Heyya ! @AtlasBenighted Thank you so much for your insights n breakdown to this music piece. It’s one of the best that ever stood out to me in… anything honestly. It’s a message about moving forward, about being strong and not alone, about the “light lost inside you” and through the darkness, it *will* always find its way out again. It’s a piece written for.. us.. the player.. everyone involved and probably generally about how valuable life truly is and standing tall through all of it, letting your soul shine bright enough for everyone to see and follow. I really believe these devs who’ve worked on this are beautiful souls, and through this music piece, this speaks by lengths n malms in comparison to just words. Thank you everyone for getting to where you are today, stand proud and tall, and our journey goes on. Thanks again Atlas, hope someone can also provide more insight as well to mine ahaha. Have a good one everyone ! :D
@ALeafOnTheWind4210 ай бұрын
The singer's name is Amanda Achen. She has become Soken's go to female vocalist, and does the vocals for several songs in 14, as well as one in 16. She's also, from everything I've seen, an absolutely delightful person
@des-trina10 ай бұрын
She now streams on twitch under the name therealcrystalmommy. It's a chill vibes derpy good time.
@ALeafOnTheWind4210 ай бұрын
@@des-trina Yeah, I've occasionally tuned into her stream. I watched the one where she had Ben Starr on. The two of them are so great together
@ryanseager12345678910 ай бұрын
I met her at Fanfest, a genuinely nice person and always willing to take time with fans.
@Rythla10 ай бұрын
@@ryanseager123456789 Me too, her performance of Flow bought me to tears!
@Khelleyne10 ай бұрын
@@ALeafOnTheWind42 that stream was fire!
@segafan243710 ай бұрын
Amanda Achen has made me cry with her voice at least 12 times. This song is the end credits song and sad story cutscene moment song for the Shadowbringers Expansion of FFXIV. Really adds so much gravitas to such moments. "Tis good to be awake."
@poro908410 ай бұрын
another beautiful day.. but you are not here to see it *vanishes in sparkles*
@kielyarger528310 ай бұрын
II never realized this is a letter from Hydaelyn to Emet-Seltch until this very moment. Thank you for breaking down the lyrics.
@Stickarms9910 ай бұрын
some context for this piece, since it may help you appreciate it even more - there are light motifs in it that you hear throughout Shadowbringers, but the most noteworthy scene where you hear this piece in its entirety is immediately after the climax of the story, after you defeat the main antagonist of the expansion. The thing about him, is that he's probably one of the most sympathetic villains in the entire Final Fantasy franchise, and you actually feel a serious sense of bittersweetness as he dies. The song's lyrics are about him, from his perspective. As he dies, he smiles at you, and simply asks you to remember him and his people. To remember that they once lived. It's a notoriously tear-jerking moment, and this song fits it perfectly.
@amatsu982610 ай бұрын
Damn you I’m tearing up just reading this!!
@BabyShenanigans10 ай бұрын
Also "'Tis good to be awake."
@BL33NB10 ай бұрын
And also... "remember us..."
@trial_with_an_error968710 ай бұрын
"Remember us...remember that we once lived."
@linkavantasia9410 ай бұрын
i was watching the video, listening to the music, think about the game and when it plays, a phrase comes to mind "Remember, Remember us" and i start to cry like a baby.
@titaniumvulpes10 ай бұрын
"The rains have ceased, and we have been graced with another beautiful day. But you are not here to see it."
@JenovaGirzz10 ай бұрын
@@titaniumvulpes this was top 10 moments for, especially bc he was only a child
@Dhalin10 ай бұрын
It's hard to believe the same character says these lines in chronological order: "You're not worthy to inherit _any_ star!" "You are a mistake." "Remember us... remember that we once lived." "Do Not Squander it, the Legacy I leave you!" "... and with elation in your hearts, bid the final curtain fall!"
@Zakemaster10 ай бұрын
@@Dhalin I hate to be that guy, but to be fair… that’s not actually chronologically in order. Technically, you gotta move that fourth quote up to the top. Just saying… lol
@Dhalin10 ай бұрын
@@Zakemaster Actually....... since you told him what happens, he says what he says _because_ of what he knows what he would say later. He _says_ that he does not believe your tale, but yet he _also_ says that he can tell if someone is telling the truth, so he _knows_ the tale is true, it's that he _refuses_ to believe it, despite knowing it is the truth. But yet, he says that line knowing the full context of what would later happen, and so yes... it _is_ in Chronological Order.
@Dezarc10 ай бұрын
when the crystarium nighttime theme kicks in ah fuck, with your analysis of the lyrics i finally realized who the singer is speaking to years after finishing this expansions
@Zanguza10 ай бұрын
"We did everything right, everything that was asked of us... AND STILL IT CAME TO THIS"
@TheMan2189210 ай бұрын
‘bout time 😎
@AtlasBenighted10 ай бұрын
Oh wow!
@Dezarc10 ай бұрын
it just goes to show how good you are at analyzing the meaning of a song without broader context, which is the main draw of your channel to me@@AtlasBenighted
@kelvinn202210 ай бұрын
''If I were to tell you that this isn't the end - that we will meet again - would you believe me?''
@austinmartin61210 ай бұрын
The absolute Angel on Earth that is Amanda Achen, her vocals are literally heavenly.
@ugxsan10 ай бұрын
There’s a reason she’s in literally every expansion now. XD
@whodis348910 ай бұрын
The lyrics are that way because it's written for the main antagonist not the protagonist.
@nahuel343310 ай бұрын
I'd say it can also fit the exarch. And the hope people that sent him to the first had on him.
@kaleiohulee669310 ай бұрын
@@nahuel3433 It probably applies to both as their stories share themes. I think the 2nd half is a message from the Exarch's original timeline to him although it also works as one from Emet to the WoL at the finale.
@BlakeAustin201110 ай бұрын
I always took the 2nd stanza to be toward Ardbert, as the darkness and sacrifice he made brought about the calamity on the First. But it has a 2nd duality layer toward Emet as well. Both loved their people, both sacrificed everything, both were awash in sin, and yet both were redeemed and found light again after time. And through the recombined soul and the stone of Azem, both have a journey for their peoples that will never end as long as the memory of the WOL persists in light.
@MrKanooe10 ай бұрын
Probably the best song of the entire game, it means SO much for the player but also our character in the game..truly, truly a beautiful song. As for where it plays...several really important places of the SHadowbringers expansion.
@BL33NB10 ай бұрын
Yes, but also Flow gets me just as hard, for all the doubt and lies, all the hardships over the years, she shes lying in front of you, giving her farewell, much like how they walk past us in the endling credits ...
@worldwidewimpy56510 ай бұрын
Soken is a god that calls an angel named Amanda to make you cry LUL
@undercoverspy12310 ай бұрын
Now you HAVE to react to Flow, the singers magnum opus.
@TaycatPoyo10 ай бұрын
THIS. I want to hear this!
@Lucyfer110210 ай бұрын
"Remember us. Remember that we once lived"
@ivoryrick773410 ай бұрын
never in my life have i touched a ff game, but the ost has always been what draws me the most to it. Good video, keep it up!
@ioverslept.10 ай бұрын
I'm not too much into other ff games, but the way 14 integrates the music with the story is phenomenal
@5dollarpizzabuffet10 ай бұрын
This song will always instantly make me emotional. From what I believe - whether it was just a theory that resonated with me, or if its actually true, I believe this song is written from the perspective an ally of the Warrior of light to the main protagonist of this expansion. I'm currently playing through this expansion on NG+ and I forgot how much it makes me emotional - the music from this is just incredible.
@amsaa917 ай бұрын
The scene I always remember that has an instrumental version of this (spoilers): G’raha talking abt his timeline where you and the scions died but how even hundreds of years after your death and with the world in an apocaliptic state where people fought day to day to survive, it was your story that gave people hope: copies of Count Edmont’s diary of your adventures and Hien’s book abt your participation in the liberation of Doma being passed from man to man to spread the word that there were heroes out there capable of turning the tides. The line that went like “the light of your story was the fire that kept us warm in the coldest of nights” while you can see a bunch of survivors in the desert at night talking abt your tale, joyously remembering your deeds and hoping a hero like you could appear again even though the world was on the brink of ending. All of this literal hundreds of years after your death
@ADruid2510 ай бұрын
Amanda Achen is terrific vocalist, she's been on numerous tracks for ffxiv. (SPOILERS FOR SHADOWBRINGERS BELOW) As others had probably said, the song itself comes at the end of the base game of this expansion, acting as an epilogue of a sorts. The first line as felt like it was sung from the perspective of settings promary goddess, Hydaelyn, who the MC acts as her primary champion. The second line, always felt like it was directed at the final antagonist of the base story or to a ally who had been a minor antagonist in a previous expansion (character 2 back story is that he was responsible for the current calamity that MC was cleaning up, where Character 1 is from an organization that instigated the calamity) none of the MC's actions where really that... sinful, while the two others where involved with the ongoing destruction of this realm. The last section is notable because a lot of characters die, or are lost in the course of the base game. Several allies die, and the last major fight was preceded by character 2 empowering the MC and sacrificing himself to prevent us from becoming a second big calamity, and helping us destroy the final base story antagonist.
@LLJVBass10 ай бұрын
"I changed something in the vocals. Let me know if you hear it" Me: "The rhythm??" *That one passing tone hits* Me: *Bass face.jpg*
@laurakane22527 ай бұрын
FFXIV has some of the best music, non gamers will never hear and that's a shame. I hope videos like this will introduce it to them. Especially this one. So beautiful.
@AtlasBenighted7 ай бұрын
Thank you!
@BananaMellor10 ай бұрын
This song contributed to some of the absolute best storytelling moments I've ever had, and even after Endwalker I still feel these moments are/were still the best. Some comments on the tone and lyrics and how they tie into the actual storytelling. I was fully prepared to make commentary on how all the lyrics and the storytelling are related but I do think it's not something that I can do justice, so much better to just experience it. One note I will make though is that the events and lyrics tie in "Eternal Wind" from other final fantasy games. It becomes more of a character theme, but comes about as a result of references to the Crystal Tower which has a certain mythos that carries over here.
@DeeFourCee10 ай бұрын
this song is used throughout shadowbringers, either for an emotional or happy scene. they play different parts of it rather than the full thing from start to finish such as just the piano section or just the first section
@Melon-by5bs10 ай бұрын
Thank you for taking a look at this song, it's one of my favorites from Soken and Amanda!
@robikkupegasus703910 ай бұрын
Such a beautiful piece, man... And wherever it plays, emotions and feels usually follow!
@MrKnaives-e6h10 ай бұрын
5:46 the scene is pretty emotional. guarantee to make a lot of people tear up.
@Sunnyflowers9510 ай бұрын
This song always makes me cry
@ugxsan10 ай бұрын
Since you asked where in the game this plays, this is one of the two main themes of Shadowbringers, the third expansion to the game. Most will remember it from four locations. The intro starts off the cinematic trailer before switching to the other main theme, “Who Brings Shadow.” This song is also the main basis of the themes for the two major player hubs in the expansion, The Crystarium and Eulmore. And of course, the song plays in its entirety during the falling action of the story after you’ve beat the final trial and are having to process the emotions of the story you were presented. In more recent expansions I’ve noticed this game is amazing at making you stop and think about what you just played. It gives you time to decompress where you’re allowed to soak in the message and the music is a very big part of that.
@REIL2LYFE10 ай бұрын
This song makes me tear up knowing what I know in the story of this game. If you know then you know the moments I'm referring to.
@Dhalin10 ай бұрын
@5:58 "I wonder where this plays" ... part of it is used for the _town theme_ of the Crystarium. I used to hear these lyrics over and over and over again while crafting there back in the day when ShB was current. But, with my APD, I couldn't understand much of them other than the part where she goes "Staaaand Taaallll" and the bit after that I could never 'get' until I heard it in another cutscene in Endwalker where this song is used and I'm like "OH! She says "my friend" after that."
@Desu-Desu-Chan-San10 ай бұрын
One of the MANY songs in 14 that almost instantly make my eyes tear up lol
@BeccaLovesSRK7 ай бұрын
Two god-like beings who used to be friends took opposing sides during a world ending/altering calamity and have struggled against each other for 10,000 years. The champion of the being whose voice the song represents has just defeated the other being, and this song is her telling him "I'm sorry and I forgive you".
@cyphi47410 ай бұрын
Tis good to be awake.
@Dhalin10 ай бұрын
@3:00 the entirety of the Final Fantasy franchise has so many awesome tunes in it, even all the way back to the very first game on the fricken NES, I remember at least one or two great tunes in that game, and then especially from #4 and on. Like, you can go into each game from 4 and on and find at least half a dozen if not more absolute bangers. Soken and Uematsu are just... treasures that we've all been gifted with the pleasure of hearing their works. EDIT: Also, on the "less layers is more" ... this is why I prefer the original chiptune soundtracks over most remasters/remakes, though Pixel Remaster did a rather good job with keeping true to the originals, more than we can say for FF7R...
@truthless472010 ай бұрын
This is my go-to game to recommend to others. Even if you're not into the MMORPG genre, playing through FFXIV for the story is absolutely worth it - and the music is a big part of that.
@ArekuMizuhara10 ай бұрын
I dropped FFXIV after a month because ARR was not good... not at all... Hence I do not recommend FFXIV at all to others.
@truthless472010 ай бұрын
@@ArekuMizuharaThat's fair, ARR breaks a lot of people I think. The production value and story REALLY improves in Heavensward though. I don't know anyone who's made it through ARR and then quit in Heavensward. A few of my friends have actually quit in Stormblood (first half of SB is pretty bad, but once you get past the Ruby Sea things pick up a lot), but they had nothing negative to say about Heavensward. Look at it like this: FFXIV up to Endwalker is a complete book. ARR is the first chapter. It's not going to be the best, but you wouldn't want the first chapter to be the best either; you want the ending to be. And the ending of FFXIV delivers.
@haruki_nu710 ай бұрын
@@ArekuMizuhara I played part of ARR a few years ago and didn't like it much, so I can understand you. But I heard so many good things about the game that I gave it another oportunity seven months ago. Again, playing ARR was just ok, sometimes I was lazy and even didn't read some things, but when I reached Heavensward... then I knew I had found a good game. I have almost finished it (I'm playing Post-Endwalker), and it's one of the best games I have ever played. The story is just too good and the characters and the music... If you give it anocher chance and reach Heavensward you would never regret doing it.
@FieldMarshall310 ай бұрын
Just a reminder that Amanda Achen (the singer) also regularly streams on twitch
@IKIGAIofficial7 ай бұрын
Analyze “Dragonsong” from ff14 pls!!
@Zeet110 ай бұрын
Rally great breakdown 🎉
@AtlasBenighted10 ай бұрын
Thank you!
@sicarius890010 ай бұрын
I liked your interpretation of the lyrics but I think rather than the "encouraging" part being more about your past sacrifices being justified, and because of that there will be a brighter tomorrow, it's more about "You tried your best and we will carry forward your legacy into tomorrow". Well, it is not either-or, but both interpretations at the same time, I think, considering that this song is about two character really, both who are very similar but also mutually opposed.
@Zora7295410 ай бұрын
Has he done close in the distance yet?
@Theigzorn10 ай бұрын
ff14 music allways moves me (especialy after knowing the context of it)
@megzu10 ай бұрын
unrelated to this but i think you should listen to Tenebre Rosso Sangue from Ultrakill its a super cool song
@hpalpha732310 ай бұрын
Shadowbringers is the absolute best this game gets, it feels like they focused so much harder on the story than any other expansion and the association with that story gives the music tremendous emotional weight. It's great on its own, but I think you have to play through the game to truly understand why people love it
@Vendrix8610 ай бұрын
hey atlas, can you do something about the ultra bright background? It's hard to watch the video with the oversaturation. I want to watch your beautiful bald head but the light hurts my eyes.
@AddisonandHearts719910 ай бұрын
You should react to Kaji Wo Tore by Susumu Hirasawa. It is magnificent! It is similar to Forces except it is 4 years older.
@djnightcoreanime810310 ай бұрын
Please react to "this is the dream" by shiro sagisu