Author: freeffxiv

“Every time I finish recording a theme song, I first have my wife listen to it. She gave high marks to all the previous songs, but she didn’t really care for “Suteki da ne.” I lost a little confidence then; but once the song was released, it made the top ten on the Japanese charts, so I’m relieved.”
—Nobuo Uematsu

“Suteki da ne” (素敵だね, Suteki da ne?, lit. “Isn’t It Wonderful?”) is a song used as the romantic theme in Final Fantasy X. It was written by Nobuo Uematsu and Kazushige Nojima, and was sung by RIKKI.

Lee Soo Young sung the Korean version of the song, titled (Eolmana joh-eulkka, lit. “Wouldn’t It Be Wonderful?”). It appears in the Korean version of Final Fantasy X International.

Development

Uematsu initially had difficulty composing the theme song for Final Fantasy X, even after having found the perfect singer. In the “Beyond Final Fantasy” feature, Uematsu explains the way he went about composing “Suteki da ne”.

“Regarding the theme song, my first concern was to find someone to sing it. The Asian-inspired theme had nothing to do with the choice, but since I was personally interested in Okinawan music my staff and I looked at various CDs of that particular region. That’s when one staff member found some CDs by Rikki. I had never heard a voice quite like hers and I contacted her immediately. After that, I had the chance to visit her hometown of Amami Ooshima and meet her several times. I had a certain image for the song in mind, but it was difficult to complete. The deadline was fast approaching so I tried changing my work environment to finish the song. I took the synthesizer from my office and brought it into the reception room. After the girls at the front desk left for the day I sat there alone through the night composing my songs. After this switch I was able to compose nearly ten songs in an hour. Any of them could have been used but I took the one I considered best for the theme. I completed the melody first so I had Nojima write the lyrics afterwards. We both celebrated the night it was completed.”
—Nobuo Uematsu
A music video of the song is included in the “Beyond Final Fantasy” feature included with the International and PAL versions of Final Fantasy.

For the group of Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII- missions, see Missions (Crisis Core)/Shinra Electric Company.

The Shinra Electric Power Company (神羅電気動力株式会社, Shinra Denki Dōryoku Kabushiki-gaisha?), also known as Shinra Inc. (神羅カンパニー, Shinra Kanpanī?, lit. “Shinra Company”) and sometimes spelled Shin-Ra, is a company in the world of Final Fantasy VII. It is primarily a power company, supplying Mako energy to the world and making electricity efficient and easily available. Shinra also operates in genetic engineering, space exploration, and has a strong military power including the elite group SOLDIER. This military power, combined with their monopoly of Mako energy, gives Shinra a measure of control over the world populace.

Nearly every central character in the entire Compilation of Final Fantasy VII has been negatively affected by Shinra’s tyrannical rule, even many who work under its banner. The main characters of Before Crisis -Final Fantasy VII- and Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII- work for the company.

 

Story

Shinra was originally a small weapons manufacturer known as the Shinra Manufacturing Works. When they discovered how to refine Lifestream into Mako energy as an electrical energy source, they exploded in power. The company spread power to the entire world, setting up Mako Reactors, quietly taking over every aspect of the Planet. With their ever-increasing finances, they expanded into many areas, including space exploration. As people became more dependent on Shinra’s power and goods, President Shinra, the owner of the company, became a global autocrat.

Starting a private army, using Mako energy to power the elite SOLDIER class and funding an undercover corps called the Turks, Shinra ruled with an iron fist. They began performing human experiments to create supersoldiers. When the people of Wutai disagreed with setting up Mako Reactors to their land, Shinra sent in their army to force their influence.
Shinra News LogoShinra News logo.

Shinra constructed the metropolis of Midgar, which houses the Shinra Headquarters and eight large Mako Reactors. Shinra controls the city and the lives of its people, although the company introduced a figure-head mayor. It obtained control of much of the world’s information and broadcasting services, and created a propaganda news service called “Shinra News”. The main purpose of this propaganda machine is to declare those considered disloyal to Shinra dead and to distort events to Shinra’s favor. In protest to Shinra’s lies, an anti-Shinra news service called “Shinra Truths” appeared. Both of these can be viewed as emails in Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII-.

Shinra pursues the Promised Land, a fertile land famous from Cetra legends; Shinra believes the land to be full of Mako energy, and plan to relocate their center of operations there in a project named Neo Midgar. Shinra goes through great lengths to create a person with Cetra’s power who could lead them to the Promised Land, but in the end, Neo Midgar is never built.

Dissent had long been felt among the people under Shinra’s rule. As the Mako Reactors destroy wildlife and outcast villages, people begin to despise their work. Many researched Mako, and realized Shinra was ripping life out of the Planet. Some Shinra employees desert as they discover the truths of the company, such as First Class SOLDIERs Zack Fair, Genesis Rhapsodos, Sephiroth, and Angeal Hewley. Anti-Shinra groups, such as the eco-terrorist group AVALANCHE, and the Wutai Crescent Unit, spring up to combat the army. Even the Turks mutiny over their leader’s unfair treatment and the human rights abuses the company regularly performs, causing a major fallout of many members.

President Shinra is killed when Sephiroth enacts his plan to summon Meteor to harm the Planet, and takes over Jenova’s remains stored in the Shinra Headquarters, morphing her body into his image and slaying the President in his office. Vice President Rufus Shinra takes over the company and hunts Sephiroth down to North Crater, a site of immense Mako energy the company believes to be the Promised Land they have been looking for.
Shin-Ra Building-MeteorMeteor looming above the Shinra Headquarters.

Their dreams are cut short as Sephiroth successfully summons Meteor and the Weapons, the Planet’s defense mechanism, are awakened and begin attacking Shinra’s sites of power. Shinra fails to destroy the Meteor with the Shinra No. 26 rocket. In an attempt to destroy the Weapons, Shinra fires the Sister Ray, a powerful Mako cannon, destroying Diamond Weapon. Diamond Weapon fires off a salvo of energy before dying, and causes heavy damage to the Shinra Building.

President Rufus Shinra, thought to have been killed in the explosion at the Shinra Building, survives after a daring rescue and evacuation process by Vincent Valentine and Yuffie Kisaragi. With the leader of Shinra thought dead, the other executives at Shinra go rogue and begin acting on their own volition. Reeve Tuesti, the head of Urban Development, is stripped of his title and imprisoned by Heidegger and Scarlet, the leaders of Turks and Shinra army and Shinra’s weapons development, who are soon killed while facing AVALANCHE.

Professor Hojo, the head of Shinra’s science department, is killed when he tries to use the Sister Ray to help Sephiroth. The final remaining Turks abandon their mission to hunt down AVALANCHE and decide to help evacuate Midgar instead. As the Meteor falls on the city, it rips apart what remains of Midgar. When the Lifestream ejects from the Planet to stop the Meteor, the people realize how important the Lifestream is, and Shinra can no longer use it popularly as an energy supply.

In a conversation between Reno and Rude in Healen Lodge in Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete, it is revealed that some Shinra employees are still dedicated to the company, and return to the company remnants to help atone for their past sins. Whether this refers only to the Turks or other employees as well is unknown.

With Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn launching in roughly a month, Square Enix will be doing one last beta phase pretty soon, which will be an open beta to those who have registered.

For people who still have not registered or submitted an application yet, tomorrow, July 22nd is the last day to do so to be eligible in the beta phase 4. As we reported several weeks ago, the progress that you make in beta phase 4 will most likely carry over to the live servers when it launches on August 27th. Those who participated in beta phase 3 will be disappointed to know that their progress will be wiped out at the beginning of the final phase.

Here’s the information Square Enix released via their Lodestone site:

For those of you who have not yet applied for the Beta Test, please submit your application by Monday, July 22, 2013 (PDT).

Application Period:
Until Monday, July 22, 2013 (PDT)
* On the above date and time, the Beta Tester Application Site will be temporarily closed and will reopen when Beta Test phase 4(final Beta Test) begins.

Registration Period:
Until Tuesday, July 30, 2013, 9:59 p.m. (PDT)
* If your beta code has not been registered by the above date and time, you will need to resubmit your application at the Beta Tester Application Site once Beta Test phase 4 begins.

Participants of beta phase 3 will have to reinstall the client when beta phase 4 launches in the coming days or weeks.

There you have it folks! Beta phase 4 is almost upon us! Who’s excited?

World Map
The World Map (ワールドマップ, Wārudo Mappu?), also known as the Overworld, plays a prominent role in many games of the Final Fantasy series. It is a smaller-scale representation that is used in the game to make travel less time-consuming and easier for the player. On it, the player can move about between various locations including towns, dungeons, and other areas, as well as fight monsters in random encounters. Later games, including Final Fantasy X, Final Fantasy XI, Final Fantasy XII, and Final Fantasy XIII, did away with an explorable World Map and replaced it with groups of large, fully-scaled, interconnected areas.

The game offers various modes of transportation to the player. In most games, the player is initially forced to walk to each location. But, more modes of transportation become available as the game progresses and the player is required to overcome geological obstacles. These modes include boats, airships, hovercrafts, chocobos, etc.

The game’s main theme, if not a variation of it, is usually played whenever the players tra

 

vels around the World Map, with the exception being Final Fantasy VIII. Certain games in the series, especially Final Fantasy IV, have more than one overworld theme, because there is more than one overworld map.

July 1st, 2013
This Month’s Featured Article
“A legendary knight who rides his beloved horse Sleipnir to deliver a crushing blow, the “Zantetsuken.””
—Dissidia Final Fantasy Summon Compendium
Odin (オーディン, Ōdin?) is a recurring summoned monster in the series. He made his debut in Final Fantasy III and several of his appearances allude to his original encounter.

Most commonly, Odin will appear and slice though enemies with his sword, cleaving them in two and inflicting Instant Death. His ability in most Final Fantasy games is called “Zantetsuken”. Other games give Odin the ability to damage enemies normally as well, should they be immune to instant death.

Odin is a demonic-looking knight with horns, a long, curved scimitar and a cape. This progressed to include a lance-type weapon called Gungnir. Odin is always seen on his horse, who takes on demonic attributes as well, such as red eyes and body armor. Sleipnir, Odin’s steed in Norse mythology, has eight legs; in some games in the series, Odin’s steed has six legs. In Final Fantasy III Sleipnir can be encountered as a six-legged enemy, while Odin’s steed is a normal horse.

Recently featured: Wild Rose Rebellion – Dali – Shinra Electric Power Company – You Spoony Bard! – Alexander – Iifa Tree
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June 1st, 2013
This Month’s Featured Article
The Wild Rose Rebellion, also referred to as the Rebel Army, is a resistance organization fighting against the Empire of Palamecia in Final Fantasy II. Its name comes from the symbol of the Kingdom of Fynn, the Wild Rose.

Formed out of the remnants of the Kingdom of Fynn after it was conquered by Palamecia, the Wild Rose Rebellion was forced to move to Altair following the Empire’s capture of the city and castle. Princess Hilda of Fynn leads the resistance movement, along with her right-hand and Royal Mage of Fynn, the White Wizard Minwu.

The group uses its name as a key term which can unlock important information and serve to identify those who are members of the group. The Wild Rose is the crest of Fynn.

The legacy of the Wild Rose Rebellion lives on in Dissidia Final Fantasy through a literal wild rose carried by Firion and the dream it inspires in him, to fight to end war and create a peaceful and free world where the flowers can bloom openly.

Recently featured: Dali – Shinra Electric Power Company – You Spoony Bard! – Alexander – Iifa Tree – Seventh Umbral Era
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May 1st, 2013
This Month’s Featured Article
Dali (ダリの村, Dari no Mura?) is a small village near the geographical center of the Mist Continent, in the world of Gaia in Final Fantasy IX. It is located in the territory of Alexandria, near South Gate and above the Mist.

Dali was primarily a farming community, but after Queen Brahne began manufacturing black mages, the villagers abandoned farming in favor of the more profitable black mage production. The children and elders are responsible for running the town and keeping the secret.

Zidane, Steiner, Garnet, and Vivi arrive in Dali to rest and find a way to travel to Lindblum. They stay the night at the inn, but the innkeeper notices Vivi, and how he is similar in appearance to the black mages being produced.

Dali is a small village and most areas can be accessed from the Village Road. Underneath the village is an underground factory, a linear cavern system, which can be entered only once in the game from the inside of the Windmill.

Recently featured: Shinra Electric Power Company – You Spoony Bard! – Alexander – Iifa Tree – Seventh Umbral Era – Final Fantasy Tactics Advance
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“Enough expository banter! Now we fight like men! And ladies! And ladies who dress like men! For Gilgamesh…it is morphing time!”
—Gilgamesh, Final Fantasy V
Gilgamesh (ギルガメッシュ, Girugamesshu?) is a recurring character in the Final Fantasy series. Initially introduced as a minor villain, he has made a number of appearances in remakes and later titles. To date, Gilgamesh has had more appearances in any Final Fantasy media than any other character, and may be the only character to appear in more than one game in the main series (see below). Gilgamesh began a tradition of an incompetent, comical, yet persistent recurring boss for the player to face.

Gilgamesh’s role has varied greatly, from ally, to enemy, to summon, but for most of his appearances he is a traveling sword collector that battles with a variety of rare and powerful weapons. In most, if not all, of his appearances, Gilgamesh is searching for the legendary sword, Excalibur. Another of Gilgamesh’s trademarks is Genji Equipment, which can be stolen from or dropped by him.

Originally voiced in Japan by Daisuke Gori for the Japanese release of Final Fantasy XII before his death on January 17, 2010, Gilgamesh’s voice is provided by Kazuya Nakai as of Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy. In the English versions, Gilgamesh is voiced by John DiMaggio in Final Fantasy XII, and Keith Szarabajka in Dissidia 012.

Dragon (Command)

Dragon (竜技, Ryūgi, or ドラゴン, Doragon?), also called Dragon Tech, Dragon Soul, and Dragon Arts, is a recurring ability in the Final Fantasy series associated with the Dragoon Job. Among the abilities that compose it are elemental dragon breath abilities and the trademark Dragoon abilities Jump and Lancet.

Appearances
Final Fantasy IX
Dragon is Freya’s skillset. Her Dragon skills are not considered magic, and thus can be used when magic-use is blocked, such as when the party is first sent to the Forgotten Continent and enter the anti-magic field within Oeilvert.

 

Point of No Return

The following article is based on a subject that has not been officially named in any official Square Enix material; the current title is merely a placeholder.
Point of no return in Final Fantasy XII.
Added by KeltainentoukokuuThe Point of No Return is a term used to describe the point, in-game, that happens a little before the Final Boss. From this point, it is impossible to turn back, and, as such, the only way to go is toward the boss. Usually, a save point can be found right before it.

Also, a message, usually a spoken monologue by the main player, will appear, questioning if the party should continue. In several remakes there is no Point of No Return because once the Final Boss is defeated, the player can save their game and return to the World Map where they can access version-exclusive bonus dungeons.

Final Fantasy IV
The Point of No Return in Final Fantasy IV is found directly after running up the stairs and the confrontation with Zemus on the final floor of the Lunar Subterrane in the moon’s core. Straight after that the script, including two scripted battles, will take the player to the final confrontation with Zeromus. In the Advance remake, there is no true Point of No Return, as after the party kills Zeromus, an all-clear file can be saved and the bonus dungeon, Lunar Ruins, can be accessed.

Final Fantasy IV -Interlude
The game is entirely linear – after being flown to a new location the previous region and nearby locations are inaccessible.

Final Fantasy IV: The After Years
After traveling to the True Moon in the final Tale, the player cannot return to Earth. Within the Depths and Bottommost Depths of the True Moon however, the player can turn back any time they wish up until the actual battle with the final boss.