Final Fantasy VIII - The Landing | Reacting To Video Game Music!

[@stormtempestech]

This scene is probably the biggest reason I want FF8 to get the full remake treatment, modern systems can actually capture the scale and scope of the scene more than the PS1 could

[@Jimm1621]

There are so many parts of this 8 that would benefit from the sense of scale brought by modern graphics!!!!!

[@derrickowen8162]

Same here. This scene is the most memorable to me personally.

[@Dragonpuncher123]

For what they had to work with on the PS1 they did an amazing job. The scene still feels absolutely epic.

[@JDelwynn]

I'm all for remakes, but not action RPGs, so they would ruin it for me anyway...

[@sjnscale]

and the Balamb garden assault? The witch assassination plan? It'd be wicked! FF8 deserves a remake for many, many, many reasons! But the landing in Dollet is one of the main ones for sure!

[@firestuka8850]

6:45 the amount of ambushes in the level and going street to street envelops chaotic urban combat after beach landing invasion perfectly. Yeah, you done said it , buddy.

[@DTNNooby]

I think The Landing is probably the most nostalgic music in FF8 for most people because it plays at an early pinnacle moment.

[@DTNNooby]

like the top of the first hill on a rollercoaster

[@EmmortalBlue]

Also because the early demo disc was from the Dollet portion of the game. I, and likely many others, played the demo to death until the game itself came out.

[@SamuelMcConnell]

@@EmmortalBlue Of course the demo had a completely different song for the Dollet landing.

[@EmmortalBlue]

@@SamuelMcConnell Did it really? What did they have playing instead?

[@catabowl]

I always took the percussions at the start of the Landing as the "heartbeat" of Squall during his first mission. And that as he got closer to the start of the mission, the heartbeat picks up, louder, louder, and then it's go time.

[@JessesAuditorium]

Check out my top 20 songs of FFVIII vid, I think I said something similar

[@HeatRaver]

I always loved how the beginning of this song was clearly the anxiety and calm-before-the-storm, before the s**t hits the fan. It was like the beginning of Saving Private Ryan.

[@derrickowen8162]

The thing I love the most about FF8's soundtrack is that it is very much cinematic.

[@JessesAuditorium]

I ranked my favorite 20 songs from FF8 in a video as well!

[@MTGHedgefund]

Nobuo's use of leitmotifs in FF8 is part of what makes the soundtrack so memorable, despite it's varied nature. You will notice it more once you're playing the game. It's very subtle.

[@ahmadmanga]

I like how you described the music as "dark" because the tone of the story and visuals is very light on the surface, especially compared to FFVII, but there's a dark stuff deep in it.

[@ultimaganon7837]

My favourite FF game! Rock on, can’t wait to see you play it!

[@TacticsOgre35]

This scene was as badass as it gets. That look on Squall's face when he looks up from the map to the battlefield. Fuuuuuck bro.

[@Varizen87]

Fun fact: There is actually an Alternate version of this that you will NEVER hear in FF8!! It's The Landing (Demo Version) and it's been years since last I heard it, but it was played in the FF8 Demo Disc which takes place in the section of the game this normally plays in. It's functionally the proto-type version of this track that Nobuo was still working on when the Demo came out.

[@KMCA779]

The demo for the game was in my opinion a better version of Dollet. I feel like they cut it down either for pacing or because they ran out of space on the disk. Disk 1 was the one that crapped out on me the most. (I went through 3 copies in 10 years)

[@ace3slOfficial]

@@KMCA779 they can't use it because of copyright issues... it was from an American movie with some war theme or something...

[@Axaul]

@@ace3slOfficial it sounded too similar to music from The Rock

[@ace3slOfficial]

@@Axaul yeah, that's the movie that claimed copyright infringement so uematsu and squaresoft had to scrap the whole song from the game...

[@coreywilson3493]

And that version was WAY better. And it truly irritates me that some dipshit out there decided it sounded too similar to the song from The Rock. Sorry, but no, the two songs are not that goddamned similar. So fucking stupid.

[@MrRemmington]

I recognized your background music instantly, GTA2 bro. Also Final Fantasy VIII is my favourite game of all time, and this song has always been amazing. Afrojack used this song as reference for his song Rock the house, you can hear it from the outset, oh and Musician / youtuber Alex Moukala Music did an AMAZING re-imagining of this.

[@KillChaos7]

"it is a battle or a boss-battle??" oh no... it's better, can't wait your reaction in-game

[@Gakusangi]

This scene still sticks with me. It's such a huge moment.

[@ThePolishValsion]

This was the track that hooked me into the game. When I saw the FMV that accompanied it, the music fit perfectly. And when it played during random battles, I always loved whooping Galbadian soldiers around. My favorite moment is right before it looks - that short drum march with violins.

[@Rhoen13]

Im so late to this, but god this was a nostalgia bomb. Back when you posted this I wish the vid let you see the cutscene the song was tied to cuz It IS a battle but not in the random battle way-I remember my brother and I trying to keep up with the brief ingame (cuz we were kids that bought this together with chore money at the time and expecting a less realistic story) you see Squall overlooking the objective and getting himself ready...and the music just DROPS. They're met with IMMEDIATE resistance as they force their way onto the shore as soldiers are getting mortared right infront of us and the situation just screamed: FUCK, they know we're here. We this isn't a field trip. Get your guard up and keep it up cuz they're EVERYWHERE. Memories man haha

[@andreweaton6363]

One of the best final fantasy cutscenes ever imo

[@Antis14CZ]

I think of this song as kinda the Bombing Mission of FFVIII. Can't wait for you to catch the musical callbacks in this track to other parts of the OST when you hear this in the game itself. Also, I recommend you rewatch your commentary after you hear this in-game. Trust me, it'll put a smile on your face =)

[@KevinM491]

Going to watch you play for sure. Very excited to get your opinion on the game as a whole, very different than 7.

[@Arksimon2k]

Ah here we go. This is my actual favourite track in FF8, for a long time.

[@jodieblake7398]

Thanks for sharing this bro! I just started playing this game Last Friday, I haven't made it far but I'm excited to see where things go.

[@El_Mexicutioner666]

This was my favorite track from a video game for years after it came out. I listen to it obsessively through middle and high school. It's perfect for a Final Fantasy game, but it is also perfect for the situation that the song plays. You nailed it when you said you couldn't tell if it was a battle or map music, but that's because it's both. The song is supposed to sound chaotic, stressful, and dire. It really made the dalit landing mission pop, and it becomes even more stressful and critical feeling when you find out you are being timed on that mission behind the scenes.

[@rickybell]

4:37... to me it's chaotic... it feels like a lot of stuff is happening at the same time... i have played the game and i do see why you would feel that way but believe me this game is not one the ff's that people love cause of the game mechanics but the game is really good in my opinion...

[@2dat115]

7 and 8 are my favorites all time

[@PiuGraveMusic]

You're very percussion-minded with your ideas of composition. (edit, Im only a few minutes in, that's just the impression I get by your reaction) That's refreshing to me when it comes to reaction videos of gaming songs, so I'm subscribing!

[@Leonsbane]

I'm really excited for your playthrough. I'll be interested on your thoughts with context.

[@lanonyme-vod8090]

Great reaction! Actually, The Landing had a recurring motif you'll hear a lot in the game. It was already in Liberi Fatali and is kinda everywhere

[@mestupkid211986]

and then it disappears in the last half of the game.

[@temporalwolf7054]

So, if I'm remembering correctly, this is actually one of the first songs from the OST to be really "released" since it plays in the section that was in the demo that was bundled with Brave Fencer Musashi. It's interesting to me just because of how it was chosen to be the tone setter and expectation setter for the game.

[@nero6942]

You really hit the nail on the songs atmosphere and once you play it, you'll definitely feel it. I'm excited when you listen to Force Your Way and The Man With the Machine Gun

[@seekittycat]

Brings back so many memories 🥰. Not my fav ff in gameplay but oh gosh some unforgettable moments

[@roystansell7640]

A lot of your comments while you are listening to these are spot on. The music does a good job fulfilling it role.

[@filo5930]

oh man, i remember the first time i heard the song playing that part, so fucking epic!!! wish we could get a full remake of that game

[@Mitsu2040]

All the tracks are epic

[@AlexTheRed1985]

So basically starting with the best ones. This and « Maybe I’m a lion » are probably the best tracks of this game

[@Skyblade12]

I am so curious to see your reaction to this OST in context. It all fits so well with the moments in the game, and I want to see it click for you.

[@marestgondev]

Best FF by far

[@ehko9989]

The game is a lot about the timeline of oneself. The link between the past, present and future of all things, sometimes on a personnal level, sometimes on a global level. So yeah, there's a lot of shifts in sounds used throughout the soundtrack, with more orchestrals to evoke/represent the past, and more electronic/weird sounds to evoke/represent the future. You heard Man with a machine gun as well, and you seemed confused by it, but what I just said should help you make more sense of this really all over the place soundtrack.

[@diamondrust4719]

Even to this day few battle themes have gotten me excited for battle in a game. It has it all between the calm before the storm, sighting and sizing up the enemy, the landing itself, and then the chaos and momentum of the fight itself is all in the music.

[@floriangailliegue6760]

My little sister call me in the middle of a party of hers saying hey I just heard a song that I remember from you playing ff8. It was Afrojack's Rock the House. Turn's out this DJ is a massive ff8 fan !

[@madnimrod2489]

Oh man I wish I coulda been there to see ur reaction to the cinematic this song was paired with cuz seeing the visuals adds more oomph to the song in my opinion.

[@pineappleonpizza8128]

While the track itself is amazing on its own, I feel like for the "full experience" it just has to be played with the CGI cutscene. I still remember my very first playthtough with my siblings back in 1999, there were bullets and bombs, soldiers rushing in, battle ships crashing through walls landing on the Dollet beach. At the time my 6 year old brain didn't have the capacity to process the amount of awesomeness I think my mind legit exploded right there and then. Til this day whenever I listen to this track the cutscene just automatically plays in my head, I fking love this game so much.

[@debelmeis2311]

This plays in an awesome frenetic scene.

[@SanjiTyloxion]

One song I feel you may quite enjoy is Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, Promised Grace. But more specifically the version in Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers, Veo Lu Sluice. For no particular reason. Just... you know...

[@lukedodson3441]

This song slaps hard in the game

[@Ktjnn]

Alex Moukala did a really good version of this track if anyone is interested in checking it out.

[@Wesker1984]

Looking at the list of what you've reacted to, another that should have been on the list is Movin', but I guess it'll just be a treat when you hit it in game!

[@pyromidas]

this song makes me tingle

[@techsoul5590]

My fave track from FF8.

[@debelmeis2311]

The changes in tone are to match the story elements going on.

[@hawaiianshirts2003]

You gotta play through FF8! My favorite game of all time! Excellent story and music!

[@TerraExodus]

Should of watched the trailer cinematic. It makes more sense. It is a D-Day scene. Starts slow as you approach the landing and it gets chaotic just like the heat of battle.

[@Caramaram]

"Kind like a battle". Hmm. Yes. Indeed. You'll see :D

[@Amitlu]

ooh its a FF8 bonanza

[@Null_Experis]

you keep talking about how different it is from FF7, and I'm looking forward to you hearing more stuff from FF9, which is radically different from most of the other FF games.

[@Adenfall]

Nobu is a master

[@StephenLewisUniverse]

This song *needs* to be remade. It is amazing but a remake would give it the life it needs.

[@xheralt]

Enrico Deiana has. Check out that and all of his other FF tracks, on his yt channel...they aren't covers or remakes, they are UPGRADES.

[@fudauematsu]

Probably I'll hate it. FF since 11 has too much orchestra arrangement and its toi boring. Orchestra OST looks epic if just used to final boss,superboss,or special event,not entire game

[@Malacite]

OK so I guess Jessie hasn't noticed it yet, so I will just "spoil" it - just about every single song in the OST is a different arrangement of either Liberi Fatali, or Eyes on Me. Go back and listen to this again and you can clearly heae Liberi Fatali, the trick is you have to know to listen for segments of those 2 songs. It completely went over my head playing this as a kid, but as an adult I can now fully appreciate what a musical genius Uematsu is.

[@KitsyX]

I forget exactly what is happening when this plays, but to me it sounds mission-like... Think like the FF7 bombing run music maybe... It's not strictly a battle theme, but fights might be involved or about to happen... A tense situation... You know what I mean?

[@MaxBraver555]

The song experience is better when you see the scene of the game

[@politicalscientist8880]

this. cutscene.

[@roxaslove23]

You should review Man With A Machine Gun!

[@solaradrian]

I think it would be really interesting if after you finish listening to the ost of a game, you try to guess what the theme of the game is.

[@arbellason2094]

Big sad, looked at your twitch, I don’t see final fantasy 8, wanted to see what your thoughts would be when you saw the scene this is played unfold.

[@jfoford9109]

Requesting ost Shining Force - Circus battle

[@unlimited971]

Hooooo weeee

[@ilakya]

I'm pretty sure this is not spoilery. What is actually happening: "Militarized teens go on their first real mission and being challenged with a chain of things that go off the plan"

[@MTGHedgefund]

Alex Moukala did an excellent cover of this song

[@dasilva2095]

Wasn't the original OST different than the OST FFVIII has now due to data being lost? I remember the pc music versions being way worst than PS version.

[@KitsyX]

I'm not sure if data was lost or not, but the PC ports for FF7 and 8 (the original ones and I think the somewhat recent ones) would use you PC's midi sounds... These sounds are probably relatively standard these days and I don't think they've improved them, maybe for over a decade, likely because of lack of demand (even then they might not have been the best, let alone now)... Arguably a lot of the midi sounds used by most PCs are not as good as those that would be used for the playstation, but back in the day this could vary a lot from PC to PC... If you were into music and had a good midi sound module, or possibly a really good soundcard to a lesser degree, you could probably make the game sound way better on PC (although I think the PC FF7 lacked vocals for One Winged Angel anyway, so that would still be an issue)... Personally, I think that if any effort had been put into updating the default midi synths for PC, or allowing us to download better ones and set them, the PC ports of FF7 and 8 could sound a lot better than Playstation... Sadly it hasn't happened though (not majorly anyway... Someone might have modded something)... Oh well...

[@Euoplocephalus2003.]

Yo react to "Overture" promise you won't regret it.

[@SquallSZ]

9:00 but ff8 is not darker. If anything, it's is lighter hahah

[@TheMightyBone]

FF8 is a pretty wacky game, my first FF really many year ago, much more of an up-and-down experience to me than 7. The music is solid but imo the OST is no match for FF7 which is just really amazingly good through and through. That being said, "Find Your Way" is an absolutely fantastic track and there are a few other gems on the soundtrack including the boss theme and the final boss theme. FF9 though. Now that OST is up there with Chrono Trigger/Cross for some of the best OSTs in gaming imo. (CT/CC is #1, FF9, then 7, then 8 imo.)

[@floriangailliegue6760]

I agree that the 9th OST stands out as one of the best for sure. Tbf all 6-7-8-9-10 OST are stellar. Ranking them is just a matter of opinion I feel.

[@LT.CarterBlake]

I personally really dislike 8 (It's easily the worst FF game IMO), however the OST is arguably the best in the series alongside the visuals being some of the best ever for their time, hopefully you enjoy it more than I did bud!

[@IKimdraculaI]

1, 2, 3, 5, 13 and 15 are definitely worse than 8. But I do agree that the OST is arguably the best.

[@Shunion]

Agreed gameplay systems (junction/draw) and the story are close to the worst In the series. Triple triad and the music are bangers though.

[@gerogedamon1573]

@@Shunion The story is weird because as far as I'm concerned, everything prior to Edea's defeat is arguably the best FF experience pound for pound, it's awesome and I really mean that, the seed missions the clash of schools the assassination... then it takes a massive nosedive with all the time shit nobody asked for.

[@Shunion]

@@gerogedamon1573 I would reply with the reasons why I don’t like the majority of the game but it’s all spoilers and I assume he reads comments

[@LT.CarterBlake]

@@IKimdraculaI It's purely down to gameplay, I just find it the most boring FF game to play and I've only ever finished it once despite trying to finish it multiple times