FFXIV - Answers | Reacting To Video Game Music!

[@adamosborne9440]

>Doesn't play the game >NAILS the interpretation Legend.

[@autumndidact6148]

The thing is that the song was originally composed for the initial release version of the game and we don't know what it was originally meant to be used for in the game. That version was woefully incomplete, and the song was just in the files, not present anywhere in play. Whatever the original intent for it, all we know is that it was for something very different, because rebooting the game was certainly not in that original plan. So it's *really weird* that he nailed what it's used for without that being what it was composed for.

[@Shadowzdota]

@@autumndidact6148 and after endwalker the song has a whole new meaning

[@Peiruhn]

@@autumndidact6148 More like, they nailed writing Endwalker story around Answers xD

[@SilverVibes]

@@Shadowzdota Both for arr and endwalker the same. Perfect in both ways.

[@RealBentusiII]

proof of how great the song, arrangement, story and video go together

[@Ronzeru]

The impact is suddenly even higher for this after Endwalker. I don't think I can hear this song without getting misty eyed anymore lol

[@Yomens123]

I tho the same as Jesse all those years, Answer seem to have something to do with renewal, but now... BUT NOW it a whole new song, we can even say the music spoiled us all these years.

[@FlyingDutchman02]

The best compliment I can give endwalker is that it made all previous expansions better than they already were. This song in particular has attained a new meaning. Whether or not it was planned eight years ago, it doesn't matter. The team made it work in a miraculous way. I've cried more during endwalker msq than during the decade combined and I still get emotional sometimes when I think about it.

[@r2dezki]

Yeah I fricking cried

[@NeoTrggrTheGammer]

Considering I absolutely loved Answers to begin with, Endwalkers made me love the song even more, I didn't even think that was possible

[@SPERMania]

This video and song hits so much harder now after Endwalker.... gives me chills and chokes me up every time...

[@EmpyreanRagnarok]

"Hopefully I saved the best for last" Bold of you to assume the FFXIV community isn't going to want you opinion on every track in the game.

[@EmpyreanRagnarok]

Anyways, if you want a song that came close to there being a lawsuit over, look up Fiend or "Sephirot Theme Phase 2" and try to guess what band got their spaghetti upsetti at it. You're not in for an emotional rollercoaster with it, just a boss theme.

[@Lrbearclaw]

@@EmpyreanRagnarok I didn't hear this story. What's the context?

[@floorprincess]

@@Lrbearclaw It sounds very very similar to When Worlds Collide by Powerman 5000.

[@fionamb83]

Accurate. So today his reaction to Smileton showed up as recommended and I immediately went to see if he reacted to any other FFXIV tracks lol

[@wytchblade]

lmao he basically said it sounded like a calamity and a realm reborn without ever playing the game

[@93hothead]

Them music people can just transfer messages through music

[@ashitakaharuo]

well he does watch a video

[@snazzydrew]

"Tell us why, given Life, we are meant to die, helpless in our cries?" THIS ALWAYS HITS ME TOO HARD!

[@aiellamori]

It's also insane how relevant that line is for Endwalker

[@mookiestewart3776]

@@aiellamori it’s more relevant than to just endwalker my friend…..that is the human condition put into words …..that’s art that very much has to do with contemporary society

[@Omygames]

“Our souls have been torn, and our bodies forsaken”

[@Puddingskin01]

"Life sucks, and you only sold two fish."

[@floorprincess]

@@Puddingskin01 don't remind me of my pain

[@YunaLeow]

“No more shall men have wings to bear him to paradise, henceforth, HE shall walk!”

[@tpl2023]

Just got to this part, WHEW* CHILLLSSSSS

[@imaran1303]

She says as she butchers and murders all of her own people for not finding the right way to deal with the Final Days which she kept her mouth shut about and forced them all to wander blindly. Also forcing us all to suffer and die.

[@MrGears740]

@@imaran1303 Because in doing that she forced her people to harden their emotions for the final battle. they were all too content on hiding behind their shield of aether

[@imaran1303]

@@MrGears740 Yeah, cause someone neglected to tell them that it wasn't the weakening of aether that was causing the final days, but a entity beyond their star. No one knew of Meteion except for that one dumb broad who deigns herself superior to the people she kept in the dark and then decided to punish for her own stupid decision to keep her dumb mouth shut.

[@maevekirkland9452]

@@imaran1303 you are missing something very important... if she started trying to claim that some other being far far away was attacking them. a being she has no proof of. A being that its creator would deny, due to his lack of memory of it. she would look INSANE and would probably be dragged away. she goes over this in the msq.

[@lvminxsce]

I had the absolute pleasure of seeing Susan Calloway perform this live and I don't think I've ever seen so many grown adults openly weeping. This song is just so powerful, especially in the cutscene. The lyrics trade off between the people of the world begging Hydaelyn for the reason for their suffering (The Calamity) and Hydaelyn herself giving her own cryptic assurances that everything will be okay. When they ask why they suffer, she says to feel. But they don't understand her lessons, so they're left feeling hopeless and abandoned ("Feel what? Learn what?") It embodies the helplessness and anger we feel towards our own gods (whatever or whoever you believe in) when tragedy strikes us. ("Tell us why, given life, we are meant to die, helpless in our cries?") So she gives us our Answer, even if it's not the one we want. Thy Life is a riddle, to bear rapture and sorrow To listen, to suffer, to entrust unto tomorrow In one fleeting moment, from the Land doth life flow Yet in one fleeting moment, for anew it doth grow In the same fleeting moment Thou must live Die And know Doesn't matter how many times I hear this song, it still reduces me to tears every time.

[@danlei88]

Thanks for this! Saved me the trouble of typing it (and you worded it perfectly too). I'd like to add one more note about how the chorus and the lead singer sang in unison at the end, which was a nice touch.

[@MissTayzha]

Every time. Indeed. Great explanation of the song, too.

[@scarletteaii]

Especially after Endwalker, this song is just seeped in so much meaning. Love it.

[@Dyundu]

Got to see the world premiere in Chicago at Distant Worlds. It’s amazing live.

[@aitorgonzalez4657]

I saw her perform Answers in Chicago, and no matter how many times I listen to this song, I always get chills and tears, and hearing it live…ooof. I sobbed. Lol

[@venyllbasa9352]

"something was ending and was starting over" Totally nailed it there, Jesse! The song was played in the cinematic to the end of original FFXIV 1.0. Right before they shut down the servers they played that..which pretty much meant the end to the original FFXIV and to mark the beginning to A Realm Reborn. Also all these reactions are great. Keep it up my dude!

[@JessesAuditorium]

That is so eerie honestly.. but great!

[@Tackleberry61]

Right? When Jesse said that, I was like holy crap....that is EXACTLY when this video was first shown. The end of one world, and from the ashes another world began. Great work, @Jesse's Auditorium!

[@CycloneFox]

@@JessesAuditorium @Tackleberry61 There's also a point in the three parts noclip documentary (great documentary by the way!) about FFXIV where Koji Fox, the main translator of the game and singer of the Primals, which performs lots of the game's songs, describes how they felt when they first saw the Visual Works sequence when Bahamut destroys the old world and the cataclysm happens and everyone gets transported to the new Realm Reborn. That's the cutscene where Answers plays: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hX-3Z5muntpsmdk (timestamp is in the link)

[@Nehezir]

@@JessesAuditorium to add to it, the vocals are supposed to be from the perspective of the goddess whose patronage the character receives at the start of the game. The world is named after her, and she resides inside of it.

[@tomebundalevski1872]

Huh, I guess music is language. Who would've thought? xD

[@IceAokiji303]

Can't hear the final "thou must live die and know" without getting chills

[@JessesAuditorium]

Upon reading the comments, I'm absolutely floored that I somehow caught the emotion of the song when my mind was completely adrift. Thank you for the insights, comments, subs, likes... it's all kinda overwhelming to me. Thanks for sharing this with me

[@shatteredxangel]

You absolutely caught the intended emotion of death and rebirth. In more ways than one that is precisely what this song is meant to convey. If you're not familiar with the real world history of Final Fantasy XIV Online, it's worth a look. To be brief, it was released with much anticipation in 2010, but it absolutely tanked. It was raked over the coals by critics and fans alike. Subscription fees were suspended and a new director was brought in. Over the course of 2 years they began fixing the game within the limits of the engine, while secretly designing a new game from scratch to replace the original 1.0 release. After 2 years, at the end of 2012, 1.0 ended with a major in-game battle in which it seemed the world was absolutely devastated. Then, the next year, in August 2013, Final Fantasy XIV 2.0: A Realm Reborn was released and it has steadily grown and gained players since then. You would be hard-pressed to find a better Phoenix metaphor in gaming as the rebirth of FFXIV. But more than just rebuilding the game, they incorporated that destruction and revival as a part of the story. As someone who pre-ordered 1.0 and felt the immense disappointment when I first played it, there is real emotion invested in this song and it hits me every time. The fact that you could sense it, without even knowing the in-game context nor the real world context speaks volumes.

[@trifontrifonov4297]

Shame that you watched the unsynched version. The quality of the song is better, it's the full song and you get the lyrics, but the visuals of the trailer are created around the structure of the song. It's one of the best edited mix of visuals and music. It's a jaw dropping experience. Oh and Answers was not created by Soken the current composer of Final Fantasy 14, but by Nobuo Uematsu the original FF composer. He is just as talented as Soken with a long and impressive career.

[@JessesAuditorium]

@@trifontrifonov4297 Unfortunately not being unfamiliar with FFXIV, I have to choose what I think is the best link and hope for the best to keep the reaction authentic. Thanks for the insight though.

[@Shampoodark]

They are emotion in this song like this is the main theme of ARR and the theme from the last fight in the raid serie. The song was building up this fight an did make it epic in my opinion and not a lot of ppl did clear the fight back then in 2.X and if you was one of them (like me) its just nice to hear it and keep remeber the emotion back there :D

[@Anddroiden]

@@JessesAuditorium This makes sense for a reaction, but for your own sake you deserve to look up the trailer (synched) version. Because the visuals and music perfectly fits each each other and somehow manages to make it a whole other level of epic.

[@oliviagao6265]

Before EW: its a song about people suffering and crying help to a helpless godness. After EW: its a song about a godness suffering even more, yet still willing to believe, to love, and to entrust to the future. that mankinds would be strong enough to find their answers to the question of life. My mind is blowing. the story, the song, the meaning, all so beautiful.

[@Khaotix11]

For real. This song hits differently after that bit in the story.

[@blakec8549]

It's like a mix of regret and conviction. I hate that I had to do this but this has to be the right path

[@flipierfatalbina4757]

The insane part is that I don’t even think they had that in mind when they launched a realm reborn. Or maybe they did

[@hellfrozenphoenix13]

@@flipierfatalbina4757 I can say with a 99.99% certainty that they did not. Final Fantasy is good at having a story compound upon itself to increase its realism and depth from simple roots. EW picked up what 14 left behind, found ties and weaved it into what it is, as the previous expansions did. That's what Square does EXTREMELY well.

[@wyrmoffastring]

@@flipierfatalbina4757 I think they may not have known when launching 1.0, but I think they had at least a vague idea of the Ascians and Ancients history in mind at least while writing ARR.

[@Nundalose]

You may not play ffxiv, but you are now one of us. You've heard, you've witnessed, you've felt what we have. We're glad you got to experience this!

[@Gwydion_Wolf]

This... so much this...

[@readingchameleon]

I want to experience the game's soooo badly after hearing this. Where to start?

[@sylvastreak]

@@readingchameleon FFXIV has a free trial! I'd start there, since you'll have unlimited play time and be able to try out every class on one character if you want to :) A Realm Reborn is a bit slow and clunky since it was released in 2013, but it gets better as you go through!

[@australeo]

To add to what others have said, Answers is basically a prayer from people that are facing their inevitable ending asking their creator why, the female is the voice of the goddess answering and basically easing them into their fate. It's very emotional for players since it captures the main motif of the game and even more to the 1.0 players that are canonically survivors of the calamity. You pretty much nailed the emotion in it.

[@Pompadourius]

So the reason this song is so important to FFXIV is exactly what you interpreted from it. The original version of the game was poorly received and a failure, and that song was used for the cinematic to obliterate the game and remake it into the one that people play today. Answers itself is a legacy setting the former game's flaws ablaze and turning it into "A Realm Reborn", and all of its success and love comes from everything that happens after. A final goodbye and a new beginning, as it were.

[@JessesAuditorium]

And now here all are still enjoying what the game has to offer years later. Truly impactful.

[@Kilwede1]

You better remember that they once lived... the sundering must not be forgotten

[@blueraven1983]

The full actual meaning is finally revealed during Endwalker when you start to figure out who the voices in this song represent and why the words as they are, are being said. Its basically God telling man that a life of luxury is wrong and everyone MUST suffer for people to be truly happy with what they have.

[@Firecat0]

The last three lines of this song always make me cry if I think about them too hard. In one fleeting moment from the land doth life flow. In the same fleeting moment for anew it doth grow. In the same fleeting moment thou must live, die, and know. Like, life is so very brief in the cosmic scale of things, and in that fleeting moment we experience life and death and an awareness of this infinitely huge universe that we are a part of. We love and hate and /feel/.

[@JessesAuditorium]

Wow, thanks for that

[@Shadowzdota]

And with endwalker those line has so much more meaning.

[@umpum3963]

I've listened to this song hundreds of times and I still get chills and choked up about it. Like a lot of others have said, they played this cinematic (up to the point where the old guy fades to white) at the moment the servers shut down for the 1.0 version of the game. Something that's really powerful about this, at least to me, is that in the leadup to the servers going down, that moon was hovering low in the sky and you could hear parts of the vocals of the song rippling throughout the landscape in-game. The planet itself was crying out as these events were happening.

[@deefour28]

The closing part of the song is the best part for me, gives me shivers every time I hear it. I used to sit in my fc house and set answers to repeat for hours while I did something else my favorite song in this game by far

[@kuronaialtani]

In another vein, this song is effectively the PTSD song when it plays in-game at any point It played as a version called Hymn of Dalamud in the skies just before 1.0 (update 1.23b) went offline for good, and has since returned as Answers - Reprise as numerous huge story beats and sometimes the area music for the annual Rising event to commemorate the players sticking with the devs all these years

[@Toksyuryel]

They actually brought back the Hymn of Dalamud version during the post-dungeon cutscene in 3.5

[@linkblade0]

Every time this song plays, it is a prelude to things going downhill VERY fast. It's very chilling.

[@kotokenway8375]

This song will now hit very differently after THAT quest in Endwalker.

[@Thornbloom]

I can't even imagine what it was like for the players, you know the game has problems then you log in and WHY IS THERE THAT THING IN THE SKY

[@Barvald]

'Answers' is one of my favourite songs. Not just from FFXIV, or gaming, but in general. There's just so much emotion and meaning in the song, and having played through the entire MSQ, it just keeps getting better.

[@MissLilianae]

Some people: "I don't feel anything when I listen to music." Answers: "Excuse me, allow me to introduce myself."

[@BlazeBuds]

I don't trust anyone who doesn't feel with music

[@Unethical.FandubsGames]

@@BlazeBuds They haven't heard the right music. Guaranteed you wont feel anything listening to "My Hump" or "My milkshake".

[@prawn1717]

Aw no worries dude, I think we were all left speechless on our first listen. If you'd like a bit of non-spoilery context, this song marked the death of the ORIGINAL FFXIV, 1.0. A new director, our beloved Yoshida-san was brought onto the project to try and fix the dying MMO and he said "Just burn it. We'll make a better one." Thus, a huge meteor (shown in the trailer) was dropped on the servers and players watched as their world collapsed, ending with the "A Realm Reborn" cutscene, featuring Answers. Many, many tears were shed that day. Glad you've enjoyed our recommendations thus far!

[@TSLsmokey]

If I might add in. This song also got additional context in The Final Coil - Turn 4 where it was used as the boss theme for Bahamut. Listening to the lyrics, they also fit into the lore of what we learned of Bahamut and Meracydia.

[@SelkieRiddel]

I like how you're apologizing for not having much to say about it when in actuality your stunned silence says more about this than words ever could. This is a hugely meaningful song to FFXIV players and even without the context the game gives to it, it still elicited a powerful reaction from you for reasons that were your own. This song's ability to do that is simply wonderful.

[@julbot1]

"I close my eyes." Jesse- I sleep "Now open your eyes!" Jesse- REAL SHIT

[@fishsan4508]

"Answers" is so beautiful and you picked up the themes of the song so easily. It really is a song I have to immerse myself in when I hear it and the finale brings tears to my eyes every time. I don't think any of us mind that you were letting yourself feel it through your first listen. I'm sorry to hear you went through tough times recently. The downs of life can be really awful and I'm glad you are on an upswing. I'm definitely enjoying your reactions to the music! Best wishes to you.

[@JessesAuditorium]

Thank you, I'm doing ok now after what seemed like forever. I appreciate it!

[@DayleDiamond]

@@JessesAuditorium I’m thankful you’re here!

[@cnkclark]

What's interesting is that like Dragonsong, these lyrics are also telling a story. One with layers and ramifications that aren't fully apparent until you get certain plot revelations in the Shadowbringers expansion. This song ended the original game and opened the Reborn game, but has significance that is still being revealed.

[@bioboygamer]

I don’t think you realize how right you are.

[@edtExodus]

We thought this song hits hard. Little did we know it hadn't even started hitting yet.

[@shugafakker]

i dont remember how many times i have come back to see this guy react to this song and video, its so wholesome and inspiring

[@reihwan]

And hey... FFXIV kind of teaches us... "it's okay to cry, that's what makes us human". You feel emotions and it's healthy to feel those things. Some many new players I've followed have had to just let go and live in the moment. Hear. Feel. Think. The song holds tons of emotion. Hell I've heard it thousands of times and it still makes me sniffle and few tears just... escape even though I know that it's just my mind being caught up in nostalgia and when it plays in the game.

[@Shadowzdota]

A new teaching from endwalker, to live is to suffer, but in suffering we find purpose.

[@XelaShade]

This song hits different after Endwalker

[@kylopen3706]

I know! Endwalker version wasn’t as good in my opinion

[@alder96ontwitch]

I wanted to write the same and no its not about the version its about the meaning wich was revealed to us without spoiling to much

[@Slop_Dog]

I couldn't believe it whilst it was happening right in front of me. No joke, after finishing Endwalker MSQ, I was emotionally destroyed for like a week.

[@mangalover0149]

@@Slop_Dog I finished it two months ago... It destroyed me so completely that I had to bloody replay ShB and Endwalker just to feel again.. only for it to destroy me all over again (I'm at the start of 88 quests after THAT cut scene).

[@BlazeBuds]

I don't think I ever heard it on endwalker, although I don't think I quiet finished it tbh. Hard to stay hooked without a good group to play with

[@mariechan]

I love how he was completely speechless during the whole song. When you listen to that song, you're just...in the moment, thinking about nothing else, and it makes you teary. Very honest reaction, i can see you were properly listening to it. That's what the song does, it gives you feelings, and leaves you speechless, you need a moment to recover. Glad to see you have the exact same reaction as me when i listen to it. You really captured the essence of the song.

[@nathanprime2434]

I have come back to this reaction so many times, and I tear up EVERY. TIME. This song taps into something primal... something primordial that exists in all of us. You're reactions are so great because you truly listen and even better you *understand*

[@foxhounde]

Let me put it like this as a long time final fantasy fan. This song is meant to make you speechless. you understand what the song is about, legit the best reaction ive seen to it.

[@JessesAuditorium]

Thank you!

[@TheObiKitty]

So great that you got the root of the song that easily, good composers to convey a message and good ears to understand it. Looking forward to more!

[@JessesAuditorium]

That legit blew my mind when the chat was telling me. Kinda shivered a bit.

[@OddNumber1524]

@@JessesAuditorium Ooh chat was there, have they forced you to watch the trailer in sync yet? :D

[@JessesAuditorium]

@@OddNumber1524 Yea I premiered it live with a chat. No they haven't, wasn't aware?

[@raptorgod77]

Damn I just found another gem from KZbin it’s been a while so happy

[@Novaphaux1984]

@@JessesAuditorium I think they're saying theres another video that matches the song up with the events on the video, the lyric video is a fan edit over a longer version and it's not synced to escape copyright strikes possibly.

[@Astralaeyna]

You nailed it. Answers, after all these years, is still one of my favorite trailer songs in the entire franchise. Maybe ever in any game. The song is just SO powerful, and I'm rendered to tears or near tears every time I listen to it. What is more, it is amazing to listen to 1.0 veterans talk about what the game was, before it was reborn into what it is now. Into what it became. I'm glad you're in a better place now. I found your channel only yesterday. You seem very chill and down to earth. You've proven you have a great ear. Looking forward to more.

[@JessesAuditorium]

Thank you, I am better now. Slowly but surely coming into my own. I appreciate it!

[@Astralaeyna]

@@JessesAuditorium I'm really happy to hear that. I know your jam is music, but maybe one day you can give the game a try...? I know games aren't for everyone, but if you like them... quite a few people have been able to quit their day jobs streaming the game. Just a thought, take it with a grain of salt. :)

[@orphious885]

"It's like something coming to an end and starting over." ...well, I guess they absolutely nailed the message. 💯👍

[@vtaviscratch2428]

I just had to add in here - you were apologizing for being speechless, for not being able to come up with something to say… THAT is a real reaction, man. Watching your face the entire time, you could tell how hard it was hitting you in feels. I think this has been my favorite reaction video, ever, from all channels, because of how speechless it made you. I mean, we ask for reaction videos because we think the songs are great and powerful, and this is the kind of reaction that is the best to see because it shows that you agree. This reaction gets 20/10.

[@Markye_Takamoto]

I felt like you exactly, but with a lot of tissues and tears for just the emotions that song evokes within myself. I'm a completely new player to both the FFIV mmo game and the Final Fantasy universe in general and came to this song passing though "Answers - Reprise" from a tastefully decorated plaza I randomly passed by and was instantly captivated by that song. Shortly after I found the whole song and then your reaction to it, so I thought I'd watch it for the first time with you. I really enjoyed your reaction because I can tell that you were feeling a lot inside yourself, and for me it's rare to find somebody that really seems to focus on what he is feeling. It felt genuine and that made this first time even better. So thank you for making the vid and sharing it, and maybe I'll be seeing you another time :) o/

[@BloodTrinity]

At the start of the video when you said you hope to end the night on a brighter note, I was like "Hohoh boi, not with this song, it makes you feel things and think things." First time I heard this without knowing or playing the game 6 or so years ago, I just teared up. Have a good evening though o3o/

[@Gwydion_Wolf]

Seriously... all i could think when i heard him say that was "oof, you are not prepared." (though none of us were back then, and still never are even today.....)

[@xultanaplays]

I have scoured youtube for reactions to "Answers" after losing my actual shit playing through Endwalker. I usually read the lyrics if they're shown but the whole time I couldn't take my eyes off the honesty in your face. I hope you're continuing to thrive and thank you for echoing what I KNOW I felt playing through this game. Walk on!

[@Dorgrin]

It’s beautiful when music resonates so perfectly with us. Thank you for sharing your experience of this song with us.

[@benevolentwitch7077]

Hi! Just want to say you were spot on with feeling this song as an end, moving onto a fresh start. This is the song and video sequence that played after the initial failure of Final Fantasy XIV's first launch (1.0) In game they destroyed the world and started anew in A Realm Reborn. This song and video were shown, right before they shutdown the servers. It was a huge impact and many of us FFXIV players still cry every time we hear it, me included. It makes me happy that even non-players can really feel and appreciate some of the fantastic music of Final Fantasy games especially FFXIV. Thanks for your reactions! ^_^ /

[@JessesAuditorium]

Thank you so much. I guess the music seeped into my subconscious thoughts as I was listening to it. The odds of that is truly crazy to me.

[@TaiLysana]

This is my personal favorite out of all the themes, I was there at the end and for the relaunch. Hearing it brings back that just feeling of being hopeless to stop what's going to happen, but filled with hope about what comes after it. It's unfortunate that the full impact of this song can't be experienced by anyone who wasn't actually there, you can get the feeling from it, but the weight of it really happening just, it's hard to convey that to people who only see it after.

[@RealRaslu]

Fantastic channel, love your humble and authentic vibe brother. Never thought any game will match The Witcher 3's music, but FFXIV took my breath away. It's music and story is world class. TW3 has it all and will always be one of my favorite games but the link between music and story in XIV is what pulls it ahead of any game I played. Been gaming for 25 years more or less.

[@JessesAuditorium]

Thank you for the kind words. I'm actually reacting to a few TW3 tunes here very soon!

[@RealRaslu]

@@JessesAuditorium You are more than welcome good sir, appreciate the reply. Your channel is going to be one of those where I just come back one day and boom you have 1M subs and will get so much love that you can't reply to comments anymore haha so I'm happy to be here before then. Will def keep an eye out for those Witcher 3 videos!

[@ShindoWonderland]

It’s the opening for ARR which means a realm reborn and you nailed the empathy to a nail. You are such a nice genuine guy. Thanks for you being you.

[@Anddroiden]

Now i think you have heard music from what i think is the 3 greatest video composers currently, Uematsu who composed this is absolutely legendary, Soken who composed most of FFXIV music and Okabe from NieR. The fact that people know their names by heart is a testament to this. Yeah there's other amazing composers, but these are at the top of all the 10/10.

[@sopranophantomista]

Oh man! I'm glad that you just...floated with it. The written lyrics for these cornerstone pieces that become motifs over the musical score of the expansions they sing for are so deliciously layered. Masayoshi Soken, the composer, has done an amazing job, and he's worked on every single expansion. I'm sure this has already been mentioned in the comments, but while he was working on Shadowbringers, he was diagnosed with cancer. He only told two other people on his team about it, and composed through his treatment. He created some of his finest work during that time, and I'm so grateful that he never lost his spark to want to create. If you can, I would highly suggest you check out the Shadowbringers OST. Especially the title track, because it's like this one, but ramped up to 11. How it plays out in the game is during the final battle between you and the (or should I say, a) Big Bad, and you find help from a familiar face to get up and fight one more time. Like, if you show us players a screencap of that battle, we can hear it because of the title track and how it's expertly weaved within the cutscene. I know that the FF14 community at large can get picked on for how much we enjoy the game, and how much we love the devs behind it, but we really do. There is love crafted into every aspect of A Realm Reborn and beyond. Yes, it was initially to recoup any losses during the first iteration of FF14. That was certainly a goal that the Execs set forth, but the care and transparency the lead team has had about this game just really places it into another level for a vast majority of us. It's told by people who are storytellers, and are so good at what they do. I'm not saying to buy it or try it out if it's not your thing, it is an MMORPG (though I would argue that it's more of an RPGMMO) after all. HOWEVER, I'm sure there's lots of videos of streamers playing through the game from the very start of Version 2.0 (A Realm Reborn) to the current expansion if you do want to know what's going on more thoroughly. E: I was browsing through some of the clickable links on the right, and you have, in fact, reacted to Shadowbringers, so never mind my 'highly recommend', I see that many have already recommended it.

[@kelvinhernandez966]

Through this channel, im discovering a whole new appreciation for music within video games. Thank you for sharing a reaction to a lot of these songs from a musical perspective! Truly unique of this channel!

[@arrgee1650]

Just found your channel (thanks KZbin recommendations) and I love that you can feel the emotion in the songs without ever playing the game. The composers and singers for this game are phenomenal in every expansion. There are so many aspects to Answers that pull tears from my eyes, even without game context. ("Walk free... walk free... walk free.. believe...") The ebb and flow of vocal strength and power really lend to the rollercoaster of emotions while listening to this. This song plays during the final fight of the last raid (Final Coil of Bahamut) in the initial Realm Reborn game and they time it based on where in the fight you are and I cannot begin to explain how powerful that is. I'm glad you got the chance to listen to this and thank you for your reactions! ♥

[@yannstroke2864]

i come back every once in a while just to see your pure reaction to this masterpiece, and it always gets me ^^ being speechless says so much more about what you felt during the song

[@optimuscries9869]

I can’t count how many times I had to hold back tears. I could tell he was holding back some tears too.

[@WatashiMachineFullCycle]

I've never played FF14 in my life but I can't listen to this song without getting emotional. It portrays such an intense feeling without any need for context at all

[@nailenflammvor]

Thank you for your reactions! As an emotional person I really need to see emotions of others and seeing how they react on FFXIV makes this even warmer =) Also it's nice to see that I was right to thing that music is a universal language that anyone can understand even without context attached =) Answers was one of the first songs I heard from FFXIV before I even started to play it. It felt for me like a goddess or the planet itself lamenting the fate of all human beings. Even that times I cried every time I heard it but now, after Endwalker it hits a bit different and much much harder. I still remember how I felt on final Elpis cutscene... It was powerful enough itself but with Answers on the backround I felt that it completely killed me in a good way. That moment when you realise who's voice you've heard all the time, what meaning that words had and that the answer always was before your eyes... I couldn't touch story quests for 3 days after that. Never in my life I felt such emotions because of a game. And also I'm absolutely amazed how this song captured the essence of our living too. We stumble, we wander, we entrust unto tomorrow

[@jstraziante]

One guitar guy to another, FFXIV's The Black Wolf Stalks Again is silky smooth.

[@JessesAuditorium]

Very soon!

[@mhesq2415]

@@JessesAuditorium This is a great choice, because unlike a lot of these other songs, this one is played ONLY in optional content that takes a bit of investment to reach. The fact that they tailored this specific song to this encounter shows just how much music is a key part to the FF14 experience in the minds of the devs.

[@snowdrifter6187]

Black wolf stalks again or hand that gives the rose. Both are absolute bangers

[@Water-vk1vs]

You are a legend man. Glad you enjoyed. Thanks for sharing that little personal bit i went through that exact same situation a few months ago

[@BeRadMH]

Thanks for the awesome reaction. Definitely check out the full trailer to see the video that plays alongside the music. The timing of the song along with the visuals hits hard. Whether you react on the channel or just watch it for yourself, I think it's very much a worthwhile experience. It's called, fittingly, "End of an Era".

[@JessesAuditorium]

Appreciate the ongoing support. I'll definitely check it on my own time, this was a definite favorite

[@henhenhenhenhenhen]

I don't think I've ever seen a more telling reaction to this song than the silence, the quiet hum of the fan and the singular click of the mouse.

[@Setulge]

I still remember when I watched the trailer (not the lyric video) for the first time before getting into the game, was completely confused. "Why am I crying? I don’t even play this game, I don't know who these characters are, I don’t even know what's going on but... Why does the song hit me so hard?" And, yes, it is indeed a rollercoaster. Like I said on the stream, Answers is the most beloved and dreaded song but mostly of the emotional impact it has. Also, you were on spot with the ending and a new beginning point because it showed the end of FFXIV 1.0 (which only exists as lore now) and the beginning of A Realm Reborn (2.0). I could also recommend listening to: -Thunder Rolls (Ramuh's Theme)(FFXIV) -Ultima (FFXIV) -eScape (FFXIV) -Equilibrium (FFXIV) -I Am The One (Dragon Age Inquisition) -Dark Solas (Dragon Age Inquisition) -Blu-bird (NieR) Have fun, Jesse.

[@TheSivGaming]

FINAL FANTASY XIV: Scions & Sinners - A Long Fall Music Video (THE PRIMALS) is Sokens band. Glad to see someone loving the FF14 music as much as the fanbase much love brother.

[@NekuGrandChase]

This might be the most silent reaction you've done to an FFXIV OST, but the emotions that move through your face in those fleeting seconds tell us a story that you resonated with a tale not known to you. It is profound and transient, those emotions of a lifetime not lived encapsulated into time bound by a single second.

[@MrJonnyTapas]

Hey dude. I played the game hard core. This song is in my bones. Your reaction was perfect because I didn't know what to say either. And I'm still searching it today. Good honest review I'm subbed and here's my comment.

[@bluestormpony]

you said nothing yet said EVERYTHING. i can barely read faces but the pure emotional journey was written on your face, this is one of my favorite songs of all time, and im so glad you could experience its breadth

[@Darkness2179]

I still can't believe how hard you've hit that nail on the head. Your insight was spot on, holy cow.

[@JamesRogers1983]

Thanks so much for this series. This song and most of the others leave me in a puddle of tears. This one particularly hits me. Got the right feeling :)

[@JamesRogers1983]

This game, it’s music, it’s community, it’s developer, helped me out of one of the worst periods of my life. There was a time, in the last 600hrs, when I was wreck after every MSQ session. Not too sound cheesy, but 14 changed my life.

[@jacktaru2]

like many others have said, I've watched this a million and one times. I love the fights and the cinematics that have this song in it. but seeing your reaction to it, someone that doesn't know the story behind it (at the time of making the video that is), can have such a huge impact and reaction to it made me emotional just watching haha. so thank YOU jesse for your reaction videos!

[@coffeeprimarch]

absolutely understandable how you were left speechless, I don't know how often I've listened to this song only to be left on the brink of tears and feeling a need to cry along with the lyrics. others have already said it much better than I have regarding the context of it but I absolutely am looking forward to seeing you react to other FFXIV songs! theres just so many that I adore listening to on my own time and I'd love to see how you react to all of the gems within the game!

[@CrystalPrelude]

I like that you stay quiet during the entire song, the respect you show. I can see it plain on your face that it affects you. Most excellent.

[@JessesAuditorium]

Thank you :)

[@sgtsage2]

Started playing a few months ago and have been binging reactions to compare to my own. I'm glad for such positive feedback.

[@Zohar333]

Jesse, you're amazing

[@Steve-YT383]

Been listening this song for over ten years. Really enjoyed your reaction and interpretation. This song played when FFXIV version 1.0 was shut down being a dismal failure. It would later be released as FFXIV 2.0. Next month ten years of story will wrap up. This is one of the most powerful songs. Tomorrow and Tomorrow and To the Edge would also recommend. As would the video about Spoken and To the Edge's composition.

[@JessesAuditorium]

Thank you for your insight! Tomorrow and Tomorrow is coming soon and I did To The Edge last week :)

[@SquabsMcGee]

You did an amazing job understanding the song's source. This plays years before the first few seconds of the game in its current state. It is the theme of FFXIV A realm Reborn and for those that played the original version of the game, this played during the literal ending of the world. You can say it is the moment the original FFXIV died and gave birth to a Realm Reborn. It makes me cry everytime

[@shinyuy]

Every time this song plays my fiancé cries. In FF you can actually have a jukebox in your house (or in room) and collect music. It is on every playlist he's ever made. The ending to a beginning - this song played as they destroyed the old game and started a new one. They destroyed the old game and built a new one and this was the first song of it. A lot of the lyrics are tied to the songs and themes of the other expansions after it. The words the Goddess of the Land says to each hero when they begin is "Hear...Feel...Think." These words echo through every part of the game and it's a not terrible way to think about life.

[@shinyuy]

This is the power of music my dude. Enjoy the ride.

[@Gwydion_Wolf]

Few are the houses in FFXIV that don't have Answers on their playlists...... ;-;

[@ShiroNekoDen]

Some players posit that The Gregorian chant at the beginning is actually the player base crying out and that the female singer is Hydaelyn the mother crystal ( top goddess and literal manifestation of the land of Eorzea) responding to the questions. And the subsequent back and forth is again the player base and Hydaelyn in the parentheses. They are also the things she says when you get pulled into her world just before she talks to you properly. Hear...Think....Feel... is actually the most common one.

[@AutoKill97]

Hydaelyn is the Mother Crystal, yes, but shes named after the planet(which she created). Eorzea is the continent the games first 2 expansions takes place on.

[@ShiroNekoDen]

@@AutoKill97 actually no she's not this is a shadowbringers spoiler but Hydaelyn is older than the planet so is zodiarc. There were thirteen world's that fragmented from the source (which is not Hydaelyn but what became Hydaelyn) but the original complete source summoned the primals the evil destructive zodiarc and the good protector Hydaelyn their epic battle shattered the source and Hydaelyn sealed a piece of zodiarc in each world. Every time there is an umbral calamity is a piece of the source(where we play initially) returning to its rightful place.

[@l_e3eau]

Fan of the game, stumbled upon your video.. Your reaction says it all, its how all players of the game feel, in and out of the game. Happy to say, I am now a fan of yours 🤙🏽

[@audacious_Hoax]

Thanks!

[@YungHotSpitta]

So happy to see you enjoyed Answers. It’s personally my favorite track from FFXIV. I can’t even chalk it up just to nostalgia because it’s so well crafted, emotional, and impactful. 11 years later and it still hits home for me every time. It’s ultimately XIV’s main theme song and it’s so deserving.

[@RPGfanatic1996]

I love the reaction to this. His reaction was so pure, you could see the emotion in his eyes during the vid. No words needed, his love and passion for music, shows.

[@SPERMania]

Here I am back to watch your reaction of this for the 100th time... i absolutely love that it leaves you speechless. When you hear this in the new expansion during a cutscene it is easily the most powerful gut check that just leaves you broken but you have to keep pushing forward.

[@KappoJK]

I’m not sure how many hundreds of times I’ve listened to this song and watched the accompanying cinematic over the last nearly decade. I do know that the song, the imagery, the story behind it all, and Susan Calloway’s amazing vocals bring at least a few tears to my eyes every single time. It is a masterpiece of a song, I am so thankful that the FFXIV community have such amazing talent working to provide this content.

[@JessesAuditorium]

Thanks David 🙂

[@Junoku]

This song hits me so hard. Final Fantasy is a huge part of my childhood and my life. It was the game series me and my late grandmother shared the most time playing together. FF14 has been such a love letter to the series that helped mold me into the gamer and person I am today along with my grandmother, that this song pulls all those feelings and emotions out of me.

[@ryancain5319]

It amazes me that this song has such a powerful emotional response even with out the context. You feel it in the depth to your very soul. It was the reason I started playing FF14 again after the disaster of 1.0. And at the end of the game that is Endwalker the meaning of this song really comes to light and its name is appropriate. Every time I hear it now I cannot help but feel overwhelmed by the meaning of this song and the levels and layers of that meaning. "In the same fleeting moment thou must live, die, and know"

[@darrenreg]

man i literally found you like 40 minutes ago and i watched a couple other ffxiv song reactions already, just in time to see this fresh.

[@gateauxq4604]

This is the FIRST THING you see and hear when you start the game. (And was the last thing you saw and heard before the 1.0 servers went down!) The hype for the game is very understandable in this context. Im glad you loved it; being struck speechless is a pretty common reaction to Answers 😃

[@jreitnauer7]

If I could like this video a thousand times I would. You nailed this and it’s such an amazing powerful moment and song.

[@marnilauchlan8228]

As the other comments said you nailed it. Great vid and here's to hoping things get better for you irl

[@JessesAuditorium]

Thank you!

[@holowisewolf2027]

Your reaction pretty much captivates how I felt myself! Just absolutely blown away. Thank you! Since you asked, Suteki Da Na Ne from Final Fantasy 10, AKA Yuna's theme, one of the many iconic songs from the series.

[@Prinz87]

Stunned into silence. First time watching a video of yours and this is how I felt too, it was amazing to watch even if there was no words.

[@Chibikins]

Your analysis is spot on, and I could see the emotional impact in your face. This song resonates for me as well as I'm finally coming out of the wreckage of my own life after a car accident. This song plays during a cinematic meant to bridge the gap between the first game and the new reboot game. It shows a Calamity happening to the planet where the moon is brought down to the planet which was holding the dragon God Bahamut inside, which was a threat to the existence of the whole planet, and the song is meant to embody the prayers of all the soldiers and warriors who were dying in a battle they were losing, and from the collective prayers for salvation, a great Mage was able to use that spiritual energy to sacrifice himself as a way to cast a spell that literally remade reality, and started the entire planet over so that they were all saved, but at the cost of the memories of everyone on the planet as to what exactly happened during the Battle of Cartenau. Hence the name _A Realm Reborn._ I hope you review each song from each expansion. They just get better and are totally different, more metal style of music. Answers is more of a ballad.

[@JessesAuditorium]

Appreciate it! I hope you well wishes from your endeavor. I don't really cry too often as my emotional wall is kinda blocked off from recent events, but these songs are getting pretty close lol

[@etimun]

I wasn't there for 1.0 but when I think about this with everything I've heard, it really just makes it hit different and chokes me up. You looked so utterly lost in emotion and yeah I feel you man. We all feel you

[@MessyMeep]

You are such a sweet soul. This is definitely all about death and renewal. Or an end and a beginning. And how we're all in it together. It's such a beautiful song, and I loved your reaction =)

[@giantapple]

Something ending and starting over, that's pretty spot on for this song

[@cobbil]

Uematsu nailed this song. The end of an era, and the beginning of a new one. Pain, regret, fear, and hope all rolled into one song.

[@EsporHB]

Great to see your answer to this song. That song took me to ff14 in the beginning and it took me back after the game failed at 1.0, they made a apocalypse, a calamity from which the world barely survived and brought the new version of the game which is the game people love so much today. While the emotions that carried the old version are still present nowadays. Answers, while I'm pretty sure that already was the title song of the originally failed version of the game, for me shows this emotions in a way that is crazy. Never before was a game remade from it's core after a terrible fail and succeeded that much.

[@JessesAuditorium]

Knowing this lore behind it makes it that much more compelling to me now. Thanks for sharing (I still remember your NieR request, I'll try!)

[@EsporHB]

@@JessesAuditorium I see someone already told that but I'm glad my comment could still add a bit. I think the song is supposed to be from mother hydaelin, which is basically the soul of the planet, to her beloved children. Also interesting, there is a distorted version out there that played all over the game world while the calamity took place and yes it was an actual ingame event you were able to experience with the cocoon Dalamud visible Everywhere in the sky, with massive forces of the enemies in the cities before it came all to an end in a cutscene, played for every player who was online that time.

[@EsporHB]

@@JessesAuditorium and thanks for remembering my earlier request. :)

[@TheVazzie]

You are spot on! The song definitely marks an ending and a new beginning at the same time. In more ways than one. This song is incredibly important to the story of the game. Makes me cry when I hear it.

[@ivoryfalcon5494]

this was spot on in terms of how you felt, and i love how the lyrics can convey this so easily, as it's pretty much about a new begining, just found this channel but boy i can't wait to see more content from you.

[@DeusX121]

This song has so much meaning to the FFXIV community for some like me it’s the first song they heard stepping out of a cart in Ul’dah or wherever you end up as you began in 1.0. For some it’s the theme of watching a world die as Bahamut razed the land we previously adventured through Granting both a sudden end and a new beginning to the world we walked through Those in endwalker have a new meaning for it but to everyone it’s absolutely the end and beginning of something. Well picked up on kudos to you

[@cireusanime]

You nailed it! Also, not sure if anyone else suggested this, but I suggest that you watch the full cinematic trailer with the in-game sounds to truly get the gist of the song and the absolute emotion that it conveys. It's rare when those things come together to create what Square-Enix created in the trailer... the absolute horror of the cinematic with the audio that goes with it in juxtaposition with the haunting and beautiful song... Ordinarily, I would be of the opinion that the song by itself should be really listened to, and that's true here, as well, but when you see it in the full context of the trailer, there's just this overwhelming sense of what you've gotten out of it that is so magnified. Just a thought, though. I loved your reaction video for this song!

[@bleighcrandell7135]

What you described about the song pulling emotions that seem “unrelated” (you know, your LIFE!) dude. That’s what FFXIV songs and stories do so well. I’m telling you: if you play FFXIV and make it through endwalker, you will change your major perspective on life and how to deal with sadness and loss and how to carry on after… I’m so confident in saying this because: read the comments from the ending of Endwalker “the walk” and you will see so many people saying the same thing. How this game lifted them from depression, how suicidal people have hope. It’s strange to even type this, (I’m a huge skeptic) but I can’t state it enough. This story makes you reflect on the oldest questions of time, “what does this (existence) all mean?” and experience so many answers to that question. It’s beautiful. Truly. I hope and pray everyone reading this gets to experience this amazing journey, not just the game, of FFXIV.

[@AnimeSquirrel]

Such a beautiful song. You grabbed the theme so perfectly. There's so much amazing music in this game still to cover.

[@BlazeBuds]

Subscribed! As a FF14 fan your reaction was perfect, you could just see how impressed you were whenever it changed up

[@reyronald]

I had forgotten how powerful the full version of this song was. I've listened to it a bunch and yet still I was right there with you feeling very similarly throughout. Amazing. It hits much harder if you have the full narrative context that surrounds it in-game, and the cutscenes that actually go with it.

[@prawn1717]

Returning to this after Endwalker and just...holy fuck. I never expected Answers to be an even BETTER song than I thought it to be. Not gonna spoil shit, but for anyone with the ability to, please play FFXIV.

[@artbunker]

Henceforth he shall walk

[@cparle87]

8:38 It's ok Jesse. This song does that to all of us too.