Final Fantasy 1987-1994 is a best collection covering arranged albums from Final Fantasy I through VI. Final Fantasy arrangements spanned a variety of styles in that period and most are featured here, including orchestral, Celtic, piano and vocal music. There's even a bit of big band.
The tracks from FFIV Celtic Moon and FFVI Grand Finale are respectable but don't really represent the best of those albums. The four Celtic Moon arrangements are pretty but not very substantial, with more distinctive arrangements like the FFIV main theme having unfortunately been omitted. The sole inclusion from Grand Finale, "Aria Di Mezzo Carattere", is a bit mundane compared to other pieces from that album, operatic vocals notwithstanding.
Several of the selection from other albums, however, are essential listening for any Final Fantasy fan. Final Fantasy Symphonic Suite's dignified orchestral rendition of the series' main theme and heart-melting arrangement of the classic "Matoya's Cave" theme in "Scene III" make a perfect opening to a Final Fantasy best album. And both the solitary a capella vocals of "Roaming Sheep" and the wispy singing of a young woman in "Home Sweet Home" remain to this day among the most beautiful vocal pieces I've heard in any soundtrack.
The final two tracks are arrangements exclusive to Final Fantasy 1987-1994. The first is a feisty big-band rendition of the chocobo theme, the second a pretty piano performance of the series main theme that though predictable closes out the album nicely. These two tracks alone won't warrant purchase of the albums for those who already own all the other selections, but they do add a bit of extra value.
Final Fantasy 1987-1994 makes an excellent supplement to Final Fantasy music collections that have a few gaps remaining from the series' early years. Some of the albums represented are certainly good enough to own in full (Grand Finale and Symphonic Suite in particular), but the producers did an excellent job of choosing from albums like FFIII Eternal Legend of Wind and FFV Dear Friends their most powerful themes and organic arrangements. As one not endeared to either of those latter two soundtracks, I consider this best collection a perfectly good replacement. And to those listeners who have yet to experience any early-era arranged music from the Final Fantasy series, be prepared to be blown away by the beautiful instrumental and vocal selections in Final Fantasy 1987-1994.