http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-o2- … -3sf8.html

Release: May 26 of this year.

Play-Asia's calling it an Arrange Album.

Is that true, or is this just one of those "Best of" compilations?

I believe it's supposed to be a collection of a few arranges and extra tracks that were produced for overseas versions of FFXIII.

Yeah, it looks similar in concept to FFIX Plus. I'm still getting it because I can't get enough of FFXIII's music.

I never heard FFIX plus, but wasn't it a collection of numerous unreleased FMV themes which were often decorated with a real orchestra with Hamaguchi? I don't know if FFXIII has ever noteworthy unreleased music (unless you're a fan of vocal themes regardless of how bad it is) so I'm rather surprised to see this album coming...

Yeah, what the hell was the deal with Leona Lewis lending one of her songs to the game?!

http://www.finalfantasyxiii.com/#/content/Home/0

It's kind of like, if SE was trying to get the MTV types into FF, it's like, MTV is the ANTI-FF. They make FUN of FF!

FFIX Plus had all of the FMV tracks (which were all orchestrated) along with a bunch of synth outtakes.

As for FFXIII, there are a few unreleased tracks, but they're mostly extensions of what we already have (like the expanded "Defiers of Fate"). I'm hoping that we get a lot of new arrangements instead!

According to this interview, a PC is apparently coming (Here is the official English translation, but I'm not sure that it's well translated if mine isn't any better).

I avoid FFXIII OST Plus as most of tracks are just prototype versions, but am moderately interested in a PC. Sad to know XII is officially skipped while even XI got arranged twice, though

Yeah, it's quite sad that FFXII did get skipped. A small glimmer of hope was provided to me via Sakimoto via Twitter (I assume this also means for Lord of Vermilion 2 as well):

Awesome!

Yeah I grilled Uematsu about I-III piano collection at Anime Boston. If a XII piano existed, and I-III, then OMG I could have a full set of FF Piano CDs.

I think a FFI-III PC was planned, but was replaced with something else considerably more interesting, at least if I remember correctly. Check SEMO, probably tomorrow.

Back to the original topic, FFXIII OST+ seems completely pointless to me and a waste of money.

It appears Aki Kuroda returns to an FFXIII PC.

http://twitter.com/kuroakimilan/status/13868731095

http://twitter.com/kuroakimilan/status/13597549463

Nice find Cedille. That's excellent news. Kuroda is great on FFX.

That's incredible.  Looks like we're getting FFX Piano Collections, part 2!  FFX's PC was one of my favorites so I'm definitely looking forward to this one.

The album art bruises my eyes with its clutter and barrage of colors.  I question, too, the decision to display the name of the album in a plain white typeface that disappears amidst the chaos.  I'd say that this a contender for worst VGM album art of the year.

Yeah, you can't really see the text on there very well - maybe in real life it's shiny metallic or something?

And the color scheme on there just kind of reminds me of the general look of FFXIII that I've seen in most promo materials/screenshots.

Nope. Zzzzz.

The overall production of 'FFXIII soundtracks series' has been a bit poorly produced so far (I still think the first was well produced, but since then). In retrospect, though, SQEX released at least four bad albums for XI (Star Onions, PREMIUM BOX, the second PC and 8th Anniversary), and now we're facing two promo albums from XIV...

Yes, in my opinion, SQEX Music went downhill when the old producers left and were replaced by relatively inexperienced newcomers who constantly prioritised commerce over creativity. They've REALLY milked FFXIII so far and, with the exception of the first album, all subsequent releases have been underwhelming or disappointing in some way.