FFXV Multiplayer Expansion Comrades - Nobuo Uematsu & Emiko Suzuki Guest Composer Trailer w subs
I've attended a number of recording sessions over the years, but this was honestly the first time I had to fight back tears while listening in. I hope everyone else is as moved by the song as I was.
Nobuo Uematsu
"Choosing Hope" is the main theme of Final Fantasy XV: Comrades, the multiplayer expansion of Final Fantasy XV. It is composed by Nobuo Uematsu, arranged by Tsutomu Narita, and sung by Emiko Suzuki, with lyrics written by DAGMUSIC. It was conducted by Koji Haishima.
Uematsu thought that a gospel sound would befit Comrades, and "Choosing Hope" was written with a swing rhythm Suzuki had sung before in gospel music. The lyrics describe the state of the world during Comrades, which takes place after Noctis departs Lucis and the world plunges further and further into darkness. The former members of Kingsglaive (the player characters) try to protect the populace until the coming of the True King. It speaks of keeping hope alive in trying times, the people needing to persevere.
Lyrics[]
The official lyrics were released on Final Fantasy XV Original Soundtrack Volume 2.
- Battle scarred down to the bone
- Falling, failing to believe
- Living in so much despair
- With no hope of release
- Was I born to be betrayed?
- Was I born to simply die?
- Can I bear to seek the truth
- When it feels like a lie?
- Into the darkness we will fly
- Soaring above our fears
- Praying this world will survive
- Fighting and striving for the light
- Living life knowing that we must die
- Loving until the end
- Choosing hope when all hope has seemed lost
- And believing in the strength of our friends
- If the Oracle can heal
- If the plague can be removed
- And the darkness overcome
- Then I'll carry on too.
- Must I live to sacrifice?
- Must I die to make things right?
- Do I dare believe in hope
- When surrounded by night?
- Into the darkness we will fly
- Soaring above our fears
- Praying this world will survive
- Fighting and striving for the light
- Living life knowing that we must die
- Loving until the end
- Choosing hope when all hope has seemed lost
- And believing in the strength of our friends
- We fought even the fiercest of foes
- Strong against all the odds
- Giving our all when friends needed us most
- Without ever counting the cost
- I chose hope when all hope had seemed lost
- And I believed in the strength of my friends
Game appearances[]
Final Fantasy XV: Comrades[]
I think all the FINAL FANTASY songs I've written thus far have followed the same format: a standard piano ballad in 4/4 time. Of course, I was playing to my strengths when I decided on that compositional style, but I thought it might be nice to break away from the formula for a change.
Part of the reason was because I didn't think it would fit the world of COMRADES. As I read through the reference materials I received from the team, I realized "pretty-sounding music" wouldn't be enough this time. The game focuses on the sorrow of the human condition and the strength of defying a higher power, so I decided to try my hand at something new: gospel music. Granted, I'm not sure whether one could really call "Choosing Hope" a "gospel" piece, but I think the music does an excellent job of conveying the aforementioned idea of sorrow and strength, and I'm extremely happy with the way it turned out.Nobuo Uematsu, Final Fantasy XV Original Soundtrack Volume 2
"Choosing Hope" plays as the ending theme and during the credits. It is track 45 on disc 1 of the Final Fantasy XV Original Soundtrack Volume 2.
"Choosing Hope - City of Light" (Choosing Hope ～光の街～, Choosing Hope ~Hikari no Machi~?) is an arrangement by Tsutomu Narita that plays in Lestallum. It is track 31 on disc 1 of the original soundtrack.
"A Clash of Swords" is an arrangement by Narita that plays as the final boss theme against Bahamut at Angelgard in The Bladekeeper's Trial. The Latin lyrics were written by Hiroko Hayama. It was conducted by Koji Haishima and performed by the Oshikane Strings. It is track 43 on disc 1 of the original soundtrack.
An arrangement of "Noctis", "Shield of the King", "Home Sweet Home", "EPISODE IGNIS - The Main Theme", and "Choosing Hope" plays in the Comrades: Departure mission. The track has not been officially released.
Final Fantasy XV[]
Noctis inspires the remaining Glaives to fight at his side for the Light and future of the world.
Kingsglaive Base Camp
In the Royal Edition and Windows Edition, "Return of the King" is an arrangement by Yoshitaka Suzuki that plays in the cutscene when Noctis inspires the Glaives at the Kingsglaive Base Camp in Insomnia. It is track 73 on disc 1 of the original soundtrack.
A similar arrangement as "Choosing Hope - City of Light" plays at the Kingsglaive Base Camp. The track has not been officially released.
Both "Choosing Hope" and "A Clash of Swords" are playable in the music player.
Live performances[]
Distant Worlds: music from Final Fantasy Jiritsu[]
"FINAL FANTASY XV : Choosing Hope" is a concert performance performed and recorded for the Final Fantasy 30th Anniversary, orchestrated by Hiroyuki Nakayama. It was conducted by Arnie Roth and performed by Emiko Suzuki, the New Japan Philharmonic, and the Tokyo Art Academy Singers.