suzui has already covered the overall direction of the two videos, so I’ll pick out some of the finer details that I think are cool.

Opening movie

In the opening part where the Warrior of Light is walking along playing his trumpet, all the other characters in the performing group hold musical instruments too. Look closely to see which character is holding which instrument.

In the sections from the middle and at the end of the video where the “album jackets” for the different music tracks are shown, we took care to make sure that all the popular and well known tracks were featured. We also were careful to present a good colour balance and cover the characters and monsters from all the different FINAL FANTASY titles evenly. However, there were still many lovely jacket designs that we could not fit into these two sequences, so I invite you to look closely and see if your favourite is in there.

I put in a scene in homage to the opening of FINAL FANTASY I in the section just before the chorus. It is quite simple, but I think it is a nice scene that captures the essence of FINAL FANTASY.

To go back to the transitions that Suzui mentioned above, these mainly use the colours yellow, blue, red and purple, which are the colours used to represent the four rhythm game difficulty levels: Basic, Expert, Ultimate and Supreme. By incorporating these UI art elements, we aimed to make the video feel more consistent and embody the style of THEATRHYTHM.

Ending movie

For the FINAL BAR LINE ending movie, we continued the tradition of the previous endings in the series, while also striving to make it a fun and light-hearted video that would give players a laugh.

The opening movie is designed to communicate the idea of an impending “clash” between light and darkness and to motivate and excite the viewer for that upcoming battle. In direct contrast, the ending movie presents the image of “harmony” having been achieved between light and darkness, with friends and foes getting up to their high-spirited antics together or just bickering in a friendly manner!

I felt that just having one little sketch after another play out would make the video a bit tiresome, so I tried to be innovative with the pacing and mix in various references to the original games, such as using Phoenix’s “Flames of Rebirth” and Shinryu’s “Tidal Wave” to brighten up the transitions between scenes and music tracks.

We have densely packed so many characters and scenes into the ending that you probably won’t see everything on the first viewing and might wonder where a particular character appeared, so have fun watching over again and again!

I hope you enjoyed reading through this blog series and invite you to check out anything that piqued your interest in the game!

Extra! It’s me, Suzui again!

The opening and ending movies were constructed around the amazing music created by Mr. Keiji Kawamori from the Square Enix sound team, who has been a great help to us throughout the development of the whole THEATRHYTHM series.

We had many discussions and debates with him about what kinds of visuals would best align with each different tune and sound, tweaking and adjusting along the way to get everything working together. The finished movies were greatly inspired by the music that Mr. Kawamori made for us!

Our blog has run for quite some time now, but alas this is the final entry in the series. I hope that they have informed and educated those who wanted to know more about the development team’s intentions for the game and would be delighted if they have given those who were on the fence about THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE a push to give the game a try!

The blog may be finished, but you can still play the game itself for a long time yet! I hope to see you all again in the multi battle mode and swap ProfiCards!

THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE is out now for Nintendo Switch and PS4:

• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on PS4
• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on Switch

To stay up to date with news and information about the game, be sure to follow FINAL FANTASY on social media:

• FINAL FANTASY on Twitter
• FINAL FANTASY on Facebook
• FINAL FANTASY on Instagram
• FINAL FANTASY on YouTube

Hello - my name is Yuichiro Takahashi and I work as a planner at indieszero, the developer of THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE! I worked as a sound planner on the game, and was in charge of creating music stage data as well as planning out the audio in general.

• Favourite FF game: FINAL FANTASY V (It was the first game in the series I ever played)
• Favourite FF music: In Search of Light from FINAL FANTASY V (The bold tune is so fitting for a last dungeon).

In this article I’d like to talk about the arranged tracks that were used on the game’s menus!

We asked the Square Enix sound team to create the menu arrangements for the game and were greatly helped by Mr. Keiji Kawamori, who has been of the utmost assistance to indieszero since the very first THEATRHYTHM game.

In the first half of this blog, I’ll talk about what kind of music was ordered and in the second half I would like to hand over to Mr. Kawamori and the arranger Ms. Yuko Komiyama to talk about the way they approached these tracks and the main points they focused on.

When requesting a new arrangement track, we write out a “music order form” document. I’ll explain how it works, using the party selection screen (below) as an example.

The first thing to decide is which of the original music tracks will form the basis for the new arrangement. We actually used music from FINAL FANTASY VI for the party select screen on both the original THEATRHYTHM and CURTAIN CALL, although it just came out that way - it wasn’t planned intentionally.

However, we decided that continuing the tradition on FINAL BAR LINE would keep consistency over the series, so the team limited our choices to music from FINAL FANTASY VI.

We ultimately decided to base the arrangement on ‘Protect the Espers!’ and the next step was to think about how exactly we wanted the track arranged. These kinds of decisions are based on the role and functionality of the screen the music would be played over.

The party select screen is a place where the player will take time to think over decisions and try out different setups, so the key points we set down for the arrangement direction were that it should have a lower tempo than the original version so it did not feel hurried. It should also have a courageous and tactical feel to go with the function of the screen.

We align the direction of the BGM arrangement with the functionality for each individual screen in this way.

I will now hand over to Mr. Kawamori from the Square Enix sound team and arranger Ms. Komiyama to talk about the details of the arrangement itself!

Hi - I’m Keiji Kawamori from the Square Enix Sound Department. I work as a music director, and am often involved in making arrangements of different FINAL FANTASY tracks.

• Favorite FF game: FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE (I chose the most recent game I was involved with making!)
• Favorite FF music: Struggle for Freedom from FINAL FANTASY XII (we were still working with internally generated sound sources at this point, so I have memories of how hard it was to squeeze this track into the memory limit…)

When I’m working on THEATRHYTHM games, I always get strong feelings of nostalgia from hearing all the old songs again and the memories of the original development that they conjure up.

Points I took special care on

Choosing who to handle the arrangement was a carefully made decision. Ms. Yuko Komiyama immediately came to mind when I was looking for a composer who respected the music of FINAL FANTASY and was also a skilled arranger, so I asked her if she would accept this request.

Things I particularly liked from the arrangement on the party select screen

I like the vibrant opening section that really matches well with the fun atmosphere of the game.

The game itself is overflowing with love for the music of FINAL FANTASY, and this was pushed even further with the addition of Ms. Komiyama’s wonderful arrangement that fully displays her passion for music. It makes THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE even more satisfying and enjoyable - I hope everyone has fun with it.

Hello! My name is Yuko Komiyama and I handled this new arrangement for THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE.

• Favourite FF game: FINAL FANTASY IV (It was the first FINAL FANTASY I ever played and the game that showed me how great game music can be)
• Favourite FF music: Locke’s Theme from FINAL FANTASY VI (I often find myself humming this tune recently)

It was being so wowed by the music of FINAL FANTASY IV that got me into this industry in the first place, so it was fortuitous indeed that I would get the chance to make arrangements for THEATRHYTHM. I still can’t quite believe that I get to be involved in making something that has the FINAL FANTASY name on it!

For this job I was given a very detailed idea of the kind of music that was needed and was able to make it without much deliberation. I feel that there is a concept of “having fun” in all the classic tracks from FINAL FANTASY and other Square Enix games, so I definitely tried to have fun with the composition.

All of those classics keep the core elements that make them so good even when arranged in different ways, so there are many possible directions that you could take them in. That always leads to headaches when trying to decide what to do. The brief here mainly involved creating music for menus, such as the multi-battle and results screens, so I took particular care in making sure that my music did not get in the way while players were thinking intently.

Points I took special care on

I wanted to reflect my appreciation for how luxurious FINAL FANTASY music has always been. Even with the limited hardware specifications of the Famicom / Nintendo Entertainment System and Super Famicom / Super Nintendo Entertainment System, the quality of the music produced for FINAL FANTASY games was always high.

In recent years they have featured an incredible sense of scale through the power of the orchestra, and also a subtle charm, but we have consistently seen the same kinds of beautiful melodies since FINAL FANTASY I.

In order to do nice arrangements of the FINAL FANTASY tracks from across the years, I used live recordings of instruments on some pieces. The recordings took around a day and a half and cover pretty much the whole range of instruments available, from bass, guitars and piano to jazz organs, drums, string section, brass, woodwind, percussion and choruses. Thanks to all the recording staff we were able to put together an awesome track.

Arrangements that I particularly liked from THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE

I would say that the opening movie track is a favourite of mine. There is a perception that the FINAL FANTASY series uses a lot of orchestral pieces, but this genre of orchestral arrangement was something that could only really be done with THEATRHYTHM.

Incidentally, the whole thing was recorded using live instrumental performances! All the performers really got into the groove, so please take a listen to the results when you start up the game!

One other arrangement that I like is the THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE Special Battle Arrangement Medley. The sheet music for this one was incredibly complex and probably made the performers want to cry, but they all knew the original versions of the different battle themes featured. Understanding what the final result should sound like made them want to put in that extra effort to see it through, so they pushed through many different takes and also came up with lots of good ideas.

Both the staff making the medley and the performers naturally found themselves saying how nostalgic the music was and how much fun they were having, so the whole team enjoyed themselves from start to finish. Incidentally, I got such an adrenaline rush while working on this track that my heart rate was up around 180 BPM!

If someone’s time playing THEATRHYTHM is made even a little richer and more exciting through the music that I made, then I consider it a great success. I hope everyone has fun going all out tapping away the rhythms!

Thank you very much, Mr. Kawamori and Ms. Komiyama!

This is Yuichiro Takahashi from indieszero again. All the arrangements we had made are simply wonderful, so please listen out for them while you are browsing the menu screens!

By the way, my personal favourites are the FINAL FANTASY XV “Valse di Fantastica” arrangement that plays in the museum menu and the “Happy Birthday Victory Fanfare” that plays during the cake sequence for character’s birthdays!

That’s it for this time! THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE is out now for PS4 and Nintendo Switch:

• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on PS4
• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on Switch

To stay up to date with news and information about the game, be sure to follow FINAL FANTASY on social media:

• FINAL FANTASY on Twitter
• FINAL FANTASY on Facebook
• FINAL FANTASY on Instagram
• FINAL FANTASY on YouTube

Hi there, my name is Erina Onishi and I am the lead in-game brand planner for THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE.

• Favourite FF game: FINAL FANTASY XIV (there was a time I used to play until 6 in the morning on weekdays!)

• Favourite FF music: FINAL FANTASY XI - The Sanctuary of Zi'Tah (I’ve never played the actual stage in FF11 but somehow this music makes me long for home.)

For this game, I was primarily in charge of the oversight and management of FINAL FANTASY-related elements, with a focus on the backdrops used in the music stages.

I’ll first explain how the backdrops were made, look at some of the elements to watch out for and share some backdrop recommendations from the team!

Imagining the scene

We decided that the backdrop for every piece of music in THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE would be based on scenes from the original game in which it played.

For example, the track featured in the image above is Jack’s Theme from STRANGER OF PARADISE FINAL FANTASY ORIGIN and we based its stage on some of the scenes shown during that game’s release date announcement trailer:

We thought long and hard about which scenes we should pick for the in-game stages, to ensure that the memories they conjured for fans were as clear and vivid as possible.

Making a request to the 3D graphic designers

Let me tell you a little about the process of creating these stages.

Once we decide on the scene to use for a track, the next part of the process is to draw out a rough plan for the specific layout of the background and then make a request to the graphics designer who will work it up.

At the same time, the planners and other staff do as much “location hunting” as they can. This involves travelling to the scene or location in the original game and looking at the background from different angles, as well as gathering more detailed information about the patterns used on the floors and walls etc.

The results of these information gathering sessions are shared with the graphic designer and put to good use in the creation of the final backdrop design.

Checking and finishing off the backdrop

Once the layout has been carefully scrutinised and the details have been added in, we check over the backdrop. At this point the backdrop is around 90% complete, and from the development team’s perspective this checking back step marks the end of our work.

The only thing to do after that is to collate the designs into a document and have it checked over by Square Enix.

Highlights

The beauty of the backdrops in THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE is in how they each maintain the individual feel of the different FINAL FANTASY and Square Enix games they’re based on, but also share a consistent look through the THEATRHYTHM art style.

I’d now like to hand over to two on our 3D graphics designers who worked hard to achieve that amazing balance in the BMS stages, and hear about the backdrops that they personally recommend you check out.

Mugiko Sakai (Graphics designer from indieszero)

My name is M. Sakai and I am a 3D graphics designer.

• Favourite FF game: FINAL FANTASY IV (It was my first ever FF game and left an impression that stays with me to this day.)
• Favourite FF music: Cosmo Canyon from FINAL FANTASY VII (The music really immersed me in the atmosphere of Cosmo Canyon.)

I was mainly in charge of creating the backgrounds for the BMS stages on FINAL BAR LINE.

My favourite backdrops

• Fight On! from FINAL FANTASY VII
• FFVII REMAKE: The Airbuster from FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE

The details to look out for

There are loads of backdrops that I want to draw attention to, but the ones that I particularly recommend are those which let you peer into the successive generations that make up the history of the FINAL FANTASY series overall.

The two that I’m introducing here are both from the FINAL FANTASY VII series, which contributes the most songs to the THEATRHYTHM catalogue of any individual series. They simulate the scene for the same battle in the original FINAL FANTASY VII and in FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE.

The creation of these two backdrops, in particular the one for the track from the original FINAL FANTASY VII, was only finalised in the latter part of the development schedule. For a long time we were re-using a different backdrop based on the previous game as the stage instead.

As someone who had excitedly played FINAL FANTASY VII years ago, I had a really emotional reaction when the new backdrop was ready and first implemented in the game. The music itself is thrilling in its own right, but I hope that fans can enjoy both the nostalgic original FINAL FANTASY VII and the new REMAKE through these different backdrops as well.

Ohara Naoya (Graphics designer from indieszero)

Graphics designer Naoya Ohara here!

• Favourite FF games: FINAL FANTASY IX (I love everything about the game, from the setting to the story and the characters!)
• Favourite FF music: Searching for Friends from FINAL FANTASY VI (I just cannot forget the scene where this song plays for the first time…)

On THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE I was mainly involved in making the background graphics for the BMS stages.

My favourite backdrop:

• Grand Finale from FINAL FANTASY VI

The details to look out for

Grand Finale uses the opera house background from the Ultros battle, and it was created as a new stage just for this track!

Before I started working on this backdrop, I held detailed consultations with the planners and the other graphics designers about how to respect the feel of the original game while still making it in the best way for a THEATRHYTHM stage. No effort has been spared, including having the audience created especially for the opera house!

So many people helped and collaborated in making this background, so it’s a very special one for me (I also loved FFVI from back in the day, so it feels special for me in that way too).

I took special care adding various little touches to the presentation so that the atmosphere of the opera house isn’t lost. I’ll be very happy if players notice them!

I invite everyone to look for their favourite backdrops in THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE too!

THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE is out now for Nintendo Switch and PS4. Three editions are available:

• Standard Edition: Available physically and digitally, this contains 385 songs from across the FINAL FANTASY series

• Digital Deluxe Edition: Contains all songs from the standard edition, plus 27 additional tracks, and Season Pass 1.

• Premium Digital Deluxe Edition: Contains all songs from the standard edition, plus 27 additional tracks, and Season Passes 1-3.

The game is available now:

• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on PS4
• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on Switch

You can also play a free demo available that lets you experience 30 tracks from the game, including beloved songs from FINAL FANTASY II, FINAL FANTASY V, FINAL FANTASY VII, FINAL FANTASY XIII, FINAL FANTASY XIV and FINAL FANTASY XV!

Your progress even carries over to the full game!

• Everything you need to know about the THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE demo

For news and updates about THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE, be sure to follow FINAL FANTASY on social media:

• FINAL FANTASY on Twitter
• FINAL FANTASY on Facebook
• FINAL FANTASY on Instagram
• FINAL FANTASY on YouTube

My name is Naoe Watabe from sAs and I worked as a score editor on THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE. I’ve worked on the series together with indieszero since the first THEATRHYTHM game, mainly designing the music stages.

• Favourite FF games: FINAL FANTASY II, VIII, X, XII, XIV and XV (I just couldn’t narrow it down!)
• Favourite FF music: Main Theme (FINAL FANTASY II) Eyes On Me (FINAL FANTASY VIII), Kuon -Memories of Waves and Light- (FINAL FANTASY X-2), A Long Fall (FINAL FANTASY XIV)

In this article I’d like to share my personal perspective on the Ultimate and Supreme difficulty level stages. It may be a little clumsy, but please bear with me.

My first memories of working on THEATRHYTHM

The first music stage I ever created for a THEATRHYTHM game was Battle Theme 2 from FINAL FANTASY II.

Getting the tuplet at the end of the piece to work entirely with touch controls was pretty hard back then - I remember that when I unveiled the demo to Square Enix, they were very surprised that I’d managed it.

I had played rhythm games before but never made one, so it was around this time that I grasped the important tricks to constructing music stages. I would go on to make many music stages, but this one left a big impression on me as the first I did.

How music stages are made

We touched on this a bit in our previous blog article on the Basic and Expert levels, but I would now like to go deeper and discuss how we approach making stages that are a satisfying challenge to play, looking at a few examples of different trends in the music tracks.

1. Tracks with a prominent four-beat drum rhythm and main melody

If you put in 4 beat touch triggers to mark the rhythm while having the player tap out the melody, it makes for a satisfying and enjoyable way to follow that melody at a good tempo. As a result, this pattern is used a lot on the higher level music stages.

It requires the player to tap out different rhythms with the left and right hands, so it’s a more difficult to input correctly and is not used on the Basic and Expert levels.

I think you can see this in action most clearly in tracks like Shuffle or Boogie from FINAL FANTASY VIII (Ultimate), The Savior - LIGHTNING RETURNS:FINAL FANTASY XIII - (Supreme) or A Long Fall from FINAL FANTASY XIV (Supreme). So, go and take a look to see what I mean!

2. Tracks with an irregular meter or where complex sounds are prominent

For tracks like this, just placing triggers in line with the main melody will make a stage suitably difficult, so these kinds of stages are comparatively quick and straightforward to make.

Most of the time, just having single touches makes a stage difficult enough, but to make tapping along feel even better, and to bring all the parts of the music closer together, I like to add in slide trigger placements that make the player aware of the pitch of the sounds as well.

For example, the direction of a slider will go up when the pitch of the sound rises and down when it falls.

This phenomenon can probably be seen best in tracks like Battle with the Four Fiends from FINAL FANTASY IV (Ultimate), Dancing Mad from FINAL FANTASY VI (Ultimate) and Hill of Destiny from FINAL FANTASY MYSTIC QUEST (Supreme).

Tracks with lots of accents packed in

One thing that we do with the controls to give players a sense of satisfaction is to finish on a double tap or with a twin slider at the end of a track, to bring out that “yes, finished!” feeling. However, we also put the same kinds of triggers in the trademark “accent” moments during the track as well.

Having a complex trigger that requires four simultaneous inputs to overlap with the main accent of the piece really boosts the player’s feeling of achievement if they can perform the input successfully. It makes the stage more satisfying.

However, if you overdo this then the stage just feels difficult throughout, so you need to be aware of striking a good balance.

The brass section melody that comes in during the intervals of Metal - Brute Justice Mode from FINAL FANTASY XIV (Supreme) has just that kind of rhythm where you go “This is it! right here!”, so we decided it would feel more fun and exhilarating to have players tap it out themselves!

To sum up, my personal philosophy is that the creation of a music stage will generally go well if you approach it with the idea of “chiselling the stage out from under the original music”.

My personal recommendations

FINAL FANTASY XV - Valse di Fantastica

When I’m putting together a music stage, I always have the track in question playing on an endless loop during my commute into work. The sheer elegance of the melody in Valse di Fantastica and the way that it increases in pitch by a whole octave is incredibly distinctive, so I felt that I had to use that in the stage construction somehow.

I wanted to place double touch triggers to follow the pitch increase on the piano and tried to imagine how it would work, spending an hour or so putting a rough draft together. The speed at which I was able to get to that stage was thrilling if I do say so myself and is the reason why this track has special memories for me!

I hope players can feel the same enjoyment as smartly playing through a whole octave on the piano from the trigger inputs!

FINAL FANTASY VIII - Force Your Way

This stage was said to be the hardest of the Ultimate level stages in the first THEATRHYTHM game, but it actually worked out being that difficult due to using a slide, touch, touch trigger placement aligned with the synthesiser melody. It was also the first time I became aware of the concept of “chiselling the stage out from under the original music”.

Of course, the number of Supreme level stages has increased in the time between the original THEATHRYTHM and All-Star Carnival, and for FINAL BAR LINE we needed to consider how to add in even more triggers to raise it above the Ultimate level. That caused the stage designers some headaches alright, but I feel that all the experience we have gained over the series really helped to round out the design for this stage!

Once you’re able to keep pulling off the slide and touch trigger combinations at a good tempo, you will have mastered the fundamentals needed to move up to the Supreme stages, so I thoroughly recommend Force Your Way to players who want to take on the top difficulty level!

FINAL FANTASY X - Thunder Plains

For THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE, we added in a Supreme level version of this stage.

The Thunder Plains is well known as the location of a mini game where you have to dodge 200 lightning bolts in a row, and I have fond memories of the music that played there as I struggled to achieve that feat and earn an ultimate weapon.

When I re-listened to the original music as preparation to work on the stage, it brought back some painful memories of missing the input and getting struck because the ticking sound messed up my timing. However, I was also touched by how distinctive Mr. Hamauzu’s clear and beautiful music was and how I could listen to it again and again.

The rhythm of the piano is very clear and easy to follow in this track, so I wondered how best to express that in the music stage construction. The Supreme level stage came out of these musings, and I think it was pretty close to how I had originally imagined it would be.

I also experimented with the idea of placing triggers that move up and down in line with the sound of the clock, which I am confident makes this quite an emotional stage. It was well received among the other members of the team and is one of the stages I can personally recommend… but I would advise you to listen closely to the clattering sound of needles as you play!

Final thoughts

The team put their hearts and souls into making THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE and managed to squeeze in the highest number of music tracks from any game in the series. We would be delighted if fans can find all the stages that appeal to them and enjoy playing the game for a long time to come.

THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE is out now for PS4 and Nintendo Switch. Three editions are available:

• Standard Edition: Available physically and digitally, this contains 385 songs from across the FINAL FANTASY series

• Digital Deluxe Edition: Contains all songs from the standard edition, plus 27 additional tracks, and Season Pass 1.

• Premium Digital Deluxe Edition: Contains all songs from the standard edition, plus 27 additional tracks, and Season Passes 1-3.

All these editions are available to purchase now.

• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on PS4
• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on Switch

There’s also a free demo available that lets you play through 30 tracks from the game, including some beloved songs from FINAL FANTASY II, FINAL FANTASY V, FINAL FANTASY VII, FINAL FANTASY XIII, FINAL FANTASY XIV and FINAL FANTASY XV!

Your progress even carries over to the full game!

• Everything you need to know about the THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE demo

To stay up to date with news and information about the game, be sure to follow FINAL FANTASY on social media:

• FINAL FANTASY on Twitter
• FINAL FANTASY on Facebook
• FINAL FANTASY on Instagram
• FINAL FANTASY on YouTube

Hi - my name is Minami Kubota and I’m Score Editor at indieszero, the developer of THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE.

• Favourite FF games: FINAL FANTASY VIII, FINAL FANTASY X (I’m a Kimahri Fangirl) and FINAL FANTASY TYPE-0.

• Favourite FF music: A Fleeting Dream from FINAL FANTASY X (This is one of the tracks I have special memories of and it really conjures the image of Tidus and his friends’ journey).

I was involved in creating the music stage data on THEATHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE, reprising the same role from All-Star Carnival.

Today, I’ll be talking about how the different music stages were made, focusing on the Basic and Expert stages!

What we prioritised when making music stages

The very first thing that a creator has to do when working on a new music stage is to understand where the track originated in its original FINAL FANTASY game. For example, was it played during a boss fight or a sorrowful event in the story, or was it the accompaniment to an engrossing mini game?

Only after thoroughly understanding where in the game it was used can we move onto the construction of the rhythm game stage itself.

At this point, we need to take care to make sure that the original atmosphere of the scene and the music isn’t lost while we build the working music stage. It goes without saying, but all the stage designers strived to stay true to these original ideals, and diligently created the music stages with an awareness towards the original games and their music.

We exercised a certain level of playfulness when making many of the music stages, placing and choosing the types of triggers to express a certain concept or recreate an aspect of the original scene.

I’m delighted when players notice these little touches and invite everyone to look closely and use your imaginations to work out what they’re referencing.

Creating Basic and Expert level stages

We strived to make the Basic and Expert stages accessible and easy to play for everyone.

There was a lot of trial and error on each individual stage to work out how to simplify things. For example, when you have numerous subtle sounds from wind instruments and percussion, we didn’t assign triggers to every single sound, but instead just placed one for the start of the sequence and had the player hold down the button for the rest.

We made efforts to ensure that players who were not so familiar with rhythm games would enjoy playing in many other ways too, such as taking care that the directions the slide triggers go in are easy to follow, giving the player a suitable gap before and after simultaneous push triggers, limiting their number overall, and trying to pick up on the melodies that were easiest to hear!

Furthermore, the development team played through each new stage many times during development and compared opinions on whether it was slightly too difficult or was lacking somewhere. We then went on to make the adjustments that we felt were needed over numerous iterative cycles.

To give you a specific example of this approach, there were many different areas where we showed consideration towards novice players in the Basic and Expert versions of “One-Winged Angel - Rebirth“ from FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE.

For the famous section where the vocals sing “Se-phi-roth”, we strived to make the trigger placement comparatively simple, to reduce any possible trepidation and make this section as straightforward as possible to play. Accordingly, we didn’t weave in any sliding triggers and stuck to just double hold triggers for Basic and single touch ones for Expert.

All the sections that use this phrase were constructed in the same way, so it also had the effect of making the stage more memorable overall.

As you can see, the various stage designers spent every day of the development period thinking deeply about how to create music stages that fit with both the music itself and the required difficulty level.

Recommended Basic and Expert stages

Finally, I’d like to introduce some of the music stages that I personally recommend! (Different people find different types of stage easier or harder, so please view these as just a helpful reference!)

FINAL FANTASY: Castle Cornelia (Basic, difficulty level 2, FMS)

I think a lot of people have trouble with the movement of the wavy hold triggers on FMS stages until they get used to them!

The lines for the hold triggers on this stage are quite basic, and closely follow along with the gently main melody, which makes Castle Cornelia a great introductory training stage for the other FMS.

FINAL FANTASY XIV: Wayward Daughter (Basic, difficulty level 2, BMS)

This stage basically picks up on the main vocals throughout the whole song, so there’s comparatively less confusion when playing through it and you won’t get lost.

We’ve also fitted in a nice balance of simultaneous push triggers, so I can thoroughly recommend it as a good choice when you want to play a BMS or a vocal number!

FINAL FANTASY VI: Grand Finale (Expert, difficulty level 5, BMS)

This track is recommended for players who are used to the gameplay in THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE and are comfortable with Expert level stages but looking at trying out the Ultimate difficulty next.

I think it’s a good one for experiencing the basic feel of Ultimate stages, as it has a fairly high speed and density of triggers, as well as using many different trigger types.

FINAL FANTASY XIII: March of the Dreadnoughts (Expert, difficulty level 5, FMS)

This track is very much like Grand Finale in that it’s suitable for players who are used to the Expert level and want to move up into Ultimate. It has quite a high density of triggers for an FMS and the melody shifts between fast and slow, so it might be tricky to familiarise yourself with the nuances of the song.

However, it’s one that I would recommend as a great starting point for players aiming to raise their game with the Ultimate stages and play even more difficult stages in future!

I hope that every single player of THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE finds great music stages that leave a lasting impression on them.

THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE is out now for PS4 and Nintendo Switch. Three editions are available:

• Standard Edition: Available physically and digitally, this contains 385 songs from across the FINAL FANTASY series

• Digital Deluxe Edition: Contains all songs from the standard edition, plus 27 additional tracks, and Season Pass 1.

• Premium Digital Deluxe Edition: Contains all songs from the standard edition, plus 27 additional tracks, and Season Passes 1-3.

All these editions are available to purchase now.

• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on PS4
• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on Switch

There’s also a free demo available that lets you play through 30 tracks from the game, including some beloved songs from FINAL FANTASY II, FINAL FANTASY V, FINAL FANTASY VII, FINAL FANTASY XIII, FINAL FANTASY XIV and FINAL FANTASY XV!

Your progress even carries over to the full game!

• Everything you need to know about the THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE demo

To stay up to date with news and information about the game, be sure to follow FINAL FANTASY on social media:

• FINAL FANTASY on Twitter
• FINAL FANTASY on Facebook
• FINAL FANTASY on Instagram
• FINAL FANTASY on YouTube

Hello, my name is Tsukasa Okayasu and I’m the Director of THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE.

• Favourite FF game: FINAL FANTASY V (It was the first RPG I ever played)

• Favourite FF music: Zanarkand from FINAL FANTASY X (An absolute classic that leaves a deep impression!)

I’ve been involved in the THEATRHYTHM series from the very first game and for the latest title, I worked mainly on tying the various battle and other gameplay elements together. I spent a lot of time making sure that THEATRHYTHM has a strong RPG feel, so I’d like to talk about that aspect today.

How the RPG elements in the game came about

When we started development of the first THEATRHYTHM game, we set out with the goal of combining a rhythm game and RPG. There was a tremendous amount of trial and error during the early stages as we worked out the best way to blend these two genres.

I remember that the proposals for different abilities were a lot wider in scope than what ultimately went into the game. Some of the ideas we came up with were:

• Abilities that made input detection for the triggers more forgiving
• Abilities that increased the player’s score
• Abilities that aligned the direction of the slide triggers

This was when we decided on the overall direction of the game - making it purely the player’s skill at playing the rhythm game that determines their score. That idea is still at the core of the series today.

On the surface, this split might look like the opposite of combining rhythm game and RPG elements. However, I feel that making this decision was important to set the direction for the series. It ensured that players could enjoy the game in multiple ways - challenging themselves to get high scores through pure rhythm game skill and engaging in RPG style gameplay where they can level up and strategize to take down powerful enemies… even if they’re not a super skilled rhythm game player.

Further enhancements to the RPG elements in FINAL BAR LINE

For THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE, we piled on more new elements to make the gameplay feel even more like playing an RPG.

Firstly, we changed it so the damage inflicted on enemies and the total damage inflicted during a song is shown to the player.

We’d done several experiments along the same lines for previous titles in the series, but were unable to find a satisfying format until now. FINAL BAR LINE lets you feel that you are directly levelling up your characters more intuitively than any of the previous games did and you can see the differences in power between different abilities more clearly.

We did encounter the issue of players concentrating fully on the rhythm game prompts and not having the time to read all the numbers on screen, but introducing a “replay” function solved that nicely.

We also added in the concept of different elemental affinities for abilities, such as fire or ice. Monsters all have their own weaknesses and resistances towards different elements, so this increases the variation when choosing parties and allows for more strategic planning.

You now encounter enemies in the Field Music Stages too, which gives you even more opportunities to use battle abilities. The familiar “status ailments” from the FINAL FANTASY series also appear - Monsters will use attacks that inflict negative statuses on you too, so make sure you’re prepared to deal with them.

A cornucopia of characters

In the first THEATRHYTHM FINAL FANTASY there were 32 different characters available to use. For CURTAIN CALL we upped this to 64 characters. In FINAL BAR LINE, we’ve added even more, for a grand total of 104!

As well as having more characters to choose from, we’ve also enhanced the party mechanics in many different ways to allow you to enjoy trying them all out! The party selection screen has been tweaked so you can change characters, set all of their abilities and tweak other relevant settings form the same place.

We also reduced the number of abilities that each character can equip from 4 to 3 and abandoned the CP system from the previous games, while keeping the same level of tactical depth. The new party selection mechanics make it quick and easy to change your team and even though there are fewer elements, it offers much greater variation in the different parties you can create.

You can save up to 5 different parties to switch between at any time, letting you have a dedicated “magic using party”, a “fire element party”, a “multiplayer optimised party”, an “item gathering party” or whatever you want to create.

For players who are uncertain which characters to pick, we put a single line explanation about each character in their profiles. This lets you know what kind of situations the character will perform best in and is a useful hint when deciding who to take.

FINAL BAR LINE features powerful bosses to get your teeth into and an Endless World mode aimed at skilled players, so why not take on these challenges once you have levelled up your characters sufficiently?

Our passion for the game led us to create loads of other fun systems and features as well, so please enjoy everything that THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE has to offer as you strive to grow the strongest party you can!

THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE is out now for PS4 and Nintendo Switch. Three editions are available:

• Standard Edition: Available physically and digitally, this contains 385 songs from across the FINAL FANTASY series

• Digital Deluxe Edition: Contains all songs from the standard edition, plus 27 additional tracks, and Season Pass 1.

• Premium Digital Deluxe Edition: Contains all songs from the standard edition, plus 27 additional tracks, and Season Passes 1-3.

The game is available now:

• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on PS4
• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on Switch

You can also play a free demo available that lets you experience 30 tracks from the game, including beloved songs from FINAL FANTASY II, FINAL FANTASY V, FINAL FANTASY VII, FINAL FANTASY XIII, FINAL FANTASY XIV and FINAL FANTASY XV!

Your progress even carries over to the full game!

• Everything you need to know about the THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE demo

For news and updates about THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE, be sure to follow FINAL FANTASY on social media:

• FINAL FANTASY on Twitter
• FINAL FANTASY on Facebook
• FINAL FANTASY on Instagram
• FINAL FANTASY on YouTube

Hello everyone! My name is Yuichiro Takahashi, and I am a Planner at THEATRHYTHM developer indieszero! I was the overall sound planner for THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE and also worked on creating the music stage data.

• Favourite FF game: FINAL FANTASY III and IV (In my previous job I worked on the DS remakes, so these two have a special place for me!)
• Favourite FF music: Battle 2 from FINAL FANTASY IV (It really is THE definitive boss fight theme, in terms of both the tempo and the feeling of tension etc.)

In this article I’d like to talk about how we selected the tracks to use for the rhythm action game stages!

Our core policy was to keep all of the tracks that featured in previous THEATRHYTHM games, so I’ll explain into how we selected the new tracks to include in FINAL BAR LINE.

Songs in the base game

When deciding which songs to include, the first thing we did was to ask all our staff to propose the songs that they thought should go in. We set up a place where everyone, from the new hires to the development veterans, could easily write their suggestions.

We didn’t set any strict conditions on what these could be, and any song would be considered so as long as it was from a FINAL FANTASY, old or new. Different staff members had played different games and had their own unique memories of them, so we felt we couldn’t cover the whole series properly if we restricted suggestions to just a few specific team members.

At this stage, we had collected around 90 candidates for inclusion in the game, and the next step was to narrow them down. There were a few points we considered important in making the selection.

• Would the song create a fun stage to play? - Above all, we were making a rhythm action game, so whether a song would make for a fun and entertaining music stage was a very important concern.

• The song’s popularity and familiarity level - We also thoroughly investigated what the role of a track was in the original FINAL FANTASY game it featured in, as well as how well-known and popular it is.

• Is the title the song is from currently popular? - As the more recently released games will be fresher in player’s memories, they were more likely to be included.

• Ensuring there is not an imbalance in the different series represented - FINAL FANTASY games have fans that love them equally, so we took care to avoid over or under-representing specific entries.

• Passion for specific songs - The passion of the team members towards the songs that they proposed was also important. Incidentally, it was me that pushed the music from FINAL FANTASY: THE 4 HEROES OF LIGHT that went into FINAL BAR LINE. I felt that I had to take responsibility as the person who proposed them and so I designed the music stages for those tracks myself!

There were other factors that we considered as well, but these were the main conditions we used when we got the team together to discuss the track selection in meetings.

At these meetings we listened through the whole of each song, one at a time, and exchanged our opinions on them to narrow down the candidates for final inclusion. Many of the staff on the team had worked on previous THEATRHYTHM games, so they were very used to this process and could usually imagine what the final music stage might look like from just listening along to the music itself.

There were still a huge number of candidates left in the running, so it didn’t end with just one meeting and we had to spend many days discussing and narrowing down before we had the final line-up!

(Strictly speaking, working out the final selection also involved us proposing the different candidates to Square Enix to get their approval or rejection, as well as people on the Square Enix side requesting certain songs themselves!)

Digital Deluxe Edition tracks

The tracks included with the Deluxe edition were all meant to be special ones, mainly focusing on the various game’s theme songs, and we collected around 50 candidates to go on the list.

We also looked at many of the different live concerts that Square Enix has put on and their arrangement albums.

There are loads of memorable live performance recordings and amazing arrangements that we felt would make for great rhythm game stages. We listened to pretty much every single arrangement album that Square Enix had released and pulled another 50 or so candidates from there too.

DLC Tracks

For FINAL BAR LINE, we’re also releasing music tracks from Square Enix games other than FINAL FANTASY as additional DLC.

When selecting which ones to include, we decided that we wanted at least one completely new track in each DLC pack, that had not been featured in CURTAIN CALL or the THEATRHYTHM arcade game before.

We managed to generate around 100 candidates for the whole DLC selection and the passionate following for the SaGa series among the development team meant that over 40 of those came from SaGa games.

Once we had these candidate lists for the Deluxe edition and DLC, we cut them down through the same cycle of meetings that we did for the tracks in the standard edition.

Hopefully you have some idea how we approached the track selection process for THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE. We tried to achieve a selection that would satisfy as broad a group of fans as possible, but there will always be people whose favourite song didn’t make it in - so I’m very sorry if that is you!

It was essential that we drew up such a large list of candidates in order to cover a good cross-section of the whole of the FF series, and every track on that list was an amazing song, so it was always going to be a heart-breaking process to cut it down. It was somewhat harrowing choosing which ones to discard, but ultimately, we managed to achieve the largest number of tracks in the series to date - a massive 502 in total!

We also paid special attention when creating the Music Player mode, so you can even use the game as a 502 track FINAL FANTASY soundtrack album!

I hope people can enjoy THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE in many different ways!

• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on PS4
• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on Switch

For news and information about this and other Square Enix games, be sure to follow us on social media:

• FINAL FANTASY on Twitter
• FINAL FANTASY on Facebook
• FINAL FANTASY on Instagram
• FINAL FANTASY on YouTube

Hello everyone! This is Suzui Masanobu, THEATRHYTHM Series Director at indieszero! I oversaw the whole development process of THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE and was point of contact for all work on the game.

• Favourite FF game: FFX (I felt an overwhelming sense of drama in the story)
• Favourite FF music: Veiled in Black from FFXV (I am really drawn to the melancholy and the power of the piano sections in the main melody)

In this article, I’d like to talk about how we designed the rhythm gameplay system for THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE, looking at the evolution from the previous games in the series!

The rhythm game system has changed and evolved gradually since the first title. I touched on this briefly in my first blog, but the big condition that we set for ourselves was that the gameplay had to recreate the memorable scenes from FINAL FANTASY that the music originally accompanied.

Here’s a quick rundown of the ideas behind the different music stage types.

Battle Music Stage (BMS)

We designed the system for the BMS stages in FINAL BAR LINE to use the best aspects from both CURTAIN CALL (3DS) and ALL-STAR CARNIVAL (Arcade). The screen layout uses the same design from CURTAIN CALL, with monsters standing in a fixed position like they do in FINAL FANTASY battles so you can enjoy a similar feeling… but through a rhythm game.

Although resources were limited, we used all of our knowledge, experience and a lot of effort to make each individual stage conjure memories of famous scenes from FINAL FANTASY games.

We also tried to make it more fun for the player to recreate those original scenes themselves - as by allowing the use of one-man parties for the first time in the series, for example.

When designing the different type of Trigger inputs, we used our experience of making ALL-STAR CARNIVAL to include elements like the need to push two Touch Triggers at once, Twin-Slide Triggers etc. However, we made efforts to ensure that it would be familiar and easy to learn for CURTAIN CALL players too.

One example of how we did this is through “hold mid-points” - the points that indicate where the beat plays appear during the Hold Triggers, despite not requiring input from the player.

Field Music Stages (FMS)

The FMS in FINAL BAR LINE were based on those featured in ALL-STAR CARNIVAL, but the controls were adapted to feel closer to those from the CURTAIN CALL era, with the satisfying feeling of sliding the position of the Hold Trigger up and down to mimic the rising and falling of the song’s tone.

I plan on talking more about the RPG elements in a future blog entry, but the biggest difference from CURTAIN CALL is probably how monsters will occasionally appear and engage the player in battle during the FMS. We took great care to construct these music stages and backdrops in a way that would be reminiscent of the areas in the original games where the music played.

Event Music Stages (EMS)

The EMS in FINAL BAR LINE differ from those in CURTAIN CALL in that they use the same basic mechanics and controls as the BMS.

The previous system used up to CURTAIN CALL asked the player to follow exact inputs around a circular path. That was definitely a fun system, but FINAL BAR LINE was designed to be enjoyed on a large screen, so we changed it to a system where the Trigger movements are easier for the eye to follow while enjoying the amazing videos in the background.

The difficulty of these stages has also been adjusted to take into account that the player will be watching the video as they play.

Controls

I’ll now talk about the controls and how they have changed over the history of the series.

The mechanics of the first THEATRHYTHM were optimized to play using a stylus. We aimed to create a control system where it felt fun and satisfying to move your hand around the screen, and touch, slide and hold down the stylus according to the different phrases and sounds in the music.

In the second game, CURTAIN CALL, we kept the touch controls but were able to use button inputs as well. We also constructed the music stages to ensure that finger movements on the 3DS Circle Pad controls felt fun.

Offering all of these different input options meant that the game could to be enjoyed in various different places - for example, played on the train or while lazing about - and support individual play styles.

For the THEATRHYTHM arcade game ALL-STAR CARNIVAL, we created music stages that used a combination of two sliders that could be pushed to different directions and two buttons that could be tapped vigorously.

In FINAL BAR LINE, we expanded out the button controls from CURTAIN CALL. Our aim was to make moving your hands around the controller an enjoyable experience, using a combination of simultaneous button presses and sliding that includes use of L/R button controls.

We were also able to make great use of the technical knowhow we had gained from our experience of developing ALL-STAR CARNIVAL when creating the music stages in FINAL BAR LINE to map how they would be played. The editing tool we use to create the stage data has also become more and more convenient and easier to use with each new entry in the series!

It was not possible to have the player make two inputs simultaneously with a stylus. However, our experience with button controls means the player can now enjoy playing along to the music and feel that their inputs are synchronized with it in a satisfying way.

I think this has helped us to create a rhythm game that appeals to an even wider demographic of players than before. Personally, I like the “Expert” difficulty level the best. Our producer, Mr. Hazama, also says that he finds it the most fun at his skill level.

We set detailed rules and regulations about specific Trigger combinations that should be avoided as much as possible at the ”Expert”. I believe that this also makes the game accessible and fun for a wide range of players, just like CURTAIN CALL was.

Incidentally, as you have probably noticed, the “Supreme” difficulty level is very much aimed at elite rhythm game players!

If you’re just starting out, I’d wholeheartedly recommend the “Expert” level stages for players such as myself who love FINAL FANTASY music and just want to enjoy playing along to the music without having to concentrate excessively! Once you have gotten used to these, it can feel nice to gradually try out the lower difficulty “Ultimate” stages and feel yourself improving!

In FINAL BAR LINE we have also added in various information that helps you measure and improve your performance - for example, there’s a feature you can toggle from the config menu that shows if your inputs were too early or not, and another to show the trends in your input timing.

FINAL FANTASY started out as a completely menu-based RPG with no action elements in the gameplay at all.

Now the series is celebrating its 35th anniversary and boasts fans of all ages. THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE was developed on the understanding that not all of these fans would be skilled rhythm game players and we wanted to make it something that as many people as possible can enjoy. Anyone who loves (or has loved) FINAL FANTASY and its music can easily pick up and have fun with it.

Even if you find it difficult at first, you’ll be surprised at how quickly you improve after playing through a couple of songs. So, I’d be overjoyed if anyone who has a fondness towards FINAL FANTASY gives FINAL BAR LINE a go!

• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on PS4
• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on Switch

To stay up to date with future news about the game, including upcoming DLC, be sure to follow FINAL FANTASY on social media:

• FINAL FANTASY on Twitter
• FINAL FANTASY on Facebook
• FINAL FANTASY on Instagram
• FINAL FANTASY on YouTube

Hi everyone. My name is Mika Okauchi and I’m the Art Director at indieszero!

• Favorite FF game: FINAL FANTASY VI and FINAL FANTASY IX (I love Eiko!)
• Favorite FF music: Battle from FINAL FANTASY VI (the melody line, the way it develops… it’s all so cool!)

I was in charge of overseeing the graphical design around the user interface (UI) for THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE. In this blog, I’ll look at the UI artwork and how we found the style for the game!

Design Philosophy

First, I should talk about the design philosophy behind the game as a whole.

Our intention was to convey that this is a new THEATRHYTHM game that’s distinct from past titles. We chose blue as our main color because it’s a staple of the FINAL FANTASY series and would make the game more appealing for FINAL FANTASY fans to pick up and play.

By using a softer, darker shade of blue, I think we’ve made it feel a bit more high-brow, like you would expect from something like a concert!

We have made sure to include shapes and decorations inspired by music and scores as motifs.

By incorporating straight lines and curves, we have expressed something of the sharpness and softness associated with musical elements such as notes, staves and instruments.

We also took care with how we presented details such as the lines. These were a key feature of the UI in past entries in this series, so I think their depiction is part of what makes the game feel so much like ‘THEATRHYTHM’.

Finally, we utilised secondary motifs as well. Did you notice that this game uses triangles in a lot of different places?

For instance, triangles are used as embellishments to the UI, in background patterns, as confetti and in trigger effects. One of the design goals for this game was to give it a casual, poppy look and so we used these eye-catching triangles to help us to achieve this goal.

Another little nugget that you might find interesting is that this is the third home release for the THEATRHYTHM FINAL FANTASY series, so a three-sided shape felt extra-appropriate!

Having come up with these core concepts in the early development stages, we then went on to design the screen layouts and effects.

If players look at the game and recognise it not only as a part of the THEATRHYTHM franchise, but also as something distinctly new and fresh, then I couldn’t ask for more than that!

Getting the details right

We took a great deal of care over some of the UI details in this game.

On the main menu, you’ll see not just your own characters, but also the party characters of any users with whom you have exchanged ProfiCards. There are 104 characters in this game, so we thought that a feature like this, which allows players to meet as many different characters as possible, would be appreciated.

We put a lot of thought and care into having the characters bow, the lines they speak, the colours of the spotlights, and many other elements of this screen.

We hope that any players who find themselves tired out from all the rhythm action can return to this screen for a little break!

We also created the Edit Party screen sets to look like sheet music or a music stand.

A lot of musicians will write notes or draw doodles on their sheet music, and we thought that if we could reproduce this here, it would help players to feel more attached to their party sets.

We asked Monster Octopus if he would be willing to provide some drawings that we could use to bring this idea to life, and he very kindly provided us with a cute drawing for each of the five party sets!

Thanks to these images, an action as simple as changing to a different party set is transformed into something delightful!

The Music Stages screen is a something that the player will see over and over again as they play the game. We made it so that the track cover art that appears in the background switches around at random, to keep things fresh for players in between the rhythm gaming sessions.

The more songs you unlock, the more pieces of artwork are unlocked as well. See if you can spot your favourite!

Of course, we wanted to make sure that this game feels like a FINAL FANTASY title. The game title doesn’t actually contain the words FINAL or FANTASY this time around, but that doesn’t mean that it’s any different from the other titles in this series.

For this reason, we worked hard to make sure that the game felt faithful to the series in terms of its design. For instance, we used blue text boxes, and a pointing finger cursor on the Edit Party screen.

We deliberately incorporated some retro design choices to give the game a nostalgic feel. For example, when there are multiple cursors on the Edit Party screen, the cursor that isn’t currently being controlled by the player will flicker. This is the kind of touch that FINAL FANTASY fans are sure to appreciate - including myself!

When you start a new series in Series Quests, the logo is displayed as a large on-screen graphic.

We made it like this as we thought it was reminiscent of the openings of the original games. I hope that this feature will help players to remember when they first set out on the adventure!

We’ve crammed the game full of these little details that we hope will leave the player feeling excited and nostalgic… or just help them have a good time.

Please give this game a try, and check out the UI design while you’re at it!

THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE is out now for PS4 and Nintendo Switch. Three editions are available:

• Standard Edition: Available physically and digitally, this contains 385 songs from across the FINAL FANTASY series

• Digital Deluxe Edition: Contains all songs from the standard edition, plus 27 additional tracks, and Season Pass 1.

• Premium Digital Deluxe Edition: Contains all songs from the standard edition, plus 27 additional tracks, and Season Passes 1-3.

The game is available to buy now:

• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on PS4
• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on Switch

You can also play a free demo available that lets you experience 30 tracks from the game, including beloved songs from FINAL FANTASY II, FINAL FANTASY V, FINAL FANTASY VII, FINAL FANTASY XIII, FINAL FANTASY XIV and FINAL FANTASY XV!

Your progress even carries over to the full game!

• Everything you need to know about the THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE demo

For news and updates about the game, follow FINAL FANTASY on social media:

• FINAL FANTASY on Twitter
• FINAL FANTASY on Facebook
• FINAL FANTASY on Instagram
• FINAL FANTASY on YouTube

Hello again! This is Masanobu Suzui, THEATRHYTHM Series Director at indieszero!

• Favourite FF games: FFVII to FFIX (The delicate world illustrated through cutscenes and the gaming experience)
• Favourite FF music: Battle at the Big Bridge from FFV (from the intro to the main melody, it lifts my spirits!)

In this article I would like to talk about how the logo artwork was created!

When you think of FINAL FANTASY, you picture the logo artwork by Yoshitaka Amano. I believe that it’s deeply engraved in everyone’s hearts - including mine - as a symbol that represents the series.

So, we’re very grateful that Mr. Amano could provide us with his artwork for THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE.

When we requested the logo artwork, we created a document with the aid of Monster Octopus, who had created logo artwork for past titles in the series (see last week’s article), so that we could discuss it with Mr. Amano.

The document started off with an overview of THEATRHYTHM as a game. We also explained the ‘theatre’ theme of the title, where the curtains open from the title screen to the menu and a sequence that suggests that a concert is about to start.

With that in mind, we explained that we would like him to draw “a moogle as a musician” who is “surrounded by musical instruments, and staves and notes that form the shape of an infinity symbol”. We explained in the document that the infinity symbolises that we would like people to play the FINAL FANTASY music over and over again!)

Several months after sending him the development team’s audacious requests, we finally received the completed artwork!

Tada! Here it is!

To our surprise, this artwork includes not only the instruments, but also characters and monsters playing them! Mr. Amano put a lot of thought into when he drew it - obviously, the entire development team was thrilled!

I would like to take this opportunity to highlight all the characters and instruments in this artwork.

I wrote this blog explaining the flow of how the logo artwork was created so that I could share our surprise when we received it. Now you are a FINAL BAR LINE expert! Whenever you see the logo artwork, please be sure to show off your knowledge of the characters and instruments to your friends and family!

THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE is out now for PS4 and Nintendo Switch. Three versions are available:

• Standard Edition: Available physically and digitally, this contains 385 songs from across the FINAL FANTASY series

• Digital Deluxe Edition: Contains all songs from the standard edition, plus 27 additional tracks, and Season Pass 1.

• Premium Digital Deluxe Edition: Contains all songs from the standard edition, plus 27 additional tracks, and Season Passes 1-3.

Purchase the game now:

• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on PS4
• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on Switch

For news and updates about THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE, be sure to follow FINAL FANTASY on social media:

• FINAL FANTASY on Twitter
• FINAL FANTASY on Facebook
• FINAL FANTASY on Instagram
• FINAL FANTASY on YouTube

Hello - my name is Masanobu Suzui and I am the Series Director for the THEATRHYTHM games.

Our new game, THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE, is more than just a rhythm action game. It’s also a celebration of the FINAL FANTASY series that all of us on the development team adore. This game is a true passion project, and we’ve filled it with recreations, secrets and references to the moments in games that mean so much to us.

I wanted to share some of these with you all, so I asked the team to tell me some of the things you can do in the game that conjure powerful emotions for them personally.

As you can see, we all poured a lot of love into the game!

1. STRANGER OF PARADISE FINAL FANTASY ORIGIN: Jack’s Theme

One of the tracks we added to THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE was Jack’s Theme from STRANGER OF PARADISE FINAL FANTASY ORIGIN. We paid special attention to the background so that it reacts exactly like it does in the ending to that game, with light emerging from a glimmer of clouds in the sky!

If you play with just a party consisting of Garland and Princess Sarah, it doubles the emotional impact of the moment - it’s something we’re really proud of!

2. Alexander’s Temporal Stasis attack affects more than the combat

There’s a really cool feature in the stage for THE PRIMALS / FINAL FANTASY XIV track Band:Rise (included in the Deluxe Editions of the game).

What we tried to do was recreate the Temporal Stasis attack in the battle with Alexander on the music score itself! Everything in the stage - including the rhythm itself - freezes and if you’ve played FINAL FANTASY XIV, you’ll immediately recognize when it happens! Please enjoy that little Easter Egg for fans!

3. Recreating an emotional moment with Noctis

For the FINAL FANTASY XV track Main Theme from FINAL FANTASY, we specially made blue flower petals that fly across the scene as you play. We did this to recreate the original moment in FINAL FANTASY XV when you hear this song!

4. Introducing Aeon Battles

In previous THEATRHYTHM FINAL FANTASY games, Summons – or Aeons or Eidolons, depending on the game - emerged to help the player damage enemies. However, for THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE, we asked the developers to use the Summon data to appear on the monsters’ side.

This was done because we wanted to represent the Aeon battles in FINAL FANTASY X, so it’s really cool it’s in the game. If you play with a team comprising the original characters - Tidus, Yuna and Auron - it’s even more emotional!

5. Going solo with Zack Fair

You may have noticed that THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE allows you to set a party of a single character. This feature exists in the game because of the track The Price of Freedom from CRISIS CORE –FINAL FANTASY VII–!

We wanted to recreate that one scene where you’re just playing as Zack alone against the horde of Shinra soldiers!

6. Moogle memories of FINAL FANTASY XIII-2

If you want to capture the spirit of FINAL FANTASY XIII-2, use a two person party with just Serah and Noel on any song from the game. The team is accompanied by a Moogle, just as they are in the original game! which really helps recreate the feeling of the original game!

7. Moogle memories of FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES

In FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES stages, if you play as Ciaran alone, you get a two-man party with just a Moogle as a partner, just like you do when you play CRYSTAL CHRONICLES solo. Some on the team find this very emotional as it recreates the powerful moments and memories from the game!

8. Blitz Off!

The music stage for Blitz Off! from FINAL FANTASY X has some fun features. To simulate the idea of Blitzball in our game, we made it so that only human enemies appear during the track Blitz Off! Also, occasionally, a circular enemy appears to simulate the ball!

When you play this stage, I recommend playing as just Tidus and Jecht. Then you have the Zanarkand Abes on your side!

9. Galuf charges in

This is one of my own personal favorites. During The Dawn Warriors, if you play as Galuf on his own, you can recreate the scene where he rushes into Exdeath’s castle to save Bartz and his comrades.

Apparently, the guy who worked on that stage was crying all the time while he made it!

10. A secret that will bowl you over

If you press both bumper buttons down on a loading screen, it makes the party fall over! If the screen is showing chocobos, they’ll jump up!

This one’s not really emotional - it’s just funny.

I hope you enjoy playing THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE and discover your own emotional moments!

The game is out now for PS4 and Nintendo Switch. Three versions are available:

• Standard Edition: Available physically and digitally, this contains 385 songs from across the FINAL FANTASY series

• Digital Deluxe Edition: Contains all songs from the standard edition, plus 27 additional tracks, and Season Pass 1.

• Premium Digital Deluxe Edition: Contains all songs from the standard edition, plus 27 additional tracks, and Season Passes 1-3.

• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on PS4

• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on Switch

For news and updates about THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE, be sure to follow FINAL FANTASY on social media:

• FINAL FANTASY on Twitter
• FINAL FANTASY on Facebook
• FINAL FANTASY on Instagram
• FINAL FANTASY on YouTube

Which FINAL FANTASY game has the best music?

It’s a hotly debated topic among fans of the series - and it’s a tough one to answer because all the games have absolutely incredible soundtracks. Ask five different people, you’ll likely get five different answers.

It’s never been easier to make your own mind up though - THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE contains a massive 385 tracks in the base game alone from all across the series!

• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on PS4
• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on Switch

What's more, music from the FINAL FANTASY series is available to stream on most music streaming services and the Square Enix Music Channel on YouTube.

• Square Enix Music on YouTube

A lot of you are probably racing to listen to Liberi Fatali we speak (well, type), but for everyone else, you may be wondering: with all this music, where should you start?

To help answer that question, we thought it would be interesting to take an audio tour through the history of FINAL FANTASY. We’ve picked a track from each game that we think represents the unique sound and feel of that entry in the series - and would make a good starting point for your audio adventure.

FINAL FANTASY - Opening Theme

If we’re talking iconic, how could we not start with the Opening Theme to FINAL FANTASY. Composed by the great Nobuo Uematsu, it’s one of the tracks that defines the entire series. It may change in style and instrumentation across games, but it stays FINAL FANTASY through and through. Simply put, this is where it all started.

• Play on Spotify
• Play on Amazon Music
• Play on Apple Music

FINAL FANTASY II - The Rebel Army

Uematsu could do genuinely impressive things with the limited sound capabilities of the NES. If you need evidence, look no further than The Rebel Army from FINAL FANTASY II. With a powerful melody, and a rich, full sound, it’s one of the most recognisable pieces of music from the early games.

• Play on Spotify
• Play on Amazon Music
• Play on Apple Music

FINAL FANTASY III - The Boundless Ocean

The adventure and endless possibility of FINAL FANTASY III shines through in the music, and The Boundless Ocean in particular. It’s a hauntingly beautiful track - but unfortunately you don’t hear it for very long in the actual game.

Now that it’s on streaming services though, you can play it for as long as you like.

• Play on Spotify
• Play on Amazon Music
• Play on Apple Music

FINAL FANTASY IV - Main Theme of FINAL FANTASY IV

This theme, which plays when you’re exploring the overworld, has a sense of momentum that makes for perfect travel music.

What really makes it stand out though, is how elegantly it fits into the game’s central themes of longing and redemption.

• Play on Spotify
• Play on Amazon Music
• Play on Apple Music

FINAL FANTASY V - Four Hearts

Another overworld theme? Why the heck not?

Four Hearts from FINAL FANTASY V makes for a fascinating counterpoint to FINAL FANTASY IV’s overworld theme. It’s much more strident and optimistic - appropriate for when you hear it in the story.

Of course, fans will know that Four Hearts isn’t the only overworld theme in the game…

• Play on Spotify
• Play on Amazon Music
• Play on Apple Music

FINAL FANTASY VI - Maria and Draco (starting with Overture)

From the melancholic beauty of Terra’s theme, to the utter insanity of Dancing Mad, FINAL FANTASY VI has one of the most iconic soundtracks in the series.

It’s also one of the most ambitious - and nowhere is that clearer than in the famous opera scene, which sees party member Celes forced to step into a major theatrical production.

On the FINAL FANTASY VI soundtrack, the opera is split into multiple tracks, starting with Overture, moving onto Aria Di Mezzo Carattere, Wedding Waltz - Duel and finally Grand Finale.

That’s right, we’ve technically picked four tracks - deal with it.

This sequence demonstrates Uematsu at the top of his game. Despite all the excitement, drama and petulant octopi in FINAL FANTASY VI’s opera, it’s the music that holds it all together.

Oh - and a bonus mention for the version from the Distant Worlds: Music from FINAL FANTASY, which orchestrates the whole suite into a full 12 minute performance. It’s a mini-epic.

• Play on Spotify
• Play on Amazon Music
• Play on Apple Music

FINAL FANTASY VII - One Winged Angel

Estuans Interius

Ira vehemti

Estuans Interius

Ira vehemti

Sephiroth

Sephiroth!

FINAL FANTASY VII is one of the most famous soundtracks in videogame history, and One Winged Angel is arguably its most famous tune.

An expected choice perhaps, but when something’s this good we don’t mind being predictable.

• Play on Spotify
• Play on Amazon Music
• Play on Apple Music

FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE - Let the Battles Begin! - Break Through

One of the most impressive things about FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE’s music is how it fuses the original themes that fans know and love with exciting new elements. Much like the game itself.

That fusion of new and old can be found throughout the soundtrack, including this early version of the game’s iconic battle theme.

Let the Battles Begin! - Break Through plays as Cloud is pursued through the streets of Midgar by Shinra security. It kicks in with a fresh take on the original game’s battle music, and grows in intensity, finally exploding into the full theme fans know and love. Paired with the beautiful 4K visuals, it creates a very memorable sequence.

It’s also a great example of how the game’s dynamic music evolves over the course of a scene - simply masterful.

• Play on Spotify
• Play on Amazon Music
• Play on Apple Music

FINAL FANTASY VIII - Love Grows

The fledging romance between Squall and Rinoa sits squarely at the heart of FINAL FANTASY VIII.

Love Grows captures that theme beautifully and reminds us that while FINAL FANTASY VIII does bombast well, it’s the human drama that holds it all together.

• Play on Spotify
• Play on Amazon Music
• Play on Apple Music

FINAL FANTASY IX - Vamo alla Flamenco

FINAL FANTASY IX is a much more light-hearted adventure than its immediate predecessors, and this is reflected in its soundtrack.

A few seconds of Vamo alla Flamenco is all you need to understand exactly what FINAL FANTASY IX is going for - fun, humor and sheer, unadulterated joy.

• Play on Spotify
• Play on Amazon Music
• Play on Apple Music

FINAL FANTASY X - Zanarkand

FINAL FANTASY X begins on a desolate landscape, and the plaintive piano of this beautiful piece of music.

It’s an effective opening - the world of Spira is defined by loss and sadness, and Zanarkand gets this across better than 100 lines of dialogue ever could.

• Play on Spotify
• Play on Amazon Music
• Play on Apple Music

FINAL FANTASY XI - Opening Theme

The Opening Theme of FINAL FANTASY XI is a long track that covers a lot of ground musically. The highlight is a vocal section known as Memoro de la Ŝtono. It starts relatively sombre, but as more and more voices join, it reaches a dramatic crescendo that will send shivers down your spine.

• Play on Spotify
• Play on Amazon Music
• Play on Apple Music

FINAL FANTASY XII - The Dalmasca Estersand

Wide open space, dangerous beasts and starkly beautiful scenery make the Dalmasca Estersand one of the most memorable early locations in FINAL FANTASY XII.

Actually, there’s one more thing that helps - this piece of music. We advise you to go with the remastered Dalmasca Estersand from FINAL FANTASY XII THE ZODIAC AGE - it has a slightly richer sound in our opinion. But honestly, you can’t go wrong with any version of this track.

• Play on Spotify
• Play on Amazon Music
• Play on Apple Music

FINAL FANTASY XIII - Blinded by Light

It’s something of a musical departure from the earlier games, but FINAL FANTASY XIII’s soundtrack really works. The battle theme, Blinded by Light, is one you’ll hear over and over in the game, but somehow it never gets old.

A serious earworm warning before you listen though - it’ll jam itself in your head and refuse to leave.

• Play on Spotify
• Play on Amazon Music
• Play on Apple Music

FINAL FANTASY XIII-2 - Etro’s Champion

As one of the few direct sequels in the series, FINAL FANTASY XIII-2 has a rare opportunity to directly build on its predecessor’s musical themes. And oh boy, does it.

Etro’s Champion takes the central melody of Blinded by Light and puts a whole new spin on it. It’s familiar and fresh at the same time - and if that’s not a perfect description of FINAL FANTASY XIII-2 as a whole, I don’t know what is.

• Play on Spotify
• Play on Amazon Music
• Play on Apple Music

LIGHTNING RETURNS: FINAL FANTASY XIII - Luxerion

The town of Luxerion is one of the most interesting areas of LIGHTNING RETURNS: FINAL FANTASY XIII - both visually and musically.

The track that plays as you explore the town - appropriately called Luxerion on the soundtrack - is incredibly dynamic. It moves from mellow and hypnotic, to up-tempo and back again. It’s not a conventional FINAL FANTASY track, and that’s exactly why it’s worth a listen.

• Play on Spotify
• Play on Amazon Music
• Play on Apple Music

FINAL FANTASY XIV Online - Torn From the Heavens

The FINAL FANTASY prelude is almost as famous as the original Opening Theme itself - it appears throughout the series. It’s typically pretty gentle, but not so in FINAL FANTASY XIV Online.

Composer Masayoshi Soken’s incredible Torn From the Heavens deftly works those famous notes into a thrilling track that sparks wonder and excitement.

• Play on Spotify
• Play on Amazon Music
• Play on Apple Music

FINAL FANTASY XV - Apocalypsis Noctis

This FINAL FANTASY game has one of the most eclectic soundtracks in the series, ranging from breezy guitar riffs to brassy battle tracks. But when it goes big, its soundtrack really sings.

Apocalypsis Noctis is about as big as you can go. This choral track is almost overwhelming in its intensity - but my word, it’s exciting.

• Play on Spotify
• Play on Amazon Music
• Play on Apple Music

Those are just some of the incredible tracks ready to listen to right now on your service of choice! There’s so much more to discover though - so dig in and get lost in a world of music.

Oh, and by the way - the definitive answer to which FINAL FANTASY has the best soundtrack? THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE.

Now that’s how you dodge a question.

What are your favorite FINAL FANTASY tracks? Share your tips with us on social media:

• FINAL FANTASY on Twitter
• FINAL FANTASY on Facebook
• FINAL FANTASY on Instagram
• FINAL FANTASY on YouTube

Hello again! THEATRHYTHM series director Masanobu Suzui here! I have overseen the game design from the beginning of the THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE project.

• Favourite FF games: FF4 to FF6 (The combination of pixel graphics and storytelling that were cutting-edge at the time is just amazing)
• Favourite FF music: “Blinded by Light” from FF13 (The impact of the opening part to the chorus really gets the adrenaline pumping)

In this article I’d like to talk about how the character designs for THEATRHYTHM were created!

Monster Octopus has done the character designs for THEATRHYTHM from the first game onwards. This was touched upon in our first blog article “How Theatrhythm came about”, but the art style was entirely predicated on the characters and monsters being drawn by him.

A vital mission and key challenge for the development team was to make Monster Octopus’ illustrations move in as vital and dynamic a way as possible on the game screen.

THEATRHYTHM Producer Ichiro Hazama explained the idea for the rhythm action game to Monster Octopus, who had already collaborated with Square Enix and Mr. Tetsuya Nomura on KINGDOM HEARTS MOBILE, and he agreed to us using his designs in the project. They went on to discuss all the details, such as how to split the different parts, model data conversion, gradation and motions etc.

Apart from the characters and monsters that he had already drawn for KINGDOM HEARTS MOBILE, Monster Octopus designed all the characters for THEATRYTHM from scratch, including the weapons they carried. We also had him add in some extra details to their clothing and decoration.

The designs were planned through individual discussions for each character, going into what form each small detail should take and what references from the original games should be used.

We had 4 new monsters drawn up for THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE.

As you’d expect from his name, Monster Octopus is incredibly skilled at drawing monsters. He really is exceptional in how he can differentiate their silhouettes, get just the right balance of stylisation on the different parts and judge the right level of detail perfectly.

Every time a new design comes in, the whole dev team nod approvingly and are motivated to give that character movements and textures that do it justice. It is a really good mutual working relationship that we have, and it inspires both sides to strive for even higher quality results!

I have talked about the character design from my perspective as part of the game development side at indieszero, but please also allow Monster Octopus to give you his thoughts from the perspective of the actual designer.

Monster Octopus, character designer for the THEATRHYTHM series here! Mr. Suzui has asked me to give a short introduction to how I approached the designs!

• Favourite FF games: FF12 (I like the world of Ivalice)
• Favourite FF music: “One-Winged Angel” (This was the song I played the most across the whole of the TFF series)

People often think of super deformed character designs as just reducing the amount of visual information and creating a simpler design with shorter proportions, but I don’t see it as stopping there. My own approach to super deformed designs is to adjust the level of visual information to a suitable place for each platform, while simultaneously working out how to maximise the inherent appeal in each one.

For each individual character design, I first start by gathering together as much reference material as possible. I use these to deepen my understanding of the original designer’s intentions, looking at the interpretation of each line that Mr. Amano has drawn or how Mr. Nomura or Mr. Itahana have realized their creations in pixel art or 3D.

On top of that I also consider how the fans have experienced these characters and what they memories of them they cherish. I then work out the best way to incorporate those aspects of their appeal into the super deformed design too.

The team’s trust towards me has led to quite a unique workflow for THEATRHYTHM games. My collaboration with indieszero feels a lot like a band’s jam session.

The guys at indieszero ad-lib suggestions about the kinds of textures and motions to apply to each character and really try to understand what I want to express as they work up the designs for their incorporation into the game. When the indieszero team split the designs into detailed sections, they will sometimes sneak in areas where they pass on the colouring. At other times there are parts that you would normally never expect to move, but because it is indieszero, I am always absolutely sure they will animate them!

I always look forward to seeing the finished characters and monsters in the game, and they never fail to exceed my expectations.

Of all the enemy characters that I designed for this game, the one I have the fondest memories of working on was Ardyn.

When I started working on him, it was hard to figure out how his complex clothing was constructed. I really wondered how indieszero would split the design up to move freely. The other thing was the sheer number of weapons he used with his Armiger power! It was quite a headache and I spent time mulling over how to approach these.

If I added too much detail in how the weapons were drawn then it would overload the player with too much visual information and also get in the way of Ardyn himself, but at the same time I didn’t want to make them too simplistic. I also had to make subtle tweaks to work out how best to express Ardyn’s mysterious side.

Please take a look at the finished Ardyn in game to see the results!

It’s me, Suzui again!

Monster Octopus also did the hand-drawn graffiti style note images shown on the right hand side of the party selection screen. He more than delivered on this request from the development team and came up with as many as 5 different versions for us to use. All of them are incredibly cute, so look out for these in the game too!

See you for THEATRHYTHM THURSDAY next week!

• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on PS4
• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on Switch

To stay up to date with future news about the game, including upcoming DLC, be sure to follow FINAL FANTASY on social media:

• FINAL FANTASY on Twitter
• FINAL FANTASY on Facebook
• FINAL FANTASY on Instagram
• FINAL FANTASY on YouTube

Hi, my name is Kubota Minami, Score Editor at indieszero!

• Favourite FF games: FF8, FF10, FF Type-0 (I am a massive Squall nerd!)
• Favourite FF music: “Vermillion Fire” from FF Type-0 (I cannot remember how many times I have listened to this track. The dramatic structure of it gives me goosebumps.)

I am involved in the creation of the music score data for THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE, reprising the same role from THEATRHYTHM FINAL FANTASY ALL-STAR CARNIVAL.

In this article, I’d like to show you some of the development work that goes on at the indieszero studio!

There have always been many FINAL FANTASY fans working at here. We pour our passion for FINAL FANTASY into our work on a daily basis, and also strive to pick up the latest information about the franchise and deepen our knowledge of each game.

We keep a wide selection of FF soundtracks, Ultimania guides and background books in our offices!

During the development of THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE, you could always spot someone fervently studying an Ultimania book.

There are moogles in the break room. They do the vital job of cheering up and rejuvenating our exhausted development staff!

We also have a THEATRHYTHM FINAL FANTASY ALL-STAR CARNIVAL cabinet, which previously saw staff playing matches against many players from around the country. We all have fond memories of the whole team coming together to play the game again when the FINAL BAR LINE project was approved, so we could utilise our experiences in the development of the next game.

We have a THEATRHYTHM FINAL FANTASY CURTAIN CALL pop-up in the office entrance and there are posters further inside… they were even signed by Mr. Uematsu himself!

You can still feel the love for all the past games in the THEATRHYTHM series!

Let’s also take a look at one of our developer’s desk!

Wherever you look there is FINAL FANTASY merchandise everywhere. This desk is a shrine to the team’s love for the series!

You can really feel our passion for FINAL FANTASY and for THEATRHYTHM in every corner of the development team’s offices!

Finally, each and every member of the team have poured their love for every meticulous detail of FINAL FANTASY into the development of the THEATRHYTHM series, from the original games to the music, the characters, worlds and locations.

We sincerely hope that your experiences with THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE create some wonderful memories.

• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on PS4
• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on Switch

To stay up to date with future news about the game, including upcoming DLC, be sure to follow FINAL FANTASY on social media:

• FINAL FANTASY on Twitter
• FINAL FANTASY on Facebook
• FINAL FANTASY on Instagram
• FINAL FANTASY on YouTube

Hello there - my name is Masanobu Suzui and I am the THEATRHYTHM series director, including THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE. I’ve been involved in this project from the start and oversee the whole of the development and broad design.

• Favourite FF games: FINAL FANTASY to FINAL FANTASY III (These were my initial experience of FF and left a deep impression)
• Favourite FF music: “Let the Battles Begin!” from FINAL FANTASY VII (I love the chorus part that changes dramatically from the powerful tone)

Today I would like to talk about how THEATRHYTHM came about in the first place!

The origins of THEATRHYTHM

We started talking about plans for the first THEATRHYTHM game around 12 years ago. It all began with long-time series producer Ichiro Hazama coming to us, to discuss his ideas for making a rhythm game that used FINAL FANTASY music.

This image shows the initial proposal document that we wrote here at indieszero based on that theme.

The tentative title we came up with was the rather grand sounding “FINAL FANTASY is Music” (pained laugh).

The name “THEATRHYTHM” was proposed by Mr. Tetsuya Nomura during development on the first game. It’s a very unique and distinctive name, which sounds like nothing else out there, so I think it’s a great title for the series.

Incidentally, the subtitle for this latest game “Final Bar Line” was also decided upon in a conversation with Mr. Nomura.

The key words “final line/ double bar line” came to mind from the music related motifs used in the stave notation UI design, and that led on to the final title.

Character designs

I would now like to touch on the character designs a bit more.

From the very start, I wanted to use the same super-deformed art style that Monster Octopus had done for us on KINGDOM HEARTS Mobile.

We added texture gradations to the base designs to bring out the feel of the characters and monsters, and imagined a new visual style unique to Theatrhythm that would bring the battle and location backdrops from all the different FINAL FANTASY generations closer together.

There are many nostalgic scenes from across the FINAL FANTASY series that players remember when they hear the music, so we designed the game system in a way that would bring back memories of experiencing these adventures for the first time as you played THEATRHYTHM.

Defining the gameplay of THEATRHYTHM

As THEATRHYTHM was a game based on music from RPGs, the first thing we thought of was how to make different game structures based on exploration, battles and events. They could all be enjoyed in their own ways, rather than just having one set of mechanics for everything.

We paid attention to having the trends in a music track’s melodies differ for each type of scene and worked up different systems that fit with each one.

In addition to that, we didn’t just want for player skill to be the only factor in completing the game but strove to create a rhythm action system where it became easier to complete a stage by practicing, increasing your level and cleverly using items and abilities - just like in the FINAL FANTASY games that the music is taken from.

Extra thoughts

Finally, I would like to give everyone a glimpse at some of the other design documentation that I dug up from the time of the initial project discussions.

Before we put together the official project proposal, we drew out a rough image of how the game was going to play on white boards and notepads. It is quite crowded and messy, but you can just about see how the mechanics are supposed to work!

This document is from a meeting with Square Enix where we discussed how we wanted to describe the genre of the game when it was featured in magazines etc. and it contains an unnecessarily large number of suggestions that the team thought up (When I unearthed this, I smiled at the passion the team had back then and how they really did come up with way too many ideas).

Ultimately, we combined a number of these together to come up with “Theatre Rhythm Action”!

THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE is out now for PS4 and Nintendo Switch. Three editions are available:

• Standard Edition: Available physically and digitally, this contains 385 songs from across the FINAL FANTASY series

• Digital Deluxe Edition: Contains all songs from the standard edition, plus 27 additional tracks, and Season Pass 1.

• Premium Digital Deluxe Edition: Contains all songs from the standard edition, plus 27 additional tracks, and Season Passes 1-3.

Click the links below to get the game:

• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on PS4
• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on Switch

You can also play a free demo available that lets you experience 30 tracks from the game, including beloved songs from FINAL FANTASY II, FINAL FANTASY V, FINAL FANTASY VII, FINAL FANTASY XIII, FINAL FANTASY XIV and FINAL FANTASY XV!

Your progress even carries over to the full game!

• Everything you need to know about the THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE demo:

Join us next week as we give you more behind the scenes insight into the game!

• FINAL FANTASY on Twitter
• FINAL FANTASY on Facebook
• FINAL FANTASY on Instagram
• FINAL FANTASY on YouTube

Here’s some news that should be music to your ears: THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE is out now on PS4 and Nintendo Switch!

This marvelous musical masterpiece brings together some of the greatest video game music of all time and raises the bar (line) for rhythm action games. Not only does it feature a massive 385 FINAL FANTASY tracks to play through in the base game, there are songs from other Square Enix games coming as DLC!

Sounds good, right? It’s an absolutely massive package that will thrill FINAL FANTASY fans, rhythm action aficionados, and… well, basically anyone who loves music.

Read on, and we’ll tell you all about it.

What is THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE?

The new game is a rhythm action game that celebrates 35 years of amazing music from the FINAL FANTASY series, and beyond.

You’ll put together your dream FINAL FANTASY party, choosing from 104 characters, and exciting RPG battles play out alongside the rhythm action.

When playing, you’ll push buttons in time with the music to match triggers moving across the screen on three different types of stage, from traversing fields and taking on classic series monsters in battle, to reliving some of the series’ greatest moments.

It sounds simple enough, but like the best games in the genre, it’ll test your dexterity and timing - and your ability to get in tune with the track.

That said, the game is designed to be a game for everyone. Simple to learn controls and up to four difficulty settings mean you can jump in and start having a good time - whether you’re a rhythm-action savant or have the gaming equivalent of two left feet.

Which we guess would be two left thumbs?

What tracks are in the game?

There are a massive 385 tracks in the base game, taken from dozens of different FINAL FANTASY games. The Digital Deluxe Edition also has an additional 27 tracks - plus Season Pass 1, which adds 30 more!

The game features many amazing tracks, from famous hits like One-Winged Angel and Battle at the Big Bridge, to some you may be listening to for the first time.

You can see the full base game track list here:

• THEATRHYTHM THURSDAY: The THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE track list

What modes are in the game?

The game has multiple different ways to play including:

• Series Quests: Advance through a total of 29 titles, clearing quests and unlocking characters and playable songs.

• Music Stages: Play the music you've acquired to your heart's content and attempt to get a high score! You can also play with Simple Style controls, which use only a single button, or Pair Style, which lets you play co-op with two players on one screen.

• Multi Battle: Up to four players can face off in online multiplayer matches.

• Museum: Peruse and enjoy the music, videos, and various collections you've acquired. You can also check detailed play records.

How does the multiplayer work?

Playing THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE with others is really fun, and there are a few options to do so.

You can take the game online in Multi Battle. In this mode, you and your opponent(s) will play the same track and try to get the best score. As you play, you’ll fill a Burst Gauge - when complete, you’ll unleash a special move that can hinder your opponent.

For example, the Fat Chocobo can appear to block their view, or you’ll freeze their points so that only perfect hits count. Of course, your rival can also do this to you, making for tense, exciting and funny competitions.

If you’re more into working with someone than against them, you can also play together on the same console with Pair Style Mode. This splits the stave into two parts, allowing both players to play a song together.

How do I get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE?

The game is out now for PS4 and Nintendo Switch. Three editions are available:

• Standard Edition: Available physically and digitally, this contains 385 songs from across the FINAL FANTASY series

• Digital Deluxe Edition: Contains all songs from the standard edition, plus 27 additional tracks, and Season Pass 1.

• Premium Digital Deluxe Edition: Contains all songs from the standard edition, plus 27 additional tracks, and Season Passes 1-3.

Click the links below to get the game:

• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on PS4
• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on Switch

There’s also a free demo available that lets you play through 30 tracks from the game, including some beloved songs from FINAL FANTASY II, FINAL FANTASY V, FINAL FANTASY VII, FINAL FANTASY XIII, FINAL FANTASY XIV and FINAL FANTASY XV!

Your progress even carries over to the full game!

• Everything you need to know about the THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE demo

We hope you enjoy the musical mayhem of THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE! It’s a wonderful celebration of FINAL FANTASY, Square Enix and videogame music, and we can’t wait for you to experience it! Perhaps we’ll see you online in Multi Battle!

To stay up to date with future news about the game, including upcoming DLC, be sure to follow FINAL FANTASY on social media:

• FINAL FANTASY on Twitter
• FINAL FANTASY on Facebook
• FINAL FANTASY on Instagram
• FINAL FANTASY on YouTube

It’s Valentine’s Day - the perfect time to tell your loved ones how much you care for them!

What better way to say it than by sending them a card, featuring some of the most adored characters from the FINAL FANTASY series?

If you want to share your heart with another of the FINAL FANTASY faithful, then we have the perfect Valentine’s Day cards for you to share with them. Based on the cute designs from the upcoming THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE, they’re sure to make your beloved’s heart skip a beat!

To get the cards, click on the link beneath each image to download a high-quality version that you can print:

• Click here to download

• Click here to download

• Click here to download

• Click here to download

• Click here to download

• Click here to download

• Click here to download

• Click here to download

• Click here to download

• Click here to download

We hope you love these cards. We’re pretty sure you’ll love the game they’re based on, too.

THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE launches for PS4 and Nintendo Switch on February 16, 2023. It’s a triumphant celebration of 35 years of incredible videogame music, with a massive 385 tracks from the FINAL FANTASY series included in the base game alone!

Not only that, but you’ll be able to download DLC based on other Square Enix titles, including the NieR series, SaGa series, OCTOPATH TRAVELER, LIVE A LIVE and more!

Three editions will be available at launch:

• Standard Edition: Available physically and digitally, this contains 385 songs from across the FINAL FANTASY series

• Digital Deluxe Edition: Contains all songs from the standard edition, plus 27 additional tracks, and Season Pass 1.

• Premium Digital Deluxe Edition: Contains all songs from the standard edition, plus 27 additional tracks, and Season Passes 1-3.

All these editions are available to preorder now. All digital preorders come with 15 ProfiCards to use in game:

• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on PS4
• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on Switch

There’s also a free demo available that lets you play through 30 tracks from the game, including some beloved songs from FINAL FANTASY II, FINAL FANTASY V, FINAL FANTASY VII, FINAL FANTASY XIII, FINAL FANTASY XIV and FINAL FANTASY XV!

Your progress even carries over to the full game, so download it now and start setting some scores!

• Everything you need to know about the THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE demo

For more FINAL FANTASY fun, be sure to follow the team on social media:

• FINAL FANTASY on Twitter
• FINAL FANTASY on Facebook
• FINAL FANTASY on Instagram
• FINAL FANTASY on YouTube

Welcome to another THEATRHYTHM THURSDAY.

If you were concerned that FINAL FANTASY VIII wouldn’t be well represented in THEATRHTYTHM FINAL BAR LINE, then don’t be afraid - there are plenty of tracks from Squall and co’s adventure to experience.

In fact, from men with machine guns, to blue fields, you’ll find your way to all sorts of amazing music from the game. And before you think maybe I’m a-lyin’, check out this tracklist:

• Ending Theme (FMS)
• Waltz for the Moon (FMS/EMS)
• Balamb GARDEN (FMS)
• Blue Fields (FMS)
• Don't be Afraid (BMS)
• Force Your Way (BMS)
• Shuffle or Boogie (BMS)
• The Man with the Machine Gun (BMS)
• Premonition (BMS)
• Fisherman's Horizon (FMS)
• Love Grows (FMS)
• Ride On (FMS)
• The Castle (FMS)
• Maybe I'm a Lion (BMS)
• The Extreme (BMS)
• Liberi Fatali (BMS)
• Find Your Way (FMS)
• The Oath (FMS)
• Eyes On Me (FMS) (Digital Deluxe Edition / upgrade only)

So eyes on me, as I take you through just three of the amazing tracks in the game - you may already like them but listen again and you’ll probably find your love grows even more!

Liberi Fatali (BMS)

24 years on from its 1999 release, the opening sequence to FINAL FANTASY VIII has lost none of its power.

The opening duel between Squall and Seifer is expertly choreographed and beautifully rendered, but what really brings it together is this epic choral track by Nobuo Uematsu. As the fight goes on, intercut with scenes of other characters and events, the track builds and builds to a screaming climax that leaves quite the impression on the listener.

It certainly did for me!

Fisherman’s Horizon (FMS)

When FINAL FANTASY VIII goes big, it goes to the extreme, but what makes the soundtrack so remarkable is how memorable even the quieter moments are.

The tranquil settlement of Fisherman’s Horizon is a welcome bastion of peace and tranquillity for the game’s heroes. Pieced together from found and recycled materials, and with a pacifist philosophy, it provides both respite and a stark contrast to the rest of the world.

All those feelings are perfectly captured in the town’s beautiful theme.

Ride On (FMS)

When you force your way onto the Ragnarok, it’s a big moment - in many ways the culmination of Squall and Rinoa’s tentative relationship. Even then, you may have had a premonition that this beautiful craft would become yours to control.

When it does, it’s feels amazing.

Although you and the SeeD-y team have experienced world travel through Balamb Garden’s unexpected… portability, it’s nothing compared to the freedom that this flying craft offers you.

Suddenly, the world is your oyster, and the sense of endless possibility bursts from this track that perfectly captures the feelings of soaring through the clouds at lightning fast speeds. FINAL FANTASY wouldn’t be complete without airships, and this theme is one of the greats!

We hope you enjoyed listening to these tracks - there are hundreds more to enjoy in THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE!

The game releases physically and digitally for PS4 and Nintendo Switch on February 16, 2023, so either shuffle (or boogie) down to your local games store, or preorder now through the PlayStation Store and Nintendo eShop.

Three editions will be available at launch:

• Standard Edition: Available physically and digitally, this contains 385 songs from across the FINAL FANTASY series

• Digital Deluxe Edition: Contains all songs from the standard edition, plus 27 additional tracks, and Season Pass 1.

• Premium Digital Deluxe Edition: Contains all songs from the standard edition, plus 27 additional tracks, and Season Passes 1-3.

All these editions are available to preorder now. All digital preorders come with 15 ProfiCards to use in game:

• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on PS4
• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on Switch

There’s also a free demo available that lets you play through 30 tracks from the game, including some beloved songs from FINAL FANTASY II, FINAL FANTASY V, FINAL FANTASY VII, FINAL FANTASY XIII, FINAL FANTASY XIV and FINAL FANTASY XV!

Your progress even carries over to the full game, so download it now and start setting some scores!

• Everything you need to know about the THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE demo

To stay up to date with news and information about the game, be sure to follow FINAL FANTASY on social media:

• FINAL FANTASY on Twitter
• FINAL FANTASY on Facebook
• FINAL FANTASY on Instagram
• FINAL FANTASY on YouTube

Welcome to another THEATRHYTHM THURSDAY.

Today, we’re taking an audio tour through a game series that needs no introduction: FINAL FANTASY VII.

THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE contains music from multiple titles in the series: the original FINAL FANTASY VII, FINAL FANTASY VII Advent Children, FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE, LAST ORDER: FINAL FANTASY and CRISIS CORE –FINAL FANTASY VII–.

We’ve talked about CRISIS CORE already (read that here), so today we’re going to take you through three more works from the series. Grab some headphones and let’s go.

FINAL FANTASY VII

If you’re a fan of videogame music, you’ll have listened to FINAL FANTASY VII’s music before - on CDs, vinyl, streaming, in concerts, and of course, in the game itself. It’s often cited as one of the greatest game soundtracks of all time - and with good reason.

In THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE, you get to interact with multiple tracks from that original game:

• Aerith's Theme (BMS/EMS)
• Opening - Bombing Mission (BMS)
• Let the Battles Begin! (BMS)
• Fight On! (BMS)
• The Chase (FMS)
• Main Theme of Final Fantasy VII (FMS)
• Rufus's Welcoming Ceremony (FMS)
• JENOVA (BMS)
• Gold Saucer (FMS)
• Cosmo Canyon (FMS)
• The Highwind Takes to the Skies (FMS)
• Judgment Day (FMS)
• Birth of a God (BMS)
• One-Winged Angel (BMS)

Every one of these tracks is incredible, and we could fill a book gushing over them. But for the sake of brevity, let’s focus on just a couple of our favorites:

Main Theme of Final Fantasy VII (FMS)

Exploring the world of Gaia has always been a joy, thanks in large part to FINAL FANTASY VII’s remarkable main theme.

This wide-ranging track conjures the sense of adventure and near boundless scale that blew fans away when the game first released on the original PlayStation - and continues to do so today.

Aerith’s Theme (BMS / EMS)

Playing through THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE will evoke many memories of adventures, battles, and characters from throughout the FINAL FANTASY series. But not all of them will be happy.

Aerith’s Theme is a powerful track that perfectly captures the flower girl from the slum’s strength of will, and inherent sense of loneliness. It’s one of the most famous tracks from FINAL FANTASY VII, used in some pivotal moments that… well, if you know, you know.

Making it a Battle Music Stage in THEATHRHYTHM is clever… if a little cruel perhaps. It’s hard to get an SSS ranking when your eyes are bleary from tears…

FINAL FANTASY VII Advent Children

In 2005, fans were brought back to the world of FINAL FANTASY VII with a brand new animated movie.

Advent Children continued the story of Cloud, as he faced the emergence of three oddly Sephiroth-esque adversaries, the return of Shinra and his own feelings of guilt and helplessness.

The movie featured new versions of the original game’s classic tracks but added its own as well to create a unique soundscape. Many of these memorable tracks can be played as music stages in THEATRHYTHM:

• Advent: One-Winged Angel (BMS/EMS)
• Those Who Fight (Piano Version) (BMS)
• Beyond the Wasteland (BMS)
• Aerith's Theme (Piano Version) (FMS)
• Battle in the Forgotten City (BMS)
• Divinity II (BMS)
• J-E-N-O-V-A (AC Version) (BMS)

• Cloud Smiles (FMS)

Let’s listen to a couple:

Divinity II (BMS)

The battle with Bahamut Sin is one of the standout sequences in FINAL FANTASY VII Advent Children. After battling through his demons, Cloud stands ready to defend the world against this massive, summoned threat.

It’s a tough fight, but the young hero has help. All his friends join forces to give him a boost and help take down the monstrosity. Accompanied by this thrilling track by composer Nobuo Uematsu, it’s a real punch the air moment!

Cloud Smiles (FMS)

It’s fair to say that Cloud goes through some… challenges over the course of Advent Children. Between Shinra, returning enemies and the geostigma disease ravaging his body, he doesn’t have a lot to laugh and smile about.

So when the day is won, and he’s able to find peace at last, it’s an incredibly cathartic moment. Composer Uematsu palpably captures those feelings of relief and freedom in this uplifting track, which subtly calls back to themes from the original game.

FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE

Revisiting the world of FINAL FANTASY VII was a daunting task for the whole team - and that includes the composers. Working with guidance from Nobuo Uematsu, the team faced the challenge of reinterpreting some of the most beloved music of all time for a brand new generation… and even add to it.

To say they succeeded would be an understatement. The team created an unforgettable soundtrack that built on the work of composer Uematsu but stands proud on its own merits. So many good tracks are included in the game, and many of them are ready to play through in THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE, including:

• FFVII REMAKE: Bombing Mission (BMS)
• FFVII REMAKE: Let the Battles Begin! - A Merc's Job (BMS)
• FFVII REMAKE: The Airbuster (BMS)
• FFVII REMAKE: J-E-N-O-V-A - Quickening (BMS)
• FFVII REMAKE: One-Winged Angel - Rebirth (BMS)
• FFVII REMAKE: Midgar Expressway (FMS)
• FFVII REMAKE: Main Theme of FFVII - Sector 7 Undercity (FMS)
• FFVII REMAKE: Collapsed Expressway (FMS)
• FFVII REMAKE: High Five (BMS)
• FFVII REMAKE: Tifa's Theme - Seventh Heaven (FMS)

• Hollow (EMS)

Here are a couple of my personal favorites from the selection:

FFVII REMAKE: The Airbuster (BMS)

Composer Nobuo Uematsu’s iconic boss theme of FINAL FANTASY VII, ‘Fight On!’ features throughout FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE in many different arrangements. In the case of The Airbuster, one of its composers Tadayoshi Makino’s approach appears to have been to go as hard as possible.

Combine thrashing guitars, a ceaseless beat, a bellowing choir and an orchestra turned up to 11, and you get an utterly exhilarating track that can’t help but pump you up for an epic battle.

FFVII REMAKE: One-Winged Angel - Rebirth (BMS)

It’s impossible to pick any song from the original FINAL FANTASY VII as the ‘best’ - there are so many true classics after all. But in terms of popularity, One-Winged Angel is definitely a contender - so its inclusion in FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE had to be done right.

The weight certainly wasn’t lost on one of the song’s composers Yasunori Nishiki. In our FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE Revisited series, he explains:

“One-Winged Angel is one of the most important music tracks in my whole life, so when I was asked to arrange it, I felt a great responsibility to make a good version, even if I had to use the rest of my life to do it.”

Fortunately he succeeded. FFVII REMAKE: One-Winged Angel - Rebirth is an incredible track that captures the raw power and fury of Sephiroth in a fresh way. What’s admirable is its restraint - rather than hit us with that choir straight away, the track and the battle build up to the moment. As a result, when it hits it’s incredibly effective.

Ultimately, composer Nishiki says: “I do think I achieved what I set out to do here and created a worthy remake of the track that would not bring shame to my memories of it.”

We couldn’t agree more.

Cue the familiar fanfare because that wraps up another THEATRHYTHM THURSDAY. You’ll be able to experience all these tracks in THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE, which launches February 16, 2023, for PS4 and Nintendo Switch!

Three editions will be available at launch:

• Standard Edition: Available physically and digitally, this contains 385 songs from across the FINAL FANTASY series

• Digital Deluxe Edition: Contains all songs from the standard edition, plus 27 additional tracks, and Season Pass 1.

• Premium Digital Deluxe Edition: Contains all songs from the standard edition, plus 27 additional tracks, and Season Passes 1-3.

All these editions are available to preorder now. All digital preorders come with 15 ProfiCards to use in game:

• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on PS4
• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on Switch

A new demo for the game is also now available:

• Everything you need to know about the THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE demo

To stay up to date with news and information about the game, be sure to follow FINAL FANTASY on social media:

• FINAL FANTASY on Twitter
• FINAL FANTASY on Facebook
• FINAL FANTASY on Instagram
• FINAL FANTASY on YouTube

Welcome to another THEATRHYTHM THURSDAY… oh wait, it’s Monday, isn’t it?

We interrupt our regular schedule to bring new some super-exciting news: a free THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE demo launches February 1, 2023 on PS4 and Nintendo Switch! Not only that, but your progress carries over into the full game!

Read on, and we'll tell you all about it.

What songs are in the THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE demo?

THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE is the biggest rhythm action game in the series, with a massive 385 FINAL FANTASY tracks in the standard edition alone - plus 27 more in the Deluxe Editions. Plus, there will be multiple DLC packs featuring music from other Square Enix series, like NieR, OCTOPATH TRAVELER, LIVE A LIVE, Mana, SaGa and more.

That’s a lot of music, and the demo gives you a generous selection of 30 tracks from that massive playlist.

Music Stages in the game fall into three types:

• Battle Music Stage (BMS) - Defeat waves of enemies in time to up-tempo battle themes.

• Field Music Stage (FMS) - Journey forth with a party across themed landscapes with relaxing field music.

• Event Music Stage (EMS) - Play to the beat against the backdrop of unforgettable scenes from each title.

Here’s which tracks are included in the demo - and the type of stage you’ll play through:

FINAL FANTASY II

• The Rebel Army (BMS)
• Battle 1 (BMS)
• Town (FMS)
• Main Theme (FMS)

FINAL FANTASY V

• Main Theme of Final Fantasy V (BMS)
• Four Hearts (FMS)
• Battle 1 (BMS)
• Battle 2 (BMS)
• Mambo de Chocobo (FMS)
• Harvest (FMS)

FINAL FANTASY VII

• Opening - Bombing Mission (BMS)
• Let the Battles Begin! (BMS)
• Fight On! (BMS)
• The Chase (FMS)
• Main Theme of Final Fantasy VII (FMS)

FINAL FANTASY XIII

• Defiers of Fate (BMS)
• Saber’s Edge (BMS)
• Blinded by Light (BMS)
• March of the Dreadnoughts (FMS)
• Desperate Struggle (BMS)

FINAL FANTASY XIV

• Hard to Miss (BMS)
• On Westerly Winds (FMS)
• The Land Breathes (BMS)
• Serenity (FMS)
• Torn from the Heavens (BMS)
• To the Sun (FMS)
• Nemesis (BMS)

FINAL FANTASY XV

• Stand Your Ground (BMS)
• The Fight Is On! (BMS)
• APOCALYPSIS NOCTIS (Uncovered Trailer) (BMS)

How do I get the THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE demo?

The demo will be available to download from 1 February, 2023 (technically 31 January for some parts of the world):

• Jan 31, 2023: 21:00 PST
• Feb 1, 2023: 00:00 EST
• Feb 1, 2023, 00:00 GMT
• Feb 1, 2023: 01:00 CET
• Feb 1, 2023: 11:00 AEDT

It’s free, so to get it, simply head over to the PlayStation Store or Nintendo eShop from then to start downloading it.

I played the demo and, wow - this game is really fun! How do I play more?

It is really fun! While the demo has a generous selection, it’s only a fraction of the amazing music in the final game, which is available from 16 February, 2023.

Plus you’ll enjoy the full suite of game modes, including Series Quests, where you can relive 29 past titles through their music and gain new songs and characters, the Multi Battle mode, the packed-out Museum and more!

And, of course, all your progress carries over to the main game, so those amazing scores you set now will still be there when you play!

The game’s available to preorder now. Three editions will be available at launch:

• Standard Edition: Available physically and digitally, this contains 385 sounds from across the FINAL FANTASY series

• Digital Deluxe Edition: Contains all songs from the standard edition, plus 27 additional tracks, and Season Pass 1.

• Premium Digital Deluxe Edition: Contains all songs from the standard edition, plus 27 additional tracks, and Season Passes 1-3.

These editions are available to preorder now. All digital pre-orders include a set of 15 ProfiCards that can be used in-game.

• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on PS4
• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on Switch

We hope you have fun playing the demo. Remember to join us back here on the Square Enix Blog each Thursday for THEATRHYTHM THURSDAY, where we showcase some of the amazing tracks in the game and more.

• Square Enix Blog

Also, be sure to follow FINAL FANTASY on social media for news and updates about this toe-tapping rhythm action spectacle!

• FINAL FANTASY on Twitter
• FINAL FANTASY on Facebook
• FINAL FANTASY on Instagram
• FINAL FANTASY on YouTube

Welcome to another THEATRHYTHM THURSDAY!

FINAL FANTASY V and FINAL FANTASY VI were the last mainline games in the series to launch on the Super Nintendo, and the last to use the distinctive pixel art style. Talk about going out with a bang!

From the breezy freedom of FINAL FANTASY V to the epic narrative of FINAL FANTASY VI, the games stand up among the greatest RPGs ever - and of course, the music plays a big part in making them so fondly remembered!

Naturally, the upcoming rhythm action extravaganza THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE includes many tracks from these games. So lend us an ear, and we’ll discuss some of our favorites:

FINAL FANTASY V

There’s a ridiculous amount to enjoy in FINAL FANTASY V: the light-hearted tone, the memorably world and, of course, the expanded job system that gave players an unprecedented level of customization over their party.

Musically, the game is another masterpiece by Nobuo Uematsu, full of tracks that are as enjoyable to listen to today as they were back in 1992. It’s well represented in THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE through the following tracks:

• Main Theme of Final Fantasy V (BMS)
• Home, sweet Home (FMS/EMS)
• Four Hearts (FMS)
• Battle 1 (BMS)
• To the North Mountain (FMS)
• Battle 2 (BMS)
• Library of Ancients (FMS)
• Mambo de Chocobo (FMS)
• The Airship (FMS)
• The Dawn Warriors (BMS)
• Battle at the Big Bridge (BMS)
• A New World (FMS)
• In Search of Light (FMS)
• The Decisive Battle (BMS)
• The Final Battle (BMS)
• Harvest (FMS)

Let’s take a closer look at some favorites:

Battle at the Big Bridge (BMS)

Iconic. There is no other word to describe this legendary track.

Actually, no, come to think of it there are quite a few - catchy, exhilarating, energetic and brilliant all come to mind. It’s no wonder that it’s become a signature track for the FINAL FANTASY series, appearing in multiple games since its debut in FINAL FANTASY V. You’ll hear it in games like FINAL FANTASY XII, the FINAL FANTASY XIII series, FINAL FANTASY XIV and many more!

The driving rhythms and fast tempo make it the perfect candidate for a rhythm action stage, and one that will really test your dexterity if you crank the difficulty up. Good luck!

Home, Sweet Home (FMS/EMS)

FINAL FANTASY V is one of the funniest games in the series - it has a wry wit that plays with the conventions of fantasy RPGs to often hilarious effect. Even so, there’s also a lot of heart behind the humor, as this track emphasises.

As the name implies, it’s the theme for the town of Lix - the home of main character Bartz Klauser. It’s strong melody easily conjures a sense of peace and belonging. You can go home again, and it sounds great.

FINAL FANTASY VI

FINAL FANTASY VI is the true definition of a ‘fan favorite’. It’s acclaimed for its amazing story, exciting gameplay, memorable characters… and of course, it’s superb soundtrack. For the final game on the Super Nintendo, Uematsu-san brought his A-game, delivering classic track after classic track.

Not only do the perfectly underscore the action, and sound great when listened to on the OSTs, they also make for really great rhythm action stages. Here’s which pieces are in THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE:

• Celes's Theme (FMS/EMS)
• Locke's Theme (BMS)
• Battle (BMS)
• Edgar & Sabin's Theme (FMS)
• Protect the Espers! (BMS)
• The Decisive Battle (BMS)
• Terra's Theme (FMS)
• Grand Finale (BMS)
• The Airship Blackjack (FMS)
• Battle to the Death (BMS)
• Searching for Friends (FMS)
• Dancing Mad (BMS)
• Kefka's Tower (FMS)

Let’s listen to some of these amazing pieces:

Terra’s Theme (FMS)

This theme echoes throughout FINAL FANTASY VI. This unforgettable melody first plays in the game’s famous opening, as Terra, Biggs and Wedge march towards city of Narshe in their powerful Magitek armor. It’s also the primary overworld theme for the game, with its sweeping melodies a perfect accompaniment for exploration and adventure.

It’s the perfect theme for the character of Terra too, with the melancholy flute-like sounds reflecting the struggles she faces throughout the game - from her enslavement by the Empire, to her own internal conflict about her dangerous powers.

It’s a unique track that helps give FINAL FANTASY VI such a strong identity of its own!

Searching for Friends (FMS)

Ok, we’re going to be dancing mad around spoilers here just in case some people haven’t played FINAL FANTASY VI.

At some point in the story, a certain person does a certain thing that has as certain set of consequences. The result is that the heroes are scattered around the world and must be reunited once more. During this airship-based search, the overworld music changes to this new theme: Searching for Friends.

It’s an amazing piece of music that captures the sense of hope and excitement that comes with getting the band back together.

Dancing Mad (BMS)

Kefka is one of the most memorable villains in FINAL FANTASY history. He’s not a tortured soul acting out of love like FINAL FANTASY XIII-2’s Caius Ballad, someone who’s been lied to like FINAL FANTASY VII's Sephiroth, or betrayed like FINAL FANTASY XV's Ardyn. He’s just an evil jerk.

So facing off against him is an enticing prospect - most players will be eager to give the laughing harlequin the smackdown he so richly deserves. Of course, Kefka doesn’t go down easy - it’s an epic knockdown brawl against a super-powerful foe with the fate of the world hanging in the balance. All that tension and drama comes through in this truly epic boss theme.

That wraps up another THEATRHYTHM THURSDAY. You’ll be able to experience all these tracks in THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE, which launches February 16, 2023, for PS4 and Nintendo Switch!

Three editions will be available at launch:

• Standard Edition: Available physically and digitally, this contains 385 songs from across the FINAL FANTASY series

• Digital Deluxe Edition: Contains all songs from the standard edition, plus 27 additional tracks, and Season Pass 1.

• Premium Digital Deluxe Edition: Contains all songs from the standard edition, plus 27 additional tracks, and Season Passes 1-3.

All these editions are available to preorder now. All digital preorders come with 15 ProfiCards to use in game:

• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on PS4
• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on Switch

To stay up to date with news and information about the game, be sure to follow FINAL FANTASY on social media:

• FINAL FANTASY on Twitter
• FINAL FANTASY on Facebook
• FINAL FANTASY on Instagram
• FINAL FANTASY on YouTube

Welcome to another THEATRHYTHM THURSDAY!

If you’ve read the song list for THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE (and if not, you can see it here), you’ll notice that there are a lots of tracks from FINAL FANTASY XIV in the game. That’s appropriate because there’s a lot of FINAL FANTASY XIV.

With selections from the original A Realm Reborn soundtrack, and the Heavensward, Stormblood and Shadowbringers expansions, the upcoming rhythm action extravaganza shows the sheer breadth of the music in FINAL FANTASY XIV. What’s astonishing is just how consistently brilliant all that music is.

From completely original themes to complex tracks that pay homage to the rich musical legacy of the series, the music of FINAL FANTASY XIV is a consistently engaging audio tour that works wonderfully whether it’s accompanying your adventures in Hydaelyn or you’re simply listening to it through headphones.

It also makes for some superb rhythm action stages in THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE, and there are a massive 33 included in the base game:

• Answers (EMS)
• Hard to Miss (BMS)
• On Westerly Winds (FMS)
• The Land Breathes (BMS)
• Serenity (FMS)
• Primal Judgment (BMS)
• Torn from the Heavens (BMS)
• To the Sun (FMS)
• Nemesis (BMS)
• Under the Weight (BMS)
• Engage (FMS)
• Fallen Angel (BMS)
• Good King Moggle Mog XII (BMS)
• Ultima (BMS)
• Through the Maelstrom (BMS)
• A Light in the Storm (FMS)
• Oblivion (BMS)
• Ominous Prognisticks (BMS)
• Ink Long Dry (FMS)
• Heroes (BMS)
• Locus (BMS)
• Metal - Brute Justice Mode (BMS)
• Exponential Entropy (BMS)
• Moebius (BMS)
• Rise (BMS)
• The Worm’s Tail (BMS)
• Wayward Daughter (BMS)
• Triumph (BMS)
• Sunrise (BMS)
• A Long Fall (BMS)
• What Angel Wakes Me (BMS)
• Promises to Keep (BMS)
• Who Brings Shadow (BMS)

Let’s take a listen to some of our favorites:

Torn from the Heavens (BMS)

The Prelude is a FINAL FANTASY staple, appearing in almost every game in the series. So to take that typically gentle melody and turn it into something as exciting and rousing as Torn from the Heavens is simply inspired.

It’s become a signature track for FINAL FANTASY XIV Online, echoing throughout the game and its expansions at key moments, performed live at concerts and appearing in titles like DISSIDIA FINAL FANTASY NT and WORLD OF FINAL FANTASY MAXIMA.

It’s easy to see why - just try not to feel pumped up when listening to this!

On Westerly Winds (FMS)

FINAL FANTASY XIV fans know that all the best people start their adventures in the La Noscea region.

…alright, everyone from The Black Shroud and Thanalan - put down your torches and pitchforks, I’m just kidding! But I started my very first adventure in La Noscea, so the sweeping theme for this grassy, coastal region is burned into my brain.

And now, assuming you listened, it’s in yours too. You’re welcome!

Heroes (BMS)

Few games do ‘epic’ as… um… epically as FINAL FANTASY XIV.

Heroes is the final boss theme in FINAL FANTASY XIV: Heavensward and it underscores the dramatic battle extremely effectively. An arrangement of the expansion’s title track, ‘Heavensward’, it’s exciting, bombastic and has a palpable sense of climax.

And - spoilers - it also works brilliantly as a rhythm action stage.

Ink Long Dry (FMS)

If you want an example of just how musically diverse FINAL FANTASY XIV Online really is, you should take some time to listen (or re-listen) to this amazing dungeon theme from the Heavensward expansion.

The Great Gubal Library, once the biggest repository of knowledge in Eorzea, is now abandoned. Images of grand halls filled with dusty books are easily conjured by this eclectic and jazzy track.

It’s one of the more offbeat tracks in the game, so we’re delighted it’s included in THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE!

Who Brings Shadow (BMS)

The story of FINAL FANTASY XIV: Shadowbringers focuses on the battle between light and darkness, and those themes are explicitly captured in this amazing track.

The fusion of guitars, vocals, drums and chorus create a rollercoaster of a track that ebbs and flows, moving from measured and tense, to almost overwhelmingly intense.

It’s Masayoshi Soken at the very top of his game.

As you can see (or hear), there’s a lot of marvelous music in FINAL FANTASY XIV, and THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE brings it to the forefront in all its glory. If you’re a fan of the critically-acclaimed MMORPG, you’re going to get a real thrill out experiencing this music in a new way.

And if you’re not a fan of FINAL FANTASY XIV, you’ll likely become one after hearing the musical selection in THEATRHYTHM. If you like what you hear, you can always sign up to the free trial, which lets you play through the entirety of A Realm Reborn and the first expansion Heavensward up to level 60 for free, with no restriction on playtime.

• Find out more about the free trial

As for THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE, you’ll get to experience that very soon too! The game releases February 16, 2023 for Nintendo Switch and PS4. Three editions will be available at launch:

• Standard Edition: Available physically and digitally, this contains 385 sounds from across the FINAL FANTASY series

• Digital Deluxe Edition: Contains all songs from the standard edition, plus 27 additional tracks, and Season Pass 1.

• Premium Digital Deluxe Edition: Contains all songs from the standard edition, plus 27 additional tracks, and Season Passes 1-3.

These editions are available to preorder now. All digital pre-orders include a set of 15 ProfiCards that can be used in-game.

• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on PS4
• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on Switch

That’s it for this week’s THEATRHYTHM THURSDAY. Join us next time for another audio tour through the music of the FINAL FANTASY series! And be sure to follow us on social media for more news and information about THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE:

• FINAL FANTASY on Twitter
• FINAL FANTASY on Facebook
• FINAL FANTASY on Instagram
• FINAL FANTASY on YouTube

Welcome back to THEATRHYTHM THURSDAY!

For those just joining us, each Thursday, we take an audio tour through the FINAL FANTASY games and highlight some of the brilliant tracks that are set to make an appearance in the upcoming rhythm action extravaganza THEATHRYTHM FINAL BAR LINE.

This week, we’re looking at two more classic games from the series and their astonishing soundtracks. Prepare your ears because these games are melodic masterpieces.

FINAL FANTASY III

The third game in the FINAL FANTASY series introduced the now famous job system. This let characters switch between different roles over the course of the adventure, offering a dizzying amount of flexibility over how you set up your party.

The system was a big hit with fans - and very influential, with variations on the idea appearing in many other games, including FINAL FANTASY V, FINAL FANTASY XIV, STRANGER OF PARADISE FINAL FANTASY ORIGIN and even games like last year’s HARVESTELLA!

The music was equally memorable. Composer Nobuo Uematsu’s mastery of the Nintendo Entertainment System’s sound chip was unparalleled - as the following two tracks demonstrate.

Eternal Wind (FMS)

Exploring the world map is always a delight in FINAL FANTASY games, but it’s particularly memorable in FINAL FANTASY III thanks to this unforgettable theme. Despite the limitations of the early hardware, this beautiful piece still captures a palpable sense scale and wonder.

As with many beloved tracks in the series, Eternal Wind has taken on a life beyond its original game. This unforgettable melody echoes through future games, from the fast-paced remixes of DISSIDIA FINAL FANTASY NT to FINAL FANTASY XIV: Shadowbringers’ main theme.

In that sense, the name is appropriate - a track this good will live forever!

This is the Last Battle (BMS)

Fun fact: this is not merely the last battle, it’s also the first full boss theme in the FINAL FANTASY series!

What a way to begin! This multi-faceted track begins slowly with some mysterious tones that echo and repeat. Suddenly the track gains momentum, speeding up until the full theme kicks in proper.

That classic NES sound is utilized perfectly to create a fast-paced anthem that feels exciting and climactic. It definitely hypes you up for those tough battles with the Cloud of Darkness!

FINAL FANTASY IV

With FINAL FANTASY IV, the series jumped onto the next generation of hardware - the Super Nintendo. Not only did this result in a significant step up for visuals, it also raised the game for the sound.

FINAL FANTASY IV had the strongest emphasis on story yet, and the enchanting tale of Cecil, Kain and Rosa was brought to life thanks to the stunning soundtrack, once again by Nobuo Uematsu. The emotional heart of the game, and its sweeping sense of adventure was brought to life by tracks likes these:

The Red Wings (FMS)

The Red Wings are the elite air force of Baron, and the power and threat of this airborne armada is vividly brought to life by this theme. If you’ve played the game, you probably already have images of mighty airships soaring across the waves to their destination.

It also serves as a theme for the main character Cecil Harvey, capturing his bravery and troubled spirit perfectly.

Battle with the Four Fiends (BMS)

The Archfiends are no mere bosses. These super-powerful elemental monsters are the general of Golbez’s army, and some of the toughest battles that Cecil and his brave band of allies face during their adventure. It’s only right then that they get their own theme.

The excitement and danger of these tricky battles is driven home by this fast-paced theme. It makes each of these climactic battles feel as dramatic as possible - and makes for one heck of a fun rhythm action stage.

THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE launches February 16, 2023 for Nintendo Switch and PS4. Three editions will be available at launch:

• Standard Edition: Available physically and digitally, this contains 385 songs from across the FINAL FANTASY series

• Digital Deluxe Edition: Contains all songs from the standard edition, plus 27 additional tracks, and Season Pass 1.

• Premium Digital Deluxe Edition: Contains all songs from the standard edition, plus 27 additional tracks, and Season Passes 1-3.

All these editions are available to preorder now:

• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on PS4
• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on Switch

That just about wraps up another Theatrhythm Thursday. Join us next week for another audio tour through the music of the FINAL FANTASY series!

• FINAL FANTASY on Twitter
• FINAL FANTASY on Facebook
• FINAL FANTASY on Instagram
• FINAL FANTASY on YouTube

Welcome back to THEATRHYTHM THURSDAYS!

When you think of FINAL FANTASY XV, one of the first things that probably comes to mind is the audio. And we’re not just talking about: “I’ve come up with a new recipeeeeh!”

The soundtrack, spearheaded by the legendary Yoko Shimomura, brings the unforgettable world of Eos and the emotional saga of Noctis to life in every aspect. Vastness, danger, humor and tragedy - it’s all captured wonderfully through an expansive collection of music that stands tall, even amongst the consistently high standards of the FINAL FANTASY series.

Naturally, a selection of these tracks are included in the upcoming THEATRYHTHM FINAL BAR LINE, acting as music stages for you to play along with in exciting rhythm action gameplay.

Here are the tracks included in the base game:

• Stand Your Ground (BMS)
• Veiled in Black (BMS)
• Valse di Fantastica (FMS)
• The Fight Is On! (BMS)
• APOCALYPSIS NOCTIS (Uncovered Trailer) (BMS/EMS)
• Flying R (FMS)
• Invidia (BMS)
• OMNIS LACRIMA (BMS)
• Up for the Challenge (BMS)
• NOCTIS (FMS)
• Somnus (FMS)
• Hellfire (BMS)
• Magna Insomnia (BMS)
• Main Theme from FINAL FANTASY (FMS)
• Shield of the King - Theme of EPISODE GLADIOLUS (FMS)
• Home Sweet Home - Theme of EPISODE PROMPTO (FMS)
• EPISODE IGNIS - The Main Theme (FMS)
• The Dance of Silver and Crimson (BMS)

Now, let’s hear some of our favorites:

OMNIS LACRIMA (BMS)

Let’s go big or go home. And things don’t get much bigger than OMNIS LACRIMA!

This amazing track first plays when Noctis, Gladiolus, Ignis and Prompto are sent on a gem hunt by the cunning journalist Dino. Unfortunately, their path to the shiny stones are blocked by Zu - a giant slumbering bird.

The boys try to sneak past, but ultimately their efforts are for nothing - the beast awakens, unfurling its wings as the magnificent choral section at the start of this track explodes into life. It’s an incredible moment that perfectly encapsulates the scale, drama and visual splendor of FINAL FANTASY XV.

This track becomes a boss theme for the giant monsters you’ll find around Eos. From foul-smelling Malboros, to the screen-filling Adamantoise, every encounter feels epic and exciting thanks to this energetic choir, soaring strings and driving piano.

What can I say? This track is the best.

Valse di Fantastica (FMS)

This track only plays infrequently as you explore the plains, forests and roads of the world, but and whenever it does, it’s a joy.

This melodic waltz carries with it a palpable sense of adventure, as well as a hint of sadness - very fitting for the epic road trip that Noctis and his entourage go on in the game.

The combination of a strident rhythm, and soaring melody that builds as the song progresses makes it a perfect candidate for a Field Music Stage in THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE - and it doesn’t disappoint.

I know this is one stage I’m going find myself playing over and over - purely to enjoy the music.

Home Sweet Home - Theme of EPISODE PROMPTO (FMS)

Now it’s time for something more… mellow.

FINAL FANTASY XV’s first three DLC episodes shone the spotlight on Noctis’ friends, giving players a much more intimate look at these very different heroes than the main game can afford.

EPISODE PROMPTO follows the wise-cracking photographer after he’s been separated from the rest of the team. Lost and alone, he embarks on a journey that risks shattering his very sense of identity - and this melancholy scenario is captured in the powerful theme by composer Naoshi Mizuta.

EPISODE PROMPTO is an enjoyable adventure to play that mixes up with the game’s mechanics with some well-implemented shooting and even a new vehicle. Plus it brings back Aranea (who - yes you were right - should have featured in our article about Dragoons)!

But that sense of tragedy and sadness echoes throughout, creating a memorable mood that sticks with you. We’re very glad it’s in THEATRHYTHM for all to hear!

Bonus: The World Ends with You

We also wanted to celebrate another amazing game this week - and it’s highly distinctive soundtrack.

The World Ends with You originally released for Nintendo DS in 2007 in Japan, and later for mobile devices and Nintendo Switch. It won acclaim thanks to its contemporary Tokyo setting, innovative action-based combat system and strong sense of fashion. It simply oozed cool.

That sense of style extended to the music, with a soundtrack that fused contemporary styles from pop to hip hop to create a truly unique sound.

The game went on to inspire a superb (and equally musically brilliant) sequel in NEO: The World Ends with You, and a well-received animation too. Now, tracks from the game are coming as DLC for THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE. Here’s just a taste of what to expect:

Calling (FMS)

Appropriately, this has become something of a calling card for the series. It’s a fantastically upbeat track that perfectly captures the uniquely stylish sensibilities of the game.

As a signature track of the series, versions of this song have appeared in other games too. It reappeared with a new arrangement in NEO: The World Ends with You and also features in KINGDOM HEARTS DREAM DROP DISTANCE - and by extension, rhythm action game KINGDOM HEARTS Melody of Memory!

I hope you enjoyed this THEATRHYTHM THURSDAY. THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE is overflowing with amazing tracks like these and more - it’s a musical extravaganza that’ll delight anyone who loves these games, or just enjoys incredible music.

It releases February 16, 2023 for PS4 and Nintendo Switch! Three editions will be available at launch:

• Standard Edition: Available physically and digitally, this contains 385 sounds from across the FINAL FANTASY series

• Digital Deluxe Edition: Contains all songs from the standard edition, plus 27 additional tracks, and Season Pass 1.

• Premium Digital Deluxe Edition: Contains all songs from the standard edition, plus 27 additional tracks, and Season Passes 1-3.

All these editions are available to preorder now:

• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on PS4
• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on Switch

To stay up to date with news about the game, be sure to follow FINAL FANTASY on social media.

• FINAL FANTASY on Twitter
• FINAL FANTASY on Facebook
• FINAL FANTASY on Instagram
• FINAL FANTASY on YouTube

And be sure to bookmark the blog at https://www.square-enix-games.com/news and come back next week for another THEATRHYTHM THURSDAY!

It’s time for another THEATRHYTHM THURSDAY!

Today, we’ll be taking a look (and a listen) at the incredible audio of FINAL FANTASY XIII!

Before the game’s release, music fans had high expectations for the soundtrack… and composer Masashi Hamauzu didn’t disappoint. FINAL FANTASY XIII’s soundtrack was imaginative, exciting and extremely memorable - we bet some of you can hum the themes even now.

This unique sound makes it a real highlight of THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE, too! The stirring field themes and thrilling battle tracks allow for challenging and super-fun music stages.

Here’s what tracks are included in the game (BMS denotes a Battle Music Stage and FMS is a Field Music Stage. Learn all about them here):

• Defiers of Fate (EMS/BMS)
• Saber's Edge (BMS)
• Blinded By Light (BMS)
• March of the Dreadnoughts (FMS)
• The Sunleth Waterscape (FMS)
• Fighting Fate (BMS)
• Will to Fight (BMS)
• The Archylte Steppe (FMS)
• Dust to Dust (FMS)
• Eden Under Siege (BMS)
• The Gapra Whitewood (FMS)
• Desperate Struggle (BMS)
• Nascent Requiem (BMS)
• Eternal Love (FMS) (Deluxe Edition Track)

Let’s highlight a few of the tracks we can’t wait to play:

Blinded by Light (BMS)

FINAL FANTASY XIII’s battle theme is seared into my brain - and I bet it’s the same for a few of you, too.

It perfectly captures the game’s exciting strategic combat system - fast-paced and so catchy you want to play again and again.

And in THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE, I expect many of us will do just that!

The Sunleth Waterscape (FMS)

This is another track that’s iconic to FINAL FANTASY XIII. As the name implies it plays as you explore the Sunleth Waterscape - a vast nature reserve on the floating continent of Cocoon.

In THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE, you’ll get to play your way through this track, while your party traverses this familiar location. It may not have the same grandeur as its original game, but it makes up for it in cutesy charm!

Fighting Fate (BMS)

You’d expect a track with the title ‘Fighting Fate’ to be pretty epic and… yep. It’s pretty epic. Heard during your battles with Barthandelus, it’s a near-overwhelming cacophony of drums, brass and chorus that give the battles a truly climactic feel.

The lyrics are Latin, but rather brilliantly, they tie into the story itself. The villain even directly quotes them during the story.

“Ragnarok. De Die Irae, l'Cie Pultis. Tuum fatum sequeris. Tuum sanctuarium affligeas.”

Which (very) loosely translates as:

“Raganork, Pulse l’Cie, on the Day of Wrath Follow your destiny and destroy your home.”

As we said: epic.

You’ll get to play through all these tracks and a lot more on February 16, 2023, when THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE releases for Nintendo Switch and PS4.

Three editions of THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE will be available at launch:

• Standard Edition: Available physically and digitally, this contains 385 sounds from across the FINAL FANTASY series

• Digital Deluxe Edition: Contains all songs from the standard edition, plus 27 additional tracks, and Season Pass 1.

• Premium Digital Deluxe Edition: Contains all songs from the standard edition, plus 27 additional tracks, and Season Passes 1-3.

All these editions are available to preorder now:

• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on PS4
• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on Switch

That’s all for now - join us on the blog next week for another THEATRHYTHM THURSDAY. And be sure to follow us on social media too:

• FINAL FANTASY on Twitter
• FINAL FANTASY on Facebook
• FINAL FANTASY on Instagram
• FINAL FANTASY on YouTube

This is where it all began!

The original FINAL FANTASY was a groundbreaker in 1987, offering an exciting and expansive adventure that continues to inspire the RPG genre. But it wasn’t just the gameplay that made it stand out - it was also the music.

Despite the limited sound capabilities of early consoles, legendary composer Nobuo Uematsu was able to create rich tones and memorable melodies that live on to this day. Many of the motifs that appear in this game echo through the entirety of the series and go a long way to helping the games feel connected - despite their very different settings and gameplay styles.

Playing through these tracks in THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE may bring back feelings of nostalgia for older fans, but they also hold up as brilliant pieces of music in their own right. Here are the tracks in the game:

• Opening Theme (EMS/FMS)
• Main Theme (FMS)
• Matoya's Cave (FMS)
• Battle (BMS)
• Castle Cornelia (FMS)
• Mt. Gulg (FMS)
• Miniboss Battle (BMS)
• Final Battle (BMS)
• Sunken Shrine (FMS)
• Airship (FMS)

As ever, let’s dive into some of our favorites:

Opening Theme

The Opening Theme to FINAL FANTASY is instantly recognizable. This powerful melody has become the main theme for the entire series, appearing in multiple games over the last 35 years.

This track changes in style and instrumentation throughout the series, but every single version owes a debt to this - the OG FINAL FANTASY music track. What can we say - it’s iconic.

Battle (BMS)

Strong battle themes have been a consistent element of all FINAL FANTASY games, and it’s another element of the series that emerged fully formed in this original game. The original battle track is a fast-paced piece that reflects the excitement and danger of the game’s pioneering battle system.

You’ll be spending a long time on this theme, and it’s a testament to the incredible talents of Nobuo Uematsu that it never gets old.

FINAL FANTASY II

FINAL FANTASY II established what is perhaps the biggest trademark of the series - and we don’t just mean chocobos.

This game started the series’ tradition for change and constant innovation. While the team could have followed up the smash hit original with more of the same, they instead decided to mix things up with new mechanics like the proficiency system, where characters skills with weapons and abilities increased the more they used them.

Fans can debate whether they like the sequel or the original game more, but here’s something everyone can agree with: the soundtrack is another masterpiece. Working once again with the limitations of the era, composer Uematsu produced themes and melodies that stand the test of time.

You can play through many of them in THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE:

• Finale (FMS)
• The Rebel Army (EMS/BMS)
• Battle Theme 1 (BMS)
• Town (FMS)
• Main Theme (FMS)
• Tower of the Magi (FMS)
• Dungeon (FMS)
• Battle Theme 2 (BMS)
• Battle Theme A (BMS)
• The Imperial Army (FMS)
• Chocobo Theme (FMS)

Here are a couple of tracks that we can’t wait to play:

The Rebel Army (BMS)

Easily one of the most recognizable tracks from FINAL FANTASY II, the Rebel Army is a stirring march that sets the tone perfectly for this bold new adventure.

By listening to it, you understand how well it’ll work as a rhythm-action stage. The strong beat and instantly-hummable motifs seem tailor-made for a game like THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE. We look forward to setting some top scores on this one.

Chocobo Theme (FMS)

We’d be kweh-zy not to highlight the original Chocobo Theme!

FINAL FANTASY II was the first game to feature these fine feathered birds, and they’ve become integral to the franchise. Not only do they appear in almost every game since in some way, they’ve also inspired their own spin-offs, such as FINAL FANTASY FABLES: CHOCOBO’S DUNGEON (also represented in THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE by the way).

It’s not just the birds who have become mainstays of the series though - it’s the music too. This theme repeats across the series and whenever it appears, it’s catchy, fun and instantly memorable. It just warks!

That’s all we have space for in today’s THEATRHYTHM THURSDAY, but we’ll see you next week for more magical music.

THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE launches February 16, 2023, for Nintendo Switch and PS4. Three editions will be available at launch:

• Standard Edition: Available physically and digitally, this contains 385 sounds from across the FINAL FANTASY series

• Digital Deluxe Edition: Contains all songs from the standard edition, plus 27 additional tracks, and Season Pass 1.

• Premium Digital Deluxe Edition: Contains all songs from the standard edition, plus 27 additional tracks, and Season Passes 1-3.

All these editions are available to preorder now:

• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on PS4
• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on Switch

To stay up to date with news and information about the game, be sure to follow FINAL FANTASY on social media:

• FINAL FANTASY on Twitter
• FINAL FANTASY on Facebook
• FINAL FANTASY on Instagram
• FINAL FANTASY on YouTube

It’s a big week for FINAL FANTASY fans because Zack is back!

CRISIS CORE –FINAL FANTASY VII– REUNION released December 13 for (deep breath) PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Steam!

This prequel to FINAL FANTASY VII is a significantly enhanced version of the 2007 PSP classic and focuses on Zack Fair - a SOLDIER operative with close ties to many of the characters from that beloved RPG.

A number of tracks from that original release feature in THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE - so what better subject could there be for a THEATRHYTHM THURSDAY?

The CRISIS CORE soundtrack was led by composer Takeharu Ishimoto and features a combination of fresh takes on classic FINAL FANTASY VII tracks and completely original compositions.

It’s an eclectic soundtrack that takes you from driving metal to somber piano - in other words as bold and full of personality as Zack himself!

THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE contains six tracks from the series:

• CRISIS CORE Theme - Succession (EMS)
• The SOLDIER Way (BMS)
• The Price of Freedom (BMS)
• Encounter (BMS)
• Timely Ambush (from FFVII 'Let the Battles Begin!') (FMS)
• A Flower Blooming in the Slums (from FFVII 'Aerith's Theme') (FMS)

Let’s take a closer look - and listen - at a few favorites:

CRISIS CORE Theme - Succession (EMS)

The main theme of CRISIS CORE is not your typical FINAL FANTASY track. This beautiful and melancholy piano piece conveys a lot of emotion through its simple melody. The song hints at the deeply affecting journey that lies ahead of you.

In THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE, this track is an Event Music Stage (EMS). That means you’ll see beautiful video scenes from the game as you play, and this makes this powerful track hit that much harder.

What? I’m not crying, you’re crying.

Encounter (BMS)

Feeling tired? A little worn down? Blast a few seconds of Encounter, CRISIS CORE’s battle theme, and your energy will surge back to full power! This track is exhilarating. The shredding guitars and surging rhythms really make you feel like you’re the heart of the action.

It’s a very different battle theme for FINAL FANTASY VII, but it really works. Its suitability as a Battle Music Stage in THEATRHYTHM is clear - you just know this one is going to test your rhythm-action expertise in a really fun way.

The Price of Freedom (BMS)

The price of freedom is steep.

That message sits at the very heart of CRISIS CORE - a painful lesson for Zack (and us!) to learn. It’s driven home by this wistful rock track, which conveys longing, joy, tragedy… all the things that that Zack himself experiences over the course of his adventures.

It makes for a very different kind of Battle Music Stage in THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE - and a particularly memorable one.

You’ll be able to hear all these tracks from February 16, 2023, when THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE releases for Nintendo Switch and PS4!

• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on PS4
• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on Switch

Or you can hear newly arranged versions - as well as a host of other enhancements to the visuals, combat system and more - in CRISIS CORE –FINAL FANTASY VII– REUNION, out now for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam.

• Get CRISIS CORE –FINAL FANTASY VII– REUNION

Bonus: Romancing SaGa -Minstrel Song- Remastered

This month also saw the release of Romancing SaGa -Minstrel Song- Remastered on PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch, Steam, iOS and Android. Considering how good the music is in the game, it would be a crime not to take the opportunity to talk about it - especially as music packs from the SaGa games are coming to THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE as standalone DLCs and as part of the game’s Season Passes!

Ardent Rhythm (BMS)

This track is included in Season Pass 1, as part of a DLC pack for the SaGa series (THEATRHYTHM FBL SaGa Series Pack). And holy moly, it’s fantastic!

Composed by Kenji Ito, it’s an utterly unique combination of acoustic guitar, drums, and energetic vocals that sounds absolutely incredible. Beware though - it’s also an earworm that will lodge itself firmly in your brain for the rest of the day.

The music of the SaGa series is legendary - always inventive, sometimes experimental and consistently brilliant. If you’re coming to the series for the first time in Romancing SaGa -Minstrel Song- Remastered, prepare to discover this for yourself.

That’s all for this week’s THEATRHYTHM THURSDAY! Come back next week to hear some more amazing music from the game - and be sure to follow us on social media!

• FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE on Twitter
• FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE on Facebook
• FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE on Instagram
• FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE on TikTok
• FINAL FANTASY on YouTube

To say that THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE contains a lot of music is like saying that the Sahara Desert contains a lot of sand. While true, it doesn’t convey the sheer, mind-boggling quantities involved.

The new rhythm action game contains more than 380 tracks in the standard edition alone - plus 27 more in the Digital Deluxe Edition and DLC music packs featuring some of the best music from other Square Enix games!

Over the next few weeks, as part of our new 'THEATRHYTHM THURSDAYS' feature, we’ll be looking at some of the tracks in the game, sharing some memories of how they featured in their original games and maybe sharing a few sneak peeks of what they sound like.

First though, we thought we should share a list of the FINAL FANTASY related tracks revealed in the game so far.

THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE Standard Edition

The base game contains a massive 385 tracks from across the FINAL FANTASY series. These tracks are played over three music stages:

• Battle Music Stages (BMS) - Defeat waves of enemies in time to up-tempo battle themes.

• Field Music Stages (FMS) - Journey forth with a party across themed landscapes with relaxing field music.

• Event Music Stage (EMS) - Play to the beat against the backdrop of unforgettable scenes from each title.

Here’s what’s included:

FINAL FANTASY

• Opening Theme (FMS/EMS)
• Main Theme (FMS)
• Matoya's Cave (FMS)
• Battle (BMS)
• Castle Cornelia (FMS)
• Mt. Gulg (FMS)
• Miniboss Battle (BMS)
• Final Battle (BMS)
• Sunken Shrine (FMS)
• Airship (FMS)

FINAL FANTASY II

• Finale (FMS)
• The Rebel Army (BMS/EMS)
• Battle Theme 1 (BMS)
• Town (FMS)
• Main Theme (FMS)
• Tower of the Magi (FMS)
• Dungeon (FMS)
• Battle Theme 2 (BMS)
• Battle Theme A (BMS)
• The Imperial Army (FMS)
• Chocobo Theme (FMS)

FINAL FANTASY III

• Elia, the Maiden of Water (FMS/EMS)
• Battle 1 (BMS)
• Eternal Wind (FMS)
• Battle 2 (BMS)
• The Boundless Ocean (FMS)
• Salonia (FMS)
• Let Me Know the Truth (FMS)
• Forbidden Land (FMS)
• The Crystal Tower (FMS)
• The Dark Crystals (FMS)
• This is the Last Battle (BMS)
• Crystal Cave (FMS)
• The Invincible (FMS)

FINAL FANTASY IV

• Theme of Love (FMS/EMS)
• The Red Wings (FMS)
• Main Theme of Final Fantasy IV (FMS)
• Battle 1 (BMS)
• Battle 2 (BMS)
• Battle with the Four Fiends (BMS)
• The Airship (FMS)
• Troian Beauty (FMS)
• Tower of Zot (FMS)
• Lunar Whale (FMS)
• Within the Giant (FMS)
• The Final Battle (BMS)
• Another Moon (FMS)

FINAL FANTASY V

• Main Theme of Final Fantasy V (BMS)
• Home, sweet Home (FMS/EMS)
• Four Hearts (FMS)
• Battle 1 (BMS)
• To the North Mountain (FMS)
• Battle 2 (BMS)
• Library of Ancients (FMS)
• Mambo de Chocobo (FMS)
• The Airship (FMS)
• The Dawn Warriors (BMS)
• Battle at the Big Bridge (BMS)
• A New World (FMS)
• In Search of Light (FMS)
• The Decisive Battle (BMS)
• The Final Battle (BMS)
• Harvest (FMS)

FINAL FANTASY VI

• Celes's Theme (FMS/EMS)
• Locke's Theme (BMS)
• Battle (BMS)
• Edgar & Sabin's Theme (FMS)
• Protect the Espers! (BMS)
• The Decisive Battle (BMS)
• Terra's Theme (FMS)
• Grand Finale (BMS)
• The Airship Blackjack (FMS)
• Battle to the Death (BMS)
• Searching for Friends (FMS)
• Dancing Mad (BMS)
• Kefka's Tower (FMS)

FINAL FANTASY VII

• Aerith's Theme (BMS/EMS)
• Opening - Bombing Mission (BMS)
• Let the Battles Begin! (BMS)
• Fight On! (BMS)
• The Chase (FMS)
• Main Theme of Final Fantasy VII (FMS)
• Rufus's Welcoming Ceremony (FMS)
• JENOVA (BMS)
• Gold Saucer (FMS)
• Cosmo Canyon (FMS)
• The Highwind Takes to the Skies (FMS)
• Judgment Day (FMS)
• Birth of a God (BMS)
• One-Winged Angel (BMS)

FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE

• FFVII REMAKE: Bombing Mission (BMS)
• FFVII REMAKE: Let the Battles Begin! - A Merc's Job (BMS)
• FFVII REMAKE: The Airbuster (BMS)
• FFVII REMAKE: J-E-N-O-V-A - Quickening (BMS)
• FFVII REMAKE: One-Winged Angel - Rebirth (BMS)
• FFVII REMAKE: Midgar Expressway (FMS)
• FFVII REMAKE: Main Theme of FFVII - Sector 7 Undercity (FMS)
• FFVII REMAKE: Collapsed Expressway (FMS)
• FFVII REMAKE: High Five (BMS)
• FFVII REMAKE: Tifa's Theme - Seventh Heaven (FMS)
• Hollow (EMS)

FINAL FANTASY VII Advent Children

• Advent: One-Winged Angel (BMS/EMS)
• Those Who Fight (Piano Version) (BMS)
• Beyond the Wasteland (BMS)
• Aerith's Theme (Piano Version) (FMS)
• Battle in the Forgotten City (BMS)
• Divinity II (BMS)
• J-E-N-O-V-A (AC Version) (BMS)
• Cloud Smiles (FMS)

CRISIS CORE –FINAL FANTASY VII–

• CRISIS CORE Theme - Succession (EMS)
• The SOLDIER Way (BMS)
• The Price of Freedom (BMS)
• Encounter (BMS)
• Timely Ambush (from FFVII 'Let the Battles Begin!') (FMS)
• A Flower Blooming in the Slums (from FFVII 'Aerith's Theme') (FMS)

LAST ORDER: FINAL FANTASY VII

• Last Order (BMS)

FINAL FANTASY VIII

• Ending Theme (FMS)
• Waltz for the Moon (FMS/EMS)
• Balamb GARDEN (FMS)
• Blue Fields (FMS)
• Don't be Afraid (BMS)
• Force Your Way (BMS)
• Shuffle or Boogie (BMS)
• The Man with the Machine Gun (BMS)
• Premonition (BMS)
• Fisherman's Horizon (FMS)
• Love Grows (FMS)
• Ride On (FMS)
• The Castle (FMS)
• Maybe I'm a Lion (BMS)
• The Extreme (BMS)
• Liberi Fatali (BMS)
• Find Your Way (FMS)
• The Oath (FMS)

FINAL FANTASY IX

• A Place to Call Home (FMS)
• Behind the Door (FMS/EMS)
• Vivi's Theme (FMS)
• Swords of Fury (BMS)
• Vamo'alla flamenco (BMS)
• Battle 1 (BMS)
• Battle 2 (BMS)
• Over the Hill (FMS)
• Festival of the Hunt (BMS)
• Roses of May (FMS)
• Something to Protect (BMS)
• Aboard the Hilda Garde (FMS)
• Not Alone (FMS)
• The Darkness of Eternity (BMS)
• The Final Battle (BMS)
• Dark City Treno (FMS)
• Iifa, the Ancient Tree of Life (FMS)
• Ipsen's Castle (FMS)

FINAL FANTASY X

• SUTEKI DA NE (Isn't It Wonderful?) (FMS/EMS)
• Otherworld (BMS)
• Battle Theme (BMS)
• Spira Unplugged (FMS)
• Movement In Green (FMS)
• Blitz Off! (BMS)
• Thunder Plains (FMS)
• Assault (BMS)
• Servants of the Mountain (FMS)
• A Fleeting Dream (FMS)
• Challenge (BMS)
• Fight with Seymour (BMS)
• A Contest of Aeons (BMS)
• Final Battle (BMS)
• Mi'ihen Highroad (FMS)
• Launch (FMS)
• Via Purifico (FMS)

FINAL FANTASY X-2

• 1000 Words (FFX-2 Mix) (EMS)
• We're the Gullwings! (FMS)
• "Let me blow you a kiss." (BMS)
• The Farplane Abyss (FMS)
• YuRiPa, Fight! No.1 (BMS)
• The Bevelle Underground (FMS)
• Their Resting Place (BMS)

FINAL FANTASY XI

• Vana'diel March (FMS)
• "FFXI Opening Theme" (BMS/EMS)
• Ronfaure (FMS)
• Battle Theme (BMS)
• Gustaberg (FMS)
• Selbina (FMS)
• Recollection (FMS)
• Awakening (BMS)
• Shinryu (BMS)
• The Sanctuary of Zi'Tah (FMS)
• Fighters of the Crystal (BMS)
• A New Horizon - Tavnazian Archipelago (FMS)
• Ragnarok (BMS)
• Heavens Tower (FMS)
• Sarutabaruta (FMS)
• Voyager (FMS)
• Melodies Errant (BMS)
• Tough Battle #2 (BMS)
• Iron Colossus (BMS)

FINAL FANTASY XII

• FINAL FANTASY (FFXII Version) (BMS)
• Ending Movie (from FINAL FANTASY XII Original Soundtrack) (BMS)
• The Archadian Empire - original - from FINAL FANTASY XII (FMS/EMS)
• Boss Battle (BMS)
• Streets of Rabanastre (FMS)
• The Dalmasca Estersand (FMS)
• Heart of a Child (FMS)
• Giza Plains (from FINAL FANTASY XII Original Soundtrack) (FMS)
• Flash of Steel (BMS)
• Battle with an Esper (BMS)
• Life and Death (BMS)
• Phon Coast (FMS)
• The Mosphoran Highwaste (FMS)
• Struggle for Freedom (BMS)

FINAL FANTASY XIII

• Defiers of Fate (BMS/EMS)
• Saber's Edge (BMS)
• Blinded By Light (BMS)
• March of the Dreadnoughts (FMS)
• The Sunleth Waterscape (FMS)
• Fighting Fate (BMS)
• Will to Fight (BMS)
• The Archylte Steppe (FMS)
• Dust to Dust (FMS)
• Eden Under Siege (BMS)
• The Gapra Whitewood (FMS)
• Desperate Struggle (BMS)
• Nascent Requiem (BMS)

FINAL FANTASY XIII-2

• Warrior Goddess (EMS)
• Etro's Champion (BMS)
• Full Speed Ahead (BMS)
• Paradigm Shift (BMS)
• Groovy Chocobo (FMS)
• The Last Hunter (BMS)
• Crazy Chocobo (FMS)
• Heart of Chaos (BMS)
• Historia Crux (FMS)
• Eclipse (FMS)
• Noel's Theme - Final Journey - (FMS)
• Plains of Eternity (FMS)

LIGHTNING RETURNS: FINAL FANTASY XIII

• The Savior - LIGHTNING RETURNS:FINAL FANTASY XIII - (BMS/EMS)
• LIGHTNING RETURNS - LIGHTNING RETURNS:FINAL FANTASY XIII - (BMS)
• Crimson Blitz (BMS)
• Chaos (BMS)
• The Dead Dunes (FMS)
• The Glittering City of Yusnaan (FMS)

FINAL FANTASY XIV

• Answers (EMS)
• Hard to Miss (BMS)
• On Westerly Winds (FMS)
• The Land Breathes (BMS)
• Serenity (FMS)
• Primal Judgment (BMS)
• Torn from the Heavens (BMS)
• To the Sun (FMS)
• Nemesis (BMS)
• Under the Weight (BMS)
• Engage (FMS)
• Fallen Angel (BMS)
• Good King Moggle Mog XII (BMS)
• Ultima (BMS)
• Through the Maelstrom (BMS)
• A Light in the Storm (FMS)
• Oblivion (BMS)
• Ominous Prognisticks (BMS)
• Ink Long Dry (FMS)
• Heroes (BMS)
• Locus (BMS)
• Metal - Brute Justice Mode (BMS)
• Exponential Entropy (BMS)
• Moebius (BMS)
• Rise (BMS)
• The Worm's Tail (BMS)
• Wayward Daughter (BMS)
• Triumph (BMS)
• Sunrise (BMS)
• A Long Fall (BMS)
• What Angel Wakes Me (BMS)
• Promises to Keep (BMS)
• Who Brings Shadow (BMS)

FINAL FANTASY XV

• Stand Your Ground (BMS)
• Veiled in Black (BMS)
• Valse di Fantastica (FMS)
• The Fight Is On! (BMS)
• APOCALYPSIS NOCTIS (Uncovered Trailer) (BMS/EMS)
• Flying R (FMS)
• Invidia (BMS)
• OMNIS LACRIMA (BMS)
• Up for the Challenge (BMS)
• NOCTIS (FMS)
• Somnus (FMS)
• Hellfire (BMS)
• Magna Insomnia (BMS)
• Main Theme from FINAL FANTASY (FMS)
• Shield of the King - Theme of EPISODE GLADIOLUS (FMS)
• Home Sweet Home - Theme of EPISODE PROMPTO (FMS)
• EPISODE IGNIS - The Main Theme (FMS)
• The Dance of Silver and Crimson (BMS)

FINAL FANTASY TYPE-0

• We Have Come (BMS/EMS)
• War: Warrior Worth a Thousand (BMS)
• The Earth Under Our Feet (FMS)
• War: The White Weapon (BMS)
• Tempus Finis (FMS)
• Vermilion Fire (BMS)
• Soar (FMS)

FINAL FANTASY: THE 4 HEROES OF LIGHT

• The 4 Heroes of Light (FMS)
• Fiend Encounter (BMS)

STRANGER OF PARADISE FINAL FANTASY ORIGIN

• Jack's Theme (BMS)
• Battle: Chaos Advent (BMS)
• Battle: False Knight – Motif from "Battle" (BMS)

DISSIDIA FINAL FANTASY

• Keeping the Peace from DISSIDIA FINAL FANTASY (FMS)
• The Decisive Battle - arrange - from FINAL FANTASY VI (BMS)
• The Troops' Advance from DISSIDIA FINAL FANTASY (BMS)
• Battle 1 - arrange - from FINAL FANTASY IX (BMS)
• DISSIDIA - ending - from DISSIDIA FINAL FANTASY (BMS)
• DISSIDIA FINAL FANTASY [FINAL TRAILER] (BMS)

DISSIDIA 012[duodecim] FINAL FANTASY

• Lux Concordiae from DISSIDIA 012[duodecim] FINAL FANTASY (EMS)
• Canto Mortis -An Undocumented Battle- from DISSIDIA 012[duodecim] FINAL FANTASY (FMS)
• Gate to the Rift from DISSIDIA 012[duodecim] FINAL FANTASY (FMS)
• Cantata Mortis from DISSIDIA 012[duodecim] FINAL FANTASY (BMS)
• DISSIDIA 012[duodecim] FINAL FANTASY [FINAL TRAILER] (BMS)

DISSIDIA FINAL FANTASY -Arcade-

• "The Rebel Army" from FINAL FANTASY II (Arrangement) (BMS)
• "Eternal Wind" from FINAL FANTASY III (DFF Arrangement) (BMS)
• "Dancing Mad" from FINAL FANTASY Ⅵ (Arrangement) (BMS)
• "Antipyretic" from FINAL FANTASY TACTICS (Arrangement) (BMS)
• Massive Explosion (Short ver.) from DISSIDIA FINAL FANTASY -Arcade- (BMS)
• God in Fire - arrange - from DISSIDIA FINAL FANTASY (BMS)
• "Ominous Prognisticks" from FINAL FANTASY XIV (Arrangement) (BMS)
• "The Beginning of the End" from FINAL FANTASY TYPE-0 (Arrangement) (BMS)

DISSIDIA FINAL FANTASY NT

• Dare to Defy (BMS)

DISSIDIA FINAL FANTASY OPERA OMNIA

• Spark from DISSIDIA FINAL FANTASY OPERA OMNIA (BMS)

FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES Remastered Edition

• FFCCR: Moonless Starry Night (EMS)
• FFCCR: Today Comes To Be Tomorrow (FMS)
• FFCCR: Promised Grace (FMS)
• FFCCR: Monster Ronde (BMS)
• FFCCR: Across the Divide (FMS)
• FFCCR: Woebegone Creature (BMS)
• FFCCR: United, Heaven-Sent (BMS)

FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES: The Crystal Bearers

• This Is the End for You! (BMS)

FINAL FANTASY Record Keeper

• Battle at the Big Bridge～Ver.2～ FFRK Ver. Arrange (BMS)
• The Decisive Battle FFRK Ver. arrange from FFVI (BMS)
• The Man with the Machine Gun FFRK Ver. arrange from FFVIII (BMS)
• Blinded By Light FFRK Ver. arrange from FFXIII (BMS)
• The Chase FFRK Ver. arrange from FFVII (BMS)
• UTAKATA FFRK Ver. arrange from FFType-0 (BMS)
• Chaos Shrine FFRK Ver. arrange from FFI (BMS)
• Stand Your Ground FFRK Ver. arrange from FFXV (BMS)

FINAL FANTASY TACTICS

• Opening (EMS)
• Prologue (FMS)
• Trisection (BMS)
• Apoplexy (BMS)
• Antipyretic (BMS)
• Precipitous Combat (BMS)
• Ultima's Transformation (BMS)
• Ovelia's Theme (FMS)

MOBIUS FINAL FANTASY

• Warrior of Light - Mobius Final Fantasy (BMS)
• Dancing Edge (BMS)
• Magic Madness (BMS)
• Femme Fatale (BMS)
• Bloodthirst (BMS)

WORLD OF FINAL FANTASY

• World of Battle (BMS)

FINAL FANTASY FABLE: CHOCOBO'S DUNGEON

• Dungeon Hero X's Theme (BMS)
• Raffaello Battle (BMS)
• Pop-Up Duel (BMS)
• Guardian of the Dark II (BMS)
• Leviathan Battle (BMS)

FINAL FANTASY MYSTIC QUEST

• Hill of Destiny (BMS)
• Battle 1 (BMS)
• Battle 2 (BMS)
• Doom Castle (FMS)
• Battle 3 (BMS)

THEATRHYTHM FINAL FANTASY

• The Chaos Shrine - TFF Menu Arrangement - From FF (BMS)
• Return of the Warrior - TFF Menu Arrangement - From FFIII (FMS)
• Battle at the Big Bridge - TFF Menu Arrangement - From FFV (BMS)

THEATRHYTHM FINAL FANTASY CURTAIN CALL

• THEATRHYTHM FINAL FANTASY CURTAIN CALL Special Arrangement Medley (Long Version) (BMS)
• THEATRHYTHM FINAL FANTASY CURTAIN CALL Special Arrangement Medley (EMS)
• Choose Your Combatants - TFFCC Menu Arrangement - From FFT (BMS)

THEATRHYTHM FINAL FANTASY All-star Carnival

• Fight With Seymour - TFFAC Arrangement - From FFX (BMS)
• Matoya's Cave - TFFAC Arrangement - From FF (FMS)
• Prelude - TFFAC Menu Arrangement - From FF (FMS)
• Main Theme of Final Fantasy V - TFFAC Arrangement - From FFV (BMS)
• Locke's Theme - TFFAC Arrangement - From FFVI (BMS)
• J-E-N-O-V-A - TFFAC Arrangement - From FFVII (BMS)
• The Red Wings - TFFAC Arrangement - From FFIV (FMS)
• TFFCC Special Arrangement Medley - TFFAC Arrangement - From TFFCC (BMS)
• Battle at the Big Bridge - TFFAC Arrangement - From FFV (BMS)

THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE

• THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE Special Battle Arrangement Medley (BMS)
• FFVII Special Arrangement Medley - TFBL Arrangement - From FFVII (BMS)

BRA★BRA FINAL FANTASY / BRASS de BRAVO

• Moogles' Theme (FMS)
• FF Medley (FMS)

BRA★BRA FINAL FANTASY / BRASS de BRAVO 2

• Battle at the Big Bridge (BMS)
• Mambo de Chocobo (FMS)

FINAL FANTASY TRIBUTE THANKS

• Opening Theme (BMS)

Digital Deluxe Edition additional tracks

The Digital Deluxe Edition of THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE contains all songs from the standard edition, plus 27 additional tracks, and the Season 1 Pass. A Digital Deluxe upgrade for the physical and digital standard edition is also available if you want the additional tracks.

Here are the tracks included in the Digital Deluxe Edition that have been revealed so far:

FINAL FANTASY III

• Zephyr Memories -Legend of the Eternal Wind- (FMS)

FINAL FANTASY VIII

• Eyes On Me (FMS)

FINAL FANTASY IX

• Melodies Of Life ～Final Fantasy (FMS)

FINAL FANTASY X

• Zanarkand (FMS)

FINAL FANTASY X-2

• Kuon -Memories of Waves and Light- (FMS)
• ???

FINAL FANTASY XI

• Distant Worlds (FMS)

FINAL FANTASY XII

• Kiss Me Good-Bye-featured in FINAL FANTASY XII- (FMS)
• Symphonic Poem "Hope" ～FINAL FANTASY XII PV ver.～ (FMS)

FINAL FANTASY XIII

• Eternal Love (FMS)

CRISIS CORE –FINAL FANTASY VII–

• ???

FINAL FANTASY TYPE-0

• ???

FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES Remastered Edition

• FFCCR: Sound of the Wind (FMS)

COLLABORATION TITLE

• Aerith's Theme -Collab Arrangement- (BMS)
• Cosmo Canyon -Collab Arrangement- (FMS)

Modulation - FINAL FANTASY Arrangement Album

• Battle Theme 2 -Modulation ver.- from FINAL FANTASY II (BMS)
• Battle at the Big Bridge -Modulation ver.- from FINAL FANTASY V (BMS)

BATTLE SQ

• Battle SQ : FINAL FANTASY IX Not Alone (BMS)

SQ Chips

• SQ Chips: FINAL FANTASY III "Go above the Clouds!～The Invincible" (FMS)

More SQ

• More SQ: FINAL FANTASY Dugem DE Chocobo (FMS)

Sanctuary THE STAR ONIONS

• Fighters of the Crystal (BMS)

SQUARE ENIX ACOUSTIC ARRANGEMENTS

• Acoustic: The Decisive Battle (BMS)

SQUARE ENIX JASS -FINAL FANTASY-

• Blinded By Light Jazz Arrangement (BMS)

Scions & Sinners: FINAL FANTASY XIV ～ Arrangement Album ～

• Band: A Long Fall (BMS)

THE BLACK MAGES

• Clash on the Big Bridge (FINAL FANTASY V) (BMS)

THE BLACK MAGES II～The Skies Above～

• The Skies Above (BMS)

THE PRIMALS

• Band:Rise (BMS)

As you can see, there really is a seemingly endless track list in THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE - and we haven’t even discussed the Season Pass content yet!

We’ll share that information at a later time, but with music from the SaGa series, Mana series, LIVE A LIVE, The World Ends with You, NieR series and much more, it’ll be sure to be worth playing… and listening to!

THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE launches February 16, 2023 for Nintendo Switch and PS4. Three editions will be available at launch:

• Standard Edition: Available physically and digitally, this contains 385 sounds from across the FINAL FANTASY series

• Digital Deluxe Edition: Contains all songs from the standard edition, plus 27 additional tracks, and Season Pass 1.

• Premium Digital Deluxe Edition: Contains all songs from the standard edition, plus 27 additional tracks, and Season Passes 1-3.

All these editions are available to preorder now:

• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on PS4
• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on Switch

We’ll have a lot more to share about the game in the next few weeks, so be sure to follow FINAL FANTASY on social media to learn more!

• FINAL FANTASY on Twitter
• FINAL FANTASY on Facebook
• FINAL FANTASY on Instagram
• FINAL FANTASY on YouTube

Regular readers of the Square Enix Blog will know that we’re big fans of game music here.

Whether we’re exploring the history of FINAL FANTASY through its soundtracks, or taking an audio tour through gaming’s greatest deserts, oceans or forests (LA-HEE!), we love to celebrate the work of Square Enix’s amazing composers and sound teams.

So, suffice to say, we’re very excited about THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE. This upcoming rhythm-action game is a celebration of 35 years of incredible music from the FINAL FANTASY series… and beyond.

After the big reveal last week, we thought you might like a closer look at this exciting new game, so read on and we’ll take you through the game modes, stage types, tracks and more.

But first, for anyone who missed last week’s announcement…

What is THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE?

This new rhythm action game aims to revive your fondest memories of FINAL FANTASY through one of the series most powerful elements: the music.

It’s packed with musical gems, carefully selected from across the entire FINAL FANTASY series, from mainline numbered titles and remakes to side-stories, spin-offs and even soundtrack CDs!

As with the previous games in the series, you’ll press buttons to match moving triggers across multiple stage types, all of which test your reflexes, rhythm and understanding of each song’s structure. As you’d expect, these inputs are simple to perform, but with multiple difficulty levels and some truly devilish beats, you’ll find your skills tested in ways that make it very difficult to stop playing.

It also features a massive cast of 104 super-adorable stylized FINAL FANTASY characters, from iconic heroes like Cloud, Squall and Lightning to deeper dives that will make the most dedicated FINAL FANTASY fans ‘ooh’ in delight.

It's also the biggest collection of songs ever included in a THEATRHYTHM game, with a staggering 385 tracks included in the standard edition alone. Plus there is extensive add-on content coming that features music from beyond the FINAL FANTASY series.

So, that’s the broad overview - let’s take a closer look at the different elements of the game, starting with perhaps your biggest question…

…how does the game actually play?

The basics of gameplay

As you play, different circles will move across the screen. The red, yellow, and green circles are called “Triggers”.

When Triggers overlap with the white circles to the right of the screen - called “Trigger Marks” - you must make a well-timed move with a button or stick!

Each Trigger requires a different input:

• Touch Trigger (red circle): Press a button.

• Slide Trigger (yellow circle with arrow): Move the analogue stick in the direction of the arrow. If there are two arrows, you’ll have to use two sticks!

• Hold Trigger (green circle and green line): Hold a button for the duration of the trigger and let go at the end.

• Hold-Slide Trigger (green circle and line with arrow at the end): Hold a button for the duration of the trigger, and move the stick in the direction of the arrow at the end.

Difficulty levels

THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE has multiple difficulty levels - all songs can be played at Basic, Expert or Ultimate difficulty. That means that the game can be played by all kinds of players.

If (like me), you’re a bit of klutz when it comes to keeping a beat, Basic is a great way to learn the ins and outs of each song - you can always go up to Expert when you have more confidence.

If you’re an experienced hand at music games, you should try the Ultimate difficulty level - this will give your digits and your sense of rhythm a real work-out.

Approximately a third of songs also have access to a fourth difficulty level: Supreme. This one’s for the real rhythm-action savants - good luck!

Music stages

Different songs will play in different ways, with three Music Stages:

BMS: Battle Music Stage

With BMS stages, you’ll defeat waves of enemies in time with up-tempo battle music! The track being played in the shot above is Veiled in Black from FINAL FANTASY XV, composed by the incomparable Yoko Shimomura!

FMS: Field Music Stage

In these stages, you’ll journey forth with your party with relaxing field music. The track shown above is The Dalmasca Estersand, from Hitoshi Sakimoto’s brilliant FINAL FANTASY XII soundtrack.

EMS: Event Music Stages

In these stages, you’ll play to the beat against a backdrop of unforgettable scenes from each title! Here we can see the stage for FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE’s original song Hollow, composed by the legendary Nobuo Uematsu and performed by YOSH.

Game modes

There are lots of different modes in THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE that do a great job of shaking things up.

Series Quests: Advance through a total of 29 titles, clearing quests and unlocking characters and playable songs.

• Music Stages: Play the music you've acquired to your heart's content and attempt to get a high score! You can also play with Simple Style controls, which use only a single button, or Pair Style, which lets you play with two players on one screen.

• Multi Battle: Up to four players can face off in online multiplayer matches.

• Museum: Peruse and enjoy the music, videos, and various collections you've acquired. You can also check detailed play records.

Series Quests

This mode is all-new for THEATRHYTHM BAR LINE - start here to collect songs and characters.

Series Quests let you relive a total of 29 past titles and unlock their songs as you go. Choose from your favorite titles!

When you unlock a new title, you’ll also unlock its associated characters. You can also obtain enemy characters by clearing all the stages.

You’ll advance through a map by clearing each song’s stage. But there’s more to it than that. Each song has its own quest, such as “Defeat 10 Bombs,” to test your party formation skills.

Songs cleared in this mode are unlocked to play in Music Stages!

Endless World

Once you complete a special title, Endless World will be unlocked!

In this stage, a random song is chosen each time, and quest difficulty increases gradually as you progress. Fail three quests and it’s over!

Your ingenuity and technique will be tested to see how far you can advance in a single attempt.

Multi Battle

Want to test your rhythm action skills against other players online? Head to Multi Battle and get ready to compete!

You can join another player's room or create your own and wait for opponents to come to you. If you want to play with just your friends, you can set a password to enter the room.

Once everyone is ready, select which song you want to play. The track will be selected at random from among the songs chosen by the players.

Let the battles begin!

Those who fight further know that you can force your way to victory with Bursts! Fill the Burst Gauge to unleash special moves that can hinder other players or turn the tables to your advantage.

The battle heats up in the second half, where two burst techniques are activated at the same time! Stand your ground or risk careening into danger!

Some of the Bursts you can use are:

• Fat Chocobo Time: A Fat Chocobo will appear on the lanes, hiding them from view and getting in your way.

• Moogle Dance: A Moogle will appear near the Trigger Marks and hide the Triggers from view.

• Point Freeze: Points will be frozen for a period of time and your score will not increase unless you get a RAINBOW CRITICAL or CRITICAL.

After Multi Battles, you can obtain a CollectaCard to add to your collection. Players take turns choosing one CollectaCard from a random set, starting with the first place winner. At the end, the players also exchange ProfiCards.

What songs are in the game?

With a massive 385 songs, pretty much every aspect of the FINAL FANTASY series is represented in THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE.

Songs include:

Opening Theme (FINAL FANTASY)

SUTEKI DA NE (Isn’t It Wonderful?) (FINAL FANTASY X)

Battle On the Big Bridge (FINAL FANTASY V)

J-E-N-O-V-A - Quickening (FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE)

We Have Come from FINAL FANTASY Type-0

Of course that’s barely scratching the surface of what’s in the game. From FINAL FANTASY VIII’s Liberi Fatali to FINAL FANTASY XIV Online’s Torn from the Heavens, there’s so much incredible music that we couldn’t dream of listing it all here.

Digital Deluxe Edition exclusive songs

What we can say is the Digital Deluxe Edition of the game comes with 27 additional, exclusive songs, including:

Eyes On Me (FINAL FANTASY VIII)

Melodies Of Life ~Final Fantasy (FINAL FANTASY IX)

Zanarkand (FINAL FANTASY X)

Other tracks include Kiss Me Good-Bye -featured in FINAL FANTASY XII-, Distant Worlds from FINAL FANTASY XI and more!

DLC songs

A huge selection of music from some of the greatest Square Enix games will be available as downloadable content.

You’ll be able to play stages with music from:

• SaGa series
• LIVE A LIVE
• The World Ends with You series
• NieR Series
• CHRONO TRIGGER and CHRONO CROSS
• Mana Series
• OCTOPATH TRAVELER
• Xenogears

…and more!

Some specific tracks coming include:

Song of the Ancients / Fate (NieR Gestalt / Replicant)

OCTOPATH TRAVELER - Main Theme (OCTOPATH TRAVELER)

Ardent Rhythm (Romancing SaGa -Minstrel Song-)

There will be three Season Passes, each featuring different titles’ music tracks. Every Season Pass will contain 5 song packs for a total of 30 songs each. In total, 90 additional songs will be made available, bringing the total number of tracks in THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE up to a gargantuan 502!

How do I get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE?

Three editions of THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE will be available at launch:

• Standard Edition: Available physically and digitally, this contains 385 sounds from across the FINAL FANTASY series

• Digital Deluxe Edition: Contains all songs from the standard edition, plus 27 additional tracks, and Season Pass 1.

• Premium Digital Deluxe Edition: Contains all songs from the standard edition, plus 27 additional tracks, and Season Passes 1-3.

All these editions are available to preorder now:

• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on PS4
• Get THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE on Switch

Wow! That was a lot of information, right? We hope that this musical extravaganza puts a song in your heart and a spring in your step when it releases February 16 for Nintendo Switch and PS4.

We’ll have much more to share about the game as we get closer to release, so make sure to follow FINAL FANTASY on social media to see news and updates!

• FINAL FANTASY on Twitter
• FINAL FANTASY on Facebook
• FINAL FANTASY on Instagram
• FINAL FANTASY on YouTube

If you were watching the latest Nintendo Direct, you may have seen we made a few announcements. Actually, it was more than a few - we revealed a lot of exciting information about new and upcoming games!

We showcased the next entry in the OCTOPATH TRAVELER series, unveiled the marvelously musical THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE, launched a brand new demo for HARVESTELLA, unleashed new information about CRISIS CORE –FINAL FANTASY VII– REUNION and more!

Oh, and we also released a game - VARIOUS DAYLIFE is out now!

But enough preamble - there’s a lot to talk about, so let’s get to it:

OCTOPATH TRAVELER II has been announced!

The series that pioneered HD-2D is back!

Set for release on February 24, 2023, OCTOPATH TRAVELER II is a brand-new standalone entry in the series that will release February 24, 2023 for PS5, PS4, Switch and Steam.

You choose one of eight completely new characters and set off on an adventure. Along the way, you’ll meet the other seven characters, and maybe even join them on their own adventures too!

With no connection to the previous game, all players - even those who haven’t played an OCTOPATH TRAVELER title before, can enjoy the charming stories, strategic combat and stunning visuals that make that HD-2D style even more eye-catching than ever!

The game is set in the vibrant world of Solistia, which comprises of an eastern and western continent divided by the sea. It’s a bustling era - large vessels navigate busy sea routes and the power of steam gives birth to new technologies. Some people are thrilled by the glamorous stars of the stage, while others are brought to tears by war, plague, and poverty.

Eight travelers from different regions in this diverse world set out on journeys for their own reasons. You’ll take control of this awesome octet and explore the land as you see fit, taking advantage of each hero’s unique talents along the way.

Everything that was great about the original game is back, including the Break and Boost system that makes every battle an exhilarating test of strategy - and of course, there are plenty of new features, too. Yes - that does include more interactions between party members.

To learn more about the game, check out the full blog:

• 8 things you need to know about OCTOPATH TRAVELER II

THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE will put a song in your heart!

Another classic series is making a return with THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE - arriving for PS4 and Switch on February 16, 2023!

This toe-tapping new game celebrates 35 years of amazing FINAL FANTASY music through fast-paced, endlessly replayable rhythm-action gameplay. The standard game features a massive 385 tracks from across the series, including FINAL FANTASY I through FINAL FANTASY XV, spin-offs and more!

What’s more, the Digital Deluxe and Premium Digital Deluxe Editions and post-launch DLC will include music from additional SQUARE ENIX series, including the NieR series, SaGa series, LIVE A LIVE, OCTOPATH TRAVELER and more!

We don’t want to blow our own trumpet, but we’re pretty excited about this one! You can find out much more about the game modes, characters, track list and more in our dedicated blog:

• Get ready to face the music in THEATRHYTHM FINAL BAR LINE!

VARIOUS DAYLIFE… is out TODAY!

Surprise! VARIOUS DAYLIFE is coming to Nintendo Switch and Steam today… and PS4 very soon (September 15, 23:00 PDT in the US and September 16, 07:00 GMT in the UK).

Developed by the insanely talented team that brought you OCTOPATH TRAVELER, BRAVELY DEFAULT and TRIANGLE STRATEGY, this game is a distinctly different kind of RPG.

You play as a new arrival on a vast, largely unexplored continent. You’ll take on various types of work to help build your character, and head out on dangerous expeditions to explore new parts of the continent and collect vital resources to expand your settlement.

Unlike traditional RPGs, you don’t gain strength through battle, but instead by taking on jobs around town. Be it physical labor, secretary work or waiting tables, all the work you do makes you more capable of surviving your journeys into uncharted territory. Although you’ll still have to deal with the elements, hunger, and a few nasty surprises…

To find out more about the game, check out our full blog:

• Everything you need to know about VARIOUS DAYLIFE

VARIOUS DAYLIFE releases today for Switch and Steam and September 15, 23:00 PDT / September 16, 7:00 GMT for PS4! Purchase the game before October 17, 2022 to get a digital artbook as an early purchase reward!

You can also get the game as part of a bundle with the TRIANGLE STRATEGY Digital Deluxe Edition on Steam. This will give you a 29% discount and the acclaimed strategy RPG when it launches on October 14, 2022!

A free HARVESTELLA demo is available today on Switch!

Over the past few months, we’ve shown you all kinds of things about this brand-new life simulation RPG, from farming and cooking and making new friends, to battling monsters with the flexible job system!

But the best way to get the measure of this fantastic new adventure is to try it yourself! A free downloadable demo for HARVESTELLA is available today on Nintendo Switch. You’ll get to see how this adventure begins, learn about Quietus - the season of death - and enjoy a variety of gameplay, including tending to crops, socialising with townsfolk and adventuring in dangerous monster-filled dungeons.

Best of all, your progress will carry over to the full game when it releases physically and digitally on November 4, 2022!

• Download the demo

New information about CRISIS CORE –FINAL FANTASY VII– REUNION

You knew that the beloved Zack ‘The Puppy’ Fair was returning this Winter… and now you know when!

We’re excited to reveal that CRISIS CORE –FINAL FANTASY VII– REUNION launches for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Steam on December 13, 2022!

Not only is there a brand new trailer for the game, we just released a host of lovely new screenshots and awesome information about the game’s characters and battle system, which you can read right here:

• The characters and combat of CRISIS CORE –FINAL FANTASY VII– REUNION

The Life is Strange Arcadia Bay Collection is coming to Switch!

Two of the greatest narrative experiences in gaming are coming to Nintendo Switch on September 27, 2022!

The Life is Strange Arcadia Bay Collection includes two award winning games: Life is Strange and Life is Strange: Before the Storm.

These two titles have been optimized specifically for Switch, and feature improved character models, reworked lighting and more. The original Life is Strange has also been remastered with full facial capture, making it even more engaging (and emotional) than ever before!

The game is available to preorder now:

• Get Life is Strange

For more information, check out our blog:

• Everything you need to know about the Life is Strange Arcadia Bay Collection on Nintendo Switch!

Romancing SaGa -Minstrel Song- Remastered has a release date!

We’re happy to reveal that Romancing SaGa -Minstrel Song- Remastered is coming to PS5, PS4, Switch, Steam, iOS and Android on… (drum roll please…) December 1, 2022!

This new HD version of the legendary Romancing SaGa Minstrel Song (or just ‘Romancing SaGa’ in North America) features a host of improvements, including remastered HD graphics, additional features, refined gameplay and a host of quality of life features that make it even more fun to play.

With the Free-form Scenario System, which lets you experience the story differently depending on how you play, the unique ‘Glimmer’ and ‘Combo’ systems that let characters learn awesome abilities in the heat of battle, and a sublime soundtrack by Composer Kenji Ito, it’s the perfect game to warm your heart this Winter!

As you can see, there’s a LOT of Square Enix goodness to get excited about - right now and in the coming months!

We’ll have more to share about these games in the future, so make sure you follow Square Enix on social media for news and updates!

• Square Enix Blog
• Square Enix on Twitter
• Square Enix on Facebook
• Square Enix on Instagram

And that’s all from us for now. Why are you still reading this - go play VARIOUS DAYLIFE or HARVESTELLA!