The MIDI-tuned sound of the end of days

I remember the day when at the tender age of 9, my family set off for some shopping in Coventry. As I was one of the new inductees into the cult of the Sony Playstation, a trip into GAME seemed like a good idea. I had £30 of pocket money and wanted to put it towards something that would bring me entertainment and wouldn't push my then-infamously short temper after being endlessly defeated by score after score of AI-enhanced opposition. At the time, I had two racing games ('F1 97' and the first in the 'TOCA' series), 'FIFA RTWC 98' - which covered football - and 'Davis Cup Tennis' (which, in retrospect, should have been given more time and playing hours). So something new was needed.

It came in the form of 'Final Fantasy VII', bought after much deliberation and a deal that meant I had to forgo about six weeks worth of pocket money to cover the £49.99 price tag. Like most people have certain attachments to music or other art media, I grew attached to this game. We started out on the wrong foot - I closed the door on the bag it was in, which lead to the crack in the outer case, and for months progress throughout the Midgar slums was slow and frustrating. But over the years, I have come to regard it as the greatest game of all time. The sequels 'VIII' and 'IX' are also games I hold in high regard.

At the time, 'Final Fantasy VII' was revolutionary. With fully 3D polygon graphics, a storyline on a scale never before undertaken in videogame history, and a battle system that has been the template for hundreds of RPGs since, it quickly became a shining example of how videogame technology had advanced since the days of 'Pong'. It was a critical and commercial success on unprecedented levels, and finally made the RPG a staple of Western videogaming.

Nearly ten years on - Christmas 2007 - 'Final Fantasy VII' stole my heart again.

Nobuo Uematsu was a composer-in-residence for Squaresoft (now Square-Enix) until 2004, and is one of the most prolific videogame composers of all time. His work on the 'Final Fantasy VII' soundtrack was created entirely on MIDI synths, yet is able to convey a range of different emotions and moods and without sounding repetitive. From the chimes that lead into the synthesised orchestral flurry of 'Opening/Bombing Mission', the jazzy swing of 'Lurking In The Darkness', the haunting 'Those Chosen By The Planet', or the legendary 'Aeris' Theme', sweeping strings merge with vibes and MIDI choirs. In context with their use in the game, the music is attention-grabbing enough; on CD, without the full visual context, it's just as listenable.

The best is saved until the final battle sequence, and the astonishing 'One Winged Angel'. The jarring brass and synth stabs have you wondering whether this will soundtrack the end of the world, before the synth strings rise and fall like tidal waves...and then the MIDI-programmed Latin vocals kick in.

The end of days probably won't sound this good.