Final Fantasy 15 is coming to PC next year, which means, I assume, it’ll launch with the incoming ‘Comrades’ multiplayer expansion in tow. Esteemed series composer Nobuo Uematsu has composed a song for the latter, and is pretty chuffed with how it’s turned out.
Named ‘Choosing Hope’ the gospel-inspired track includes vocals from Japanese singer Emiko Suzuki and is typically whimsical. Here’s a behind-the-scenes video, featuring Uematsu and Suzuki (if you don’t speak Japanese, be sure to turn on subtitles):
“I’ve attended a number of recording sessions over the years,” says Uematsu above, “but this was honestly the first time I had to fight back tears while listening in. I hope everyone else is as moved by the song as I was.”
Elsewhere, Suzuki suggests the song “goes beyond the realm of gaming”, while Uematsu goes as far to say he “feels like this could usher in a new era” of videogame RPG music. He adds: “I have a feeling this piece will serve as an impetus and a source of inspiration for a lot of people.”
Due tomorrow on consoles, Final Fantasy 15’s Comrades multiplayer expansion lets players assume control of the base game’s subordinate characters. I went hands-on with the PC iteration of FF 15 at Gamescom earlier this year—and chatted with game director Hajime Tabata about the process of porting from consoles.
Final Fantasy 15 is due on PC at some point in the first half of 2018.